Mapping the Landscape of Catholic Voices
Finding Stability in a Moored Tradition
Fr. Carl Chudy
Wayne, NJ (USA)
Born in 1957, practices every day
"What we thought about these things, say 100 years ago, is not how we see them today." Read more…
Andy Otto
Boston, MA (USA)
Born in 1984, practices every day
"I have been Catholic all my life and recently have been exploring my faith. The Church has had its problems over the last 2,000 years, but what remains is a true tradition that has lasted and grown..." Read more…
Stephanie Wong
Altadena, CA (USA)
Born in 1972, practices every day
"When I was growing up in Malaysia, the Catholic Church was the only religion in which you would see interracial marriages because it was only within Catholicism that those barriers of race were..." Read more…
Ben Callicoat
Tulsa, OK (USA)
Born in 1962, practices every day
"Surveying the state of the Catholic Church, I have confidence in God's mercy and His promise that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against her. It seems to me that our Church -- which has waxed..." Read more…
Rosie Delacruz
Cambridge, MA (USA)
Born in 1960, practices every day
"There are also wonderful parishes that create rich, genuine communities for church families to grow and expand." Read more…
Brian Stransky
Ann Arbor, MI (USA)
Born in 1971, practices every day
"Like many, I lived a sinful life outside of the Church for many years and even considered myself an athiest for a time. Once I rediscovered my faith..." Read more…
Oilibhear Twomey
Belfast, Northern Ireland., UK
Born in 1975, practices every day
"...while things are not easy in the church, the heart of the church is seeking to be the heart of the man of Nazareth." Read more…
Maurice Alvarado
Valparaiso, CL
Born in 1978, practices every day
"Well, I'm 29 years old and I'm a Chilean Catholic priest. What Catholic faith has meant to me has always been evolving. At first, in my early conversion, it was a sure way of getting to know Jesus..." Read more…
Imelda Hinojosa
Hawthorne, CA (USA)
Born in 1959, practices every day
"I am deeply touched by the love shown for the female energy/representation of the Blessed Mother." Read more…
Fabio Arce
Queretaro, MX
Born in 1966, practices every week
"The worst scandal in the Church is not of a sexual nature, nor the riches and the lifestyle, no, for me the worst scandal is the lack of love in the Church, the lack of community, the lack of human..." Read more…
Cheryl Blake
St. Louis, MO (USA)
Born in 1951, practices every day
"I have seen beautiful cathedrals, representations of God's Kingdom on earth, where wonderful choirs have filled the archways and resounded off the mosaics. My favorite image, however, of..." Read more…
Leticia Velasquez
E Moriches, NY (USA)
Born in 1962, practices every day
"I am immensely grateful to be part of the ancient Roman Catholic Church, founded by Jesus Himself, which has been able to preserve Christ's Sacred Tradition free from error despite human failures..." Read more…
John Knutsen
Berkeley, CA (USA)
Born in 1969, practices every day
"I was born during the pontificate of Paul VI (truly a modern prophet) and raised in the turbulent years immediately following the Second Vatican Council. I walked away from the Church when I was..." Read more…
David Dixon
Altoona, IA (USA)
Born in 1976, practices every day
"Our church's history is filled with good and some bad stories but if the church had not existed, we'd live in a radically different culture today." Read more…
Steve Skojec
Manassas, VA (USA)
Born in 1977, practices every week
"The feeling of stepping outside of time and entering something transcendent is always available at a traditional Catholic parish." Read more…
Tim Drake
Saint Joseph, MN (USA)
Born in 1967, practices every day
"I came to the Catholic Church not by birth, but by an adult conversion experience very much rooted in the centrality of the Eucharist - Christ's Body and Blood - broken and shared for us all. As a..." Read more…
Audrey Assad
Nashville, TN (USA)
Born in 1983, practices every week
"Flying in the face of the Protestant faith my family has held for many generations, I crossed the Tiber and became a Roman Catholic during the Easter vigil in the year 2007. To this convert, the..." Read more…
Jef Murray
Decatur, GA (USA)
Born in 1960, practices every day
"Living as a faithful Catholic is like being in love. And the Church supports us in this love affair..." Read more…
Leah Mickens
Atlanta, GA (USA)
Born in 1983, practices every day
"I attend St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church in Mableton, Georgia. It is one of the few parishes in the world that celebrates the traditional Latin Mass, now known as the Extraordinary Form of the..." Read more…
Claudia Rousseau
Silver Spring, MD (USA)
practices every week
"First and foremost, I truly believe in the primacy of the Church, through the charge to Peter. I believe that the authority of Christ was given to Peter, and thus to his successors. They have been..." Read more…
Bonnie Amesquita
DeKalb, IL (USA)
Born in 1955, practices every day
"It's even my secret belief that a rosary that's been blessed feels different -- that once blessed, it allows me to hold it and the hand of God at the same time -- and it is responsible for me..." Read more…
Donna Campo
Wyndmoor, PA (USA)
Born in 1960, practices every day
"It is hard to express how moved I was by your presentation on the Catholic Church last Sunday. So many voices. So many stories. I am a cradle Catholic who grew up without a lot of the rules. My..." Read more…
Laura Northrup
Albany, NY (USA)
Born in 1981, practices every week
"What keeps me planted in Catholicism, even as I struggle with whether or not I believe in a single personal God, is knowing that it is a tie back to my ancestors..." Read more…
Harry Kelly
Alexandria, VA (USA)
Born in 1956, practices every week
"I grew up as a Catholic in Central Massachusetts during the 1960s, attending Catholic schools until I left for college. Virtually everyone I knew was a Catholic. I describe the faith as like..." Read more…
Hazel Philbrook
Portland, OR (USA)
Born in 1947, practices every day
"I became a Catholic when I was in graduate school in the early 1970's. It was not a time when religon and especially Catholicism was part of the popular culture of young people. From the time I..." Read more…
Angela Coghlan
Philadelphia, PA (USA)
Born in 1945, practices every day
"I find it very ironic that I have come back to my Catholic roots in the midst of the sexual abuse revelations that have rocked the church, especially in America. This homecoming points to an..." Read more…
Carol Balaun
Cleveland, GA (USA)
Born in 1945, practices every day
"I am a "cradle Catholic from a devout family. I attended 12 years of Catholic school and three more years at Catholic colleges. In 1962, at age 17, I entered the convent and stayed for five years...." Read more…
Rick Cooley
Hagerstown, MD (USA)
Born in 1958, practices every day
"There are 22 Catholic Churches. I am not a Latin Rite, Roman Catholic. I am a Byzantine Rite, Ruthenian Catholic. Pope Paul VI was a Latin Rite, Ambrosian Catholic and not a Roman Catholic. It..." Read more…
Liz Carreon
Monument, CO (USA)
Born in 1963, practices every day
"Your very question is my answer. I spent nearly 20 years away from the faith. A friend was leaving the Catholic Church; in my arrogance and ignorance I thought I had answers to questions for her...." Read more…
Barb Mcrae
Ann Arbor, MI (USA)
Born in 1957, practices every day
"I was raised Roman Catholic and attended parochial schools for 12 years. In college, I joined the Presbyterian Church (USA) and am now an ordained minister. I am so glad for my RC roots. I am..." Read more…
K M Gordon
Arlington, VA (USA)
practices every week
"I have had the wonderful experience of participating in the Eucharist throughout the hemisphere, in several languages including Lakota, English, Spanish, and Mayan. I love the fact that I am at..." Read more…
Jean Sheridan
Yarmouth, ME (USA)
Born in 1937, practices every day
"As I sat at Mass on Easter Sunday morning this year, as I have for nearly every year of my longish life - I am now 70 - I reveled at the beauty of the setting - the elegant liturgy, the flowers,..." Read more…
Lesle Knop
Paola, KS (USA)
Born in 1954, practices every day
"As a fifth generation Kansan, my Catholic identity was formed by my parents and grandparents whose connections to Europe were fresher than mine. I value the traditions and values of our faith that..." Read more…
Vincent Schauf
Oak Forest, IL (USA)
Born in 1963, practices every week
"I find many positives in the Catholic Church, and they are part of the reason why I continue to be a practicing, active Catholic. I love the sacraments as a way to come closer to Jesus. I..." Read more…
James Benedetti
Santa Barbara, CA (USA)
Born in 1952, practices every month
"As a lifelong Catholic, my religious experiences and education has shaped my life and that of my immediate family very profoundly. Also, many other people at work, school, and elsewhere have been..." Read more…
Cecelia Lucas
Milwaukee, WI (USA)
Born in 1979, practices every day
"My understanding of the Catholic faith is deeper and richer now that I am not a practicing member of the Church than it was during all those years I called the faith my own. Attending a Catholic..." Read more…
Edward Huff
Henderson, KY (USA)
Born in 1956, practices every day
"As a Catholic seminary trained lay hospital chaplain the solace and beauty in the Church comes from the rich history and tradition present in the writings of theologians, philosophers, novelists,..." Read more…
Ruairi O'murchu
State College, PA (USA)
Born in 1924, practices every day
"My Irish Catholic faith has three pillars: Sacraments, Saints, Scriptures. Our sacraments all involve some appropriate, loving, human touch -- for we are people who need to actually feel the..." Read more…
Fr Shawn O'neal
Bryson City, NC (USA)
Born in 1969, practices every day
"I pray that both the Church and the world are transformed so the Church no longer appears to be an impediment to unity with God." Read more…
Matt Federoff
Vail, AZ (USA)
Born in 1968, practices every day
"I am an adult convert to the Catholic Church, having previously been an evangelical protestant. The constancy of church teaching, history, deep traditions, intellectual rigor, and unwavering..." Read more…
Joachim Studwell
Franklin, WI (USA)
Born in 1957, practices every day
"Whether in English, Spanish or Polish, in the Roman Rite or Byzantine (Ruthenian) Rite of the Catholic Church, rich, poor and middle-class, I praise God for the splendor and array of the members of..." Read more…
Gretchen Garrity
Corning, NY (USA)
Born in 1960, practices every day
"As a brand-new convert, I am resting in the Church's tradition and teaching authority." Read more…
Diane Gigantino Baltz
Charlottesville, VA (USA)
Born in 1981, practices every day
"The grace of forgiveness and the restoration of my relationship with God offered through the sacrament of Confession is a joy." Read more…
Jennifer Kane
Olean, NY (USA)
Born in 1962, practices every day
"The apparent conundrum between faith and reason is not what you'd call a sexy topic, but it seems to me it is important to that little thing called the Big Picture of Life." Read more…
Marijo Bosiljevac
Omaha, NE (USA)
Born in 1984, practices every day
"I'd like to begin with sharing the context of my life at the moment. I'm working on an engineering degree at a public college; I have been a Catholic all my life, attending Catholic school since..." Read more…
Aimee Viana
Cary, NC (USA)
Born in 1980, practices every week
"I love my Catholic faith, whose history can be traced directly to the apostles, and to Christ himself." Read more…
Suzy Brown
Springfield, VA (USA)
Born in 1979, practices every day
"Once I understood fully what it means to be a beloved of God, all the rules and rites of the Catholic Magisterium come easily as breathing to me." Read more…
Jose Viana
Cary, NC (USA)
Born in 1969, practices every week
"I wish other religions that are critical of our 2,000 year-old traditions would take the time to see how everything we do and believe take root in the Holy Bible." Read more…
Jenny Patten Gargiulo
Berkeley, CA (USA)
Born in 77, practices every week
"I love being a part of a community of faithful and finding traces of my faith in unexpected places within the community. It is a beautiful reminder of God's eternal presence in all things and each..." Read more…
Jonathan Jones
Peabody, MA (USA)
Born in 1953, practices every week
"I am concerned with what I see as a retreat from the liturgical reforms, back to the Tridentine rite, because I see as trying to return the laity to the role of observer of the Eucharist..." Read more…
Timothy Hunter
Palm Springs, FL (USA)
practices every day
"The biggest institutional problem for Roman Catholicism as it affects me is what steps are being taken to restore the Church to its glory and harmony prior to the ill-stared "Second Vatican II..." Read more…
Teresa Orourke
Tulsa, OK (USA)
Born in 1956, practices every day
"I take solace in the quiet peacefulness of the Church; the incense, the Holy Communion (community) and mystery make me feel part of something greater than myself. I love the tradition, the..." Read more…
Bill Burns
Boise, ID (USA)
Born in 1964, practices every day
"I take solace in that the Church, albeit marked with scandals and bad behavior by many of its members over the past 2000, still manages to proclaim the same Truth. I find beautiful the many in the..." Read more…
Sonia Mcgarrity
Littleton, CO (USA)
Born in 1968, practices every day
"One of the most exciting things about welcoming children into our family has been the anticipation of their Baptism day." Read more…
Silvia Ambuul
Colorado Springs, CO (USA)
Born in 1969, practices every day
"...when I see sin and human imperfection make its mark on human, even Church, history, it gives me hope to know that God is in charge..." Read more…
Tom Perna
Phoenix, AZ (USA)
Born in 1974, practices every week
"I love the Catholic Church! I love that for the past 2000 years the Church has been a constant sign of Jesus Christ's presence in the world through the truths she teaches and apostolic succession...." Read more…
Jim Masini
Chicago, IL (USA)
Born in 1949, practices every day
"I hold fast to the "Prince of Peace", a person introduced to me by my family and by the Catholic Church. My faith has always been nourished and supported by that church, especially in its liturgy..." Read more…
Christopher Reynolds
Colorado Springs, CO (USA)
Born in 1967, practices every day
"I take solace in the fact that the Catholic Church is infallible when it comes to the teachings of Faith and Morals. You can't go wrong with the Truth." Read more…
Eloise Guerreiro
Colorado Springs, CO (USA)
Born in 59, practices every day
"The Catholic Church is universal (Katholicos, Greek for "universal"), destined to last for all time, it never fails to fulfill the divine commandment to teach all nations all the truths revealed by..." Read more…
Patrick Beeman
Toledo, OH (USA)
Born in 1985, practices every day
"The attraction of Catholicism on a purely human level is encompassed by a rich tradition of philosophy, art, ethics, literature, theology, poetry, mysticism, and charitable service. How could one..." Read more…
Carl Dishneau
Jonesboro, GA (USA)
Born in 1967, practices every day
"I have been a Catholic since birth, raised in the faith, customs, and traditions. For several years after high school, I had fallen away and only attended Mass whenever convenient, giving it equal..." Read more…
Sarah Melissa Asbrey
Atlanta, GA (USA)
Born in 1978, practices every day
"As a convert to the Catholic Faith I feel that I have a different view and appreciation of the rich Tradition in the Catholic Church. The Catholic Faith is a universal faith that touches all of..." Read more…
Sarah Sheldon
Roswell, GA (USA)
Born in 1981, practices every day
"I will never forget the first time I stepped onto the piazza of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. I gasped as the arms of Bernini's architecture welcomed me, beckoned me. Even the arrogance of my..." Read more…
Claudia Mair Burney
Inkster, MI (USA)
Born in 1964, practices every day
"I take solace in the nearly 2000 years of Tradition, capital "t," informed by the Word of God -- this tradition that has inspired some of the world’s greatest thinkers. It's an ark of safety in a..." Read more…
Fr Donald Malin
Montrose, CO (USA)
Born in 1956, practices every day
"Its Historicity; its rich sacramentality and tradition; its Apostolicity; its mysticism; its profound, philosophically rich and human teaching; its survival despite the fallen nature of its members..." Read more…
Mark Laiminger
Spokane, WA (USA)
Born in 1958, practices every day
"I take solace in the unchanging nature of the Church in these days of moral relativism. The truth is the truth is the truth, and it is there to be found for those will but open their eyes and look...." Read more…
Hans Christoffersen
Cold Spring, MN (USA)
Born in 1955, practices every month
"The word "church" is important to any Catholic Christian of the Roman rite-for better and for worse! When I was young I believed I needed "the church" to keep me close to God. Evermore now, I need..." Read more…
Margaret Lally
Raleigh, NC (USA)
Born in 1988, practices every day
"When worldly troubles and cares start to weigh me down, I know I have a place of refuge in my relationship with God." Read more…
Carole Brown
Faith, SD (USA)
Born in 1966, practices every day
"The Catholic faith is the meaning of life for me. Having come to believe that the message of Jesus is true, and having placed personal faith in him, the Catholic Church makes sense. What the..." Read more…
Bb Rivero
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Born in 1970s!, practices every week
"It's somehow comforting to walk the same path millions of other people have walked before me. I live and work in a place where I'm very much in the minority as a Catholic, but it's difficult to..." Read more…
Joan Morris
Clarkesville, GA (USA)
Born in 1948, practices every day
"I had the faith of a child even though I was an adult." Read more…
Brittany Brown
College Station, TX (USA)
Born in 1989, practices every day
"I absolutely love the importance and glory of the Mass. I also find the lives of priests to be superhumanly beautiful. Through my own discernment and learning about the Faith I have found a new..." Read more…
Bobbi Kelly
College Station, TX (USA)
Born in 1987, practices every week
"Truly, the Catholic Church is the universal church. As a Catholic, I take comfort in its vastness, its rich tradition, and its history. Even as I can clearly distinguish between my own home..." Read more…
Marcel Lejeune
College Station, TX (USA)
Born in 1973, practices every day
"I believe in the Catholic Church. What does that mean? It means that what the Church proposes as true, I have examined and found, reluctantly at times, that it is in fact true. Once I found this..." Read more…
Matt Chominski
Wallingford, PA (USA)
Born in 1983, practices every day
"There is much I find beautiful about the Catholic faith. As a 24 year old, the timeless truth presented and taught by the Church is a constant source of refreshment, challenge, and joy, especially..." Read more…
Olivia Koffi
Columbus, OH (USA)
Born in 1983, practices every day
"Just the thought of knowing that other Catholics around the world hear/read the same readings daily and share in the same communion is something I cherish deeply." Read more…
Jim Farrow
BINGHAMTON, NY (USA)
Born in 1975, practices every day
"Authentic Catholicism is much more than a religion. It is a psychology, an approach, and a way of life. What do I find beautiful about this faith? Where does one start? The Virgin of Guadalupe. The..." Read more…
John Vaeth
Louisville, KY (USA)
Born in 1971, practices every day
"The Church offers Reality, personified in Jesus Christ who is alive in the Sacraments. It's not some head-game, sin is as plain as opening up the newspaper, and the Catholic Church is still the..." Read more…
John Pepino
Lincoln, NE (USA)
Born in 1968, practices every day
"I am a Roman Catholic. I take solace in knowing that truth is a Person with Whom one can have a relationship of love. Thus faith, love, and reason illuminate each other and cooperate, rather than..." Read more…
Amy Pawlak
Milwaukee, WI (USA)
Born in 1983, practices every day
"My mother is Catholic and my father is Lutheran. I was raised WELS Lutheran, in an aging church with an older congregation. When I got to college I became more liberal and very apathetic -..." Read more…
Marianne Phelps
Dallas, TX (USA)
Born in 1947, practices every day
"My concern for the Church is that we are losing our young people to the powerful lure of our American culture of narcissism and greed." Read more…
Penny Younce
Luray, VA (USA)
Born in 1963, practices every month
"I belong to a small parish in a small town, and I find the simple Mass the best." Read more…
Sc Cordova
Glendale, AZ (USA)
Born in 1985, practices every month
"I love that the Mass is the same…" Read more…
Ted Snyder
St. Paul, MN (USA)
Born in 1947, practices every day
"I do not believe the answer is for disaffected lay people to walk away, but to find ways to continue to work for change while continuing to be faithful to our baptismal calling." Read more…
Alex Maher
Fort Wayne, IN (USA)
Born in 1982, practices every week
"I believe the key ingredient of my history in being Catholic falls most importantly on faith. Other roots supporting this are tradition, family, historical events, art depictions, and the idea of..." Read more…
Michelle Dick
Kekaha, HI (USA)
Born in 1947, practices every week
"A life-long Catholic, I did know that I had to examine my faith to make it my own when I came of age. In the end, realizing that there is no way to logically prove the claims of any church, I chose..." Read more…
Mary Posa
Kearneysville, WV (USA)
Born in 1963, practices every day
"I struggle with being a Catholic. Several things have prevented me from leaving the Catholic Church. The first is the knowledge that no one group of people, no matter how "faithful" will be..." Read more…
Marcia Enyart
Fairfax Station, VA (USA)
Born in 1954, practices every day
"I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools from second grade through high school. In addition to school I was blessed with a mother who tempered what I learned in school with acceptance of..." Read more…
Lorraine Minecci
Newtown Square, PA (USA)
Born in 1942, practices every week
"Like others who were born and raised Catholic and who attended Catholic schools, I learned from my catechism that God is a pure spirit. And for many years thereafter I simply accepted the fact that..." Read more…
Doris Lamontagne
Milwaukeee, WI (USA)
Born in 1949, practices every week
"I was extremely fortunate to inherit this faith. My whole life revolves around it. Holy Mass and all our rich rituals, such as devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of..." Read more…
Shekinah Samaya
Oakland, CA (USA)
Born in 1964, practices every day
"As a former Protestant clergywoman who formally converted to Roman Catholicism in 2007, I was and am deeply drawn to the unbroken continuity of an ancient -- yet thoroughly modern -- tradition that..." Read more…
Maryann Siebert
West Orange, NJ (USA)
Born in 1945, practices occasionally
"The Catholic Church will always have a future, though that future in the United States will not mirror the present one. When he was a cardinal, Pope Benedict predicted that the Church would be a..." Read more…
Dottie Owens
Reading, PA (USA)
Born in 1959, practices every day
"The word Catholic means universal. That assures me that no matter where I go to Mass on Earth it will be the same format, prayers, readings, etc. Quite literally, we're all on the same page. As for..." Read more…
Charles Ward
Bainbridge Island, WA (USA)
Born in 1958, practices every week
"I take solace in and find beautiful the Catholic Church's utter and complete devotion to spreading and encouraging us to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and the its commitment to the teachings..." Read more…
Alice (Bonnie) Rodgers
Winchester, MA (USA)
Born in 1959, practices every week
"I take great solace in the fact that the faith has endured and prospered for two millennia. The beauty lies in this continuity and strong belief that love exists that is so great and pervasive that..." Read more…
Lonnie Ellis
St. Paul, MN (USA)
Born in 1981, practices every day
"There are three things that keep me rooted in Catholicism, even as many others at my age (26 years old) and progressive leanings stay away. These three core things keep me so connected that I..." Read more…
Steven Hawkes-Teeples
Roma, IT
Born in 1953, practices every day
"I take comfort in the immensity and breadth of the entire Catholic Church and its many traditions, or Catholic Christian ways of life. I find it unsettling that some Roman Catholics believe that..." Read more…
Cherylann Ganci
Minnetonka, MN (USA)
Born in 1953, practices every day
"There have been bad leaders before in the Church -- there will be bad leaders again -- and yet the faithful overlook the human failings of the hierarchy, speaking in deafening silence Jesus' dictum..." Read more…
Marita Hoffart
Minot, ND (USA)
Born in 1939, practices every week
"I struggle with Church. Following the 1960's changes in Church, I have always been on the cutting edge of lay involvement in liturgy and all matters of church. Three years ago our pastor retired..." Read more…
Cookie Anderson
Milwaukee, WI (USA)
Born in 1943, practices occasionally
"I was born into the big"C" Catholic church however I now belong to the little "c" catholic church. The humungous errors of the church rangeing from burning heretics at the stake, killing..." Read more…
Alex Mikulich
West Hartford, CT (USA)
Born in 1960, practices every day
"I am a cradle Catholic who always found the mass to pulsate with the overflowing presence of God's creative love. Our liturgical celebrations invite us to wonder and ponder at everything from the..." Read more…
Thomas Roddy
Los Angeles, CA (USA)
Born in 1968, practices every day
"Last week, I was reminded of my Catholic upbringing when I was present at the White House for the State Arrival of the Pope. When Speaker of the House Pilosi acknowledged Benedict's connection to..." Read more…
Paula Sullivan
Tulsa, OK (USA)
Born in 1942, practices every day
"I was born into the Catholic faith in 1942. I was a public school student in Connecticut in the late 1940s and was treated with disdain by the nuns who taught us the catchecism on Sunday..." Read more…
Alan Sullivan
Fairfax Station, VA (USA)
Born in 1948, practices every week
"I have only recently become aware of how simple my religious life has been since my childhood almost sixty years ago. Born and raised as a "cradle Catholic," I attended Catholic schools and..." Read more…
Pat Davis
Chicago, IL (USA)
practices every day
"The Catholic Church is an opportunity to learn to be and to become Christian. By learning from the cloud of witnesses who have come before us we learn to be Christian. By leaning from the prophets..." Read more…
Sara Burns
Cincinnati, OH (USA)
Born in 1978, practices every day
"I came home to the Catholic Church in 2007. I was raised in a protestant denomination but never really believed in all the doctrines preached there. I am grateful for my upbringing in that I..." Read more…
Nancy Shipe
Freeport, PA (USA)
Born in 1960, practices every day
"I can best equate my experience in the Catholic Church as an incredible FAMILY. I enter our small, rural church, greet members I have come to know over the years, settle into my favorite chair..." Read more…
Ellen Ritchey
Athens, GA (USA)
Born in 1958, practices every week
"I joined the Catholic Church as an adult, 18 years ago. It is an interesting position to hold, when talking with people who made the choice to leave the Church. There are things I don't..." Read more…
Adam Nolte
Germantown, MD (USA)
Born in 1978, practices every day
"The thing I find beautiful about the Catholic Church is its catholicity-- the universality of its call not only to all peoples, but to the entirety of the human experience. The Church calls people..." Read more…
Marjorie Conner
Alexandria, VA (USA)
Born in 1959, practices every week
"Redemption. Redemption is a key feature of the Roman Catholic faith in which I was raised. I am saddened by the very conservative philosophy of the Arlington, Virginia Diocese. I found a..." Read more…
Jeff Smith
Rego Park, NY (USA)
Born in 1964, practices every week
"I am a lifelong Catholic. I am gay, male and 43 years old. I have had a few opportunities and reasons to walk away from Catholicism through my life and yet I choose to remain a member of this..." Read more…
Michael Kripakov
Centennial, CO (USA)
Born in Denver, CO, practices every day
"What I love so much about the Catholic Church is the deep personal relationship that the Church helps me nuture with the Blessed Trinity. I truly encounter the Living God in the prayer, tradtional..." Read more…
David La May
SEATTLE, WA (USA)
Born in 1974, practices every day
"The beauty of the Church is in what it believes -- what it teaches. It teaches that God created everything so that it might discover Him, accept His love, return love to Him, and live with Him in a..." Read more…
Brett Powers
Richland, WA (USA)
Born in 1965, practices every day
"The Catholic Church is the one faith that can trace its pedigree back to St. Peter and then to Christ himself. Though beset over the millenia by the foibles of fallen man trying gallantly to carry..." Read more…
Frank Schweigert
Saint Paul, MN (USA)
Born in 1950, practices every day
"The Catholic faith is not just a head trip. Throughout its history, the Catholic Church has taken the body seriously, tying matters of spirit to physical presence, commmunity, worship, social..." Read more…
Julian Malcolm
Fredericksburg, VA (USA)
Born in 1973, practices every day
"My wife and I converted to the Catholic Church just under four years ago. My experience of Catholicism has been the constant reminder that only the infinite will suffice.
I’ve heard it said..." Read more…
Edward Dodge
Hensley, AR (USA)
Born in 1980, practices every day
"I could never, in the brief amount of time that I have in which to write this, express the depth, the height, and the breadth of what the Church and her Faith, given by God through Jesus Christ,..." Read more…
Heather Sprinkle
Xenia, OH (USA)
Born in 1966, practices every day
"Jesus said to Peter, "You are Rock," and "upon this Rock I will build My Church." This is the Church to which I am so blessed to belong. The Catholic Church is for all, for all time, leading its..." Read more…
John Simmins
Waldorf, MD (USA)
Born in 1961, practices every day
"I take solace in truth that is taught by the Catholic Church. She and she alone has remained faithful to the Gospel message of hope that was preached by Jesus Christ 2,000 years ago. My hope is..." Read more…
Beth Weir
Milford, OH (USA)
Born in 1965, practices every day
"I am 43 years old and a cradle Catholic. I attended Catholic grade and high school, and consider being Catholic part of my identity, my heritage. That doesn't mean, though, that I have or do always..." Read more…
Suzy Nauman
Arlington, MA (USA)
Born in 1959, practices every week
"I am a "cradle Catholic", born 6th in a family of 11 children. My early childhood memories include the pre-Vatican II Latin mass and Catholic culture, and later, the excitement and "fresh air" of..." Read more…
Christi Birkeland
Larkspur, CO (USA)
Born in 1969, practices every day
"The Church is a great gift from Jesus to humanity. She is the one and only church founded by Jesus himself and in which God literally gives Himself to us in His Spirit. The Church helps us live in..." Read more…
Lorna Grade
Milwaukee, WI (USA)
Born in 1954, practices every week
"I was born in 1954 at the height of the Baby Boom and before the changes instituted by Vatican II. My mother was Catholic and of Polish lineage. My father was German and English, raised with a..." Read more…
Bill Hutson
Cary, NC (USA)
Born in 1959, practices every week
"Its depth, its range of meaning to all people, its inexhausibility, its authority, its truth, its confidence, its light, and the aspect of it that doesn't require one to probe and understand its..." Read more…
Ann Picard
East Fairfield, VT (USA)
Born in 1952, practices every day
"For me, the Catholic Faith has always been the backbone of my life. My understanding of Catholicism can be summed up by acknowledging Jesus Christ's example. His sacrifice for others and seeing..." Read more…
Mary Carlson
Milwaukee, WI (USA)
Born in 1955, practices every day
" I have an image imprinted upon my heart which I believe was planted by my 2nd. grade teacher, Mrs. Rice, as she readied us for our First Communion. That image is a picture of myself in the long..." Read more…
Paul Johnson
Milwaukee, WI (USA)
Born in 1973, practices every day
"For me, the Catholic Church's sacramental tradition, it's strong emphasis of God making contact with us through the ordinary everyday, is the reason why I am still a Catholic. It also has a strong..." Read more…
Elizabeth Rhinesmith
Charlottesville, VA (USA)
Born in 1984, practices every week
"The ritual and the tradition build a sense of community that is one of the most beautiful parts of the Catholic faith. This tradition creates a community out of the 1.3 billion members, who often..." Read more…
Pat (Patricia) Shechter
Boston, MA (USA)
Born in 1950, practices every week
"There is so much that I love about the Catholic Church -- The Sacraments; the two thousand year old tradition of monasticism and prayer; the Communion of Saints; its mystical tradition; Gregorian..." Read more…
Mary Ruth Jones
Cleveland, GA (USA)
Born in 1962, practices every day
"Several years ago while serving in religious education administration for my parish, I was taking classes along with my catechists who wanted to become certified to teach. One of the instructors..." Read more…
Ellen Tietjen
Raritan, NJ (USA)
Born in 1968, practices every day
"I find it beautiful that it doesn't compromise its doctrines and dogmas at the whims of society. Right is right and wrong is wrong, regardless of how many say otherwise. She doesn't change her..." Read more…
Betty Ford
Ocean Pines, MD (USA)
Born in 1935, practices every day
"When I was young, Catholic Church meant institution, hierarchy, rules and regulations, going to church. I grew up immersed in these things. When they became second nature to me, I began to explore..." Read more…
Peg Edquist
West Bend, WI (USA)
Born in 1958, practices every week
"As a 50-year-old woman I have seen the Catholic religion experience rapid change in the last few dacades, and yet it remains the rock upon which I base my life, my spirituality and my perspectives...." Read more…
Camille Petrecca
Wethersfield, CT (USA)
Born in 1947, practices every week
"Comforted by Jesus' founding of the Church; God's assurance that it will prevail. Solace from Jesus' actual Presence received at Mass in Eucharist. Church will appear to be shaken due to Devil,..." Read more…
Phil Davignon
Ypsilanti, MI (USA)
Born in 1986, practices every day
"I take solace in the fact that the Truth will be preserved for future generations by the efforts of the faithful members of the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict XVI and his predecessor are very..." Read more…
Charlene Dorrian
Silver Spring, MD (USA)
Born in 1936, practices every day
"I love the liturgy, especially as updated by Vatican II. I value the Eucharist and its place in our Church, and take pride in the church's Social Teachings. I treasure the vision of the gospel..." Read more…
Peter Petrides
Plainfield, CT (USA)
Born in 1958, practices every week
"I have a great deal of hope in the Catholic Christian Church. My wife and I have raised four children, and she currently teaches and volunteers at the local Catholic grammar school. Tonight we're..." Read more…
Susan Mojica
Framingham, MA (USA)
Born in 1953, practices -----
"What I love about the Catholic Church is that it subscribes to and upholds rules to live by, rules to live the very best by, as God intends. I just love the commonsense of Catholicism as it speaks..." Read more…
Mario Lainfiesta
New Baden, IL (USA)
Born in 1949, practices occasionally
"The historical impact of the Catholic faith is essential to the understanding of Western Culture. The history of the state and it's rationale for codifying human behavior, was historically..." Read more…
Patrick L. Driscoll
Rehoboth Beach, DE (USA)
Born in 1940, practices every day
"The Roman Catholic Church has been the bedrock of Christianity. Early in its history the purity of our faith was spread in all its simplicity, love, to the known world. Like all communities, it..." Read more…
John Metzler
McLean, VA (USA)
Born in 1947, practices every day
"Regarding solace and beauty:
The richness of the Catholic tradition allowed me to find my niche, which is with the Jesuit tradition and Ignatian Spirituality. The Jesuits emphasize intellectual..." Read more…
Donna Hogan-Kelley
Omaha, NE (USA)
Born in 1946, practices every day
"I remember my Grandma Murphy gaily saying as she set off for confession, "Now I'll go scour my kettle!" My mother named their relationship in what I now hear as warning tones, "Mother" I add to..." Read more…
Mel Johnson
Tallahassee, FL (USA)
Born in 1943, practices every day
"Catholicism keeps me from being a slave to my current times or my current geography -- Catholicism and the (Universal) Catholic Church encompass all peoples, all times and even eternity...in Him,..." Read more…
Ron Wall
Calgary, CA
Born in 1959, practices every day
"I am a recent convert to the Catholic Church. What I find most beautiful is the Real Presence of Christ celebrated in the Eucharist. As the great Flannery O'Connor once said, "if the Eucharist is..." Read more…
Sister Angela
Philadelphia, PA (USA)
Born in 1938, practices every day
"The Roman Catholic Faith goes way beyond a building or persons. I believe deep faith relishes the idea of communicating with a loving God who looks out for our welfare. Great peace of mind comes..." Read more…
Lacey Louwagie
Duluth, MN (USA)
Born in 1981, practices every week
"Both sides of my (rather large) family are Catholic, so part of the solace I take in Catholicism is the connection to my childhood and my history. But all my life, I've examined and been at odds..." Read more…
Susan Murphy
Nashville, TN (USA)
Born in 1954, practices every week
"The most beautiful and truthful aspect of the Catholic faith, no longer shared by any other Christian denomination, is the belief that Christ is physically present in the Sacrament of the..." Read more…
Teri Davis
Tustin, CA (USA)
Born in 1965, practices every day
"To me, the most beautiful aspect of being a practicing Catholic is the oneness I feel with Catholics around the world through the celebration of the Mass. The Scripture readings and the Eucharist..." Read more…
Chase Nordengren
Des Moines, IA (USA)
Born in 1988, practices every day
"As a student at the Catholic University of America, one of the many sites on the Holy Father's itinerary, I have truly become immersed in the global Church and its great potential to heal the..." Read more…
Geri Hildreth
Robertsdale, IN (USA)
Born in 1964, practices every day
"What do I love about the Church? The Catholicity of it, the Universality, the all-encompassing Love which the Almighty extends to every human being who ever has or ever will exist, everywhere, in..." Read more…
Susan Martin
Saint Paul, MN (USA)
Born in 1975, practices every day
"I find solace and beauty in the esoteric dimension of Catholicism. The focus by the media, and the overall public perception, seems almost exclusively centered on the external, dogmatic aspects of..." Read more…
Gene Francisco
Charlotte, NC (USA)
Born in 1943, practices every day
"Being a "cradle Catholic" has not to me to be blase about my beliefs, and to take them for granted.
The Church has been a source of solice for me for its two thousand year history has given me..." Read more…
Siga Rastonis
Reston, VA (USA)
Born in 1949, practices every week
"after being a life long on again off again (attended catholic grammer school and a jesuit university) practicing catholic i have finally settled into what i believe is a true homecoming. i attend..." Read more…
Alice Delarosa
Comstock Park, MI (USA)
Born in 1955, practices -----
"Catholic Monks meticulously hand copied the Word of God and I am so grateful for their painstaking labor. I benefiet every time I read or see a copy of the King James version of the Bible. Child..." Read more…
Mary Worthington
Philadelphia, PA (USA)
Born in 1982, practices every day
"There is a certain peace and beauty of being a faithful member of the Catholic Church. Yes, I believe and uphold everything She teaches. I have seen that the Catholic Church holds the truth...." Read more…
Erik Newman
St. Paul, MN (USA)
Born in 1961, practices every day
"My favorite thing about the Catholic church is the communion of saints. For they represent the living hand of God in our midst. For me, Christianity is not simply the ancient texts and the stoic..." Read more…
Constance Stannard
Coralville, IA (USA)
Born in 1951, practices every day
"I grew up in the Church, and took it for granted in my life. Then I married a divorced man, outside the Church, and found how much I missed full communion with it. Eventually, through a..." Read more…
Tim Graham
Nokesville, VA (USA)
Born in 1964, practices every week
"I love the apostolic connection and tradition of my faith, the sense of amazement that the Mass today is very similar to the Mass celebrated by the early Christian communities. We are trying to do..." Read more…
Margaret Brecount
Cincinnati, OH (USA)
Born in 1974, practices every week
"The Catholic Church is my anchor. I am a member of the "JPII generation," formed by the writing and preaching of Pope John Paul and his immense love of young people. His hope in us, felt in..." Read more…
Matthew Dalrymple
Atlanta, GA (USA)
Born in 1979, practices every day
"I take solace in the fact that I identify myself with the one Church founded by Christ and that in over 2,000 years, the teachings on faith and morals have never changed, especially with respect..." Read more…
Barb Wilmes
Colorado Springs, CO (USA)
Born in 1966, practices every day
"Where do I begin? I have such comfort in Jesus in the most holy sacraments offered by the Church. I love the Church and ALL of her teachings. I know that the Church is the one true Church..." Read more…
Maria Molinari
Oakland, NJ (USA)
Born in 1965, practices every day
"I find in the Catholic faith reflections and ideas that pertain to my daily life; its challenges, its appreciation of beauty, its need for community. It is to me like great literature; the more I..." Read more…
Judith Smith
Boynton Beach, FL (USA)
Born in 1944, practices every day
"My Catholic faith unites me with Christ through the scriptures, through the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Father and the Bishops and through other members. Together we are united with Him and with all..." Read more…
Chuck Price
Marietta, GA (USA)
Born in 1958, practices every week
"I take solace in the beauty, goodness and truth that the Church professes in Christ's name: the mdignity and equality of mankind, the protection of human life from its conception to its natural..." Read more…
T. Michael Smith
Plainfield, NJ (USA)
Born in 1951, practices every day
"I take great solace in and find beautiful the fact that the Roman Catholic Church does more to alleviate hunger, poverty and sickness in the world than any other church (thru Catholic Relief..." Read more…
Pavel Reid
Washington, DC (USA)
Born in 1973, practices every day
"One of the main reasons I am Catholic is the Jesus founded the Church. He promised to remain with Her and promised that She would perpetuate his salvation and teachings throughout history...." Read more…
Maryjo Matheny
Indianapolis, IN (USA)
Born in 1929, practices every day
"The Catholic Church is my Mother, my earthly Home, my early Teacher, and the Source of my baptism and spiritual foundation.
I accept the truths I confess regularly in the Nicene Creed, and I..." Read more…
Terry Zimmerman
Glen Ellyn, IL (USA)
Born in 1956, practices every day
"When I returned to the faith of my childhood about five years ago with a whole heart for a change, instead of picking and choosing what seemed comfortable and convenient to believe, I was overjoyed..." Read more…
Renee Laughery
Prior Lake, MN (USA)
Born in 1967, practices every day
"As a cradle Catholic, I find my faith to be the very core of my existence. Through the Church's teachings, I have found an intense sense of freedom and love, that I haven't found anywhere else...." Read more…
Jennifer Matous
Steubenville, OH (USA)
Born in 1984, practices every day
"While there are many parts about the Catholic faith in which I am continually inspired by and take comfort in, I have a particularly strong devotion to the Eucharist. Being able to be in the..." Read more…
Christine Geary
Dublin, PA (USA)
Born in 1949, practices every week
"I love going to Mass to receive the body of Christ. It is my lifeline...The Catholic church has the fullness of truth.. I feel in my heart that it's the one, true church and I'm so grateful to..." Read more…
Timothy P. Crowley
Minneapolis, MN (USA)
Born in 1959, practices every week
"I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic schools. As a student at a Benedictine University, I grew to love the rich tradition of the Benedictine values--community, justice etc. As students we..." Read more…
Melissa Hyatt
Oakland, CA (USA)
Born in 1980, practices every day
"I was received into full communion with the Catholic Church in 2003. I am so grateful to be Catholic! I am part of a Church that doesn't follow the latest fashions, testifying instead to the..." Read more…
Alexander Avallon Jr
Hatboro, PA (USA)
Born in 1959, practices every day
"I take solace from the fact that we can trace our founding directly back to the Son of God on earth, Jesus Christ. That what we believe now is what was believed 2000 years ago when Christ revealed..." Read more…
Lorraine Podlinsek
Front Royal, VA (USA)
Born in 1984, practices every day
"It is a great joy and blessing to be part of the Catholic Church. She offers the fullness of truth to Her faithful by preserving, defending and illuminating the life-giving doctrines which God has..." Read more…
Nick Ripatrazone
Fredon, NJ (USA)
Born in 1981, practices every day
"Catholicism is an amalgamation of faith, ritual, and culture. This trinity of experience and action mimics the revered trinity of Christ, the ultimate mystery of the Catholic faith.
I suspect..." Read more…
Maureen O'brien
Suburbanbanshee@Gmail.Com, OH (USA)
Born in 1970, practices every day
"Being Catholic is a thing of great joy and certainty. God is real, He loves us, He fought death and sin for us, and He won! We are the Church that He founded, and He's given us an invitation to..." Read more…
Ryan Eggenberger
Canton, MI (USA)
Born in 1986, practices every day
"I joined the Catholic Church at age 19. Now 22, I am ever thankful for those who set good examples of faith and the witness of those who have a relationship with the Lord. What does the world have..." Read more…
Maria Hey
Edmond, OK (USA)
Born in 1969, practices every day
"I love and cherish my Catholic faith as the most important thing in my life. First and foremost, the Catholic Church is where the Eucharist can be found: the very body, blood, soul and divinity of..." Read more…
Joe Leisz
Ames, IA (USA)
Born in 1974, practices every week
"My favorite thing about being Catholic is our tie to a world-body through the Mass. It’s almost meditative in its complexities, and a wonderful way to bring centeredness to a weeks work. The..." Read more…
William Britton
Mandeville, LA (USA)
Born in 1967, practices every day
"The Catholic Church is my family on the grandest scale. She has members of all races spanning not only the entire earth but spanning time as well. She has members who have been glorified for..." Read more…
Pamela Hemphill
Coppell, TX (USA)
Born in 1957, practices every day
"I take solace and beauty in the truth of this Catholic faith. The Catholic faith gives me hope and love; not in a mushy Hallmark card sort of way, but in a recovery from the bleeding from the..." Read more…
Evandro Menezes
Austin, TX (USA)
Born in 1966, practices every day
"What feeds my spiritual life as a Christian Catholic is receiving the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ. As the Church states, this is the apex of our life of grace, but..." Read more…
John Wright
Centreville, VA (USA)
Born in 1961, practices every day
"After a lifetime of atheism, I have just joined the Catholic Church this Easter, so I have been a member for less than a week at the time of this writing. What drew me to the Church was her wisdom...." Read more…
Gabriel Gillen
New York, NY (USA)
Born in 1968, practices every day
"My hope for the Catholic Church arises from my concern for it's future. I walked into a bookstore the other day and three shelves (in the religion section) were dedicated to atheism. While this is..." Read more…
Marty Major
Fort Collins, CO (USA)
Born in 1957, practices every day
"I take solace in our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, his leadership, his teaching, and his management. As a convert for now over 20 years, the Catholic Church is a mainstay in my family's life..." Read more…
Ken Colston
St. Louis, MO (USA)
Born in 1956, practices every day
"As a lapsed Southern Baptist and humanistic atheist, I was drawn to the Roman Catholic Church's principled and unambiguous defence of human life from conception to natural death after the birth of..." Read more…
John O'brien
Glens Falls, NY (USA)
Born in 1957, practices every day
"What is the most important about my faith, is that it is the faith of Jesus of Nazareth! I can trace my beliefs to him historically, SO when I choose to believe the words in the Bible, I also..." Read more…
Michael Halbrook
Granite City, IL (USA)
Born in 1978, practices every day
"I take solace in the unchanging and faithful proclamation of the truth of Christ's message for 2,000 years and in the power of the Covenant which God made with mankind via His Church.
I have..." Read more…
Thomas Dunbar
Radford, VA (USA)
Born in 1950, practices every week
"For many years, as a charismatic Protestant, I'd pray "More, Lord" only to find that the "more" is there in the Catholic Church, with it's wonderful depth and breadth. I'm active in my local..." Read more…
Irving Warner
Fife, WA (USA)
Born in 1941, practices occasionally
"I am a lapsed Catholic, but actually came to the faith at 14 years of age, and departed it as a practicing Catholic at age 18. I'm now 67, a writer, and interested in numerous things historical,..." Read more…
Harriet Burr
ARCATA, CA (USA)
Born in 1947, practices every day
"It is a great joy for us to receive the bishop of Rom here in our country. He is the third one to come and visit us. Having lived in Guadalajara, Mexico for many years, my family helped found St...." Read more…
Jeri Graham
Roseburg, OR (USA)
Born in 1952, practices every day
"My faith is how I center my life. There are many reasons Catholicism is my faith: the sacraments (the Eucharist -- the joy of receiving the Real Presence of Christ, the Rite of Reconciliation --..." Read more…
Deb Zabloudil
Westerville, OH (USA)
Born in 1954, practices every week
"I am very thankful for the traditional Catholic upbringing that I had. I started attending a traditional Catholic grade school in the third grade (1962) we went to daily Mass and ate breakfast in..." Read more…
Mary Ruebelmann-Benavides
Anchorage, AK (USA)
Born in 1978, practices every day
"I love that my faith is not about me. It seems modern culture talks about "finding oneself" but in reality the Church has it right that we are not saved by ourselves, but rather in community. I..." Read more…
Victor Hola
Dexter, MI (USA)
Born in 1954, practices every week
"I am 54 years old and when I was 21 I joined a Benedictine order for monks. I was steeped in a very beautiful tradition of facing reality and being present in the moment. "Staying in the here and..." Read more…
Helen Ayers
Omaha, NE (USA)
Born in 1946, practices every week
"Undoubtedly, the person of Jesus is the most attractive part of my faith plus the long line of believers in faith who've preceded me. I find faithfulness to the gospel through such traditions as..." Read more…
Heather Barrett
Dallas, TX (USA)
Born in 1976, practices every day
"I love the Church for her divinity and her humanity. She unites man and God, earth and heaven, time, and eternity. Through her, through the Word and the sacraments, God shares with us His own..." Read more…
Adam Pasternack
Westerville, OH (USA)
Born in 1984, practices every day
"The Catholic faith is most beautiful because at the heart of it all stands love. God is love, has created us and the world out of love and for love. God has personally revealed himself in the..." Read more…
Laura Spires
Lincolnshire, IL (USA)
Born in 1977, practices every day
"It is beautiful that despite all the ups and downs of its history and the human failings of its members, the Church is still lovingly committed to preserving the teachings of Jesus Christ. No..." Read more…
Dana Greene
Atlanta, GA (USA)
Born in 1942, practices every day
"The historic "staying power" and the global reach of the Catholic Church are both very important in giving me hope. And we do need hope now more than ever! What with the abuse and cover-up scandals..." Read more…
John Graham
Greenville, OH (USA)
Born in 1948, practices every week
"I was raised in the evangelical tradition and served as a minister for 12 years -- far removed from Catholic traditions as possible. But I felt there was a need for more tradition, more sense of..." Read more…