Why I am Catholic

Cathy of Alex, on her blog, The Recovering Dissident Catholic, posted on the negativity of many of the Catholic blogs, and I hinted at this some time ago but didn't expand. She's right. So often it's so easy to focus on the negative rather than the positive...because the positive isn't news.

Let's face it....we're just as sensationalistic as the media. (You have NO IDEA how sick it makes me feel just to put that to words!).

So let's take a step back, taking a cue from our sister in Christ, Cathy, and talk about why we are Catholic.

Those of you who read my conversion story know that I had to fight my way through all the B.S. in order to come back from my hiatus of rebellion, and I'd do it again because it was all worth it. I've found my home...that's why I'm Catholic.

I'm Catholic because here, I can literally meet Jesus, one to one, in the Sacraments.

I'm Catholic because the Church is right. 2,000 years of guidance by the Holy Spirit can't be wrong, in spite of our "bad Popes". In spite of some dark times....the Church has never erred in issues of faith and morals, and in fact, the people became stronger due to the negative events.

I'm Catholic because I have chosen to be Catholic, and I have chosen to embrace all that the Church teaches, even if I don't understand it all, or if I don't know how to explain it all. Who can be a true expert on 2,000 years plus? No one but God.

I love the Catholic Church. I love our faith, and I love the closeness to the Lord we can obtain, the sacrifice, the suffering we are called to in order to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

I love the depth of spirituality, and the differing spiritualities to encompass all the people of the world...yet to remain united in Christ.

I love the customs, I love the traditions, both small and capital Tradition.

I love the Magesterium.

I love the Pope.

I love our priests, our religious, and all those diserning.

I love the fact that I had to fight against the culture and the dissent within so hard in order to understand all of the above.

I'm Catholic because I was born Catholic, I am living to be Catholic, and I will die Catholic, as a martyr if God so calls me to be, and only with His grace to persevere.

Most importantly, I'm Catholic because God has blessed me with this great worldwide, heaven-wide spiritual family, and even though some of the wayward portions of the family cause grief for all of us, I would not trade them in because I was one of them, too.

I'm Catholic because on earth, being Catholic is being home. We can't get any closer to God in our true home than when we are at Mass, or praying before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Thank you, Jesus, for bringing me home. Thank you, Jesus, for making me Catholic.