If being from an Irish family of 7 doesn't give it away, I don't know what will. I feel very lucky to have grown up in a house where morals are valued, love is endless, and respect for every being is essential. Although I am forever grateful for the way my parents raised me and my siblings, these 10 signs are ones I know far too well.
1. Miniature Mary statues are placed around your house as much as family pictures. You know this is true when you find humor in making a snap story counting all the biblical characters in your home.
2. There is a mantel in your dining room dedicated to you and your siblings First Communions. #Blessed that you will forever be reminded of that bob hair cut you shamelessly supported in your First Communion picture.
3. When it comes to relationships, the first question your parents ask is it they are Catholic. Whether a new friend or love interest, your parents not so casually ask "Okay, and is he/she Catholic?" and if they aren't, being told to bring them along to church is what follows.
4. You never forget to bring home a bulletin to prove you really did go to mass instead of your friends house. The second you walk in to the church you locate the weekly bulletin, grab one and hold onto it like the ticket into Heaven it is.
5. Somehow, your mom knows if you didn't make it to church in college. Being the clever woman she is, you might get a call from he during mass testing to see if you pick it up or not. If you didn't get that call, you're not surprised when she calls the next day and "subtly" asks what the sermon was about.
6. You alter served in grade school because, who didn't? When the monthly alter serving schedule came out you freaked when you saw you and your friends names together because #dreamteam. You even considered putting "alter server" on your resume because giving up those beloved hours of sleep on Sunday morning was hard work.
7. During Christmas, hiding Baby Jesus and finding Him on Christmas morning is a game your family plays. Cue mom saying, "Whoever can find Baby Jesus gets to open the first present!" Oh, well in that case, move aside siblings, I'm finding the baby.
8. When you were little, being asked to start grace before dinner was like being told you were the favorite child. As the beautiful words, "____, would you like to start grace?" were asked, you gave your siblings the side eye and with a smile proceeded to say grace.
9. There is a bottle of holy water in your hallway closet for all emergencies. Because there's nothing a little holy water can't fix.
10. When the priest is invited to all family gatherings. At the age of 8 you were in awe the moment your priest opened a bottle of beer at the 4th of July party because you thought he only drank the blood of Christ.
