Tell any die hard Catholic, "I'm Catholic, but...," and they'll usually stop you before you finish your sentence. Nothing good usually comes out of that, they would argue. But let's set the record straight. There are so many misconceptions about the Catholic faith and what we believe, that we're often painted as a false picture.

My faith is very important to me, and I practice and live my beliefs very seriously. This doesn't make me "holier than thou." In fact, because I know my identity in Christ, I'm more attuned to how often I mess up and need help getting back up. Catholicism isn't a religion created to judge you. We truly want to embrace everyone. With that being said, let's clear up some misconceptions.

1. I'm Catholic, but I don't worship statues.

One huge misconception about Catholics is that we worship statues. This is completely false, and any true Catholic will tell you that this is paganistic and sinful. In fact, this is against the First Commandment. For us, statues, images, and the like are used as sacramentals. They remind us of whatever is being depicted or to commemorate someone, such as a saint. They help us to be contemplative or to focus our attention. Please. Stop making this accusation.

2. I'm Catholic, but I also don't worship Mary.

Same argument here. We don't worship Mary. Catholics only worship God. However, we honor and love Mary--the mother of God. For through her, we believe that Jesus Christ, our Savior, was born. Catholics call this hyperdulia. This is the special veneration given to Mary for her great role within our faith. She is our spiritual mother, and we look to her for guidance and protection.

3. I'm Catholic, but I struggle with Church doctrine.

Yes, sometimes it's hard for me to accept certain teachings of the church, and I may fail to uphold the beliefs of the Church at all times. However, because being Catholic is part of my identity, I do try my best to learn why the church believes what it does. Ask any Catholic priest, and he'll tell you that struggling to believe something is totally normal and doesn't make you any less Catholic. It's normal and is part of growing in the faith.

4. I'm Catholic, but I sin a lot. Probably more than you do.

Trust me. We don't think we're better than you (well, most of us). I know I sin and do pretty bad things all the time. Sins are part of human nature. Whether I am Muslim, Christian, or Jewish, I'll always fall into temptation at one point or another. As Catholics, we realize that we all fail and cannot grow in holiness and virtue to do better alone. For this reason, Christ gave us this pretty cool sacrament called Reconciliation. Through it, we talk in private with a priest and confess our sins. In return, through the power given to him by Jesus Christ, the priest forgives our sins, offering us advice and a penance to make up for our sins. It's kinda nifty...like a washing machine for your soul.

5. I'm Catholic, but when I say pro-life, I don't mean just babies.

I believe a child is alive at the moment of conception. It's one of those Church doctrines you can't deny, or you may very well be excommunicated. However, I don't only fight for the right of life of a child in the womb. Catholics go by the phrase "from womb to tomb." Every person, at every stage of life, has the right to live. This includes immigrants, refugees, the elderly, the impoverished, and even criminals. So when a Catholic says they're pro-life or that they voted for a pro-life candidate, please don't assume they only care about fetuses. We don't. We protect life at all stages.

6. I'm Catholic, but I'm also Christian.

This one is pretty straight forward. Do you know how many times we're constantly asked, "Are you Catholic or Christian?" We're both. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholic. By definition, a Christian is a follower of Christ. We follow Christ and live life according to His will for us.

7. I'm Catholic, but your sexual orientation doesn't make me love you less.

One of the biggest assumptions people make when I tell them I'm Catholic is that I must hate everyone in the LGBTQ community. This is utterly false. Phrasing my words as carefully as possible without going against core beliefs of the Church, I will try to disprove this myth. While it is true that Catholics see actively practicing the lifestyle as sinful, it does not mean that we hate you for it. "Hate the sin, not the sinner." Everyone has a vice in their life that prevents them from growing in holiness. Your sin is no different than my sin in the eyes of God. Remember, as Catholics, we believe that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. Think of it this way: If your sibling confessed that they've been doing some pretty bad stuff, would you hate him or her? No. You would still love your sibling unconditionally because that's what family does. But would you condone the behavior? Of course not, because you know the harm that can be done in the long haul. So what do you do? You try to correct the behavior. Now, I'm not saying that every Catholic is going to lecture you about your LGBTQ lifestyle, and they have no right to judge ("He who is without sin may cast the first stone" -John 8:7), because we realize that everyone was given free will. Yes, as Catholics, we are called to disapprove these ideas, but we love you no matter what. The Church loves you. Christ loves you.

8. I'm Catholic, but I still do non-Catholic things.

I go to parties, I drink with friends, and I spoil myself sometimes. It's true that most of my free time is spent going to Mass, going to Adoration, praying the rosary, volunteering within the community, etc., and this takes up most of my time. However, I still have a life outside of the Church. I've been nicknamed "La Monjita" of the family (Spanish translation of "The Little Nun") because I spend so much time at Church. I love nuns, though, so this insult backfired ;) Seriously though, stop thinking we don't do anything else.

9. I'm Catholic, but I don't think people of other religions will not obtain salvation.

Yes, we believe our Church is the one, true Church. However, we don't believe that other religions are sentenced to Hell for not being Catholic. According to the Constitution of the Church in the Second Vatican Council:

"The non-Christian may not be blamed for his ignorance of Christ and his Church; salvation is open to him also, if he seeks God sincerely and if he follows the commands of his conscience, for through this means the Holy Ghost acts upon all men; this divine action is not confined within the limited boundaries of the visible Church."

After all, as Catholics, we don't even know our own fate. No one we know has come down from heaven (or up from Hell) to tell us where they've ended up. Only God knows.

10. I'm Catholic, but I don't let the Church or Pope dictate my decisions.

I've got a conscience and free will. I can make my own decisions. I don't think the Pope is infallible. However, I look to the Pope and to the Church for guidance in my everyday thoughts, actions, and decisions. Sometimes, I mess up, and that is okay. God gave us free will for a reason--he wants us to willingly make the right choices and to love Him back.

So here are my thoughts on a few misconceptions about Catholics. I love being Catholic, and I wouldn't change it for the world! Never be ashamed of your religious beliefs. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions on these pretty controversial topics. Share them!