What do you think of when I say "Catholic" or "Catholicism"? Probably the Pope, an old set of restrictions, and a thick fog of incense. (That last one is spot on, let me tell you.)
The Catholic Church has this nasty reputation for being the "big brother" of the religious community. Don't wear that, don't say this, don't pray like that, don't have fun. Like ever. But what people don't know, is that the Catholic Church is one of the coolest communities to belong to.
1.) The Catholic Church and it's teachings empower women, contrary to popular belief
American Culture (well, culture in general) is so quick to sexualize us, especially our bodies. Seriously ladies, how many times have you walked down a street and some dude has whistled at you or said something to you, just because you're a woman? The Catholic Church, however, teaches that a woman's body is sacred!
*taps the mic*
S a c r e d.
Not only does the church teach that our bodies are sacred and should be respected, but also our minds and spirits. The Church teaches that women have this inherent dignity, and that we're the crown of creation. Look it up. We're taught that God made Adam, decided that he needed something else, and then He made woman and creation was completed right there. God was like "This guy can't handle all this alone! Your boy needs some help." So He made Eve, and stopped right there. Woman was the icing on the cake. (And we all know how great a spoon full of icing at 1am is, amirite ladies?)
You seriously can't get much more empowered than that, and that comes straight from the teaching of the Catholic Church. So yeah, women aren't priests, but that does not under any circumstances mean that we're not respected. We're the most respected, because of our womanhood. #FeminismYall
2.) The Catholic Church and it's teachings show people how to love.
No, not the Lil Wayne song we all jammed to in 7th grade. (2007, Ugg boots and miniskirt combos, may they rest in peace.) There's this super hateful and disrespectful sect of the Church that hate gay people, hate Muslim people, among many other kind of people that aren't like them. Well, I'm here to tell you that that IS NOT WHAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH TEACHES. I'll say it again for the people in the back. *pulls out megaphone* CATHOLIC PEOPLE ARE NOT TAUGHT TO HATE ANYONE, ITS ACTUALLY AGAINST CHURCH TEACHING.
You've heard it a zillion times, even if you're not Catholic, or Christian, or religious at all. "Love Thy Neighbor". It's a tale as old as time. (Where my Beauty and the Beast fans at?)
"Love Thy Neighbor." If you look carefully, there aren't any exceptions in there. No specifics. No restrictions. Your neighbor is Muslim. Your neighbor is gay. Your neighbor struggles with drugs and alcohol. Your neighbor is black. Your neighbor is a refugee. Your neighbor is your political polar opposite. Your neighbor is an immigrant. Your neighbor is transgender. Your neighbor is homeless. The Church teaches to love all these neighbors and more.
So next time you see someone who claims to be Catholic, but you catch them hating on these people, know that they aren't representing the Church at all in that moment, because they're not living what the Church teaches. Love is love, and I'm sorry if you've had an encounter with someone who claims to be Catholic (or any other denomination of Christianity) and they've hurt you or hated on you simply because of who you are. Know that there are Catholics out there who truly love you and will always be ready to take you in if you've been hurt or are currently hurting at the hands of someone who hates in the name of Christianity. We love you, and we're always here to listen.
3.) The Catholic Church has a currently flourishing and growing millennial community.
Bruh. "Whaaaat?" You say. "But all the Catholics are 900 years old and sing hymns all day and speak in Latin." Ha. Nope. I live in a cute light blue house with a red door about 5 minutes from Downtown Flint with big front porch and a dog. I also live with two amazing Catholic women under the age of 25 who love being Catholic but also love binging New Girl and eating our weight in Moose Tracks Ice Cream. (Three spoons, a Carton of Ice Cream, and 5 Hours of Nick Miller and Schmidt. What could be better?) We pray together in our prayer room, we have dinner together and laugh until our stomachs hurt, and we serve the Flint community together, but we're still normal twenty-somethings.
We cry together about boys. We blast 'Beautiful Soul' and 'Bodak Yellow' at max volume and bust out our worst dance moves. (Someone please teach me how to do the 'Floss' move, YouTube tutorials aint cuttin' it.) We combine our extensive Bath and Body Works lotion/body spray collection and marvel at it's beauty, Pink Moscato in hand. (Seriously its so beautiful. So many scents, so little time.) We love our faith, and it's such a huge part of us, but the secret is: We're still normal women. Just because we're Catholic, doesn't mean we don't love the things that other Millennial girls do.
Guys, it's the same for you. There's a Men's house that's just like ours. Those guys are some of our best friends. They pick their noses, watch football, and workout in the living room just like any other normal college dude. They annoy us, just like any other college dude. We're not the only little community like this though. That's just Flint! These communities are all over the place! I bet there's a Catholic Community/Group right on your campus, and chances are the people in it are people you bump elbows with every day. Millennials get a lot of crap for being millennials (Remember guys, we ruined the housing market and I read something about how we ruined aluminum foil??? WAY TO GO. COOL.) Turns out, us millennial Catholics tend to be the ones that actually apply number 2 up there that you read about earlier. We're pretty cool, aside from liking Lord of The Rings and Pope John Paul II a little too much. Ask us about it.
There are so many other things that prove just how relevant the Catholic Church is, but unfortunately that's not the side that a lot of people are shown. The media reaaaaaaally likes to tell people that the Catholic Church is only out to oppress women, hate gay people, and build fancy buildings. I mean, yeah, the churches and cathedrals are gorgeous and so cool. But not a lot of people get to see what the Church and it's teachings are really all about. Turns out, we are called to love every person regardless of any differences. We are called to empower women and love their children. We are called to go out into our communities and love people.
My point here? To apologize to you and to invite you...
1) I'm so sorry if you've suffered at the hands of anyone who has claimed to be Catholic. The hate, the pain, the judgement, the hurt, the anger, the discrimination you've received is not reflective of the reality of our Church. Their hatred is their own doing, and if they claim it's because of God, they're wrong. We actually really love you, and we hope that you never have to go through that again. (And I confidently speak on behalf on the entire Church when I say that we love you. Because we do.)
2) If you're not Christian, or you are and you're not Catholic, I want to invite you to a mass. One Catholic mass (aka a Catholic church service). Sit back and watch the mass unfold. A lot of what happens during will seem foreign and maybe a little odd, but keep an open mind. The stained glass, and the stories etched into them, literally.
The veils that some women might be wearing, to take the attention off of them and channel it into the mass.(Veiling is not required by the church, it is completely a woman's choice and some do it as a way to show reverence during mass. Real cool stuff. I found an infinity veil on Etsy and it's super cute.)
Listen to the readings, and how the priest's homily (aka sermon) connects to them. Watch the people receive communion, and listen to the song that is sung during it. You will find beauty in something. If anything, it's a way to expand your perspective and expose yourself to another aspect of culture.
The Catholic Church isn't some outdated institution, established to oppress and restrict. The Catholic Church is a community that challenges people to catapult themselves into the darkest parts of our world, and brighten them up with love, kindness, and community. It's planting inherently good and wholesome things into a world that so desperately needs something positive. Look into it with open eyes and an open mind. Do your research, and try to be as objective as possible.
Who knows? Maybe someday you'll be a saint.
