Most people in Ireland, were born into the Catholic Church, and were regarded as Catholic whether they practiced (going to Church) or not. ‘Catholic’ became a handy label –especially in the North of Ireland. If, on being admitted to hospital, you were asked what religion you were, you would say ‘Catholic’. Of course you did not have to disclose. Likewise, when it came to the census people usually put down the church in which they were baptised in answer to the question about religion. In the North of Ireland you almost had to be either one or the other – Catholic or Protestant. As the old joke goes if you were an atheist you were either a Catholic atheist or a Protestant atheist.
However, in recent years, many who were born into Catholic families have turned away from the faith of their fathers and mothers. So it is hard to know what will happen in the future. They may still attend Catholic schools but fewer and fewer practice their religion by going to church on Sundays. It is difficult to know nowadays what distinguishes non-practicing Catholics from non-practicing others. Most will probably come to the Catholic Church for weddings and funerals and most still come to Church to have their children baptised.
Being a Catholic was understood by most people as about showing respect for others and reaching out the hand of friendship. That was what the Christian religion demanded and that was how living in a community worked. The official teaching of the Popes and the Councils always promoted this core teaching. That was what was taught in our homes and schools. It was not always easy to practice what was preached or taught.
Being Catholic made other demands like showing reverence for all of Creation and acting to promote the well-being of creation for the common good. It could lead to confrontation with the world of big business but it was an issue that united people of all shades of Christian faith. Catholics and Protestants united in Fermanagh to oppose fracking. For awhile they discovered they had more in common than they had dividing them.
My Catholic faith encourages me to live joyfully with hope in my heart. It helps me to live in wonder and awe in this unpredictable and ever-changing planet. It bids me to reach out to those who are different and those in need. It encourages me to celebrate our identity as members of a world-wide family with Pope Francis as our leader. Our Catholic faith provides us with an opportunity to explore and learn more about the mysteries of life. It calls us to live together with others who are different and to respect difference. It encourages the building of community that cares for the young, the elderly and those down on their luck.
Our Catholic faith invites us, even demands of us, to be tolerant, to show compassion and to be generous. My Catholic faith is concerned to promote a willingness to live in peace and harmony with all those who are different from me. There must always be mutual respect. My faith also demands that I oppose all forms of injustice, discrimination and inequality. That has special significance in the north of Ireland where, as a result of British colonialism, Catholics were often subjected to discrimination and intimidation. Where there is injustice, I am obliged to protest against it, in the hope of bringing about change. Protesting is a way of practicing my religion as much as going to Church. Maybe the real Christian church is the Protesting Church.
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