7 Top Myths About Catholics

According to the Statistical Yearbook of the Church 2004, there are 67,515,016 Catholics in the United States which equates to 22% of the U.S. population (USCCB). By the sheer power of number, Catholics can create a collaborative vote during elections and motion a wave of change within their community. With such a significant group in the United States alone, how could they be so misunderstood? The answer lies in the human tendency to overgeneralize. Because time and mental energy is a factor for everyone, it is just simpler to categorize things instead of taking the time to understand the minute facets of every issue that may confront us.

Perhaps after learning about a few misconceptions of Catholics, one might just discover that they're not much different than other believers after all. They believe in Jesus Christ, they go to Sunday mass, they strive to help others attain salvation.

1. Catholics worship statues.
When one enters a Catholic Church, one will likely find statues inside. Amongst those statues, one may find likenesses of the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, Jesus Christ, St. Paul, as well as the Santo Nino. However, don't be fooled if you see someone kneeling in front of a statue and praying. It may look as if they are worshiping the statue, but in reality, they are using the statue as a visual aid to help them focus their prayers, their 'conversation.' (1 Timothy 2:6) It is a misconception that Catholics worship statues. For example, one may place a photo of a loved one within sight while writing a letter. Common sense dictates that the picture is actually NOT the loved one, but a tool to help the individual target her thoughts to her loved one in order to write a more heartfelt letter. The presence of statues in the Catholic Church have that same purpose for their parishioners. Catholics are not worshiping the statue itself, but channeling their thoughts/conversation to the person in which the statue represents.

2. Catholics worship saints.
To Catholics, saints were ordinary people who, with their God-given talents, did the extraordinary for their Lord. Although all saints are deceased, Catholics' belief in everlasting life propels them to acknowledge that saints are still active followers of God even in the afterlife. Have you ever asked a friend to 'pray for you?' The concept of the communion of saints in heaven is similar to having 'friends' in heaven. When Catholics pray for the intercession of their favorite saint, they are not worshiping that particular saint; in fact, they are asking a 'friend' in heaven to pray for them. Whether it be by a friend still here on earth, a stranger, or a saint who is now heaven, wouldn't you welcome wholesome prayers on your behalf?

3. Catholics are cannibals.
During mass at communion, we show reverence to the Holy Eucharist and consume it because it has been consecrated by the priest into the Body of Christ. Christ gave us the gift of the Eucharist so we could be closer to Him in what is understood as a human sensation: to physically eat the Holy Eucharist. In His example during the Last Supper, God gave His Disciples/priests the power to consecrate bread/or an ordinary wafer into the body of Christ. Jesus told his disciples in the Bible, "Take, eat; this is My body." Although Catholics do indeed 'eat' the Body of Christ during Holy Communion, they do not eat any other flesh besides what is appropriate by today's societal standards for conventional nourishment.

4. Catholics are not Christians.
When I was at business seminar, I noticed a lady was wearing a crucifix on her necklace. Just to pass the time as we waited for the next speaker to come out, I commented on her cross and asked her, "Are you Christian?" I did not want to pinpoint any denomination, knowing that Christianity is not bound to any single religion. In my disbelief, she answered, "Oh no, I'm Catholic." She obviously was not a practicing Catholic, otherwise, she would have known that being Catholic is synonymous to being a Christian. It's disconcerting to hear someone who professes that they are Catholic, and yet they are among the culprits who propagate the falsehoods of Catholicism.

In simplified terms: if you believe in Jesus Christ, you are classified as a Christian. According to the dictionary definition of Christian, it is "professing belief in Jesus as Christ or following the religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus." Catholicism does just that. Believe it or not, but Catholics are Christians.

5. Catholics do not read the Bible.
The Catholic mass is a proliferation of Bible scripture. From the start of the liturgy to the end of the mass, parishioners are exposed to countless references to the Bible. To serve as a reflection, the priest or deacon's homily is usually centered on the readings assigned for that particular mass which is aimed at increasing the understanding of what was read. In the newer churches, Bible passages are even projected on 20 foot screens to give the entire congregation the opportunity to visualize the readings. Daily readings and Sunday readings for all Catholic churches are scheduled ahead of time and are the same for every church so as to create unity among the communities. To see a sample calendar of scheduled scripture readings, you can go to USCCB.

6. Catholics are not allowed to have fun.
It would be a sin for a Catholic not to have 'fun' or refuse to enjoy what God has given in her lifetime. Oftentimes in movies, Catholics are portrayed as melancholy blobs of seriousness perpetuating doom; nothing can be true, other than the contrary. Catholics must find joy in their own lives through the joy that Christ has given. Our faith dictates we must rejoice because we believe in Him. However, we cannot escape our obligations as a Catholic for the pursuit of trivial pleasures. Like parents put limits on their children's behavior and like our legal system limits criminal behavior, our faith also puts limits on our actions. Catholics are allowed to have fun and enjoy life, but not to the extent of harming themselves, others or their salvation.

7. Catholics have 3 gods.
Catholics believe in the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They believe that those three entities are found in their one God. The concept of the Holy Trinity is similar to the idea that a single person can simultaneously have several roles like a female individual can all be a grandmother, be a mother, and be a daughter without having to separate into 3 different people. Thus, believing in the Holy Trinity cannot mean that Catholics believe in 3 separate gods.

This addresses only a fraction of misconceptions of the Catholic faith. My hope is that it will send at least one reader's curiosity into further investigation.