In today’s day and age there are more and more Catholics who identify as Catholics but sometimes say that they are not practicing Catholics or are not in good standing. What does it mean to be a practicing Catholic in the first place? How do you become a Catholic in good standing? Are there specific criteria you need to follow to be considered one? Let’s discuss it!
What is a Practicing Catholic?
There are people who say that they are Catholics but are no longer practicing their faith, what do they mean by that? A practicing Catholic doesn’t start and end with attending Mass every Sunday, it means being able to fully incorporate your Catholic faith into your everyday life.
To simply put it, practicing Catholics actually apply Catholic beliefs in their day-to-day life. Some examples of these beliefs are, upholding the sanctity of marriage, and the importance of family, seeking to grow in faith through reading the bible, and actively participating and living out the sacraments, by regularly going to confession, receiving the eucharist, and striving to be examples of Christ’s love and mercy in the world.
So when a person says that they are a Catholic, but is no longer practicing, chances are they no longer apply any Catholic practices in their everyday life, but they are still and have been baptized as Catholic.
What is a Catholic of Good Standing?
To be a Catholic of good standing, one must be a practicing Catholic and someone who actively lives the faith and teachings of the Church. In many ways, a Catholic of good standing is synonymous with a practicing Catholic.
Why is it important to be a Catholic of Good Standing?
Being a Catholic of good standing is important because it demonstrates a commitment to living a life in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church. If you are a Catholic of Good standing, you are also eligible to become a godparent.
What are some of the most important aspects of being a Catholic of Good Standing?
There are a lot of aspects to being a good catholic of standing, but some of the main important ones are having a regular and consistent prayer life, attending and participating in mass and the sacraments regularly, (this means not only once a year, observing and trying to live his/her life according to the Ten Commandments, and living a moral life.
These are just a few of the most important aspects of being a good Catholic. Adhering to these principles can help one to lead a more fulfilling and meaningful life.