5 Stereotypes That Catholics Wish Would Go Away

People are much deeper than stereotypes. That's the first place our minds go. Then you get to know them and you hear their stories, and you say, 'I'd have never guessed.' - Carson Kressley

Stereotypes are an easy and convenient way to classify groups we don’t really understand, especially when it comes to faith and religion. Catholicism is often perceived as a very rigid, traditionalist and mysterious faith with its incense, bells, crucifixes, statues and rituals. Yet the word “Catholic” means “universal,” and the Catholic faith is open to people of all races, ages, ethnicities and walks of life. Anyone is welcome to attend a Catholic Mass, and most faithful Catholics are eager to share information or answer questions about their faith. Some Catholic traditions may seem strange or unusual on the surface, but make sense once they’re explained. Following are five common Catholic stereotypes and why they are untrue or unfair.

Catholics Worship Mary

Catholics often carry and pray Rosaries or have statues of Mary in their homes, so it can appear that Mary is on the same level as God. However, Catholics do not worship Mary, and doing so would be a grave sin in the Catholic faith. Instead, she is given great honor. After all, Mary is the mother of Jesus, who is God. Therefore, Mary is the Mother of God and deserves honor and respect. The Fourth Commandment is “Honor thy father and mother.” Jesus would never break this commandment and neither should we. When Catholics say they are praying to Mary, they mean that they are praying for her intercession—that she will take their prayers directly to Jesus, her own son. It’s a similar concept to asking someone you know to pray for you. Intercessory prayer is very different from worship that is due to God alone.

Catholics Aren’t Saved

Many well-meaning Protestants try to “save” their Catholic friends and are genuinely concerned for their eternal salvation. However, Catholics define “saved” in a different way than Protestants. Catholics believe that the sacrament of Baptism is the beginning of salvation when the baptized person is cleansed of Original Sin (the sin of Adam and Eve, passed on to all humans). After Baptism, Catholics must remain in a state of grace in order to enter heaven at death. Certain sins, called mortal sins, are very serious and take away grace. To commit a mortal sin, the sin must be serious, and the sinner must know the sin is serious and willingly commit it. There is no “laundry list” of mortal sins, but such acts as murder, adultery and worship of idols could be considered serious. Grace is restored when the sinner receives forgiveness through the Sacrament of Confession. Therefore, a Catholic must be in a state of grace to be “saved” and enter heaven and eternal life with God.

Catholics Must Obey the Pope

Catholics view the pope as the leader of the Catholic Church, but he is not an absolute authority. Like any leader, the pope is human and is subject to sin and human weakness. He is entitled to express opinions and give advice to Catholics; however, these are not necessarily official Church teachings. The only time the pope is considered infallible, or giving a teaching that is free from error and inspired by God, is when he speaks “ex cathedra,” or “from the chair.” This rarely occurs; in fact there are only two ex cathedra teachings given in the entire 2000-plus year history of the Church. Catholics obey God and Church teachings and doctrines, which also bind the pope.

Catholics Want to Put Jesus Back on the Cross

The crucifix is one of the most enduring symbols of Catholicism and is often a source of confusion, especially among Protestants who think that Catholics are “putting Jesus back on the cross.” Catholics certainly view the Resurrection as one of the cornerstones of faith, and the Risen Christ is not worshipped any less than the crucified Christ. Yet Catholics find the crucifix comforting because it depicts Christ’s extreme suffering. Since suffering is such a traumatic part of human experience, viewing Jesus on the cross lets Catholics know that God understands human suffering because He experienced it firsthand and at a greater intensity than any other human being ever will. Furthermore, our salvation came through Christ’s death. He couldn’t rise from the dead if He didn’t die on the cross. Finally, the cross shows Jesus’ great love for us: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)

Catholics are Obsessed with Saints

Many Catholic churches and parishes are named after saints, and nearly all churches depict certain saints with statues, stained glass windows or paintings. Even Catholic homes may have displays of statues or holy cards depicting the family’s favorite saints. This practice may seem strange to people of other faiths, but it makes perfect sense to Catholics who view saints as heroes/heroines and role models for faith and virtue. Many Catholics have a patron saint, who may be a saint they were named after or who represents their profession or a particular cause. The saints were human and subject to sin, but they lived exemplary lives of faith or were converted to faith at some point in their lives. Just as an artist might admire and strive to imitate Leonardo da Vinci, a Catholic might admire and strive to imitate St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus and earthly spouse of Mary. Catholics do not worship saints, but may pray to saints for intercession, asking them to present their prayers to God.