Archbishop Charles J. Chaput: On the Council and the Church

Every Sunday, Catholics say the following words when we worship:

I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages; God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God; begotten, not made; consubstantial with the Father, through him all things were made.

We’ve said those words thousands of times. We know them so well that too often we don’t think about them. But they’re vital to understanding what it means to be Catholic. And here’s why.

A man born of a Jewish mother is Jewish by virtue of his birth. He may be very religious, or lukewarm, or an atheist. But he’s still, in a real sense, a Jew. Being Catholic is a different kind of experience. Baptism is necessary to being a Catholic. But it’s not sufficient. We’re defined by what we believe, how we worship, and how actively we live our faith in public and in private.

It’s not possible to be a so-called “cultural” Catholic. Catholic culture comes from Catholic faith. Unless we truly believe and practice our faith, Catholic culture is just a dead skin of nostalgia and comfortable habits. …

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