Are you proud to be a Catholic?

I am in Chapter 5 of Matthew Kelly’s book “The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic”, regarding Evangelization. He talks about how we can evangelize in subtle ways to win others for God. 
He asks the question, “Are you proud to be a Catholic?”…..and I can answer with a resounding YES. Although many feel that they are not good evangelizers, really many are in the way they live their lives. I have found that my pride in being Catholic is often based on the subtle events of everyday life that have verified and increased my pride. 


In what ways are you Proud to be a Catholic?


The truth of the word we are taught, the history of the church, the mass with it’s ancient traditions, and just my parish family….the closeness and love we share for each other reveals the truth of Jesus teachings.


A short little story to verify this love I feel.  My mother was not a Catholic, not even practicing faith, for that matter.  My parish priest, when he first came to our parish, offered one day to go and pray with her.  In my naïve way, I said thank you to him, and let him know that she was not Catholic.  This had no effect on him at all, he said so immediately. I let it go and a couple weeks later, he mentioned it again. So I had a talk with him to give him a heads-up, that she had severe Dementia and usually didn’t know who I was…..this also did not sway him. We set up a time to go and visit her, and when we walked into the room she looked up at me and did something I had not seen her do in …… I don’t know how long.  She looked at me and said, “Well hello Sharon….”  Ok my mother just made a liar out of me. I looked a Father, and he just chuckled.  We had a great talk that day. My mother was lucid one last time.  She passed away a month later, and I think that Father had been prompted by the Holy Spirit to give me this one last gift.

Additionally, the faith group that my mother had professed to be a part of were, nowhere to be seen on her funeral day.  My Catholic friends were there, not because they knew her….but because we love and support each other. 
If that isn’t  the Love of Christ…..if that isn’t evangelization….I don’t know what is.
I am SO proud to be a Catholic.