2
August
When does a Catholic Man stop being a Catholic man? Ask Forrest Gump.
In this short clip, we see Forrest Gump, played to perfection by Tom Hanks, being asked by the mother of Forrest’s deceased friend Bubba if he is “crazy or just plain stupid”. “Stupid is as stupid does” is Forrest’s response.
While I’m no Forrest Gump, I’ll offer a similar aphorism: “Catholic is as Catholic does.”
There is a serious “man-crisis” in the Catholic Church. Large numbers of Catholic men have left the Church and those Casual Catholic men who remain lack passion and commitment to the faith.
So here is a question: When does a Catholic man stop being a Catholic man?
Each Catholic man needs to reassess his faith: Am I a Committed Catholic Man, a New Emangelization Man who practices his faith to the best level possible with the help of the Holy Spirit? Or am I a Casual Catholic Man who in reality is a CINO, a “Catholic In Name Only”.
Going back to the borrowed and modified aphorism from Mr. Gump, “Catholic is as Catholic does.” We Catholics “practice” our faith. If you have fallen out of practice, start practicing.
If you get stumped on how to return from the dark fog of Casualness into the light of the Church, get back to the basics:
- Repent and get to Confession.
- Get to daily Mass.
- Pray during a Holy Hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament that Christ would send His Holy Spirit to inspire you (to literally blow the Holy Spirit into your soul) so that your faith strengthens.
- Read the Scripture from Daily Mass.
- Pick up your bible.
- Find one man in your parish to talk to; if you don’ know one, ask your priest to introduce you to a good Catholic man, a Committed Catholic Man.
Catholic men, remember : “Catholic is as Catholic does.”
Follow us:
