You Know You Are Catholic When [10 Signs]

There are some obvious things that will mark you as Catholic: going to mass, receiving communion, and wearing a rosary around your neck. 

But you’ll find yourself doing other ‘Catholic’ things without realizing it. Some of them are funny habits that you pick up after being a Catholic for some time. Others are important markers of your faith and commitment to the church. 

1. You say Grace over every meal, even when at a restaurant 

Saying a blessing over meals becomes such an ingrained practice that it happens automatically no matter where you are, complete with the sign of the cross. 

You may sometimes feel self-conscious when among non-Catholics, but you quickly get used to the stares and do it anyway. 

2. You cannot miss mass

Seeking the fellowship of fellow believers and participating together in the sacrament of communion is one of the most fulfilling things about being a Catholic.

If you are a Catholic, you’d rather miss anything but mass. You look forward to it as a time to refill your wells of strength and joy. 

It’s also great to meet up with fellow Catholics. 

3. You look for nearby catholic churches when planning a vacation

Not even a vacation will stop you from going to mass. 

If you find yourself checking nearby Catholic churches alongside restaurants and tourist attractions, you know you are Catholic. 

You can pop into church for an hour of mass before continuing with your vacation. 

4. You have catholic symbols and ornamentation everywhere

Catholic symbols like the rosary are not just pretty to look at. They are there to inspire, strengthen and comfort us. 

They remind us of God’s love and presence. 

If you find you have Catholic ornamentation in your bedroom, in your living room, in your car, and even on your body, that’s a pretty big sign you are Catholic. 

These can be rosaries, scapular, crosses, figurines, or images. They can be even digital; a screen saver of Holy Mary or a laptop wallpaper of your favorite saint. 

5. Easter and Christmas are not just holidays for you 

There is the usual stuff people do like egg hunting, hanging up stockings, and lighting up a Christmas tree. 

But for you, these holidays are much more than that. They signify the bedrock of your faith: the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. 

As you spend time with family and have fun doing the usual stuff, you also spend time reflecting on the divine significance of the occasion.

6. You mean it when you say, “I will pray for you”

‘Thoughts and prayers’ is a statement thrown around so casually these days. 

But if you find yourself actually praying for the people you said you’d pray for when you pray the rosary, you know you are catholic. 

7. You are always confessing your sins

Any Catholic knows to go to confession now and then. A good Catholic knows to confess both to a priest and directly to God every chance they get. 

In between visits to the confessional, you’ll be constantly asking God to forgive your sins – the ones you know and the ones you commit subconsciously.

That’s because a true Catholic knows that we sin a lot, whether it’s in our thoughts, actions, or words. 

Confessing often also gets rid of the infamous feeling known as Catholic guilt. When you know you are forgiven, you don’t walk around with a heart heavy with guilt. 

8. Nothing gets under your skin

When you are a good Catholic, you live under a constant cover of peace and joy. Nothing rattles you, or at least it doesn’t rattle you for long. 

Prayers and scripture quickly fill your heart with comfort and peace whenever you run into trouble or misfortune. 

And in both good times and bad, you give thanks to God. 

It does help to have a rosary always at arm’s reach. You can say a quick prayer to calm your mind at any time. 

9. You can follow all prayers during mass

You say prayers so often in mass and when alone that you can say most of them off your head. 

It doesn’t even matter if they are not in English; you probably know more Latin than the foreign language class you took in school. 

10. You have holy water and you bless everything

You keep a bottle of holy water with you and use it to bless everything and everyone around you including your home, your car, your workplace, your kids, your pets, your garden and yourself. 

These are just a few of the signs to know you are Catholic. Examine your habits and see if you can identify other quirks and actions that mark you as a Catholic. 

Maybe you find yourself almost genuflecting in any room with rows of seats, you make the sign of the cross if someone near you curses, or you dress your best when going to mass.