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What Is True Catholic Faith?

What Is True Catholic Faith?

Last updated on: April 2, 2026 at 1:04 pm by William Droel

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What Is True Catholic Faith? 2026-04-02T13:04:24-06:00 William Droel

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Catholics are schooled in the faith by memorizing dogmatic points and lots of Catholic trivia. What are the colors for various liturgical seasons and special feast days? What are the three possible destinations upon one’s death? Name the seven sacraments. Name the glorious mysteries of the rosary. Name the four gospels.

This quiz show format is perhaps acceptable for primary-grade children. It is regularly used in parish-based religious education programs and in a few light-hearted card games and skits. However, today’s Catholic young adults–with exceptions–exhibit little interest in or basic understanding of essential dogmas like the Trinity or the Real Presence in the Eucharist. When young adults do not know or do not comprehend or are uninterested in essential beliefs, their practice of Catholic faith wanes.

Nonetheless, many young adults are humanists. They are good people who episodically help with charitable efforts. They are conscientious on the job. They are loyal to friends. They possess some humor. In a sense they are good enough Catholics, even though they don’t proudly identify as such.

In addition to basic knowledge of the faith there is another component to Catholicism. Catholics and other Christians have faith because in some manner Jesus fills their hearts and souls. Maybe the points of dogma and the elements of Catholic culture come first; maybe they come later. Likely the two are in a blender. But without a relationship with Jesus/God, faith is unsustainable.

Our Catholic bishops, deliberating at Vatican II (1962-1965), concluded that in daily life the deductive method must be complemented by reflection on one’s experience, leading to wise application. For example, there is a philosophical explanation of how Jesus is present in the Eucharist. There might be found here and there a young adult or two who has learned some of Aristotle’s distinctions and can articulate that explanation of the Real Presence. That same young adult, however, might never know or feel Jesus’ presence as they go about their job, their family life, or any of their other involvements. Another young adult can recite Psalm 23 from memory without ever knowing the Shepherd. An exclusive reliance on the top-down approach of transmitting the faith potentially stifles creativity, inhibits research and expansion, distorts understanding of complexities, discourages action and cheapens relationships. Therefore, experience must be prior to any theory or ideology—not necessarily prior chronologically, but it is an essential ingredient to faith.

Vatican II teaches that religious experience is not separate from daily experience. In fact, faith begins with so-called ordinary encounters. To use a theological catch phrase: grace builds upon nature.

Yet, experience alone is insufficient. A person can fly through the months—a job promotion, new “friends” through social media, travel, a full social life, a positive health report and the like. Vatican II asks such a person, and all of us, “what is the meaning of this feverish activity?” Am I holy? Do I really love? How do I get my conversations past the superficialities? Why is my experience so episodic? Where will I be in five years? What’s the point of my prayer? Where did I put my moral compass?

Experience plus reflection equals faithful wisdom. A faithful person needs quiet time. The mobile device is locked away for an hour, or at least 45 minutes each day. The laptop is also asleep. The TV is disconnected. Still, wisdom does not arrive on the first try. It must be nurtured and sustained, especially through the dry times. Wisdom is particularly hard to gain in our individualistic, vacuous culture. It takes practice.

The multitudinous rules of Catholicism are useless without faith-based wisdom. Catholicism admittedly comes with faults galore, some of which are scandalously immoral. However, Catholicism is a carrier of a sophisticated ethic, a rich culture with interesting symbols, inexhaustible Scripture, a profound liturgy and a heavenly host of role models. Going forward, the challenge is to observe and act in one’s surroundings, to judge the signs of the times and with discipline to reflect on growth in the love of Christ. Does it sound too pious? Well, be sure to put perfection aside. Then, holiness is possible in the here-and-now. Experience counts.

Droel is editor at National Center for the Laity (PO Box 291102, Chicago, IL 60629).

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