“Are You Catholic?”

The cashier and I were chatting about how busy the store was as she scanned our groceries. She was placing them in my reusable shopping bags when she caught my eye.

“Are you Catholic?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said. “Yes, I am.”

For a split second, I was caught off guard, wondering how she knew. Was I wearing a crucifix? Had a rosary slipped out of my purse? Then I realized she was looking at the reusable grocery bags I had brought along—one referring to St. Anthony of Padua and one with a picture of St. Therese of Lisieux.

“I thought so,” she said, nodding toward the bags.

I explained that we get them in the mail for making gifts to Catholic organizations, and we shifted to another topic. I didn’t ask her about her faith, and she didn’t volunteer. I figured if she wanted to share, she would.

I paid for the groceries and thanked her, we said goodbye, and I headed toward the door.

But our exchange stayed with me—especially as I loaded my saint grocery bags into the car.

“Are you Catholic?”

It’s a question I’ve been asked many times in my life—as a child, as an adult, as a parent, as a friend, and as a colleague. Sometimes it’s a question on a form. More often it arises during conversation, as I’m sharing an opinion or experience that prompts the question from someone trying to understand me better, someone wanting to appreciate the context.

“Are you Catholic?”

It’s a question that visitors ask me when they enter our home and see the pictures and statues of saints on display in our home.

“Are you Catholic?”

It’s a question we navigate with our children, helping them understand what it means to be Catholic Christians. What a gift it is to be Catholic, with Jesus in the Eucharist, a universal church, and a communion of saints to pray for and with us in heaven. They know, though, that something different is asked of them as Catholics, too. So, we travel that journey together.

“Are you Catholic?”

It’s a question many of us ask ourselves throughout our lives. Faith journeys are not always straight and direct. Life brings questions and challenges. Being Catholic is not always easy.

The Eucharist is here. The sacraments are here. It’s my faith home. And I renew my baptismal vows along with everyone else whenever I have the chance.

“Are you Catholic?”

It’s a simple question—and also a big one. Hopefully, the answer helps explain a few things, even as it challenges me to live my life more fully and completely for God.

And, if nothing else, it is why we have such stunning saint bags.

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