Catechism Corner: Clarity is Charity Beyond cultural Catholicism: from convenience to conversion

St. Peter Preaching by Masolino da Panicale (c.1426)

By Marco Roman, Ph.D.

Director of Communications

It is possible to identify as Catholic and yet not fully live as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

In every age, the Church must confront this persistent reality: the temptation to reduce the fullness of the Catholic faith to something comfortable, familiar and manageable.

Today, this often appears in what may be described as cultural or convenient Catholicism—a way of living the faith that retains certain outward elements while setting aside the deeper call to conversion and authentic discipleship.

Dr. Marco Roman

The Acts of the Apostles presents a markedly different vision. The early Christians were not content with a nominal or inherited faith; they were men and women whose lives had been decisively converted through an encounter with the Risen Christ. They “devoted themselves to the Apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42). Their faith was not occasional or selective—it was total, integrated and transformative.

By contrast, cultural Catholicism often settles for partial discipleship or, even more strikingly, reflects a growing unfamiliarity with what it truly means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, as revealed in Sacred Scripture and lived in the life of the Church. It may value liturgical beauty, inherited customs or a sense of Catholic identity, yet resist the comprehensive demands of the Gospel.

Convenient Catholicism emerges when the faith is shaped according to personal preference—embracing what is agreeable while disregarding what is difficult. This tendency becomes especially evident in the area of moral teaching, where the call of Christ challenges both personal desires and prevailing cultural norms.

In matters such as marriage, human sexuality and the dignity of the human person, it is not uncommon to encounter selective adherence: “I believe in the Church, but not in that teaching.” Such a position points not simply to disagreement, but to a reluctance to allow the Gospel to fully shape one’s life.

Sacred Scripture itself reveals that this tension is not new.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus frequently taught in ways that were demanding and, at times, led to division. When He revealed the mystery of the Eucharist, many responded, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” and “many of His disciples drew back and no longer followed Him” (Jn 6:60, 66).

Christ did not dilute the truth to preserve acceptance. A similar reaction is seen in His teaching on marriage: “What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder” (Mt 19:6). The disciples, confronted with the weight of this teaching, respond, “If such is the case … it is better not to marry” (Mt 19:10). In both instances, Christ reveals a truth that is demanding, total and transformative.

In the present day, comparable responses emerge when the Church faithfully proclaims both the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist and His vision of marriage as a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, within which the gift of sexual love is rightly ordered. These teachings may be countercultural, yet they arise from the same divine wisdom—one that directs the human person toward authentic love, freedom and dignity.

Authentic conversion, therefore, is not merely an initial moment, but an ongoing disposition.

As St. Peter proclaims, “Repent … that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19), and again, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). One of the clearest indications of the Holy Spirit’s work in a person’s life is a growing willingness to receive the full teaching of Christ and His church—even when such teaching is difficult or not yet fully understood.

This reflects not blind submission, but a trusting openness to divine truth.

Within the Diocese of Boise, this reality is increasingly visible through the OCIA process in parishes across the diocese. Many adults who enter the Church do so with a sincere desire to receive the faith in its entirety. In encountering Christ, they experience a reordering of priorities and a deeper coherence in the Church’s moral and sacramental life.

Those entering the Church frequently note that teachings once perceived as restrictive—particularly in the areas of marriage, human sexuality and moral life—come to be understood as ordered toward authentic love and human flourishing. This shift is not the result of doctrinal change, but of a heart transformed by grace.

This dynamic is especially evident among younger adults.

A growing number of young men are seeking clarity regarding courtship, marriage and family life, desiring to embrace an authentic understanding of masculinity and their responsibilities as husbands and fathers. At the same time, many young women are seeking a deeper awareness of their dignity and vocation, desiring relationships marked by fidelity, mutual self-gift and a shared commitment to building families grounded in faith. Observing the consequences of a culture that has often set aside these truths, they are drawn to the Church’s consistent and life-giving vision.

The early Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42), receiving the fullness of the faith. The Holy Spirit does not produce confusion, but unity in truth. The question remains whether the faith is received as a whole or selectively adapted.

The human person is created for truth, and to live in accordance with that truth is to fulfill one’s dignity and vocation.

This life of faith finds its center in the Eucharist. The disciples “devoted themselves … to the breaking of the bread” (Acts 2:42), gathering regularly for this encounter (Acts 20:7).

The Eucharist is the “source and summit” of the Christian life (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, No. 1324), in which Christ is truly present—body, blood, soul and divinity—offering himself and drawing the faithful into communion.

Just as Christ’s teaching on the Eucharist calls for belief in His Real Presence, so His teaching on marriage calls for fidelity that reflects that same permanence and total self-gift. In both, the faithful are invited into participation in divine love.

The manner in which the Eucharist is received reflects the disposition of the heart. Within the Diocese of Boise, those newly initiated into the Church often approach the Eucharist with evident reverence, conviction and surrender. Their witness serves as a reminder of the magnitude of this sacrament and the interior disposition it calls forth.

From the Eucharist flows a life of prayer. The early church was “devoted … to the prayers” (Acts 2:42), turning to God consistently, especially in times of trial (Acts 4:24). Prayer was not incidental, but foundational.

This life of prayer extends into communion. The believers were “together” and “of one heart and soul” (Acts 2:44; 4:32). Discipleship is not lived in isolation. The Christian life requires relationships of mutual encouragement, accountability and support, particularly in the face of challenges and the demands of fidelity to Christ.

This communion bears fruit in charity. The early Christians ensured that no one among them was in need (Acts 2:45; 4:34). The Holy Spirit forms hearts capable of generous self-gift.

At the same time, the Holy Spirit produces joy. The early Christians lived with “glad and generous hearts” (Acts 2:46) and rejoiced even amid suffering (Acts 5:41). This joy is rooted in communion with Christ rather than external circumstances.

Such joy is accompanied by courage. “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Fidelity to Christ often requires perseverance in the face of opposition.

Finally, where the Holy Spirit is active, there is growth and mission. “The Lord added to their number day by day” (Acts 2:47), and the Gospel was proclaimed with boldness (Acts 28:31). A life shaped by the Holy Spirit naturally extends outward, in witness.

If it is possible to identify as Catholic without fully living as a disciple, then the invitation remains clear.

The same Holy Spirit who radically transformed the lives of the first disciples in the Acts of the Apostles continues to act within the Church today, calling each person beyond a faith that is merely cultural or convenient.

This call is a call to conversion, to authentic discipleship and to a life fully alive in Jesus Christ.