The Facts Can Cure the Catholic Inferiority Complex

There’s a fine line between raising haughty Catholic elite children and engendering a healthy love and appreciation for the uniqueness and superiority of the Catholic faith.

Yes, even hearing myself say the Catholic faith is “superior” gives me that who-do you-think-you are feeling.

But if you aren’t clear of what makes the Catholic Church the one true Church, how are you going to convey it to your kids humbly and effectively?

In my 21-plus years as a faith-based marriage and family therapist, the prevailing research showed no distinction between the greater than 50% general population divorce rate and that of Catholic couples.

I struggled to buy those stats.

I’m not alone. For years facilitators at Catholic Engaged Encounter weekends dissected the numbers. They educate couples using a more plausible marital stability description. Couples united in their faith have divorce rates in the single digits. And devout Catholics embracing NFP (natural family planning) statistically never divorce.

But recent Georgetown University research, although needing more validating studies, supports that a faith life in general—and more specifically being a practicing Catholic—reduces divorce odds. Researchers found a 28% divorce rate for Catholics, compared to 39% for Protestants, and 35% for other religious faiths.

So…surprise, surprise…being devout Catholics does increase your chances of having an enduring and successful marriage.

It is also no surprise that your strong Catholic identity helps your business prosper. It helps you do everything better.

Do you really understand how the Catholic Church makes you and your life better?

Most Catholics aren’t aware what it is.

Your Catholicity shapes your approach to everything, especially these four areas:

1. Faith

Catholics regularly receiving the Eucharist:

have a general calmness and a trust that God is in control that they don’t recognize,
are ingrained in scripture from attending Mass and don’t appreciate how much Biblical knowledge and application they use,
have a realistic understanding of suffering, and
from regular trips to the Confessional can admit when they’ve made mistakes and make restitution.

The bottom line is that mature Catholics are down-to-earth, humble, enjoyable to be around, and attractive. People want to do business with people they like. A likable Eucharistic Catholic attracts business.

2. Work

Catholics in active, healthy parishes:

embrace a stewardship lifestyle,
recognize their talents are “on loan from God” and generously give back at Church and work,
aren’t once-saved-always-saved,
recognize they must always work to grow in virtue, and
have discipline that spills over into their personal and professional lives for positive results.

3. Family

Catholic mom business owners aren’t willing to sacrifice what’s important to have a successful business.

The Catholic Church values and elevates motherhood.

At the same time she encourages her daughters to be creative and follow their greatest role model in Our Blessed Mother to discover and share their “Feminine Genius,” both in their homes and in their communities and the world.

Jesus and his Church treat women with the highest dignity which opens the door for women to soar.

4. Self

Respecting the dignity of the human person from conception to the grave sends a powerful message to the world and Catholics: You are a precious child of God.

Any person who internalizes that Jesus would have come to the earth, became man, and died just for you, recognizes their great value in the eyes of God.

Business owners who recognize their value and communicate it to prospects flourish.

In this series of blog posts I’ll go more in-depth in each of these areas. I invite you to be aware and intentional about what your Catholic faith is doing for you and to you, so you can reap the business and personal rewards in 2014.

Catholic Mompreneur’s Biz and Life Tip: List how being Catholic made you a better person, mom, and business owner, and start maximizing your competitive advantage in 2014.