A: It’s wild, but as much as we throw around the phrase “practicing Catholic,” it’s a hard concept to nail down. So, let’s get right to it.

First of all, many times, in response to questions like this, the temptation is to slap down some guidelines and say, “Stick with these and you’ll be fine.” It just seems such an easy way to answer.

The problem is, when we talk about faith, we are talking about relationship. When we talk about relationship, we lose something very special when we start explaining it as a list of what we must do and what we shouldn’t do.

Think of it this way: Imagine your best friend approaches you with a pad of paper and a pencil. He asks you to sit down and then says ,“Listen. I want to be your friend. I know I should. Tell me, what is the minimum I can do in this relationship and still be considered your friend?”

Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? That’s because it is. In the same way, when we look at our relationship with God, if our question is, “What is the minimum I can do and still be Catholic?” – we’ve got to stop and look at the core of the question.

God wants a relationship with you. All our theology, all our sacraments, everything we do is all rooted in our belief that what God desires is a personal relationship with us, lived out in a community of believers. Take some time and ponder that, because it’s pretty intense. And if we really understand this, it may take us out of minimalist thinking.

Yet, even with all this, we do need a sort of list, don’t we? Part of the role of the church is to show us precisely what is needed. If we don’t hold ourselves to the standard the Catholic faith gives us, it’s way too easy to fall into self deception. So, after a lot of looking around, here is a list that I’ll share with you. While researching this, I read a letter Bishop George Wiesner wrote for the Catholic Diocese of Prince George, British Columbia, and it was a great source of information.

Anyway – here’s what we’ve got. Please don’t see this list as infallible or complete. There’s really no way to cover it all.

• In terms of the sacraments, a practicing Catholic has a very active sacramental life. He or she goes to Mass a minimum of once a week and lives Communion by being in union with the church and her teachings. Since we are talking Communion, we need to remember that the sacrament of reconciliation is a huge part of this. Anytime we have committed a mortal sin, we have to go to confession as soon as possible before we attempt to receive Communion. We also need to make it to Mass on our holy days of obligation.

• Besides public prayer, a practicing Catholic prays every day in private. Each day, a Catholic responds to God’s call to personal communion through quiet time and reflection. A practicing Catholic prays with his or her family every day and never lets a schedule get in the way.

• The personal and communal prayer of a practicing Catholic compels her to go into the world and spread the Gospel of Jesus in the way she lives and loves. In terms of the social issues of our day, a practicing Catholic dedicates his financial, emotional and physical resources to those things that reflect the kingdom of God on earth. We help our parish continue to function and minister effectively.

• A practicing Catholic votes and lives pro-life: We do not support abortion under any circumstances or in any form. We oppose capital punishment and unjust wars. We support initiatives that help the poor and downtrodden and give our time and treasure to help care for the “least among us.”

In short, every action – political or social – demonstrates a firm conviction that every person is a gift from God and must be treated in the same way we would treat Jesus.

Well, I’m out of space, but not ideas! Perhaps you can use this article as a jump-off point for a discussion with your family and friends and see where God wants to challenge us. Enjoy another day in God’s presence!