To people on both sides of the political spectrum, my identity as a liberal Catholic may come across as confusing. To some other liberals, it may be hard to understand how my political opinions could align with such a "strict" religion. To most Catholics, it is hard to see how my beliefs could possibly line up with being so liberal.

But, if I'm being honest, my religion and my political beliefs line up perfectly. To me, Catholicism can be boiled down to "Love Jesus, love Mary, and love your neighbor." Obviously there is a whole world of scripture, tradition, and ceremony. However, the lessons I have learned from 19 years in a Catholic Church can be summarized by one word: love.

Gay marriage? If they love each other, and you respect their position as consenting adults, and their love life does not affect you, then let them live their lives as God intended. In all technicality, the reason Catholics are (or should be) against the gay lifestyle is not because of that outdated Leviticus quote (note: that same book also forbids tattoos, blending two fabrics, touching an unclean animal, selling land permanently, etc. However, this passage also has different meanings due to translation issues. Read here and here for more information) because their consummation cannot result in a child. However, by this logic, all birth control-- including the pill and condoms-- should be considered taboo. As most modern men and women use one or both, it is difficult to see how they could truly be against a lifestyle that has nothing to do with them. In addition, as the ceremonial aspects of Catholicism and some of the older "rules" change to adjust with the times, why should our view on homosexuality not follow that trend?

Feminism? "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" Galatians 3:28. Of course, there are many other (now controversial) passages about women, however most of them-- like Leviticus-- are outdated. No longer do women exist solely to give birth and tend to the house and home. Now we have the choice to do so or to not do so-- and that is the beauty of feminism. Connected to feminism is the hotspot issue of Planned Parenthood funding. Many Christians are against this, being as Planned Parenthood is a location at which abortions take place. However, the nonprofit actually has a bigger focus on preventative care than abortion (providing birth control prescriptions)-- and a majority of their services are concerning STD testing and treatment. As such, Planned Parenthood is a crucial service that must be allowed to continue helping women-- especially those below the poverty line who may have nowhere else to go.

Abortion? Now, this is a social tragedy in which my respective identities as a liberal and as a Catholic clash a bit. I am Pro-Choice, but I am also Anti-Abortion. By saying this, what I mean is that for me, personally, I believe life begins at conception and that abortion is a form of murder, due to the former belief. However, the definition of life and when it starts is an issue of spirituality that differs from person to person. Because of this, I do not intend to enforce my beliefs on another woman who is likely resorting to the only choice she believes is available to her. I also believe that, as a society, we should work harder so that abortion is no longer such a pressing problem-- by improving sex education, providing birth control, and bettering adoption services and foster care.

Many people do not know this, but Catholics (despite their reputation as being strict) are considered to be the most liberal of all sections of Christianity. I am not the first, and I highly doubt that I will be the last liberal Catholic. As I continue along my path of faith and life, I will continue loving my God and my neighbors, and praying that everyone else will realize that love trumps all.