Growing Up In A Strict Catholic Home | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Growing Up In A Strict Catholic Home

Catholicism is nothing to mess around with...

4627
Growing Up In A Strict Catholic Home
http://www.krlcc.org

Before he met my mom, my dad was in the seminary studying to become a Catholic priest. But, like most young college students, he ended up changing his major which soon led to my life being created once my parents got married. Little did I know, though, that I was being born into an extremely religious family and that my life would be a little different from all the other kids on the playground. Being raised as a Catholic is super common, but some families are a little more firm than others when it comes to practicing their religion. My family was one of them.

1. Sleepovers on Saturday Nights Were Forbidden

Attending mass each Sunday morning was not a topic up for discussion. As a kid, being forced to sit through an hour of singing and listening to the Bible was basically torture, but I soon realized that I had no other choice and it probably wasn't the worst thing in the world. But as I got older and my sleep schedule changed, waking up for mass on Sunday mornings created one too many fights to get out of my comfy bed. Most of my friends' parents didn't force them to go to church once they got to high school, but to my parents, church was the most important thing. I tried everything in the book to get out of attending, but even being on crutches didn't make the cut.

2. Holy Days of Obligation Were Not Optional

Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve, and dozens of other holy days included an extra hour (or more) of sitting through mass.

3. Prayers Before Meals Were Never Forgotten

We had family meals about 5 nights out of the week, but no one had better put any type of food into their mouths before Grace was recited. Our school also decided to teach all the students prayers in Spanish so that became a common routine as well. I can spit out "En el nombre del Padre y del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo, Amen," faster than the alphabet.

4. Being an Alter Server Was the "Cool Thing" to Do

Like a sports team or a club, being behind the scenes at mass was a super cool experience and made sitting through mass each week a bit easier. You got to help out the priest and sit up on the alter and act like a cool kid for an hour each week. The best part was when there was a funeral or wedding during school and you got picked to leave class to serve the ceremony. #PerksOfBeingAnAlterServer

5. Private Catholic Schooling is No Joke

All those strict rules you see in the movies about nuns is not exaggerated one bit. (Think: Ms. Tenchbull from "Matilda" but more holy.) No nail polish, no dangly earrings, dress shoes only with knees covered at all times was absolutely required. If any of these were neglected, students stayed after school and helped the teachers clean the classrooms.

6. My First Communion Party was Bigger Than My Graduation Party

In second grade, I made my First Holy Communion which was a common cause for celebration. My parents bought brand new furniture and catered tons of amazing food for the occasion. Hundreds of my friends and family members showed up and showered me with expensive gifts for my newest accomplishment. Once my turn was up, every year when May rolled around became known as First Communion Season. Each weekend of the month consisted of party-hopping to multiple different houses to celebrate friends and families First Communion's. (Party hopping=tons of delicious free food. )

7. Crucifixes Hung In Every Room of the House

Some families have candles, wreaths, or clocks that are common in their houses. Multiple crucifixes hung in each room of our house and, whether they were from a different country or a different era, every one of them had a different meaning.

8. Bibles Were Common As Well

In the bathroom, dining room, bedrooms, etc. And they were always opened to the correct Readings each day. Instead of reading the paper or watching the news, my dad would wake up with a cup of coffee and walk around to adjust the Bible in each room of the house.

9. Many Conversations Led to References of Bible Verses

If I had a problem with my friends or teachers, many times references to the Bible would be made to teach me a lesson and help me out. Although the stories were thousands of years old, my dad still found ways to make them prevalent to my situation in the 21st century.


I have to admit that, as soon as I moved out of my parents house and went to college, I was overly excited to not be forced to go to mass on Sunday mornings anymore or undergo any of the strict rituals that were put upon me over the last 18 years of my life. But, now that I have been out of my house for a while and experienced the real world, I take pride in the way I was brought up and am thankful that my parents were so stern with me.

I hope no one expects this article to end with an announcement of my commitment to the convent or anything, but I think it is important to show dignity on my past and realize that I am who I am because of the ways I was raised. In my opinion, I think I'm doing pretty well for myself so I can thank my strict religion for making me who I am today.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

2136
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

16777
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3570
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments