What Kind of Catholic Are You?

Do you consider yourself a traditional, conservative, liberal, or progressive Catholic? Or perhaps something else entirely? Take our quiz - which covers issues like Vatican II, Marian devotion, and married priests - to figure out how you relate to the Catholic church.

Question 1 of 25

I view the church's teachings on sex (the bans on birth control, extramarital relations, and homosexual acts) as:

Moral laws that cannot be broken without grave sin

Ideals that should be honored but guidelines only; God understands that they sometimes can't be lived up to

In need of some revision, given what we now know about human sexuality and relationships

In need of drastic revision because they reflect long-abandoned patriarchal social norms

Question 2 of 25

As a lay Catholic, my chief responsibilities are:

Obeying all the laws of the church

Striving for personal holiness

Getting involved with my parish

Getting involved with social justice

Question 3 of 25

In my view, Jesus' Mother, Mary, was:

Conceived without sin and remained perpetually a virgin--a sign of her unique calling as mother of God

Everything in answer 1 above, and also co-redemptrix with Jesus for our sins

A role model for our time as an impoverished poor single mother

A good woman who has been over-emphasized by the church at the expense of more relevant saints

Question 4 of 25

When it comes to politics, my Catholic faith influences my voting:

On moral issues such as abortion

On social issues such as welfare reform

On both moral and social issues

On neither moral nor social issues

Question 5 of 25

I pray for the saints' intercession:

Regularly

Regularly, and I have a devotion to a favorite saint

Rarely

Never

Question 6 of 25

I believe in purgatory:

As a form of punishment for sin

As a period of spiritual purification

Not at all, because Jesus' death saved everyone

Not at all, because purgatory is not mentioned in the Scriptures

Question 7 of 25

I attend Mass and receive communion on First Fridays:

Often

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Question 8 of 25

I go to confession:

Once a week

Once a month

Once or twice a year

Never or hardly ever

Question 9 of 25

When I pray, it's often:

Traditional prayers, including the rosary

Prayers in my own words

The 'centering prayer' and other silent forms

Prayers from other religious traditions, such as Buddhist meditation

Question 10 of 25

When it comes to music during Mass, I prefer:

Gregorian chant and Latin hymns

Classic hymns and spirituals

Contemporary liturgical and ethnic music

No music at all

Question 11 of 25

How do you think the Mass should be celebrated?

In Latin

Very solemnly—it's sacred time

It's fine for the celebrant to make the congregation feel welcome with greetings and by thanking them for attending

I have no problem with going even further: omitting gender-specific language, for example.

Question 12 of 25

The primary meaning of the consecration of the Mass is that the bread and wine become:

The actual body and blood of Christ

Symbols of Christ's spiritual presence among us

Symbols of our unity with all of Christ's church

A sign of our duty to feed our fellow human beings

Question 13 of 25

As far as I'm concerned, the pope is:

The vicar of Christ and supreme head of the church

Deserving of special deference as bishop of Rome but by no means supreme or infallible

Deserving of reverence but not necessarily obedience

Just another bishop among bishops

Question 14 of 25

About ordaining women as priests, I think:

It's inevitable for the survival of the church

It's theologically impossible, because Jesus chose only men to be his apostles

Jesus never intended to found an ordained priesthood, so the question is irrelevant

Question 15 of 25

About priestly celibacy, I think:

It's a hard rule, but it allows the priest to devote himself unselfishly to God and to his parishioners

It should be optional, but as in the Eastern churches, priests should not be allowed to marry after ordination

It should be optional, and ordained priests should be allowed to marry

Priests should be encouraged to marry, so as to be able to relate to their married parishioners

Question 16 of 25

My favorite kind of church design is:

Very traditional, with plenty of stained glass and statues

Neo-traditional, with just a few tasteful statues or mosaics

In the round, so everyone can feel close to the altar

With minimal decoration, so the focus will be on the worshipping community

Question 17 of 25

My opinion of the Second Vatican Council is:

It was long overdue, and its changes still haven't been fully implemented

The church was ripe for some changes, but liberals have taken them too far

There are theological reasons for arguing that it was not a true ecumenical council

It didn't go far enough; we need a Third Vatican Council

Question 18 of 25

The church is behind the times:

Yes

Yes, although it is slowly catching up

The concept is irrelevant, because the church stands outside of time

Question 19 of 25

I attend Mass:

Every day when I can

Every Sunday and holy day

Fairly often but not every Sunday

Occasionally

Question 20 of 25

I abstain from meat:

Every Friday--it's the traditional penance

On Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent as required

Yes, but my reasons are not related to the law of the church

Not really

Question 21 of 25

About abortion, I believe:

It is a grave moral wrong, and we should support laws severely restricting its availability

It is a grave moral wrong, but a woman's decision to abort should be honored except in extreme cases, such as late-term abortion

It is a grave moral wrong, but women have a right to make their own choices without restriction

It can be a moral decision under some circumstances and so should not be restricted

Question 22 of 25

When Catholic politicians or holders of public office take a position at variance with church teaching on such issues as abortion, Catholic bishops should:

Declare them excommunicated and withhold communion from them

Publicly condemn them but not deny them communion

Privately reprove but not publicly embarrass them

Do nothing, as any action would interfere with separation of church and state

Question 23 of 25

On the issue of gay priests, I believe:

No one who self-identifies as gay should be admitted to the priesthood

Self-identified gays may be priests as long as they lead chaste lives

The church should follow a "don't ask, don't tell" policy that would allow gay priests who don't flaunt their homosexuality

The church should welcome gays into the clergy

Question 24 of 25

About married Catholics who divorce, the church should:

Recognize a civil divorce but not allow the parties to remarry

Recognize that some marriages simply die, and let the parties try to find new mates

Allow Catholics to divorce and remarry, but only under serious circumstances such as adultery or desertion

Never allow Catholics to divorce

Question 25 of 25

My relation to Catholicism can be summed up as follows:

It's the most meaningful spiritual force in my life, even when its doctrines seem difficult to follow

It's very important to me, but there are some teachings I just can't agree with so I ignore them

There's a lot about the church that I don't agree with, but it has been in my life for so long that I couldn't abandon it

I call myself Catholic, but mostly for reasons of cultural and/or religious heritage

You Are a Centering Prayer (Very Progressive) Catholic

As far as you're concerned, the Second Vatican Council was the best thing that ever happened to the church—but since then, the much-needed changes it made in the structure, theology and liturgy of the church have been hijacked by reactionary priests, bishops, and laity. You believe that in order to be relevant to our time and faithful to the teachings of Jesus, the church must dismantle its current hierarchical structure and change its teachings on such issues as birth control and gay unions. You believe that social justice, especially for minorities and women, is the church's most important—and most neglected—concern. Your idea of a good movie is "Dead Man Walking." When someone asks you who your favorite pope is, your first thought is that the papacy itself is a suspect institution—so why not "Pope Joan?"

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You Are an Ignatian Exercises (Moderately Progressive) Catholic

You love the church, but you'd like to see some changes in certain areas--birth control, divorce, the role of women--where official teaching seems disconnected from contemporary experience. You find the new vernacular liturgy, forms of prayer (such as adapting the age-old Ignatian Exercises for the laity), and devotions that arose in the wake of the Second Vatican Council much more relevant to your own spirituality than the old. Your favorite hymn is probably a contemporary standard such as "On Eagle's Wings." It goes without saying that your favorite pope is John XXIII, the pope of Vatican II. You admire examples of sanctity that seem relevant to our time, such as Dorothy Day. You loved the movie "The Mission," because it reflected a Christian concern for the marginalized that was squelched by the institutional church.

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You Are a Divine Office (Moderately Traditional) Catholic

The Second Vatican Council was much needed, as far as you're concerned, but you see no reason to push the church further in the direction of change, as many progressives urge. You like the dynamic combination of the traditional approach toward doctrine with the opening of the church to the world that Pope John Paul II (your favorite pope) represented. As far as liturgy is concerned, a reverent Mass in the vernacular is your favorite, as is a vernacular hymn with a feeling for the transcendent such as "Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence." When Nicole Kidman returned to her childhood Catholicism and regular Mass attendance, you were thrilled.

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You Are a Daily Rosary (Very Traditional) Catholic

You'd like the church to revive the time-honored devotions, liturgical practices, and strong institutional discipline that prevailed before the Second Vatican Council—and you're hoping that Pope Benedict XVI will lead the church in exactly that direction. Your favorite hymn is probably a traditional Latin composition such as the "Panis Angelicus," and your favorite pope is probably a pioneer of the Church's great liturgical tradition such as Gregory the Great.

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