Growing up, attending a Catholic school was a unique experience. I never attended public school. I had to wear a uniform to school every day. This is the first school year of my life that I’ve been allowed to wear whatever I want to class.  

Being in college now, I have to take the initiative to go to church on Sundays—my parents can’t make me go, and there’s no mandatory school-wide Mass. 

At the beginning of the school year, I honestly didn’t make the effort to attend Mass. A main reason for this is because I have conflicting views with some of the major social teachings. I’ve since realized how much I missed going to church and that I do love being Catholic, because it’s what I was raised as, and it feels like a home to me. Having a constant source for guidance, support and love is incredible, especially in college. 

But the church doesn’t make everyone feel as welcome with major issues that are both social and political. 

According to a 2009 Pew Research poll, 1 in 10 American adults raised Catholic stop practicing the religion, and more than half said reasons were the church’s stances on same-sex marriage and abortion. 

One major church teaching as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’” 

It goes on to say, “They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity.” This is very confusing and contradictory for members of the church who are homosexual, because they’re hearing that God loves them and they are accepted, but acting on their feelings is a sin. 

In today’s modern society, the church’s opposition to same-sex marriage is turning many Catholics away from the religion and is not inviting to new members.

I remember hating discussing this teaching in religion class and thinking that some of my friends who are homosexual must have felt angry or rejected because of it. I can’t imagine growing up in the church, receiving each sacrament while growing up and then feeling rejected or shunned by the religion that gives me a sense of security. 

Another problem in the Catholic Church has been the number of cases of priests sexually molesting children. According to The New York Times, 384 priests were defrocked in 2011 and 2012 because of cases of sexual abuse. This needs to be openly discussed in the church and addressed. According to the Times, Pope Francis has already started to do so by starting a commission to find ways to deal with this problem.

Pope Francis has been more open to discussing major social teachings. When he was asked a question about homosexuality, he responded, “Who am I to judge?” The Pope has further encouraged open discussions about topics such as this with the 2014 church agenda, which has the topics of family, contraception, abortion and same-sex marriage. He’s already starting to help bring a sense of open-mindedness for other people in the religion to follow.  

Many women are also turned off from the Church because of the disapproval of the use of contraceptives. This is an archaic belief I do not agree with that isn’t aligned with today’s modern society at all. 

“Data shows (sic) that 98 percent of sexually experienced women of child-bearing age and who identify themselves as Catholic have used a method of contraception other than natural family planning at some point in their lives,” said Rachel K. Jones of the Guttmacher Institute. 

This teaching is obviously out of step for modern women. 

One of the most controversial social teachings is the church’s pro-life, anti-abortion stance. 

Yes, I’m Catholic, but not everyone is. The church can’t step into politics and rule abortions illegal, just like the Catholic religion can’t be forced on every person. 

When Time magazinenamed the Pope 2013 Person of the Year, it was reported he has a 79 percent approval rating among Catholics and 58 percent approval among the public. Pope Francis is just the right person to begin a gradual process of modernizing the church.

If I weren’t raised Catholic, I’m not sure that I’d be encouraged to join the religion. I do like being Catholic because I was raised on the basic teachings of having acceptance, compassion and love for others. I believe it has made me the person I am today.  However, I do wish the church would modernize itself so it can have the image of being a more inviting and accepting community.