You Know you Grew Up in a Traditional Catholic Family When:

Whenever a kid complains about an ache or pain, you tell them to ‘offer it up’
You push in front of people to get to the dinner table before others (while there’s still food left)
You always try to sit towards the back of a crowded room
You still feel guilty for eating candy during lent…but feel fine when gorging yourself on candy any other time of the year
When you say the Hail Mary, you say “blessed art thou” instead of “blessed are you”
You know of only two religions: Catholic and Non-Catholic
You refer to a preacher’s sermon as a homily
You get into intense arguments with your siblings (or anyone) but aren’t angry at them three minutes later
You don’t understand why nuns are often portrayed as mean old hags
You automatically stand up when you hear the words “peace be with you”
You cook huge meals even when only a few people are eating
In one of your rooms, you have a picture of the Sacred Heart
You have old palms stuffed behind that picture
You know the confession times for all the local churches
You’re uncomfortable when people talk about their ‘feelings’
You’re able to kneel up straight for more than ten minutes
You’ve never been afraid of any verbal confrontation
When someone announces a pregnancy, you say, “congratulations!”

The Catholic Letter