Why I Love Being Catholic: Beth Anne from Beth Anne’s Best

Here we are at the end of November, but before we fully usher in the Advent season and December I want to bring you November’s interview for the “Why I Love Being Catholic” series. This month, I bring you Beth Anne from BethAnnesBeth.com. Beth is a blogger, but she also has another talent that she brings to the internet–she’s a bookkeeper and consultant to bloggers and website owners. She LOVES to take care of behind the scenes stuff so that bloggers and online business owners can be creative. This girl loves numbers, stats, and excel spreadsheets. I always tip my hat to those that dig this stuff, because I just get lost in the weeds. Beth Anne is pretty newly married. Like me, she’s a lover of cats. She’s also a die-hard Disney fan. She actually has a lot of interests and her blog and website really reflect that. I’ll link to all her social media handles at the bottom. Please enjoy Beth Anne’s answers to why she loves being Catholic. 

1. Are you a cradle Catholic or a convert? If a convert, where did you convert from?

Cradle Catholic

2. Who is your favorite saint and why?

St. Therese of Lisieux. She was my Confirmation saint. I have always loved how she did so much in such a short period of time. As an introvert, I never felt I would ever make a huge difference in the world but St. Therese showed me that there were ways I could in her “little ways.” In 2014, I made a Pilgrimage to Lisieux, France and it was one of the most memorable spiritual events I have encountered in my life.

3. What has been your favorite Catholic place that you’ve visited? Where do you hope to visit?

Like I said in the previous question, Lisieux, France was a very special place I visited. I also visited Assisi, Italy on the same trip and that place felt incredibly holy. It is not something I can describe in words. When I was traveling in Europe I was amazed how people went to all these teeny tiny towns that weren’t really known for anything other than the saints that once lived there.

I would love to go to Poland someday. I’d love to visit the church of St. Faustina and St. John Paul II. My husband’s family is from Poland and I’d love for him to be able to show me some of the places his family is from and he has visited, as well.

4. What is a misconception that you hear frequently about the Catholic Church? `What’s the truth of it?

This is a hard question because there are so many! I think the biggest one I hear is that we worship Mary/Statues/Saints. Whenever people say this I correct them and say that we are not worshipping them that we are just praying through them to Jesus. I often compare it to talking to your Mom before talking to your Dad or how you will often ask your Mom for advice.

5. Besides the Eucharist, what is your favorite part of the Mass?

I love the community atmosphere we have during Mass: All the people saying prayers in unison, singing together, receiving the Eucharist together. Then, also, the fellowship that happens after Mass. Our parish has Baptisms, First Communions, and Confirmations as part of certain Masses throughout the year. Many people do not like this and think it should be done in a private Mass as it makes the Mass longer and for other reasons, but I love that we do this. We are meant to receive the sacraments within the community that we belong.

6. Why do you love being Catholic?

As a cradle Catholic, that has never left the Church, I really don’t know anything else. I can remember friends talking about their Protestant churches in school and thinking I wouldn’t like it or that it didn’t make sense. I love that the history of our faith is so old and so rich. I love that I can go to Mass at any church, in any country, in any language and still understand what is going on.