"Let us ask the Lord to make us more catholic..."

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.  ~The Nicene Creed

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

In the Creed, we profess that the Church is “catholic”; in other words, she is universal. We can understand this catholicity in three ways.

First, the Church is catholic because she proclaims the apostolic faith in its entirety; she is the place where we meet Christ in his sacraments and receive the spiritual gifts needed to grow in holiness together with our brothers and sisters.

The Church is also catholic because her communion embraces the whole human race, and she is sent to bring to the entire world the joy of salvation and the truth of the Gospel.

Finally, the Church is catholic because she reconciles the wonderful diversity of God’s gifts to build up his People in unity and harmony.

Let us ask the Lord to make us more catholic –- to enable us, like a great family, to grow together in faith and love, to draw others to Jesus in the communion of the Church, and to welcome the gifts and contributions of everyone, in order to create a joyful symphony of praise to God for his goodness, his grace, and his redemptive love. 

~Pope Francis, 10/9/13 General Audience

With all my heart I thank you, dear Lord, that I am a Catholic.  Amen.