Coming Out

When I walk down the street dressed in my clerical black clothes and priest collar, I am "coming out Catholic." When the priest sex scandal hit the news some dozen years ago, it was pretty tough to "come out Catholic" as a priest.  I thought people were looking at me, wondering if I was one of "them," and safe to be around.  Some places I simply do not want to come out Catholic because I don't want to get into some long conversation.  Airplane travel would qualify.  I want my alone time.  In some ways though it is easier for me to come out Catholic because I have a distinct outfit. I don't have to say anything.  If you are a lay person and you are in a group that is trashing your church or God, do you pipe up with, "Well, I am Catholic," or whatever church, synagogue, mosque, ashram you belong to?  Lots of people just keep it to themselves.  Coming out is difficult in lots of areas, not just religion.  Yet, I have met many a person who changed their opinion of some group based upon someone they met/liked/related to, who came out  as being part of that group.  Much prejudice comes from not really knowing anyone in the group you are downgrading.   If you are an alcoholic in recovery, you are supposed to come out to other alcoholics to identify yourself and gain credibility if you are going to be helpful.  If you are going to do road rage or tailgating, or cut someone off for a parking spot, I hope you don't have any car stickers that say you are a Catholic!  We have enough people leaving my church as it is.