When You Feel Like a Bad Catholic (Spoiler: You’re Not Alone)

Some days, being Catholic feels beautiful and rich—like you’re standing inside a great cathedral, bathed in light. Other days? It feels like you’re stuck outside the church door, nose pressed to the glass, wondering if you even belong.

If you’ve ever felt like a bad Catholic, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re in excellent company. Many of the saints themselves spent seasons feeling unworthy, distant, or lost. St. Thérèse of Lisieux struggled with crushing doubts and spiritual dryness, feeling at times like her prayers were hitting a wall. St. Teresa of Calcutta—Mother Teresa—famously endured decades of feeling abandoned by God. The good news? Feeling like a bad Catholic doesn’t make you one.

Where Does This Feeling Come From?

There are so many reasons you might feel like a spiritual failure:

• You struggle to make it to Mass consistently.

• Prayer feels dry, distant, or awkward.

• You’re haunted by past sins you’ve already confessed.

• You have doubts or questions you’re afraid to say out loud.

• You compare yourself to other Catholics who seem more devout, more knowledgeable, or more holy.

The Truth: There’s No Such Thing as a Perfect Catholic

The Church isn’t a trophy case for the perfect; it’s a hospital for sinners. Every single person in the pews—including the ones who look like they have it all together—is carrying struggles, doubts, and wounds. Holiness isn’t about flawless performance—it’s about faithful persistence.

"Faith is often lived in darkness; it can take the form of dryness and loneliness." — Catechism of the Catholic Church, 164

Even when we feel nothing, God remains close. Our feelings are not the measure of our faithfulness—our perseverance is.

What to Do When You Feel Like a Bad Catholic

Name It
Say it out loud or write it down—what’s making you feel this way? Naming the struggle deflates its power. For example, "I feel like a bad Catholic because I missed Mass." Owning it out loud often shrinks the shame.

Bring It to God
Prayer doesn’t have to be fancy. Tell God honestly, "I feel like I’m failing. Help me see what You see." Honesty is its own kind of prayer. Even one whispered sentence can crack open the door to grace.

Talk to Someone
Whether it’s a trusted priest, a spiritual mentor, or a fellow Catholic friend, sharing your struggles brings them into the light—and light breaks shame. Spiritual direction can be especially helpful when dryness persists.

Reconnect to the Basics
Sometimes, we get so tangled in expectations that we forget the heart of the faith. Return to simple, grounding practices:

• Make the Sign of the Cross slowly and with intention.

• Pray one Our Father with full attention.

• Sit quietly before God for five minutes without agenda.

Remember the Saints Were a Hot Mess Too
Peter denied Christ. Thomas doubted. Augustine ran from God for years. Their imperfections didn’t disqualify them—they opened them to grace.

"Even saints experienced spiritual trials. Struggle does not exclude holiness; it often reveals it." — Pope Benedict XVI

Catholic Saints Who Struggled Too

These seasons of dryness, doubt, and distance are not detours—they’re part of the journey. In fact, many saints found that their deepest spiritual treasures were uncovered in the middle of those dry spells.

• St. John of the Cross wrote The Dark Night of the Soul, a profound reflection on how God works in our lives even when we can’t feel His presence.

• St. Teresa of Calcutta came to understand that her decades of spiritual emptiness were a way of sharing in Christ’s thirst on the cross.

• St. Thérèse of Lisieux found that accepting her smallness, weakness, and dryness was itself a pathway to radical trust.

Even modern-day Catholics share that spiritual dryness taught them humility, patience, and a deeper longing for God—a longing that is often more authentic than emotional highs.

If you are in a dry season right now, you are in good company—and God is still working, even if you can’t see it yet.

Five-Day Spiritual Reset Challenge

If you’re feeling lost, try this gentle reset:

• Day 1: Pray a simple "Jesus, I trust in You."

• Day 2: Read one Psalm aloud—any Psalm.

• Day 3: Make a small act of kindness toward someone.

• Day 4: Light a candle and sit silently for five minutes.

• Day 5: Go to Confession, or schedule a time if needed.

Small steps rebuild connection.

God Doesn’t Want Perfect Catholics—He Wants Real Ones

At the end of the day, God isn’t measuring your worth by your spiritual résumé. He’s looking at your heart—and He wants a real relationship with you, not a perfect performance from you.

If you feel like a bad Catholic today, take heart: God isn’t discouraged by your struggles. He meets you there. And the fact that you care at all? That’s proof you belong.

Stay close to the basics: the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Scripture, and prayer. Trust that even in your weakest moments, God’s love remains unshaken.

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." — Matthew 11:28

For a deeper dive into spiritual refreshment, there is no tool better than the Bible and the Catechism. I love the version put out by the USCCB, but regular mass market versions are also available.

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