--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What does it mean to be Catholic and not…" description: "\"What does it mean to be Catholic and not a Catholic? I feel adrift, homeless. My Catholic imagination allows me to see the soul as a lit breath, seekin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/julianna-baggott-2618_adrift_what-does-it-mean-to-be-catholic-and-not_2876048.png" --- # What does it mean to be Catholic and not a Catholic? I… ![“What does it mean to be Catholic and not a Catholic? I feel adrift, homeless. My Catholic imagination allows me to see the soul as a lit breath, seeking the divine. It persists.” quote by Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/julianna-baggott-2618_adrift_what-does-it-mean-to-be-catholic-and-not_2876048.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/julianna-baggott-2618_adrift_what-does-it-mean-to-be-catholic-and-not_2876048.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d41/julianna-baggott-2618_adrift_what-does-it-mean-to-be-catholic-and-not_2876048.png) > “What does it mean to be Catholic and not a Catholic? I feel adrift, homeless. My Catholic imagination allows me to see the soul as a lit breath, seeking the divine. It persists.” [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Being Catholic without fully belonging feels like spiritual wandering, yet imagination keeps a sense of divine connection. **In simple terms:** Spiritual wandering but hopeful. Key Takeaway Nurture inner imagination. Themes faith identity spirituality Mood reflective hopeful Type exploratory introspective When to use this quote - loneliness - creative writing - meditation Key Concepts personal belief existential search Questions to Reflect On - How do you define faith? - What role does imagination play in belief? A Different Perspective May conflict with doctrine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adrift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adrift/) [Allows Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allows-soul-1133350/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Catholic Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic-catholic-852517/) [Catholic Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic-feel-989774/) [Catholic Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic-imagination-1948628/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Homeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeless/) [Homeless Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeless-catholic-3959794/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Lit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lit/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Persist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persist/) [Seeking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seeking/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a writer of faith. I was raised Catholic, and I have a deeply Catholic imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/i-m-a-writer-of-faith-i-was-raised-catholic-and-i-have-a-deeply/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [Loneliness is the human condition. Cultivate it. The way it tunnels into you allows your soul room to grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/loneliness-is-the-human-condition-cultivate-it-the-way-it-tunnels-3/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [“A person’s work allows their character to form and provides a creative outlet for their inner world of imaginative thoughts and creative impulses. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kilroy-j-oldster/a-person-s-work-allows-their-character-to-form-and-provides-a/) [Kilroy J. 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To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-adly-guirgis/i-was-raised-a-catholic-so-i-can-even-feel-a-little-you-know/) [Stephen Adly Guirgis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-adly-guirgis/) > [I may be a good Catholic, a bad Catholic or a so-so Catholic, but that's who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-heinz/i-may-be-a-good-catholic-a-bad-catholic-or-a-so-so-catholic-but-that/) [Teresa Heinz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-heinz/) > [I'm not a proselytizer. I was raised Catholic. I am a Catholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/i-m-not-a-proselytizer-i-was-raised-catholic-i-am-a-catholic/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [You don't need to be Catholic to be Catholic anymore. If you dissent, you don't get out. Martin Luther looks like a prince compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-p-mcfadden/you-don-t-need-to-be-catholic-to-be-catholic-anymore-if-you-dissent/) [James P McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-mcfadden/) > [Once a Catholic always a Catholic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-wilson/once-a-catholic-always-a-catholic/) [Angus Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-wilson/) > [I think once a Catholic, always a Catholic. You never escape. I still have Catholic guilt. It is in its basis a really powerful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/i-think-once-a-catholic-always-a-catholic-you-never-escape-i-still/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [I grew up Catholic. The Catholic faith has played an integral role in my life. At the same time, I don't think that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-castro/i-grew-up-catholic-the-catholic-faith-has-played-an-integral-role-in/) [Julian Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-castro/) > [To become a lapsed Catholic, first go to a Catholic university.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/to-become-a-lapsed-catholic-first-go-to-a-catholic-university/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [And if I can't be with you I would rather have a different face And if I can't be near you I would rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-finn/and-if-i-can-t-be-with-you-i-would-rather-have-a-different-face-and/) [Neil Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-finn/) ## More by Julianna Baggott > [“To know someone, to be known. That matters more than he'd ever thought it would.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/to-know-someone-to-be-known-that-matters-more-than-he-d-ever-thought/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [“Wir sollten feiern, was wir feiern können.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/wir-sollten-feiern-was-wir-feiern-k-nnen/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [She glances back before stepping into the alley, and she catches her grandfather looking at her the way he does sometimes--as if she's already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/she-glances-back-before-stepping-into-the-alley-and-she-catches-her/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [So far, I should be calm and more specifically not like that...Anything else? Would you like to do surgery on my personality? How about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/so-far-i-should-be-calm-and-more-specifically-not-like-that-anything/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [I am deeply Catholic and always will be, but I'm no longer a member of the church. I left in 2003 because of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/i-am-deeply-catholic-and-always-will-be-but-i-m-no-longer-a-member-of/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [“You're a hero here.' 'I don't want to be a hero.' 'What do you want?' 'I want to be a leader.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/you-re-a-hero-here-i-don-t-want-to-be-a-hero-what-do-you-want-i-want/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [“When I met you, I thought we were meant for each other, even though, in some ways, seemed very different and we kept fighting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/when-i-met-you-i-thought-we-were-meant-for-each-other-even-though-in/) [julianna baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [Love is a luxury. It's something that people are allowed to indulge in when they're not simply trying to survive and keep other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/love-is-a-luxury-it-s-something-that-people-are-allowed-to-indulge-in/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [“My memories will be erased and then I'll be force-fed the story from the society pages?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/my-memories-will-be-erased-and-then-i-ll-be-force-fed-the-story-from/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [“How do you know me?" she says. He looks at her through his narrow eyes. "I was," he says. "You were what?" she asks.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/how-do-you-know-me-she-says-he-looks-at-her-through-his-narrow-eyes-i/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [I've never thought there was anything I could hope to get by praying for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/i-ve-never-thought-there-was-anything-i-could-hope-to-get-by-praying/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [Try to think of writing as a gift - more complexly put: it is the curse and the cure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/try-to-think-of-writing-as-a-gift-more-complexly-put-it-is-the-curse/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [Basically if you burst into my office the walls themselves will flutter as if alive - maybe that's the reason for all the wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/basically-if-you-burst-into-my-office-the-walls-themselves-will/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [But there it is: Everyone is alone, for life, and maybe that's not such a bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/but-there-it-is-everyone-is-alone-for-life-and-maybe-that-s-not-such/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) > [Sometimes when reading aloud to my husband, I'll start crying. It completely stuns me. As if the words in my body and on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianna-baggott/sometimes-when-reading-aloud-to-my-husband-i-ll-start-crying-it/) [Julianna Baggott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) [Explore all 147 Julianna Baggott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianna-baggott/) ## More Adrift quotes > [And if I can't be with you I would rather have a different face And if I can't be near you I would rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-finn/and-if-i-can-t-be-with-you-i-would-rather-have-a-different-face-and/) [Neil Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-finn/) > [And loneliness. I should say something of loneliness. The panic, the sweeping hysteria that comes not when you are without others, but when you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/and-loneliness-i-should-say-something-of-loneliness-the-panic-the/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Losing my parents really set me adrift in more ways than one. It's not just losing them. It's losing the possibility of family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/losing-my-parents-really-set-me-adrift-in-more-ways-than-one-it-s-not/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [Tell us what it is to be a woman so that we may know what it is to be a man. What moves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/tell-us-what-it-is-to-be-a-woman-so-that-we-may-know-what-it-is-to-be/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Be for once a white boat adrift, in debt to no lighthouse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-hyde/be-for-once-a-white-boat-adrift-in-debt-to-no-lighthouse/) [Robin Hyde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-hyde/) > [“Driving home after her first night course at San Francisco State University, Iris was adrift in the darkness. She rarely travelled this far south…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-mofina/driving-home-after-her-first-night-course-at-san-francisco-state/) [Rick Mofina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-mofina/) > [About 95% of people can be compared to ships without rudders. Subject to every shift of wind and tide, they're helplessly adrift. And while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/about-95-of-people-can-be-compared-to-ships-without-rudders-subject/) [Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/) > [How to check these unconstitutional invasions of rights by the Federal judiciary? 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She's adrift in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-watts/so-much-anger-in-here-so-much-hate-so-much-to-take-out-on-someone/) [Peter Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-watts/) > [With spirit we are all children of the cosmos; Without it we are orphaned and adrift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/with-spirit-we-are-all-children-of-the-cosmos-without-it-we-are/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [She cried out into his kiss, her hands clawing his shoulders, adrift now in a pleasure that threatened to consume her. In her sexual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lora-leigh/she-cried-out-into-his-kiss-her-hands-clawing-his-shoulders-adrift/) [Lora Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lora-leigh/) > [The very concept of solid ground is a myth. The galaxy itself is adrift.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-davies/the-very-concept-of-solid-ground-is-a-myth-the-galaxy-itself-is-adrift/) [Luke Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-davies/) > [“Ever since I woke up in Faerie, I had felt sort of adrift between the two worlds. Seeing him was like finding an anchor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-lynch/ever-since-i-woke-up-in-faerie-i-had-felt-sort-of-adrift-between-the/) [Karen Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-lynch/) [Browse all 93 Adrift quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adrift/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What does it mean to be Catholic and not a Catholic? I feel adrift, homeless. My Catholic imagination allows me to see the soul as a lit breath, seeking the divine. 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