What Is A Devout Catholic?

You know something? I am sick of people claiming to be a devout this or a devout that. What, exactly, is a devout Catholic?

"Catholic groups on Wednesday (July 20) said they would guard against any attempt to use religious faith to derail the nomination of Judge John Roberts, a devout Catholic, to the U.S. Supreme Court.

To make the point explicitly clear, they pointed to the very Constitution that Roberts would swear to uphold, and its prohibition against using any type of 'religious test' as a qualification for higher office.

'A person's religious faith, and how they live that faith as an individual, has no bearing and no place in the confirmation hearing,' said Joe Cella, president of a new Catholic group, Fidelis, formed to support conservative judges.

After another Catholic, William Pryor, saw his appeals court nomination stalled in 2003 over questions of his 'deeply held religious beliefs,' Catholic activists said they would not allow Roberts to face the same scrutiny. "

I guess I question this because I find that even the most devout practitioners of many faiths have their limits. I am sure that no one would dare ask but I have a question. Along with abortion, divorce and the death penalty, pre-marital sex is also a sin. So, while I appreciate people's faith and often strict interpretation of church doctrine, sex seems to be the exception.

John Roberts (along with his wife) got married at the age of 41. Granted this is no one's business but his own but who would believe that this man was devout enough to remain celibate until his wedding night? That is sort of a litmus test I have for the many devout people I meet (who want to thump their bible about everything else). It is amazing how the sacrament of confession suddenly becomes the cure for transgressions of that nature. The sad thing is that if he were to reveal that he was celibate all those years and/or didn't have much time for a wife, people might label him something else.