5 Crazy Catholic Unknowns

One of the greatest gifts to writing is the joy I find in researching my favorite topics. No kidding! It’s like following a treasure map full of wonderful, hidden surprises.

The more you dig, the more you find. And that’s the beauty of the world-wide web: rich in content; but, not always reputable. You have to cross-reference the cross-referenced, just to be on the safe side. I guess you could say that I’m just a regular geek chic detective! And Mc-God-loving it!

Earlier this week, I published an extra long “Fun Fact” and left some of you guys hanging on those interesting tidbits about the Virgin Mary and her Rosary. Sorry about that. You have no idea how tempting it was to dig in further and elaborate on the subject. I had to edit myself, several times. Praying the Rosary is probably one of my favorite subjects. But, to be honest, I felt the onset of a “part 2” emerging. So, with that said — stay tuned for a follow-up blog on the Blessed Mother and the Rosary.

Today, we are talking crazy little known facts about the Catholic Church. You would think that after 2000 years, there wouldn’t be much of a mystery left behind to unravel. Well, aside from the obvious, you would be wrong. As I set upon finding the most obscure stories, once again I had to edit myself. My list of 5 was actually more like 9 or 10.

So, grab a chair and some popcorn; here, are my top 5 favorites:

No. 5 – Anyone can Baptize
Say what?! Absolutely and in an emergency, anyone can baptize! Even a non-baptized person can perform this sacrament. All you need is a willing participant, an urgent moment, some special words and you are good to go! And why, you asked? Well, simply put – Baptism is needed for salvation.

No. 4 – The Pope likes to go AWOL
That’s right. Pope Francis has been known to sneak out of the Vatican, evading his security guards. And this isn’t a rare occurrence. Disguised as a regular priest, he slips out to care for the homeless, visit convents, have lunch with a Bishop or take a quiet walk. Interestingly, he is not the first. Pope John Paul II was notorious for venturing out on his own and heading to the slops, the mountains. The list goes on and on. I could write a whole piece on “Papal Secret Expeditions.” And maybe I will. Fun stuff.

No. 3 – Catholic Church is the mother of science
Yep. The Big Bang Theory – devised by a Catholic Priest, a physicist to be exact. You’re welcome. I’m sure that may be a surprise to some. And to make “matters worse,” Pope Francis has spoken out to say that we (Catholics) have no problem with science or evolution. Thank you Monsignor Georges Lemaître.

No. 2 – Catholic Church wrote checks Apple can’t spend
It’s crazy to think that the Catholic Church could actually spend more money than Apple brings in. Now, before you get all judgmental, those published expenses are mostly charitable one and the most recent comparable data was from 2012. According to an article in the Economist, those expenses exceeded $170 billion. That year, Apple took in $157 billion in revenue. Wow! Can someone pay off my student loans?

And, in the spirit of the coming Halloween season – my top selection for craziest unknown Catholic factoid:

No. 1 – Alex, I’ll take “Magic” for $500
The magical term “hocus pocus” is a parody of the Catholic Liturgy of the Eucharist. It’s a play on the that most sacred moment in the Holy Bible: the consecration of the bread as the body of Christ “this is my body” or in Latin: hoc est enim corpus meum. Curious info and no offense taken, friends.

Hope you enjoyed my repertoire of fun facts, guaranteed to make you sound smarter at the next happy hour.

Do you have any “Little Unknown Fun Facts” to share about your favorite subject?