Practices & Values

Catholics of different countries and regions of the world practice and celebrate the faith in diverse ways. In some places in the world, people practice Catholicism publicly, with religious displays in city squares, streets and even stores, while in other places, religious practice is considered private, and reserved for the home and sacred spaces. Some cities and neighborhoods organize elaborate feasts and processions honoring their patron saints or holy days. Regional cultures may have different approaches to family, marriage and gender roles as well as death rituals. Sometimes, migration patterns or indigenous traditions shape a region's religious practice. In some cases, the spread of Pentecostalism has influenced Catholic worship.

Here, you can sample the rich display of Catholic traditions and values among these cross-cultural themes.