On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics, a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.
Are Catholics Christian? Some of my born-again friends say that’s not the case.
What’s your definition of “Christian”? Those who believe Jesus is the messiah foretold in the Old Testament, who died for our sins and was resurrected, and who will return to judge us all? That God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are three distinct yet co-existing beings? That’s perhaps the most generally accepted definition of Christianity, and the answer of course is a 
resounding yes, Catholics absolutely are Christians.
Some people think Catholics worship idols, require works as well as faith to gain heaven, are not allowed to talk directly to God, and a variety of other misconceptions. Because of these misconceptions, they say our faith is counter to what Christ preached.
Are we Christians? Well, this Church has been following Christ for more than two thousand years, longer than any other body of people.
You may also run into people who will ask you if Catholics are “born again.” The quick answer is yes, by virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, and their baptism.
Some people use this term to describe those who can identify a specific moment of conversion when they accepted Jesus as their personal lord and savior. Such experiences are profound, and there is no denying their power.
Many Catholics—those who have been away and those who never left the Church—can identify a moment (or several moments) when they feel their faith lives changed radically. Sometimes it’s the result of something happy, such as the birth of a child; sometimes, it’s because of something sad, such as the loss of a spouse. Others can’t pinpoint a specific day or time in which their relationship with God took on a very different flavor. That doesn’t make them any better or worse Catholics or Christians than those who have had the experience. God provides what we need to walk closer with him.
But as Catholics, we believe we are continually converted on our journey, through the sacraments and other moments of grace.
