Sunday Off-topic: Cradles, Converts, & Reverts

Every Introduction course always has its off-topic tangents, and Catholicism 101 is no different. On Sundays, we'll delve into some aspects of Catholicism that we might not otherwise get to. These areas are kind of up to my whim, but they will usually focus on unusual parts of Catholicism.

Some Catholics stick close to their faith for their entire lives, while others may change focus for a time, then return to the Church. Still others come from a completely different background, or were not part of religion in their earlier lives prior to becoming Catholics. Here is some "slang" terminology used to describe the three groups of Catholics.

Cradle Catholics - Born, baptized, and raised in the Catholic faith.

Converts - Previously belonged to another religion or no religion and came into Catholicism later in their lives.

Reverts - Cradle Catholics who left the Church, perhaps joining another religion. Eventually, they return, or revert back to their Catholic heritage later in life.