Lindsey DAngelo

Sociology Paper 2
Today culture has implemented many ways on how Americans think,
act, eat, travel, etc. Culture is defined as the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of
a particular society, group, place, or time.
The group/institution that I have chosen is my church. My churchs
name goes by St. Mary's Visitation Catholic Parish. The type of group and
or institution my church is based on a roman catholic religious institution that
focuses on teachings that promote salvation that is by baptismal segregation
and is maintained through Catholic sacraments unless sin is committed. I
came to know this institution because of my religious beliefs. Ever since I
can remember going to church I have been attending St.Marys. My family is
religious and wanted me to be as well, which is why I got baptized when I
was a baby and also have had my first communion and have been
confirmed. There are many social positions throughout the church.
Examples of the various different social positions usually are the ranks within
the catholic clergy, these can include the occupations of Priest or the
father who is usually the highest inside a church (just St.Marys not the
whole catholic clergy Pope being the highest), deacons or the people who
are ordained ministers and help Priest give communion, and also the Laity or
the people that go to church. I estimate anywhere from 300-400 people
attend or are associated with St.Marys Catholic Parish. All in all together I
estimate there are 1 billion persons who practice the Catholic faith.

St. Marys Visitation Catholic Parish practices the Catholic Faith by

incorporating certain values that are important to their beliefs. Some values
that are important are faithfulness, honesty and integrity, and forgiveness.
Faithfulness in Catholic terminology stands for the way relationships are
primarily built on loyalty, trust, security, and happiness. Faithful
relationships involve respect and commitment between people. Integrity
within the Catholic Church represents how individuals are supposed to be
honest with each other and in everything they do. Forgiveness throughout
the Catholic perception revolves around ideas that individuals should be
obligated to forgive and seek reconciliation within one another.
Within the catholic values St.Marys practices various norms that live
within them. An example of a norm demonstrating faithfulness would be
NOT cheating and or having an affair with another person while in a
relationship. Cheating and or having an affair have become almost normal in
todays society, but not within the Catholic Faith. The Catholic Faith is very
strict about this especially when regarding marriage. Another norm within
the value of being faithful revolves around trust within family and friends.
Examples of this can include not stealing and not bearing false witness
against your neighbor (10 commandments). Another Catholic value that
has norms associated with it is integrity and honesty. Norms that revolve
around integrity and honesty can be not lying and telling the truth to close
friends, family, or people one has close relationships with. Another norm
within honesty and integrity could be the amount of ethicality and morality

an individual has within a friendship or relationship. An example of this can

regard the emotional space an individual can maintain. Example-Two people
who are involved in a committed relationship where fighting and arguing are
inevitable, but both have the right integrity to work through it most
marriages in America are destroyed because lack of integrity and honesty a
norm within typical American society, but not within strict Catholic culture
and faith. All of the norms listed live within the certain values that provide
rules and sanctions to shape individuals decisions throughout daily life. The
sanctions associated with these norms within Catholic faith and belief
system is usually getting punished in the afterlife and the idea of an
individual going to heaven or hell. In society the sanctions for breaking
these values can cause distrust, lost friendship, break ups, and ambiguity
towards each other.
Material culture plays a significant role throughout St. Marys Visitation
Catholic Parish and throughout the Catholic Faith. The physical aspects of St.
Marys contribute to defining its members behaviors and the perceptions
they demonstrate. An example of material culture throughout St. Marys
would be the church/building itself. The church as only a building brings
members together to interact while practicing their faith. Another material
culture example can come from the written scriptures, the Holy Bible,
gospels, or the bread and wine or the body and blood of Christ at the Holy
Communion. The material items the church uses demonstrate the various
ways members practice and interact throughout actions defined by the

Catholic Faith Ex: Holy Communion, confessing your sins etc. All in the
material items throughout the Catholic religion give insight to the nonmaterial culture and the beliefs and habits practiced.
Even though St. Marys Visitation Catholic Parish has many values it
also has counter values. A counter value of the value faithfulness could be
social freedom. An example of this could be through the relationship
standpoint. Usually when in a relationship two people try to be faithful to
each other and spend a lot of time together leaving less time for family and
friends or other activities. Social freedom and who an individual wants to
interact with depends on the amount of faithfulness they obtain with their
partner/spouse. A couple could compromise how often they see each other
to include other activities in throughout their daily lives. Another value that
has a counter value is forgiveness. Compassion can be a counter value of
forgiveness. Forgiveness usually happens because of lack of trust, ending up
in lying and deceitfulness towards one another. If two people have a lot of
trust between each other, forgiveness doesnt usually occur because nothing
bad happens to forgive. If forgiveness does often occur the level of trust
probably has declined resulting in things detrimental to the relationship.
Another value that has a counter value is honesty. Honesty can be already
considered a counter value to simplicity. If an individual wants a low level of
simplicity, honesty is usually easiest and best policy between individuals.

If the values that I have presented were instead the counter values I
dont think the norms would change at all because they correspond with
each other. The roles wouldnt change either because the values are the
same of the roles inside the Catholic Church. The counter values within the
values listed are just more values that can belong or be practiced inside the
Catholic Faith.
Considering group culture I see both group cultures well as the same
even when theyre values are switched and altered.