Catholics and Superstition

Q - I would be interested to see what you think about the Aggie tradition of leaving pennies at the statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross, as a "good luck" for doing well on tests. To me, this is a clear no-no as a Catholic; I never did it, although I think many who have don't mean much by it. I do consider it to be offering sacrifice to a mute altar in hopes that some supernatural benefit might come during one's exam. If you aren't hoping for there to be an effect, why throw away money, after all?


A - Thanks for the question. Before giving an answer, I will give some background on this situation for our non-Aggie readers.

Lawrence Sullivan Ross (aka - Sully) was a former president of Texas A&M University in the 1890s. It is said that he helped save the University from being closed down. Aggie tradition states when he was president of the University he would tutor students and ask a "penny for their thoughts". There is now a statue of him in the main plaza of the University where students put loose change at his feet to ask for "luck" on their exams.

Many current students probably don't know that this is a very new tradition at A&M. We never did it in my days in school, from 91-95, and it is still not listed on the Universities website as an "official" tradition.

Now, as to whether this practice is wrong. I do not agree that it is a sacrifice to another god. This is a bit far. But, I would propose that it could be superstitious. The question could be generalized - should Catholics participate in any actions that are superstitious? This way we get away from the particularities of the situations at hand.

This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says:

2111 Superstition is the deviation of religious feeling and of the practices this feeling imposes. It can even affect the worship we offer the true God, e.g., when one attributes an importance in some way magical to certain practices otherwise lawful or necessary. To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition.

I think it all depends on intent. Many people say "good luck" to others. They aren't being superstitious in doing so, but rather, they are just in the habit of doing so. It is a colloquial expression used all too common.

So, I would say that if someone ever ascribes any kind of power outside of God to a superstitious practice - or does it too frequently - then it could be superstitious and then wrong. But, if it is done knowing that no power could come from it, then it is not bad.

For instance carrying a crystal in the pocket for "luck" would be superstitious. Carrying a crystal in your pocket to remember your grandpa is a good practice.

So, putting a penny at the statue of Sully for luck is bad. Doing it because you think it is a fun tradition at A&M is not.

Still, we should be cautious about any action that could lead to superstitious practices and not take them too lightly. I hope this helps.