I’m honestly asking a question of the media today. Ready? What the heck do you mean when you describe someone as being a “Devout Catholic?”
UsWeekly has a news story on porn star Jenna Jameson, according to Monsters and Critics. Here’s the paragraph that kind of jumped out at me.

Even with the baby news, there are no signs of wedding bells in the near future for the couple. “I think I’m gonna stay unmarried and just go for the babies! I’m following in Angelina’s footsteps!”

Jameson discovered she was two months pregnant in November 2004 after being diagnosed with malignant melanoma. A day later, she miscarried due to the stress of cancer. But, being a devout Catholic, who has tried in vitro, she told press, “It was all in God’s plan.”

I mean, how many things can you find wrong with those two paragraphs?

The press often reports people as “devout.” I just wonder what yardstick they’re using to report it as it’s not in a quote from someone.

Pro-Choice politician Jack Reed was just described as a “devout” Catholic in news reports. Governor Tim Kaine and Senator Joe Biden were both recently described in news reports as “devout” Catholics as well.

Nicole Kidman has been labeled a “devout” Catholic by MSNBC. Christina Aguilera, as well.

And hey, who knows, right? Maybe these people are lighting candles all the time when cameras aren’t snapping. But I just wonder if the press could come up with some sort of definition of the term so we, the readers, have some clue what they’re referring to when they say someone is devout.

Look, when you can describe Mother Teresa and Jenna Jameson with the same word, there might just be a problem of clarification.