They say that nothing makes you more grateful for what you have at home than going on the road. And that was certainly my experience during a recent two-week trip to Germany to report on the state of the Catholic Church there.

There are many beautiful things about Catholicism in Germany. From the Cathedral of Aachen originally commissioned by Charlamagne, to the miracle-working Marian shrine of Altötting, Catholic roots run deep in Deutschland. During my travels, I also encountered many present-day Catholic signs of life, such as New Evangelization efforts in the Bavarian diocese of Passau, to edgy, innovative lay apostolates working the gritty streets of Berlin.

But by and large, the German Church is in a crisis that makes our Catholic challenges here in the United States look mild. And many of its problems are, I would argue, at a structural or cultural level: a theological establishment that is indifferent, if not hostile, to the pope and the authoritative teaching of the Church. A mandatory “church tax” that has enriched the Catholic apparatus but has made it more concerned with maintaining itself than preaching the Gospel. And a bloated ecclesial bureaucracy that stifles creativity and has even turned against the shepherds whose ministry it should be aiding.

As a result, the Catholic Church in Germany is characterized by a kind of infidelity and stuntedness that leaves ordinary, Mass-going Catholics on the ground not sure what to do or where to turn. Some are even considering disaffiliating from the legally-recognized Catholic entity in Germany and no longer paying the “church tax” — a move that could technically bar them from the sacraments — simply because they feel like they can’t support the direction things are heading.

Seeing all of this up close and personally made me more grateful than ever to be an American Catholic.

To be sure, as American Catholics, we face our own unique set of challenges. Our polarized and hyper-partisan politics tend to bleed into the Church, unnecessarily bifurcating the Gospel into rival camps pitted against each other: pro-life vs. social justice, God’s mercy vs. God’s truth — pick your own false binary. American tendencies towards individualism, autonomy and material comfort can also pose obstacles to the kind of community and selflessness called for by the Gospel.

But in light of what I saw in Germany, there is so much good in American Catholicism that we might be prone to take for granted: our creative and dynamic lay movements and apostolates; our widespread efforts to deepen catechesis and love and understanding of the faith; and our clergy, who by and large are committed to helping us grow in holiness and fidelity to the Lord.

These are qualities that set the American Catholic experience apart. In fact, many of the positive fruits of American Catholicism are playing an important role in Germany. Minnesota’s own Father Mike Schmitz and Bishop Robert Barron are hugely important catechetical resources for German Catholics desperate to know what the Church actually teaches. German priests who come to the U.S. to study or on temporary assignment return to their homeland invigorated for mission. And FOCUS missionaries like the ones who serve at campuses such as Winona State University and the University of Minnesota Duluth are evangelizing through relationships on college campuses in Passau and Cologne.

As American Catholics, we have much to be grateful for. But, therefore, we also have a great responsibility. Many around the world look to the Church in the U.S. as a source of creative fidelity. Let’s ensure that we continue to be a blessing for them, by in turn renewing our fidelity to Christ and his Church.

Liedl, a Twin Cities resident, is a senior editor of the National Catholic Register and a graduate student in theology at The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul.