Religious Downgrade or How NOT to Defend the Catholic Faith

 I was sitting with my craft group and conversation turned to personal matters. We've gotten to know one another better, and find more differences in each other. The more we find out about each other, the more annoying we become to one another. New Age Woman was telling us about how she officially joined a new age church and no longer attends the Catholic church.

Light-hearted atheist Woman said, "Now you have completed your religion upgrade."

Snippily I said, "I call it a downgrade."
Atheist Woman laughed.

I know being snippy and rude was wrong. I'll explain: I am the only Catholic in the group. The only other Christian is wishy-washy. Others have grown-up Christian and rejected it. Some just haven't been exposed.

They often made anti-Catholic comments, which angered me. They said they were teasing, and I said I didn't like those comments. But without their anti-Catholic comments, I wouldn't have become a more solid Catholic.

One day, I marched into church angry that my crafty friends didn't like Catholicism. Once I listened to the homily, I realized that my faith is more important and better than trying to put up with crafty friends. Now is that actual grace or sanctifying grace? I'll figure that out later.

And if crafty friends talk about my "silly beliefs" or "cult" behind my back, so be it. Christ never said following Him would be easy.

You may ask why I hang around these people. "Why do you hang around these people?" you ask.

"Because I like them for their other aspects of personality. They are fun, they are intelligent, they are supportive of my craft, and they are different from myself. They are multi-dimensional, just as we all are."

I must stand up for my Church because I am standing up for the Eucharist. I am standing up for what's important to me. However, a verbal jab is not the best way even though I believe my statement is TRUE. What could I have said instead?