I was baptized a Roman Catholic as an infant when I didn't have any say in the matter. I was later a devout little kid who folded my hands like the nuns taught us with all my fingers pointing to Heaven when I took my first Holy Communion. I said my two "Our Fathers" and three "Hail Marys" after my puny, immature Confessions to the screened face of a priest in the box confessional, which few prayers always seemed too little penance even for the measly sins that I'd just confessed. I did my Confirmation at age twelve, taking on my earthly father's first name to add to my first and middle names, became an altar boy, aspired to the priesthood, noticed the budding beauty of my female classmates, spent my teenaged years all but abandoning my faith to a near deadly combination of sex, drugs, and rock & roll, ran smack dab hard into the Rock of Jesus Christ, at age twenty, got baptized in the Salt River northeast of Phoenix, Arizona, with my Roman Catholic parents watching on the shore with the "born-again" believers from my evangelical church watching with them, my parents just grateful that the prodigal son had finally returned home, even if he was now a Protestant. But if you asked my mother who is now with Jesus in Heaven if I was still a Roman Catholic, she would have told you that I most certainly was. And who knows? Maybe Mom is right. She almost always was.
Thanks, ! A few stories: At my First Communion, I gagged on the Host. After that, I was afraid to participate in Communion, so I didn’t. The parish priest would come over, at the invitation of my parents to encourage me. Instead of scolding and/or making me feel guilty, he taught me about, and demonstrated how, God’Grace was an unconditional gift. Then, when my pregnant girlfriend and I got married at 19 and 17, in a Missionary Alliace Church, the same parish priest and the pastor of the Missionary Alliance Church both participated. Then, we had our daughter “Dedicated” in the Missionary Alliance Church, I had a little trouble with my dad, my boss at work. I asked the same priest if I would be excommunicated. His response was, “Who would make that happen?” I responded, “Probably you.” He smiled and said, “I don’t think you need to worry about it.” With a smile on his face. I only wish he’d been around when I was ordained an Elder in the UMC. Then, as a United Methodist pastor, when I spoke at the funeral Mass for a good friend of my family, the officiating priests invited me to celebrate The Eucharist with them during the Mass! My sister told me that many of the older Catholic laddies’ jaws dropped. I felt God’s Spirit through a sad, but redeeming moment!
Thank you Scott. Growing up Roman Catholic I understood this part pretty well. We had a Jesuit priest in our family. The parishes like she writes were pretty much ethically based especially in the city of Chicago, in the suburbs were more either all white or all Hispanic.
Like Mike, I grew up Roman Catholic, and understood part pretty well. Some of the influences of Catholicism that I am very indebted to are: 12 years of Catholic education (8 with Franciscan nuns, and 4 at a Jesuit high school). The sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion, the centrality of Christ with Holy Communion happening in every Mass, even though, as a United Methodist pastor, I have upset a few people when I’ve suggested we could celebrate The Lord’s Supper every time we worship.😇 Confession impacted my life with the strong influence of God’s grace. Yes, we were sure that any nun could probably hit anybody’s fast ball over the fence with their hard wood pointers that doubled as paddle substitutes! The “swats” were always followed by grace and forgiveness. I also appreciate the practice of servant hood that permeated everything in a sacramental way. Thanks for your wide scope of readings!
I'm catching up from a busy week. I appreciated this entry. I grew up in a very secular home, becoming a Christ follower through Young Life in high school. I ended up in a Baptist church, graduated from a Bible college and unfortunately learned somehow that Catholics weren't believers. Who were we to say that?? Since that time decades ago, I'm so grateful for many devout followers who are part of the Catholic church. Our kids benefited from the preschool at the Catholic church within walking distance of our home. I've attended Mass there, often on Ash Wednesday and Stations of the Cross. One of the priests, used to suggest people visit our church down the street. My husband, a pastor befriended many who served in the Catholic church over the years. When we started doing Ash Wednesday services, our local parish gave us some of their ashes. When one of our neighbors passed, the family who were members at the same Catholic church wanted my husband to participate in the funeral mass and he did. The priest had him on the platform, gave him communion and had him participate. It was so refreshing. I'm so grateful for the ministry of so many, including authors, who have made such important contributions to my understanding of Christian spirituality...Henri Nouwen, Ronald Rolheiser, Jacques Philippe, St. Ignatius, Macrina Wiederkehr, Joan Chittister...I'll stop! Thanks, Scot for sharing about this book.
I was baptized a Roman Catholic as an infant when I didn't have any say in the matter. I was later a devout little kid who folded my hands like the nuns taught us with all my fingers pointing to Heaven when I took my first Holy Communion. I said my two "Our Fathers" and three "Hail Marys" after my puny, immature Confessions to the screened face of a priest in the box confessional, which few prayers always seemed too little penance even for the measly sins that I'd just confessed. I did my Confirmation at age twelve, taking on my earthly father's first name to add to my first and middle names, became an altar boy, aspired to the priesthood, noticed the budding beauty of my female classmates, spent my teenaged years all but abandoning my faith to a near deadly combination of sex, drugs, and rock & roll, ran smack dab hard into the Rock of Jesus Christ, at age twenty, got baptized in the Salt River northeast of Phoenix, Arizona, with my Roman Catholic parents watching on the shore with the "born-again" believers from my evangelical church watching with them, my parents just grateful that the prodigal son had finally returned home, even if he was now a Protestant. But if you asked my mother who is now with Jesus in Heaven if I was still a Roman Catholic, she would have told you that I most certainly was. And who knows? Maybe Mom is right. She almost always was.
Thanks, ! A few stories: At my First Communion, I gagged on the Host. After that, I was afraid to participate in Communion, so I didn’t. The parish priest would come over, at the invitation of my parents to encourage me. Instead of scolding and/or making me feel guilty, he taught me about, and demonstrated how, God’Grace was an unconditional gift. Then, when my pregnant girlfriend and I got married at 19 and 17, in a Missionary Alliace Church, the same parish priest and the pastor of the Missionary Alliance Church both participated. Then, we had our daughter “Dedicated” in the Missionary Alliance Church, I had a little trouble with my dad, my boss at work. I asked the same priest if I would be excommunicated. His response was, “Who would make that happen?” I responded, “Probably you.” He smiled and said, “I don’t think you need to worry about it.” With a smile on his face. I only wish he’d been around when I was ordained an Elder in the UMC. Then, as a United Methodist pastor, when I spoke at the funeral Mass for a good friend of my family, the officiating priests invited me to celebrate The Eucharist with them during the Mass! My sister told me that many of the older Catholic laddies’ jaws dropped. I felt God’s Spirit through a sad, but redeeming moment!
Thank you Scott. Growing up Roman Catholic I understood this part pretty well. We had a Jesuit priest in our family. The parishes like she writes were pretty much ethically based especially in the city of Chicago, in the suburbs were more either all white or all Hispanic.
Like Mike, I grew up Roman Catholic, and understood part pretty well. Some of the influences of Catholicism that I am very indebted to are: 12 years of Catholic education (8 with Franciscan nuns, and 4 at a Jesuit high school). The sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion, the centrality of Christ with Holy Communion happening in every Mass, even though, as a United Methodist pastor, I have upset a few people when I’ve suggested we could celebrate The Lord’s Supper every time we worship.😇 Confession impacted my life with the strong influence of God’s grace. Yes, we were sure that any nun could probably hit anybody’s fast ball over the fence with their hard wood pointers that doubled as paddle substitutes! The “swats” were always followed by grace and forgiveness. I also appreciate the practice of servant hood that permeated everything in a sacramental way. Thanks for your wide scope of readings!
I'm catching up from a busy week. I appreciated this entry. I grew up in a very secular home, becoming a Christ follower through Young Life in high school. I ended up in a Baptist church, graduated from a Bible college and unfortunately learned somehow that Catholics weren't believers. Who were we to say that?? Since that time decades ago, I'm so grateful for many devout followers who are part of the Catholic church. Our kids benefited from the preschool at the Catholic church within walking distance of our home. I've attended Mass there, often on Ash Wednesday and Stations of the Cross. One of the priests, used to suggest people visit our church down the street. My husband, a pastor befriended many who served in the Catholic church over the years. When we started doing Ash Wednesday services, our local parish gave us some of their ashes. When one of our neighbors passed, the family who were members at the same Catholic church wanted my husband to participate in the funeral mass and he did. The priest had him on the platform, gave him communion and had him participate. It was so refreshing. I'm so grateful for the ministry of so many, including authors, who have made such important contributions to my understanding of Christian spirituality...Henri Nouwen, Ronald Rolheiser, Jacques Philippe, St. Ignatius, Macrina Wiederkehr, Joan Chittister...I'll stop! Thanks, Scot for sharing about this book.