- When/how did you discover (or rediscover) the Catholic Church?
- What are the top treasures of the Catholic Church, in your opinion?
- What aspects of the Catholic faith do you most enjoy sharing with young people? (It doesn't necessarily have to be a part of your curriculum.)
I am a cradle Catholic raised by another cradle Catholic and a convert. I can't remember a Sunday in my life without Mass as a family. We were taught to minister in our church from a young age. One parish we attended had a children's Mass. Starting at the age of eight I was in the choir, a lector, and was in charge of posting the song lyrics on an overhead projector. From what I gather, this may have been similar to the gym Masses I've heard about at Ascension.
By the age of 10, I was disenchanted with the Church and God. Despite living my faith on the outside each week with my family (as an altar server and volunteer for vacation bible school), I entered periods of anger and doubt. I was being bullied at a Catholic school. Surely, if there was a God, that wouldn't be permissible! After 5 long years of anger, I got involved in my high school youth group and truly found the Church again. By the age of 15, I had decided I wanted to study theology in college and enter ministry.
While I certainly have periods of frustration with the Church and find certain issues difficult to deal with at some moments, I think the Church is full of rich beauty, truth, passion, and grace. We are blessed immeasurably. For me, the Creed (Nicene or Apostles) sums up the important aspects of our faith. All else is on the outskirts: the trinity, forgiveness of sins, etc. is at the heart and soul of who we are.
I think the top treasures in the Church are Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist, our devotion to Mary and the Saints, and the Sacraments. Apostolic succession moves me to my core, especially as I see our beloved Pope Francis live the simple, communal life of early Christians. I love sharing the beauty of the liturgy as well as the grace of the sacraments with young people. Preparing young people for sacraments and witnessing these moments is the true joy of my job.
Basically, I was born a Roman Catholic (RC), to two parents who were both born and raised Roman Catholic. In my childhood, I had trouble appreciating the church. When I first came to middle school, I encountered a large number of Jewish people for the first time. They opened expressed their culture, and that helped me appreciate my own even more. So I felt too attached to Roman Catholicism when my Mom and brother decided to head in a different direction with their faith, to practicing it in the Evangelical denomination. But seeking to respect their decision, I took a stance of neutrality, and participated in both denominations for 5 years.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of that time, when I went to Valparaiso University, I connected with St. Teresa of Avila, ValpU’s Roman Catholic Student Center. It offered me a completely different perspective on what it means to be RC, as a positive force for good in the world, drawing upon ancient traditions in seeking God through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not some body of legalistic idol-worshippers, as many former RCs-turned-Evangelicals feel. I sensed this to be true all along during those 5 years, but I didn’t have enough “proof”. St. Teresa’s made an impact upon my faith by giving me that “proof”.
After 4 years in college, I am filled with delight to identify as Roman Catholic. Though I may have been born and raised RC up until middle school, I have this sense within me that I chose to be RC because I could have just have easily decided to practice as an Evangelical.
The top treasures of the Church, in my opinion, are liturgical vestiges, the focus on saints, and the sacraments, all steeped in a rich history going back through the centuries.
There are so many aspects of faith that are reflected well in the various seasons of the liturgical year, expounding upon them beyond single holidays. For instance, the three days of the Triduum really draw out the full meaning of the Paschal Mystery. The Christmas Season draws out the meaning of the Revelation of God in Jesus Christ, at His Nativity, the Epiphany, and the Baptism of the Lord. And the penitential seasons, Advent and Lent, help us focus on what it means to draw into a relationship with God as sinners in need of Him.
While sometimes I feel I haven’t studied the matter enough to fully understand it, I like the idea that we Christians on Earth are connected with a great company of people, the saints, who once lived the life of faith like we are, and now are present with God in Heaven. They offer us examples of how to live the life of faith, urging us on to be more like God. For this reason, I have come to really appreciate the celebration of All Saints’ Day in recent years.
Then there are the sacraments, which allow us to experience the life of Jesus within us, and certain ones that stand out to me. We are constantly drawn back to the Paschal Mystery in the Eucharist, renewing ourselves in it. The power of God comes upon a priest at his ordination, in the various elements of the service, like the anointing with oil, and the investiture of the new priestly garments. Confirmation is a great opportunity to stand before the Church and make a profession of faith, and be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is present with us thenceforth to carry out that profession.
I value these treasures in part, and I chose to practice my Christian faith as a Roman Catholic, because the Evangelical Church lacks them, and thus, doesn’t provide as rich an experience. And as I’ve said before, the liturgical vestiges, the idea of saints, and the sacraments are all steeped in a rich history of people seeking God. Yet they manifest themselves in new ways constantly, even unto our present time. And it is these treasures that I enjoy sharing with young people, because they have had great impact in my life.