Why Do You Want To Be Catholic?

The Last Supper by Ambrosius Francken via Wikimedia Commons

This week I spent half a day in the Emergency room with my mom after she had a severe asthma attack. (She is okay now.) As soon as she was able to talk again, she immediately began lengthy conversations with every nurse, tech, volunteer or doctor who entered her room. That's my mom--if you are within her eyesight, she will learn your life story and you will learn hers. Guaranteed. Doesn't matter where she is or whether she can even breathe properly. It is her special gift.

When one nurse casually remarked that she was trying to be a "good Catholic girl," my Baptist mother began to explore the lady's faith and life. We learned about her education, her career history, her plans for the future, her husband's health and his career. (I told you,my mom is very thorough!) When the nurse told us that she had recently moved to our town, my mom immediately began recruiting her to my church! When she shared that she had been "born Baptist," my mother exclaimed, "so was she!!!!" gesturing proudly at me.

Mom told her all about my conversion and how great my priest is and how wonderful she thinks the Sister who runs the RCIA program in my parish is. (My mother is the kind of mom who thinks EVERYTHING about her children is the BEST! People and things around us are also the best by association.)

As amazing as my mother's incredible PR job for the Catholic church in general and my parish in particular was, the most amazing moment came when mom asked the nurse why she had converted. "You just know when it's right," she responded.

That's exactly how I felt. Like me, her first real encounter with Catholicism happened when she accompanied a friend to Mass. Also like me, she was first attracted to the reverence of Catholic worship. And, also like me, she takes comfort and joy in knowing that Catholics everywhere around the world are reading the same scriptures and praying the same prayers. At the same time! There is a joyful resonance in the feeling of that powerful connection across distance, culture, race, politics, economics. It is the actual meaning of the word "catholic."

According to Dictionary.com, "catholic" means:

1. broad or wide-ranging in tastes, interests, or the like; having sympathies with all; broad-minded; liberal

2. universal in extent; involving all; of interest to all

This unity of spirit helps bring me closer to God. I feel reassured that our history, though troubled at times, stretches directly back to Jesus as He taught the Apostles, and even earlier than that to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel. I am strengthened by the idea of the Apostolic succession, that once Jesus told Peter, "you are my rock, upon you I will build my Church," that that is exactly what happened. Then, for almost 2,000 years that awesome responsibility has been passed from Peter to pope to pope.

© Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons, via Wikimedia Commons

The Church has not been perfect. We cannot take pride in things like the Inquisition, the scams of indulgences, and various corrupt leaders over the centuries. But, at the very heart of it, we have this real, physical connection to Jesus. He touched the Apostles, who touched their disciples, who passed that loving touch down to us. Each time, the minister gives me the Host, the miracle of transubstantiation is not just the bread becoming flesh but the passing of that Eucharist directly from Jesus at the Last Supper in the Upper Room at the dawn of a new age  to me in a church in a small southern American city two millennia later.

So, I hope that each of us will invite our friends to come with us to Mass so that they also can discover this universal connection to God and each other that is also very personal. All are welcome. Including nurses, techs, volunteers, and doctors--and if my mother keeps it up, they all will soon be converted!

Beginner's Guide to Lent

Fast. Abstain. Penance. Almsgiving. Terms like these may seem archaic, unnecessary, confusing or even scary to the newly initiated, especially as we enter the Lenten season. For those of us who were not raised Catholic, it can be challenging to figure out what's going on, what is expected of you and how to do it. The good news is that all of these observations and tradition, are a lot less stringent than you might think. The Church does not expect you to go on a hunger strike, never eat meat, give up all of your favorite activities, or give away all that you have. The guidelines are actually not terribly difficult and can help deepen your connection to God and to the crucifixion and resurrection.

What is Lent? 

Lent is the 40 days (not including Sundays) when we mirror Christ's 40 days in the wilderness as a time to focus on our spiritual wellness and to deepen our faith and understanding. It is a time of reflection, repentance, and service to others. Sundays are not included because we celebrate Christ's resurrection every Sunday. Sundays are a day for rejoicing not sorrow as we unite with God and each other through the Eucharist. To assist in your reflection and to build discipline, the Church calls on you to pray, fast, abstain, and participate in almsgiving.

Fasting
I used to think that fasting meant not eating at all but this is not the case. The Church defines fasting as eating only one (meatless) meal a day and you can supplement this with two snacks. This sacrifice is intended to help you focus on your spiritual hunger and to realize your blessings. It is not meant to be a punishment or to cause you physical harm. In fact, if you have an illness or condition that requires you to maintain certain dietary requirements like diabetes or pregnancy, you should modify your fast as needed or not fast at all. Otherwise, during Lent, you should observe a fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

Abstaining
In today's world, we often hear the word 'abstain' in reference to sex. That's not what this is about. Rather, it is about abstaining from consuming flesh. This means that you avoid the meat of warm-blooded creatures: mammals (cows, pigs, deer, etc.) and fowl (chicken, duck, turkey, etc.). However, you can still eat their products like milk, eggs, butter, sauces, and gelatin. You can also eat cold-blooded creatures like fish, frogs, shrimp, alligator, etc. The specific reason for not eating flesh is to show respect for the sacrifice of Christ's flesh. That's why most of Catholic world abstains on all Fridays--the day we remember the Crucifixion. In the U.S., however, the Bishops got the Pope to excuse from this in return for offering more good work. (So, if you don't abstain on Fridays, you are supposed to be extra charitable.) During Lent, we are expected to abstain from meat on all Fridays. 

Exceptions

As mentioned above, you should not participate in these penitential acts if they are harmful to your health or the health of your child in the case of a pregnant or nursing mother. You are not expected to fast until the age of 18, although you should abstain beginning at age 14. People aged 60 and older are excused from both. You are also permitted to break your fast or abstinence if observing it would cause offense to a host. For instance, if your boss invites you to dinner and serves you steak, you can eat it. 

Giving Something Up

The Church does not regulate the longstanding tradition of giving something up during Lent. The Church views these penitential acts as a disciplinary observances that can help the individual focus on the meaning of the season. Many people choose to give up something they love, like chocolate or candy, or something that is harmful to them, like smoking, or bad habit, like oversleeping. Others, select to give up a particular comfort or vanity item (like sleeping pillows or wearing makeup). Whether you choose to forego a particular food or habit or comfort, you should not choose something that is going to be so difficult that it will result in frustration or anger. (The year I gave up sodas, I was depressed and mean and not even interested in eating at all during the last 10 days!) Again, the purpose of all of these penances is not to actually punish yourself, but to discipline yourself. So, you can indulge in whatever you have surrendered on Sundays if you wish. However, if you are truly trying to discipline yourself into a new habit (like not smoking), taking a break once a week could undo that effort.

Almsgiving

We are called at all times to be charitable, whether through contributions of money, goods, services, or time. During Lent, we are asked to increase our charitable practices. You can do this by contributing to special appeals, identifying a new cause you'd like to support, volunteering more, or making more time for others. If you don't have money to spare, clean out your closets and donate those clothes you don't wear. Volunteer to help at the local shelter or spend a Saturday visiting people in a retirement community. Or, you could make an extra effort to say thank you by making a meal for the people you work with or reaching out to family or friends you've lost touch with. Remember, Jesus washed the feet of the apostles. If He can do this, there is no charity too low or too small for you.

What else can you do?

If you want to really step up your observations during this time, go to Mass more frequently. Even if your parish does not offer daily Mass, there is likely a church in your area that does. You could also make an effort to attend all of the special Masses of the season: Ash Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Saturday Vigil--which is when we welcome new Catholics into the church. If you live in a city that is the base of a bishop or archbishop, you can also attend the Chrism Mass during the week before Easter. All of the priests of the diocese participate in this ceremony, reaffirming their own commitment and blessing the holy oils that will be used throughout the upcoming year. If you have the resources, go to Jerusalem or to the Vatican--I think we should all do this at least once in our lives. You can also pray more by attending Stations of the Cross, Rosary, or Novena or performing an Adoration. Join a study group, read the daily readings, study the Catechism, or watch or listen to Catholic programming--EWTN.com can provide you with schedules and programs. (When I am too ill to go to Mass, I always tune into one on the local EWTN station.)  And, don't forget reconciliation. There is no better time to repent and seek forgiveness than now.

Embed from Getty Images

The End is Near, and It Always Has Been

I grew up in a variety of Protestant faith traditions, but during my early adolescence my family attended a church that is part of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, which builds much of its mission on the doctrine, "go ye into all the world and preach the gospel." We worked to support missionaries abroad and I can remember the excitement when missionaries would come to our church to share their personal stories and raise money to support their work. They were bringing people to Christ and improving the lives of people all over the world.

Another central tenet of the CMA, like most evangelical Protestant churches, is about the "end times," which they believe is foretold in the Bible through many signs. These end times will be heralded by political turmoil and natural disasters before the faithful are caught up in the "rapture" followed by the "Tribulation" during which time the world will be led by an evil Antichrist. These teachings were always strongly disturbing to me. Although I had been "born again" and baptized by full immersion according to the traditions of the CMA, I was terrified of the rapture. We were shown films that only reinforced my terror. Since then, there has been a tremendously popular series of "Left Behind" books and movies (starring Kirk Cameron) built around these ideas.

One of my most vivid childhood memories was a Saturday afternoon when, as usual, I was dawdling about getting ready to go somewhere with my family. Tired of waiting on me to paint my nails, my family went outside, saying, "we'll be in the car." Several minutes later, I finally felt presentable and dashed out the door to join them. But they were gone. The car was there, but my family was nowhere. In fact, I could not see anyone anywhere. I did not even hear any car in the neighborhood. I was CERTAIN that I had been left behind. I repented and cried, panicked and called out for my mother and for God. I don't know how much time elapsed. An eternity, at least. Then, I heard my parents laughing--at the neighbor's house!

The trauma of that moment has always troubled me.

I imagine that I behaved very well and prayed more than usual for a long time after that, but eventually these ideas about the rapture and tribulation began to to make less sense to me. Over the years, I heard many preachers and others confidently predict the end of the world, and yet it never ended.

When I began to explore Catholicism, I realized that not all Christians have the same beliefs about the end of the world. I had always wondered how anyone could believe the the Book of Revelation was a literal outline of things to come. Rather, the Catholic Church believe that it is apocalyptic literature. Likewise, I had been puzzled by the idea that every word of the Bible is literally true, when parts of the Bible contradict other parts of it. How could we say that we must literally follow the Ten Commandments but not the Mosaic dietary restrictions of Leviticus?

Once I understood that the Catholic Church does not interpret the Bible literally, it all made more sense and my faith was no longer troubled by such inconsistencies.

So, what does the Catholic Church believe about the "end times." First, the Church teaches that no one knows or can predict when the actual end of the world will come. Jesus says this in Matthew 24:36--this is one of those things that literal readers seem to ignore when they are telling us about the signs of the times and setting forth deadlines for Christ's return.

Second, the Catholic Church says that we have been in the end times since Christ's Ascension. Although the Bible refers to a thousand years, Catholics understand that a "millennium" meant a really long time to the Hebrews, not actually and precisely 1,000 revolutions around the sun.

Third, less formally, Catholics are told that the end of THE world should not be more important to us than the end of OUR world. For, our temporal existence will certainly end whether Christ returns during our lifetime or not. We must always be in a state of spiritual readiness, because we cannot know when we will be called from this world.

Finally, like the members of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, we are called to support, promote and participate in evangelization. This has been a particularly strong and recurrent message from the current Pope Francis.

For more about Catholic beliefs regarding the end times:

End Times, Millennium, Rapture on EWTN.com
End Times will bring greater persecution to Christians, says Pope on CatholicNewsAgency.com
What Do Catholics Believe about End Times? on ForYourMarriage.org

Exploring Catholicism via the Catechism

Here I am with my lion writing this blog!

So, being very nerdy and always wanting to learn more stuff, I have decided to take an intellectual approach to exploring Catholicism more deeply. I have decided to read the entire Catechism (which reminds me that, although I have read the entire King James Version of the Bible several times, I have not yet read the whole Catholic one; new and exciting books in there for me.) And, of course, I thought my blog readers might like to come along on this new journey.

I'm using 2nd Edition -- revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul II.  I did learn to read middle English when studying the Canterbury Tales, I have decided to forego Latin lessons and just be content with this English translation. You can find free copies of the Catechism online and in e-book formats.

I also discovered a television series on our local Catholic channel that is studying the Catechism. It is now scheduled on my DVR. This should also help provide some insights.

I/we shall go through this in small chunks. After all, there are 2,856 statements, sections, paragraphs? I guess I will need to know what the subsections of the articles are called!

As the song says, let's start at the very beginning...

In his Apostolic Letter in the front of the book Pope (now Saint) John Paul II wrote: "...the extraordinary interest that the Catechism has raised throughout the world, even among non–Christians, and confirms its purpose of being presented as a full, complete exposition of Catholic doctrine, enabling everyone to know what the Church professes, celebrates, lives, and prays in her daily life. At the same time it draws attention to the eager desire of all to make their contribution so that the Christian faith, whose essential and necessary elements are summarized in the Catechism, can be presented to the people of our day in the most suitable way possible."

I certainly would like to know what the Church "professes, celebrates, lives, and prays." The Pope's letter goes on to reiterate and confirm the importance of making these doctrines of faith clear for the people of today. He says this text will provide us with help to communicate (via the Holy Spirit) to be able "to link the wondrous unity of the Christian mystery with the varied needs and conditions of those to whom this message is addressed--which is really everyone; he addresses the letter to the "People of God."

Just as today's Pope Francis emphasizes the need for evangelization, John Paul also wrote that an "extraordinary commitment to evangelization is urgently needed so that everyone can know and receive the Gospel message." He goes further to expound that this is an "outstanding gift" through which we are able to "rediscover the inexhaustible riches of the faith." In his first post-conclave publication, Pope Francis calls it the "joy of the gospel." That is how I like to understand my faith; at the root of it is joy and peace. But not joy in the strictest definition as state of extreme pleasure, delight or elation. For me, a closer relationship with God transcends even this. Throughout history, people of faith have found such joy even in the midst of great misery, pain, tribulation, violence. This kind of joy, for me, is summed up by the lyrics of that great hymn:

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,When sorrows like sea billows roll;Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to know,It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Through this study, I pray that I can develop that level of faith, which is joy, which is love, which is peace.

NEXT CATECHISM POST

The Saints

Catherine of Siena

When considering conversion from a Protestant religion to Catholicism, you are likely going to have well-meaning people ask you questions about Mary and the Saints. This query--or even warning--likely centers around the concern that the display of images of saints and praying to saints is idolatrous. I believe this misguided concern stems from a lack of understanding. When we as Catholics "pray to" a saint, we are not praying to them instead of praying to God; rather, we are praying for them to intercede for us. Yes, we can and we do pray directly to God. After all the "Our Father"--also known as the Lord's Prayer--is part of our regular observations.

I have always loved the saints, especially Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Catherine of Siena, so it has been exciting for me to get to know more about them. Still, the first time I heard the "Hail Mary," I found it very confusing. It was at a Catholic rosary service for a friend's mother, who had died. As they repetitively recited the prayer, I didn't really understand it:

Madonna and Child

(Virgin Mary and Jesus)

by Louis Cranach the Elder

"Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen."

All I heard was people crying out and not being heard. I misunderstood the meditative consolation of the repetition. More importantly, I did not fully notice the final request: "pray for us."

Tonight, as my husband and I attended Mass on the eve of All Saints Day (more commonly known as Halloween), we sang the Litany of the Saints. In this observation, the cantor calls out to a list of saints, starting with the Virgin Mary and sorting through the Apostles, early martyrs, and others. After each saint's name is called, the congregation responds, "Pray for us." Tonight, after the list of traditional saints had been recited, the cantor began calling the names of people who had died in our parish over the last year. The first name called was my mother-in-law, who passed away on her birthday just before Christmas. "Helen Ciucevich," the cantor sang. "Pray for us," the whole congregation responded. It took me by surprise. I slumped back in the pew and quietly cried as they continued to call upon the others we had "lost."

It is the power of this moment that is so comforting. Helen is not "lost" to us; she is still a part of our lives and of our family in Christ. Just as my own Protestant mother sometimes talks to her own departed mother, we all can still talk to Helen and to the saints. My prayer tonight for Helen to pray for me and for us is really no different than when my mother says, "Mama, help me get through this," on a difficult day.

Most Protestants believe in everlasting life and the idea that the children of God all become "saints." If I can ask my living brothers and sisters to pray for me, then I should also be able to ask the same thing from those who have passed on.

And, just as I can look to others in our Christian family as role models and sources of inspiration, so too can I examine the lives and works of those who are no longer on this Earth; whether they have been canonized by the Church or not.  As our pastor said during his homily tonight, "the saints are not  perfect," they were human, after all, but if I can draw strength, or courage, or learn how to be more loving, more faithful and more gracious from their example, why would I not wish to do that.

And, if they and others will pray for me, I will humbly accept any help I can get.

Time to Become a Catholic

St. Mary's Catholic Church, Plum Bayou, Arkansas
via Wikimedia Commons

For anyone considering a conversion to Catholicism, this is the time of year to start getting serious. Unlike many other faiths and other Christian denominations, the Catholic Church does not accept new members throughout the year. Instead, each Catholic Church launches a program in the fall called RCIA, which stands for Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. This program, led by one of more leaders from your local church, brings you together with others from the church who are considering Catholicism, too. Over the course of about six months, leading up to Easter weekend, you  will learn about various aspects of the doctrines, traditions and rituals of the Catholic Church. During this time, you will also receive a lot of support to help you on your faith journey. You may stop participating at any time, or if you are not yet ready to make your profession of faith at the end of the time, you may continue your exploration and make your profession later. (Read my post: So, You Want to Be a Catholic, Step One)

Maybe you are not that far along in your decision. Maybe you need to learn a bit more before you start down the RCIA path. That's perfectly okay. Unlike some other faiths, the Catholic Church is not heavy-handed about conversions. You are not likely to be asked to make a decision at the end of every service as happens elsewhere. The Catholic Church really encourages people to think about the decision--just as the Catholic Church invests a lot of prayerful study and consideration into its decisions about everything. As my Deacon said, the Roman Catholic Church acts in Roman time, and if you've ever been to Rome, you'll understand what that means. Things there are not as rush-rush busy as we Americans are accustomed to in our daily lives!

Holy Name Cathedral, Chicago, IL
via Wikimedia Commons

So, your actual first step really should be finding the parish and the Mass (which is the equivalent of the services you may be used to in Protestant churches, except the Eucharist--or Communion--is always included) where you feel most comfortable. The parish is the faith community centered around a particular church. Some are small while some are very large. Some have very contemporary architecture and design while others are extremely historic and ornate. If you live near a Cathedral, which is the home parish of the Bishop or Archbishop, or a Basilica, which holds special privileges granted by the Papacy, you will likely find it to be very ornate.

There is also a lot of variation among the Masses, even within the same parish. For instance, there are four Masses each weekend in my Parish. The Saturday afternoon Mass is very traditional with organ music and very little congregational singing and a traditional cantor to lead the responsorial parts of the service. Early Sunday morning, we have a traditional Mass conducted in Spanish, followed by another slightly more contemporary Mass with more singing and a simultaneous children's church. Then on Sunday evening, we have a very contemporary Mass; instead of organ music and cantor, there is a folk-style band and choir and a lot of congregational singing.

If you live in an area with few Catholic churches, you may not have a lot of choices, but if you live in  a larger town or city or town, you will likely find a lot of variety. There may be Masses offered in a variety of other languages, including Latin! You may find many different styles of music. You may also find a variety of pastoral styles. The smallest churches may have only one priest to deliver the homily (like a sermon). While bigger ones may have a deacon or another priest who will sometimes present the homily. In my Parish, our priest tends to tell a number of short illustrative stories that link the scriptures to our contemporary lives, while our deacon always opens with a joke and then provides a lot of historical, cultural, and broader scriptural context. The largest churches may have several priests and deacons.

Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception,
Washington, D.C.
via Wikimedia Commons

So, if you are fortunate to live near a few Catholic Churches, you may wish to visit  more than one and sample the Masses at different times to determine which one helps you feel closer to God. No matter which you choose, you are likely to find a diverse congregation and a nice welcome. While many so-called "cradle Catholics" are not familiar with the evangelical and proselytizing style of many Protestant churches, that doesn't mean that they are not excited to see you. So, don't be put off if you do not receive a muffin tray or follow-up welcoming phone call like you might have seen done elsewhere. Catholics are just not starting to be more "invitational" in their style--it is a particular goal of Pope Francis that they be more engaging in reaching out and welcoming in. They really do want you to feel welcome and they really are glad you are there, but some of them may be just a little "shy" in their demeanor. Many parishes have a welcome table or other resource for visitors and newcomers, so stop by there, or feel free to talk to any of priests, deacons, sisters, or parish staff with any questions you may have. I have found that the religious sisters are particularly lovely and excited to see new faces--if you are looking for a hug, a sister is the best person to find! (However, since very few of them wear habits any more, you might have a bit of trouble recognizing them. They will be dressed modestly, with simple hairstyles, very little to no makeup and sensible shoes! Some may wear wedding rings as "brides of Christ," depending on their Order.)

To help you find the Masses near you, I recommend checking out the Mass Times web site. You can find out the locations, times, basic styles and languages of Masses in the area. This site is also a great tool for finding a Mass when you are traveling.

Pancakes and Ashes

For all of my fellow new Catholics and those exploring Catholicism, you may not know that we are about to enter the most important season of the church's liturgical year. If you are used to all of the hoopla of Christmas and just a little celebration on Easter Sunday, you may be surprised by everything on offer for the next several weeks! This is the BIG GAME! In fact, Christmas was a minor observation for much of the church's history.

Today, in a sense, is the kick off. I'm sure you have heard of Mardi Gras--which probably makes you think of New Orleans--or Carnival--which may make you think of Rio. The celebrations in both of these places and elsewhere are based on the same pre-Lenten observation called "Fat Tuesday" or "Shrove Tuesday." This is the day before Ash Wednesday; it is the last day to prepare yourself for the 40 days of fasting and penitence of lent. So, you "shrive" yourself to get ready for confession on Shrove Tuesday. Since Lent also includes fasting, people have traditionally feasted the day before, hence the name "Fat Tuesday," which translates as "Mardi Gras" in French. Interestingly, the word "carnival" derives from the Latin for "farewell to meat," another nod to the fasting period of Lent

In my parish, we have a pancake supper on Mardi Gras for the community. Lots of fun and an excuse to eat something I wouldn't normally have for dinner!

And that leads us directly into Ash Wednesday, the first day of repentance in the Lenten Season. On this day, Catholics are asked to abstain from meat, fast, and contemplate one's transgressions. It is not a Holy Day of Obligation, so you are not required to go to church, but if you do, you may go forward to have a cross of ashes placed on your forehead and blessing said over you. The ashes symbolize are ongoing repentance and the brevity of our earthly lives--from ashes to ashes. The ashes come from the burning of the palm fronds used on Palm Sunday the previous year. These are sprinkled with Holy Water and are incensed.

After getting your ashes, you are allowed to wash them off immediately or you may choose to wear them for the rest of the day as a sign of your Christian faith. Last year, I wore mine to play team trivia at a local restaurant. It definitely drew some attention!

I'll post some more about Lent as we go along. In the meantime, enjoy your Mardi Gras, and pass the syrup.