Back to Church

Church was a big part of growing up for me and from what I understand, it was for my kids as well. I'm Roman Catholic. About 12 years ago I left the Parish I was involved in and joined a Parish nearby. During the years at the first church I was heavily involved in their RCIC program. ( I directed the Program) Sacrament preparation for kids "behind" on their sacraments. I had my breaking point one afternoon and evening over the Pastor's refusal to Baptize three young girls over paperwork.  The Bishop  intervened because of their social worker. The politics and dare I say it.. B.S. in the office and the knives in the backs of good people.. Well I had my breaking point. I went to a neighboring parish where it was about the same AND I was different. After I lost my parents, in 1998, For reasons I'm not sure of; I stopped going to church. I believed, but I didn't go to church anymore.

Sabby is 6 and Katie wants her Baptized and to go to Religious Education and Church.

While I was glad she was getting Sabby "into church" I smiled last weekend and told her I was still not feeling well enough to go to Mass.  She went alone with Sabby - who just wanted to know when Mass would be over and WHAT IS MASS anyway? This whole thing came up because Sabby's best friend said that if you don't believe in Jesus you'll go to hell.. Well, Gran's mouth got in the middle of things and so Katie decided it was time. Despite our reputation, and the way things are in other parts of the country, my West Coast Catholic upbringing was far from rigid. 

AND by the way... Catholics KNOW how to party... And I was taught NO ONE could say who was in hell. ONLY God Judges and he judges with love ... yikes I hope so...I got sweetly into Sabby's face to tell her that her friend is WRONG.

I digress. 

I got a call from Ricky last week asking me to go to mass with him and Katie and sabby and how important it would be for Sabby's sake... Whhaat? Ricky use to go to mass with me every day back in the day (but I think he was in it for the donut I'd buy him afterward)  Over the years, he'd stopped going as many young people do. I agreed and learned this Sunday 3 things...1) He remembers and ?believes? what I taught him as a child; 2)God is alive in his life since he'd been at quite a party the night before and still made it to the 9:00 am Mass; 3) When I asked him about Christmas Morning mass (now that we're going to mass for Sabby), he flashed that grin of his and said.. Mom.. I thought THIS would count as Christmas.. So it wasn't really all about Sabby..

I liked the church, the priest seems nice; Rick said if he could make it to the 9:00 am Mass after that party, he could go anytime (we'll see); Katie's committed; (Sabby... we'll see); so it appears that this branch of the Flocken clan are going back to church. St. Thomas in Avondale beware; Sabby's joining up! Gran... well I'll be going but NOT getting involved with any Religious Ed Programs or anything else.

Merry Christmas Everyone. I hope your hurts are healed or forgotten for a while; your hearts are filled with love and family. If you celebrate Hanukkah, I wish you the same. I wish you all a 2009 filled with love laughter, joy and Hope!

Thanks for Taking the time to read my blog today.