I’ve a checkered history with the Roman Catholic Church. Of course Dad signed off his parental rights as a Lutheran before my parents got married as Mom promised to raise us four kids Catholic. The first two she did, white gloves and hats and all, plus weekly CCD. But there was hope. She actually checked out the public and Catholic schools in our small village and thought that public school would provide me a better foundational education, coupled with religious ed after school every Wednesday taught by the nuns at St. Joe’s. Then she had the guts to go on the pill (I found them and asked) and her, and our, road to a Catholic heaven was tarnished forever.
I was destined for H*** anyway. The nuns hammered home that in distinguishing venial from mortal sin, taking an extra cookie from the jar vs. murdering my neighbor, I got that. Then they told me that missing Mass even once was a mortal sin from which one could never recover, no passing Go or collecting $200. Ever. Mom got the flu one week and we missed Mass. Dad the Lutheran spent Sunday mornings awaiting our return by making pancake breakfast so he was no help taking us to Mass. Seven years old and I was doomed.
Still, the Catholic church loomed large. Every Good Friday Mom read aloud the Passion. We went to Easter Mass and celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ. After we moved to the big city of Washington, D.C. we attended mass less often, but my soul had a solid grounding in morality and shame due to Mass, catechism and parental teachings. Plus, I found out that Lutherans could actually sing on key and knew all the hymnal verses, not just the first two and the refrain, like us.
I chose a liberal arts school that was run by O.F.M., the Franciscans and still respect the lessons of St. Francis. I was very pleased that in the latest conclave the cardinals chose their first Latin American and Jesuit priest to be Pope. While he did not cement much new doctrine on the faith, I appreciate Pope Francis for identifying with the Common Man (and woman, and gay celebrant), dealing with the church’s shameful past in terms of child sexual abuse, and returning to Jesus’ most basic philosophies of tending to the world’s neediest in terms of food, health and housing.
In an age of glorification of personal wealth, extreme selfishness and cruelty to anyone deemed “other” for any reason, Pope Francis was a breath of fresh air. His death is a great loss felt around the world by the HRC church’s 1.3 billion adherents.
It is my fervent hope that the upcoming conclave will not succumb to the rightward shift our world politics (led by the USA) has taken, bringing us back to Medieval times by ultra-conservative priests and their acolytes, strengthened by “born-again Catholics” like JD Vance.
In college, I attended Mass seldom but, having gone through Vatican II in the sixties, I enjoyed the one Latin Mass in our small college city. I have retained respect for the priests and brothers, especially my Advisor, who spent summers with the Hopi and was best known for his killer Sociology lesson on Barbie. But I soured on the Catholic church mainly because of its attitudes towards women (and lack of meaningful power in the Church), marriage and sexuality.
I’ve actually found a Catholic church and a Mass this weekend in the tiny Trumpian town In which my husband and I are temporarily located, and will attend in honor and memory of the first Internet Pope, Francis as he is laid to rest outside St. Peter’s Basilica. A fitting honor to a pope of the people. And hope for the future of the world’s Catholics and all other living beings.
For the “christian” zealots who show only cruelty to the poor, sick, elderly, homeless and “others” the rule is not “do unto others before they can stick it to you” but “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31. Try to remember that and tell it to the Heritage Foundation, and Leonard Leo please.
As the small town priest will say when he dismisses us on Sunday morning, go in peace to love and serve the Lord. May peace be with you all. Dee
P.S. Sorry to be AWOL for a while. Part of the reason I’m temporarily relocated to TX is to help my m-i-l recover from hip replacement surgery (done and four weeks convalescence to go) and I’m now on my second bout of walking pneumonia which has really taken the get-up-and-go out of me. Much to do! d
Cooking with Dee 