Pigeonholing

I found this during an aimless wander through someone's Tumblr archive and being as I love finding and applying labels to describe myself, this is a delight to me!

I now know to describe myself as Conservative leaning towards Tradtionalist. Yeah, that indigo area. I am an indigo Catholic!

Why I Must Become A Catechist

The Tuesday night scripture study session at our parish is a relatively new phenomenon and a welcome one. Generally, they are led by our priest who is lovely, but who is relatively new and of whom we are still rather in awe. However, in his absence yesterday evening our gregarious and more familiar deacon took the helm and the other participants felt slightly freer to enter the discussion as a result.

In one way, it was I relished having a time for openly talking of our faith. In another, it was utterly devastating...

I'm used to hearing Church teachings misunderstood, denigrated and maligned by some of my atheist, protestant and even lapsed Catholic associates, but this was a group of practising Catholics; many of whom attend daily Mass and some of whom have been Catechists for our younger parishioners. In other words, not the people I would have thought to have heard describing core teachings of our Church as "too harsh", "unfair", and "needing to update". Some - including the deacon - were even unhappy with the things that Christ had said in the portion of the gospel we had just read and were anxious to try to make them sound less severe; requiring less of a radical commitment to live our lives for God; and were determined not to see the dire penalties for those who refuse to do so. It was utterly heartbreaking to hear.


Afterwards, kneeling at the foot of the altar in the dark and empty church, I begged for the sanctification of the funny, ramshackle and generally lovely bunch of people who make up this parish. Though my words were incoherent and ineloquent, any confusion over what my future plans should be seemed to evaporate. Rather than merely entertaining a feeling that I would like to study the diploma in catechesis, I instead knew I must become a catechist. I knew I might be one of only one or two orthodox Catholic voices some of our children and young people ever get to hear during these formative years; and though that is a somewhat intimidating and disheartening thought, it is also one that - by the grace of God - serves to drive me forward.

Lovesick

"As an apple tree among the trees of the wood,
    so is my beloved among young men.
With great delight I sat in his shadow,
    and his fruit was sweet to my taste,

He brought me to the banqueting house,
    and his banner over me was love.

Sustain me with raisins,
    refresh me with apples;
    for I am sick with love."

"I love Him.  I love Him so much that it pains me, but it is a pain for which I long. I want to pour myself out for Him as he has done for me. There is nothing I have that I would not give up for Him. He is the great love story of my life, and yet what do I do for Him? Scarcely anything purely good; much that is tainted by mixed motives; and still more that is downright selfish and sinful. Beloved, make me Yours. There is nothing I desire now but to be pleasing to you."