1. Always. I have a mind like a sieve and the holes are getting bigger every day.
2. I’m a good preacher (so I’ve been told).
3. I love the huge variety of popular devotions that have developed throughout the Catholic world.
I used to make the Seven Churches Pilgrimage on Holy Thursday but it’s almost impossible now. My mom did it for years and they walked. Before 1955 all the Holy Week liturgies were in the morning so they had all day to walk from church to church. Even after that it was still possible because the watch before the repository lasted all night up until the Good Friday Liturgy until the reforms of Paul VI. The Pilgrimage was still possible in urban areas with lots of ethnic parishes even up to the Millennium, but now with churches closing and being consolidated and adoration ending at midnight or before it takes careful planning if it’s even possible. Some have reduced the number to five or three to keep the tradition alive.
1) I always write a list. I try to do the type/number thing where I say it all as briefly but modestly as possible. It's very penitential, at times--there's no wiggle room when you say to the priest, who is "in persona Christi" that "I have sinned in this way, this many times". And funny enough, whenever that list is weighing me down and I feel burdened by my many sins, the priest always absolves me with seeming carelessness. Don't you want to admonish me a little bit? Shouldn't you tell me how bad a person I am? Never happens--and their casual dismissal of my sins always reminds me that God is greater than my sins.
2) I wouldn't have said this when I first became a Catholic, but I like to think I've got a charism for evangelism. I don't know what the fullness of that looks like, but my approach is always one of friendship. Substack is ripe ground for curious seekers, and they are very quiet about it. Being the kind of person to whom a quiet seeker might feel comfortable asking questions is a role I enjoy.
This all sounds very self congratulatory, so i'll only add that any time I have tried to evangelize "on purpose" I have done badly--and any time God sends me an opportunity and I pray "alright send me the right words please" it usually goes better.
3) Easter is my absolute favorite holy day, and in a perfect world I would do it up to the nines. I don't get an opportunity to do that very often these days, but I cherish the memories of the few times I have. The first time I ever went to a good friday service, I was absolutely floored. I didn't realize they had pre-consecrated the Eucharist on Holy Thursday and so was unprepared to both kiss Jesus on the cross AND receive Him in the Eucharist--the experience was totally overwhelming and I couldn't hold back the tears. I have not yet gotten the full Triduum experience, but I do try as often as I can to attend the Easter Vigil in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ coming into the Church, and it helps me reflect fondly on my own passage across the tiber.
1. Just yesterday I went out to do my penance, and I thought, "Is it really this easy?" Praise Jesus our Lord for his gift of mercy!
2. Communicating the kerygma
3. The 7 Churches tradition is very popular here in San Antonio. Most parishes organize pilgrimages by carpool or bus or just mapping out a start and end point. I can't do it anymore due to my fibromyalgia, but it's a beautiful tradition. Another popular one here is eating capirotada.
1. I have and often do when it’s been a longer time than usual since my last Confession.
2. Probably something to do with study, because I love geeking out over theological stuff, which in turn always comes in handy at a time I least expect. It’s interesting that you mention a choir though, because I’ve been wanting to join ours for a while. Perhaps this is a sign…
3. The Triduum Masses are my favorite part of the entire liturgical year. In the past, I’ve watched Tenebrae on the evening of Spy Wednesday to get myself ready for the Triduum, and it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience. Last year I had the opportunity to attend Tenebrae in person, which was an even more edifying experience.
1. Always. I have a mind like a sieve and the holes are getting bigger every day.
2. I’m a good preacher (so I’ve been told).
3. I love the huge variety of popular devotions that have developed throughout the Catholic world.
I used to make the Seven Churches Pilgrimage on Holy Thursday but it’s almost impossible now. My mom did it for years and they walked. Before 1955 all the Holy Week liturgies were in the morning so they had all day to walk from church to church. Even after that it was still possible because the watch before the repository lasted all night up until the Good Friday Liturgy until the reforms of Paul VI. The Pilgrimage was still possible in urban areas with lots of ethnic parishes even up to the Millennium, but now with churches closing and being consolidated and adoration ending at midnight or before it takes careful planning if it’s even possible. Some have reduced the number to five or three to keep the tradition alive.
1) I always write a list. I try to do the type/number thing where I say it all as briefly but modestly as possible. It's very penitential, at times--there's no wiggle room when you say to the priest, who is "in persona Christi" that "I have sinned in this way, this many times". And funny enough, whenever that list is weighing me down and I feel burdened by my many sins, the priest always absolves me with seeming carelessness. Don't you want to admonish me a little bit? Shouldn't you tell me how bad a person I am? Never happens--and their casual dismissal of my sins always reminds me that God is greater than my sins.
2) I wouldn't have said this when I first became a Catholic, but I like to think I've got a charism for evangelism. I don't know what the fullness of that looks like, but my approach is always one of friendship. Substack is ripe ground for curious seekers, and they are very quiet about it. Being the kind of person to whom a quiet seeker might feel comfortable asking questions is a role I enjoy.
This all sounds very self congratulatory, so i'll only add that any time I have tried to evangelize "on purpose" I have done badly--and any time God sends me an opportunity and I pray "alright send me the right words please" it usually goes better.
3) Easter is my absolute favorite holy day, and in a perfect world I would do it up to the nines. I don't get an opportunity to do that very often these days, but I cherish the memories of the few times I have. The first time I ever went to a good friday service, I was absolutely floored. I didn't realize they had pre-consecrated the Eucharist on Holy Thursday and so was unprepared to both kiss Jesus on the cross AND receive Him in the Eucharist--the experience was totally overwhelming and I couldn't hold back the tears. I have not yet gotten the full Triduum experience, but I do try as often as I can to attend the Easter Vigil in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ coming into the Church, and it helps me reflect fondly on my own passage across the tiber.
I loved this one. I told my oldest son (non-practicing) about this study. He still has not returned. Pray for him.
Altar of Repose is very much alive in urban Australia :)
1. Just yesterday I went out to do my penance, and I thought, "Is it really this easy?" Praise Jesus our Lord for his gift of mercy!
2. Communicating the kerygma
3. The 7 Churches tradition is very popular here in San Antonio. Most parishes organize pilgrimages by carpool or bus or just mapping out a start and end point. I can't do it anymore due to my fibromyalgia, but it's a beautiful tradition. Another popular one here is eating capirotada.
1. I have and often do when it’s been a longer time than usual since my last Confession.
2. Probably something to do with study, because I love geeking out over theological stuff, which in turn always comes in handy at a time I least expect. It’s interesting that you mention a choir though, because I’ve been wanting to join ours for a while. Perhaps this is a sign…
3. The Triduum Masses are my favorite part of the entire liturgical year. In the past, I’ve watched Tenebrae on the evening of Spy Wednesday to get myself ready for the Triduum, and it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience. Last year I had the opportunity to attend Tenebrae in person, which was an even more edifying experience.