I Finished My Catechism Challenge…Now What?

Around the end of 2013, as I really entered my catechesis stage and began to inject faith not only into my life but to be my life, I decided I was going to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church from beginning to end, one or more paragraphs a day, no matter how long it …

The Art of letting go

We all know that letting go is a painful, cold-hearted kick to the gut. Here, Loretta Andrews considers letting go and God. The first few paragraphs especially rung true for me.

Loretta Andrews

Is God a nice God?

Is ‘letting go’ a brave act of surrender or merely giving up?

They say the hardest choice you’ll ever face is whether to walk away or try harder, but what if someone else gives up before you.  Do you let them walk away? Or do we grab hold of their leg shamelessly losing all self-respect and let them drag us a long as they try to get away from us? Do we even have a choice?

I’m pretty sure there is an art to letting go.  I’m pretty sure I don’t have it! In fact I’m certain I’m absolutely rubbish at it!  It says a lot about me I guess.  I am fiercely loyal.  Ask any of my friends, they know full well and from experience, you mess with one of them I’d personally rip the face of the perpetrator if they wanted me to…

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Photo of the Week: Pure

A close up of the decoration on a post in St. John's Cathedral, Portsmouth.  

Thrice Denying

I know there are others with heftier crosses than me, but mine has been weighing on my shoulders. Out of all of the tests that may lie in my way to taking his spirit, my greatest has taken the shape of Peter’s – I find myself shying away from admitting I am going to be …

‘Inside’ the Church

I’ve been looking for a while for a church to which I feel best suited. Yes, the churches around my area are all great, but each just didn’t feel right for me. In an ironic way, I was getting the same set of feelings I’d had when I realised that I wanted more, emotionally and …

Prayers Sell Houses

In Journey to Faith this week, we discussed set prayers, and I was reminded of this post by a dear friend of mine, Lillian Woodall, when her family was trying to sell their house over the summer. They prayed a lesser-known prayer, the Novena - specifically, this to St Joseph, a Saint close to my …

The Catechism Challenge

The Year of Faith may have concluded (on Sunday November 24, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe), but I feel that my faith is only just beginning. I got my Catechism of the Catholic Church today and, amongst the worries, stresses and fears a quarter-to-midnight mind brings, inspiration rose. I'm …

We Should Go to Daily Mass

Reblogged this short but thought-provoking post from Deus Nobiscum. "Mass is the most important thing on the face of the Earth." I've always admired those who set aside their other duties to go to Mass on a daily basis. Oddly, since I am not legally Catholic yet, I find God most when I am in …

As a Catholic I worship God.

1catholicsalmon

Two years ago I attended a Baptist service celebrating the Dedication of a friend’s baby to God. A  substantial service which consisted of a significant praise and worship segment, prayer, preaching and finally the dedication of little Noah. I was moved by the intense prayer for the baby during this part of the service. Four members of the church community (who seemed to have standing in the community) prayed over the baby. This was followed by tea and then a luncheon.

It was at the luncheon that  my daughter and I got chatting with a couple who were seated at our table. We discussed the service amongst other things and the conversation inevitably led to us discussing which church we belonged to. As soon as we said that we attend St. Joseph’s, an uncomfortable (albeit short) silence ensued and the conversation petered out after that.

On coming across the above poster…

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In Praise of RCIA

Transformed in Christ

I’m noticing something really interesting in comments surrounding RCIA (on this blog and in other conversations). What I’m noticing is a big gap between the American and the British perspective. I’ll try to summarise this general trend (and be warned – ‘I’m-going-to-be-blunt’ alert – this is generalised):

In the UK, on the whole, I think we’ve had a bad experience of RCIA over the last few decades. Many faithful Catholics in this country rename it ‘Roman Catholics In Agony’ and associate it with watery doctrine, lectionary-based “catechesis”, faith-sharing therapy-style sessions, and lots of para-liturgical actions that don’t mean too much to the participants (or – probably – to God) and make you want to squirm.

OK. I hate all of this just as much as the next person. If it results in people giving up (I know some people who have attempted RCIA three times and more), we have…

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