From Conservatism to Catholicism

 A lot has happened, mostly I was struggling at home and at work. Angry at myself for lack of motivation, having the time to do more housework and renovation than ever before and yet down I was spiralling.  As for my parenting, I was on the brink, keen to lead by example, keeping calm, consistent, everything you should do, whilst reassuring myself this couldn't possibly continue. There was not even a good section of the day we could manage, my daughter and I. Those times seem so long ago now. I prayed, mostly not knowing what for but was on my knees many a time.  It took a while but those prayers were answered. I really am proud of her. She still takes the mick about me and there's a healthy amount of humour but nothing insulting or truly blasphemous.  So very fortunate am I and always did treasure dearly mine and my daughters relationship. Now we do all sorts together like we did and am finally happy to put a lot of things down to 'her age' furthermore at least we h...

Life has been amazing at St Hugh's Catholic Church. The whole thing has been really. I stopped because the blog I didn't want to call into the potential trap of using religion only to inform my writing. It has to be something you feel. I do and have and as a consequence can write far more about the journey. It’s knowing just where to start.  I’m in at least. Fully confirmed and committed as a member of the Catholic Church. Unexpectedly I confessed three big things beforehand. One that I never think of - from twenty years ago, one continual and more recent sin and another being a former incident. None of these weigh particularly on my mind but I knew if I didn’t confess them I would come to regret it. Things needed to be done properly this end.  Father Eddy was excellent, glossed nicely over things and I was in for the Maundy Thursday feet washing. I put my name down but mistaken cast myself as the humble Jesus without realising of course, the priest plays Jesus so I ended up o...

 I’d quite forgotten about that.What a wipeout. Where I am, we have been facing the threat of the unitary authority and so bizarrely authorities started teaming up with their neighbours, thus hastening it. Anyway there was all sorts of talk and a lot of the district leaders joined the County Council and then on that fateful first Thursday in May three heads rolled. Three leader's seats gone. 

 Holy Saturday, what a day. What a service. My lass came with two of her friends and Nick who was inappropriately loud and set them in to a giggling fit. It was Stickers I felt sorry for, those three, all those candles, paper, long hair. What a pressure cooker.  The Deacon, John Wilford sang a huge great big long and tuneful solo. There was candlelight all around, it was wonderful.  There were five of us, from the class, and we lined up. Noel was my sponsor, he does the bingo calling, told me a) I'd never have to worry about anything ever again and b) it took him 46 years to convert and he'd been attending the Catholic Church all that time!  I was in charge of carrying the wine and Anna put it in my hand and said, 'not too quickly' so I slowly walked down what I can only describe as the aisle - Father Eddy was ahead of me, almost as if on a ship, I could see everyone behind him, it was wonderful and all in candlelight, it really was a special moment that.  Here'...

This has been briefly and very well touched on in the RCIA group i.e. 'Church school'. I have a way of explaining it, almost like we become a version of the Holy Spirit, apparently we will have a glorious body but of course, there will be no time. This is the thing that can be difficult to grasp. There is no time.  Was there ever? I know in the Bible, when it talked of hurling Satan out of Heaven and all his angels down with him, they do bad things knowing they don't have much time.  Not been writing much, lots of work, not all of it good, still constantly reevaluating my life, not getting to daily mass. Will have more time now.  Its a curious thing that the harder life gets, the closer one is to God. Even those that profess to be of no faith have no problem calling to the heavens in a time of need. I think that's a good thing.  I'm thinking a lot about ministry work. I don't think I can because I'm a girl. Also, the best way to bring people near to God is j...

When you are fitting a lot in, especially going away at the weekends, you don’t need to miss Mass. After all, it is only an hour. Let’s face it, the service is the same wherever you go. So the difference is purely circumstantial, and architectural.  Two huge differences adnuttedly, which change the entire feel of it. And yet, cement the important parts. I think spreading geographically and gaining experience at other churches deepens the faith rather than broadens it. Which is surely the aim, We need always to go deeper before we can go further.  The difference between the Church of England and Catholicism is profound. One simply can’t imagine going  This week its the first week of Advent. I’ve always detested Christmas but this year is going to be so different. Perhaps it’s a deep rooted jealousy of families all getting together - I don’t really think it’s that. More likely, I just got sick of people complaining about their families when I would have loved a brother or s...

 The RCIA  So I've started and will let you know how it finishes...