Although the picture refers to a different kind of rising - after my short visit to Greenville, South Carolina, I can certainly assert that the future of the Church in the United States will be heavily influenced by what is going on down South. Visiting the parish of the great Father Jay Scott Newman, and blogger-in-chief, Father Dwight Longenecker, after a wonderful supper with Fr. Newman, Fr. Longenecker and Joseph Pearce on the night of my arrival, I heard confessions for several hours on Wednesday. Then on Thursday I gave my lecture on the English Martyrs (apparently it will be on the St. Mary's website). On Friday before my flight back, I joined Fr. Dwight to celebrate Mass and preach at St. Joseph's School, which was extremely impressive. 500 young people - in nice uniforms, a beautiful choir and a devout celebration. A short and intense visit - but encouraging - the Church is alive!
5 comments:
Are you giving your English martyrs presentation anywhere in OUR diocese any time soon? I'd love to hear it. I happen to believe it's a really timely topic in many ways.
Liz, sounds like that will be up on the St. Mary's website, now if Fr. Owl would just give us a link...of course, I suppose I could google that.
There is no such thing as being a "luke warm" Catholic in the south, as I can attest to. We lived in Virginia for two years in the mid-60s. All the Catholic in town pretty much know each other, and each took it upon himself or herself to uphold the faith. And frankly, most of our neighbors were nicer than what was typically portrayed at the time. My protestant friend's parents would know that I'd need a toasted cheese sandwich or somesuch if I visited on a Friday.
My parents and I spent a very heartbreaking week in Georgia when I was in my twenties. We arrived on a Thursday, my father died on Monday and we left the following Friday. I wasn't Catholic at the time, but my experience of southern people was that they are among the nicest people around. It contrasted with my experience in Nebraska when my sister died there quite suddenly while away from home. The hospital staff was pretty much like hospital staffs everywhere, but our experience with the other folks in town (like the motel people) was nowhere near as nice as are experience in Georgia. Now perhaps it was simply a different time, but I suspect that it was also a different place. I'd move south in a heartbeat myself, but I'm afraid the rest of my family isn't so enthusiastic about the idea.
I just listened to the Owl's English martyrs presentation and I really think it needs to be given in every parish in our diocese.
I would say, Owl, that Vermont wasn't like this when I was growing up. Even the Unitarians would have been appalled at the present situation. I feel like I've been witnessing the same sort of take over of my culture that the English martyrs viewed. One of the things that made me open to the Catholic Church was watching the way in which it held to the moral teachings of the faith while denominations all around (including the one that I was then a member of) were giving in to the culture. Life in the Church wasn't perfect, I came in with my eyes wide open to that fact, but She still held firm on things like abortion, euthanasia, and the homosexual lifestyle. Sadly, in Vermont the anti-Catholic hatred is becoming more obvious all the time. The even sadder fact is the number of nominally Catholic citizens and legislatures that are going along with the folly that has become modern life. I guess the more things change the more they stay the same... If you are more interested in being an Aristotelian gentleman and having social status than you are in being authentically Christian well... In your presentation you explained vividly what happened when Catholics made that choice in England. Thank you, it was a great presentation, even though you did leave out my favorite of the English martyrs, Saint Margaret Clitheroe.
Thank you, Liz, for your comments -Happy Easter!
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