I am Catholic: part 2

Yesterday I wrote about my journey through faith. Read about that here if you would like. Today I am writing about Catholic beliefs and practices. This is as a study guide/reminder to myself, as well as some information for family and friends who might be curious. I have answered some of the most common questions that I have received.  I have linked my sources in order to write this correctly. These are not all my words, but I do believe all of them very faithfully. For me, this is what makes sense here on Earth. I have chosen the Catholic faith because I identify with the structure of the faith. I feel comfortable in every Catholic Church I walk into. For me, it is a place of joy and salvation. I don't live a perfect life, but I do believe in living the teachings I have written about below. 

Disclaimer: I am not an expert at any of this. I have very little personal experience and knowledge of the Catholic faith.  I simply wish to write about some of the reasons why this is the right road for me. I in no way intend to give the impression that this is the right road for everyone. As I said in the last post... Whatever you believe will be right for you. There are many different roads to heaven, and mine just happens to be Catholic :) 

·         The first thing many people think of when they think of Catholic is the Sign of the Cross. We do this to recognize the Holy Trinity: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost. The Sign of the Cross is performed before and after prayer; when entering and leaving a church; and before, during, and after mass. We are marking ourselves as Christian through this statement of belief. The Sign of the Cross is also performed by Lutherans, Anglicans, and some Protestants. 

·         What is Mass? Mass is the term Catholics use for the church service. We call it Mass after the original term "misso" meaning sending. The faithful are sent out to share what they have learned and use the graces we have received. We believe that Christ is present during Mass (in the form and bread and wine). He is sacrificing himself once again. This is the Holy Eucharist or "Mystery of Faith". Without faith it is simply bread and wine. We go to Mass to praise Him, to give thanks, to make up for our sins through the Penitential Act (I confess...) said at the beginning of Mass, and as a petition ("Ask and you shall receive").  I have broken down the Mass at the bottom if you would like to learn more about what happens during this time. 

·         Why do Catholic's worship Mary? The simple answer... We do not worship Mary! Mary is often considered the first Saint. We honor all of the Saints because they are the image of Christ, therefore, we wish to imitate them. We call upon them in prayer just as we would ask a friend to pray for us in time of need :) 

      Why do Catholic's pray the rosary? The word rosary means garland of roses symbolizing the Virgin Mary.   The rosary is a devotion in honor of the Virgin Mary. It is a set number of specific prayers. To learn more follow this link!

·         Why do Catholics believe in repentance? I have heard many people say, "Why should I have to do something to get into Heaven? Don't I just have to believe the Lord is my Savior?" The simple answer is yes. You must start there. However, Christ died on the Cross for our sins. How hard is it for us to fast, pray, or perform acts of kindness as a repentance? Shouldn't we feel something in return for our sins being forgiven? The word ‘repentance’ means seeking forgiveness for our sins, but more than that, it involves transforming our attitudes and our lives. By repenting, we see the world a different way. It allows us to see God's work right in front of us. 

·         Why do Catholics believe in purgatory? Catholics believe purgatory as a sort of middle ground between Heaven and Earth for any unclean souls. Purgatory is a place for purification of any sins not forgiven, or for someone who has not been cleaned of their sins either through baptism or confession and repentance. The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven. 

·         Catholics believe in 7 Sacraments: these are ceremonies that point to what is sacred, significant and important to Christians. I have participated in all of the Sacraments that I can until I die :) 

Sacrament of Baptism: typically performed on infants. The Rite of Baptism for Children emphasizes the importance of faithfulness on the part of parents when it says to parents: In asking to have your children baptized, "you are accepting the responsibility of training them in the practice of the faith."

Sacrament of Eucharist: Catholics believe the Eucharist, or Communion, is both a sacrifice and a meal. We believe in the real presence of Jesus, who died for our sins. As we receive Christ's Body and Blood, we also are nourished spiritually and brought closer to God. 

Sacrament of Reconciliation: conversion, confession and celebration. Confession has transformed through the years. Some people still believe in individual confession with a Priest. Others have started participating in communal confession with the entire congregation.  The church simply states that we must confess our sins once a year in order to remain worthy to receive communion. 

Sacrament of Confirmation: this is often performed around 16. It is a sort of "coming of age" sacrament. It is a way to strengthen the bonds of baptism, as well as give the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

Sacrament of Marriage: or Holy Matrimony, is a public sign that one gives oneself totally to this other person. It is also a public statement about God: the loving union of husband and wife speaks of family values and also God's values.

Sacrament of Holy Orders: this is only for Priests being ordained to lead other Catholics. 

Sacrament of Anointing the Sick: formerly known as Last Rites, is a ritual of healing appropriate not only for physical but also for mental and spiritual sickness. It is performed to prepare the soul for salvation. 

Mass broken down -

Use of Water: we dip our right hand in water and make the sign of the cross as a reminder of our baptism and our sins.

Genuflection:  we kneel or bow as we enter the pew or approach the alter as a sign of honor

Posture: when the Mass begins, everyone stands as an expression of our attentiveness to the word of God.

Next is an opening song to unite our thoughts.

Greeting: the Priest will begin with asking us to make the Sign of the Cross and say, "The Lord be with you." We respond with, "And with your spirit." It is both a wish and statement of faith. 

Penitential Rite & Gloria: it is important to confess our sins and put ourselves in the proper condition to enjoy the Mass. Depending on the season, the Penitential Rite may be any of the following:

A	I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault - we strike our breast - in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. - the Kyrie may then be sung -
B	Lord, we have sinned against you: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Lord, show us your mercy and love. And grant us your salvation.  May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.
C	- Lord Jesus is acclaimed in praise, and we respond - ...: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. ...: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. ...: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life. Amen.

For the Gloria, the hymm "Glory to God in the Highest" is often sung. 

Opening Prayer: the Priest will ask us to join our minds in prayer, have a moment of silence, followed by "Amen."

Liturgy of the Word: we sit down as reading from the Word of God are proclaimed. 

Three reading and a Psalm: the first reading is from the Hebrew scriptures giving background information for the Gospel reading. Next we will sing or recite a psalm. The second reading is from one of the letter of Paul or another apostolic writitng. Then we stand for the Gospel reading by the Priest as a sign of attentiveness to God's words. He will begin with, "The Lord be with you." Followed by the introduction of the gospel reading and the sign of the cross in three places: the forehead, the lips, and the heart with the thumb. We do this to clean or mind, our heart, and our lips for the presentation of the Word of the Lord. He finishes by saying, "The Gospel of the Lord", and we respond with, "Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ."

Homily:  homily has replaced the word sermon because it is more than just a talk, it is an act of worship. It is a way to take the words we have just heard and relate them to today's life situations. 

Creed: after a moment of silence/prayer, we recite the Creed. It is a statement of our faith in the word we have just heard. 

The Nicene Creed

I believe in one God,
the Father almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible.

I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins
and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead
and the life of the world to come. Amen.

General Intercessions: here we pray for the Church, nations and their leaders, people in special needs, the needs of our parish, etc. There is a moment of silence for as to add our own silent prayers. For each prayer, we respond, "Lord hear our prayer." 

Preparation of the Gifts: at this time there is a collection. The gifts: the collection, bread and wine,  are brought to the alter by members of the congregation. He then prepares the bread and the wine after washing his hands. 

The Eucharistic Prayer: this is when the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ as the Priest prays. 

Invitation: to lift our heart up to the Lord, to give thanks and praise.

Preface & Acclamation: a prayer that prepares to come before the face of God followed by “Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.”

Consecration: calling upon the Holy Spirit to change the gifts into His body and blood. 

Prayer for Unity & Intercessions: We look forward to that glorious day and raise our voices with those of all the saints who have gone before us as the priest raises the consecrated bread and wine and offers a toast, a doxology, a prayer of glory to God in the name of Christ: “Through him, with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, almighty Father, for ever and ever.” Our “Amen” to this prayer acclaims our assent and participation in the entire Eucharistic prayer.

Our Father & Sign of Peace: we recite the Our Father and offer a sign of peace to those around us. 

Invitation to Communion:  “This is the Lamb of God….Happy are those who are called to his supper.” The members of the assembly now approach the altar in procession.

Communion: we approach the minister with the bread. They say, "The Body of Christ." We respond, "Amen." The minister with the wine says, "The Blood of Christ." We again respond, "Amen." Then we pray silently in our hearts while standing or kneeling, thanking and praising God and asking for all that this sacrament promises.

Announcement: any news in the church bulletin the Priest wishes to point out.

Blessing and Dismissal: we make the Sign of the Cross with the lead of the Priest. The Deacon then offers the dismissal, often, "The Mass has ended, go in peace and proclaim the Word of the Lord", or something similar. To which we respond with, "Thanks be to God." 

I am Catholic

Life is just a bunch of categories.

Male - Female

Young - Old

Skinny - Fat

Sick - Healthy

Rich - Poor

Single - Married

Society strives to put us all in these categories. We, as human beings, are eager to "belong". We hope to fall somewhere in between. Some of us hope to fall out of the categories, others do everything in their power to fall into a new category. What does this all really mean? Why does it all matter? What difference does our categorical location make? Is it right or wrong? Is it good or bad? Where do we find these answers?

For me, the answers are in my faith. I have faith that I am in the right category. It doesn't matter what category. It doesn't matter if I am in or out of any category. What matters is that I have faith that it is right.

I have faith that I was put on this earth for a reason.

I have faith that I do the best I can in any given situation.

I have faith that my family loves me.

I have faith that it takes all kinds of people to make the world go around.

I have faith that there is more to this world than I will ever understand.

I have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow.

I have faith that I will understand some day.

I have faith that I do not have all of the answers.

Most importantly, I have faith that there is a higher power.

We all live our lives seeking answers. Some we find, some we disagree with, some we will never know the answers to.

For me faith is believing that I am not in control. Faith is believing that everyone has a purpose. Faith is believing that no matter what category I am in, it is the "right one" for me.

My religious journey has been like a roller coaster. I have had times of very strong belief, and I have had times of doubt. As I am writing this post, I am not sure where I fall between the lines. But I have faith that I am right where I need to be. With faith all things are possible. I don't mean miracles will happen tomorrow if I just have faith. I mean all of the things God has planned for me, will happen if I just have faith. I don't know what they are. I may never know what his plans are, but no matter what, I have faith that he is using me.

I was born into a Catholic family. My mother was raised Catholic. She even attended Catholic school as a young girl. My father was Lutheran, but he was raised with a much looser religious stance. For him, faith means family. When they married, he agreed to raise his children in the Catholic faith. I was baptized as a baby as is custom in the Catholic Church. We attended Sunday service on occasion and most holidays.

The church in West Yellowstone did not offer catechism classes while I was growing up, but my mom still felt it was important that we learn about God. Therefore, my brother and I attended Bible School at the Presbyterian Church. Although it wasn't the traditional catechism classes, they served their purpose of bringing faith into our lives. I never really thought too much about Bible School. It was just an after school activity all of my friends attended. We made a lot of crafts and always had a snack. Plus I got to be around my friends for another hour after school. In the summer there was Vacation Bible Study. Then we got to attend "Bible School" all day for an entire week. That was always fun!

The next step in my journey towards God was Bible Study. When I was in middle school, I was too old to attend Bible School. After a little while one of my teachers sparked an interest in starting a Bible Study for teen girls. She asked around the middle school and high school for curiosity. There was a small group of us willing to attend, so it began. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church, but they were now advertising their services as non-denominational. We met once a week. We would have a bible reading, discuss the passage, relate it to our lives as young women, and then go home with an assignment for next week. This went on for some time, and eventually another gal started helping out. These two women became very important people in my life. I was finally old enough to understand faith. I finally had a desire to learn more. I wanted to feel something. I was lost in the world of junior high, and desperate for another way to categorize myself. I guess you could say this group helped define who I was becoming. I still claimed my faith as Catholic. I used a Catholic bible, and it gave another perspective to our discussions. I tried to stay true to my faith (even though I had no idea what that was) while attending this non-denominational group. I just knew I needed to learn about faith and read the bible. Anyways, as time went on, we would have different activities. The ladies were very good about tailoring it to young women. We often read about women in the bible. We would have "beauty" activities. We talked about boys and relationships. For about three years our little group grew closer and closer. One of the leaders lived out of town like I did. She often gave me a ride home before I could drive. I will never forget those car rides. In my eyes we had become best friends. I felt I could tell her anything, about faith or just life in general. I am not sure how it happened, but that is where I grew up. That is where I debated right from wrong, good from bad. That is where I felt I could share anything and not receive any judgement. I used her as a sound board for many different things in my life. As I have said in previous posts, I had a hard time in junior high and high school. She was the person that made life seem bearable. And always, she would send me away pondering God's plan. She truly believed there was a reason for everything. She always challenged my mistakes. Encouraged me to find the message. That is why I have faith. Spending that time in the car with her and I to talk freely, allowed me to trust God's plan. As for the other leader, she too played an important role in my faith. I had only just met her, but I saw the faith in her eyes. I trusted every word she prayed. I longed to have Jesus in my heart the way she does. She gave me inspiration to follow my faith, wherever that may lead me.

As we grew older, the time came when our leaders had to say goodbye. They were considered the Young Women's counselors, and we were now high school girls. They could no longer lead us on our journey of faith. There was a high school program. It was coed, and led by a male. I attended a few times, but it wasn't the same. I had such a bond with my Young Women's leaders that I had put blinders on. I wasn't willing to accept any other bible study. Also, by this time, I was so wrapped up in high school that I really didn't have much time to play around with. I decided there were better things to do than attend Bible Study.

I went through a period of doubt. I never doubted that there is a God or that Heaven is for Real, but I doubted the need to learn more. I doubted the advantages of attending church services. I doubted the reason to read the bible. After all, I was a Catholic girl with absolutely no Catholic knowledge. The Catholic church started offering catechism classes, but I was now in high school. (You typically start when you are about 6 years old.) I considered attending, but I never made it a priority.

When I went to college in Utah, I made sure to find the nearest Catholic Church right away. I wanted to start attending services and look into taking classes. It wasn't until I found out one of Josh's roommates was Catholic that I felt I could make the first step. I told him I had a desire to attend church, and he offered to drive us the next Sunday. It was about a ten minute drive from campus. I wasn't sure what to do. Many people joke that the Catholic Church is a stand up, sit down, fight fight fight kind of thing. I just followed the crowd and participated as best I could. We made it a weekly thing. We traded off who would drive. I was so eager to dive back into my faith. I was so glad to finally be attending the church I had always categorized myself under. It was also very helpful that Josh was willing to attend with me despite his own position of faith. We continued to attend church off and on throughout the summer and the next school year, but it wasn't until my third year at USU that I decided to sign up for classes. I had strayed from my faith during the previous summer when I was living in West. Since I was an adult, I would have my First Communion and my Confirmation at the same time. I attended "class" for about 4 months. We had a short book describing different areas of the faith. It answered a lot of questions. We read for homework and then discussed it in class. I was able to get a lot of my questions and concerns answered. This was a time of faith building. We were instructed to pray about our desire to be Confirmed in the church. In order to be confirmed, we had to have a sponsor: a practicing Catholic, someone we looked up to in our faith. We also attended confession. This was my first confession. On the day of our Confirmation, our family and friends were invited to attend the ceremony. It was very similar to any other church service, but our full name and our Confirmation names were read during the service. We then were escorted to the front by our sponsor for the Bishop to extend his hands, pray that we may receive the Holy Spirit, and anoint us with holy chrism. The service continued, and I received my First Communion. Since I was a confirmed adult, there wasn't any other special service. I walked up with every other person in the church, but for me it was very sacred. By taking part in communion, I am expressing my union with all Catholics, and I am accepting the Holy Eucharist as God's body (bread) and blood (wine). Although I had primarily attended a Protestant Church up until college, I had never accepted communion. I am so grateful for the opportunity to finally be progressing in the church. I had longed to find my faith for most of my life. It was a very important time for me. I was moving a little bit closer to that boundary. 

When Josh and I started talking about marriage, I went back and forth on what kind of ceremony we might have. I always claimed I was Catholic, but I hadn't really grown up in a Catholic faith. Josh is not baptized, so it seemed silly to have a Catholic ceremony. In the end, my desire to live in the Catholic faith won over. It grew more and more important to me as I grew older. The more we attended the Catholic church, the more I wanted to do what was right. Once again I was using societies categories to guide my life. I didn't know everything about being Catholic, but I knew it was right for me. It was important that our marriage be done correctly (at least correct for us) in the eyes of God. I wanted to take communion on the day of marriage so that we could begin our union with my sins forgiven. I am so glad Josh felt it was important that I follow my faith. That was the next step in my Catholic journey. 

Most recently, my Catholic spark was from the The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It is Atlanta's most historic church. We attended service there this past Sunday. It was built in 1873, and was later rebuilt in 1984 after a fire. It is a very traditional looking church. However, what set it apart, was the congregation. There were people from all different races scattered throughout the pews. There were heterosexuals and homosexuals sitting together. There were people of all ages and income levels in attendance. This was nothing out of the ordinary. I had no reason to notice until the service began. The Catholic Church is known for its traditionalism. There is a lot of controversy over what each religion will and will not accept as right and just. This is one of the few areas that I openly disagree with the teachings of the church. I believe it takes all kinds of people to make the world go around. It is not my place to cast judgement on other races, income levels, or sexual orientations. This was the first Catholic Church I have been to that openly accepted EVERYONE. I wish to be blunt without casting judgement, but it was a very pleasant shock to see gay speakers in a Catholic Church. The opening prayer stated their acceptance of all of God's people. It was so refreshing to see such a traditional, yet progressive representation of my beliefs. I don't claim to know much about the Catholic faith and it's teachings. I simply strive to represent what I personally believe. 

I am not sure what God's plan is for me. I may never know how he is using me in this life. What I do know, is that I have a long way to go. My faith has a lot of growing left. I am not in a position to say what is right or wrong, good or bad. I have faith that whatever road you take, it will be the right one for you. I have many friends of different faiths, and I will never say that I am right and you are wrong. What I will say is follow what you believe. Walk in your journey with God, down whatever road he has placed you on. Mine just happens to be Catholic :)

If you would like to read about Catholic beliefs and practices, feel free to read I am Catholic: part 2!

Day Trip to Atlanta - Coca-Cola Factory!

This weekend we decided to spend Josh's one day off in Atlanta! The drive there was so beautiful! The flowers and trees are really starting to bloom :)

 

It is a little over 2 hours away, so we left around 8 in order to make it there in time to attend the 11:00 church service at Atlanta's Most Historic Church: The Catholic Shrine of The Immaculate Conception. It was amazing! It was the most traditional yet unique Catholic church we have ever been to. They were the most accepting, progressive congregation I have ever met. We were accepted with open arms from all colors, shapes, and sizes :) It makes me so happy to know that such a historical church (built in 1847) is accepting the trends of today's society. There was absolutely no sign of prejudice what so ever! In fact, I loved this experience so much I am going to dedicate a post to it :) 

 

After church we grabbed some lunch at the Waffle House! They are everywhere here, but we had yet to venture into one. They truly are the best waffles! We were in a pretty sketchy part of Atlanta, so the "scenery" was an experience in and of itself. (Yikes! We don't EVER want to live in the city!!!)

 

Next stop... the Coca-Cola Factory!!! We had no idea Coca-Cola world was in Atlanta until we started asking around for things to do. It was the best suggestion! We had a blast :) We planned to spend an hour or so there before heading to a giant park.... 3 1/2 hours later we walked out with a caffeine buzz and a tummy ache :) Not really, but we did try over 60 flavors of soda! Some were pretty nasty, but we discovered a few new ones we wouldn't mind drinking either! 

 

Apart from trying all of the soda, it is quite the attraction! We started out watching/listening to a little history while looking at old and new artifacts. 

We then watched a short video before going into a theatre to watch Coke's new campaign Moments of Happiness. It was a very neat movie on a 2 story big screen. They showed clips of all different happy moments in every day life. After watching the video, the screen raised up to let us enter "The Hub". 

We were free to explore at our leisure. There were different rooms to explore on two levels. 

The Vault of the Secret Formula is supposedly where the only written copy of Coke's formula is... they don't actually let you see it, so I am still skeptical ;) 

 

 

The Milestones of Refreshment room tells the story of how the company evolved with many different ad campaigns displayed. Coca-Cola truly is a brand, not just a drink! 

Coke campaigns with Santa Claus

Olympic Torches

Next is Bottle Works where they show you an actual "bottling factory". They have the machines slowed down to show the process, producing 20 bottles of coke per minute. Most factories produce 2,300 bottles per minute! Josh's favorite, the Fizz Bot, was in this room. Slave Labor haha! We forgot to take pictures in this room! :( Oops!! Here are a few other "bottle" pictures from another room :)

Upstairs was a 4D movie. This was Josh's first and my second 4D movie experience.  The video, Search for the Secret Formula, was in 3D, and our seats moved, we got poked in the back, and water was shot in our face. Kinda different but fun! 

Also on this level, the pop culture gallery showcasing how fans have made the brand an icon, Perfect Pauses Theatre showing TV advertising for Coca-Cola throughout the years, and the Taste It room! 

 

 

The syrup was originally made in a copper bowl
and stirred with a wooden paddle

The syrup was then added
to a dispenser. Fill cup with
soda water & add syrup!

Inside the Taste It room, the soda flavors are dived into continents. There were flavors from Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America. They also had all of the typical Coca-Cola flavors well known in the U.S., including Powerade and Dasani flavored water. We would taste one continent, then tour a room, taste another continent, tour another room, so on and so forth. It was really fun!

The Melon Frosty was really strong! The next one over tastes like carbonated carrot juice :( Our favorite here was Smart on the end! 

Beverly on the right is nasty!! It tasted like grapefruit peel ground up in soda water! We liked the Mezzo Mix and Fanta pineapple. The bonaqa was basically flavored, carbonated water. AquArius Libre wasn't very good either. 

The Stoney was gross! Both of the Bibo's were basically carbonated juice. We liked the BonBon Anglais the best. 

Here Josh liked the Inca Kola from Peru. I liked Manzana Lift from Chile (it is apple flavored!) 

 We also had our picture taken with the Coca-Cola Polar Bear! 

You get a bottle of coke to-go!

We tried to tour CNN, but it was closing right when we got there :(

 

 Coca-Cola world wore us out, so after we grabbed some dinner at The Flying Biscuit. No, the biscuits didn't actually fly like on TV :( We were kind of disappointed, but the food was good! Josh had school this morning, so we headed home right after. It was a fun little day trip getaway! Well needed, and well worth it :)