Stop and Listen

I grew up in an Ireland which was 95% Catholic. We also had the Church of Ireland, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches, but that was about it. One of my memories when I first came to Florida was a billboard which read "Bartow's 37 Churches Welcome you."

It has troubled me over the years that Christians were so divided, so wasteful of their efforts to bring members to Christ in their particular church. I fantasized that the Christian Churches of a community should unite to give a presentation on the basics of Christianity over several weeks, followed by brief presentations in each church on what made their church more Christian. Unlike recent election primaries, I would hope that the most convincing presentations would focus on the many achievements of the other churches and their fidelity to the Gospel, while humbly admitting their own failure to live up to their mission.

Eucharist - a Mystery

Talk about sharing what your faith means to you! I can grasp why we never talked about religion when I was growing up in Ireland.  Mainly because we couldn't (or at least I couldn't) share our most intimate feelings with someone who might not grasp them. I lived in a parish where our pastor believed that children should receive the sacraments when they could express an understanding of them, not when they arrived at an age established by rules. Consequently, several of my classmates and I received the sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Confirmation at the age of seven.

While I agree with his approach in theory, I cannot guarantee that I understood what the words really expressed. How many of us really can say that we understand the mystery of the Eucharist today?  Who can explain the mystery of transubstantiation? Can I explain my belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the bread and wine after the words pronounced over them by the celebrant at Mass?

Where is the Church?

Welcome to my blog! I was born in Ireland, but I have lived much of my life in America, mainly in Florida. Those of you with an Irish background may find my blog title familiar, from the old Irish blessing "May the road rise to meet you and the wind be always at your back."

We all like to reminisce about the past and sometimes share our vision of the future. I recall sitting late by the fireside enthralled as my father and old friends shared memories of events and characters from their youth. In fact, I remember upon my arrival in New York sharing some of their stories with neighbors from home now living in the Bronx.

However, I want to share other musings from my concerns about the future and the past of an essential part of my life in both countries, the Church.