I remember now.

[saffronhare]

Yesterday, I went to a 5 p.m. Mass at the local Catholic church. It was sort of an experiment, see, in community and whether it might be useful to struggle with the faith of my youth a bit closer in than I've been in the last 20 years.

It started off well enough, with a fuller-than-expected parking lot and a lovely, light-filled sanctuary (though I think most of the "stained glass" windows might have been adhesive rather than old-school). The processional hymn was even in a waltzing rhythm, and echoed a lot of what I pray for in my own morning devotions. And then we had the readings and the Gospel, followed by the shortest sermon I've ever heard in my life, transcribed here as precisely as I can remember it.

Today, we're going to start off with a history lesson. Does anybody know who the first group of people were that Hitler and the Nazis put to death? [Insert a squirming sort of silence here] It was the mentally ill...and Downs Syndrome children. Who knows where Hitler got this idea? From the state of Ohio! Yes, that's right...Ohio and a man named Bernard Shaw. Bernard Shaw, who taught evolution. [Note to self: fact-check this. Or not. Or maybe just scream.] To this very day, nearly 98% of Downs Syndrome babies are aborted. Think about it.

And that, children of God, concluded his sermon -- Hitler, evolution, and baby-killing. It was all I could do not to walk out, and I spent the remainder of the service making sure I remembered what he'd said so I will never forget why I was gone from the Catholic Church for 20-odd years. I suppose it would be rude to hope this church will be struck by lightning and burn down, which was the fate of the last church in which I attended Mass, way back when. (This would be the same mass during which agrnmn were married. We both share some pride about that, even after the marriage ended.)

Now, it's possible that there are Catholic churches and priests who do not share those beliefs quite so rabidly. I have fond memories of some of those parish priests, and if yesterday's priest had been more like them, then I could very well have found some comfort in letting the old prayers wash over me. But this guy is the only priest in town, at the only Catholic parish in town. Gaia Community feels so far away, both physically and metaphorically, and there is no other UU church close enough to be "local." And the Grove is gone. Feeling very lonely right now. I think I'd really hoped to like it there. FUCK.

Comments

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

Sounds more like George Bernard Shaw and his Eugenics writings, frankly.

Have you considered the Episcopalian church? All the lovely trappings and such, none of this sort of political agenda.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

You know, diermuid suggested Lutheran for similar reasons. I'm not sure why it seemed natural for me to go from Irish Catholic to pagan, or even from Catholic to humanist, but Catholic to Protestant seems RIGHT OUT. Makes no sense. :)

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

Make sure it's an ELCA church. Mo Synod will NOT be your cup of tea. I'll pull up a list of what's nearby and see if I remember anybody.

[tryst-inn.livejournal.com]

I was pretty fond of the Unity Church for awhile, even though I'm Jewish. ;)

Not a lot of the pomp and pagentry, though. Great meditations, though.

[fionnabhar.livejournal.com]

http://www.stmarksolathe.org/

St. Mark's Olathe. I remember its being a good place. It's the oldest ELCA church in Olathe. I do not know the pastor.

http://www.adventolathe.org/

This congregation was in mission status when we left the area in 1991, so I think of it as the "new" church. I remember that I really liked Roger and Susan. They were very supportive to David when our congregation jumped the shark on us.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Thanks...I appreciate the extra insight. Still sort of boggling from last night. :)