Sparkle –
Long story.
When we married, he was not even a Christian. I was not Catholic. He was baptized about a year after our marriage, in a non-denom Church. Over the next few years, he rarely attended church. Good dad, good person, but – what I’d call a non-practicing Christian. About this time, we separated. During the separation, we remained friends, and he began attending a non-denom congregation with a friend from work. Had a very emotional experience and began speaking in tongues, etc. We reconciled, and I began seriously investigating the Catholic Church. He fell away from the non-denom church again, was neutral about my conversion process. When I went through RCIA, and our son was baptized, he was supportive but not involved. He would attend Mass a couple of times each year, when weather was bad he would drive us to Mass and pick us up after.
Every Mass for years and years, both my son and I prayed for his dad’s conversion. Each fall, I’d ask if he was interested in RCIA, he’d say a polite no, and I’d not bring it up again that year. Each Mass, I’d pray.
In the late summer of 2002, my husband moved out abruptly. We stayed in touch, my son and I kept praying. In December of that same year, he came back in tears. He shared that had been so depressed and in a box of items he’d brought from home, he came across a scapular. He said that he prayed the most earnest prayer of his life, and began to wear that scapular, not knowing what it was, just that it was a religious item. He found a doctor to treat his depression, and within a few weeks – came and asked if he could please come home. He began attending Mass every week, went to a few RCIA classes that spring, then officially enrolled in RCIA in the fall last year. This year, my son was able to serve as Altar Server at the Easter Vigil when his dad received Confirmation and First Communion!
The last Mass before Easter, when in the prayers Father paused for our private intentions, the tears ran down my face. For years, that was my time to pray for my husband’s conversion. What would I pray for now? They were tears of joy.
It may take years, but as Padre Pio said, Pray, Hope and Don’t Worry. I’d add, love.
Kage
