I was also born and raised a “cradle Catholic” out here in Southern California. Both of my parents ensured that my siblings and I were raised in the Faith. My mother taught us the Faith by example, and my father taught through fear. Well, as I began to rebel against my father, I slipped away from the Church. I didn’t go to any other churches because, deep down, I knew thew the Catholic Church was right.
I went into the military to escape my father. Funny…, I don’t know which was worse. During that time, I neglected to go to Mass, even when a Catholic Chaplain was flown out to our ship position. By the time I got out of the Navy, I had been away for years. I went to college and I was mortified to hear a history professor exclaim that the Catholic Church was responsible for all the atrocities in this world. That was the first stepping stone.
Several years ago, I met a wonderful girl and quickly we started dating. She became my best friend and companion, and, soon, I realized that I was meant to be with her. One problem, She was a Methodist. At that point, I remembered something my father drummed into my head. He told us, “When you get married, you will get married in the Church.” And I knew he wasn’t kidding. Several years earlier, my maternal grandmother was getting re-married even though my grandfather was still alive. My parents kept us from that ceremony, at the expense of several years of isolation from my extended family.
My girlfriend and I talked about religion sometimes, but I shied away because I didn’t know how to talk to her. I went to my mother’s library and found “Catholicism and Fundementalism” on the bookshelf. I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was newly ablaze. The no-longer-smoldering ember that I was rekindled into a forest fire of Faith. I wanted to help my girlfriend (now, fiancee) understand and join my Faith, thinking that I could convert her myself, not allowing the Holy Spirit to call her to the Church. But, I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit had already went into motion because she, secretly, began taking RCIA classes at her local parish. After three months, she told me, with much trepidation, that she had begun RCIA to learn about my Faith, but not to convert.
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I began to read even more, hoping that something I would say would put her over the top. Well, to this day, she hasn’t swam the Tiber, but she does join me at Mass often. We are preparing for our wedding next June. I believe, with the help of the Holy Spirit, that we can raise a family to love and honor God and eachother.
I guess I can say that the reason I became a Catholic defender was to help her, but I inadvertantly began to help myself. Now, I can defend my faith and shelter her development in Faith. I learned so that I can know the Truth and that she could learn the Truth.
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