After answering a post with the words “My sisters husband is non practicing” I anticipated replies like ‘Why would she marry and have children with a lapsed catholic. It got me thinking again about how being roman catholic in some parts of the world, makes it harder to meet a future husband/wife.
As children, we were aware of the fact that there were no other catholics in our main area. Our friends laughed and made us feel a little embarrassed (as young children obviously). Then dating became another area where one felt different. Brought up to want to marry a fellow catholic, it would have been easier to find a needle in a haystack. I dated very nice men but not wanting to marry a non catholic, ended any future plans. So much so that my first serious relationship has occurred at age 37. And even he has been married before. (not in the church). For my sister also. At 33, she met a non practicing catholic and honestly felt she’d hit the jackpot.
Just to give you an idea of being catholic where i grew up and still live. In our catholic school, my mum was horrified that i didnt know what catechism was, had never seen a bible in school and learned about birth control. No one in my class went to church. No one i met at uni was religious.
My mum reminded me that England is not a catholic country(shes irish). But in fact in our county/state, no religion exists. To be called ’ the bible bashers’ as kids for simply going to church should give you an idea. I have travelled around the uk with jobs, and experienced exactly the same.
Just to finish. My dad used to joke that he could count in a second, how many people were at Sunday mass. We would all wait to see how long it would take him to mention the number at church this week. Somehow it doesnt seem funny anymore.