I had listened to “Catholic Answers Live” for about three years but never visited the web site…when I discovered these forums, I wanted to understand Catholicism better. I had an aunt who converted decades ago and had her children baptized. I remember when I was a young boy, going with my cousin to small private shrine in Sunnyvale California. It was a very small building…almost a shed really, with a couple small benches and a table with a statue of a woman on it. The interior was dark with vines painted on the walls and an arch above the statue. He knelt in front of it and lit a candle, crossed himself and said some things I didn’t understand as a young boy of 8 or 9…but it was a vivid memory.
My mom received her sister’s crucifix at her funeral. My two cousins grew up to be…less than wholesome individuals and were escorted to the funeral in chains and cuffs. They both went up to the casket, knelt, crossed themselves and prayed for their mother.
My aunt was not the best “Catholic” representative…so I had a lot of negative ideas…while I still am a lonnnnnngggggg wayyyyyy from even considering Catholicism as a religious tradition I could embrace, I do have a better understanding of where my aunt and cousins were coming from and many of my own misconceptions have been cleared up.