February 01, 2016

Be Careful

As the old saying goes, "Be careful of what you wish for."

For years and years, I have recited a daily prayer, at all times of day and night.

"May my lips share Your words.
May my hands do Your work.
May my heart share Your love."

It appears someone was listening and now my cup "runneth over"!

I am a cradle Catholic, but like many, my inner anarchist revolted, and I stopped practicing Catholicism in my early 20's for many years. I had my babies baptized but didn't raise them in the faith. I wanted them to know there is something bigger than us, call it God, or Source or All There Is but I wanted them to come to their own conclusions about religion and spirituality, which they all eventually did.

In the meantime, I studied world religions and metaphysics. The more I studied the more I found the  mysticism of Catholicism to ring true. My husband is a true-blue Catholic, lock-stock and barrel. I, on the other hand, am a Catholic with a mission and a big dose of insurgent. As you have probably read in earlier posts, I have some BIG problems with the Bible and what I believe to be a built-in patriarchal bigotry but there is a beauty in the ritual, the mystery and the spirit of my Faith. I also know that it is easier to change something from the inside than from the outside.

A friend approached me several months ago to help him develop a program for Godparents to build and nurture a relationship with their Godchildren. In our faith, we Baptize babies soon after birth. Parents choose a woman and a man to be the Godparents; someone who will help the parents raise the children with a reverence for life and God (I find it difficult to use the word God because there are so many definitions, good and bad, loving and harsh. Just know that I am not talking about a dude with a long beard and white robe, sitting on a throne in the clouds, demanding to be worshiped!). Our research showed that most Godparents last saw their Godchild at the Baptismal font...a little like a newly elected president attending the Inauguration and never showing up at the White House to do what he (or she) was elected to do.

We conducted several surveys, did our research, created a vision and proposal. We have presented it to several priests, a beloved nun and many Catholics and non-Catholics, all with great acceptance.

The program would be focused on Catholic relationships first, just for ease of introduction. We are proposing (eventually) that parents chose a mentor for each child, no matter what the faith, to help celebrate the child, to teach the child about love, about seeking spirituality, and mostly, to help  the child know that they are important and loved.

Children need so much more attention and guidance. Did you know that 47% of babies born today are born to single mothers. Tell me they don't need a little assistance with raising a child. Kids are so disenfranchised, we have teen suicides at incredible rates, substance abuse, homeless youth...and on and on.  Kids need to know that they are important, that they belong and that they are loved.

We launched the program yesterday, after several weeks of crazy-pace research, writing, editing, graphic design and printing. My friend made two presentations after Mass at two churches and I made two presentations at two churches.

As I was pulling my hair out one morning about 3 a.m., making still-more-changes, I begin to think, "Why am I doing this? I am 65. Shouldn't I just be putzing around in the garden and playing Bridge with my days."

 (I mean other than the fact that our two pit bull pups totally destroyed the garden and I don't know how to play Bridge...but bring on the Pinochle and Gin and I am in!)

Then the voice in my head (don't laugh, you know you have one too!) said,
"May my lips share Your words.
May my hands do Your work.
My my heart share Your love."

Dang, foiled again by my own prayers!

So, be careful of what you pray for, you just might get it.





10 comments:

  1. Yes, hoist on your own petard, lol! I hope your program is a big success and will help many god-parents perform their function better.

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    1. I always wanted to visit the moon! The sooner the better!

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  2. Excellent! Being the "devout" Catholics were were when I was born, I was baptized right away. That's probably the last time I ever saw my Godmother. So much for that! I think what you're doing is fantastic. It's an issue that needs addressing! Good for you!

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    1. Thank you. Godparents do have a way of disappearing into the fog, don't they?

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  3. Good on you, and good on that "wish".

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  4. I was a Catholic till I was in my fifties. I had been questioning it for years but still went to church trying to find peace. Then the priest scandal broke loose and I could no longer belong to such an institution that allowed and hid such horrendous abuse of children. I still search for peace and guidance outside of organized religion and find it in the kindnesses I have encountered and the good people I have met. You, trying to find and connect people to each other, is indeed, a wonderful endeavor. You know where you belong and I can see that it will give you joy.

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    1. The scandal was atrocious and the hiding and protecting of perpetrators was horrendous. I don't know many organizations who haven't had similar scandals and the same hide-it-under-a-rock mentality. We seem to forget that the Church is made up of men and women, mere human beings who still have their egos as well as propensity for CYA behavior. I have also had my ups and downs with organized religion but find that (for me) it isn't about the organization but about my personal relationship with All There Is. My natural state is to question and I do but my concern is for the children, to feel loved, cherished and that they belong.

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  5. This sounds like a wonderful program. I hope it's a huge success!

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    1. Thank you! Hoping your wish is heard by the universe!

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