Confessions of a Fumbling Believer , livre ebook

Confessions of a Fumbling Believer
Margaret Mary Sickles
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-02-28
Confessions of a Fumbling Believer About the Author Dedication Copyright Information Acknowledgements Introduction Who I Am “If You Want Peace, Work for Justice.” The Mystery of the Argyle Socks A Quote I Love Decades Coming The Spirit and the Letter The Presence of Those We Love A Point of Clarification: What Happens When What They Taught You Makes No Difference? Daniel Berrigan, S.J. “Outside the Church, There Is No Salvation.” Are You Sure? Imported Irish Swiss Cheese or Olive Loaf? Limbo the Place, Not the Dance Update, Update, Update: Cafeteria Catholics At the Pork Store Abortion: The Only Issue? Please Note: Yes, I Know I Am Being Judgmental The Homily Oops the Reflection Lack of Confidence Would Saints Peter and Paul Be Embarrassed? Did You Ever Feel Like Saint George? My Favorite Scripture Passages I Was Blessed Ad Orientem: What Can He Be Thinking? Update, Update, Update: “Don’t Stare” To the Bunkers Saints The Courage of One’s Convictions Sounds Grand But… Everyone Makes Mistakes The Cluster System Indulgences? Really? Stuff Happens… Being Stupid or an Idealist? “What Did You Say I Am?” Saint Paul Red or Dead? Institutional Identity How Do We Measure Greatness? “Stop, We Have to Pray.” Religion in America Today Is There Anything You Have Never Told Anyone? A Reflection on The Joy of Love “There Is No Room…” Saint John Paul Saints Are All Around Us The Spanish Inquisition Update, Update, Update: Another Reflection on The Joy of Love A Very Short Career A Sense of Community A Significant Turning Point Women Who Have Been Ordained A Point of Clarification: “Leave Me Alone!” Termination The Soup Supper “You May Believe This or Not” I Have Never Meshuggeneh Bishops or Bishops Who Are Meshuggeneh ? How Would You Describe a Saint? Why Did I Enter the Convent? Please Read This to the End When We Are So Sure Memorable Thought-Provoking Comments Abuse and the Church A Slippery Slope? I’m Not Sure A Tempest in a Teapot I Am Looking Around “Can’t You Shut Her Up?” The Clergy Shortage Leaving My Parish Jesus Said: Neighbor. Though… To Have Hope Is There a Plan? How to Read the Bible? Why I Left the Convent “Please Be Seated” Educators Who Have Influenced Me The Rest of the Story “Thank God You Came” Catholics and Confession Pope Francis and His Clergy Tangible Closure When I Did Not Want to Ask Another School Closed “And the Meek Shall Inherit…” “Welcome to the Real World” I Try, I Really Do “Always His People” The Catholic Church and Power Touch Their Hearts The Rosary The Spider and the Butterfly Sometimes… A Good Priest Guilt The Tuna Fish Sandwich What Would Jesus Do? Servant, Easy to Say, Hard to Be The Ubiquitous Shopping Cart A Breakfast Treat Really, It Isn’t So Bad! Sources of Inspiration for Me A Special Talk A Good Homily Should Not Be Hard to Find “Kumbaya…My Lord, Kumbaya” Instinct or Intuition Before Empirical Evidence Padre Pro, Not Padre Pio A Great Educator The New Evangelization My First Lie Papal Infallibility “God Loves You” Letting Go Appearances Are Deceiving Pope Francis Frequently, the Second Vatican Council Is Blamed More and More I Am Seeking the Uncomplicated Not Only Schools Confession Time Here Meditation Being Less Than Noble Do As We Say, Not As We Do I Was Out with a Group of Friends Someone Once Asked Me One Regret “You Excuse Everyone Else” The Upper Room Never Say Never My Father Died When I Was 20 Kindergarten Had a Great Influence on Me A Shining Moment for American Catholics A Passing Remark There Is Something Missing Model for Parish Life? Gentlemen, Just Bring out the Sack Cloth and Ashes “Fiddler on the Roof” Was a Religious Experience Just Passing Through Outside of the Box What to Say? Serendipity: What a Good 1960s’ Word! My Struggles to Be an Artist Ahead of His Time Gifts for the Common Good No Good Deed Goes Unpunished “In Case He Is Canonized” I Feared for Their Salvation Historical Note: Making up for the Past A Prayer for Every Occasion Thoughts on Pastoral Planning: Part I Brown, Brown and Smith The Mayonnaise Girl “The Problem of God” You Never Know Paying for Sacraments Familiarity May Breed… What to Do? I Beg to Differ The Past Was Better or Is It Just the Past? A Secret Vice Blast from the Past Saint John XXII’s Tomb “Go, Your Sins Are Forgiven” Coincidence or Grace? Last Gasp of Conservatism “Why Do You Help Her?” Some Thoughts on Pastoral Planning Who You Remember I Am So Angry The Biblical View Taking the High Moral Ground…or Not The Flags Historical Note: Epilog
About the Author
Margaret Mary Sickles is a life-long educator both as a religious and lay person in the Roman Catholic Church. The essays in this book detail both her experiences as well as her personal journey and quest for a living and meaningful spiritual life.
Dedication
I dedicate this book to my family, living and deceased, and especially to James N. Sickles, my nephew, who has enriched my life and helped me in ways too numerous
to count.
Copyright Information
Copyright © Margaret Mary Sickles (2019)
The right of Margaret Mary Sickles to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalog record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781788236874 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528947725 (E-Book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
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Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Acknowledgements
There are so many people who have been part of my life and who have contributed to its fabric, some mentioned in this book and others who remain unheralded. Each have impacted me – some positively and some negatively. Regardless of the kind of impact, they have, in part, made this book possible.
Introduction
This book has been years in creation and some of the essays reflect it. There were several reasons why. One was a fear of what people would think. I recalled the local priest who wrote a novel some years ago. Much time was spent, on the part of some, trying to figure out who may have been represented in his book. I struggled with being honest, not wanting to be nasty, but knowing that there were some negative, less than edifying things I would have to write about. There are things I am sensitive about and others that would make me look less than a sterling character. I did understand that being honest meant I would have to write about my faults and failures, knowing well that I am no saint or even close. Also, I did not want to be preachy or self-serving, and I have tried not to be. If I have been, please know that I only meant well. I worry, analyze and continue to think things through, perhaps too much so. Thus I have written, edited and revised at length. Some of this compulsion comes from the nuns in both elementary and high school who always had us edit and re-write.
At long last, I came to understand that what I have written is the story of my life and faith journey, and I could be free to tell it. One of my concerns was that there have been many wonderful people in my life who are not mentioned here. To you I say, I am sorry and I am grateful for what you have done to enrich my life. To anyone I have presented in a negative way, please know that I did not wish you any harm, but have represented you as I have seen you and the situations we shared.
Finally, it is my hope that my musings will resonate, in some small way, with others who are on the great journeys of life and faith.
Some essays are personal stories and reflections; others are observations and opinions on religion today and specifically on the Roman Catholic Church. They are in no special order and may be read straight through or here and there.
Who I Am
How to describe myself? I tend to think in terms of what I have done and accomplished in life. I have a theory that each person has a dominant theme or inclination. In my case, it is to have new experiences, goals and challenges. Over the years, I have had and accomplished many, and they have been a source of satisfaction; others remain undone and are either not attainable or unimportant now.
I once heard the late Msgr. Philip Murnion describe himself as Irish, Catholic and Democratic, having grown up in the Bronx. I can identify with Irish, Catholic and Democratic, but I grew up in Albany, New York in a mainly Irish Catholic extended family. You will meet many family members in these pages. A product of Catholic schools, I entered the Religious Sisters of Mercy after high school graduation and left the community 33 years later.
Following formation, I taught in two parish elementary schools. I then attended a special program to train high school religion teachers for the Diocese of Albany, earning a major in Religious Studies at the College of Saint Rose. My undergraduate degree was in Social Studies also from Saint Rose. For seven years, I taught religion at a community sponsored high school, Mercy High School, and loved it. Those years were very rewarding, and I treasure my memories of the girls, other faculty members, programs and activities.
During this time, I was active on various Albany Diocesan religious education committees and not only worked with accomplished educators, but met many faith-filled, committed people around the Diocese.
At the same time, I earned a master’s degree in Biblical Studies from Providence College, attending summers. The program was exceptional; many of the professors wrote t