My dad was about to turn 79 years old. A couple of years before when my mom turned 80, the whole family planned a big birthday bash.
In 2013, at age 78, my dad now had cancer and we didn’t know if he would make it to 80, so we planned his big birthday party at 79.
My husband, Terry and I drove in and stayed with him for the long weekend and went to Catholic Mass with him. At the time Terry and I went to a non-denominational faith community. I hadn’t been to Mass in many, many years. But we had learned many, if not all, of the non-Catholic/anti-Catholic teachings (misunderstandings) of the Catholic faith usually taught. Most notably the teaching that paying the slightest bit of attention to the Virgin Mary was wholly unpleasing to Jesus in a multitude of ways.
Terry and I loved Jesus and wouldn’t want to offend Him in any way. We had a relationship with Him and the Holy Spirit. We had participated in Charismatic and Pentecostal services and were well familiar with many manifestations at those events, having experienced some ourselves.
When we arrived at my dad’s Catholic Church, however, I was unprepared for what happened to me. It was a large church which seated 1000-2000. As I walked into the narthex aka the foyer, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. A few yards further, we entered the area where the congregation sat waiting for Mass to begin. But they weren’t waiting silently.
I walked through the doors and was instantly overcome. I began to weep. It was as if I walked into a cloud. The presence of the Holy Spirit was so strong, it was tangible. My eyes filled, clouding my vision. Tears poured down my face, ruining my makeup. My nose began to run and I was in melt-down. Then, my ears heard the voices of the congregation.
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee….”
I realized they were praying the Rosary!
Suddenly, my brain began to short circuit. It was as if there were a pin ball machine in my head, the silver ball ricocheting side to side, back and forth. How was this possible? How could the Holy Spirit be so strongly present while the Rosary was being prayed.
I quickly excused myself and found the closest bathroom.
So many questions. So very many questions.
Back at home in my prayer time, I knew something was very wrong with what I believed or thought I believed. I told the Lord “You got some ‘splaining to do,” ala Lucielle Ball.
And He did. Almost right away, He began to show me where some of the anti-Catholic teachings were just wrong simply based on logic. I learned that if one were to study why Catholics believe what they believe, one would see there is a very logical explanation. Faith AND Reason. That’s what Catholics believe.
