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Responding to Elizabeth Scalia’s challenge: Why do YOU Remain a Catholic?
Finding Jesus in the Eucharist. By itself the Eucharist would be sufficient reason to stay. The fullness of our Savior, of his Body, his Blood, his Soul and his Divinity is present in every particle in every drop of the Eucharist. And he invites me to take and eat so that he can remain in me and I can remain in him, in deepest, most intimate communion. How could I turn my back on that? Where else could I be with my Lord? Where else could I kneel in adoration of his amazing Presence?
Sadly some people I’ve met who were raised Catholic and left say that they never had a personal relationship with Jesus while they were Catholic. This is tragic. To be in His presence and not know He is there. To receive him in communion and not continue to grow in knowledge and love of him. I am so glad I know him and love him both in Scripture and in the Eucharist where He humbles himself to come to me and dwell with me.
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The other six sacraments: Especially reconciliation when my sins are forgiven, my slate is wiped clean, I am washed in his blood and am made new again.
My baptismal promises, made on my behalf when I was an infant and which our family renews every year on the anniversary of each member’s baptism.
My confirmation when I was sealed with the Holy Spirit and given the gifts I need to witness his Love to the world.
My wedding vows when Domenico and I became one flesh in Christ.
And all the many times I’ve received anointing to strengthen my body and my soul.
And for all the priests and deacons and bishops I know who have blessed me with their service and their witness and their fidelity to Christ as they live out their sacrament of holy orders.
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The fullness of truth. It is here and only here that I will find the fullness, the richness, the depth and the beauty of Truth. Other faith traditions have access to Truth, of course. But only in the Catholic Church is the fullness of that Truth expressed.
The awesomeness that is St Peter’s in Rome and St John Lateran and St Mark’s in Venice and Chartres and The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in DC.
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The Seat of Peter and the communion of saints.
2000 years of continuity.
“The gates of hell shall not prevail.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The writings of Pope Benedict XVI.
I can’t even imagine leaving.
A beautiful testimony to your faith and the depths and richness of its meaning in your life, Melanie.
You have expressed my sentiments also (I was received into the Faith two years ago, formerly a life-long Anglican who’d been for years drawn to the Fullness of Truth.)
Thank you, Valerie.
I remain a Catholic because I believe that Jesus founded the Catholic Church. I would not remain a Catholic if I didn’t believe that. Not a day passes when another scandal is reported, not a Sunday passes when another priest, here in Australia, shows in public that he thinks the Mass is all about himself; the mosh pit Good Friday adoration of the Cross was almost more than I could stand, not a day passes when our Catholic in name only schools demonstrate that the truths of the Faith are completely unknown by both teachers and students. Our bishops don’t seem to be very concerned about our salvation and so they remain silent re dissenting priests, teachers and students.