Cringe

Today at Mass, I didn't go to up to Communion since I hadn't confessed the night before. It always is upsetting because when we get to the middle of the Mass I start thinking, "Oh it will be so wonderful to receive Him" and then I remember: "No, moron, you don't get to today." Next week will be better ...

There was a letter from all the Bishops of Ohio promoting "Yes" on State Issue 1, which would amend the Ohio Constitution to ban gay marriage. Our priest has always seemed like a straight-and-narrow, one-of-the-good-guys type and he certainly had no problem reading it to us. After Mass, however, when he was waiting at the door to shake our hands, somebody came up to him and asked him, in a nasty voice, if he had read John Courtney Murray's theology on this issue - "separation of church and state." I only heard this much because I was already on my way out of the doorway - besides which, I wasn't real eager to sit there and listen to someone lay into a priest for teaching what the Church teaches. Now that I think about it, I should have maybe stopped and tried to defend not only my priest, but also Father Murray, who would be appalled at the idea of his name being used that way.

FYI: Father John Courtney Murray, S.J., was an American theologian whose work on freedom and liberty greatly enhanced the discussions at Vatican II. It is a totally facile argument to claim that he would be in favor of abortion or same-sex marriage or any other cause for which his theology is often hijacked. You can read more about him here.

On a positive note, the lady sitting behind me introduced herself to me after Mass. She was very friendly, and it's always nice to "know" some more people at church.