This is a letter I wrote to the Catholic Church a few years ago. I sent it to my church and the Bishop of Newark’s office.
I am not sure who to send this to so I am sending it to anyone who might listen. I love God and love being a Catholic. However, that has not always been the case.
I grew up in the Catholic school system and one of the things I got from it was if you kiss a boy you were going to hell. (Now that probably wasn’t what was being said but that is what I heard.)
I always had a profound faith and belief in God, Jesus, Mary and the saints. But I always said to myself “I must not be Catholic if I don’t believe my God would send me to hell for kissing a boy.”
That is when I found myself saying I was spiritual not religious.
Then I met my husband and his family. They were raised Catholic but some of them have since left the Church for other churches. I told them I was raised Catholic but was more spiritual. After that I found myself going to church with them and listening when they told me what was different between the churches. I then began my journey learning about other churches but also the Catholic Church.
I have found my way back and I am more Catholic than ever and I love my religion.
My reason for writing is to express a wish for the Catholic Church to reach out better to the children, young people and those who are lost. I have three small children and I want them to grow up feeling the love I now have for being Catholic. I know it is my job but having help from my church would be great.
The Christian church my in-laws belong to have these awesome programs for kids and I just wish we had programs that made our religion fun and exciting, because it is. I mean no disrespect to the Catholic Church at all. I just feel a calling from God to reach those who don’t realize the Catholic Church is God’s church and it is awesome just like God!!
copyright 2014 Sheila M Scarpulla . All rights reserved. No reproduction without written consent
