Thankful: My Catholic Family

You know you’re in your home parish when even though you’ve been away for a long time, the minute you walk in they put you to work.

That’s what happened to me recently as I returned to the Bible study class at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church in Queens. I had been away for nearly two years because I had been going to a church in Manhattan. However, the minute I returned, I was handed a guitar and told to join in as the group began rehearsing the opening song … “Open my eyes, Lord. Help me to see your face.” 

When we finished, all my old friends greeted me. The musician’s wife ran up and hugged me and gave me a peck on the check, and asked if I had said hello to her husband. “Oh yeah,” I joked, “He kissed me four times.”

I fit right back in as if I never left. Everything just fell into place. It just felt so right. I had no doubt, because if you are a Catholic, and even if you are like me and no longer have a family, you always have a Church family and home.

As the class began, the entire group joined in singing. All eyes were on the words on the screen in front, “Open my eyes, Lord. Help me to see your face.” All eyes, except mine. My eyes were on the fifty different faces of Jesus in that church basement. I thought of what Mother Angelica often says, “You might be the only Jesus some people will ever see.”

The priest was different this year, forty of the faces were new, but of the dozen I recognized, they were from every part of the globe:  Philippines, Latin America, North America, the Caribbean, India, the Congo, and Europe. All of them singing in unison. I thought of how some have inspired me, some have encouraged me, and some have consoled me, or I have consoled them over the past years, since converting to Catholicism.

As I studied their faces, I saw the people who persevere in their faith despite life’s challenges. Even though it had been a long time since attending this class, they were all still the same. There is the  young man with autism who still devotedly makes it to Bible study and other church functions. The woman who walks with a heavy limp, but still works as a nurse and teaches Catechism to preschoolers using toy chalices and candles as learning tools. The young woman who struggles to make ends meet with cat sitting and house cleaning jobs, and attends Mass every day, as well as other church events.

Later that night, after I returned home, I thought about how much I had missed during my hiatus from Bible study. There are so many benefits to attending groups at church, whether it’s prayer groups, charismatic groups, choir, youth groups, flea markets, or food pantries for the hungry. Aside from the  instruction aspects of the group activity, it is also the fellowship – just being among, conversing with and praying together with like-minded individuals can bring much needed benefits. Some of these are:

1. Reinforces the fact that we’re not alone. No matter what we are led to believe by the media and the world around us, that pop culture is the norm, there are many others like us who are trying to live authentic Catholic lives. Groups help reinforce our solidarity.

2. Inspiring people. Sometimes the most inspiring people we will ever meet are right there in the pew beside us. Yet, we rarely give ourselves the chance to meet them. In small groups, we get to know people, hear their stories, the problems they have overcome, as well as new and creative ways they are dealing with challenges today.

3. Asking for help. In conversations and prayer requests, these small groups allow us to seek spiritual help, whether seeking prayer or consoling words.

4. Helping others. We can certainly pray for and offer helpful words, or lend a helping hand to our brothers and sisters in need.

5. Faith networking. Other Catholics can inform us of groups, websites, books, podcasts, or other resources that have benefited them and could also benefit us.

6. Stepping out of our comfort zone. Sometimes, we might not feel like going to a meeting on a particularly cold or wet night. However, when we get there we usually find that we receive a renewed energy. The Holy Spirit has a powerful motivator.

I am sure you have a number of ideas that you could add to this list.

That evening, at the Bible study class, a woman who has been going to this church for many years came up to our little group. She walks with a cane now and she said to me, “Welcome back, brother. Hello everybody.”

“Hello, Flora,” I said, “A woman who is always happy.”

“I am always happy because when I am here, Jesus is here. When we are here we ask him to come, and he comes.”

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming here. Thank you for my Church family.