Ichthys

Recently, I had an awkward conversation with one of my classmates. Not that the content was especially awkward,it was more that I wanted to leave but for some reason, we kept talking.

Somehow, we got to a point where we were talking about how she does not like to go home often. After a while, she explained that she is the daughter of two Presbyterian ministers. I explained that I didn't know much about the Presbyterian denomination, and she went on to explain that, because of this connection, all of the Presbyterians in her town judge her actions. She also went on to explain that her Dad and step-Mom did not care for her fiancé.

Somewhere in the conversation, I mentioned that I was Catholic.

In order to make more of a connection, I told her about how my brothers are both in the seminary. She didn't seem to understand that the statement meant that they both hoped to be Catholic priests someday.

At one point, she finally seem to understand because she said, "Oh, so they are going to become the Catholic priests that don't have kids."

So I answered, "Well, yeah. They don't get married."

She then said, "That must be hard to live alone..except for with just guys."

I then replied, "It's not hard, it's a sacrifice." Looking back, I probably should have said, "it may be difficult, but it is a sacrifice."

It's funny how, the world today, acts like a teenage child acting a certain way just to make it's Father angry.

Until that conversation, I had never seriously thought about how much I need to represent my brothers, and all religious for that matter. When people hear that someone is Catholic, they seem to immediately think of the scandals going on or maybe they think that no one is a "real" Catholic anymore (more the Nancy Pelosi types I guess).

When people ask me about my brothers, I feel like I need to defend them as well as all priests, seminarians, and religious that I know (or don't know).

When Michael first entered the seminary, I seemed to get all of these new uncles. I feel much more connected to the Church and its priests. Not that I wasn't connected before, I just feel more responsible in the representation of the Church. But, we should all feel that way, all the time.

Catholics should defend their priests in these trying times. They are walking through the lions den, and their parishioners should be right there with them. In a time when people only associate the Church with scandal, these priests and religious are true heroes.

Pray for your priests and be armed with information! When someone finds out you are a Catholic, show them your love for the Church and its servants.

When someone draws that Ichthys in the sand, don't ignore it. Profess your faith and finish drawing that fish!