Catholic Ragemonkey

You're never fully dressed without...
...a smile! That is the song I sing in the local community theatre production of Annie. I am Bert Healy, the host of the Oxydent Hour of Smiles radio program in the beginning of Act II. It is a very small, but very manageable, role for a busy pastor. Apparently the local theatre usually hurts to find enough men to fill the roles, so they asked if I could pick up this part. The show opens in a week or so.

Two nights ago at rehearsal I had an interesting conversation with a woman and her teenage son. They attend the local Nazarene ecclesial community. We were chatting along when the woman made mention of Lent and what her son had given up. I paused the conversation and said, "Wait a minute, you all do Lent?" "Oh, yeah," she said, "and all the youth group has to give something up. We do the ashes and everything." I responded, "Wow, that is really interesting. You're just picking up all sorts of Catholic practices." She responded, "Yeah, I asked a few people at our church, isn't this [Lent and ashes] Catholic? But, we do it." Then the son and I proceeded to talk about what he had given up and the nature of what a lenten sacrifice is supposed to be (i.e., we forego a LAWFUL pleasure, not a vice).

I was really fascinated by this. It made me wonder if we aren't on the verge of seeing some Protestants (at least some mainline ones) become more and more Catholic until, who knows, maybe they re-join Mother Church. I pray so.