the Keys to the Kingdom
Expanding further on the theme of reaffirming my baptismal vows on May 20, and that not actually being an act that would make me not a Catholic, I figured out something else interesting this week: I may not ever have actually stopped being an Episcopalian. We discussed confirmation in the inquirer's class on Sunday, and NG told us that when you are confirmed, your name is put on the books. Then when you move, the parish that confirmed you forwards your letter.
I already knew that, but for the first time, it occurred to me to ask if that means I would have a "letter" at the Episcopal parish where I was confirmed back in 1995, before I became a Catholic. NG said he thought so; there's no reason I wouldn't. They might have to go look in some archive for it, but it should be there.
I do not know why this never occurred to me before, in particular back when I was going to Holy Comforter in New Orleans and discussing the possibility of switching back. Back then, and until these last couple of months, my having become a Catholic seemed so earth-shattering an action that I assumed it must have severed all bonds with the Anglican communion. Also, I had my friends at Holy Comforter who had gone back and forth through Catholic and Episcopal receptions more than once; I thought that's how it was. And Fred seemed to think I would need to make some profession of something in order to really serve as the alternate for our parish at the Convention. But maybe that wasn't correct. Maybe all I needed was to get my letter transferred.
So... more and more, it seems like it doesn't matter to anyone what I do on May 20. The Catholics don't seem to care; they'll hear my confession any time, and I'll be back among the ranks. And the Episcopalians don't seem to care; they'll transfer my letter to CC either way, and then I'm official.
If my understanding of all of this is correct, it's kind of funny. All of this anguish, for all of these years, and I've actually already made the decisions I've been agonizing about. It's done! This feels like in the Nields song: "I had the keys to the kingdom all the time."
I wonder whose religion I can join next? :-P
This realization, of course, was marked by an epic dream having to do wtih Fr. D and Fr. Super-Newb from SP's Catholic, and behaving crazy and weird around them, and then being consoled and accepted by them.
I already knew that, but for the first time, it occurred to me to ask if that means I would have a "letter" at the Episcopal parish where I was confirmed back in 1995, before I became a Catholic. NG said he thought so; there's no reason I wouldn't. They might have to go look in some archive for it, but it should be there.
I do not know why this never occurred to me before, in particular back when I was going to Holy Comforter in New Orleans and discussing the possibility of switching back. Back then, and until these last couple of months, my having become a Catholic seemed so earth-shattering an action that I assumed it must have severed all bonds with the Anglican communion. Also, I had my friends at Holy Comforter who had gone back and forth through Catholic and Episcopal receptions more than once; I thought that's how it was. And Fred seemed to think I would need to make some profession of something in order to really serve as the alternate for our parish at the Convention. But maybe that wasn't correct. Maybe all I needed was to get my letter transferred.
So... more and more, it seems like it doesn't matter to anyone what I do on May 20. The Catholics don't seem to care; they'll hear my confession any time, and I'll be back among the ranks. And the Episcopalians don't seem to care; they'll transfer my letter to CC either way, and then I'm official.
If my understanding of all of this is correct, it's kind of funny. All of this anguish, for all of these years, and I've actually already made the decisions I've been agonizing about. It's done! This feels like in the Nields song: "I had the keys to the kingdom all the time."
I wonder whose religion I can join next? :-P
This realization, of course, was marked by an epic dream having to do wtih Fr. D and Fr. Super-Newb from SP's Catholic, and behaving crazy and weird around them, and then being consoled and accepted by them.