That Catholic curse

My family met a car accident six years ago. Five members together with Mark – a cousin – was in that car accident. Four of them got some minor injuries while two brothers got from worse to worst.

One of the most stark side-comment that I have received came from one aunt talking to someone else (not me), loosely said – “Look at Mark, he was safe as if nothing has happened to him. He suffered no injuries whatsoever. That’s the power of prayers and faith to the Lord.”

I was so pissed with that comment that until now it’s still fresh from my memory. As if she was telling that our family is not praying and has no relationship with the Person Above. I give her the benefit that she doesn’t mean to hurt somebody’s feeling by saying that but I was so dismayed and so upset by that. Whatever she wants to tell then, it’s clear to me that she thinks that we belong to a inferior “faith” and that theirs is superior and maybe the right one. Once you’re not belong to them, you’re doomed.

Years past, I already forgot that comment. Then, Mom told us about her recent discussion with a “convert” relative. That relative was there for a vacation and told that he will get married two months from now with a woman she met at their church.

Dad then asked if this was the same woman he told a year ago he’s getting married with.

He told, “No, not the same girl. She doesn’t want to be a Christian so we called it off… She’s a Catholic.”

That relative’s response got the ire of Mom. She told him that they (Born-again Christians or Baptist) should refrain from giving those impressions that Catholics are non-Christian since like them, Catholics do believe in Christ also. It has been a common for her (and even me, and the rest of us) to hear such comment to “Christians” like that relative of ours. But that relative never conceded and seems to stand firm to his conclusion: Catholics are not Christians. That’s a Christian behavior personified, huh.

And he’s not the only relative I have heard to have that notion. It seems to me that this campaign against Catholics has been going on for sometime now. I even received a letter from another aunt abroad urging me to know HIM more by attending Sunday service in the church attended by an uncle’s family. After being obliged to go for a week or two (pakikisama, you know), I refrained going with them.

This campaign of sorts against Catholic (even few) got me turned off to consider (or reconsider) “conversion” even if there’s a lot of pressure to get me in one of them since I was in grade school. Many of my aunts and uncles have already turned back to being Catholics. A lot of them. In fact, on Dad’s side, we are the only remaining Catholics in the family. They might have realized that they could not remain non-Christians so they stepped out of this religion. Hmmm

Instead of stepping out of the faith I was born with, I have decided to be more Catholic as much as I could.

BUT

One issue that I have to live with (and sometimes get on my nerves) is the way the Catholic leadership try to manipulate everyone regarding certain issues in the society. They are there sometimes not to guide their parishioners rather persuade them to be on their side on issues that they should not be involved too much as this is not their “expertise”. They say it is their moral duty.

Sometimes I ask myself if I am wrong when there are issues that I don’t totally agree with the church. Am I that evil?

But when I hear / read the arguments of both sides on those issues that the church opposes (like say the reproductive health bill), I still believe my values are intact even if I am not with the side of the church. What is wrong with the church is that they give their opinion and yet they don’t give an option. When they give one, I find it not plauisible – something that don’t really solve the problem but just compicate things up.

THEN AGAIN

While there could be flaws in this religion – a lot of imperfections even – I know I can live with it. Besides, I believe that faith with Him doesn’t depend on the sect you belong to but on the relationship with Him that you got to establish. There is no perfect entity, so is with your faith. And who is anyone to judge one’s person based on his religion? No one.