"It's Official" & Happy Easter

Or rather I should say - I'm official. Officially a Roman Catholic that is. A busy Holy Week culminated in a beautiful cermony and mass - at yesterday's Easter Vigil service. My RCIA class was privileged to have Bishop Holley from the Archdiocese of Washington, DC to preside over the event along with the other parish staff at St. Stephen's. Also, one of my friends, author Dawn Eden (The Thrill of the Chaste), was a reader during the service. Another treat was that the Missionaries of Charity sisters (Mother Theresa's order) were in attendance. I had met them while preparing boxed meals at their Convent house in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of DC. I heard through the grapevine that they were praying for me, after a friend from St. Stephen's told them about the Miraculous Medal I had recieved over three years ago when visiting the Mother House in Kolkata, India fall of 2005. They gave me a beautiful card and gift. The event was exciting and everything I expected it to be!

Prior to the event, I held a Confirmation Party at my house. I was surprised by a gift that arrived in the mail earlier that day - a package from the Sisters of St. Birgitta from Darien, CT - whose order was founded by Mother Maria Elisabeth Hesselblad. I had been in contact with the sisters, letting them know that I was becoming Catholic and planned to take the name "Maria Elisabeth" for confirmation. They have been very kind and communicated regularly and let me know that I was in their prayers. They sent me some prayer cards, a beautiful white rosary, and lapel pins, and a key chain that feature Bl. Maria Elisabeth. It was very nice. And I got to wear "Maria Elisabeth" pinned to my collar during the Confirmation!!!

I wanted to also highlight an article, that just ran in the Wall Street Journal on Good Friday, written by my friend (and fellow RCIA-er / former PCUSA-er/ and Catholic Convert) Ashley Samelson entitled "The Freedom to Chose a New Faith." It's a great piece on religious persecution tied into the story of Esther, which Ashley took as her confirmation name.

I wish all of you a blessed Easter! He is risen!

Why Bother to Blog?

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."-1 Peter 3:15

To blog or not to blog? I wrestled with this question for awhile. I wanted to make sure that it was the right thing to do, that I was 110% indeed becoming Catholic, and that I had something relevant to say.

I have had a desire to get down in "writing" the issues, ideas, and experiences I have had before, during, and through this journey into the Catholic Church. Why? Well, for starters, I have alot of friends and family that are not Catholic - and thought this might be an efficient format "to give the reason for the hope that" I have - and how Catholicism play it's important part. Also, I plan to document my thinking on some of the differences (and similarities) found between Protestants and Catholics (sharing some interesting tidbits that I have discovered from the Bible - that as a Protestant held little to no meaning for me). Also, I wanted to have a semi-chronicled account of my journey.

But probably one of the most compelling reasons to share my experience- is to be able to give props to the different books/blogs/websites/podcasts/videos/conversion stories that I came across during the midst of my own journey. These things fed my ravenous desire to understand and learn more about the Catholic faith, as well as feel less isolated by recognizing a similiar path that had been paved by many, many before me.

I strongly believe that this is a time, where many are being prepared to come into full communion with the Catholic Church. I am delighted and honored to be able to enter during The Year of St. Paul - as St. Paul is such an awesome example of conversion.