I have no qualms about admitting that I am a “fallen away Catholic”. When I was a kid church on Sundays was mandatory. So were head scarves like your Gramma wore, or if you were lucky, at Easter, a lovely hat or bonnet! Services were in Latin, and we never, ever ate meat on Fridays, or on any of the high holy days.

A lot has changed in the Catholic Church since then; much- - has not. The Pope is still considered to be infallible in questions of religion and morals. Infallible! I had problems with that tenant of the Catholic faith when I was young and I still do. You mean to tell me that whomever the College of Cardinals elects as pope will automatically know everything that God does regarding those two subjects? Really? Does that work like osmosis or what?

When I was in college I found a book of humor regarding “surviving Catholic school” and gave it to my older sister for Christmas. Boy did we laugh and see ourselves on every page!

I will never understand how women who professed to serve God, (after all they are married to him, “Brides of Christ” don’t you know) and who obviously didn’t like children, would choose to become teachers. This is a broad statement and does not apply to all, but when I was a child in Catholic School, I encountered many downright mean nuns!

I was a kid who was poked, prodded, pinched, smacked and intimidated by some of the unhappiest females whoever lived! The priests we didn’t see much of, apparently many of them were preoccupied with other things.

What could bring fallen Catholics back to the church? That will be the subject of the next Patty's Ponderings.

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