Hi Thomas (and all)--
I've been out of the loop on the boards lately except for keeping up with the birthdays and a few posts in the lounge. I did not realize what was happening on these recent threads, or I might have piped in. Actually, I thought I had been a good defender of Catholics all along, but I guess I didn't do a very good job. Maybe it is because I just don't know enough about it. But when you said you were the only voice here doing that, I had to wonder. You said you wondered if anyone bothered to read the article. I did. I imagine quite a few others did, too. Anyway, maybe you missed the multiple times I have spoken up in the past? Just checking....
I sure hope you are going to hang around. I am still figuring all this out. In fact, the first few questions I asked when I joined CR had to do with busting some myths about the Catholic faith (just ask our friend Josh--he knows).
That said, I trust that God understands about folks like me. I was raised in a Protestant tradition that closed the Communion to "outsiders" too. I have thought long and hard about this--I have just never been comfortable with that idea. I have seen the faces, though, from my piano bench where the Spirit of Our Lord was very much in that quiet and worshipful music. And the faces of the people (my own mother included) were different than they were any other time. Christ's presence was there in the bread and "wine".
Anyway, I know that I am addressing a subject from another thread, but I can't go back and respond on all of them. But there is no need for you to explain further about the subject I have just brought up (at least not to me, as I have read your posts and I understand the position you hold.) As you know, I can't exactly keep up very well right now. But I love you, and you know it, and if you leave, there will be a void that only Thomas can fill. I may not always agree with you about everything, and much of the time I just don't quite understand, but I respect your devotion to Tradition with a capital "T".
![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
And one must do what one is called to do. That much I get.
So, I hope I have not gone and disrupted things again, but I was compelled to add my thoughts here, belated as they are, perhaps. It looks as if you may hang around? I hope so. Anyway, know this--if you don't, I will find you....
InPeace,
InLove