I’m officially a Catholic. Oh wow, it was one of the most amazing moments of my life. A real ‘coming home’. I’ve waited nearly three years for this day and it was so worth it. Fr James made it very spiritual and personal. There were 400+ people in the church and it was beautiful with fresh flowers all around and the Paschal Candle burning brightly by the altar.
People gave me cards and my sponsor Liz gave me a lovely book as well. I was also given a candle [lit from the Paschal Candle] that I will light every Easter Sunday from this day forth. Simon and Millie came with me to share every precious moment. I was confirmed as Elizabeth, chosen by Sr Miriam at Turvey Abbey [thank you Sr M xx], in honour of Saint Elizabeth, Mother of John the Baptist.
I was holding it together just fine until I received my first Holy Communion as a Roman Catholic and it was so incredibly moving that I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. All in all a truly wonderful time.
Here are some rather dodgy pictures of me taken just after we got home …..
Here we are ~ you can see the Chrism oil still shining on my forehead and my slightly ‘wet’ looking fringe as a result. It smells lovely!!
A rare full~body shot of me clutching my little confirmation candle.
Just wanted to share this lovely moment with you all. Thank you to everyone who sent me cards, good wishes, love and support. A sincere ‘Thank You’ to Liz for her friendship and love since I first started worshipping at Christ the King and most especially for today.
Pax et bonum
“Alleluia”
I wish I was a Catholic.
Happy Easter. 🙂
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Hello Sophia ~ A very blessed Easter to you also. Thank you for stopping by xx. Is there any reason why you can’t become a Catholic?? Just wondering!!
Hugs
Sharon xx
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I have to wait until at least next September *sigh*.
I totally understand the whole concept of making it take so long… but boy is it …long.
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Sophia ~ I know how you feel about it taking so long. I took two years to decide where to rest my cross and then a further ten months to finally become a Catholic. The one thing I’ve realised is that it’s all a long journey of continual conversion and there’s no rush ~ how you get there is almost more important than arriving. I’ve actually enjoyed the preparation time and used it to learn more about myself and my faith and to deepen my relationship with God. No matter what point you’re at on this journey you’re still a Child of Christ and not even becoming a Catholic will actually change that [even though it is wonderful]. Becoming a Catholic may well enhance your faith walk and give you a different perspective on prayer/fellowship/eucharist but fundamentally it’s who you are today that matters.
Wishing you joy as you continue to walk with Our Dear Lord.
with love
Sharon xx
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May the Joy and the Peace of the Risen Christ surround you always! Welcome from another Benedictine-oriented Catholic. Know it won’t always be what you’d hoped, but know you have family in Christ.
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Barbara ~ thank you. I have visited your blog and have taken the liberty of adding it to my blog roll if that’s okay??
You’re right, it’s not always what you hoped [religion] but Christ is forever constant no matter what else life throws your way.
Yours ~ in Christ
Sharon xx
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Congratulations, Sharon Elizabeth! May your heart within you always leap with joy, as Elizabeth’s babe leapt, at the presence of the Lord with you.
Spideog/Robin
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Well I’m not even baptised yet.
I know God loves me, I am consistently finding proofs of that. But I don’t think I can legitimately be called a “child of Christ” yet.
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Thank you Robin ~ I hope you’ve had a blessed time this Eastertide and that it was filled with the light of Our Lord.
with love
Sharon xx
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My heartfelt congratulations Sharon. I’ve not forgotten that I owe you an email. I’ll be in touch soon. Promise!
Anyway, from one Benedictine to another ”Welcome Home”.
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Nicholas ~ thank you xx. No rush for the email, if it’s worth having it’s worth waiting for so when you get round to it is just fine.
Oh and I do feel different ~ kind of complete in a way!! Interesting I thought!!
Pax
S xx
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Dearest Sharon,
Congratulations! I was thinking about you today during our Easter Mass. Welcome to the Body of Christ, and you looked beautiful.
May this just be one step on your path to Christ and His Holy Mother.
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Gail ~ how nice of you to put time aside in your thoughts for me yesterday. Thank you for your kind words. “One more step along the world I go” ~ continuous conversion and all that!!!
with love
S xx
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Congratulations from one convert to another! It has been 20 years for me now and a beautiful and blessed journey. God bless and Happy Easter!
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Colleen ~ ah another convert, it’s nice to ‘meet’ others when the world seems full of Cradle Catholics. There were five of us confirmed altogether yesterday in our parish ~ two others with me and two more at the earlier Mass in our sister church. Fr James was chuffed!!
May God continue to bless your journey richly.
with love
S xx
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Congratulations Sharon,
As a candidate for confirmation myself, I can understand the joy you felt in receiving this wonderful gift. I stopped going to church as a teen and with recent events in my personal life I asked a close friend, who had just converted to catholicism, to bring me to church. I felt such a peaceful feeling that first time back that I knew it was time to return.
For the past eight months I have participated with fourteen other adults in the catechumen and candidates program. Last night at our church’s vigil I witnessed some of them receive their baptism, communion and confirmation. This Wednesday I will receive my confirmation. I know this is just the beginning of a wonderful journey and I hope it is for you too.
May the light of the lord guide you always!!
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Phil ~ I shall be praying for you on Wednesday, what time will the service be?? It is like coming home and as I said to Nicholas in a previous comment I didn’t actually expect to feel an awful lot different but in fact I now feel ‘complete’.
I pray that you will continue to walk in the spirit of the Lord in the sure and certain knowledge that He is by your side for eternity.
with love
S xx
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Just dropped by to say congratulations, Sharon, I’m very happy for you.
(I find it ironic and lovely in a way that you are moving closer to Catholicism just as I am finding more and more problems with it. Rather like the waves of the sea going in and out.)
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Hi Tess ~ thank you for stopping by. It’s lovely to see you again and I’ve been keeping an eye on your blog. You have started a train of thought in me that I’ve a feeling will result in a post quite soon. You have struck a chord!!
I hope your problems have a resolution that satisfies your wonderful spirit.
Pax et bonum
Sharon xx
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“I was holding it together just fine until I received my first Holy Communion as a Roman Catholic and it was so incredibly moving that I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. ”
That’s how it was for me too! I cried non-stop after receiving Holy Comunion for the first time!
I am so pleased for you, it is truly wonderful to be a Catholic. Everything else is a pale imitation! My life has been transformed by my conversion from protestantism, and I am truly blessed! I pray the same for you, dear Friend.
Mrs.P xxx
ps: expect something in the post this week 😉
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Aww thank you Mrs P ~ funnily enough I’m in the process of making something for you also. So expect something in the post but don’t hold your breath for next week in case you pass out lol.
I had to laugh when I’d cried cos I said to Simon “I think I got away with it” and he said “Yep, I reckon you did, only 200 of the 400 people here noticed” ~ lololol. Er, maybe not then hehe!!
Hugs and pax
S xx
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Coming to this late Sharon, but I’m so glad you had a lovely & meaningful day on Sunday
Loved your description & as to the tears, I would probably have been in floods too!
with love, Allie xx
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Allie ~ late is fine, just nice to ‘see’ you xx. Your bookmark is so lovely. I’m using it in the book we’re reading for Turvey. xx
with love
S xx
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Praise the Lord… ‘You are the salt of the Earth’ 🙂
You look beautiful 🙂
God bless you,
Jessy
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Jess, what can I say ~ thank you sweetheart xx.
S xx
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