Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Confirmed Catholic

Well it has been so busy the past month. I have had so many things going on. I am now Catholic. I was Confirmed at Easter Vigil. It had been the day I had been waiting for. 
The week before I had a chance to go to San Antonio with my husband. He had some training there with his company. So I decided to go with him and not attend the Holy Thursday services with my parish.  I thought I could attend one in San Antonio. Another couple went with us also. So my friend and I went to some of the Catholic churches there. We went to the Shrine of St. Theresa the Little Flower. That was special because she was my Saint name. The shrine was beautiful. I really enjoyed being there.
On Wednesday my friend took me to Incarnate Word University Chapel. We just wanted to go inside and look around it and pray. Well it was closed. So my friend decided to go down some steps and push the intercom button. A Nun answered and said that she would be right down. She opened the door and we asked her if we could see the Chapel. She said yes she could give us a tour. I had no idea what to expect. When I seen the chapel it was beautiful. It was one of the most beautiful chapel's I had ever seen. The Nun gave us an hour long tour of the chapel.  Then I told her that I was being confirmed on Saturday. Then she said well I am the person who gets to pick who carries the gifts to the priest for Holy Thursday. And then she said "would you like to do that?" I said yes I would. So I figured that this is where God wanted me to spend Holy Thursday. I had planned on going back to the Shrine of St. Theresa for Holy Thursday. So I ended going here instead. I just felt God was working things out for me. So when Thursday night came I had to go to the service by myself because my friend was unable to go. When I got there the same Nun said"I would like you to do something else. I would like you to also carry the oil for the catechums" I said yes I would like to do that. So at the beginning of the service I got to carry the oil to the front of the church.  
Then got to participate in the feet washing ceremony. Which I gave up at my parish to go on this trip. Usually they only pick twelve people to have their feet washed. But here at this church they let anyone come up and participate. After the service was over they had adoration. Only a few us stayed. So during adoration a young man and women began to sing the Divine Mercy. It was the most beautiful singing of the Divine Mercy I had ever heard. I felt as though I was in heaven. I was so overwhelmed with emotion. I just worshiped the Lord for about two hours. I could feel the presence of the Lord there. I did not get home until eleven  that night. It was a wonderful night for me. It was really special.
So on Friday we returned home. I had to go and do my first confession. Then the next day I was confirmed into the Catholic Church. We had an all day retreat and then Easter Vigil that night. There was about fifty of us entering the Catholic Church. I had been waiting for this moment. And when I received the Eucharist I heard the voice of the Lord say "this is my solemn promise to you" and at that moment it all became very real to me. It was just a beautiful night. And afterwords we had a wonderful reception.
So now I am living a new normal with my faith. I have been going to daily mass. I can't hardly stay away. Being Protestant all my life this is something new for me. But I thank God for leading me this way. And I thank Him that I now know the fullness of truth. The fullness of His Glory. It has been a long journey to get here. But God worked through all my obstacles. At the beginning of this journey to the Catholic Church God just told me not to be afraid. To go forward. To make a decision and He would take care of the rest. And He did.