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And the bodies all lay And the bodies all lay

where they fell where they fell BY ROBERT ALAN GLOVER PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAREN PULFER FOCHT

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“A large number of Catholic sisters came to Memphis from St Louis

to care for the sick and, of course, the dying.“Among them was a sister whose home was in Memphis, (her name has since been forgotten) and she had hoped to see them during her stay.

“Upon their arrival the nuns were hustled away immediately to begin their work. The unknown sister caught the fever and died six days later — without seeing her family — and perhaps without their even knowing that she had come home.”

— Richard Smith, former manager of Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Memphis

Smith was talking about the yellow fever epidemics of 1878 and 1879 (and which were preceded by an earlier one in 1873) that took the lives of 8,000 people, including an unknown number of Catholics.

Unlike all the 30,000 citizens of Pompeii – who were buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. – many of these souls’ names ARE known, and thankfully not only to God.

Richard Smith is just one of a half-dozen people I interviewed for this piece; and his account of the unknown sister's tragic demise is just one of the many, deeply moving accounts this reporter learned.

He was also one of seven local historians and/or archivists who helped write a series of memorial articles, published in the West Tennessee Catholic in 2003 that commemorated the 1878 epidemic's arrival in Memphis.

“A lot of incredible stories came out of that project, most of which were not even known to people living at that time,” said Smith.

“My time at Calvary spanned 18, perhaps 19 years; I had little knowledge of the epidemics when I first arrived there, until I put together this group of seven people and we began doing research on the 1878 epidemics,” said Smith.

“What I also learned about the epidemics during my time at Calvary was that nearly 60 percent of the people who died were Catholic, yet there was no name or date of death recorded,” said Smith.

“We are drinking out of the bitter cup of sorrow, and we are doomed.”

— editor's comment in The Daily Memphis Avalanche, Friday Aug. 30, 1878.

Carole Bucy is the honorary county historian for Davidson County in the Nashville Diocese.

“I teach three sections of Tennessee history at Ball State College, have been there for 26 years and have a Ph.D. in U.S. history from Vanderbilt University,” said Bucy recently.

“The epidemics which hit our area in the early 1870s were smaller and caused by cholera and measles,” she said.

“We had outbreaks of cholera quite regularly, starting in 1849 and including two more after the Civil War and almost until the 20th century, and a measles epidemic,” said Bucy.

And, said Bucy, “While we did have three convents here during the 1870s, our Catholic nuns were not trained as nurses, but heroically went out into the field anyway – to some very poor neighborhoods with unclean drinking water.”

When it came to both the West Tennessee outbreaks and those in middle Tennessee,

Bucey was equally complimentary of the sacrifice made by lay Catholics and the religious during both crises.

“These people were very active in caring for the people, whether it was with yellow fever – which is contagious – or cholera; they all made a very significant effort and were out there on the front lines,” said Bucey.

“In the end, they all made quite a sacrifice, but this was their calling – it was the vow they had taken.”

Bury me in the sunshine, let its warm and gentle ray, shine forth upon my sepulchre on each bright coming day.”

— Joseph W. Turner, 1864.

These were the last words of Bishop of New York City John Hughes ( 1797-1864), which composer Joseph Turner put into a song shortly after Hughes' death.

Those words are also the title of Father John Vidmar’s new book on our yellow fever epidemics.

Bury Me In The Sunshine: The Yellow Fever Epidemics of Memphis was published last fall, during another viral outbreak.

The book is available from Cluny Media of Providence, R.I., and on Amazon.com.

“A total of 8,000 people died during the three epidemics; 2,000 in 1873, 5,100 in 1878 and the remainder in 1879. There is no record or percentage of how many Catholics died, and we had three parishes in the center of Memphis and the outbreaks,” said Father Vidmar.

The book, however, does list the names of the Catholic religious who died in each epidemic year, along with their Protestant counterparts.

Several orders of Catholic nuns ministered to the afflicted during the crisis, with the majority of their dead being Dominicans.

The book came about several years ago when Vidmar – looking, he said, “for something to write about” – went to the archivist for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, who suggested the yellow fever epidemics.

Vidmar told FAITH magazine that he found an old diary – which he used extensively – “that helps people understand (the outbreaks).”

He also noted – not surprisingly – “that a lot of what they experienced back then, we are going through right now; it all sounds very familiar,” said Vidmar.

Yet the sacrifice of eight Catholic priests, and nearly two dozen nuns from eight different orders, was barely spoken of at the time.

Several books are now in print, but the truth still remains, as Vidmar said, “that this was very under-reported outside of the South – or even Memphis for that matter.”

So much so, in fact, that when Bury Me In The Sunshine: The Yellow Fever Epidemics of Memphis was published, a reading group at St. Peter's Catholic Church chose it for their circle.

According to the author, “Many of the sisters who ministered and – lest we forget – DIED were teachers of the Franciscan and Dominican congregations.

“The Franciscans were assigned to St. Mary's, a German Catholic parish in the heart of downtown Memphis that is still there.”

One nun in particular – her name likewise also forgotten – drew a picture of the Crucifixion as she was dying. The picture still hangs on an attic wall at the church, a testimonial to the sisters' dedication and, ultimately, tragic destiny.

“Things got so bad, in terms of the mortality rate, that a reverend mother based in Memphis wrote the motherhouse of the Franciscan nuns in St. Louis, asking her not to send anyone else,” said Vidmar.

The 328-page book took nearly six years to complete.

The arrival of COVID, however, forced Vidmar to change his original introduction, “due to our lack of experience with a pandemic, something which changed, of course.

“In writing the book, I gained an appreciation for what these people did, and I hope they will be remembered,” said Vidmar.

“I got into (studying the epidemics) through my genealogy research and started back when there was no internet, using lots of different tools,” said Kern. The retiree said his focus was on James and Mary Walsh, his great-great-grandparents, even though Kern's own family did not know much about them. Indeed, no one living today – unless they have an “in” (an ancestor) who lived through the ordeals – has any firsthand, factual knowledge of what happened. “I discovered they had migrated to Memphis from New York state and were of very strong Irish-Catholic stock,” said Kern. When the 1878 epidemic struck, however, the character of that stock and its strength of heart were not enough. According to Kern, “Bigotry, poverty and disease were a bad mix; the Irish were really hated, and along with the poor whites and (Blacks), they all bore the brunt of the disease, with no one writing about it on their behalf.” While doing his research, Kern did discover the death of at least one direct ancestor – his great-grandmother Mary Walsh – on Aug. 24, 1878. “Two cousins, Patrick Mackey and Pat Ryan, died within days of each other, but as for anyone else, I simply can't be sure,” said Kern. Some relief was provided during both the 1878 and 1879 outbreaks by Father William Walsh (no relation), the associate pastor at St. Patrick's Parish, located in south Memphis and near the epidemic's center. “He was instrumental in writ-

At one point, Memphis was averaging 100 burials ing the federal government to a day, in mass graves; there was no large-scale flight get money for setting up tent cities for people who were too poor from the city — only half of the population got out — to leave the city, most of whom if you could leave, you did.” were Irish,” said Kern. Father Walsh's program, it — Kevin Kern, retired Memphis attorney and amateur genealogist should be noted, was so successful that when the disease returned in 1879, it was used as a model again. No marker exists to honor what Walsh and others did, and only a faded old photograph of the wheeled altar built for Masses at the camp exists. Father Walsh went on to become wellknown in Chattanooga, but the picture was far different where remembering the Catholic departed is concerned.

The first book on this subject, from a Catholic perspective, was Heroes and Heroines of Memphis, 1873, 1878, 1879.

It was not written until 1887, but fortunately, author Denis Alphonsus Quinn was a Catholic priest.

The photograph, Kern said, “is featured in Quinn's book; it shows survivors of the 1878 epidemic marching the wheeled altar triumphantly back to St. Brigid's church – not knowing what awaited everyone the following year.

“Many of the refugees who had left Memphis for the camps, in turn, left those camps and returned to town. When the fever returned in 1879, they caught it then and died,” Kern said.

He also learned about a stigma which attached itself to another religious denomination.

“There were several Protestant ministers in Memphis who had lost family members, and they were horribly criticized – perhaps unfairly – for leaving with their surviving loved ones,” said Kern.

“Conditions in Memphis reached the point where one could go out, and not even those who wanted to help could go in. No one, it seems, was spared.

“The people living here chose St. Louis – which lay upstream – because it was largely Catholic, but also because it had good runoff – gutters, curbs and such – while Memphis had none of these,” said Posey.

He added, “The ultimate effect on Memphis was just devastating, along with the daily, mass burials and mule-drawn wagons proceeding endlessly through town.”

The director emphasized that while no hard figures are available on the religious affiliation of victims, there is a section reserved for just yellow fever casualties.”

“Even the final figure of fever victims buried there is seriously under-reported because (a) many of them left, (b) a lot of others who stayed died and (c) priests who had left did not want to come back because doing so would have been their death warrant,” said Posey.

Thankfully, almost two decades ago, our late Bishop Terry Steib fixed that oversight.

“He and other residents of the city planted a tree on All Saints’ Day, 2003, beside an earlier monument erected to the dead of the epidemics.

“The monument is something which is designed to provide accuracy, because we don't have a good number of those who died, due to the recordkeeping being so

poor,” said Posey.

If any one fact is certain, it is that no one in Posey's family tree was a fatality of the epidemics.

“None of my ancestors were directly affected by the outbreaks, as we were not residents at that time, and I am glad that I was not around then,” said Posey.

Judge Jennie Latta has served as a federal bankruptcy judge in the Western District of Tennessee for 21 years. Latta, who became a Catholic in 1992, told FAITH that her interest in the epidemics was sparked by something entirely different – slavery.

“I was curious as to what had happened to slave children who were baptized prior to their sale at auction, and learned from baptismal records that not all of them were children – but also adults,” said the judge.

“In doing my research – and in reading Father Vidmar's book – I discovered that my great-grandfather had contributed to the Howard Association, which helped raise money (for Memphis) and sent doctors to our city to aid the victims,” said Latta.

“Towns on the river were affected the most, infection was widespread and thousands left for either Nashville or upstream St. Louis, Missouri.”

— Patrick Posey, the current director of the 154-year-old Calvary Cemetery here in Memphis

The judge also leads a book club in her Catholic parish, for which someone had recommended Vidmar's title.

“My role was to facilitate the reading group, and during that time I was struck by the similarity of what we are going through now,” said Latta.

One fact that comes through loud and clear for anyone who reads Bury Me In the Sunshine is how totally unprepared people were – and lacking in knowledge of the disease.

“In 1867, during that outbreak, mosquitoes flocked to the nice, clean drinking water, which became a breeding ground for them,” said Latta.

The judge also noted that “by 1878-79, people believed that (yellow fever) could not come back, and it took them a while to prepare.”

Time, however, is something that thousands of residents simply did not have.

Law enforcement was another resource which was lacking: “There were very few policemen left in the city, because it had become too dangerous, and many were Irish immigrants who had never been exposed to yellow fever,” said Latta.

Her research, however, produced a mixture of tragedy and triumph as the story unfolded.

“People did not want to wear masks, so they spread it, and many who left the city never came back. Think of today's struggling job market – the more things change, the more they remain the same.” said Latta.

“One Catholic parish, St. Brigid's, was – as you know – in the heart of all three epidemics, and in fact it lost 600 people in one year (1873),” said Latta.

Black citizens like Samuel Henderson, a janitor, also stepped up; he accompanied Father Joseph Augustine Kelly on his sick calls, but did not catch the fever.

Henderson, who lived well into the 20th century, is buried at Calvary Cemetery.

Reflecting on the horrendous price paid by our religious volunteers, Latta said, “They were all amazing people, and many of them died almost right after they came here, wanting to help others.”

“I think that we are taught to see Christ in others – as it says in Matthew 25, ‘when I was thirsty, you gave me water to drink, when I was hungry, you gave me something to eat, when I was a stranger, you invited me in,’” said Latta.

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

— 1 Pt 5:7

Roberta “Bobbie” Rennie's only “anxiety” for the past 20 years – as the archivist for St. Peter's Catholic Church – has been keeping its records so that they can, indeed, speak volumes.

Rennie, who is also a member of St. Peter's, partly learned about the epidemics by inheriting a mess.

ROBERT ALAN

GLOVER writes for FAITH West Tennessee, Global Sisters REPORT, National Catholic Reporter, The Tennessee Register in the Nashville Diocese and Cross Roads in the Lexington, Ky., Diocese.

“When I first started here, there was no organization of the files; the records were just a mess of materials that I had to find a place for, including the land records,” said Rennie.

Her interest in the ’78-79 epidemics “stems from long-time family roots that include my maternal grandmother.

“She described to me how her father, John Norris, had died of yellow fever in the city, and the epidemic drove them to Camp Matthew, one of the tent cities, where they lived as refugees,” said Rennie

The archivist humbly downplayed how she amassed the information that was fading into obscurity.

“I've been into ancestry for many years, spurred on by family members whose names I had, and people at our county library were able to help me locate my great-grandmother's census records – and the church records – which were a great help,” said Rennie.

As she researched the epidemics, Rennie said, “I found it so shocking to hear about such a thing, and to learn that the priests and brothers – who were so dedicated – were also so overwhelmed.”

It should be noted too – as at the beginning of this article – (and in Father Vidmar's book) that many Catholic nuns came to Memphis to minister, and many died.

At least one group of Franciscan nuns from St. Louis who came here suffered no deaths among them, but, said Rennie,“most of the sisters who died were Dominican.”

So now we have reached the end of this story – or perhaps it is just beginning again.

Right now, a figure of 681,000 COVID-19 deaths is staring back at me from an MSNBC newscast.

I ponder the fate of my kidney transplant from November of 2019. I have also, in July, been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, the cause of which is one of my key anti-rejection medications, which I cannot stop taking.

“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat

it,” — George Santayana, 1905.

As we continue to repeat the past – with the wearing (or not wearing) of masks, with mass burials and possibly even returning to lockdowns, there is one thing we can do:

We can remember that sister who never got to see her family, but instead went straight to her death.

Her and so many others. The priests, the brothers, the sisters.

We can remember them.

Eucharistic Congress 2021

Marking the 50th Anniversary of the Catholic Diocese of Memphis

October 8 & 9, 2021 Renasant Convention Center

Friday, Oct. 8, 6pm-9pm

Doors Open, Opening Mass and Inspirational / Keynote Speaker

NoelleGarcia

Saturday, Oct. 9, 9am-6pm

Morning Prayer, Inspirational / Keynote Speakers, English, Hispanic & Youth Programs, Closing Mass and Procession to St. Peter with Final Blessing

Adoration and Confessions available to all attendees both days

hosted by Catholic Diocese of Memphis cdom.org/eucharistic-congress

ArchbishopJosephKurtz

Dr. Scott Hahn

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Madonna Circle has a membership of over 300

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Un legado de fe

Transmitir la fe católica a la próxima generación

POR BETH SIMKANIN | FOTOGRAFÍA DE KAREN PULFER FOCHT

BETH SIMKANIN

es una escritora independiente con 20 años de experiencia en periodismo y relaciones públicas. Ella es feligresa de la Iglesia del Espíritu Santo en Memphis. P ara la familia Byrd, su fe católica es una forma de vida. Durante más de 40 años, el objetivo final de Artie y Janet Byrd ha sido enseñar a sus tres hijos cómo vivir una vida llena de fe, con la esperanza de que transmitieran esa misma forma de vida a sus propios hijos.

En presencia de las tres generaciones de la familia Byrd, no toma mucho tiempo darse cuenta de que lograron su objetivo.

Para ellos, la clave para transmitir su fe católica de generación en generación es construir una base sólida de fe, establecer relaciones significativas con sacerdotes católicos y fomentar un fuerte vínculo familiar.

Los hijos de Byrd dan crédito a sus padres por inculcarles sus propios valores católicos que, a su vez, están transmitiendo a sus propios hijos.

“Ser católico es parte de lo que somos”, dijo Ashleigh Siddiqui, una de los tres hijos de Byrd. “Es importante conocer nuestra fe y crecer en ella. Lo necesitamos, el mundo es duro. Saber cómo vivir nuestra fe es simplemente la forma cómo crecimos. Aprendimos de nuestros padres cómo mostrarles a nuestros hijos lo que significa ser un buen siervo y estar activos en nuestra fe. Mi objetivo ahora, como adulto, es transmitir eso a mis propios hijos”.

Un fundamento de fe

Ambos nativos de Memphis, Artie y Janet se conocieron en la década de 1970. Ella creció en la fe católica, asistiendo a escuelas católicas. Su madre era una estadounidense de ascendencia italiana de primera generación. Él, durante su crecimiento, asistió a iglesias bautistas y metodistas en Memphis. Mientras ambos salían, él comenzó a asistir a Misa con ella, y admite que se sintió atraído por esta última, pero también intimidado.

“Al principio estaba asustado por la fe católica, pero Janet me ayudó a entender la importancia de celebrar la Santa Misa y por qué creemos lo que creemos”, dijo Artie “Cuarenta y cinco años después, sé que descubrí cómo es la verdadera fe”.

Janet compartió con Artie su fe católica, y a principios de la década de 1980, poco después de su matrimonio, se unió a la Iglesia Católica. Él y sus tres hijos: Staci, Ashleigh y Artie Jr. dicen que Janet fue fundamental para ayudarlos a comprender la doctrina de la Iglesia. Ashleigh y Artie Jr. agradecen afectuosamente a su padre por mostrarles cómo participar en la Misa e Iglesia, lo cual es muy importante para ser siervos de su fe. Los Byrd les dieron a sus hijos una sólida base de fe para que puedan crecer y prosperar.

“Mamá y papá crearon una sólida base de fe para que creciéramos”, dijo Artie Jr. “Mamá fue nuestra maestra y respondió a todas nuestras preguntas. Ella se aseguró de que entendiéramos por qué asistíamos a Misa en los días santos y nunca nos perdíamos una, durante las vacaciones. Papá se aseguró de que nos sentáramos en la primera fila, incluso cuando no queríamos, y participó en la Santa Misa. Esa participación marcó una gran diferencia en nuestra infancia e influyó en la forma en que criamos a nuestros propios hijos ya de adultos”.

Artie Sr. dice que era necesario mostrar a sus hijos la importancia de que usen sus talentos para ayudar a otros y participar en las actividades de la iglesia. Él y Janet los inscribieron en escuelas católicas y los alentaron a convertirse en monaguillos, ministros eucarísticos y lectores en la Misa. A lo largo de los años, sus hijos y cónyuges han sido lectores en la Misa, impartieron clases de educación religiosa parroquial, organizaron proyectos de servicio comunitario en eventos de la iglesia y sirvieron en varios consejos parroquiales, en toda la Diócesis Católica de Memphis.

Los tres hijos de Byrd son católicos practicantes y están criando a sus hijos en la Iglesia Católica. Artie Jr. dice que entiende por qué fue importante que sus padres establecieran una base de fe sólida para que crecieran, ahora que es padre de cuatro hijos y tiene un quinto en camino. Utiliza los valores que le enseñaron sus padres para enseñar a sus propios hijos sobre la fe católica. Dice que inculcar un sentido de propósito a una edad temprana, como lo hicieron sus padres, hace una gran diferencia.

“[Esta generación de] niños ahora tiene un teléfono en la mano, en todo momento”, dijo Artie Jr. “Tiene una ventana al mundo al alcance de la mano, que nosotros no teníamos. Es más importante ahora que nunca darles una base sólida de fe y predicar con el ejemplo”.

Tanto Ashleigh como Jamie Byrd, la esposa de Artie Jr., dicen que ven los frutos de su trabajo a través de sus propios hijos. Ashleigh dice que su hija de 10 años siempre se asegura de que la familia ore antes de las comidas. Jamie dice que su hijo de cuatro años lleva una estatua de María dondequiera que vaya en la casa, para asegurarse de que María nunca se pierda una actividad divertida con la familia.

La importancia de nuestros sacerdotes

Artie Sr. y Janet se casaron en 1979 y vivieron en Michigan e Inglaterra durante la mayor parte de su matrimonio, pero sin importar dónde vivieran, los dos se aseguraron de encontrar un hogar parroquial para su familia. Mientras vivía en Michigan, la pareja se hizo amiga del pastor en su iglesia católica local. Artie Sr. dice que jugó un papel fundamental en su conversión a la Iglesia Católica.

“El padre Consanti solía venir a cenar”, dijo Janet. “Además de ser nuestro párroco, se convirtió en nuestro amigo. Tiene una personalidad muy atractiva y es amante de la diversión. Todos esperábamos con ansias sus visitas”.

Artie dice que fue paciente y respondió a sus preguntas sobre la fe católica. Hoy en día, es un viejo amigo con el cual Artie habla por teléfono una vez al mes.

“Nuestros sacerdotes católicos son cruciales para nuestra formación en la fe”, dijo Artie. “Pueden ser un modelo para los jóvenes y alentarlos a usar sus talentos para la Iglesia. A nivel local, hemos tenido la suerte de conocer sacerdotes inspiradores en nuestra diócesis, como el padre Bill Parham, el padre Ernie DeBlasio y el padre Ben Bradshaw. Han ayudado a desarrollar la fe de nuestra familia y nuestro deseo de ser participantes activos en la Misa”.

Artie Jr. y Jamie enfatizan lo beneficiosos que pueden ser los sacerdotes católicos para las parejas casadas. El padre Ben Bradshaw -ahora párroco de St. Michael, en Memphis- fue fundamental en la preparación de su matrimonio, hace siete años.

“Con el sacerdote adecuado, la iglesia se convierte en su segundo hogar”, dijo Jamie.

Los Byrds y sus hijos están de acuerdo en que su fuerte vínculo familiar juega un papel integral, tanto en la práctica como en la vida de su fe católica. Artie Jr. señala que predicar con el ejemplo puede tener un gran impacto y ayudar a una familia a crecer espiritualmente unida, incluso entre parejas casadas. Él hace referencia a un ejemplo de cuando sus hijos le mencionaron que su esposa era lectora en la Misa. Él admite que se involucró más en su iglesia, después de que sus hijos señalaran que Jamie estaba activa en la iglesia.

Ashleigh dice que toda la familia se asegura de asistir a Misa juntos. Artie Sr. y Janet asisten con frecuencia, acompañados de sus hijos y nietos, los sábados por la noche. Además, Ashleigh dice que el voluntariado en familia es una excelente manera de mostrar a la próxima generación que retribuir es una forma tangible de vivir su fe.

“Es importante para nosotros como padres llevar a nuestros hijos a Misa, involucrarnos en la parroquia y enseñarles cómo retribuir”, dijo Ashleigh. “No les da miedo; ¡es emocionante!”

El mes pasado, miembros de la familia Byrd, junto con amigos de la familia, se ofrecieron como voluntarios en el comedor de beneficencia de la iglesia St. Patrick, en el centro de Memphis. Ashleigh dice que es imperativo que sus hijos aprendan a retribuir a una edad temprana, para que continúen la tradición cuando sean adultos y comprendan que tiene un impacto directo en los necesitados.

Artie Sr. reconoce que Dios interviene en el fomento de su fe y la de su familia. En 2003, todos sus hijos adultos se mudaron de Michigan a Collierville para vivir más cerca unos de otros. Como resultado, sus hijos y nietos están más cerca que nunca para asistir a Misa y trabajar juntos como voluntarios.

“Tenemos la bendición de tener a la Iglesia y a los demás”, dice Artie padre. “Ambos nos hacen más fuertes como individuos. Dios nos ha reunido a todos y somos muy bendecidos”.

Congreso Eucaristico 2021

Patrocinado por la diocesis catolica de memphis

8 a 9 de Octubre de 2021 Centro de Convenciones Renasant

Viernes 8 de Octubre: Se Abren las Puertas, Misa de Apertura y Orador Principal

NoelleGarcia

Sabado 9 de Octubre: Oracion de la manana, Oradores inspiradores Programas para jovenes y latinos y programas en ingles Misa de Clausura y Procesion a San Pedro con Bendicion Final

Habra Adoracion y Confesiones disponibles para todos los asistentes ambos dias

ArchbishopJosephKurtz

UNA FAMILIA CATÓLICA 24/7

Penitencia, Misericordia y Esperanza

POR LEIGH ANN ROMAN FOTOGRAFÍA DE KAREN PULFER FOCHT

Si quieres ver algo realmente contracultural, pasa por una iglesia católica romana algún sábado alrededor de las 3:00 p.m. Allí, verá a personas de todas las edades haciendo fila para contarle a otro ser humano todas sus fallas. Y están interrumpiendo un día libre perfectamente agradable para hacer esto. Por supuesto, me refiero al sacramento de la penitencia.

Un sábado soleado, la ultima vez que me confesé, vi a personas de todos los ámbitos de la vida esperando pacientemente su turno en el confesionario. Éramos unos 10, incluidos una pareja joven, un estudiante universitario, una anciana, un joven con algunos tatuajes interesantes, un hombre de negocios de mediana edad y yo, una dama de mediana edad con mi ropa de compra de comestibles los sábados. ¿Quién sabe qué actividades divertidas retrasaron o interrumpieron por el privilegio de participar en el sacramento de la penitencia? Mis actividades preferidas de los sábados incluyen una buena carrera matutina, un café con amigos o un pedicure.

Algunos pueden preguntar: ¿Qué sentido tiene la penitencia? ¿No establece cada persona su propio estándar de comportamiento? Eso es lo que nos dicen la cultura actual y los medios de comunicación. Pero no es así como se supone que nosotros, como católicos, debemos conducir nuestras vidas.

Es un hecho de la vida católica que hay un Dios, y no soy yo, ni tú, ni nadie en esta tierra. En otras palabras, no establecemos los estándares de nuestro comportamiento. En cambio, buscamos alinear nuestras vidas con los estándares de nuestro Creador, descritos para nosotros en el Depósito de la Fe. Específicamente, miramos los Diez Mandamientos y los Cinco Preceptos de la Iglesia.

El sacramento de la penitencia es un sacramento de curación y una experiencia de la gran misericordia de Dios. También proporciona un aumento de la fuerza espiritual para la batalla cristiana cristiana que es vital durante una época en la que la sociedad continua desechando las creencias cristianas tradicionales y se vuelve más secular.

Ver la fila para la confesión un sábado reciente me dio la esperanza de que un remanente de la sociedad todavía se esfuerza por vivir como Dios quiere de nosotros porque estamos agradecidos por Sus muchos dones, el más importante de los cuales es el regalo de su Hijo en el Eucarista.

Todos en esa línea tenían que examinar su conciencia y considerar si había chismeado o codiciado, maldecido o mentido estado impaciente o enojado, practicado la castidad o entregado a la lujuria. Y la lista continua. Con verdadera contrición, todos tuvimos que enumerar nuestros pecados para el sacerdote, que actuaba en persona Christi. Finalmente, todos tuvimos que hacer el acto de contrición, recibir la absolución y hacer nuestra penitencia. Suena como una tarea di]cil para un sábado por la tarde. Pero me alegro mucho de que sea parte de la vida católica porque estar dispuestos a vernos a nosotros mismos en toda nuestra fragilidad humana es el comienzo de la sabiduría porque es el comienzo de la humildad.

Los sacramentos están disponibles para ayudarnos a crecer en santidad y acercarnos más a Dios. Las recompensas del sacramento de la penitencia son muchas: reconciliación con Dios, reconciliación con la Iglesia, remisión del castigo eterno por los pecados mortales y remisión parcial del castigo temporal del pecado.

Y no olvides la esperanza. Participar en el sacramento de la penitencia es un acto de esperanza porque hacemos nuestra confesión en la esperanza de la misericordia de Dios. También, trae esperanza porque cada vez que te confiesas verás una fila de personas que también lo están intentando. Personas que intentan vivir a la luz de Dios, en lugar de la suya propia. Personas que están tratando de reparar cualquier daño que han causado y viven una vida mejor. Personas que aman a Dios y buscan hacer su voluntad. No estamos solos. Todos somos pecadores que luchamos por ser santos en un mundo caído.

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