The Retreat

Yesterday I spent 6 hours in church. This is a very, very long time for someone as lapsed as myself. And oddly enough, the time did not drag. I did think longingly of the book sitting in my bag, but only once or twice. I enjoyed the time I spent with Taylor on this confirmation retreat. Granted, shopping with someone else's money would have been much better, but this wasn't half bad.

Taylor is due to be confirmed on the 22nd of this month, and this retreat was the second to last step in a loooong process. First, the parents attended two 2 hour sessions and then the children attended another two. The retreat was supposed to be sponsors and the children, but as Taylor's sponsor is her godmother Janine, the gal who just had twins who are still in the ICN , and as sponsors are supposed to be Catholic it fell to me to go. Apparently I know very few Catholics. And the ones I do know- not so keen on hanging out in church for 6 hours.

The retreat was sort of fun. Fun isn't a word I'd ever use to describe church, especially not this parish which is downright boring and extremely right wing somewhat stodgy. But it was good. We played a few games, did a few quizzes and meditated.

And let me tell you- I could use some meditation on a regular basis. I couldn't even tell you what the girl was saying during it because I totally tuned her and everything else out. I even felt all tingly at one point, like I had just let the weight of the world fall off my shoulders. It was fantastic. I felt good for the rest of the day. I didn't even get mad at Liam and his friend Josh who came into the house later that evening covered in mud, and saying that a group of teenage boys pushed them. Little liars. I did get sort of annoyed this morning that they both completely stained their shirts, obviously I needed more meditation. Or medication, perhaps.

After the meditation we went to the church service. That was pretty good because it was the Monseigneur, not the Father whose views are often shouted from the pulpit. If the church doesn't want to perform gay marriage ceremonies that's fine and dandy, but don't ask me to sign a petition stating that the government shouldn't allow it at all. That's not so fine and dandy. Also, 4 o'clock Saturday mass? Not crowded at all. I think it's the way to go really. No getting up early, no far away parking spot, no worries about not getting my favourite pew. Yes, if I actually attended church, it would be on Saturdays.

On Wednesday, Taylor will do Reconciliation and then the Confirmation in a few weeks. I was really hoping that the retired Archbishop would be the one to confirm Taylor as he did mine and I really adored him, but they named a new Archbishop last week and he will be doing it. It would have been nice to have pictures of Taylor and I both with the same man.

And that's me done with Sacrements for at least 5 years now, as Liam refuses to do any and William doesn't want Sophie baptised. But that is a whole other post.