Not Again.........

One of my very first blogs was about 'Double-bagging'. Bringing groceries in from the car on a cold winter day, I watched in disbelief as one plastic grocery bag split down one side, and spilled all of its contents on my cold, dark garage floor. I spent well over twenty minutes cleaning up a large glass jar of applesauce that had shattered over quite an area under my car. I swore, that never again would I be so careless about how someone else would package my fragile grocery items! At that first writing, that same vow applied to protecting our church from the perils of closure.


Yet, last week, as I swung two plastic bags from the back seat of the Jeep, I watched in disbelief as one of the bags split open and launched a large glass jar of cinnamon applesauce to the gray, cement floor. No, the garage was not as dark or cold as the last time I dutifully cleaned up an applesauce explosion, but the incident did cause me to reflect on the state of our parish. Had I become as lax about hoisting parish responsibilities as I had about handling that bag?

My husband, upon hearing the news of my repeat performance, looked up from the television and said, "I guess that you'll have to either stop getting applesause or get the kind in the plastic jars." I quickly replied that I did not want to buy applesauce based on packaging!" He looked up again with, "Then I guess you will have to watch more closely and demand that they double bag your applesauce." I blurted, "But I get embarrassed constantly making that neurotic request!" I guess I deserved the exasperated look I received from the man reclining in his chair. I sulked back out to the garage.

Back on my knees, in the dark again, I pulled free a large piece of glass that had stubbornly wedged underneath the Jeep's back tire. What a pain! I ruefully thought how the situation paralleled our present state of 'church.'

During the consolidation, many parishioners sank to their knees in the cold and dark atmosphere of the closures and salvaged what they could of a parish that had nourished so many. Many vowed that never would they be taken advantage of again. Many parishioners relaxed as plans for building a grand new parish and school were eventually laid aside. Mass schedules continued as before, and few people lamented as programs slowly disappeared into the night. As I eventually stopped asking clerks to double - bag my applesauce, I also quit asking about bringing back those enjoyable and faith filled programs. I suppose that it was because the looks I kept getting from church staff were eerily similar to the expressions of the store clerks who handled my applesauce!

I watched a handful of people gather around Father this morning after mass to pick up their books for the six-week small group study on James. I felt that the number could have been much greater had the event been packaged differently. Many had not signed up because they felt that there were to many restrictions.
Were we who did not participate bad parishioners? Or were we simply weary consumers? The bread offered for the last couple of years had failed to satisfy many, and they were subsequently leaving the table.

I was reminded of my husband's recommendations to my grand entrance into the living room complaining about the fractured glass in the garage: "Quit buying the product." "Switch brands." "Make sure you ask to have it packaged more securely."

I am not going to quit going to church, nor do I want to attend elsewhere (as many have.) And as bolstering our parish to protect it from eventually shattering does not seem to be a priority with our staff, I seem to have run out of options?

I feel a little remiss that I no longer care about knocking on (or down!) the doors of the institution. I instead teach Junior High CCD , work on updating the Confirmation seminars and retreats for another parish, read books, watch DVDs, memorize verses and connect with different family and parishioners who have great gifts to share.

My faith life will not shatter to the pavement because I do understand the concept of doublebagging. I will provide one layer through my individual efforts to grow in Christ and the parishioners that surround me will provide the fortifying layer.