Sadness abounds! Alternate title: it's past my bedtime

Sucked it up and went to a church meeting tonight. You like how I have to phrase it that way? So sad, since I VOLUNTEERED and everything. I think once my commitment to this particular group is over I'm going to opt out of the whole councilmember thing and do something totally different. I think I might really like to be an RCIA sponsor again. Maybe. That is a HUGE chunk of time. Hmm. 

I'm always a big brat about going to the meetings, but then I GO and I am almost always the better for it. I've lucked out in having really smart and interesting people on these committees with me and they totally let me be my little introverted self while they hash things out, meaning they do all the talking and I do all the learning. Sure, sometimes we're discussing gnarly budget details, but other times someone is talking about WHY they went and changed all the words again and I am EDIFIED! 

Anyway. Tonight I was a half hour late getting home on account of our pastor bringing everyone up to speed on the whole Petitions In Support Of The Anti-Gay Marriage Referendum in my state. Here's an editorial about it. This is the letter from the bishops put out in January. But basically the archbishop okayed having petitions available, should you want to sign one, IN THE CHURCHES (at the individual pastor's discretion) and if you are at all wondering what the general response is, it appears to be AW HELLS NO. 

I didn't know about this, which was super embarrassing to me. I mean, I used to live on a steady diet of cable news. There was no subject on which I hadn't read at least 10 editorials. But LIFE IS DIFFERENT NOW (I think I've mentioned this a time or two recently) and here I am taking the MINUTES at the meeting and I have to ask what petition they are even talking about. Ugh, I hate looking bad. 

But anyway. The whole thing just gives me a stomachache. Not in my meeting - everyone there was very much in agreement re: what to do (three guesses!), but I just get sad and frustrated and confused and BLARGH. 

Sometimes I get confused because I belong to this ginormous and international church where the rules are the same for everyone and we're all supposed to be reaching for the same ideals, blah blah blah. But the strong opinions, the priorities, the passions of the congregation at my church are, I am guessing, characteristic of Catholics who live in Seattle. I suspect Catholics who live elsewhere, say, Small Midwest Town, are a bit different. I don't KNOW, having never been to a Catholic church in the Midwest (oh wait! I went to one with Arwen in Michigan! and one in Cincinnati! I LIE!) I am just GUESSING. I mean, again, I go to church in Seattle. Draw your conclusions!

Whatever. I don't know what to do with that. The whole thing is actually way more nuanced than what I've written here. Mostly I want to say: it makes me feel sad and thinky and more sad. 

Anyway, I got MY stuff done. Yay gift of administration! Basically my rule was: I'll organize anything you want, just don't make me get up in front of everyone and make an announcement. Because then I will die. 

If you are curious, Spring Break is going as well as can be hoped. We are finding various things to do - or not, as in this morning when Emma slept from 8:30 to ELEVEN THIRTY WHAT THE HECK. But I am making great use of makinglearningfun.com and I am being very generous about play dough and I have allowed the boy to buy an iPad game or two and we are getting along just fine. Two more days! We can do it! 

And then I think about next year, when he'll be going to full time kindergarten, and will we ever cut and paste homeschooling projects at 10:30 in the morning ever again? OH NO I AM FEELING MORE SAD WAAAHHH.

Comments

[-R-]

Our archdiocese's support for a state constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage is one of the two main reasons H and I left the Church. I have always loved the congregations I've been in, but I can't support the Big Church. (other issue: support of pedophiles, in case you're wondering)

Anyway, when I was in elementary school, a nun at our church asked my mom to sign a petition that was against Madonna's Like A Prayer song/video, and my mom said something like, "I think you need to find a better way to spend your time, Sister." I still laugh thinking about that.

[Lisa]

I go to a tiny midwest parish, and I can say that your assumptions are correct. Basically, people in our local churches (Catholic or not) would be all over signing that petition. But see, the likelihood to even NEED such a petition in our state would be extremely low. I'd say that you'll find that about a lot of issues...they ARE issues for those of you to the East or West, but they are barely on our radar here, unless it is on the national stage.

[Hollie]

I reconcile it with myself this way. . .my family attends and follows the belief system of my church. Marriage is a holy union ordained in every religion by the Church. The state (government) should not be involved in ordaining marriage. The state should allow all people the same civil rights and stay out of religious issues. So, I vote and worship according to those personal beliefs. Each church and religion should be permitted to practice as they see fit, and each state government should follow the will of the voters on civil issues.

[AmyRyb]

While on a personal belief level I disagree with gay marriage (IMO, being gay isn't wrong--from what I read in the Bible, acting on the urges is), I still feel like gay people should be allowed to join themselves legally because they don't necessarily follow my belief system. I don't believe it should be allowed in churches unless the church itself thinks it's okay (which I just don't get how you can interpret it differently), but I do think gay couples should have legal rights. But I don't appreciate when it's pushed on me to agree with it, because I don't think it is something God ordained. But legally, if that's not your belief, it's not my call. My dad insists that legalization will be a major moral downfall of society (meaning, if that's normalized, what's next?), which I agree with to some degree. It's sort of like the abortion debate. Abortion is murder and I believe it's wrong, but I can't go so far as to say it *should* be outlawed because it's not my choice for other people. If they're ok with ending a life, I'm not for it, but that's their issue to deal with. I think there should be barriers (not quite what Texas is doing, mind you) but something to make people think twice about what they're about to do. Regardless, I have my beliefs and not everyone shares them. Do I think society might be better if everyone did? Possibly. But that's not reality and I can't expect other people to accept my beliefs as fact.

[Colleen]

It has become so complicated. I feel that there are so many more important issues for the Church to be worried about. You know... starving children, disease to name just two. But then again I also don't agree with the change in wording. I still have to look at the little "cheat sheet" sometimes. After 45 years, I still want to say AND ALSO WITH YOU. When we get the request from the Archbishop for Lenten appeal, I want to write that I am worried my money from last year was used to help fund the printing of all those little cards and not more worthy causes. Ok, enough of my ranting. I love my parish but sometimes do not like the political aspect of Catholicism.