I Turned 15 Years Old on Sunday!

Pentecost is our anniversary into the Catholic Church. Today I wept again as I remembered God’s mercy and faithfulness as he brought us into the fullness of the Catholic Church. Our past as Protestants was like a nursemaid that brought us all the way home to the Church. As a Jew is considered a fullfilled Jew by becoming a Christian, I am  now a fulfilled Christian by becoming a Catholic.
At the altar of a Catholic Church 15 years ago some of us were baptized, all of us received confirmation (except little Emily who was only 2 years old at the time), and we received the Body and Blood of our Lord for the first time. Needless to say we were all in tears. We still have the same priest and he gave us his blessing again today on our “birthday” and I was again in tears. Thanks Fr. Ed Fride.

(Picture to left: Our reception into the Catholic Church with Fr. Ed Fride presiding. In the picture I am holding Emily as she is being baptized. Charlotte is right behind me, Jesse behind her and Janet and Cindy behind him. This took place at Christ the King in Ann Arbor Michigan on Pentecost Sunday, May 22, 1994. In many ways, it was best day of our lives and certainly no decision Janet and I have made together has had such a lasting impact on us and our family.)
Sunday as I walked up the isle with my faithful wife Janet and all our kids and grandkids, I will again be overcome with emotion. “Thank you Lord for making me a Catholic — and my whole family! As I present this bread and wine to you and it is placed on your altar as an offering, so I give all my life, my thoughts, my family, my time, my talents, my failings, my achievement, my ALL to you. Please take it and turn it into yourself. Mold us into saints and a family that brings glory to you!”
When we came into the Church our family numbered six (Janet, myself, Cindy, Jesse, Charlotte and little Emily). Today our family numbers sixteen (son-in-law Ben with Dominic, Damian, Gianna and Sebastian; daughter-in-law Anna with Joshua, Maria Faustina,  Samuel and Elizabeth Rose). Look what God got started 🙂 and what a great day to celebrate. Happy Pentecost everyone!