Thursday, April 15, 2004

RESPECT - is all I'm after

As I implied at the beginning of my post on the sacraments and those who don't believe, there are many practical reasons why people who don't believe might go ahead with the sacraments. This is especially true with regards to children and First Holy Communion.

Jon, writing in the comments section, mentions the difficulties for kids who opt out of First Holy Communion in a class where preparation for the event is a primary focus. This is the situation in many Irish schools. The Catholic Church and local primary education are completely entwined; it's nearly impossible for a non-believer to find a school for their children in many Irish towns.

I don't consider appeasing the family, however, to be a good enough reason for having a church wedding. I think any Catholic (and I'm sure this would go for any religious person) would rather endure their children's non-religious wedding than partake in a sham event and a mockery of their faith.

But, I think I would be satisfied if those who don't believe would simply show respect. When I read Frank's post, I realized that was a big part of my problem. Frank may be an atheist, but he recognizes that the sacraments are important to those who believe and should be respected. I would dearly love to never hear again, "We went through with the hocus pocus, so junior could get the presents/because the pictures are great" or whatever.