2012 Resolutions

Seems like I should get my blog related resolutions up before the end of January...here it goes!

1.  More pictures!  I have some and never post them.  

2.  Some of my more dedicated readers (my mom) think that I have been too hard on Rick "my most grievous fault" Hilgartner.  That's true.  I have no reason to pick on him as much as I do. As I understand it, he baptized more than his fair share of cabbage patch kids as a seminarian.  I'll refrain from any more jokes.  Unless, of course, they are really, really good.

3.  Bringing me to my next point, I should post a guide to the new translation for my pseudo practicing Catholic friends.

4.  As for friends, I need to be better about picking churches in advance.  Much of the fun so far has been the company that comes along.  

5.  I make the rules here, so they are about to change.  If friends of other faith traditions are willing to take me to their houses of worship, I am willing to go.  

6.  I'm thinking of a Spiritual book and/or movie club.  In my previous drifting, one of the ways I felt connected to the church was through reading.  First it was The Life of Saint Francis, then it was My Life with the Saints.  (Thanks to James Martin's book tour, that one is now autographed.)  Both the Bishop's Conference and America Magazine have suggestions.  

7.  No more crazy ideas.  No more half marathons.  No more go to a new church every week for a year.  Who am I kidding?  

Week One

I don't know how it happened, but here I am, someone who considers herself a practicing Catholic but who doesn't attend mass.  I know it's absurd.  It's not as though I have renounced Catholicism or chosen another faith tradition.  I still believe in God.  I still pray.  Going to mass used to be part of my routine.  It was easy.  And then suddenly it wasn't. I don't know how to go to church anymore.   And it's not getting better.  I could blame shift and weekend work.  I could blame the many changes in the parish I used to call home.  Neither of those things seem fair.  So here I am, embarking on a one year journey of faith.  I hope you'll join me.

The plan is simple: 52 churches in 52 weeks.  I'll be announcing my destinations like a concert tour and collecting Sunday bulletins like baseball cards.  Sound gimmicky?  It is.  I need this though.  I'm not sure how else to turn around the past four plus years of spotty attendance.

I don't want to turn this into the Yelp of Baltimore area churches.  Incidentally, there are three well reviewed parishes on Yelp, followed by a listing for a pub.  Maybe I should check that out too.   I don't want to offend, just reflect.  So if you have a favorite mass, church, homilist or choir, please let me know.  I'm open to suggestions.

I kicked off my voyage with St. Pius X.  It is the place I most consider my parish these days.  It seemed fitting on the one year anniversary of my sister's wedding. It is the church where both she and my parents were married.  My sister has joked that I rate masses on a likert scale from fire and brimstone to kumbya. I call this one a wash.  As I left the church, I wondered how to journey forward when it seems I might already be home.

Next week, I'll be at the Cathedral of Mary of Queen for 9:15 mass.