“He is a devout Catholic“ was the most challenging thing I had to tell my family and friends about my future husband, John, when I* met him nine years ago. Where I come from, in East Germany, Catholics are a minority, and in my surroundings, they are mostly considered too strict and outdated, certainly something I wouldn‘t get into. Nobody, including myself, knew that meeting John was the starting point of my faith journey.
From the beginning, I was open to John‘s faith, accompanying him to mass on Sundays and asking him an abundance of questions about religion. Often I was jealous of how much he got out of his faith and how it helped him to overcome daily challenges. However, I was far from using faith and prayer to deal with my own struggles. Only in extreme despair and need would I ask God for help until I couldn‘t deny much longer that I believed he existed. Too many times had He answered my prayers, taken burdens off me and made life easier for me.
There are also so many things that I am grateful for, especially my loving husband and two wonderful children, along with our dream home in Greystones, and I felt it was my turn to give something back. Instead of being a passive member of the faith community, attending mass as an observer, I considered for the first time getting baptised. Still, it took me about two years to take the final leap and start the actual baptism preparation with Father John, who then accompanied me as a fantastic spiritual guide and teacher.
It was easy for me to take in all the facts, read up on the liturgy and get familiar with the sacraments. The difficult part was – and still is – transferring the knowledge of God‘s presence from my rational thoughts into my heart. Letting go and totally abandoning myself to God‘s divine mercy doesn‘t come easily to me. Despite getting baptised this Easter, I am not fully there yet, and I have to acknowledge every single day that it is a faith journey rather than a destination.
Throughout the past couple of weeks, when I was introduced to the community as the “lady who is getting baptised“, I encountered a lot of encouragement and even praise from individual members. That made me feel endorsed and very welcome. To be welcome is a central part of my faith: knowing that the door is always open, no matter what. Again, for me a hard concept to grasp when the world outside of the faith community can be so judgemental and unforgiving at times.
It is almost as if I have to learn to walk again, start all over in an unfamiliar surrounding. Trusting that the people around me will assist and guide me with their best interest at heart. Like my children blindly trust me, I slowly learn to trust into the Heavenly Father who knows what‘s best for me and guides me through life. Nevertheless, I am incredibly thankful for my guidance “on earth“ – the people who supported me on my spiritual and baptismal journey. Above all, my amazing husband and godfather John, Father Joe Mullan, who married us in the Three Patrons in Rathgar. Father John Daly, who dedicated a lot of time and effort to preparing me for baptism and my godmother Natalia who only recently entered my life and ‘sang‘ to my heart.
*Received with gratitude from Sylvia – a member of our Faith Community
