Liturgical Anthropology

I just attended a service a roman catholic church around the corner from my BF’s house. While there I had a super Protestant moment. The church was very nice and so was the service, but I was having an issue with the abundance of Mary and the lack of representations of Christ.

Above/behind the altar was a huge painting of Sts Anne and Mary, while all the windows were scenes from Mary’s life.

I am not my mother who is a Methodist through and through and scoffs at Mary whenever given the chance. I like Mary and the communion of saints, but I get weirded out when it seems like more of a temple devoted to a saint than to Jesus.

Protestant rant over.

Note: I am not intending to disparage Catholicism, or infer that this or any RC church is more devoted to Mary than Christ, just saying there was an uncomfortable Mary to Jesus ratio at this church.

shortbreadsh:

Like someone who went to Catholic school, left the Church as a teen, and now fancies themselves an expert on Catholicism. I went to Catholic school, and I actually received a really good religious education, but I know that on a serious, fundamental level, I didn’t know or understand anything until I, as an adult, made the decision to take this stuff seriously and educate myself. 

But hey, I took history courses in high school, so I’m pretty much a certified historian, right?

kormosendre:

So my Lady found this 1903 Hungarian Gospel book in their attic the other day with a bunch of old letters written by nuns to the family during WW2, but I don’t have the time to scan it yet.

Reblog if you’re jealous. ;)

My mother just said she might try to regularly go to the wednesday morning service at the Episcopal church. She said it would be a nice mid-week refresher! Huzzah for the Episcopal church!