Corpus Christi Blog

About a year and a half ago I was having a conversation with my brother-in-law, who had left the Catholic Church more than thirty years ago, about our family's involvement at our parish. I told of our boys serving at the altar and my wife and I being ushers and Extraordinary Ministers of the Holy Eucharist.

It was at this point that he asked, "Do you really believe in transubstantiation?"

I paused, shook my head, and sighed, "I don't know. But what I do know is that when I hold up the Host and announce 'The Body of Christ' I can see the look of faith in the eyes of those who do believe, and it is POWERFUL!" I then said, almost under my breath, "I wish that I had that Faith." Little did I know that this would be one of those prayers that God actually does answer.

I've just recently returned from Corpus Christi's pilgrimage to Fatima, Santiago, Lourdes and Paris. I was so excited to participate and didn't know what to expect. I felt called to this pilgrimage by the experiences my daughter had the previous summer in Spain and through some inkling deep within me that surely was the Holy Spirit. Before I left I had asked myself, "Why am I going? What does God want me to receive from this experience?" I knew that I wanted reparation for my sins and the sins of others, but I still wasn't sure what God had in store for me along the way.

This is a little story of how the Lord helped us all, Find Grace:

First off, I want to thank all of the Corpus Christi parishioners for their prayers and support towards my summer mission trip to India. I could not have done it without you. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity and grateful for the many lessons I learned while partaking on this journey.

Many people are aware of my passionate devotion to Mother Teresa. It is she who taught me to see the face of Christ in everyone I encounter, especially the poorest of the poor. She has also taught me to always have trust in Jesus which has brought me so much peace in the most difficult moments.

I spent the majority of my trip in Kolkata (Calcutta) which is where Mother Teresa first began her works of service for those suffering in streets. I served daily at Prem Dan (Hindi for "Gift of Love") which is a home for the dying destitute. The patients who are there have been abandoned from hospitals are literally left todie in the streets.

The opening phrase on the document signaled the importance of the commission that was being conferred: "According to the faculty granted to us by the Sacred Congregation of the Sacraments on March 31, 1971…" The document remains an important reminder of this humble servant's first commission as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. The pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Cold Spring, Kentucky, Father Charles Hoffer, had nominated a dozen men to become what is now known as an EM – Extraordinary Minister. I was one of the first men in the Diocese of Covington, Kentucky to receive this faculty to administer Holy Communion to our congregation. It was also about the same time that I received my first commission to be a "Special Minister of God's Word," commonly known today as a Lector.

Many years ago, when I was still a young woman living at home, I asked my father, who did not belong to the Church, why he did not become a Catholic. He said with a sweet smile on his face, “Maybe someday when I die.” From that moment on, I started saying a daily Hail Mary for his conversion.

About 25 years later, my husband and I with our six children, were living in Tempe, Arizona. One morning, about the middle of August, we were awakened by the telephone ringing. It was my mother calling with the sad news that my father had just passed away. She was at the hospital with their parish priest. My father had woken up that morning with a terrible pain and told my mother to call the paramedics and then said, “Call the priest.” He died minutes later.

My heart is filled with joy and hope for our son and new daughter-in law. Our son and his lovely wife were just married. It was such a beautiful sacrament. Just bursting with joy.

The last of the guests have gone home. The newlyweds are off on their honeymoon and I'm surrounded with the happy chaos of table linens and flowers. The beautiful quiet is just what I need – a peaceful day with Our Lord. As I reminisce through the tears and memories, my prayer begins:

"Dear Lord thank you for this beautiful marriage, please bless them with a beautiful life filled with happiness. Please bless them with children and help them to always remain close to you. Help them to have a relaxing and fun honeymoon and keep them safe in their adventures." I can't believe how wonderful Our Lord has been. He has always stunned me by His awesome blessings.

"I only want to be so Catholic....I don't want it to limit me too much…" Like a foolish child refusing to listen to his parents, I limit my trust in God. "Ignorance is bliss" and who doesn't like bliss — there are perhaps some things I don't want to know about Catholic teaching because it might burden me. I live in the "real world;" I am not a monk or a priest. I wish I could, but I can't always be "perfect." That is the job of the religious....no one expects lay people to be saints. If I get too "churchy" I will never have any fun. I have real problems I have to solve; if I don't worry about these issues I will be in big trouble...I need tograb control....

For those of you who may not know me, I am Matt Henry. I am a “cradle Catholic”. I have two loving and supportive parents and am one of five children. I have four sisters. I attended both parochial and public schools. I participated in C.E. and youth group.

In my youth, I remember my confirmation and Steubenville conference being powerful encounters with God.

As connected as I was to God and my faith then, I drifted away from God as I experienced college and early adulthood. I attended mass when it was convenient. I stopped receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation.