I said some things about the Catholic church in the last post. But I don't want to leave the impression that I'm anti-Catholic, because I'm not by any stretch of the imagination.
I have numerous Catholic books, books by Catholic authors, a stack of holy cards, etc. Some of this stuff I got at garage sales and thrift stores with the idea of selling it on eBay, but being lazy I never got around to it. And some of it I just like.
Like, I like things on Catholic mystics, books, whatever. Or really impressive people, the names of whom are escaping me. People like St. Therese of the Roses, Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower. I'm a fan of her.
I have a few different translations of her autobiography, and some other books that I've found around. Plus, a really funky statue that I also got at a garage sale. I say funky because its paint is flaked, it's nicked, her skin is as white as white can be, etc. But it's in my room, setting on a narrow little CD case, and for some mystical reason never seems to get knocked off and broken! Just lucky.
There are lots of things about the Catholic Church that could raise eyebrows and come in for criticism. It's the things that make the headlines and are probably quite removed from the daily spirituality of millions of devoted people. Once you realize the headline stuff isn't the essence, you can actually appreciate the spirituality, the average good person doing his or her best in actual devotion, and the saints, the heritage, for me, especially of the mystical, more individualistic sort.
