[mlizzy]

I suppose that accusing someone who is exposing something that really ought to be an embarrassment to them, of being fascinated or obsessed by it is typical distraction technique. But people do see it for what it is. You tried.

The skulls are interesting to read about. Faithful Catholics are not embarrassed by them. I was getting tired, hence the one-liner, but being overly fascinated with an aspect of the Catholic Church that one doesn't understand (or make much effort to understand) is obsessing in the wrong direction, imo.

I don't think you answered my question (or I missed it) about whether you ever partook of the Sacraments FREQUENTLY when you were a Catholic. That is how Catholics grow deeper in their faith through the understanding of and reception of the Eucharist (confession and adoration too). Otherwise one can perilously end up a LUKEWARM Catholic, the scourge of the earth.

St. Patrick's Breastplate

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion with His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection with His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom....

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
of the Creator of creation. -prayer attributed to St. Patrick

Visit a daily Mass today and put on your breastplate and armor!
masstimes.org

[metmom]

I don't think you answered my question (or I missed it) about whether you ever partook of the Sacraments FREQUENTLY when you were a Catholic.

Actually, I missed the question.

When I was growing up, I went to mass weekly and took communion fairly regularly.

I can't necessarily recall exactly how often. There are a lot of things I do even today that I do out of such habit that I wouldn't tell you how often I do them.

Plus, that goes back some 40 years minimum.

Christians grow by reading God's word, which is spiritual food for our spirit and soul, and praying, and obeying.