Religious Tour Part 1

St. Joseph's Catholic Church

This year I am on a religious tour.  I'm looking for my nitch, and Toledo has such a diversity in religion that I think that it just might be possible to find my place.  So I have a list of places to visit ranging from Christian to Pagan to Buddhist, might even add a Taoist just to round out the experience.  

This past Sunday I visited St. Joseph's Catholic Church.  Let me start out by saying I have never actually been to church.  I know only the basics of the Christian faith.  Why would I go to a Catholic church for my first stop?  I was baptized Catholic, and that was the beginning and end of my church experience.  In my hometown basically everyone was Catholic.  We had a very high Polish heritage population, so I think the two went hand in hand.  So, in terms of Christianity I am most familiar with Catholicism. 

I was a bit interested in the church because it was built in the 1800s, thus I figured it had a lot of feeling and beauty to the building.  Unfortunately, it appears the church is under an extensive renovation so services were not in the church.  I did take a peek into the church though, and it really was lovely.   I'd be interested in seeing a service in the church in the future. 
I wondered about the school for a while, because frankly I was lost.  I'm pretty certain I went in the wrong door.  Eventually I found people and followed them downstairs to the school's community hall it seems.  To my surprised the room was FULL.  Maybe it's just my experience, but I've mostly run into Catholics who say they're Catholic, but don't go to church.  Imagine my surprise when the rather large room was full.  Thankfully it was full of people ranging from toddler to retired.  The advice of a good friend said if I don't see anyone my age just turn around.  I found a chair off to the side and sat looking around.  They moved a lot of their ritual paraphernalia from the church to this room during the renovation, so I got a glimpse of  their traditions.
What were my impressions of the experience?  The first significant note is that I was NOT anxious.  This caught me be surprised when I realized it later.  I have chronic anxiety, and for me to not be anxious is unusual.  I very much enjoyed the music and singing.  I have no idea what was said or what it meant, but I thought it was beautiful.  It is all obvious was big ritual they all have memorized.  I was impressed they could all mutter the same thing.  Keep in mind again I have no experience and very limited knowledge of Christianity.  I THINK the point of the sermon was be a good person, and I disagreed with some of the ways to be a good person.  I am pro-choice and pro-birth control, and that will not change.  I am a good person regardless.  I will NOT go to an abortion clinic and bother a soul there, they are going through enough.  To the pastors eternal credit he didn't say condemn these people, but support them.  Their definition of support is different than mine, though. Through all this I was reminded why I couldn't be a Catholic.

In short I thought their ritual and music was beautiful.  Unfortunately, I did not leave with that feeling I'm searching for.   I am looking for a place that gives me a sense of inspiration to debate the topic of the sermon and develop my own life answers.  I am also looking for extensive healing and calm.  I've seen a lot of hurt and I know that I am finally at the point where I can start fully healing all of it.  It took a long time to get this far.  I thought the Catholic ceremony was beautiful, but I don't think it's my place.


The Tour:
St. Joseph's Catholic Church - Feb 6, 2011
Pagan Coven
Maumee Valley Church
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
First Unitarian Universalist Church
Toledo Zen Center
Harmony in Life Center