It does seem hard to believe that over 4 decades have passed since this appeared on the new stands, which are...
It does seem hard to believe that over 4 decades have passed since this appeared on the new stands, which are another thing that barely exist any more! Note the articles included, particularly the last one, Confessions of a Backsliding Choirboy. I'm certain that if we saw this as a headline today, our perception of its content would be immediate, and negative. Although I don't think of 1976 as an age of innocence, this article tells me otherwise. It's about 2 young boys (one being Norman Rockwell) who served as choirboys at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in NYC and their confessions were boyhood pranks like climbing up on the roof, drinking the communion wine and hiding jelly beans in their choir robes. As normal young boys, there was also lots of good spirit and enthusiasm intertwined with the naughty. While I don't long for the past or for its news, I do long for better and more positive news that highlights the goodness of our humanity. This one's for you, Margaret Siemers.https://youtu.be/rdDxMt0XJ_8
Ann Kennedy
ReplyDeleteReading your comment makes me think of "my" age of innocence in the late 50's. Being a Catholic in those days, going to confession was compulsory. But I couldn't find any sin to confess, so I had to invent some. They were always something like "I ate chocolates although I knew it was forbidden" or "I lied to my mother when she asked if I had been playing near the river". All sins were fake...
And I'm sure the other boys were not worse than I was !
Thank you Ann Kennedy, This is a treasure. (and so are you)
ReplyDeleteLaurent Truillet I know what you are saying. I too as a child fibbed and made up "sins" to confess. And always was given 3 Hail Mary's and an Our Father as my penitence. Years later as a young adult, all of 18, I was talking with the Parish Priest and confided that to him, asking if "because it was an untruth I was telling, should it be asked to be forgiven now? He simply smiled and said, " We know all first year confessions are not wholly true, why do you think you were given Three Hail Mary's?"
ReplyDeleteMargaret Siemers Your Parish Priest was very wise !
ReplyDeleteMargaret Siemers You're very welcome, Margaret. Know that you are loved.
ReplyDelete