It has been my great honor to teach the RCIA (now OCIA, but I am having a hard time getting used to that!) classes here at St. Mary the Virgin. Because we are a small parish, our group might be more aptly named “Seekers Classes” because people come seeking different things. Some are unbaptized adults, seeking baptism and confirmation, becoming part of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Some are baptized Catholics who have left the Church before receiving all their sacraments and are looking for First Communion and/or Confirmation. And some are Catholics who received their sacraments, but left the Church to follow a different way, and are now coming back into the Church and want to relearn what they didn’t get in their initial religious education. And some have been faithful Catholics who just want to brush up on their faith. Some people have come because they want to act as godparents and must be confirmed. Some people have come because they are marrying a Catholic and want to share the faith of their soon to be spouse. And some people come to find out “Just what IS this Jesus stuff about?” As a convert myself, I understand many of the reservations people may have about entering the Church. After all, I’m the one who told Jesus 30 years ago “I’ll go where you want me to go and join what you want me to join. I will be anything. Anything but Catholic.” And you know what happens when you tell Him what you won’t do. I know now that my guardian angel was shaking his head (metaphorically, you know) and thinking “Wanna bet?” Becoming Catholic has been one of the greatest and best decisions of my life. I have never regretted one moment since Easter Vigil when I was received into the Church. I believe I am called to share that joy, peace, and challenge (for the well-lived Catholic life is always a challenge) with others via our OCIA/RCIA/Seekers classes. And a new one begins this Tuesday night at 7 pm in the library in the Parish Hall. If you know someone who is interested in the Church or who needs sacraments or who just wants to brush up on his faith—please tell them to come. And if that person is YOU - come on! My touchstone has always been what Philip said to Nathanael after he had met the Lord. Nathanael was skeptical - and Philip just looked at him and said, “Come and see.” And that’s really the whole program in a nutshell. “Come and see.” Blessings, Terry Southard