Saturday, March 24, 2012

The Modest Catholic



So, a while back I had joined a yahoo group of women who were Catholic and head covered. I thought it would be nice to join a group to help me on my journey. Well, I have to tell you, it started off ok, but I most definitely didn't fit in. I am  trying to live a more modest life, but I don't live on an Amish farm... I have a TV with cable, I have a computer, a cell phone, and oh my...my children watch Nick Jr! As much as I wish I could wear dresses 24/7, sometimes it's just not possible. But, does this make me any LESS modest? I don't think so. The thing that made me leave the group was how I was humiliated for having a facebook page. I was told facebook is evil with too many temptations (ex-boyfriends, etc) and inappropriate conversations...at first they made me feel quite low. But it didn't take long for me to realize this was NOT the group for me.

Funny enough, last night Eric and I watched a documentary on NatGeo (ooooh, I watched TV, my bad) on Hasidism. The show followed individuals and families who lived in the Hasidic community. From marriage, to having children...one man went from a very strong Roman Catholic family where he was one of 10 children who found his calling as a Hasidic jew. (beautiful people, by the way) Towards the end of the program, one of the Rabbi's made a plea that Hasidism doesn't need to live so far away from the real world. There are so many opportunities to be a witness to people through social media, TV, even something as simple as your cell phone. I agree with this 100%...

As a Roman Catholic, who wants to live more modestly, to give up all the "wordly things" may be great for keeping ME on the straight and narrow, but what about others? If we separate ourselves from the world, who can we witness to? Of course Facebook could be bad...but what if you use it for good? Think about all the people who read what you write everyday. Even if they read it and say to themselves "there she goes...talking all that religious mumbo jumbo again"...maybe, just maybe, I have planted a seed?! You never know the people you may touch with your words, thoughts and actions.

I left that group that made me feel "less than worthy" and decided to start my own yahoo group. Guess it's possible no one will join, but maybe for the few that do, I will find some other catholic women who feel the way I do. Modesty, head covering and living a bit more traditional, does NOT mean giving up everything in the "real world"...to me it means being a witness to the "real world"!

Modest Catholics

6 comments:

  1. Good for you! I would have left that group too. I have FB and cell as well (not cable, but only because it's $$). I like this youtube video by Christopher West. I think you would like it.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n4iStqs56A

    PS, I'd join your yahoo group.

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  2. Awesome video! I think he hit it dead on! Thank you for sharing this!!!!

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  3. I agree with you. Living as a Christian does not mean hiding from the world. Are you familiar with St. Josemaria Escriva? His teachings are on living as Christians in the middle of the world. It's like blooming where you are planted.

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  4. I am not familiar with St. Josemaria Escriva, but I will most definitely read up!! :)

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  5. Headcovering is embraced by a small, but broad community, isn't it? It's funny how you can be drawn to something that is practiced by such a relatively small group of women, and then find that you are so different from many of the members of that group. Good for you, that you didn't take long to "shake off" the imposed strictures of that group.
    Pax Christi!
    ~Michelle

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  6. Welcome to St. Blogs Directory. I'd like to invite you to join other Catholic bloggers in a weekly feature: Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival, in which Catholic bloggers share their best weekly posts with each other. This week's host post is at http://rannthisthat.blogspot.com/2012/03/sunday-snippets-catholic-carnival_31.html

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