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Living Faith

In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth.


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He created man and
woman to love each other and populate the Earth. God gave each individual the freedom
to live a life of faith or not. Many times though when a child is born into the world their
parents ma!e that decision for them. If the family was "atholic there tends to be a similar
life cycle. #he child is bapti$ed as a baby grows up going to church every wee!end gets
married in the church have !ids of their own and start the whole process over again. #he
e%periences and struggles that happen within the cycle are what set each "atholic apart.
Each "atholic has their uni&ue story and faith e%perience to share. #his is the story of the
faith e%perience of Geralyn 'ohler.
(nce upon a time in the not so far away land of Grand )apids Michigan a baby
was born by the name of Geralyn *est. +eeing that she was born into a "atholic family
she was bapti$ed as a baby. ,s a growing child Geralyn partoo! in the usual "atholic
traditions which included going to church every wee!end and participating in Holy
-ays. Geralyn attended "onfraternity of "hristian -octrine ""- classes until she
reached the age of fourteen and made the sacrament of "onfirmation. ,ccording to
,ndrew Greely it is relatives parents teachers and friends among others that influences
an individuals. faith.
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#hey are the ones that play a role in developing the religious
identity of an individual. 0ater on in life Geralyn would learn how much her family really
influenced her faith. #o her being "atholic was as easy as being part of the *est family.
,s a child the families e%perience was her e%perience. *hile Geralyn.s childhood is
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Genesis 111
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,ndrew Greeley #he "atholic Imagination 2niversity of "alifornia 3ress1 /444 p 156
similar to that of many "atholic children there is one distinct aspect that ma!es her.s
uni&ue.
"hildren tend to frolic through fields without a care in the world not !nowing
what else may be out there. *ell Geralyn did do the frolic!ing7 she did !now what else
was out there. +he believed that there was a God out there somewhere 8ust did not have a
great sense of what that meant. #o aid in her wondering she set up what she called her
headboard shrine after her mother.s suggestion. #he headboard shrine was a shelf on
Geralyn.s headboard that consisted of multiple ob8ects that helped her be closer to God.
#hese ob8ects ranged from holy cards with saints on them to a rosary a Mass boo! and a
votive candle holder with a statue of Mary on it. 9ot to mention the crucifi% nailed over
her doorway. 9ow Geralyn was not superstitious but she believed that these ob8ects are
God.s way of ma!ing his presence !nown to humans and developing a closer connection
with him. Greely defines this idea as sacramental principle. He says that "atholics use
tangible ob8ects to show God.s presence in the world and to ma!e them feel closer to
him.
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Geralyn did e%actly this as she used the saint holy cards to try and imagine people
being holy. ;or her if it was in sight it was in mind. ,s she lied down to go to bed she
would say the rosary with her mother and feel the power and protection of the 0ord.
(ne night Geralyn was a !id praying the rosary with the company of her mom
and the ne%t night she was a teenager who tested all she has !nown. +he challenged
herself and her family values. ,t that point in her life Geralyn still had a far away concept
of God and didn.t see how her attitudes and thoughts were offensive to God. God gives
all the freedom to act or not to act. #his freedom allows people to develop and mature in
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,ndrew Greeley #he "atholic Imagination 2niversity of "alifornia 3ress1 /444 pg. <
truth and goodness.
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#he freedom God gave allowed Geralyn to chose whom she dated
between a ,theist and a 0utheran. #hrough this freedom she grew and learned what was
important to her even if she did not reali$e it. Geralyn would start dating this guy >eff
'ohler who was "atholic and !new the mass 8ust as well as she did. *hen she called
home to her mother Geralyn told her that she would li!e the guy because he was
"atholic. It is through this that Geralyn reali$ed how important it was to her all along to
find some with a similar faith. ;or many young adults that are "atholic they too wish to
find a mate that has faith even if they do not reali$e it at the time. "atholics want to find
someone they can share their faith 8ourney with. #hrough the freedom of dating Geralyn
had grown closer to God in her decisions but would other e%periences bring her a step
bac!?
Geralyn and >eff were engaged after a short period of time and were on the way to
their happily ever after. #hey lived together in >eff.s parents. house to save money for
their future. *hile living there they did what was morally right e%cept for one time when
they crossed the line. Geralyn and >eff had se% before marriage. #he "atechism teaches
that fornication is a sin and should be avoided in order to save ones chastity for the one
they are to marry.
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*hile this is true Greely tal!s about how se%ual desire between man
and woman leads them into marriage helps heal the wounds and frictions of daily life
and often draws them closer in a renewal of their love.
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#he renewal of their love is
what Geralyn needed for she started to have doubts. #he one time interaction brought
Geralyn to conceive her first child. >eff and Geralyn told their parents and decided to
have a shotgun wedding. *ithin a matter of eight wee!s they were man and wife and had
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"atechism of the "atholic "hurch 2nited +tates "atholic "onference Inc. 1 166= pg =A1
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"atechism of the "atholic "hurch 2nited +tates "atholic "onference Inc. 1 166= pg @/=
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,ndrew Greeley #he "atholic Imagination 2niversity of "alifornia 3ress1 /444 pg. <@
participated in the holy sacrament of marriage. , new covenant between God Geralyn
and >eff has been made. "hristian marriage in turn becomes an efficacious sign the
sacrament of the covenant of "hrist and the "hurch.
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It gives spouses the grace to love
each other with the love which "hrist has loved the "hurchB
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Geralyn and >eff
embraced the grace and loved not only each other but their entire family with the love
that "hrist had shown all. #hey continued life raising three other !ids. ,s with any
fairytale there will be the ups and the downs along with the princess of the story needing
to be saved from some disaster.
;amily and friends were a large part of Geralyn.s life. #hey helped guide her and
gave her a sense of direction in her life. Many people may lose friends at one point in
their life 8ust to gain them bac! later in life. *hile the relationship later on may be
different than before it is still good to have that sense of community and friendship.
Geralyn went through this with her best friend. ,fter Geralyn confessed a severe sin to
her friend her friend stopped tal!ing to her. It would ta!e three years of silence and heart
brea! for Geralyn before her friend comes around. #rue friends find a way to stay in
one.s life. ,nother e%ample in Geralyn.s life was when one of her friends 8oined a
mega nonCdenomination church for the fact that the friend thought that the Dible was to
be ta!en literally. #his differed from Geralyn.s view of the Dible and ended their
friendship. Geralyn and many other "atholics do not see the Dible as something to be
ta!en literally but more as a guide boo! to acting the way God wants. #he traditions of
the "atholic "hurch come from the Dible Hence the Dible is not something totally
distinct and separate from tradition or from the teaching authority of the bishops.
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#he
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"atechism of the "atholic "hurch 2nited +tates "atholic "onference Inc. 1 166= pg =<1
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"atechism of the "atholic "hurch 2nited +tates "atholic "onference Inc. 1 166= pg =@:
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,lan +chrec! "atholic and "hristian +t. ,nthony Messenger 3ress1 /44= pg </
Dible and the "hurch go hand in hand. #he Dible was written by man with the help of the
Holy +pirit. "atholics believe the message is to be ta!en literally while the events should
not. +ince the friend disagreed with this view she did not believe that Geralyn was saved.
,fter an outward gesture for reconciliation they began to tal! again. +chrec! ma!es a
note that "atholics can associate with other "hristians without having in mind to bring
them bac! to the "atholic "hurch.
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#his applies to Geralyn and her friend. *hile her
friend is not "atholic Geralyn could still tal! to her about her faith without having the
intention of bringing her bac! to the "atholic "hurch. (nce this was understood by all it
made it easier for a reconciled relationship. It is through different relationships that one
becomes stronger. Geralyn.s faith became stronger for it made her evaluate her beliefs
and determine why she believed what she did.
9ow for the part of the fairy tale where Geralyn became a dandle in distress.
Many people e%perience a midClife crisis but Geralyn.s was more of a spiritual crisis.
+he wor!ed to help support her family and the stress and new community of wor! were
what caused Geralyn to have her crisis. ,t wor! she was needed and valued for more
than 8ust her role as a mother and a wife. +he was able to be Geralyn and not 8ust a part
of the 'ohler and *est family. Geralyn was noticed for her wor! ethic and her body that
she had been toning up. (ne night after wor! one of her cowor!ers !issed her and for the
first time in a while she felt alive the way she felt was nothing li!e she has e%perienced
before. ,lthough Geralyn !new and willingly choose to commit sin she continued to see
the man. +he had disobeyed the si%th commandment. Dy committing adultery Geralyn
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,lan +chrec! "atholic and "hristian +t. ,nthony Messenger 3ress1 /44= pg @<
had failed in her commitment to >eff and God in their covenant.
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#he relationship ended
and Geralyn hit roc! bottom.
Geralyn went through a time of depression but hid it from those around her. +he
could not let her family or anyone else see that something had happened. +he wore a
mas! as many people do to cover up what is 8ust beneath the surface. Geralyn buried
herself in her wor! and continued to be the mom and wife she was. #hrough the entire
time she continued to go to church but felt li!e she did not belong there. Geralyn stressed
herself about the event to the point where she became sic!. ,fter that she !new it was
time to let the sin go and confess to someone. +he first confessed to her best friend and
her friend listened but stopped tal!ing to her eight months later. Geralyn also confessed
to the local priest for that is the way a severe sin is forgiven. (nly God can forgive sins
and through priests sins are forgiven since the power was given to them through the
,postles.
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Geralyn was ready for a new beginning.
#here comes a point in ones life that they are fed up with what is going on and are
loo!ing for a change. Geralyn was no different. +he became weary of feeling terrible all
the time and she left her 8ob. Eet as one door closes another one opens. Geralyn was
recommended by one of the ladies at church for the -)E 8ob. #he ;ather was e%pecting
Geralyn to call and although she was scared she called. #hey met three times and each
time ;ather Murphy offered her the 8ob. Geralyn had a hard time believing in herself after
all she had done and ;ather Murphy !nowing himself. Eet ;ather Murphy believed in her
and she hesitantly too! the 8ob on his belief. "atholics do not e%pect perfect men as
priests but they li!e it when they encounter good men who are also good at their wor!.
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"atechism of the "atholic "hurch 2nited +tates "atholic "onference Inc. 1 166= pg @:/
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"atechism of the "atholic "hurch 2nited +tates "atholic "onference Inc. 1 166= pg =4/
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,ndrew Greeley #he "atholic Imagination 2niversity of "alifornia 3ress1 /444 pg. 1<:
+imilarly "atholics do not e%pect perfect people to lead faith formation groups they 8ust
want someone who will do a good 8ob. *ith the faith of others Geralyn did an e%cellent
8ob and had such a large impact on the lives of those she encountered.
#hrough her 8ob as a -)E Geralyn found her faith reshaped. Geralyn 8ournals
and found it to be a great way to have a conversation 8ust between her and God. ,s a tool
for guidance and deep intellectual conversation her 8ournal became thirtyCtwo chapters
long. #he first year that Geralyn too! the 8ob she went on a retreat and pic!ed up +t.
,ugustine.s "onfessions. #he passage she opened up to had such an impact on her that
it made her see saints differently. 9o longer are saints 8ust Holy people. Geralyn
reali$ed that li!e other humans saints may have struggled in their lives but found a way
to ma!e it better. (ur communion with all of God.s saints means that "hristians alive
today are not alone in the struggle against the world the flesh and +atan.
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#his
becomes apparent to Geralyn and she embodied it and became influenced by many
different saints. +he loo!ed toward saints that e%perienced a similar struggle with desire
as she did. +aints such as +t. >ohn of the "ross +t. #eresa of ,vila and many others. #he
saints turned to "hrist in their time of struggle and that is e%actly what Geralyn wanted to
do. Her new 8ob helped Geralyn on her way to a faith filled life.
Many people who are religious often remar! about how the Dible in a "atholics
home seemed to be untouched. "atholics do not thin! that they do not need to read the
Dible but simply have different views of how to embody the life of >esus. +ome
"atholics believe that there are other te%ts that can also help develop ones faith. (ne such
te%t is the "atechism. Geralyn used the "atechism to help !now what the "atholic
faith teaches and why. Greely says that the typical "atholic probably has never read a
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,lan +chrec! "atholic and "hristian +t. ,nthony Messenger 3ress1 /44= pg 1@:
papal or hierarchical document or listened with any attention to what a pope or bishop
has said.
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In this case Geralyn is not your typical "atholic. +he soa!ed in the pope.s
words and the documents the Fatican issues out. ;or Geralyn all of the different
documents complimented one another and were the big picture view that gave Geralyn
her mission as a -)E. Geralyn would have been lost without the magisterium. In this
way she related to the church and the parish level. ,fter all the parish level is where
home is and all the actual faith living ta!es place.
Geralyn continued to wor! her 8ob as a -)E and continued to have an impact on
peoples. lives. ,s she grew so did her faith. #he faith she had as a !id is not the same
faith she has now. ,s a !id God was a far away concept where as now He is more alive
and more present in her life. 3eople li!e to determine if one is a good "atholic but
there is no discrete formula for this. (nly God can determine what ma!es a good
"atholic.
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Many "atholics struggle with their faith at some point in their life and turn
away from God. #his does not ma!e them a bad "atholic7 it 8ust means that God is
challenging them to see if they really believe. God tested Geralyn and found that her
heart was full of love and a burning passion to do His will. ,nd Geralyn lived happily
ever after.
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,ndrew Greeley #he "atholic Imagination 2niversity of "alifornia 3ress1 /444 pg. 156
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,ndrew Greeley #he "atholic Imagination 2niversity of "alifornia 3ress1 /444 pg. 16

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