Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Pursued by Truth

Home
Catholic
A Trustworthy Horse: Why I Remain Catholic

A Trustworthy Horse: Why I Remain Catholic

Last updated on: June 8, 2015 at 12:48 pm by Guest Contributor

A Trustworthy Horse: Why I Remain Catholic 2015-06-08T12:48:17-04:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I extended an invite to my readers to write about why they remain Catholic. New Zealander Stephen sent me this gem. I asked him for a picture to go with this piece and I received this response: “No pics of me on horseback – we carried rifles not cameras. One of my teachers at Primary School was Poppy Joyce (aka Sr. Gertrude – brother of the “great” James Joyce. She tried without success to teach me piano for two years.” Of course, then he remembered he DID have a picture and sent me the one below. Enjoy. – Sr. Theresa Aletheia

The author, when he was 21

I don’t recall being asked but herewith I tell my story – proffered on end of a long stick (as Flannery O’Connor once said) so I can snatch some back if anger is provoked.

I was born during WWII and educated at Catholic Schools (1948-1960). Our family practiced its faith even if it didn’t really value a personal relationship with Jesus – that was something for folk like Methodists – we Catholics had the Pope and the Catechism. Yes, there were a lot of rules, but there was also Our Lady and the Rosary.

In my teenage years, circumstance found me spending much time on horseback moving beef cattle in a remote area hemmed by swift rivers which had to be forded. From half kneeling on the saddle with heels tucked up behind to keep feet dry and praying your horse didn’t stumble, all the time trying to look tough and nonchalant – I learned about security – you can trust a good horse – you have to – and I was only fourteen years old.

The large family I stayed with back then knelt to pray the rosary every evening after mealtime. Back in town popular films like Shane also helped – good and evil opposed in plain view – and they had horses in them as well.

After high school I did compulsory military service and still practiced my faith even though many I went through school with were jettisoning theirs – this was the 1960s – enough said. I sought reasons to abandon the Catholic faith and its ‘irksome’ rules but the vision always came to me of dismounting from a horse in mid river without having another to mount beside me – yes if I was going to chuck over my faith I needed another to take its place.

I married at 30. My wife was from an Anglican background but non-practicing. We would discuss things and she would say, “Who told you that? How do you know that?” I was challenged all right, but remained on course. One evening after work I was driving home with the car radio on and at that time Radio NZ would broadcast selected short readings from classical sources. The reading that evening made me pull the car over so I could write down its source. It was a short excerpt from Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton, and it sent me on a literary quest. I had encountered Chesterton briefly in high school but now I felt ready for him.

From Chesterton I rediscovered Belloc, then Sigrid Undset, Flannery O’Connor and many others. I recall Chesterton’s wry comment that young Catholics are taught all the answers before they’ve even asked the questions. Anyway, I had come back strongly to a faith that previously was only a shadow – I had looked toward the sun.

About ten years ago I was roped into helping with RCIA. A few Sundays ago, (Trinity Sunday) we had four adults enter the Church. I was talking to one of them afterward and a lady parishioner approached with congratulations and said that she also was a convert from many years back. I said to the little group, “If we’re honest, we’re all converts.” In other words we all have to return to our faith whether from a long absence, maybe even abandonment of it, or moving toward a stronger relationship with Jesus – being what He wants us to be.

The Catholic Faith is for me like being on a trustworthy horse in the middle of a difficult river crossing.

Stephen Sparrow writes from New Zealand. He is semi-retired and reads (and writes) for enjoyment, with a particular interest in the work of Catholic authors Flannery O’Connor, Walker Percy, Sigrid Undset, Dante Alighieri and St Therese of Lisieux. His secondary school education was undertaken by Society of Mary priests at St. Bedes College and after leaving school in 1960, he joined a family wood-working business, retiring from it in 2001. He is married with five adult children. His other interests include fishing, hiking, photography and natural history, especially New Zealand botany and ornithology.

Previous Post

June 8, 2015

A Sister to Sin: The Gangbanger and a Nun

Next Post

June 11, 2015 Is God "Mother" or "Father"? - 3 Things to Keep in Mind

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Art Atheism Book Reviews Christmas Church Issues Discernment Easter Ecumenism Entertainment Environment Eucharist Evangelization Family Freebies Guest Post Holy Spirit Inspire Me Interreligious Dialogue Jesus Lectio Divina Lent Life Issues Liturgical Season Mary Media MISC Movie Reviews Pauline Pope Francis Prayer Prayer Intention Religious Life Saints Sanctity Scripture Social Justice Social Teaching St. Paul Theology of the Body Uncategorized US News Vocations World News Writing Year of Mercy

Select a Month September 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many chapters are in the book of Romans?

Select your answer to see how you score.

16 21 18 12