My name is Jeni, I am 24 years old and a member at Saint Williams in Greenville.
I joined the Catholic Church Easter of 2001. Fr. Paul was very instrumental in my conversion. I come from a Baptist background. When I joined the Church I was engaged and to be married and we began going through pre marital counseling with Fr. Paul.
Much to my shame, we made big mistakes. I got pregnant before we were married...and then we made the mistake of "marrying" in the court. We came back to Fr. Paul last year, our baby was baptized, and, to make a long story short, we began living as brother and sister. This has truly been a difficult and yet rewarding time for the both of us. I beleive we have really begun to realize what true love is. Look to the cross, this is True Love. God has had mercy on us, it has indeed been a wonderful reminder of God's Grace.
Hi Jeni, so glad we finally were able to get you in! I tell you, I was getting frustrated there for a bit.
Anyway, I don't believe we ever met and will have to meet one day at Mass. We take Fr. Paul's mom to Mass and so we leave it up to her as to which Mass she would like to attend. So, it will depend if we are at the same Mass.
Listen, I for one am very proud that you actually were so in love with the lord that you lived as brother and sister. Yes, it must be extremely hard to do. Good for you!
Denise,
Thanks so much! And thank you for getting the problems worked out here.
We usually attend the 11:30 am Mass on Sundays...if you were there last week you would recognize me from the screaming monster of a child...rofl...she has dark hair and is almost 2 years old. Yes, she was the one literally screaming DURING the consecration..sorry to everyone who had to sit through that!
I have had kids cry, yell "no no no!" or say "when is it going to be over?" during the consecration. It is embarassing. But I think that Jesus is glad they are there nontheless.
You're story sounds similar to mine. I didn't exactly do things in the right order either. (although we never and anyone to encourage us to live as brother and sister... perhaps that would have been a good thing...) Thank God for His Divine Mercy and for the most wonderous gift of the confessional. I don't even like to think where I'd be without those two things.
Domine Non Sum Dignus!
Holiness is not for wimps and the cross is not negotiable, sweetheart, it's a requirement.
~ Mother Angelica
Thank you for the reassurance on the screaming baby! She is a handful to be sure but I thank God for every moment I have with her.
Fr. Paul has been such a vital help in our spiritual walk. I know that living as brother and sister, and the encouragement Fr. Paul has given us through this waiting period, has been vitally important to our spiritual growth.
Thanks again for the very warm welcome. Hopefully I see some of you in Mass this Sunday!
I, too, am gratefully attend Saint William's. I will look for you at Mass. I have 5 kids and we usually sit in the front left or the second pew if Denise is there.
