[Gráinne]

Not a practicing Roman Catholic, but I suddenly had a memory this morning.

When I was in college the first go-around (so 1981-85), I didn't follow any particular faith, having left my parents' church several years before. I still felt some kind of need for a spiritual practice, so even though I wasn't a Roman Catholic, I went to Mass at the Church a block from my dorm. As I recall, I asked a Catholic friend "How do you go to Mass"?, so I didn't make a fool out of myself.

It may seem a shallow reason for attending, but St. George's was the most beautiful church I had ever seen. It was a historic building in the University neighborhood, right up next to gas stations, a disco, and fast food restaurants.

Someone upthread quoted the prayer right before Eucharist-the part about being unworthy, but say the word and my spirit will be healed. I remember being so moved by that, and I certainly needed healing and lots of it. For many reasons, I was pretty much like a broken down car and completely out of spiritual gas.

I always snapped to attention at the benediction-"The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face towards you and grant you peace" Well, I needed all those things, massively. Upon the benediction, I felt I could keep going for another week. It filled me.

So I did the whole thing-went to classes, had a kind of confirmation ceremony, and Eucharist, I believe. I eventually left Cincinnati but remained a practicing Roman Catholic back in *hometown also beginning with a C*.

There's no good reason why I stopped, except that a few years after I went home, I moved out again and across the country and began a pretty wild (read: irresponsible) lifestyle for a few years. I wonder if I'd stuck to it, and received that benediction every week, if I would have gotten so far off track.

I never formally left the Church, if there is such a thing. It's a very long story, but I bounced around through several Protestant denominations and Episcopal (very Roman Catholic-like in service while still Protestant), then even some time as an Evangelical before leaving Christianity altogether and currently struggling between Judaism and Quakerism.

But even if I'm not a Christian and have serious questions about theology, I still remember how centered I felt during those services. My life fell apart, but spiritually, I had a community and I loved the beauty.

Out of curiosity, I looked up St. George's. Sadly, attendance declined in the years after I was there, with the growth of the University and changing neighborhood. It closed in 1993, and combined with a church a few miles away. I was glad to hear that the beautiful building was saved from being wrecked, and I hope it continues thus.