[amc] Re: Catholic Mennonites? Mennonite Catholics?
- From: Steve Friesen <Friesen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Nevitt D. Reesor" <reesor@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Austin Mennonite Church <amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 07:55:13 -0500
Mennonite/Catholic doesn't sound so strange to me. I'm sure there are many
reasons why people move in this direction, but I'm guessing one of them is a
growing appreciation of ritual. Mennonites inherit a profound skepticism
about ritual, as though it was a bad thing (or at least very dangerous). My
experience in MCC with the Romanian Orthodox helped me see that there is
also deep meaning in the regular ritual of commumunion/eucharist/Lord's
supper.
Then for the last 4 years in Missouri we were in a Disciples of Christ
congregation where the Lord's Supper was part of every Sunday worship. I
developed a taste for the regular bread and wine (well...crackers and grape
juice, actually). It became an important way for me to express my
discipleship, an expression that had no words from my mouth but involved my
whole body.
All that's to say, I think Mennonites are, as a tradition, starved for
ritual. And sometimes people cross denominational lines to regain ritual.
Steve
Ps. We're back home. Got in last night.
> From: "Nevitt D. Reesor" <reesor@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: Mon, 10 Apr 2006 19:18:54 -0500
> To: Austin Mennonite Church <amc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [amc] Catholic Mennonites? Mennonite Catholics?
>
> Isn't that like "compassionate conservatives"?
>
> Seriously, the following is an excerpt from a letter from Darlene's
> aunt, a life-long but rather free-thinking Mennonite. The link is to
> the website of the organization referred to in the letter. Isn't life
> strange: from Catholicism to Luther to Menno Simons and back to
> Catholicism.
>
> Nevitt
>
> **********
>
> This may come as a shock to some of you but I am in the process of
> becoming Catholic. You may ask why? As I have traveled the grief
> journey over the past almost three years I have found participating
> in the Eucharist at a nearby convent extremely meaningful. My
> spiritual journey has been so enriched by a regular - sometimes daily
> - receiving of this mystical grace. Since I anticipate continuing
> this practice I decided to do what I needed to do in order to be
> legal about it. Therefore my decision to take this step. I will not
> stop being Mennonite. I plan to continue with my congregation as
> usual. I will be a Mennonite-Catholic. By the way, I am not alone
> in this; there is a group called Bridgefolk which is composed of some
> Mennonite Catholics and also Catholic Mennonites.
>
> http://www.bridgefolk.net/
>
> **********
> -------
> Austin Mennonite Church, (512) 926-3121 www.mennochurch.org
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>
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