7th October…feast of the Holy Rosary.

I am the product of a generation of Catholics not well educated in the rules of ‘mother church’. By today’s standards my generation knows absolutely nothing of the inner workings of the Church and its doctrinal faith.  Ours was a totally watered down catechism. The late sixties and seventies were decades in which potential catholics were not well informed.  It had a lasting effect on all.  When sleep does not come and pain invades the body I listen to EWTN.  All those Protestant converts who invariably became Catholic Apologetics….the mind boggles and sometimes its too much.  But since my earliest memory nuns, rosaries,crucifixes, old buildings with arches and grottos were a very firm part of my life.  As Life progresses and people move in and out of ones life we loose the things that formed the foundation of life.  Now after even more decades I have begun to research the purpose and meaning of the Rosary.  I struggle with the doctrinal precepts of the Church and I can’t come to terms with such issues as trans substantiation.  We never trained the soul in what is now being ‘pushed’ very hard by the Church.  However it is reputed that Mary gave sixteen promises for those who say the Rosary.  Audio Rosaries are very helpful.  Radio Veritas, the local Catholic station in South Africa have the Rosary on their program each morning but after a few years of listening to it it becomes arduous and totally depressing.  Still…we try to plough on.  
I have studied many doctrinal faiths and I remain a dedicated to the precepts of Buddhism.  But there is one truth that cannot be changed….once a catholic always a catholic (even if one is collapsed).
Pope Francis is becoming very risqué with his opinions but I guess that is all right…he has the power.