Telling Our Friends and Family

We informed the few Catholics we knew and they were very supportive. Not that we should have been surprised by that, they had been gentle and careful the whole journey and had conducted themselves with great integrity. No pressure was put on us at any point by Catholics, and some Catholics had defended Lutheran doctrine more ably than any Lutheran I know.

I used the few days between Thursday and Sunday to call those I wanted to tell with my own mouth. My classmates and mentors, my family and friends were shocked and I have not heard from many of them since that call.

On Sunday I had to announce it to my two congregations. During the announcements, after the whole service, I read from a prepared statement. I choked on the words at the first service, then greeted them with tears at my normal station at the door after the service. Only a few were openly sorry to hear the news, most were shocked and had no words, a significant minority were openly hostile.

I somehow composed myself (with much prayer begging God for help) and fronted up for the second service.

The reaction at both places was as if I had contracted a terminal disease.

The second (and larger) congregation were particularly teary and some even struggled to say anything at all. I can still see every one of the procession of anguished faces, some unable to speak, others babbling through tears, still others pleading that I reconsider. We had many approach us with disappointment we had not shared our doubt with them before. I tried to explain why this would have been impossible but they need time for this to sink in. One lady will need much, much more talk time to work it through.

We went to lunch at a good friend and parishioner’s house and were bombarded with questions and theological challenges from a guest (also a good man) which didn’t help the situation. I answered them all as carefully and politely as I could. While he admitted to being stumped by my questions, he remained firmly convinced I was wrong.

I got back to my office to find a parishioner had drawn up a sketchy two year plan for my ‘working through’ the issue (similar to Dr Stolz’s plan). I pointed out the similarities with the plans already presented to me, but this fellow is determined to convince me to stay.

On top of such a hard day I played indoor soccer that night (and won 9-1 by the way) and returned home to celebrate a friend’s birthday as per previous arrangement.

Once again, the constant visits and calls from Fr Greg Pritchard, Fr Anthony Fisher and Fr John Flemming have been our strength and sole consolation in this hard time. We look forward to lunching with Nick and Mary (an excellent catholic couple) tomorrow.

I am so thoroughly exhausted, yet feel at peace within myself for the first time in the last year. I love my wife, my son, my daughter and I love that very soon I will receive communion for the first time.

Hold a seat for me at the table, I’m coming home!

Next: After the Announcement