My Menu Favorites

I've been feeling very Catholic lately. What, with the death of one pope and the selection of another, much of the world's attention was focused on Vatican City. Mine, too. While I watched and read, I did a lot of thinking....about these two amazing leaders of my Church, and what I really love about the Church and about being Catholic.

It's easy to point out which cafeteria selections I'm quick to pass by. (See my first post.) It's been great to think about what I like (and love) about the Catholic Church.

Here are some of my favorite items on the menu:

• The Holy Trinity. Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In that, I believe.
  
• Mary. I've always felt a closeness to her. The Rosary is one of my favorite (and most therapeutic) devotions.
  
• The Mass. It's magical. It can really be a feast. A lot happens there! I love the ritual of it. It's been (pretty much) the same for centuries. It's a powerful feeling to know that as I sit in a pew in my local parish, I'm hearing and saying the same words that are being recited around the world that day. And, it's comforting to know that I can walk into any Mass around the world and I have a sense of what I'll experience and I know how to participate. (Now, I'm feeling guilty that I don't go as much as I should!)
  
• The Sacraments. For much the same reasons I like the Mass, only they're more special.
  
• My Parish. I read recently that "Catholicism happens in the pews". I think that's true. The Vatican is a half a world away. My parish church is part of my neighborhood. It's a community of people I feel connected to. And, it's fun! Many of them, like me, are Cafeteria Catholics, too.
  

There's more, of course. And, that's enough for now. I just wanted to bring a bit more balance to the picture of this Cafeteria Catholic.

How about you? What's your favorite item on the Cafeteria Catholic menu?