A Brush With Cannibalism
Re-Recollection
“The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is a central dogma of the Catholic faith: when the priest consecrates bread and wine during the Mass, they are transformed into the literal body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.”
1952
I’m sitting in my First Communion class, trying very hard to grasp the concept of transubstantiation, when my pew mate Nancy interrupts the lesson by announcing, “Eating people isn’t allowed!”
After an all too brief silence, Sister Mary Rose of the Most Holy Cross whips around to identify the source of the outburst. Her sweet map-of-Ireland face, framed in a seriously over-starched wimple, instantly transforms into a gargoyle as she asks, “What ‘r ye on about, caili’n? T’is allowed in the Holy Catholic faith.” Then the good sister cautions her further.
“If ye’re ever tempted to doubt again, don’t think about it. Don’t even let it cross yer mind or ye’ll surely be riskin’ yer immortal soul.” Whereupon, we both abandon any challenge of that dubious tenet and — for my part — most other tenets as well.
Wise Ask: What was the first dogma you questioned? How did that go?
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CATEGORY DEFINITIONS:
Re-Recollection: A brief, occasionally edited recounting of an event or situation.
Rude Awakening: A short piece of writing describing a sudden awareness or discovery that causes a change in perception.
Rabid Rant: A brief diatribe on a single topic, often characterized by strong and passionate language.
I questioned everything. Today one might call it a child’s healthy curiosity. At Nativity Catholic Elementary School in Hollywood, Florida, however, I was repeatedly sent to the principal’s office, “Mother Bertrand”, because Sister Lenore, and the other classroom nuns, didn’t know what to do with me.
“Ronnie has to learn that as a good Catholic boy, he must have faith. He has to stop questioning everything.”
At the end of 6th grade, at 11 years old, I had had enough. I called a meeting with my parents and declared that I would not be returning to Catholic school for the 7th grade and beyond.
I don’t know if it was heresy, or if that was simply the beginning of when I was first understood to be ‘odd’. My four older brothers and sisters never questioned going to Catholic school, and stayed there continuously until graduating from high school.
When my parents asked why I felt so compelled to leave, I told them the nuns were stifling my education. “It’s a school. Learning is about asking questions so you get to know more stuff. They won’t let me ask questions without getting me into trouble.“
When my parents asked what school I wanted to go to I told them, “Nova”. It was 1966 and a time of innovative, educational experimentation. Nova held school sessions, year-round without any summer vacation.
The student body also about 90% Jewish.
My parents asked me if I’d have any trouble with either of those factors.
I told them I loved learning, so why would I want a vacation that made me leave traditional school, delaying my learning, having to wait until summer was over when I’d get to go back to school again!? I loved the idea of continuous learning year-round. (“What a freak this kid is!”, I am sure they were thinking, but instead, they gave me their full support.)
When my parents asked how I would feel going to a predominantly Jewish school, I said, “You mean like the Schecters next-door!” – a wonderful neighbor family who I was raised with since my earliest days.
I told them if it were a Jewish school, chances are that there would be no nuns in the classroom, “so that’s my kind of school!”
I would have nothing to do with the dogma of, “Have faith. Let’s punish a discerning, inquiring, inquisitive mindset”. Even at 11 years old, I knew….