Being Catholic in an Age of Exodus
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"You are my beloved." Those were the words a benevolent Irish priest told me to meditate on before giving me absolution. After revealing myself as a fraud and all too Pharisaical, this priest chose to remind me of my status before God. I am His beloved. Where else could I expect to receive such gentleness after reciting my hideous sins? Rather than face the admonition I truly deserved, I was met with tender encouragement. Tears welled up in my eyes as I prayed before the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Love and mercy overcame me. I was no longer relying on myself. I was back to being a humble child, reliant on my Father for everything. I've had to confess the same sins multiple times, but our Lord never tires of forgiving me. I love my Catholic faith. I love the sacraments, the saints, the incense. I love the reverence the altar commands. Sometimes, I sit in an empty chapel, just to feel His presence, thinking of nothing but the sweetest love I have ever known. My fai