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The Third Child
My mother was born and raised Catholic. My father was born and raised
Protestant. They were married and had three children, and soon after the
third child was born, my parents divorced. I am that third child. After my
parent’s divorce, for the first ten years of my life, I hardly ever saw
them. We only saw my father every other weekend and my mother worked
sometimes twelve or fourteen hour shifts at a hospital while going to
school, so we were sent to live with her parents. My grandparents were very
loving, and my first memories of the Church are with them.
Growing up I went to all kinds of Churches and
Bible studies. Through my grandparents, I attended Catholic school for
years, but by my father, I was not allowed to complete any Sacraments.
Well, years went on and certain events in my life made me stray from all
that is sinless and good. I became a woman, who completely hurt, lost,
aggravated and mean all the time. Finally, I got a job, working for a
corporate company. The managerial team was awful, I thought. But the
people I worked with were amazing!
As time went on I learned so much about these people. I could come to work
with almost any problem and they would be there to guide and help me through
it all. I had just moved to Lancaster and after talking about it for some
time, I decided to attend Sacred Heart.
At first I only went Monday through Friday, showed
up at five to pray, stayed for the Mass. I cried so much the first few
months. I was so in remorse for having ever left and all the sin I was
guilty for. Then after one Mass, I stopped the Deacon and inquired about
RCIA. A little over a year and her I am! So unbelievable blessed and
different. To tell you everything would probably take twenty one years. I
feel I am still on a journey. I still have loads to learn, people to meet,
questions to be answered. Family of Sacred Heart, thank you so much for
everything. I have never been so excited.
Laura Collins,
Saint Anne |
