Religion and ritual. [View all]

[pinto]

(Hi all, new here but I'm interested in joining the discussions. And looking into more that DU has to offer, especially in our new format. ~pinto)

Religion and ritual has always been intertwined for me. I'm a Roman Catholic, not very observant but nominally that's my church. I go back to the time when the mass was said in Latin. And its ritual still echoes for me.

Even that turn of phrase "said in Latin" reflects on ritual. The mass is simply spoken by the priest, whatever the language. And, in most ways, it's always the same. I could probably still recite the call and response arrangement. And the simple structure of the repeated, ritual story that is the mass.

There's a structure there, a weekly connection. A time out.

I still remember and recognize the church bell calls ten minutes before mass. Like in other faiths, a heads up to come and observe. In its own way a call to community. I still appreciate that.

Don't attend much now, though I stop be the mission to say a prayer and light a candle at times. Truth be told, I didn't always attend as a kid.

We were Irish Catholics and sometimes church would be held at the donut shop. With a wink and a nod...