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‘Evil’ Season 3 and Why I’m a Better Catholic for Watching It
I’m going to keep this short, sweet, and to the point. I’m a failed Catholic. We all are, in that none of us are perfect. I didn’t get married in the Church because the bureaucracy makes me angry. I’m frustrated by marriage preparation and timelines and insistence upon brick and mortar … unless you have enough money.
And so, I was married by a former Catholic priest with similar gripes. With my family, under the sky and a canopy of sequoias, I stated the same vows I would have in the Church but still with a man sanctified and called by God.
Again, I’m not a good Catholic, but a practicing one. I practice because I’m just not very good yet. I only confess when I think I’ve done wrong and I do what I can to be a good human.
“Evil,” the TV show, is like “The X-Files” for Catholics. It’s about what happens that is between science and faith, who has ownership, why, and what it means.
When I saw the Season 3 promos that promised consummation between the priest and his friend (despite her being married and his vows), I felt like it was clichéd. I was tired and I wanted no part of the usual “priest can’t resist love/sex” thing.
In my boredom, I started watching anyway.
I was relieved to see that they didn’t play the trope. Instead, it is spiritual trickery, desire, demonic presence, and our normal human failings. I was so relieved; I kept watching.
As a Catholic, I have to commend the makers. They have made it neither bizarre superstition or old custom, but genuine faith and practice of real people with real lives and real questions.
For that, I am grateful.
And for that, it has inspired me to pray my Rosary, look to the mysteries, and to be closer to the faith. Though I have trouble believing, God help me believe. Mary, who said yes, let me also say yes. In spite of everything, say yes to life and whatever comes with faith that my practices and religion have given me proper tools that when confronted, when cynical, when doubting, I still say yes.
Even reluctantly and warily.
I say yes.
Published in General
There are rules for kids playing in little league. Whenever people come together, rules have to exist. Heck there are rules between me and my wife on who does the dishes. As a life long Catholic, I have not experienced anything that would be called a bureaucracy. Are you Catholic?
The only reason a married person’s marriage prevents them from receiving communion is that one of them were previously divorced. A civil marriage, though not a sacramental marriage, is recognized in the Church.
Edit: Perhaps I’m wrong. You do have to get special dispensation as I got for my marriage. Ok Nurse, you’re probably right.
Yikes, that looks complicated!
After researching it Nurse, you are correct in everything you said. But it shouldn’t be that hard to get your marriage convalidated. If you’ve been married for a while, I don’t see what marriage prep is going to do. You do need though to fully understand what a sacramental marriage is, and I can see you do, but perhaps the priest doesn’t know that. Best of luck to you.
By the way, we had both a priest and a rabbi officiate our wedding. The Catholic side was not difficult to arrange at all. My wife had the hardest time arranging for a rabbi. If you think Catholics have rules, you have to look into Jews.
This actually happened to my Godmother and is why she left the Church. He claimed he didn’t understand the gravity of his vows until 10 years laters when he met someone younger.
The Church is not always even handed with the application of their rules.
I’m glad you joined me on the right side of things.
The priests don’t know yet, but rules are rules and 99% of the time they do not waive them for us.
Well he is a fruit cake, and I don’t know if he was successful with the annulment. He is on to his second family now whether it is recognised by the church or even legal I don’t know.
Convenient timing, that.
Yup.
I don’t believe she ever remarried and he’s on his….4th wife? No longer Catholic, of course.