Then, just as mysteriously as before, another word was now laid heavily upon me: annulment. Annul… what?? I didn’t understand the meaning of that word, and now it was suddenly right in my face. I had only heard it mentioned on TV, and if I remembered correctly, it was associated with “dissolving a marriage” (though, in reality, it means the Church determines a marriage never to have been a valid sacrament) and, most assuredly, associated with Catholics. Catholic was a word I had heard rarely while growing up, and I was fortunate to have never heard a harsh word toward Catholics or their beliefs. I even had a fascination with nuns in their habits, priests in their collars, all seen on TV, of course. Also, why were there special days marked on the calendar that, as my mother told me, were “holidays for other churches”? The Catholic Church always seemed to be set apart from all other faiths and denominations. Why?
Written Story
My two younger sisters and I were raised in Springfield, MO by parents who valued faith, family, and friendships, and who served the community. We attended Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night services in a large, active Churches of Christ congregation. Our social as well as religious life revolved around this church.
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Help us share the truth and beauty of the Church.
