Sr. Emmanuel: In my childhood I was very attached to the Lord. It was my privilege to place the Baby Jesus in His manger after Midnight Mass every year. Somehow I knew, intuitively, that the Babe in that manger was a
real Person.
REGINA: Lovely tradition.
Sr. Emmanuel: It was the tragedy of my life to have lost that little Babe. The tragedy is that my Catholic upbringing did not reinforce that Personhood of God. As a family we attended Mass on Sunday, we received the Sacraments. My parents were very loving, and I understood very well the depth of their generosity and sacrifice.
However, when we attended Mass and catechism I never understood that God was at the root of my worship. It seemed to me that Mass really had nothing to do with the Babe in the manger. The Mass in itself held no attraction for me, and not finding God therein, I gradually lost my faith. The world soon became very appealing.
REGINA | 33