Perceptions and Misperceptions

Surfing Facebook this morning I came across an article 11 Hidden Castles in Massachusetts.  I knew
my high school would be among them.  Sure enough!  There it was, # 11.

Many things came to mind.  The title of the article, itself, was the first.  These castles aren't hidden.  People in the area know them.  Second, that misnomer gave me cause to reflect.  Misperceptions have a life of their own.  Most of the time, there's no rational reason for them.  There may be a slight thread of an immature impression that resulted in the misperception.  Hopefully, that misperception will be corrected by an open mind.

My early impressions of my high school were connected to the seminary next door.  St. Basil's Seminary, back in the day, decorated its building with lights, during the Christmas season.  I had always assumed that all the adjacent buildings belonged to St. Basil's.  When my parents were suggesting high schools, and Presentation of Mary Academy came up, I was surprised that it was a bona fide school on its own, not part of St. Basil's.

Remembering my high school days, I think of the fun.  We had a pond on the property.  We skated in the winter.  We had nice rolling hills that were perfect for sledding, especially tobogganing.  We had what we called a "runway."  It was a covered pedestrian bridge that connected the school to the convent.  I could tell you some funny (strange, creepy, and funny) stories.  But I won't, to protect the innocent.  The grounds were spacious and beautiful.  I was always rather proud to have gone to high school, in a castle.

Fast forward to marriage.  When I brought my husband around my hometown, I showed him where I went to high school.  His response, "You went to a prison?  Was it a reform school?"  Prison?  How insulting!

You just can't account for people's perceptions.  This one school, Presentation of Mary Academy has been perceived as:

seminary

high school

castle

prison

As for me and all PMA Alumni, it's a high school blessed to be in a castle.

All Perceptions are Misperceptions

My friend and I were sitting next to each other, on the bus.  We were catching up on each other’s “doings.”  She mentioned that she had been to a funeral Mass, at my parish.  (My friend is a fallen away Catholic)  She proceeded to tell me how bleak, boring, and particularly tedious the Mass celebrant was.  She said the priest obviously never even made an effort to learn anything about the deceased.  ….yada…yada…yada

Instinctively, I rushed to his defense.  Of course he knew of the deceased.  Maybe not personally, but I’m sure he was told. 

I couldn’t convince my friend.  I just flamed her tirade.  Once, she was hurt by the church…not really, but that’s how she perceived it.  You see, she was in a situation where she turned to the church for help.  And what she was told, was not what she wanted to hear.  Ever since then, the church can’t do anything right.

So I sat beside her and listened to her berate my priest, my confessor, my spiritual father, my spiritual director, my pastor, the one whom I constantly pray for—and prays for me.

I felt like punching her in the mouth.

Instead, I prayed for her.

Early in my Lay Dominican formation, I was impressed by St. Catherine of Siena’s The Dialogue.  The Dialogue is the perfect book to read and reflect upon.  It’s applicable to our times, as well as it were to St. Catherine’s.  St. Catherine was adamant in defense of priests.  Then, as today, priests didn’t always behave as they should.  Scandals have been around since Abel and Cain.  

...it is my will that the sins of the clergy should not lessen your reverence for them,...Because the reverence you pay to them is not actually paid to them but to me, in virtue of the blood I have entrusted to their ministry...

   ...And just as the reverence is done to me, so also is the irreverence...

   For this reason no one has excuse to say, 'I am doing no harm, nor am I rebelling against holy Church.  I am simply acting against the sins of evil pastors.'  Such persons are deluded, blinded as they are by their own selfishness.  They see well enough, but they pretend not to see so as to blunt the prickling of conscience. ...  For I have said and I say it again: No one is to touch my christs.  It is my right to punish them, and no one else's.

And I prayed for my parish priests, and all priests.  They are alter Christi; in their indelible "likeness" to Christ, they are a sign of the constant love God has for us.