As most of you would know, I was not born a Catholic. This begs the question which I often get from others: "Why not a Christian (Protestant) church? It seems more fun!"

I have no idea what does fun mean, and despite being an individual who outwardly makes (non-offensive) jokes about God, deep down in my heart I always believe that religion should maintain sacristy. Personally, it just did not sit well with me that certain Christian services seem to be a pop concert. I acknowledge that there are millions of way for worship, and I am not insinuating that these services are un-Christian. But I could not reconcile such worship to my personal style and belief on how a religion should be.

If I am not in the Catholic Church, I guess I would most probably enter the Anglican Communion. After all, I still vividly recall fond memories in St Paul's Church. I am sure I would love the sense of familiarity in St Paul's. But what held me back was that Henry VIII of England established the Church of England because of his insistence to divorce Catherine of Aragon, which was refused by Pope Clement VII. From a historical viewpoint, it would seem that the Church of England (which is the mother church of the Anglican Communion) was an instrument for the political purpose of re-marrying to have a male heir for the Tudor dynasty.

It is unfair that to say that the Anglican Communion has no distinctive theology (somehow I still have some emotional attachment to the Communion which I was brought up in haha). One could point out that the Thirty-Nine Articles hold the substantial doctrine of faith for Anglicans worldwide, and English reformers such as Thomas Crammer and Matthew Parker had their own theological positions which formed the platform of beliefs for the Communion today. That said, (at the age of 15) I thought there was no substantial distinction between the Anglican Communion and Church of Rome. I mean, there are fundamental differences but at the same time, one cannot deny the many similarities between the two Christian denominations.

For one, there is a large Anglo-Catholic community within the Anglican Communion. Pope Benedict XVI, recognising that some Anglicans do adhere to Catholic traditions, has actually established a special Roman Catholic ordinate for Anglicans who oppose the direction which the Church of England is heading (such as the ordination of female bishops). I am not in a position to say whether Benedict XVI should have done that, or whether the Anglican Communion is heading in the right direction. At the end of the day, I know I could never reconcile with my historical understanding on the Church of England.

Indeed, I have rationalized that the Church of England was established by Henry VIII to make divorce an easy process for himself, without a true belief in the Reformed theology of Crammer (unlike his son and successor, Edward VI of England). As Supreme Head of the Church of England, Henry VIII maintained many of the Catholic practices and beliefs, and he continued to persecute Protestant Reformers (e.g. William Tyndale) - especially if they objected to his annulment. All these evidences point to the argument that the Church of England was established for secular motivations and not based on the theological position of Henry VIII - whatever it may be.

Moreover, if one is to refer to the actions prior to the separation, Henry VIII was awarded the title of Fidei Defensor for his defence of the Seven Sacraments and the Papacy in Assertio Septem Sacramentorum. Such defence may be politically driven or perhaps Henry VIII was truly pious. But whatever the case, Henry's prior actions have shown that he was never a true believer in Reformation until it served his own interest.

This drives me to the conclusion that it is more logical to join the Catholic Church. Put it bluntly, it was my initial interest in the Anglican Communion that leads me to the Catholic Church. From a historical viewpoint, I believe it is the true (and unbroken) One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. And as I attend the RCIY classes, I realise I am in communion with the Church in terms of its theological position. This is with particular regards to the veneration of ancestors, which is of pinnacle concern to me. I also believe that Salvation does not come with only Baptism, but also continuous Repentance and Penance throughout one's life.

Of course, there are times when I do not agree with an overzealous effort by some of the faithful to officially declare the Blessed Virgin Mary as Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix. I believe that salvation comes from Christ alone, and while Our Lady deserves a higher place of veneration than other saints, it is not sufficient to say that she is a mediator and a co-sponsor in the process of our Redemption. I do venerate Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, but it is a separate matter if there is any suggestion to make her a divine figure. But end of the day, I remain a member of the Catholic Church and I would accept the dogma as defined by the Ecumenical Council.

This is my article of faith, in commemoration of my baptism into the Catholic Church on Easter Vigil 7 years ago.

Labels: Christianity, Commentary, contemplation, The Church