I went to the Lenten church class on confessions, and what a trip! A man who used to be an ex-catholic monk/brother taught the class. I've seen the man before in service on Sundays, and he also attends the Wednesday night prayer service I go to before my kerygma class.

Check this out. This man was a monk brother for 25 years, used to be the principal of a catholic high school, and still gets up at 4 am every morning to pray. He says it's out of habit. The man has apparently left the catholic church, and is exploring joining my presbyterian church. I don't think he's officially joined yet, because he said he was still in the process of leaving the church. He laughed when he told us this, and said it wasn't because of a sexual abuse scandal or anything like that, and that everything was okay with his leaving the catholic church. In my mind I was thinking, "really? they'd let you go that easily?"

I mean, what a trip, to be a brother monk for 25 years and then leaving the catholic church to come my very mainstream protestant church. I am dying to ask him why he left, but I can't. It's too rude and private. But my mind is full of questions!

He's also a very good lecturer. Tonight's session was on the early history of confession in the christian church. The man definitely knows his early church history backwards and forwards. He's supposed to teach next week's class which is on the modern history of confession. I already have plans to meet a friend, and I'm disappointed I'll miss his class. He's only teaching two classes, because he teaches another class on Thursday nights. He got someone to sub for him, because he really wanted to lead the first two classes on confession. No one else in our church is probably qualified to teach the history of confession, except this ex-catholic brother monk person.

I bet in next week's class, more of this ex-monk's history will come out. Man, I am dying to know his story and to ask him questions. I can just tell from the way the man led class tonight, that he is totally and utterly spiritual and has like the biggest heart of a gold. He comes across as such a gentle soul, and really forgiving. I bet he made a great brother monk person in the catholic church.

I am do so dying to know the story of why he left. He did speak very fondly about the reformed tradition, and what a great tradition it is. Did he leave over theology? What sparked him to leave the catholic church? The whole thing boggles my mind, and my imagination is running over time.

What's interesting personally as well, is how did he find my church? What makes my church so special that this ex-catholic brother monk would consider joining us? I mean, it's not like we're the only presbyterian church in town. We're not even the biggest; we're medium sized to small.

So many questions, and I'll never get them all answered. Still, I'm happy this man has perhaps found a home in my church. It makes me happy that he feels at home where I worship.