If I ever again say anything about looking at St. Al's CCC* youth ministry website, please be sure to smack me.

It frustrates me that they are now doing everything I tried to do when I was there and was told I couldn't. And it isn't even as if there has been a change in pastor or administration. It's just that I was a poor, northern girl, and the guy running it now is a wealthy, southern boy who grew up in the parish.

I have to say, though, that the theology they are imparting isn't really that good. It is basically conservative Catholocism mixed with the Southern Baptist, "Yay God! Accept Jesus into your life and you will be rewarded!" kind of feel. I never thought the powers that be at the CCC would allow that, but it just goes to show what I know.

I often think about becoming more involved in ministry in some way, shape or form at my current church, but I admit that my experiences at the CCC have made me a little gunshy. I'm even leery of volunteering to read scripture on Sundays, something I've been doing since I was in middle school.

Sigh. Being part of a Christian community shouldn't be this hard.