I would be interested to hear what caused the change???
You have mentioned Sr Mel before. I'm honoured you would see similarities. I'm not nearly as good as you might think.
Hi Kay. Oh you are. That I am sure.
When I had no one to believe in me and Sr Mel actually did, initially I latched on to God and the Catholic Church to be just a little bit like her. But it got to the point it was becoming unhealthy. I felt if I didn't go to church every day and have holy water touch me, my life would go back to what it was, if I didn't recite the Lord's Prayer through out my day, my life would go back to what it was. I felt if I took my cross off, my life would go back to what it was. I was in a constant state of prayer. This calmed down after a couple of years, and my life started changing, positively, I thanked God for this. I took a vow of celibacy, got a job, had a JET adviser at Social Security help me with study choices, and then my life really started changing. I saved money, bought an old Datsun 200B, moved to a better area of Maroochydore, by this time 5 years had passed, I thanked God for this. Then my life really took its greatest blow. My father died, but by then I was stronger, I didn't run straight back to drugs, I mourned him and continued living and growing. I was still devout in my belief, but I had dialled back on the obsessiveness and I thanked God for this.
I think by this time another 5 years had past, I was now with my partner and mentally stronger than I had ever been. I started thinking about life, and I felt disillusioned at the thought that "God" would save the likes of me while the innocent suffered, then science sort of kicked in.
I think religion, when used for good, can be life changing, as it was for me. The Catholic Church will always be a special place for me, and I think people like you and Sr Mel are perfect examples of that good. I truly believe without Mel, I could never have turned my mess of a life around.