Certain images from childhood stay with us throughout life.
Some of our likes and dislikes as adults can be traced to those early, formative years. Throughout childhood, attending church services was a regular part of life. My parents, grandparents, and their grandparents were all Roman Catholic. A lot of the memories pertaining to church are steeped in tradition and ceremony.
Stained glass windows that tell, in colored glass, the story of Jesus' life were part of every church service. Even today, as an adult, I love stained glass windows.
Of course, statues of saints, the Mother of God, and the Holy Family filled the church of my childhood, too. They were, somehow, comforting.
On a recent visit to the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, many familiar images brought back lots of memories. All photos in this blog are from that visit.
WHAT MEMORIES FROM SUNDAYS IN CHILDHOOD COME FREQUENTLY TO YOU ?
10 comments:
One of my best friends was Catholic and I loved going to church with her. It was so beautiful the service. I loved the music and hymns of my childhood church (Presbyterian) and the way everyone was dressed.
Lovely post...I miss those old churches..altar rails,bells,pomp...and yes, the stained glass...the relaxed atmosphere is nice too but still miss the old ways...
Oh, Susan! I, too, was raised Catholic, and those candles seemed to have their own aroma, even though they weren't "scented". I used to help the nuns replace the burnt out ones with new ones! I guess I was kind of a "goody-two-shoes! LOL
I used to take a bus to Sunday School. When I was in 2nd grade, the preacher's son gave me my first kiss behind the door of our Sunday School classroom. :) Hope you are having a great day! Tammy
I am a Catholic, so indeed, there are scents and colors, even times of year that bring back childhood religious memories. There are even songs that one would sing at Church, learnt back then, that have stayed with me overtime!! But what I remember and feel, and smell about my childhood Sundays are my naps, followed by a session of Chess. My dad always thought that napping was important, but also to exercise the mind, and taught my brother and I how to play Chess, which we would practice after napping. We would often had a Monopoly session after Chess. Always family activities, and I treasure those memories.
Have a lovely day!
I remember my KG Sunday School teacher standing before the class clasping her hands in an odd configuration. Instead of fingers interlocked in prayer fashion, she placed her right hand on top of her left hand and clasped her fingers. When I became a teacher,I found myself doing the same thing, and so I wrote to her when she was nintey years old. I heard from her shortly before she passed away, and she was so pleased to receive my letter. She even remembered me and my family.
I remember the hymns they used to sing. We go to a contemporary service now and I love the songs there too. sandie
Very nice post for a Sunday. My grandsons are caringing on the tradition of church mass on Sundays. Today even the one year old blessed himself with holy water upon entering the church service....
Thanks for your Sunday visits and comments, girls. I love having each of you come by! Love, Susan
Many of the same kids of memories for me--Although I grew up Lutheran, I remember singing in church with a hymnal, stained glass, the smell if the smoke from the candles after the Pastor put them out with a brass snuffer. Playing with the veins on the back of my mom's hands during service!! LOL!
Beautiful church pictures you shared!
Thank you!
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