the babies get blessed and we eat beignets
October 9, 2007
My sister Erica, our Uncle Michael, Jack & nieces Emily & Olivia
We got the babies Christened. I had never been to the church before, it was a huge traditianal Roman Catholic one with some nice stained glass. My sister in law Kate and her husband Jeff were Marlowe’s godparents and my sister and uncle Michael were Jack’s. I was happy to see my uncle who I spent some time over the summers with as a kid, and was always my favorite. He is a Brother in the Franciscan Church, and wore his habit (Friar Tuk like robe) to add some “pizzazz”. Jack was interested in the body of Christ and thought he would taste him for himself and chewed on his necklace. My uncle was a sport. The priest that performed the baptism was pretty funny, he kept getting everyone’s names wrong (Jack Rose and Marlowe Thomas?) and had to be corrected over and over while he spoke with a tennor pitched monotone priest-ly voice. It was pretty facinating and I am relieved that my kids are now absolved of original sin. Whew. We celebrated with some beers and some New Orleans quisine. The babies did great, just a little whining, but I was whining too after an hour ad a half in church. Marlowe put up with the worlds frillyest dress, courtesy of grandma.
Aunt Kate and Marlowe
It was great to be with family, and I was lucky to have them all there. It was something that was important to our parents, and to Tom so I was OK with it. It was pretty funny testing myself on my Mass responses and prayers. That stuff was just drilled into my head I guess. It was a beautiful day, and I refrained from having a discussion about religion which was probably best.
I was pretty amazed at the hand-out they gave that refered the water poured over the babies heads to be “a sign of life in the natural order, because the breaking and the flowing of the water of the womb begins birth and sends a baby out into the world”, and it is a symbol of eternal life as “a believer is birthed and sent out of the womb of Holy Mother Church into life beyond limits and boundaries into this world into fullness of eternal life.” Wow. Careful, your Pagan roots are showing.
