On his way to Catholicism through RCIA

He's a catechumen preparing for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, and his ritual dismissal at the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Word gives him an opportunity to discuss that Sunday's Scripture readings with a catechist.

It's part of a process that should lead to his receiving the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist at next year's Easter Vigil and becoming a full member of the Roman Catholic community.

Childhood without faith

A native of Roanoke, Virginia, Mr. Sutton grew up in a family that didn't emphasize religion; his father was a non-practicing Episcopalian; his mother didn't belong to any denomination.

"The only experience I had in churches was weddings, when I played trombone in a brass ensemble," he said.

Mr. Sutton didn't discuss religion with his friends, either, so his perception was shaped by televangelism, a form of worship that didn't sit well with him.

Moving toward Church

After studying nuclear engineering in college, he came to the Albany Diocese in 1983 and began working for Knolls Atomic Power Laboratories in Niskayuna, where he's still employed. Mr. Sutton married his first wife in 1987, but they divorced nine years later. She was raised a Catholic but became a Unitarian during their marriage.

Shortly after the divorce, he met his current wife, Peg, during a trip to France organized by the Out of Control Ski Club. They sat next to each other during the flight, spent the entire trip skiing with each other and began attending Sunday Mass together when they returned home.

Parish of choice

St. James remained their parish of choice; but if they missed Sunday Mass there, they'd make sure they went to another church. Mr. Sutton used to look at his watch during Mass, but he gradually took interest in the celebration and followed along. Even their ski trips included Mass, and Mr. Sutton didn't take his wife's expression of faith lightly.

"She likes to ski as much as I do, and the fact that she had to go to Mass made a big impression on me. My wife is an excellent role model," he said.

Invitation

"I was probably subconsciously thinking of it, and that was the last motivation I needed," Mr. Sutton said.

Although his wife was pleased with his decision, "she never wanted to try to influence me to become Catholic," Mr. Sutton pointed out. "She wanted me to do it because I wanted to do it and didn't want me to do it insincerely, but I could tell she was extremely happy about it."

Sponsor

Mr. Cosler has a whole reference library on Church history and teachings at his house, and Mr. Sutton has enjoyed meeting with his sponsor, a pharmacist, because they also share a background in science.

Four months later, Mr. Sutton became a catechumen through the Rite of Acceptance. While his meetings with his sponsor continued, he also began studying Scripture with catechists after the Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass. Sessions have become more instructional and dealt with specifics about the Catholic faith, especially the sacraments.

A recent meeting with Mr. Cosler covered the subject of guilt, and how there is not only the guilt of commission when one does something wrong but also the guilt of omission when one sees wrongful behavior but does nothing to stop it. Pride was the topic discussed after the Liturgy of the Word on a recent Sunday; Mr. Sutton spoke with a catechist about the Pharisees' habit of saying one thing and doing another, and the importance of living life according to one's beliefs.

Preparation

"They're very strict about their beliefs, but they're not asking you to believe anything that's unreasonable," he said.

He's also noticing how the lessons from Scripture tend to play out in real life, an observation that's directly linked to being in the catechumenate. "I'm sure that's been going on all my life, but I didn't know it. The Bible is so applicable to daily life," he said.

Mr. Sutton continues meeting with Mr. Cosler every other week and leaving Mass after the Liturgy of the Word at Sunday Mass as part of his RCIA preparation. Having never been baptized in any faith, he is experiencing religion firsthand as never before, and the progress he's making on his faith journey amazes him.

"The transformation couldn't have been more dramatic," he said. "I used to have no need for religion, and now I'm becoming more and more capable of listening to the Scriptures and following on my own."

(Editor's note: The Evangelist will continue to follow Tom Sutton's progress in future issues.)

(12-09-99) [[In-content Ad]]