I, too, unwittingly consumed Jesus at a quincenera. When I said "wait, oh, I'm not a catholic", the reply was "everyone is a catholic".

I repaired that ontological damage later that night by consuming Jesus a couple of times behind a woodshed in the back yard.

I was force fed that religion as a child. It was not a choice and as soon as I could start seperating fact from fantasy I realised it was bullshit. There is no hell. Jesus is dead, dead, dead. And virgins don't get pregnant. Ever! And as far as your grandmother is concerned, I know it's difficult for her but let her be an example to the rest of the people who refuse to see what a vile and corrupt institution it is. You can and will survive without it.

David, have you ever seen the movie "Priest"? It was on Ovation the other day. I saw it back in the 90's with my recovering-Catholic bf. Very powerful stuff.

That was a moving story. Thanks for sharing.

I'm not sure that "one of the key benefits of religious belief is the help it gives in navigating and making sense of the end of your life" is really true. I've known a fair number of folks who have faced death. The only ones I thought were truly frightened by their impending demise were the religious ones. I guess they had more to fear on the other side....

Your grandma is a pillar of respectability. Unlike the pope and his henchmen.

Have you tried suggesting other--saner--religions to fill your grandmother's spiritual gap? I normally wouldn't recommend make-believe as a cure for anyone, but as you said, someone at her age and facing end of life questions might benefit from some spiritual guidance. Is there a local UCC pastor she could talk to?

I appreciate the reminder to read Paul's open letter. Having read it, and of your experience, too (which mirrors mine in several spooky ways), I find I was touched most strongly by Baconcat's @1.

Your grandma knows what's what. Letting go of a lying church is the only rational thing to do. She can die, when she gets around to it, with a clear conscience.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/…

Posted at the LA Times one hour ago

"LOS ANGELES (AP) — The future Pope Benedict XVI resisted pleas to defrock a California priest with a record of sexually molesting children, citing concerns including "the good of the universal church," according to a 1985 letter bearing his signature.

The correspondence, obtained by The Associated Press, is the strongest challenge yet to the Vatican's insistence that Benedict played no role in blocking the removal of pedophile priests during his years as head of the Catholic Church's doctrinal watchdog office.

The letter, signed by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was typed in Latin and is part of years of correspondence between the Diocese of Oakland and the Vatican about the proposed defrocking of the Rev. Stephen Kiesle.

The Vatican refused to comment on the contents of the letter Friday, but a spokesman confirmed it bore Ratzinger's signature."

David, your grandmother has more integrity than the pope. Than the last two popes. Good on her. If she can no longer take comfort in the Catholic Church, hopefully she can at least take comfort in that.

Thank you for sharing, David. Your grandma sounds like the type of person who values peace over the blessings that the church offers, and is wise enough to understand that peace is its own blessing. The truth about the RCC robbed her of peace. And, in walking out she found peace. I admire her.

I echo what @7 said, and would also suggest the ELCA - worship style is very similar to the RCC, but they generally have a more progressive theology and morality.