Okay, Ann, here’s one for ya.

I started reading your financial column when ‘the letter’ got published. I found that interesting, but what I found mesmerizing was the information about Catholicism. I am a 60 year old married woman with no religious training in my background at all other than what I have picked up from walking around on the planet.

I asked my husband if he would attend a Catholic service with me which he did. I have told him ‘I think those Catholics have it right’. However, he was born, raised and confirmed into the Lutheran church – he emigrated from Sweden to the USA as an adult. He says if we ever attend a church, it will be Lutheran.

So now what? Do I do the Ephesians 5:22-33 thing or what?

L

Dear L,

You do the First Commandment thing. God is first. If the hypothetical choice is hell for all eternity with your husband, or heaven for all eternity with God, which do you think God wants you to choose?

Hear this now: God does not will or expect anyone to choose hell out of “loyalty” to another person. Even their spouse. Or their child. Why did God make you? What is your purpose? What is the meaning of life? The answer is literally the first paragraph in the Catechism:

You exist to know, love and serve God in this world, AND BE HAPPY WITH HIM FOREVER IN THE NEXT.

Read that over and over again until you get it.

Receive instruction and enter the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Do this through a Latin Mass parish, if possible. Not only are the odds exponentially higher that the instruction you receive will be CATHOLIC, but the old rites of initiation are vastly superior to the Novus Ordo watered-down rites. I so rue not entering the Church in the Old Rite, but now realize that it was all 100% in the Divine Providence, both in terms of people that I did meet, AND people that I was specifically prevented from meeting until after I was safely in the Barque. But my blanket advice is: However far the drive might be to a Latin Mass parish, it is worth it.