I attended Catholic school for eleven and a half years, from about halfway through first grade until the day I graduated from high school in 1997. I have not practiced Catholicism, or any other formal religion, since 1997, but recently, I have realized that I am still carrying around some toxic beliefs from my Catholic school days.

I am ready to detox that shit from my life.

I was very, very nervous about publishing this episode. “Terrified” might be the better word! I know and love a lot of Catholics, and I don’t want them to feel like I am attacking something that is important to them.

But.

I feel called to do this work.

This episode is the beginning of my Catholic school detox. I’m not exactly sure how this will go. I imagine it will involve a lot of journaling and blogging.

I am going to start rereading the Bible, especially the passages that were emphasized by my teachers and the priests. I am going to consider all the prayers, hymns, rituals, and practices. I am going to dig it all up and look at it critically and intentionally. I am going to question how various Bible passages influenced me and then intentionally reject any ideas, stories or beliefs that I deem toxic.

This is scaring the shit out of me.

That’s why I have to do it.