Our Father

Sister Mary Joseph greeted me at the door of my classroom this morning to make sure I knew the "special rules" for theology classes. I didn't know what I was subbing for until I arrived this morning, so I was especially shocked to see a sister waiting on me. Each class, according to the plump black nun, starts off with an "Our Father" prayer.

I have never interacted with a nun before. I have never even seen one in real life- only in the movies. Though my Catholic friends say they're the nicest people on the face of the planet, I happen to find them intensely intimidating. When Sister Mary Joseph spoke to me, I quivered in fright and replied obediently, "Yes, m'am."

My first order of business was to administer an exam to an 11th grade "Beginning Apologetics & Morality" course. The test covered the following essay questions with regard to the Virgin Mary:

1. How can one deduce that Mary was immaculately conceived from Genesis 3:15?
2. How, then, can one deduce that she assumed into heaven body and soul?
3. Please explain why repetitive prayer is not only acceptable, but beneficial.
4. How can we call Mary our Mother?
5. Please explain one Marian dogma using one scripture and one Church Father.
Bonus: What does "protoevangelium" mean?

The other class I had was 9th grade "Nature of the Church & Sacraments." These kids were quite a bit more rowdy and didn't take easily to my rendition of the chapter 12 study guide: the Eucharist. Of course, I had no idea what I was doing or what I was talking about, but I think I managed fairly well. At the end of the day, one student called me, "Miss Substitute from Wisconsin" (he said I had the twang of a northerner) and only one questioned my religious affiliation.

"Are you Catholic?"
"No."
"Okay, just wondering."