Last August 20, 2013, The Vortex’s Michael Voris did an episode of the Vortex in which he interviewed his eight-four year old father, Russ Voris. Michael promised a “part 2”of this interview with his father would be following soon.
OK. So I waited for more.
I had no idea I was in for a breathtaking love story.
Russ Voris was a protestant who fell in love with a lovely
Catholic English woman during the war.
They fell in love, got married, returned to the United States and
started their family.
Russ weaves the wonderful story of his life through the eyes
of a convert falling in love with his soul mate and the only Church Jesus Christ created
on earth. Listening to him talk about
the beauty of the Church that he could see- if not understand- as a protestant.
My heart leapt! I
understood that! I was a convert
too! He speaks of the DRAW… the PULL of
God’s Holy Catholic Church to deep within us even when we don’t understand it,
and when we fight against it because of misunderstanding.
But the Truth can’t be denied to a person who TRULY seeks
God.
Mr. Voris speaks from his deep love of the Church and about how attending Church was decades ago…the reverence, the awe people had in truly WORSHIPING God-
not attending a social gathering of Catholics.
But rather Catholics gathering to WORSHIP God regardless of whom else
was there.
When he comments on some of the things he’s seen in the
Church after Vatican II… you can hear the heartbreak in his voice. The nostalgia for what was lost, not only for
himself, but for people today who don’t know what they are missing out on! People who just show up to Mass as a “duty”
or obligation, rather than an awe filled time to truly WORSHIP God.
I get that.
While I love the people in my parish, there is a terrible
lack of reverence all too often during Mass.
Every week- and I mean EVERY WEEK- the ushers have conversations at the
back of the parish DURING Mass. I hear
about sports, the weather, the change in their pockets that they constantly
jiggle and discussions on other people in the parish. This is weekly.
Last week I could hardly hear the homily because the
conversation was so lively at the back of the Church between the ushers. Kneeling after Communion while TRYING to pray
and thank God for the Eucharist I am bombarded with sports scores! This is wrong. Where is the reverence? Where is the RESPECT for God AND for the
people TRYING to worship?
Russ Voris has experienced the same frustrations as I. Frustration or not, the love for his faith didn't falter.
You can hear that love in his wonderfully aged
voice. I was sitting literally on the edge of my seat eagerly listening to this delightful man take me on a journey through his life. A life with two great loves (of course his children too). He speaks mostly of the love of the Church, but from listening to him, I don't know if he would have found that love, if not for his first great love. The other great love in his life
was his wife Anne, whom he lost to cancer some years ago after September 11th, 2001.
He tells the story of meeting her, falling in love and her
being a Catholic while he was a protestant.
He concludes with the … beautiful story of her painful death.
Yes, I know that sounds weird… even wrong, but you have to
listen to him!
He gets it!
He gets the beauty in LIVING a Catholic life AND in dying a
Catholic. It’s a blessing. We all have to die some day, but far too many do not die Catholic. That is a tragedy. But for a practicing Catholic, dying a Catholic is a BLESSING. A blessing his dear wife had at the end of
her time on earth. I went through half a box of tissues listening to this man
speak of the tremendous love he holds for his Faith and his departed wife. You really have to listen to Mr. Voris explain it. Even in this family's sadness and heartbreak at losing this beloved woman, they saw and understood the blessing it is to die a Catholic. His testimony of his life, from single to married, from protestant to Catholic is wonderfully touching.
What a tribute of love.
His story would make for a wonderful Catholic movie.
I HIGHLY recommend taking the time to hear Russ Voris tell
the story of his life and the great loves in it.
Here is Russ Voris...
Thank you Mr. Russ Voris for sharing your love story with me and
thank you so much Michael Voris for sharing your wonderful father with all of
us. What a blessing you have in him. God bless you both.
In Christ
Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
link Aug.20 teaser: http://www.churchmilitant.tv/platform/?vidID=vort-2013-10-08&ssnID=&proID=
link FULL interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7IHuooBVrI
I'll be watching it again. It was wonderful. Riveting.
ReplyDeleteMr. Voris, I'd talk with you in Dunkin Donuts any day, sir.
Lunch on me. :)