The Kid Sister of Blessed Imelda

Reading an article by Steve Ray on his blog  about Catholics participating in ‘non-denominational’ Bible Studies I came across the following… 

Also, the Catholic Church is not a “denomination” (which means “to take a new name”); She is the Church.  Those who are in schism, who break away or subsist apart from Her are denominations or sects. She, the Church, is not. She is the Church.

I have come to agree with this as God has continued this process of reconciling my wayward self to His Church.  It was with a sick feeling I realized that I, despite my love for the Lord and great desire to serve Him, had been outside His Church all that time. There have been discussions on this in homeschooling circles and many consider the Catholic Church just another denomination at best! But I digress…

His definition here of denomination stirred my interest, but didn’t seem quite correct to me as the prefix de- didn’t seem to fit the definition well.  However, I didn’t think him in error, just that this was a new definition to me. Having been burned by the differing secular vs religious definitions of words in the past, I went to check various sources to see if I could find his definition in use elsewhere.  Having checked several sources and not coming up with this particular definition but knowing he could defend it quite nicely even if I could not, I went instead to check the meaning of that prefix that had been niggling at me so. 

Have I mentioned recently that God likes questions? Yeah. Well. He does.

The definition of the prefix:

de-

pref.

1. Do or make the opposite of; reverse: decriminalize.
2. Remove or remove from: delouse; deoxygenate.
3. Out of: deplane; defenestration.
4. Reduce; degrade: declass.
5. Derived from: deverbative.

Nom is French and means name.

That hit rather hard. That word ‘denomination’ actually means then, in its most pure form,  one or all of the following:

•  ’to do or make the opposite of the name’
•  ’to remove (or remove from) the name’
•  ’to take out of the name’
•  ’to reduce the name’
•  and ‘derived from the name’-

Lest anyone feel comforted by the last, derive means ‘to obtain or receive from a source’.

This is a very strong word, and INCREDIBLY accurate in describing what happens when one breaks away from the Church. When the men broke away from the Church and made their own denominations (and still do today), they were engaging in the above list. Well then, if it hasn’t hit you yet… What IS the name here? Or to put a more precise and fine point on it, Who is the Name? Who is the Source?

Denominations… I won’t ever think of them the same way again. 

This is, quite simply, a MUST READ blog entry. I’ve been back to it twice now and have finally decided that a recommendation and permanent link is necessary.

Mother Teresa reportedly gave her sisters the following rules to follow in order to practice humility:

1. Speak as little as possible about yourself;
2. Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others;
3. Avoid curiosity;
4. Do not interfere in the affairs of others;
5. Accept small irritations with good humor;
6. Do not dwell on the faults of others;
7. Accept censures even if unmerited;
8. Give in to the will of others;
9. Accept insults and injuries;
10. Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded;
11. Accept injuries and insults;
12. Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone;
13. Do not seek to be admired and loved;
14. Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity;
15. Give in, in discussions, even when you are right;
16. Choose always the more difficult task.

I found this little nugget at a blog and wanted to share (and save) it here.