(Stock Photo – Canva)
By Patricia Schiissler
I was doing a book signing last fall for my new book, “God for all People: some fact, some fiction,” when I experienced two extremely opposite viewpoints. How could I witness such strong opposition to God within a few hours of each other? Why? The effect on my beliefs and thoughts was undeniable. What just happened? As I watched each presentation as if from a distance, the contrast between these two strangers was beyond description. I will attempt to capture what the two encounters looked like.
Both of the faith witnesses were female in this case. One woman was probably in her late sixties, and the other maybe in her late forties. The first older woman who spoke, or more correctly screamed at me, circled the spot where she could see my poster with the word ‘God’ exposed to the public. The family accompanying this woman pulled their faces downward to look at the floor. My heart broke in sorrow as I watched her yelling about how God is cruel to let people die. “What kind of a God do we have who lets babies die?” She shouted at me. Anger, sorrow, despair, etc., mirrored what the woman was projecting outward. Her family was trying to calm her down in embarrassment. I could only feel pity at this time since the woman appeared as if she had been in cancer treatment. She had a scarf covering her hair, and she looked so terribly thin and emaciated. As she disappeared around the corner, I never had any opportunity to speak but just felt the words from Hebrews 3:15. The words say, “Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
The contrast can now be made with a second woman approaching the sign showing the word ‘God,’ near where I sat. She was a beautiful indigenous woman and came close to me with a radiant smile. The warmth from her presence could be felt immediately. “Do you go to church and practice your faith?” she asked. “Yes,” I responded. “What religion are you?” “Roman Catholic,” was my reply. “I am a Roman Catholic too.” She then continued with words that astonished me, “I experienced residential schools, alcoholism, neglect, and all the hundred and one reasons to detest the Church and God.”
The woman affirmed her position, “I could easily hate all the things that everybody is angry about as reasons to feel sorry for myself. Instead, I have decided on a different path for my life. I am going to take the goodness of what I was taught and learned. I am going to love the God who I was introduced to years ago. My belief in God has carried me through life and helped me in more ways than I can count. Without being taught about God through the Church, I would not have the strength to fight for the life I have strived for all these years. I have a wonderful life and credit it to using the good that was taught to me instead of all the anger and hatred I hear around me. I was given the knowledge to know and love God and that is what I am using to live my life. I thank God and the Church for that. I refuse to even talk about all the negative past but choose to move forward with a positive life. I’m not taking any of the awful bad with me that can neither be changed nor credited with complete knowledge of what entirely happened back in the past. It is more important to build a healthy future for our children.”
As she left, one could observe her confident attitude. People like her, with her frame of mind are really needed to build a more positive, inviting world. St. Matthew 6:14-15 best describes this blessed encounter; “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
When pondering these encounters, I know that I am often partly each of the women I have met. Some days I tend to feel sorrow and pain in doubt, believing God has abandoned me but still knowing He is there. On other days, the Holy Spirit points me in the right direction to show goodness and concern for others. It is important for my life to move in a way that is fruitful and loving to the people that need me.
Patricia Schiissler, B.Ed., (nee Hanowski) as a lifelong Roman Catholic, was born, baptized, and received her sacraments at St. Henry’s parish in Melville, Saskatchewan. She began her education in a country, one room school (Wymer) from grades one to four. Education then began at St. Henry’s elementary school, grades five to eight and grades nine to twelve in St. Henry’s high school. Pat worked in the University of Regina library and meanwhile married Terry Schiissler in 1973 (BA, Notre Dame, Wilcox). They have 2 children. She retired from teaching at Regina Catholic Schools after 28 years. Pat studied the Understanding Our Faith series from 1997 to 2002. She then took the Lay Formation Program and was commissioned in 2018. Faith interests and accomplishments include Eucharistic ministry, Proclaimer, RCIA sponsor, Bible study facilitator, Chair, Spiritual Education, Lay Liturgy presider, Synod representative, etc. Pat became an author after retiring from teaching. She wrote and self-published, “God in my Life: How God speaks to me”. For the following two and a half years, she promoted the book while speaking to large numbers of people. There were over 25 evangelizing events across Western Canada. The experience was so meaningful that Pat decided to write and publish her second book,” God for all People: Some Fact, Some Fiction”. It is based on her faith journey relating to stories mainly strangers shared with her. Pat’s website is www.patriciaschiissler.com.
