Childhood Candor about Religion; An Edmonton family story, by Melle Huizinga

Even though we attended a modest, unadorned Protestant Church, our five year old James went to kindergarten at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic School. One Wednesday in March, James cam home, perched on his stool and with a mouthful of cookie announced, “We went to church today.”


“Oh? What did you do?”


“Nothin’. A choir guy talked about lots of sad stuff, and all the kids went up front and the choir guy put butter and ashes on their heads.”


Oh dear, I should have prepared him for Ash Wednesday.


“Chuckie and I didn’t have to go up.”


“Did you feel bad that you and Chuckie were left out?”


“Oh no! The choir guy said that all the kids with ashes on ‘em were gonna die.”