This week it was not Australian culture that made me stop and think but Catholic culture. It expands beyond international borders and plays a vital role in many people’s lives. Last night I went to a Good Friday service with some other members of COSDU (Catholic of One Spirit Down Under). This group, though is made up of mostly international students from Asia, has made me feel the most welcome in Australia out of any other group.
After the Good Friday service we went to one of the member’s house and watched The Passion of Christ, which is very graphically violent. At the end of the movie, everyone was checking in with each other to make sure we were all alright. When I spoke with another new member after the movie, she expressed how nice it is to have the instant connection of the shared Catholic tradition with this group. I must say that I agree. I can bond more easily and quicker with other Catholics from different nations than even other Americans. Perhaps this is because Catholics have the same, or very similar, morals and beliefs as well as what we consider acceptable behavior whereas any two Americans may have a very wide range of beliefs. Catholic culture is an international one, and for that I am grateful because it has been a doorway for me to connect with others.
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