It was good to see a guest column from Joe Gannon again in the Gazette (“Space aliens return, like cicadas of the mind,” June 4); I had missed his wit and insight. I would like to offer another option to what he writes. Mr. Gannon ends his fine column with the idea that we humans have all we need in ourselves and that is what we have to believe in. If that works for Mr. Gannon, I cannot argue with him; I am happy that he finds all he needs in the world around him. For me, though, I know this world does not provide all I need.
I need something more, something the world cannot provide, to make my way in life. I find that something in the Catholic Church. I am not writing this to convince others to join any creed. Everyone has their own paths to follow. Be it Islam, Judaism, different forms of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, or other creeds, for millennia, mankind has found a need for help beyond themselves. I do not presume to know what anyone else needs. I just know that, personally, I am nothing without God.
This past year, I faced the greatest challenge I have ever encountered in my life. I found myself questioning who I was, what my purpose was, what was I good for. Of course, I had the support of my family, but it’s also not right to burden my incredible wife with all my emotional baggage. It was the faith community of St. Brigid’s in Amherst that has gotten me through. From the counsel of Father Valentine to the support of the Forge men’s group, to just an increased attention to my faith life and more prayer, there is no way I would be able to write this piece without the strength that God has given me through the St. Brigid’s Catholic Community. I owe them so much.
Religion, in my opinion, is a personal thing. History has shown too many times where it was forced upon people. That’s not evangelization. Everyone must choose what works for them. I don’t expect everyone to feel the draw to Catholicism I do. Maybe you don’t feel a draw to any religion. It’s not my place to say what every person needs. I just know, from my own experience, I can’t accept that we humans have with us all we need. For me to overcome the challenges in my life and be the best version of myself, I need God. And for me, that is provided through the St. Brigid’s Catholic Community.
I hope all of you can find whatever it is you need to believe to make your way through life. Mr. Gannon’s column was about aliens. As a person of faith, I strongly believe we are not alone. There is something that will walk through this life with us. And it is because of that belief, I go on.
Tim Anderson lives in Amherst.