Ross Decker

Lives: Staten Island, NY
Married to Elizabeth since 1971
Two Adult Children (Ross Jr. and Bethany)
Four grandchildren


Active Protestant for 37 years. Went through RCIA and was received into the Church 3/13


My website link is www.Patreon.com/BrokenThinking


On Twitter, I'm @Rossdeckr.


 

Latest Articles By Ross Decker
When Symbols Are Reality
When Symbols Are Reality
This past week there was a Mass said for Liz. It's been six months since she passed away. Were they six short months or six long months? I can't say for sure. She passed away on Valentine's Day, which was also Ash Wednesday.
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Lenten Reflections
Lenten Reflections
I spent a lot of Wednesdays and Sundays in a church that really didn't recognize Lent. The pastor preached instant forgiveness and promised that God could not even remember your sins once you confessed them mentally to Him. He preached about Lent, Confession, Penance, and other Catholic practices only to mock them.
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Shopping Carts, Taxes, and Hip Replacements
Shopping Carts, Taxes, and Hip Replacements
With the possibility of the repeal and replacement for Obamacare, my Facebook timeline has been abuzz. One side calls for compassion to the poor, the other complains of higher premiums they blame on Obama. I can understand the desire to have a bit more money but I can’t understand valuing that money over the lives of the poor and marginalized.
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The Cross, Cancer, and Conformity
The Cross, Cancer, and Conformity
I often do things backward. In my spiritual life, I was a Protestant first and a Catholic last. I was my own personal Counter-Reformation.
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Refugees, Regulations, and Righteousness
Refugees, Regulations, and Righteousness
The world's a little bit crazy right now. I'm really concerned by the level of hate and vitriol demonstrated by the Anti-Trump people. Theirs is a movement that was once identified by the #LoveTrumpsHate hashtag and now is known by #notmypresident.
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Meryl, The Mountain, and The Image of God
Meryl, The Mountain, and The Image of God
At the recent Golden Globes, Meryl Streep spoke to a very receptive audience about the need for kindness and civility in those who hold high, visible office. While she never named him, she was obviously referring to President-Elect Donald Trump.
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Bruce Springsteen, Tom Morello, and Dorothy Day
Bruce Springsteen, Tom Morello, and Dorothy Day
I recently had the chance to see Bruce Springsteen perform in his natural habitat, at MetLife Stadium in the famous swamps of New Jersey. It was the middle of the string of concerts where he broke his own record for longest American performance on each night. I was there for the middle one.
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About Confession, About a Goal, About Time
About Confession, About a Goal, About Time
I recently watched the Richard Curtis film, About Time. I love the movie and I've seen it many times but it never fails to inspire me.The movie always makes me want to be a better man. And, at least for a short time after seeing it, convinces me that I can be.
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Fishes, Loaves and Houses Built On Sand
Fishes, Loaves and Houses Built On Sand
We all have known people who claim to be Christians but we see that their actions don't support that claim. Of course, sometimes that is us. That's a tricky situation, because we can't fully grasp their thoughts or their motives.
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Big Tents, Big Hearts, Small Worlds
Big Tents, Big Hearts, Small Worlds
My first exposure to Catholicism was through my aunt Thelma. My uncle Joe was Catholic also, but the image of Catholicism, for me, at an early age, was Aunt Thelma. I still have very clear images of her in the pews at St Mary of the Assumption. She was silent, attentive. My mother said she was devout. It was the first time I'd heard the word but it was an accurate one.
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Pro-Life, Pro-Human, Pro-Dignity
Pro-Life, Pro-Human, Pro-Dignity
In February of 1982, I invited Kevin, half in jest, to attend a conference for women with me. To my surprise, he accepted and we went there together. One speaker was a young man, a young college professor who spoke about how important it was for women to have access to "easy" abortions. Kevin, sitting next to me, boiled.
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History, Hubris and Hook Shots (Pt 2)
History, Hubris and Hook Shots (Pt 2)
When last we met, I was with Protestant friends on the golf course lamenting the "lost" fifteen hundred years of Church history. In fact, I was still a Protestant myself at that time. But that would not be the case for much longer. I'd been in a Protestant church for more than thirty five years and had grown accustomed to seeing everything through a Protestant filter.
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History, Hubris and Hook Shots
History, Hubris and Hook Shots
I stood on the 10th tee waiting to tee off. The group ahead of us was in the fairway so I couldn't hit just yet. Tom, my playing partner, was an Evangelical Christian who didn't like that I was thinking about entering the Catholic Church.
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Agendas, Terrorism, and Human Dignity
Agendas, Terrorism, and Human Dignity
I'm so disappointed that people are using the recent San Bernardino shooting to launch into finger pointing about Islamic Extremist Terrorism. The shootings reinforced their desire to see tight restrictions put on Muslims, to justify their opinion that we should not take the Syrian refugees into this country, and pretty much proves them right for being suspicious of the Muslim community as a whole
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Lambs, Hips, and Green Pastures
Lambs, Hips, and Green Pastures
I was on a gurney being rolled into the operating room. Years of hip pain were now about to end as I was on my way in to get a total hip replacement. I knew it was too late to back out, but I was a little bit nervous. "Does anyone here know the 23rd psalm?" I asked. No one did. A nurse asked if I had written it down. She'd be glad to read it to me. "That's ok", I said. "I know it. I'll just say it
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