The Mark Shea Experience

There is something so wonderful about getting to meet bloggers, especially those you respect highly, face-to-face. So you can see why one of the things I really looked forward to last weekend was getting to hear Mark Shea speak.

I remember back when Happy Catholic was getting started and I was so shy (yes, believe it or not!). Mark so kindly posted a link to the blog and I got a hundred hits that day instead of my usual ten! Woohoo!

Also, I had just read Amazing Grace for Survivors (review to come) and amongst the many stories of terrible incidents that God reached through were some smaller ones of tragedy as many of us can relate to. Mark has a story in there about the tortures of high school as experienced by so many of us ... the shy, the geeky, the unpopular ... and it was one I thought reminded us that there are many sorts of experiences that we must "survive" even if they often fade as we reach maturity.

We were late getting there as Rose's flight was delayed but were able to hear the last half of his talk: This is My Body - An Evangelical Discovers the Real Presence. He was warm, personable, and witty (and I hear his first talk was hilarious about what's wrong with Catholicism which goes over every wrong preconception about the Church). What was most important to me was that he was so good at pointing out the charitable reasoning every time he was telling the Evangelical point of view. Granted, he was talking about himself at one point, but it was still nice. Interestingly there were several Protestants there asking questions, even going so far as to read from their Bibles with questions ... which were answered openly and charitably as one would expect.

Over lunch, I got to meet him and must credit Mark Windsor (now not blogging but let us hold out hope for a future return to the blogosphere for him) for a good prep. It was immensely flattering for Mark W. to say, "This is Julie D..." and for Mark SHEA (all these Marks ...) to say with enthusiasm, "OH, HAPPY CATHOLIC!" (There was a brief glow, "He's heard of my blog!" Then I realized that Mark W is good at prep. But it was a nice two seconds while it lasted!)

Mark then gave a riveting talk based on his book "Making Senses Out of Scripture: Reading the Bible as the First Christians Did." That is one of the first books I read when I figured out that Catholics look at many layers of the Bible. A fascinating book and a wonderful talk, I am tellin' ya.

If you have only ever read Mark's blog, you are not getting that whole Mark Shea Experience (if only I had psychedelic images proper for this subject!). There is something about hearing this gracious, humorous, realistic man talk that really makes you think things through on a different level. I also can recommend his books if he isn't coming to an area near you. It is not the complete experience but it is the next best thing.

If you don't believe me, then you can see that Heather agrees. Though she said so much more to the point. That must be nice. Some day she must tell me how she does that!

I have since remembered that his book about Mary should be out soon (at least I think so ... I am bad about keeping track of these things). I can't wait!