He smiled mirthlessly. “So, big brother trusts me. There’s a switch!”
“What is there between you two? Is it because you went into athletics and he went into religion? You yourself told me he was brilliant-I think you said he was a genius … is that it?”
“It’s the whole damn thing.”
They both smiled.
“There have been studies,” Tony said reflectively, “of siblings who don’t get along. That was Vinnie and me. He set the scene in school by achieving-setting standards I could only approach, but never equal-well, at least not often. We competed constantly-in school and out. The only thing I could beat him at consistently was sports.
“It didn’t help our relationship that he was the one who was fulfilling Mama’s dearest wish: that one of her sons would become a priest. I think, at the end, she knew he would be a bishop some day …
“And then, when she was dying …” He seemed to look into the distance, then shook himself, as if throwing off the past. “Just remember as we go through this, hon, I said old Vinnie was brilliant; I didn’t say he was human.”
Starting that evening, Tony slept in the guest room. He did not reflect that his uncle Frank had followed the same course many years before.
28
Murphy’s Law prevailed. If four months of abstinence was the worst possible scenario, that’s how it would play out: Three months segued into four as the instruction lessons dragged on.
Tony’s lifestyle for the past three months had been monastic. It had not been a rose garden. But at least the pro season hadn’t yet begun, so he didn’t have to accompany the teams on the circuit.
He had plenty of time-too much time-on his hands. Under normal circumstances he would have solved this problem by reading, or visiting with friends, or with exercise.
But he grew so fixated on his nonsexual state that it became impossible to concentrate on any book. He grew increasingly fidgety and quarrelsome in the company of friends. With no other outlet, more and more he fell back on exercise-lots of exercise. But there was a limit even to that. There he was, in the full vigor of healthy virility …
He was now close to peak condition physically-to the extent that he was nearly in shape to join the players. But he was not foolish enough to try.
Increasingly during the past three months, Tony had stayed away from home as much as possible. Particularly on those nights he was “out with the boys,” he tried to return after Beth’s normal bedtime. He had given his word, and he would keep it. But he didn’t have to make it any more difficult than it already was.
Particularly on those evenings when they dined together, he got a refresher course in basic Catholic teaching.
For one thing, he was being “bishoped” to death. Apparently, Beth seemed incapable of pronouncing Vince’s name without prefixing his title. And, apparently, the bishop did nothing to dissuade her from what had become ingrained.
Tony was somewhat surprised at what Vinnie was teaching Beth.
Tony was a voracious reader. And although he was not much interested in religious news, he was aware of the Second Vatican Council and some of its effects on Catholics.
As far as he could tell, a liberal wing had formed as a result of the Council. He had no idea of its numbers nor of its strength. But it seemed to be waging a blitzkrieg on an entrenched conservative force.
Tony had no intention of enlisting in either camp. But if he were forced to choose, from what little he knew of each, he found himself leaning toward the left.
And there the question would undoubtedly have stood-with no participation on his part-had not Beth committed herself to these instructions.
As these sessions continued, and as Beth reported what she was learning, he found himself more and more paying attention. It seemed that he had heard these things before. Could these doctrines, these moral laws, be the ones he’d learned in parochial school? Indeed, they could be.
As Beth recounted what she was learning, she might as well have been one of the nuns, brothers, or priests who had drummed these teachings into Anthony Delvecchio’s young head.
Satan held sway in the world. Thus the world was a threat, a threat to our immortal souls. We had to have a guide to lead us in safe passage through the world, the flesh, and the devil.
That guide is Holy Mother Church. The Church had guaranteed indefectibility as well as, occasionally, infallibility. From this came laws and rules. There was a distinct comfort in abiding by these laws and rules in that this would give us a safe journey through temptations and blandishments.
That was about the way Tony remembered it from school. The law said Catholics must not eat meat on Fridays. When Catholics observed that law, they were justified. The law said Catholics must attend Mass on Sundays. When Catholics did this, they were justified. The law said Catholics must support their parish. When they did this, they were justified.
It was all very comforting and reassuring. Did. you wish to go to heaven? The Church, in the person of the Pope, the bishop, and/or the priest, told you exactly how to get there.
To borrow again from W. S. Gilbert, you did not have to think for yourself at all-just obey.
It all came back to Tony quite clearly. From what little interest he’d had in what was going on currently, he believed this is what the altercation was about.
The other side held that the Pope was the tour guide, not the captain, of the Bark of Peter. The Church, in the person of Pope, bishop, priest, theologians, etc., could be a unique aid in helping each Catholic form his or her individual conscience. But the ultimate responsibility for conscience formation and conscience following rested with the individual Catholic.
There was much more to what was going on … that Tony sensed. He regretted that he hadn’t paid more and closer attention to the evolution of his Church over the decades he’d been “away.”
What was obvious-and exceedingly clear-was that Vinnie was giving unadulterated pre-Council instructions to Beth and she was conforming to this school of thought like a compliant student to a persuasive instructor. For Beth, it was like becoming aware of Beethoven, Mozart, or Gershwin late in life and wondering where they’d been hiding all along.
To have someone other than herself making rules and decisions seemed to Beth to be the perfect way to go through life en route to heaven.
Tony had just come to the realization of what was happening to Beth when, at the end of the fourth month, she dropped the bomb.
She had prepared lamb chops and secured his promise that he would be home for dinner. He knew Something Was Up. Exactly what would have to await her good pleasure.
Once again, over coffee and dessert, Beth made an announcement.
She had completed the instruction phase of this program. The four-month period was over.
Tony thought this great news. Perhaps this meal was a celebration. But if so, it was not Beth’s usual MO.
She said that having finished the instructions, she had decided to become Catholic. This, after having heard her running commentary of the instructions, came as no surprise to Tony.
She would not need to be baptized. She had been baptized Lutheran but the Catholic Church recognized the baptism of other Christian denominations.
That was a surprise to Tony. That had not been part of his parochial classes. In his day, converts were rebaptized “just in case” the prior effort lacked something for validity.
So there would be a simple ceremony and Beth would become Catholic.
Tony could tell from the slight tremor in her voice that Beth was about to put this evening in perspective.
Having carefully prepared to become Catholic, now she was about to enter a new phase. She-and Tony for that matter-were going to prepare for marriage.