Roman Catholic Church In Frank example essay topic

Influence of Roman Catholic Church in Frank McCourt's Life In the coming-of-age autobiographical novel Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt reveals that the Roman Catholic Church plays an extremely central role in his young life. The religious atmosphere in which he is raised acts as a huge part in his point of view, and even his name is reflective of his family's beliefs. "Not until late December did they take Male to St. Paul's Church to be baptized and named after Francis... the lovely saint of Assisi (17)". Since this time, the Church has been both his salvation and his condemnation, and it's not until he is sixteen that he comes to realize its true meaning to his existence.

Whenever young Frank had a guilty conscience about his human nature, his first instinct was to run into the protective arms of the Church. Most of the priests he has known since his arrival to Ireland are kind men, who set his mind at ease that God forgives him. He was typically reassured with religious words such as: "God forgives all who repent. He sent his only beloved Son to die for us (342)". Such words are very comforting to a young boy who is guilty about such trivial sins as pleasuring himself and petty theft. Raised in poverty, one of his favorite subjects of prayer was the thought of moving to America, where he could make his fortune.

He continues to take great comfort in the church well into his teenage years. The church is not always such a safe haven for young Frank. Three times in his life he is denied access to his sanctuary, and this has a profound effect on his well-being. When his father takes him to be an altar boy, he is turned away due to the poverty of his family.

This is disturbing to young Frank, and begins thoughts of discontent in his mind. Also, when he goes to look into enrolling in secondary school with his mother at his side, the Christian Brother there slams the door in his face due to his street appearance. Regardless of his high intelligence, he is denied a higher education by the Church based on his economic status. The night before his 16th birthday Frank drinks his first pint and strikes his mother; on attempting to confess to a Jesuit priest, the door is again closed to him: "He says, Go away. You " re drunk.

Child like you drunk as a lord ringing for a priest at this hour. Go away or I'll call the guards... You " re drunk and you " re not in a proper spirit of repentance (340)". Frank is panicked about the condition of his eternal soul but is forced to remain in a state of sin because of the lack of compassion by this priest.

The transformation is complete: Frank is no longer the innocent little child who runs to the Church to unburden his soul, but instead he is a cynical adolescent who has lost his faith in God. Although it is a series of bad experiences with priests that turns him away from his religion, it is another priest who helps him to reassure his faith. As Frank reaches an all-time spiritual low, he goes to pray to the statue of St. Francis that is his namesake, since he no longer trusts the church or its priests. While he is praying to the statue for intervention, he is approached by Father Gregory, who asks him to confess. "I can't, Father.

I did terrible things (342)". Father Gregory convinces him to just talk about his life and his sins. For the first time, Frank "confesses" out loud all the disappointments that have occurred in his life: about his brothers and sisters who died; about hitting his mother; about his father's spending all of his money at the pub while the family starved; about having pre-marital sex with Theresa before she died, and his concern for the future of her soul. After Frank lays his soul completely bare, "He [Father Gregory] tells me God forgives me and I must forgive myself, that God loves me and I must love myself for only when you love God in yourself can you love all God's creatures (343)". It is then that Frank realizes the true meaning of religion, and that "church" in the sense he's always known it is a little less important, and that a personal relationship with God is the only way to lead a meaningful life. As an adolescent, Frank discovers what most adults are blind to: that one's views of themselves are more important than another's views.

A religious person's self-esteem is determined by the state of his soul. When Frank is fully grown and living in America, he can finally go to bed without worry about what God will think of his actions. The Church still holds importance to him but no longer has a grip on his life.