Last week after RCIA, I had an interesting conversation with my priest about some traditional Catholics who were upset that our church didn’t have an altar rail. They believed the altar should be railed off because it is holy ground. This sparked a deeper reflection on the significance of sacred spaces, particularly the veil that once separated the Holy of Holies in the temple from the people. In the time of the Old Testament, the temple was designed to reflect God's holiness, and the veil was a powerful symbol of that separation. Solomon’s temple, as described in *1 Kings 6:2*, stood at 30 cubits high, but historical records from Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian, suggest that Herod later increased the temple's height to 40 cubits. This means the veil was likely around 60 feet high. Although early Jewish tradition claims the veil was four inches thick, the Bible doesn't confirm this detail. *Exodus* tells us that the veil was made from blue, purple, and scarlet ma
As I participate in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA), I find myself at a unique intersection of deep faith and academic rigor. With a Master’s in Biblical Studies, my journey into the Catholic Church has been enlightening but, at times, perplexing. Recently, during an RCIA session, I candidly shared my experience with Father. I expressed my love for the Church but also my struggle with the curriculum, which I found, frankly, quite boring. I mentioned my need for rest and healing from past traumas, hoping for understanding. His unexpected response was, “No! No! I will talk to God, because you need to be in the Catholic Church and to be able to take communion.” In that moment, I felt a mix of admiration and frustration. While I respect his authority as a priest, his insistence highlighted a deeper, often unspoken hierarchy that permeates religious spaces. The idea that communion—the essence of divine grace—could be confined to a specific ritual and institution felt limi