Actually, nikki (if I may call you that), and Ecro, I want to know if this was the same in your area of PA as it was in mine.
I grew up in a predominantly Catholic area, to the extent that just about everyone I knew was Catholic. Even when I went to public high school for a number of years, the vast majority of people I came across were Catholics. I have a predominantly Catholic education, having gone to Jesuit schools up through college.
Is it the same in Wilkes Barre? Does it seem like Catholicism is overwhelmingly predominant? It's only since I spent time (as an adult) living in other places that the overview of my upbringing has been challenged, and I'd be lying if I said there was no degree of culture shock.
Well, let's put it this way.
Most of the people I know, if they're religious at all, are catholic. I know a few protestants, though I couldn't tell you which branch they are.
Wilkes-Barre has a Catholic College, King's College (the school I attend), right in the middle of the city. Nikki goes to another Catholic college really close by, and there's also the University of Scranton (a Jesuit college) close by us in Scranton.
Nikki could probably tell you better than I could, but I'm fairly sure Wilkes-Barre used to have Catholic churches all over the place. Several have closed and consolidated or whatever, but there's churches all over the place. Another close town, Pittston, has a Catholic church on like every corner. I can't fathom why they've got so many.
That being said, yea, Catholicism is really big here.
Wilkes-Barre basically has churches, bars, and funeral homes on every corner. Seriously.
Most of the people who settled this area were coal miners. They came from Ireland, Poland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Czech (can't spell the rest!), the whole nine yards.
Within three blocks from my house, there are three Catholic churches and one Russian Orthodox church. There's also another Catholic church, the one my parents married in, that has since closed.
I know a few Protestants and a family of Baptists, but the vast majority of people I know who are some type of religion are Catholic.
Oh and TVC, you can call me Nikki, that's fine lol.
Mupepe, I loved Confirmation because I got to pick a name! For Roman Catholics, Confirmation gives you a new name that Jesus calls you by when you accept the Holy Spirit into your life. Or some shit like that. I chose Caroline because I think it's pretty.
Reconciliation/Confession was interesting though. You receive that when you're 7 or so, and you have to go to a priest and tell him your sins. I remember telling a priest that I killed bugs and stuff and being sorry for it, because you know, "thou shalt not kill" and stuff.
Oh, and TVC, what area were you from if you don't mind my asking? I go to College Misericordia in Dallas (the Back Mountain, if you will) and people come here from New York and Jersey and stuff, and they're like "WTF is with all the white people!?!" There is very little diversity here. We're getting more and more Hispanics and all in the area, but for the old folk around here, different "races" are Italians and Polocks haha.
