Now, I’ve been baptized, confirmed, had confession, been to Latin mass. I even spent my whole education in Catholic establishments from primary school all the way to sixth form. My whole family is Italian- (pretty darn Catholic). However, growing up as a modern teenager in secular Manchester full of distraction, temptation and vice, I have basically lived a a carefree life of sin- (not so darn Catholic). The visit to St Peter’s Basilica doesn’t count- I was on holiday, not pilgrimage.

So, one non-descript week in February, I began my week as a pure, devout Catholic. But wait- what does that even mean? what did I have to do? I couldn’t follow every single rule in Leviticus (besides, that’s more Old Testament and Judaism. Catholics are more New Testament kinda guys)- I only had one week! I decided to follow the simplest, most effective and applicable rules- The Ten Commandments, Seven Deadly Sins, and various themes from the Cathechism (the document outlining modern Catholic beleifs and practices set out by the Papal Office).

So for me, this meant: no doing anything to excess: drinking alcohol, no gambling (bye bye National Lottery), no swearing or blasphemy (OMG), no temptations of any kind and not to think any immoral thoughts. As for the Seven Deadly sins: sloth (no procrastinating, oversleeping, being lazy), lust (bye bye boyfriend- see you in a week), envy (but her shoes are so pretty- i wish i had those shoes), pride(no makeup or straighteners or fashionable clothing that shows off my figure), greed (if i even so much as think about a Krispy Kreme, I’m going to Hell), wrath (imagine having to be calm and collected 24/7!)

 It started off relatively well- I’d taken down all my posters (false idols), and adjusted my appearance accordingly. I’d even bought a cross-necklace to wear at all times to ward off the Devil. I’d prayed morning and night, and by midweek I’d donated money to charity (CAFOD of course- the catholic charity du jour, as well as British Red Cross and Oxfam) and since I’d somehow managed to pick the exact week Lent starts, I’d celebrated Shrove Tuesday, fasted on Ash Wednesday, gone to Mass and recieved my cross of ashes on my forehead (made from last year’s Palm Sunday palm leaves, fact fans).

 What I found most difficult was was trying to remain pure and untempted by all of the immorality in modern media. It really is everywhere. I couldn’t even walk past a shop window without some scantily clad mannequin draped over a SALE sign trying to tempt me into spending money. I think that’s about 6 out of 7 deadly sins covered in that one situation alone!

 In my attempt to avoid all this vice and media corruption, I soon found myself staying home, sat in bed twiddling my (now idle) thumbs listening to Vivaldi (best to avoid song lyrics with immoral suggestions- about 99% of them). It was also hard not to procrastinate and not to covet. There wear distractions everywhere, and I was constantly seeing things I wanted. So I decided to be productive instead!

 It’s suprising how much you can actually get done when you no longer have any immorality in your life- i’d done so much housework, research, essays, errands, application forms and meetings. But what struck me was how easy it is to become a religious extremist. With no other influences allowed in your life other than your religious doctrines, I can easliy see how some people are driven to religious extremism, such as Mormons, or Fundamentalists.

 You have to be really careful how you apply these doctrines to your life. I found it fairly easy, for example, not to blaspheme or swear, but applying some of the more heavyweight or obscure aspects of Catholicism, such as being against homosexuality and abortion, and men not being able to touch anything a mentstruating woman has come into contact with for fear of contamination of her uncleanliness, were just baffling. There was one particular incident when I was on the tube and I couldnt give up my seat to this old man, becuase technically i’d be contaminating him. He looked confused and I had to lie and say I had a bad back myself. By trying to stick to one rule, I’d broken another.

 By the Friday and Saturday, I had managed to settle into the lifestyle and it didn’t feel so forced and unnatural. I enjoyed praying- it seemed like a form of therapy- a way to plan for the day and reflect back on it- very cathartic. I also began to enjoy being selfless and positive and kind. I plan to continue these aspects. I found it interesting on the Sunday though. I was looking for a fitting way to end the week and I chose to go to evening mass at a spectacular Catholic Church- I soon realised how most of the churches in Englad I had assumed to be Catholic were in fact Anglican. Westminster Abbey- not Catholic. St Paul’s Cathedral- not Catholic. Thanks to King Henry VIII and the Reformation, most of the Catholic churches we see today are no older than the 18th Century due to King James II putting Catholicism back into mainstream British acceptance. I found myself in mass at the beautiful London Oratory in Knightsbridge (incorrectly known as Brompton Oratory).

 It was a calming, stunning and ritualistic- all that complicated bowing, kneeling, standing, sitting, praying, genuflecting, antiphoning etc- end to a very inspiring and interesting week into the life of the religion I so often claim to be a part of, and until now I had never really challenged that, and what it meant to me to actually be a Catholic. It is nigh on impossible to be a modern independent woman, and be Catholic, It is possible however, for me to now go to Heaven.

 Amen to that!

This experiment was conducted by Francesca Balchin, our university outreach co-ordinator. How does religion and ritual effect your life? Did you give up something for lent? Please note, although you may be a festival ‘follower’, the Accidental Festival is not an organised religion…yet!