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Home || Ministries & Organizations || Our History || Calendar || Contact Us || Donations Fr. Anthony Bio [Home] || <--Go to Chapter 3 || -->Go to Chapter 5
Autobiography of Father Anthony Kosturos
High School Years My brothers and I attended Mission Dolores Grammar School because it was near our place of residence and had a good reputation for academics and character-building. My parents felt it was prudent to complete our secondary education in a similar environment based on the results of our progress as children. So, my brothers and I became students at Sacred Heart High School. This school was operated by the Christian Brothers of de La Salle. Solid subjects were emphasized, including learning Latin. The Art of Speaking I soon became interested in oratory and joined the debating team of the school. One of the Christian Brothers coached me how to express myself clearly and focus on the subject being debated. Also, there were times when Catholic Schools engaged in oratorical contests. I still remember addressing oratory judges after I had written a speech on Abraham Lincoln. The contest was held at Lone Mountain, then run by nuns and now operated by the University of San Francisco. Religion was one of our basic subjects too. My fascination with religion, which began in grammar school, continued in high school. I tried to absorb as much as I could about Jesus, the Apostles, and the historical evolution of the Church at large. Religion At that time, Roman Catholics held the Pope of Rome and his Primacy and Infallibility in such high esteem that I rarely heard a Catholic student questioning what the Pope wrote or said. It seemed that Catholics of that era considered questioning the Pope's pronouncements bordering on the "committing of sin." How different the relationship between Catholics of the United States and the Pope is today. You hear young Catholics stating without hesitation that they disagree with the Pope about matters which affect their life, even though the Pope's thoughts are issued through official circles. Of course, we know that the Catholic Church considers the Pope infallible only when he speaks "ex cathedra"; that is, when he makes an official pronouncement with the rank of his Episcopal office as Primate of the Church. Letters he writes, sermons he preaches are not considered infallible matters of conscience. Even Catholics who are 60 years or older, who dared not refute what the Pope said when they were young; now freely disagree with the Pope on some matters which relate to practical living. When Pope John, in the 1960s, stated that the "windows of the Church" should be opened for fresh air, who ever imagined they would open so widely as to release the pent-up frustrations of Catholics not able to express themselves in the past. The "fresh air," with Pope John's encouragement, created a Pandora's Box, where all kinds of attitudes, thoughts, and actions began to emerge among Roman Catholic parishes and dioceses, often rebellious against Rome. Since Sacred Heart was a Catholic High School, religion was taught as one of the established and regular subjects. My steadfastness in learning more about Christianity on a higher level now, a fundamental understanding of the Bible, was still intact from my grammar school years. We studied the holy Trinity Mystery, the Filioque (Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son - a Roman Catholic dogma), the Incarnation (Birth of Jesus), the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Saints, the After-Life, and related issues. An intriguing subject was Purgatory. The Roman Church taught that Jesus left "extra grace" when He was crucified. This "extra grace" was given to the Pope of Rome. Since those who were worthy of Heaven may not have made up for all their sins for which they had been forgiven, they were to go to Purgatory to make up for them before entering Heaven. The Pope, with his "extra grace," could dispense "Indulgences." This meant that those who gave a donation to one of his clergy as an offering for someone in Purgatory, or offered prayers on certain Feast days for someone in Purgatory, would leave Purgatory faster for Heaven. The Pope could also issue Plenary Indulgences which freed a person from Purgatory at once. Regrettably for the Catholic Church, this scandalized many parishioners and clergy. Martin Luther, a dedicated Catholic theologian, was impelled by conscience to pursue a debate with other theologians on this and other similar practices of Rome. He was told not to object. His conscience urged him to object. He was excommunicated. This happened in the sixteenth century. When I became a Seminarian and we discussed this Roman Catholic teaching, I learned that our Orthodox Church considers forgiveness of sins sufficient. Punishment for sins confessed and forgiven is not required by the Lord. Penalties issued Orthodox by Orthodox Confessors when the need arises are not punitive but corrective, remedy for sin, not punishment for sin. Jesus "nailed" our sins to the Cross and removed punishment for those who repent. At this time, Purgatory is not stressed in Parochial Schools. I found Roman Catholicism very interesting, and did my best to comprehend the similarities and the differences between that Church and our Orthodox Church. Not only did I ask questions in religion class, but also had discussions with some of the teachers about what we were learning. It became apparent to me also that the Pope's role in the overall administration of the Catholic Church was broad and pervasive. All roads "lead to Roman authority." All Bishops elected had to receive the approval of the Pope. It became obvious to our Religion Teacher that this young "Orthodox student" was probing and challenging what was taught in order to learn as much as possible and satisfy his own conscience. I remember taking a test for the Religious Medal given at graduation, and, to his and certainly my surprise, the Religion Teacher informed me I had received the highest grade. He was gracious about it. Imagine, however, his disappointment that an Orthodox had won. Fr. Anthony Bio [Home] || <--Go to Chapter 3 || -->Go to Chapter 5 |