June 12, 2009

A Child Turns to the Fold

by Michael Winerip
The New York Times

IN April, Bob Sweeney's son, Ryan, 13, suddenly announced he wanted to start going to church. While Mr. Sweeney had been quite religious once -- in his 20s he'd taken an oath of celibacy with plans to spend his life as a Roman Catholic brother -- he'd stopped attending church 40 years ago, and he and his wife had raised their son without religion.

"I said O.K., fine," Mr. Sweeney recalled, assuming this was a whim. "We let the conversation end without coming to conclusions or decisions." But later that week, on the ride home from middle school, Ryan said, "You know what we're doing this weekend, Dad?"

"No," Mr. Sweeney said, figuring he had forgotten one of his son's track meets.

"We're going to church," Ryan said.

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