The Importance of Praying the Apostles' Creed and Making the Sign of the Cross
Now that I've practiced praying the creeds and making the Sign of the Cross for 40 years, I wonder how could anyone think they aren't important.
The Font at the entrance of St. John’s Catholic Chapel a block from the University of Illinois campus in Urbana-Champaign.
A month back I wrote about taking a walk down memory lane, as I had the chance to walk across the University of Illinois campus the week following Christmas. For almost 25 years I served as a campus pastor on the U of I campus. Today I hone in on a specific time during those years when I learned to pray a common confession of sins, the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds and make the Sign of Cross. Those practices now are a 40-year custom, blessing me and serving me well over and over and over.
Walking across an empty University of Illinois campus the week after Christmas, I was reminded of an invitation that I received way back in 1985 that changed my life for the better. In the early days of my ministry career as a campus pastor, a friend introduced me to the St. John’s Catholic Newman Center at 604 E. Armory in Champaign. Since it was open to the public, he encouraged me to start meeting students in the Newman Hall cafeteria.
One day while meeting with a student who lived at Newman Hall, he introduced me to Father David Turner. In the mid-1980s Turner served the UI Catholic students. His favorite hangout was the cafeteria. He had a loud voice and strong opinions on almost everything. Some I strongly disagreed with. Still, Father David was fun to talk with. He took a liking to me, and the two of us became friends.
One day he came to the table where I was reading and sat down. We began talking about prayer. Suddenly he encouraged me to go into St. John’s Chapel to pray for a few minutes, especially since I told him I’d never been in the chapel.
“Be sure and bless yourself at the baptismal font before entering the chapel,” he said.
“Father David,” I hesitated, “I’m not Catholic”
“That doesn’t matter at all, Brother Follis,” he said laughing. “Blessing yourself with holy water is open to all. It reminds us of our own baptism. Just dip your fingers in the water and make the sign of the cross when you enter and leave the chapel.”
“Really?” I asked.
“Yes Brother Follis. Really.” He insisted.
When I stepped into St. John’s the week following Christmas, it was the first time I had been in the chapel for many years. Just as I always did back in the day, I dipped my right hand into the holy water and made the sign of the cross. Back in 1985, never would I have imagined that making the sign of the cross would become a 40-year practice.
Walking down the center aisle of the cavernous chapel, I knelt before the crucifix, and made the sign of the cross before making my way to the first pew on the left side. In the past I always sat there. Directly in front of me were 5 rows of navy-blue jars. Each row had 10 jars, and each jar held a candle. Lighting a candle, I made the sign of the cross, prayed the Hail Mary, and offered prayers for several friends and relatives who were struggling with their health.
When I left the chapel I walked through the hallways looking for a framed copy of the Apostles’ Creed. It was hanging right where I hoped it would be. Standing in front of it, I prayed the creed, again making the Sign of the Cross. I began chuckling when I thought of a teenage memory in northwestern Kansas where I was reared. One day in a conversation with my pastor he explained the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, neither of which I had ever heard of. He said he never used them as prayers, saying they had caused church division.
All I can say to that is I am so glad Father David Turner encouraged me to pray the Creeds, even committing the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds to memory. Even this very day at 5 a.m., as is my 40-year daily custom, I confessed my sins, prayed the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed and made the sign of the cross.
A few months after Father David encouraged me to regularly pray in St. John’s Chapel, he invited me for coffee. Sitting in the Newman Hall cafeteria the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, he handed me a red hard-bound “New Catholic Study Bible—St. Jerome Edition.”
On the dedication page, written in black ink from a fountain pen, it reads, “Presented to Donald D. Follis On Thanksgiving 1985 By David Turner, O.S.B.” I still have no idea how he knew that my middle initial is D.
“Brother Follis, may the peace of Christ fill your heart as you read and meditate on God’s Word all the days of your life,” Father David said. He was a burly man with a bald head. When I stood to leave Father David jumped up, opened his arms and hugged me tightly. “I love you Brother Follis,” he said. “Happy Thanksgiving.”