Claire's Story

Alpha helped Claire Ross combine her life-long faith with new-found freedom from anger and bitterness. 

This is her story.....

My life has always been very “Catholic,” From Mass every week, to Advent wreaths, and grace before dinner, I was very comfortable with my faith.

Our mother was a teacher, providing most of the financial support for the family, as well as strong role model for me and my three sisters. I graduated from college at the beginning of the women’s movement, and saw a job as a stop on the way to marriage and motherhood. When I achieved success, I got more into my career, relocating several times to further my success and becoming a full-fledged career woman.

In 1979, I married John, also a life-long Catholic. We considered ourselves faithful people with God as an important part of our lives. I continued to build my career, and for a few years, my husband was a stay-at-home dad.

In the mid-80s, I first began to learn about the Bible.

John was accepted into a four-year program to become a deacon in the Catholic Church. Wives attended some of the classes, and it was there that I first began to learn about the Bible. By the time John was ordained in 2002, I had a better grasp of the Scriptures and of my faith.

John’s first assignment was in Pelham, NH, where I got to know Ann and Mike Kater, who brought the Alpha course to St. Patrick’s Church. When they encouraged me to attend Alpha, I agreed, expecting to learn more about the Bible, engage in interesting discussion, enjoy a meal, and experience some socializing.

Alpha took me way beyond that. I was captivated by Nicky Gumbel’s teaching and the veracity of Scripture. I realized for the first time how much historical information there is to back up my faith! This was the academic/social experience I’d been expecting. Until the Holy Spirit weekend.

As a priest led us through prayer for the difficulties in our lives, I realized with a jolt that I had been harboring anger and resentment relating to my job and that I had become a bitter, negative person. As two of my friends prayed for me, I felt a sense of calm and peace that I’d never experienced. It was so intense that I actually had the physical feeling of something being released from inside me, replaced by incredible peace and a profound sense of freedom.

As I opened myself to God’s voice, I saw how the anger and bitterness I’d been harboring were hurting me. For my own sake, I needed to develop a more positive outlook. I started with my work life, replacing negativity and sarcasm with positive remarks. As I began to overcome some of my negative behaviors at work, I turned that attitude toward my home life and discovered that as I became loving and positive, my family did, too!

As my anger and bitterness faded, I found a new relationship with Christ, the Holy Spirit, and my Heavenly Father. Now, when I am tempted to revert to negative behaviors, my life-long faith, and my new-found freedom help me overcome them.

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