Catholic guilt is legendary. Every fraternity house knows the Catholic dudes because they actually carry around guilt for acting like idiots on Saturday night. Guilt and indulgences are a deeply important theological topic. Christ died on the cross and paid our debt of sin. Nothing we can do can supercede such love. But, we are called to add our sufferings, prayers, actions and whole life to that same cross. It's a drop in the bucket compared to Christ, but we are to do our part. Enter the concept of induldgences.

#catholicteaching #protestant #indulgences #sundayfunday #mass #prayers #rosary #memorarae #adoration #plenary #partial #faith #salvation

Father's Day, for most of us, becomes an annual pilgrimage to church and a backyard barbecue. A couple of beers and some nice attention from the family never hurt any hard working dad. But, the sacramental committment to raise God's gift of children, such that they can take on a dark world, is no easy task. Be not afraid Dad. Hang in there.

#fathersday #father #dad #catholic #popejohn23 #summer #barbecue #Dad #kids #girldad #boydad

Good deeds. Get busy. Volunteer. Fill your plate. Or, take another look at the original 12 who followed Christ. Our savior invested a lot of time making sure these guys changed into who they were to BE, before they were sent out to work. Formation first, action second.

Right after the big week we start to see Peter and the apostles start growing into their roles. Peter, in particular, will take the reigns of what will become the global force that is the Catholic church. What was Peter thinking at the moment in when he first performed a miracle in the name of Jesus? That must have been quite a moment. During the Octave of Easter pay close attention to how the apostles are becoming leaders.

Passed over for promotion time and again. Boy that gets frustrating. But, maybe you weren't meant for that job in the first place. Ambition can be blinding, even to otherwise upstanding people. The mother of James and John found that out the hard way, thinking that bucking for a promotion with Jesus was a good idea. Ambition can be blinding.

God is everywhere and His message is clear. Just take a look at the apparitions in Guadalupe, Fatima, and Lourdes. Our Lady shows up, at first quietly, to the most humble. She visits with the the peasant boy, the poor villager children, and the illiterate girl gathering firewood. The message always is given to the ones with no civic standing, money, or station in life. Then everytime, she articulates God's love, His expectations of us, and His accountabilities. We should all take note.

It ain't perfect, but its family. The primary functional unit of all of society is family. Such is God's wish. He wants families to raise the kids, manage the economics, and work to build the best version of the world. But... that ain't no easy task.

#family #home #broken #functional #dysfunction #love #God #mass

We all love shouting at the TV and mocking the talking heads who live on the other side of the isle from us. Politics is a dirty business that is somebody elses problem. Wrong. The Church gives us a pretty clear campaign strategy on who is to be involved in civil service, and how.

#campaign #politics #lawandorder #getinvolved #notmeyou #sundayfunday #catechism