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I asked readers and some of my friends and family to submit questions for this Q&A post. Thank you to all who helped out with this!! 😊 If anyone has anymore questions feel free to comment or send me an email. Enjoy! Q. What inspired you to have a blog for Catholic Teens? A. You. You inspired me to start this blog. You are a beloved Child of God and He loves you so much and has a plan for you. That's why I'm doing this- so you know you're not alone in this. Being a Catholic teen is definitely not easy in our world today, but if we stick together we'll find that there are so many of us all going through similar things. And.... also because I love Jesus and like to write about Him 🤭 Q. How can I focus on prayer and not let any distractions get to me during prayer? A. This is a hard one! I struggle with this all the time. I think the best thing to do is just to keep trying. When you find your mind wandering, just go back to God. Ask Him to help you overcome the distraction. All God asks is that you try. Distractions are not sins; they're an opportunity to grow in patience with yourself and in fortitude. Don't give up! Pray for and about whatever's on your mind. Use the distraction for good. If you're getting distracted by outside things it can be helpful to put your phone on silent during your prayer time and to dedicate a specific spot in your house to prayer. This can help you to focus and eliminate distractions from your environment. Read about how to do that here! Q. Why do Catholics believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist? A. We believe that Christ is present in the Eucharist, because, well, He said that He is! At the Last Supper, Christ instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist, giving His apostles bread and wine and telling them that it was His Body and Blood. We believe that Jesus meant what He said- that the consecrated bread and wine truly become His body and blood and not mere symbols. (Read more about this here.) After the consecration during Mass, only the form of the bread and wine remain (how they look, taste, feel, etc.) but their true matter is that of the Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. (Think of it this way: If I have a statue of Abraham Lincoln, the form of the statue might be stone, but the matter of the statue, that which makes it a statue rather than a hunk of rock, is Abraham Lincoln.) The USCCB explains it clearly on this page. The Catechism of the Catholic Church's section on the Eucharistic beliefs of the Church can be found here. Yes, the Eucharist is a difficult teaching to accept, but if one reads the biblical and historical evidence and simply has faith that Christ's words are true, they will come to believe. 😊 Q. One of my friends is Catholic. Why do I see her "cross herself"? A. Great question! What you are referring to is called the sign of the cross. Each of us is marked with the sign of the cross at our Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When someone blesses themselves in this way (typically before or after praying) they are reminding themselves that they belong to God and of the nature of the Trinity. This is why they say "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." These words also dedicate the prayer to God. There are numerous graces associated with making the sign of the cross, but these are the two main ones. This is a simple article that goes into some more detail. Q. What Catholic Apps do you like using and recommend? A. My personal favorite is Catholify! Along with providing the daily readings, the Bible, Catechism, Virtual Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, numerous prayers, live adoration, Mass times, Pope Tweets, confession guides, and much more, they also have prayer groups with people from all around the world. It is amazing to be able to connect and pray with other Catholics from all over the country and world. I also really like Augustine Institute's Amen app. It's just like another popular Catholic app that does audio meditations (which I will not name here...) but is completely free! I have an entire post covering this topic. You can read it here: Catholic Apps Q. Why do Catholics fast during Lent? A. Catholics view Lent as a penitential season, meaning that it is a time of penance and sacrifice. We use the forty days before Easter to pray and fast, preparing our hearts and minds for Easter and contemplating Christ's sacrifice for us. We abstain from eating eat on Fridays, and fast (eating two small meals that, when combined, do not equal the third large meal) on Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday. Fasting is a historical practice that reaches all the way back to the Biblical Jews. Lessening the amount of food that you eat for spiritual purposes is a mild but effective form of mortification and a small way to participate in Christ's passion by offering up your own sacrifices for souls. Q. What are some Catholic books that you'd recommend? A. Read my posts on this topic for some awesome book recommendations: Book Reviews- Catholic Answers Book Reviews- Stories Book reviews- Devotionals and Prayer Books One of my favorite novels is In the Palace of the Great King: a Catholic Novel. by Julie Ash. You can read my review for it here. Q. How does one start a Catholic blog? A. I Love this question!! I use Wix to update my website and write my post. It's taken a while to get used to but overall the free version is very easy to use... No coding involved!! (It can be used for any sort of website, not just one that's Catholic 😉) You'll also need to figure out which topic you're going to blog about. My blog began as one for resources such as apps and book recommendations, but I've grown to enjoy writing scripture reflections and providing practical ways to live out our faith as Catholic teenagers, so that's what I write about! Find what you like and use it for God's glory. Q. How do we know that the Catholic Church is the one to go to? A. You can know that the Catholic Church is THE ONE because it's the one that Christ Himself established. Why would anyone need or want to go anywhere else? The Church can trace Her roots all the way back to when Christ said "And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,* and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18) The Church has existed since the moment that Christ established it, and because of Christ's promise in this verse, we know that it will endure until the end of time. Jesus also prayed, "And I have given them the glory you gave me, so that they may be one, as we are one" (John 17:22). He wished that His Church, His community of believers, would be unified in all things, including theological beliefs, and He has preserved this unity in His Church. I strongly encourage you to read more about this topic in a post I wrote here Q. Are you saved? A. Well, yes and no. As Catholics, we believe that we are saved through Christ's death and resurrection; we believe that we are being saved by our cooperation with grace as we journey through this life on the way to Heaven; we believe that we will be saved when Christ takes us to Heaven after our particular judgment. So yes, we believe and hope that we will be going to Heaven, but we do not believe that you have to pray a certain prayer one time in your life, and then you will be saved forever. That view, though accepted by many Christian protestant denominations, is not biblically accurate. Q. Are Catholics cannibals? A. Great question!! Short answer: NOPE. Long answer, you can read here because Catholic Answers can say it better than I ever could 😂 Q. Why do we kneel so much in church? A. Kneeling is an act of reverence and humility before God. We kneel before the Blessed Sacrament because God is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. When we are at Mass we kneel at the most sacred moments in the liturgy, physically demonstrating reverence towards God. Q. Do priests have to go to confession? A. Yes!! All priests, just like any other Catholic, are required to go to confession at least one time per year. All priests have a confessor: another priest who regularly hears their confession. Q . How old do you have to be to become a priest? A. It varies from diocese to diocese, but typically you must be at least 17 years old and a high school graduate to apply for candidacy in your diocese. After this, you would have at least 6-9 years of preparation and discernment before you're ordained. The youngest ordained priests (currently) are probably ordained at around age 25. Q. What is a Vocation and how do you know which Vocation God has picked for you? A. You can read all about this in my Vocations posts! Vocations Resources An Interview with a Priest An Interview with a Religious Sister Some Vocation Tips... An Interview with a Seminarian World Day of Prayer for Vocations Called for a Purpose, Called to Love Q. Why do Catholics have a Pope? A. The Pope is the head of the Catholic Church. He has spiritual authority over all of the faithful and leads and guides the Church. The first pope was St. Peter. Jesus names Peter as the head over all the apostles when he renames him from "Simon" to "Cephas" which translates to Peter and means "rock". He also gives him the "keys to the kingdom" which gives him the authority to "bind and loose" (this is explained here.). He also has primacy over the other apostles. When Peter died, the Church did not just fizzle out and die too! A successor was elected, and to this day, each Pope (and consequently bishop and priest) has direct apostolic succession all the way back to Christ. Q. Can Catholics believe in ghosts? A. The word "ghost" literally means spirit. So yes, we believe in spirits. God can allow any spirit to appear to anyone at any time, whether the soul is in Heaven (as in an apparition of a saint), hell, or Purgatory. So yes, ghosts could be real if God permitted them to be, but it doesn't seem likely that a random one would come and "haunt" an abandoned house.... Jimmy Akin explains it well in this article.

Isn't it sometimes terribly hard to find a good book to read? One that doesn't have any unnecessary content that we shouldn't be reading? At least at my local library, it is. There have only been a few books in recent months that I haven't had to put down because of the content or that have kept my interest. Here are a few recommendations of books I've read over and over again that have a good message and that you won't want to put down. When God Wrecks Your Romance- Amanda Vernon and Matt Case My youth minister recently lent me her copy of this book and I absolutely love it. The story (it's a true story by the way! Amanda Vernon spoke at our parish last year.) is about two people who were friends as teenagers, and both liked each other very much but neither wanted to tell the other. After years and years of being at Steubenville conferences and retreats together, they find out what the other was thinking all that time. God takes them on a path they never could've imagined as He shows them both His will for their lives. It's an amazing story about love, friendship, vocations, and being happy where God puts you. If you like romance but don't care for all the unnecessary content that is normally put in them, this book is definitely for you. Chicken Soup for The Soul- Living Catholic Faith This book is a collection of stories from people from all over the place who live good Catholic lives and have stories to share with the world. The topics include love, service, angels, miracles, challenges, prayer, faith, and much much more. There are 101 stories so it's a good book to read if you don't have a lot of time on your hands..... Or you can read it all in one night like I did. God Said Yes- Heather Hornback Bland and Ninie Hammon I have read this book so many times.... I couldn't even tell you how many. It is the story of a woman who was run over by as car as a small child, and still managed to live a good life and have children even when the doctors said it'd be impossible. She has an incredible faith in God and trust that he will help her through all her struggles. It's a good one for those of us who like reading about medical stuff. Angels in the E.R - Dr. Robert Lesslie M.D. Another medical book! Dr.Lesslie is an E.R. doctor who shares his stories of his time in the E.R. with the world. For the most part, the stories are about patients he's seen (he doesn't use real names) and how they've impacted his life. He's also written several other books titled Angels on the Nightshift, Angels and Heroes, Miracles in the E.R., Angels on Call, Angels to the Rescue, When You Need an Angel, and Notes from a Doctor's Pocket. Also a good one for our medical fans :-) A Single Bead- Stephanie Engelman First fictional book on the list! This book is about a girl who finds a bead from her deceased grandmother's Rosary bead in the place where she died on the first anniversary of her death. What happens aafterwardand how praying the Rosary changes her life will make you want to pray it more often! Check out these books and the many more that can be found online. These are just a few of my favorites. Let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions or try any of these ones out. Happy reading!

I've compiled a list of some of the best apps that provide online resources to Catholics all over the world. Here are just a few: Holy Bible App- This app is one of the better Bible apps out there. It contains the entire Bible all in one app and you can download it to read it offline. You can select a Bible reading plan that has a theme. These themes include love, forgiveness, joy doubt, anxiety, and many others. The plan leads you to passages that may help with what you are trying to achieve through your plan. The app also includes devotionals and a prayer list. You can connect with friends on both Android and iOS phones. Here's the link to both app stores: Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sirma.mobile.bible.android iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bible/id282935706 Formed- This website/app is basically Catholic Netflix. It has tons of videos, movies, audio, and books about the Catholic faith. The topics vary from sacramental prep materials, to Saint movies, to Bible studies, and they even have shows and movies specifically for kids! It does cost some money, but it's definitely worth it in the long run. Here's the website: https://formed.org/ They also have an app that can be accessed from the website. Catholic Answers Live- Personally, this is one of my top 2 favorite Catholic Apps. It enables listeners to tune in to radio programs (or listen after they've aired) given by the apologists at Catholic Answers- some of the best in the world! They cover all sorts of topics including the sacrements, pro-life issues, and Church teachings on all sorts of issues. It's also good for those who haven't yet come home to the Church! There are numerous episodes where the apologists will open up the phone lines only to those who aren't Catholic so that they can ask questions. The programs consist of the apologists answering questions posed by callers who call in with questions about whatever the given topic is. It is a really great resource for those of us who enjoy evangelizing and apologetics. Here's the link to the Android and iOS app stores so you can download the app: Android- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.calive.playstore iOS- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/catholic-answers-live/id971611664 Catholify- This ties with Catholic Answers Live for my favorite app. It includes the entire Bible and Catechism, virtual Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, prayer requests, Pope tweets, Mass and Confession times, tons of prayers, and the coolest part about it is that it even has live-streamed Eucharistic Adoration 24/7!! You can go to Adoration in your bedroom! How cool is that?! My favorite part is the prayer groups that include Catholics from all over the world. Here are the links: Android- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.igdit.catholify iOS- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/catholify/id738897570 Let me know in the comments section if you have a favorite Catholic app or if you try any of these ones! Keep an eye out for more posts like these coming soon...

"Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life." ~ Psalm 91 Today's Mass readings are all about scripture. Living in a fast-paced world with so many distractions can make it difficult to find the time to read the Bible, and when you do find the time, it can seem very overwhelming because of the style of writing, the length of the texts, and the (to be completely honest...) sometimes monotonous and occasionally boring writings. (Uhh, Deuteronomy, anyone? How bout Leviticus? Numbers?) This doesn't have to be the case!! Yes, some parts can be a bit tough to chew through, but that doesn't mean that we have to completely abandon scripture. The Biblical texts are one way that God speaks to us, and it is so important in our journeys of faith that we regularly read and understand this form of God's Word. This post will give you some ideas for ways to do that... 1. Attend a Bible Study. (visual and auditory learners) Try to find a Bible study in your area or online! It's important to find a Catholic Bible study. While our Protestant brothers and sisters do absolutely teach scripture, they are not under the teaching authority of the Church, and therefore do not always teach the Church's interpretation of Scripture (which is the correct interpretation since it is directly inspired by Christ.). I've attended two Bible studies so far, the first using Ascension Press' The Bible Timeline®: The Story of Salvation, and the second led by my youth minister about Proverbs 31, using a book by Kimberly Hahn. Both were very beneficial to me, each in different ways. The Bible Timeline provided me with a good foundation for reading and studying scripture, while the other Bible study allowed me to dive deeper into one particular passage and learn what it was all about. (Authentic femininity and God's design for women.) 2. Read the Bible in order. (any type of learners) When you read the Biblical texts in a logical order (PLEASE not just Genesis to Revelation...) it makes them a whole lot easier to understand, and definitely more intriguing. The typically recommended order is (1) One of the Gospels, usually John. (2) Genesis (3) Exodus (4) Numbers (5) Joshua (6) Judges (7) 1 Samuel (8) 2 Samuel (9) 1 Kings (10) 2 Kings (11) Ezra (12) Nehemiah (13) 1 and 2 Maccabees (14) Luke (15) Acts of the Apostles. There are then supplemental books that go along with each of the main books. While you can, of course, read the Bible on your own, it is very helpful to have a program to keep you on track and correctly interpret what you're reading. I'd recommend The Bible Timeline®: The Story of Salvation or Fr. Mike Schmitz's Bible in a Year Podcast, which happen to be published by the same company and follow the same basic outline. This leads me to my next tip... (Sidenote: I am not profiting in any way by promoting Ascension Press' materials, I just really love them...) (Sidenote #2... I've written two mini- Bible study posts for this blog. Check them out! Mini Bible Study- Proverbs 31 and Reflection on Hebrews 4:12. Let me know if there are any other specific passages you'd like to read about! 3. Listen to the Bible in a Year Podcast (audible learners) While I personally did not listen to the Bible in a Year Podcast because the Bible study I was in was teaching basically the same thing, I know that it has been a great success and has helped so many people to dive deeper into God's Word. (And, after all, who doesn't love Fr. Mike Schmitz?!) Fr. Mike takes you through the entire Bible in one year with daily, approximately twenty-minute podcasts that include both scripture and a reflection. SO AMAZING! 4. Try Bible Journaling (visual and kinesthetic learners) This has been such a big help to me!! Bible Journaling is useful for so many people because it allows them to interact with the text in a very tangible way. It's fun to (reverently and respectfully) mark up the pages of your Bible with notes, highlighted passages, and sometimes even drawings and prayers. I am in the process of trying to color-code all that I read in my Bible, which makes it easier for me to focus on the particular text that I am reading. There is so much inspiration online (and I'll post some of mine on my Instagram story...) and it's a great way to use your creativity (or for some of us, organizational skills...) to glorify God and dive deeper into Scripture. You can color-code with any type of Bible, but it's really nice to have a Bible with lines in the margins for journaling, drawing, and note-taking. I have the Our Sunday Visitor Catholic Notetaking Bible. But I've also seen and like the looks of the Blessed is She Journaling Bible. 5. Read the daily Bible Readings. This is SOOO important and simple!! Each day at Mass, at least three different passages of Scripture are proclaimed. Usually from the Old Testament, Psalms, and a Gospel reading. They are short and sweet but packed with so much information. Many graces come from reading them each day. They can be found on the USCCB website and then many reflections can be found online. Some of my favorites are the Blessed is She devotions and Catholic Daily Reflections. It's a great way to make sure that you're reading scripture every single day. I hope that these tips will inspire you to dive deeper into your study of scripture! The Biblical texts record an amazing story that we are privileged to be a part of as members of Christ's Church. What are some of your favorite ways to read the Bible?? Do you have any tips for other Catholic teens? Feel free to comment below!

I wrote the following essay last March for a pro-life essay contest and wanted to share it with all of you since January is Respect Life month. Yesterday was the March for Life, and today is the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision which legalized abortion in all 50 states and the national day of prayer for the unborn. I encourage you to take some time today to pray for the protection of all human life. Pray boldly! Our God is a God of miracles. With Him on our side, we can be confident that the pro-life movement will win the fight against abortion. Abortion: The Unnecessary American Controversy Abortion is one topic in American culture that need not be controversial. All evidence provided by science, reason, and faith, point to the fact that the unborn are living, human beings who have the right to life. The American Government claims it upholds the right to life in the Declaration of Independence. This document declares that all are created equal and have been given certain rights, including the right to life. Because of this vital statement, we can see that all Americans, from the moment of conception, are to be valued, and deserve to live. Tragically, today in America, this right is not being upheld as thousands of American children are killed every year due to legalized abortion. The following argument invalidates any argument that one might have in support of legal abortion. The first proposal of this argument is that the unborn are living human beings. This can be proven by basic biological facts. From the moment of conception, the unborn meet the qualifications for life. These include being formed out of cells, growing, changing, using energy, adapting to the environment, developing an ability to reproduce in the future, maintaining homeostasis, reacting to the environment, and being based on a universal genetic code. Based on these qualifications, the unborn are, indeed, alive. Some pro-abortion activists will agree that the unborn are alive but will question if they are human. This question has a simple answer. Scientifically, if a human man and woman conceive a child, there is nothing their offspring can be or change into, other than a human. To prove the second part of our argument, we need to use some basic logic and philosophy. According to Boethius, a Roman scholar of the late fifth and early sixth centuries, the definition of a person is “an individual substance of rational nature.” Catholic and pro-life apologist, Trent Horn, says in his book, Persuasive Pro-Life concerning Boethius' definition of the person: “What this means is that a particular being is a person, or has basic rights, if it is a member of a rational kind.” (Horn, pg.128) Therefore, since all persons have one basic thing in common, human nature, all should be treated respectfully. Though the unborn are not yet self-aware, they are still rational creatures and persons because they are of the human race. This personhood gives the unborn the unalienable right to life. When we prove that the unborn are living human beings who have the right to life, we can then understand why abortion is wrong. The Oxford Dictionary defines abortion as, “The deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.” From the first part of this definition, we can see abortion takes the life of a human. If something is terminated, it is ended. Pregnancy is the condition of having a child in the womb. If pregnancy is terminated, the child is no longer in the womb. One could argue that birth also terminates pregnancy, so what makes abortion different? Abortion is different from birth because it terminates the life of a human being. This, too, can be proven by science because the child no longer meets the qualifications for life after it is aborted because he or she has been killed. By proving the argument that the unborn are living human beings and have the right to life, we can effectively disprove any arguments in favor of legalized abortion. If one can accept basic scientific facts, widely agreed upon philosophical definitions, the validity of the founding American documents, and use simple logical thinking skills, they can easily see there is no case in which abortion can be justified. Because of this, there is no need for the morality of abortion to be so widely debated in American society. The fact that the unborn are living human beings and have the right to life is undeniable. The children of our country are alive and they deserve to keep their lives until the moment of their natural death. There is no need for controversy on this topic. When one looks at the facts, it is evident that abortion is killing America’s most innocent citizens and violating their right to life bestowed upon them by their country and their Creator. Bibliography: · “Abortion.” Lexico.Com, www.lexico.com/en/definition/abortion. Accessed 26 Feb., 2021. · “Fetal Development.” Students for Life, 18 June 2020, studentsforlife.org/fetaldevelopment. · Lee, Megan. “You Are What You Eat...And Also What Your Mother Ate.” Science in the News, 15 Aug. 2009, sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2009/issue57. · Trent Horn. Persuasive Pro Life: How to Talk about Our Culture’s Toughest Issue. Catholic Answers Press, 2014. · Shiel, James. “Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius | Roman Scholar, Philosopher, and Statesman.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Jan. 2021, www.britannica.com/biography/Anicius-Manlius-Severinus-Boethius. · “The Declaration of Independence: Full Text.” ushistory.org, www.ushistory.org/declaration/document. · All other facts contained in the essay come from biology class notes and notes from former pro-life training. If you or someone you know have questions related to abortion or other pro-life topics, feel free to email me using the contact field on the home page of the blog, or leave a comment below. I will address all questions in an upcoming post. God bless!

The Pro-Life movement is often blamed for being inconsiderate and even hostile towards women who have had abortions or are considering them. Although this is typically fake news highlighted by pro-abortion news companies or even Planned Parenthood, there are certain individuals in the pro-life movement who have lost the idea of what it means to be truly pro-life. When we say we are pro-life, we mean we are pro- ALL LIFE. This means caring for and respecting every single living human being no matter who they are or what they've done. Especially the women considering abortion. She is vulnerable, as is the child that she is carrying. She is susceptible to the lies that are thrown at pregnant women from all different angles, and to the lie that she is worthless because she is carrying a child. She may be asked "How will you take care of this child?" or told that she isn't fit to be a mother. Although she may feel unfit or not have the resources to properly care for a child, it is our job, as pro-life people, to make sure that she is loved, cared for, and valued and that she gets the help and resources that she needs. There are many ways to do that, but different situations require different solutions. This post will highlight why women have abortions and how we can help women in those situations to do the right thing by choosing life for their child. The PubMed.gov website gives some statistics for reasons why women have abortions You can read the full article at the link at the bottom of the page, but I'll summarize it here. The statistics show that the reasons that women have abortions vary, but most of the reasons are that: ~A baby would interfere with everyday responsibilities ~Could not afford a baby ~Did not want to be a single parent/ had relationship problems ~Younger patients said that they were not mature enough to raise a child, were afraid to tell their parents, or their parents wanted them to have an abortion ~Don't want people to know they're pregnant/ Afraid to tell partner ~Partner is forcing them to have an abortion Here are some ways to help women in these situations and get them to the resources that they need. Baby could interfere with everyday responsibilities (school, work, etc.) If a woman tells you that she is considering an abortion because a child would interfere with everyday responsibilities, let her know that there are places and people that will help her out. Many towns have daycare centers and some college campuses even have them to help out women in school with families. If they have supportive parents or friends who are willing to help babysit until she can make better arrangements to take care of her baby, they could ask those people. If none of those options are available, adoption is a possibility. There are so many couples who are unable to conceive a child of their own and would love to have a baby to care for. Adoption relieves the woman of the stress of having a child to care for and gives another couple the chance to parent a child. Local hospitals can help with this process, as well as adoption agencies, both in-person and online. Woman doesn't have the financial resources necessary to care for a child Pregnancy resource centers help with this exact problem. Make sure you have the names and other information of one in your area when praying outside of an abortion clinic or at any other pro-life event. It could definitely come in handy! The main goal of the resource centers is to help moms to care for their children, both the unborn and the born. Many provide resources such as diapers, clothing, baby food, and other essentials for moms to help ease the financial challenges of having a child. Where I live, our pregnancy care center offers women resources in exchange for coming to educational sessions about parenting and caring for children completely free of charge. Most centers also provide support for women who have already had an abortion and are regretting their decision. You can Google "pregnancy resource centers in my area" to find the nearest one. Do not want to be a single parent/has relationship problems If a woman tells you this, reassure her that help is out there and connect her with a pregnancy resource center. They can help her to learn to care for her child as a single mother. Adoption is also an option. Make sure that she is not in an abusive relationship. If this is the case, make sure to get an adult involved IMMEDIATELY. If the woman is under 18 and considering abortion... Get her to a trusted adult that can help as soon as possible. Many teens do not tell their parents that they are pregnant. This is a huge problem. Many teens feel like their parents will not understand or will be angry with them. Reassure them that their parents will most likely want to help them out. They may be disappointed at first, but they will want to help. You could even offer to talk to them with her if you are allowed to. If it does end up that her parents refuse to help, direct the young woman to a pregnancy care center or another adult that will help her. The main goal when helping young women of this age group is to get them to an adult who can help them through their pregnancy. Don't want people to know they're pregnant Being pregnant is nothing to be ashamed of! Life is a miracle and miracles should not be kept a secret. If the woman is not married and is ashamed to be pregnant, reassure her that her baby is still a miracle. Every child, no matter who its parents are, is valuable. Women in this situation may have made a bad decision, but that does not mean that their child needs to die as a result of it. Partner is telling them to have an abortion Reassure the woman that NO ONE CAN FORCE HER TO HAVE AN ABORTION!!!! If their boyfriend or husband is forcing her to have an abortion, then she needs to get out of that relationship as soon as possible, or at least explain to him that she will not have an abortion, even if that means going against his wishes. Tell the woman that she is so brave to stand up to her partner and she will not regret having her child. Other Circumstances: Occasionally you will encounter a woman who is considering abortion because she has been sexually assaulted and found herself pregnant. The most important thing to do in this case is to let the woman know that she is loved and valued and get her to help right away. Make sure that she has told a trusted person what has happened to her and is getting the help that she needs. Let her know that her baby, even if conceived through terrible circumstances, is still a child and deserves to live. This is such a difficult situation, and extremely heartbreaking. Let the woman know that you care about her and that she is loved (and so is her baby!!). (There are hotlines available for people who have gone through this. If you or someone you know has been raped, use this link to find the phone number of a sexual assault helpline: https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline Praying for you!) Some women will say that they are considering abortion because of health reasons. Know that there IS NO MEDICAL REASON THAT ABORTION IS EVER NECESSARY!!!! Abortion is not a woman's only choice, and if her doctor is telling her this, she needs to find a new doctor because that one does not know their facts. Watch this video made by a neonatal doctor that explains why abortion is never medically necessary: https://prolifereplies.liveaction.org/medically-necessary/ As someone who was born two months prematurely (2 months early) due to my mother's health conditions, I am living proof that premature babies can live great lives! It is so important that women know that there are options for themselves and their children when faced with life-threatening health conditions. Other Tips: -Make sure that the woman you are talking to knows that you care about her and her situation -If you are a teen and talking to a woman in this situation, get her to an adult who can help before you do anything else. This is super important!! -Try not to seem overly anxious or nervous around them. Let them know that everything is going to be okay. -Offer prayers for her and her baby (Bonus points if you pray with her if she's comfortable with that!) -Don't assume that the woman is pro-abortion, even if she is considering one. She may be feeling pressured to have one even if it goes against her beliefs. - Let her tell you how she is feeling and about her situation. Don't make assumptions!! Talking to women who are considering abortion is very likely to happen as a pro-life person. It could be in the grocery store, at school, at an event, or when you're praying outside of an abortion clinic. Make sure that you have the facts on hand so that you can encourage women to do the right thing and choose life for their child. Life is always the right choice in every situation. There are so many stories of women who have chosen life and never ever regretted their decision. It's amazing! We, as teenagers, may not be able to drive, vote, or do other things that adults can do, but we can definitely save lives :-) Sources: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3243347 Students for Life Regional Trainings

Hey Catholic Teen Life readers!! Do you have questions about the Catholic faith? Have family or friends who do? Want to know how to answer objections to Catholicism? I'd love to know what your questions are and give you some resources to help answer them. If you have a question about anything relating to Catholicism, this blog, or living life as a Catholic Teen, please comment it below. I'll do my best to answer in an upcoming blog post and give resources for further information regarding your question topic! Thank you so much for your participation! God bless you. 😊 ~Catholic Teen

Today's Gospel is the Wedding Feast at Cana passage (John 2:1-11). In performing the miracle at the wedding by turning water into wine and by simply being present at the wedding, Christ sanctifies marriage. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says it this way: "On the threshold of his public life Jesus performs his first sign - at his mother's request - during a wedding feast. The Church attaches great importance to Jesus' presence at the wedding at Cana. She sees in it the confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an efficacious sign of Christ's presence." ~CCC 1613 In the Catholic faith, we believe that marriage is a Sacrament, which is "an efficacious sign of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us." (CCC 1131). The unity and sacramental bond between a husband and wife symbolize the bond between Christ and His Bride, the Church. As Catholics, we know that marriage is very different from how it is portrayed in secular culture. It's a sacrament. It's the unification of two souls, bodies, hearts, and lives. For a marriage to be valid in the Catholic Church, it must be free (not forced by one partner or the other) total (permanent and only dissolved by death), fruitful (open to life), and faithful (one man, one woman, for life). According to the Catechism, the purpose of marriage is for the mutual good of the spouses, as well as for the procreation and education of children. (CCC 1601). Marriage is a Vocation, a state of life to which one is called by God to fulfill their ultimate Vocation of Love. It is the total gift of oneself to another. God makes it very clear that Marriage has been holy from the very beginning of time- Adam and Eve were married. God gave woman to man as his helper. This is the ultimate Vocation of each woman: to live a life of service and of love. (Read my post Mini Bible Study- Proverbs 31 to hear more about all of this!) God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suited to him." (Gen. 2:18) In a marriage, the wife gives her life in service to her husband, not in a way that permits him to be cruel to her, but in a way that shows him that she loves and respects him and their children, and helps him to become the husband and father that he is called to be. The husband's role is one of protection and leadership, guiding the family toward Christ as the spiritual head of the household (the Domestic Church, which is an image and symbol of the Church) and providing for his family as best he can. I love this quote from the Catechism: "God who created man out of love also calls him to love the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. For man is created in the image and likeness of God who is himself love. Since God created him man and woman, their mutual love becomes an image of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves man. It is good, very good, in the Creator's eyes... " ~CCC 1604 Love is good. Marriage is good. Marriage is holy. Sadly, traditional marriage and family values are under attack in our world. "Unions" between people of the same sex are labeled "marriages." The tragedy of divorce seems to be more normalized each day. Cohabitation is common, and so is adultery. Marriage is seen as a contract, not as the covenantal relationship that it is. The Catechism states it this way: "The consent by which the spouses mutually give and receive one another is sealed by God himself....The...covenant between the spouses is integrated into God's covenant with man: 'Authentic married love is caught up into divine love.'" Marriage is a covenant, which further shows that it is a microcosm of the relationship for God with His people. We are sealed in a Covenant with God, pledging our love and devotion to him alone (The New Covenant). A married couple does the same for one another and to God through their sacramental marriage. As Christ gave His life for the salvation of His bride, the Church, the spouses give up their personal lives and desires for the other and for their children. These articles are also really good for understanding the Catholic view of marriage: Catholic Answers- Authentic Christian Marriage USCCB- Matrimony Overview and Resources I'd also encourage you to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraphs on marriage, which is in Article 7, paragraphs 1601-1658, and is summarized in paragraphs 1659-1666. Also, a quick side note: All Catholics are canonically required to be married in the Catholic Church by a priest or deacon, even if their spouse is not Catholic. If a marriage is not blessed in the Church it is not a sacramental marriage, though it may be a marriage in the eyes of the state. A marriage can be dissolved in some circumstances, allowing for civil divorce, through a process called annulment. Read more about it here. I hope that this post helps to give a bit of an overview of the Catholic understanding of sacramental marriage. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below, and I will try to find you an answer!

A few weeks ago, I got a very sweet email from a subscriber. She asked: "I was wondering if you had any advice or tips on praying to know what your vocation is, from one teen to another?" I wanted to answer her question and share a bit about my Vocational discernment. I've already made several posts on Vocational discernment (because I LOVE talking about it 😊) and don’t want to be too redundant, so the links to those posts will be at the bottom of this page. However, this post contains some tips for discernment as well as a bit about my own experience so far in discerning my vocation. Vocation comes from the Latin word "vocare" which means "to call" in Latin. In the broadest sense of the word, each of us is called by God to love Him, and our neighbor, and to obey His commandments. In short, we are each called to love. We all fulfill our vocations in our day-to-day lives when we do the will of God in each moment, choosing again each moment to obey Him and to love. These are "little v" vocations. What our subscriber is asking about is a bit different. (a "big V" Vocation!) God calls each of us to fulfill this vocation to love in a specific state of life, taking into account our needs, strengths and weaknesses, personalities, and desires. God knows us better than we know ourselves, and as a loving Father would, leads us to the state of life in which we will best be able to fulfill our vocation to love (this is the "big V" Vocation). In Catholicism, there are three main Vocations: The priesthood, religious life, and marriage. Each involves the total gift of oneself to another. Priests give themselves totally in service of the Church; Consecrated Religious give themselves entirely to God; Married couples give themselves entirely to their spouse and live as laity in the world to build up the Church. Tips for Discernment: Be open to whatever God wants. This is the best piece of advice I was given, and I can't stress it enough!! Once we can recognize that sometimes God has a better plan than we do, we will gain so much peace. Remaining open to God's will, even if we have a preference for one Vocation or another, is crucial. Don't worry!! This one's big too. You do NOT need to worry about your Vocation. You will not miss the call from God. You will not spend your entire life alone waiting for God to show you. God's got a plan and His timing is AMAZING. If you are remaining open to whatever He wants and praying to know His will, you are doing all that you can. Once you discover which state of life in which you are called to love, you may have doubts, but overall if you are where you are supposed to be you will have peace. God is not going to lead you to a place you are not called to be in. And when you do realize where God is calling you, you don't need to doubt it! God will not show you your Vocation, only to change his mind and decide He wants you somewhere else. Pray, pray, pray. Pray. Pray to know your vocation; pray for your possible future spouse; pray for your possible future parishioners or religious community; pray to remain open to God's will; pray for acceptance of your Vocation; pray for peace; etc. Prayer is your relationship with God. Communication is crucial in any relationship. If you don't talk or actively listen to someone, you won't know what they want from you. The same is true with God. Listen to God. So, you know you've got to listen to Him. That makes sense. But how? In Joel Stepanek's book True North: A Roadmap for Discernment, he lays out some different ways of knowing the will of God. (Note: These apply to all types of discernment, not just with Vocations.) "Clarity beyond doubt"- This is when you know without a doubt where God is calling you by an unexplainable sense of joy and peace. (Or where He's not calling you by just the opposite...) You just seem to 'know" what you're supposed to do. This is rare, but definitely not impossible... God can do anything! (This is what happened to me!) Your soul is presented with an option, and you almost immediately know that it's what you have to do, not needing any further discernment. One does need to be careful to make sure that they are truly open to the will of God and not attached to one decision or another. You can do this by sitting with the decision for a day or two and seeing if the clarity is still felt, and by talking with a spiritual director, parent, or friend who knows your circumstances and has your best interests in mind. Be attentive to consolation and desolation- I personally am just learning about this and am not the best at explaining it... But this awesome video does it very well and is only a couple of minutes long. If you are discerning anything- not just your Vocation- I'd highly recommend it: https://youtu.be/Z-mAkkLTlqQ Basically, when you are discerning the will of God, you are choosing between good options. If it's going to lead you to sin, it's not what God wants. When you are choosing between good options, you can first be assured that neither option is wrong! But ultimately, there is one decision that God wants for you. If you think about the different options and one gives you a sense of peace and joy, while the other makes you anxious, that's a good sign that you should probably pick the one that comes with the peace and joy 😉 (There's more to it though, so definitely watch the video.) Get the opinions of other faithful people who have your best interests in mind. - It's always good to get multiple opinions. Other people may see strengths in you that you may not even be able to see in yourself. Ask your parents to help you in your decision-making, talk to your pastor, and maybe a teacher or different adult mentor. Sometimes if you present others with your options, they can help you to see them more clearly and without bias. God speaks to us through other people as well! Explore. Explore your options!! It's okay to talk to Sisters AND boys. Trust me... (Note: If you are specifically discerning a Religious Vocation, it's not wise to date. You will only confuse yourself and the person that you're dating.) If you call a religious community and ask them for some more information or to talk to one of their members to see what it's all about, they're not going to try and rope you into joining them!! They will be happy that you're discerning your options and will help you in whatever way possible. If your parents allow it and if you're mature enough, you can be open to discerning marriage with someone by dating them (but if you're not discerning marriage with someone, or if they're not the type of person you think you would, or should marry, then why enter into a dating relationship? That's the whole point...). Make a decision. At some point, you'll have to make a decision. Discernment is an active process, which means that it has a clear ending. You can't spend your whole life in your parents’ basement waiting for God to tell you whether you should be a nun or get married... It just doesn't work that way! You can be consoled by the fact that God is not going to leave you hanging. You will figure it out. Sometimes it just takes a while. And once you've discerned that you're called to one state of life versus the other, a whole new discernment process begins! If you believe you're called to religious life, you discern which community. If you believe you're called to marriage, you begin dating. If you believe you're called to be a priest, you discern whether you should be a diocesan priest or a priest in religious life. I hope these tips can help you a bit. Basically, to discern your Vocation, you need to be open to what God wants, pray, and explore your options. When you feel drawn to one option or another and experience a sense of peace and joy when thinking about it, you can reasonably assume that that particular Vocation is what God is calling you to. Sometimes what you originally thought was your Vocation is really not it. That is certainly what happened in my case…. Long story short, I thought for a long time that I was called to religious life, then realized that I had mistakenly believed that my desires were God’s will. I was on a retreat and finally let God have control, and in a moment of “clarity beyond doubt,” realized that I am called to be a wife and mother someday. (If you’d like to hear the whole amazing story, please comment, and let me know!! I’d be happy to share. I'd love to hear your discernment process as well! 😊) The moral of my (still- in the process!!) story is, I suppose, the following: God has a plan. You don’t need to worry about or obsess over it. Be open to whatever He wants, and just go with the flow. Everything happens for a reason. To my subscriber who asked for this post... THANK YOU!! It is wonderful to know that the Church has Her share of teens, open to God’s will for their lives, who are going to be the next generation of wonderful Catholic Parents, Sisters, Monks, and Priests. Don’t be afraid. God’s got a plan and it’s going to be okay. 😊 Links to my other Vocation Posts: Vocations Resources An Interview with a Priest An Interview with a Religious Sister Prayer to Know My Vocation from a prayer card that I have: Lord, I want to be happy with you in this life and spend eternity with you in the life to come. From the first moment of my existence, you knew my Vocation. Please help me discover your plan for my life. Help me to know myself. Help me to overcome my fears. Help me to want what you want. Help me to trust You completely. Send your Holy Spirit into my mind and hearts so that I can see the gifts you've given me and hear Your call to serve the Church. Increase my desire to bring others to you and to help them reach Heaven. Mary Most Holy, Mother of God, pray for me, that I can discover my Vocation and have the courage to respond in faith.

LifeTeen prayer books- LifeTeen has numerous prayer books that cover topics such as going to Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Confession, praying the Rosary, and the Divine Mercy chaplet. They explain the topic you're reading about in an engaging way and make you want to learn more and participate in it. All of these books can be found on the LifeTeen website or you can ask your youth minister about getting them for your entire youth group! Here's the LifeTeen website: https://lifeteen.com/ Check out LifeTeen's blog too!! Pure Faith- This prayer book is my absolute favorite! It's published by Catholic Answers (so of course it's amazing!) and is very popular in the Catholic Teen world right now. The book includes guides to praying the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Stations of the Cross, and going to Confession. Along with these, the book gives many prayers for during Mass, to Mary and the Holy Spirit, and for all sorts of special intentions. There are quotes from saints and popes all throughout the book as well. It would make a great Confirmation gift if you're looking for ideas :-) https://www.google.com/amp/s/shop.catholic.com/amp/pure-faith-a-handbook-of-prayer-for-teens/ A Daily Defense- This book is by very famous apologist, Jimmy Akin, from Catholic Answers. The description on the front of the book is "365 days (plus one) to becoming a better apologist). The book is an excellent resource for those of us who love to defend our Catholic faith, or have questions about it and want to learn more. The book is set up in a way that for each day there is a common objection to Catholicism and Jimmy Akin's explanation on how to defend the Church's teaching on the topic. It's easy to understand and definitely worth the 5 minutes per day that it takes to read. This would be a great read for someone going off to college or just for anyone who is often put in situations where they need to defend their Catholic faith. https://www.google.com/amp/s/shop.catholic.com/amp/a-daily-defense-365-days-plus-one-to-becoming-a-better-apologist/ Of course there are many more devotionals and prayer books out there for teens, but these are just a few of my favorites. I'd love to hear your suggestions! Let me know in the comments section of this page.

In the Church, today marks the Baptism of the Lord, the end of the Christmas season, the beginning of ordinary time, and the start of Christ's public ministry. Baptism in traditional Catholic theology is seen as a sacrament that releases us from sin, makes us children of God, members of Christ, and members of the Church. (CCC 1213) Today, we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, which was different. Jesus received the Baptism of John. Besides cleansing the sins of the people, the Baptism of John also prepared their hearts to recognize the coming Messiah. Jesus did not need for either of those things: He was sinless and, of course, already knew that He was the Messiah. When He was baptized, Jesus sanctified water for regeneration and the beginning of the Christian life, and He also started His public ministry. By the Spirit coming upon Him in the form of a dove, the Proclamation of the Kingdom began, and Christ was "reborn" in a sense, leaving behind his hidden years and beginning his public ministry. Let's focus on one specific part of the Gospel. (These words are near and dear to my heart. 😊): “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” I was in a tough time in my life, feeling far from God and struggling with scrupulosity. As I sat in a Holy Hour, the priest guiding us through Lectio Divina of the Woman at the Well scripture said the words, "imagine Jesus saying to you: "You are my beloved, do not be afraid. With you I am well pleased." I that God was working through my priest and speaking directly to me. My Vocation had been on my mind, and at the time, I believed I was being called to religious life, so I took this as both a comfort to my suffering heart and a confirmation of my Vocation. Now, looking back and knowing I am not called to religious life, I see that God was claiming my heart for Himself, showing me my true Vocation- His beloved daughter- and that I don't need to be afraid of my sin. I invite you to hear those words that the Lord spoke to Jesus in today's Gospel after His baptism. "You are my beloved. With you, I am well pleased." Hear those words and take them to heart. Yes, friend, God is speaking the same to you. You are so loved by God. Nothing you ever do will take that away. By the nature of your Baptism, you are forever a child of God and forever loved. Jesus' Baptism paved the way for His public ministry- a ministry of healing bodies and restoring souls. Your Baptism paved the way for Your life in service to God and was just the beginning of your sacramental life in Christ: the start of a lifelong journey and ministry of radical love. Wherever you are on that journey, know that that is your mission- to love like Christ. Maybe you're just now realizing that Baptism is a higher calling. Or maybe you've known it for years. Wherever you are, know that You are a child of God by the virtue of your Baptism. He is pleased with you, simply because You are His.

Saint André Bessette ​ Saint Andre Bessette, born in 1845, was a Canadian member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross. He first was appointed to be the doorman for a college run by the community. Later, he was found to have the gift of healing and many people came to him and were freed from their ailments. He attributed all cures to Saint Joseph. Saint André (and others in his community) had dreamt of building a chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph on the mountain outside their windows. After trying unsuccessfully to obtain land to build it, Saint André and some others buried Saint Joseph's medals in the ground and soon were able to purchase the land. The chapel opened in 1904. After 50 years, the magnificent Saint Joseph's Oratory on Mount Royal was complete and is a popular pilgrimage site to this day. Many, many miracles are attributed to Saint André and have occurred at the oratory. He died on January 6, 1937. Feast day: Jan. 6 Patron of family caregivers. Saint André, thank you for living your life in humble, practical service of others and of Christ. Please pray for us and for all family caregivers. Ask our Lord to be with them in a special way as they fulfill their calling to care for others, just as you did.