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Who are you? Have you ever taken the time to think about your answer to this question? We hear it fairly often, but I'm willing to assume that most people do not normally think about what their own answer would be. On the surface level, it's an easy question to answer. Now, as a teenager, you may be given the titles of son, daughter, sibling, student, friend, and many more. When you are older you may be titled as a doctor, a lawyer, a youth minister, a sister, a priest, a parent, and so much more. When posed this question, we don't often take the time to think beyond this worldly surface level of answers. So now let's think a little deeper... Every single title given to us by other human beings can be taken away. The only exception to this would be family titles such as mother, father, sibling, etc. Every single title that refers to what you do (doctor, priest, teacher, etc.) can be taken away. Every title in relation to where you are can be taken away (Pennsylvanian, Mexican, American, etc.) What we need to realize is that none of those titles define us. At the end of our lives, what we do for a living, where we lived, which degrees we earned or other of the things that the world sees as valuable in determining a person's worth will not matter. All that will matter is who you are. As Catholic-Christians, we do not need to wonder about who we are. We are given one title that surpasses all other titles we have been given. And that title is "Chosen." At the end of the day, that is who we are. We are, as Saint Peter says, “'a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises' of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9) God has chosen us specifically to belong completely and totally to Him. He wants us to live completely with Him and For Him. We have a purpose. God has a plan, and that plan will allow us to "announce the praises of Him" to everyone we may meet. We are a people of His own, who He has called from the darkness of sin and death into the light of love and salvation. This is the most important title you will ever receive because it defines who you are and it is given to you by your maker. This title is how you will find true joy and peace. It is what enables you to love and be loved. You are not defined by your sins. You are not defined by who the world sees you as. Your definition and your title are given to you by your Father. Your Heavenly Father, who loves you beyond what you could ever imagine. He says that you are loved, He says that you have a purpose, and He says that you are chosen. So the next time that someone asks, "who are you?," you can confidently answer with the truth- "I am Chosen. I am a Child of God, a slave of His love, and loved beyond measure. I am God's and God's alone."

In today's Gospel, the apostles are in a boat, and there is a lot of wind. All of a sudden, they see something on the water and immediately think that what they are seeing is a ghost. The Gospel writer says that they are terrified. I don't blame them. I would be too! The next lines of the Gospel go like this: At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” Peter said to him in reply, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” Take a moment to put yourself in this situation. You are sitting in the boat, cowering in fear. You hear Jesus say, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid." You lift your eyes to look at Him, and He looks right back, his gaze penetrating your very soul, and He says "Come." Come. Come and do what? What is Jesus asking you to do? There is at least one thing that Jesus wants you to do right this very second. The fact that you are reading this sentence proves that. That thing could be starting a blog, bringing Christ to a friend from school, going to confession, becoming in full communion with His Church through the sacrament of Confirmation in the Catholic Church, or even answering the call to marriage or religious life. Maybe you have no idea what it is. Maybe you know exactly what it is and are afraid to do it. You were created for a purpose. Just like Peter, Jesus is calling you to do something special. Trust that Christ will help you to find what you need to do. Do you remember the next part of the story? Here it is: Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Trusting that Jesus has a plan in store for you is the first step in doing what He wants you to do. The next step for you is to get out of the boat. While Jesus is all-powerful and can do whatever He wants, He still needs your cooperation. He loves us and does not force us to do anything we do not want to do. That would not be love. While He does not force us to do anything, He gently guides us in the right direction. It is our decision to step out of the boat. When we get out of the boat, we are relying solely on Jesus' divine intervention to do what He wills. The boat represents our own desires, our own will for our lives. And sometimes getting out of that boat will take a lot of effort. It may take time and it might not be easy. The water might not be as warm as you want it to be, and you might not be very comfortable. But as long as you keep your eyes on Jesus and not on your feelings of unworthiness at being chosen by God, your fear, or feelings of uncertainty, you will be just fine and you will be filled with joy. All you need to do is trust Jesus and cooperate with His will. He will do the rest. What do I mean by this? I mean that Jesus will provide for your material and spiritual needs. If you know you need to evangelize to a kid at school, ask Jesus to help you have the opportunity to do so, and He will. If you need to go to confession, ask Jesus to let you get there, and He will. If you feel called to go on a pilgrimage with your youth group but don't have enough money for it, ask Jesus to help you find the money for it, and guess what? He will. If it is in His plan, He will make a way. However, if you take your eyes off of Christ and begin to believe that something isn't possible just because of your circumstances at that moment, you will fall, just like Peter did. Without our focus on Jesus, we are bound to fall because He is the only thing that is holding us up. How can we expect to succeed in our calling to become a saint by doing what we want instead of what Jesus wants? Just like He says in John 15:5, "Apart from me, you can do nothing." And if you do end up falling, just as He did for Peter, Jesus will stretch out His hand and catch you. He will do all that He can to pull you up out of the water. It's up to you to not let go of His hand. Don't doubt Jesus' power and love and mercy! Those attributes of Christ are the sustenance that will get you through this journey to whatever God is calling you to do. So, my message to you, dear brothers and sisters, is to keep your eyes fixed on Christ. Don't be afraid! You will do amazing things for the Kingdom of Heaven when you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and are submissive to His plan for your life. Pray that He will make known to you His plan for your life, and trust that He will enable you to do what He wants you to do. The first step is simply getting out of the boat. After that, it's all up to Him.

We have been given months and months of free time. What did you use that free time for? Hopefully you've used it to your benefit and made time for things you haven't normally had time to do. Sadly, one of these things that people often say they don't have time for is prayer. But it doesn't have to be this way!!! We can make every single action, thought, and feeling of our day into a prayer. Prayer is simply a conversation with God. That's it. Even one singular thought of God is a prayer. It is entirely possible (and actually fairly easy!) to, as St.Paul says, "Pray without ceasing." (1 Thessalonians 5: 17) In non-first century language, this basically means to pray constantly. If you are like most people, you probably don't know where to start. I'm here to help! The following is a "schedule" of a typical day for a teenager. This can apply whether you're in a school building, cyber school, or homeschooled, and will hopefully give you ideas for how to incorporate prayer into your day. The links to the prayers can be found by clicking on the underlined, purple words. Wakeup- Stop! Before you even get out of bed, say some morning prayers. I would especially recommend praying the morning offering as well as a prayer to your guardian angel. Another good habit to get into would be to reading the daily readings and making a spiritual communion, even before you get out of bed. Getting ready for the day- As you get a shower, remember your Baptism and ask Christ to wash you of your sins once again. As you brush your teeth, ask Him to make all of your speech holy. As you get dressed, envision yourself putting on the armor of God. (Ephesians 6 13-16) Eat breakfast- As my health class teacher once told my class, "You're a fool if you don't eat breakfast!" So do it!! But before you do that, make another spiritual communion, recognizing that Christ himself is all the sustenance you'll ever need, and of course, say a prayer before meals to thank Him for your food. Going to school- This one doesn't apply so much to the home/cyber schoolers, but you could still do it too :-) On your way to school, whether you're biking, walking, riding a bus, or driving, pray a decade of the Rosary (or a full Rosary) and ask God to help you in all your struggles and trials throughout the day. English class- At the beginning of class, say a prayer for your teacher and classmates. If you are writing an essay, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the necessary words. If you are reading a book, pray for real-life people who may be involved in similar conflicts. Always remember to stand up for the values and morals that you stand for when it comes to reading books. Don't settle for garbage. It's not worth losing your soul over a trashy book. This can sometimes be hard in a public school setting but it will be worth it in the end! Computer Class- Thank God for the gift of technology and pray that it will be used for good in your school and all around the world. Language Class- Ask the Holy Spirit to help you speak with confidence. Pray that your knowledge of the language may be helpful in your spreading the Good News to every nation. Math Class- Pray for perseverance, courage, and strength. You're also going to need some patience. A lot of it. If you are love math, good for you! Please say a prayer for those of us who don't... (this applies to any subject) Art Class- Use your art skills for Good! If you have the freedom to create whatever you want, use your creativity to make something that is going to build up the kingdom of God. Ex: drawing or painting of a saint, religious symbolism, cord, bead, or wire Rosary, carving or statue of a saint, Jesus, or the Blessed Mother. If you aren't allowed to do this, make your art to be a gift to someone else. It will definitely brighten someone's day :-) Science Class- Pray for scientists who are trying every day to figure out how to make the world an even better place for us by trying to understand it. Science is a great gift from God! Depending on what you are studying, you could pray for the protection of the environment, protection from sickness and disease, health, etc. History class- One really cool thing about God is that He is outside of time. This means that our prayers can be used to help someone who lived thousands of years ago! Pray for people in whichever period of history you're learning about. Another interesting thing to do out of school hours would be to look up how the Church was involved in whatever historical events your class is discussing, if they happened within the past 2000 years. Lunch- Pray the prayer before meals, using the sign of the cross and everything! You can pray out loud or in your head. Invite your friends to pray with you as well. You could also make another spiritual communion. Praying is a great way to evangelize without using words! If you see someone sitting alone, go and sit with them, or invite them to sit with you. In the hallways (Home/cyber schoolers- in between subjects??) - Depending on how much time you have between classes, pray a decade of the Rosary, or just say a few prayers asking the Lord to bless everyone you pass by. Music Classes- Use your music to evangelize! If you can choose a piece to play or sing and present to a class, make it something religious. A hymn or contemporary Christian song woud be great! If your school has a holiday concert and you sing a Christmas song that has lyrics that include the true meaning of Christmas, tell your choir/band director that you really appreciate that and thank them for their choice in music. Health and Gym- Ask the Lord to keep you healthy so that you can continue to work for His glory. Offer up your discomfort and tiredness for the salvation of souls. Study Hall- Say a prayer before study, and then do your homework! If you have extra time, you could pray another decade of the Rosary. Going home- Most schools seem to get out around the 3 o'clock hour. On your way home, pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet and thank God for a good day. After School activities- Ask Jesus to be with you as you travel to and from your activities. If you have time, you our could finish your Rosary if you didn't already do so. Some parishes offer a daily Mass in the evenings. If you can, try to attend a daily Mass before or after your activities. Dinner- Say the prayer before meals and make a spiritual communion. Use this time to talk with your family about your day! Bedtime- Don't stay up too late! If you like to read, you could do some spiritual reading to wind down. Before you go to sleep, take some time to talk to God about your day. Pray the prayer for daily neglects, the healing prayer at bedtime, and the prayer to your guardian angel. You can replace the word "day" with "night" in the guardian angel prayer. Pray an Act of Contrition. I hope these ideas help you to build prayer into your school day. The more you pray, the better your relationships with God, yourself, and others will be. I truly believe that God changes lives through prayer. Let Him change yours! Please share this post with other Christian friends who might benefit from it!

Happy Birthday to our beautiful and wonderful and heavenly mother, Mary!!! Today in the Church we celebrate the nativity of Mary. Imagine how the angels and saints and especially our Lord are singing and praising her today!! Our heavenly Mother deserves a little love on her birthday! One of the best ways to give her this is to pray the Rosary. If you've never prayed the Rosary before or if you're asking "does loving Mary and asking her to pray for me take away from the glory and honor that Jesus deserves?" don't worry!! There are TONS of videos of people praying the Rosary on Youtube that will explain it. You can also click on the word "Rosary" to get to a website that will show you how to pray it. And the answer to the second question is absolutely not!!! As St. Maxamilian Kolbe said, “Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.” Mary is our Heavenly mommy. She is only there to help us and to bring us to her son. You can also consecrate yourself to Jesus, through Mary, using St.Louis de Montfort's consecration. Find out more about it HERE. It's a great way for Catholics and Non-Catholics alike to come closer to Jesus, through the loving and Immaculate Heart of His Mother. Along with being the greatest woman that ever lived, Mary is also a wonderful example of many things. Purity, obedience, chastity, love, mercy, faith, and those are just naming a few!! We can always turn to her and ask for her intercession when struggling to live out any of those virtues or when fighting temptations. As some of you may know, the Catholify App has teamed up with a couple of other Catholic online ministries to pray 1 million Rosaries for Our Lady's birthday. Starting May 1st, 2020, many Catholics around the world have logged their rosaries every day. In an absolute miracle, we passed the 1 million Rosaries goal yesterday morning!! What a wonderful gift Lady and to our world! A few days ago the goal seemed out of reach, but we prayed and somehow, by the grace of God, we made it!! It just shows you how far Jesus will go to give His mother a gift! You can still log Rosaries today (September 8th) to increase the count. So, Happy Birthday to our dear Mother!!! May she always be with us, strengthening, guiding, and interceding for us as a Mother and friend. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death!!

Today is someone very special's birthday. She is a very important part of my life and of so many others. Millions of people, actually. She has a great amount of faith and is totally dedicated to Christ. Many people follow Her lead and strive to live up to Her expectations. And guess what. She wants you to follow her too. It is only in following Her lead that you will ever find the joy and love and life that you so desperately long for. She will lead you to life and love Himself- God. Have you figured out who I'm talking about yet? If you haven't guessed it already, the amazing being that I am referring to is the one, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. It was established on this day- Pentecost- In the year 33 A.D. It was on this day 1,987 years ago that the Catholic Church was established for all so that they may believe and have the fullness of truth and to carry out the mission of Christ until He comes again. Peter, one of Christ's apostles, was made the first pope when Jesus established in the Papacy in Matthew 16:18-19. ("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. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”) The Catholic Church is the only Church that has a Pope that is a successor, and therefore, is the only Church that Christ Himself established. The Catholic Church has the fullness of faith. You see, Jesus established one Church for all to belong to. He wants every single person that will ever live on the face of this earth to be part of the Church that He established. We know that Christ wants us all to be one because He says in John 17:11, "And now I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, while I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are." Jesus loves you immensely. More than you could ever imagine. And it is for that reason that Jesus Christ Himself is inviting you to be a member of the one true Church- The Catholic Church. If you aren't Catholic yet, don't be afraid to take that leap of faith straight into the arms of Christ and become the Catholic that you were meant to be!* If you are already Catholic, continue to be a faithful member of the Body of Christ and live out this immensely rich and historical faith tradition that Christ Himself has so graciously invited you to participate in. So, to conclude, happy birthday to our dear and wonderful Church! I and so many others are looking forward to many wonderful years to come. On this Pentecost Sunday, I invite all of my readers to ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to be led to where you are supposed to be. If you do that, God will lead you to His Church and to be the saint that He so desperately wants you to be. God bless you all, and may the Holy Spirit enkindle in your hearts a flame of love and a desire for Truth. <3 *Interested in becoming Catholic or just seeing what we're all about? Check out some of these websites: https://www.catholicscomehome.org/ https://www.catholic.com/ (These people can answer pretty much every question about Catholicism.... It's amazing!) https://chnetwork.org/ I would also recommend contacting a local Catholic parish to find people who can answer more of your questions. I'm always open to questions, too! Just email me using the contact spot at the bottom of the Home page. Be assured of my prayers for you, as well as those of the entire Church! :-)

No matter where you are in the world right now, you're probably in a room, a building, a train, a plane, that has a door or entrance somewhere in it. Doors surround us every single day of our lives. They are entrances and exits, beginnings and endings. They represent change and transition and openness to something new. Today in the first reading, Jesus tells us, "‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.'" Imagine for a moment that Jesus is standing outside the door of wherever you are reading this blog post. What would you do? Would you run to it and open it? Or would you be afraid of what might happen if you open the door, how your life would change? Jesus is even closer than the door outside of your room. He's even closer than the air you are breathing right now. Jesus is right outside your heart and He is knocking, and then waiting for you to invite Him in. Jesus longs to be a part of your life. But He's not going to force you to let Him in. Jesus loves us so much that He gives us free will- the option to choose between good and evil, right and wrong, light and darkness. To open the door or not. To choose Him or choose the world. When we choose Him and open the door that He knocks on, we open the door to love, to peace, to life. Yes, it's a change, but it's a change for the better. Jesus is always knocking, always pursuing you. He longs to be one with you and be loved by you. He is always waiting, offering love and mercy and peace. No matter what you've one or who you are, Jesus is there. He wants to forgive you and He wants to love you as you've never been loved before! It's up to you to open the door, let Jesus in, and let Him heal you, love you, and save you. It's not too late to let Him in. Note to all United States Citizens: The United States of America is currently living in a world of hurt, of sin, of anger, and of lies. We need Jesus. He's our only hope right now and we need to let Him in, let Him heal us. Remember, the government is not the entire United States of America, and neither are the celebrities, social media personalities, the rioters, or the cheaters. We too are the United States of America, and we have the power to transform our lives and many others by opening wide the doors to Christ! (as Pope John Paul II would say) Most of all we need to pray. We need to pray for mercy, for love, and for healing. Jesus can still save our country. And I truly believe that He will. What we need to do is pray: pray that He will make everything right in HIS time, that He will help us to speak the truth, and that He will bring to light everything that is going on in our nation. We can change the future of this country. We just need to pray and let Him in.

I asked Father some questions about his life and vocation, and this is the answer that he gave me. Thank you so much, Father! "My Road to the Priesthood - At the beginning of my freshman year at Mt. St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Md., in 1960, I realized I had to choose my vocation. Like many other young Catholic men growing up in the 1950’s, I was considering a religious vocation. After a period of soul-searching and consultation with advisors, I decided to pursue studies for the priesthood. The first hurdle was how to tell my family. I chose to write a letter rather than to tell them face to face. My parents have always been behind me with their support and encouragement. I wondered, though, whether I was worthy to become a servant of God. Many of the great saints seemed to have struggled with the same question. St. Peter said to Jesus, “Depart from me Lord for I am a sinful man.” St Paul willingly acknowledged that he had been a persecutor of the early church. In his famous classic Confessions, St. Augustine wrote of the struggles he underwent before he committed himself to Christianity and the religious life. Even St. Theresa, the Little Flower, in her Story of a Soul, indicated her feeling of unworthiness, saying, “So in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.” Another hurdle for me was the studies. I was never a great student, mediocre at best. To undertake eight years of studying philosophy, church history, scripture, theology, and Latin, Greek, and Hebrew was a daunting prospect. But my mind was made up. I would accept God's invitation and give myself to the call completely. If I failed along the way, it would be an indication that the priesthood was not my calling. Before the end of fall in 1960, I wrote a letter with the help of my cousin, also a priest, and the pastor of my church, seeking acceptance into the seminary. The Diocese advised me to finish my first two years of college and then set up an appointment before the third year of school. In June of 1962 the Bishop of the Diocese called me to his office for an interview. He accepted my application and I was to report to the Seminary in September of 1962. I was able to settle into the routine of the seminary life of prayer and study and on May 25, 1968, was ordained a priest for the Diocese. Too often people use the term vocation to mean religious life. In Latin the word vocation means to be called. We are all called to be a Catholic first, a member of the Mystical Body of Christ. Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last.” John 15:16. Go out and live the life of faithful service: married or single; doctor, lawyer, teacher, carpenter, plumber, or maybe a priest, brother or sister, but live your life as a true Catholic follower of Jesus. Remember the story of the rich young man who asked Jesus, “What must I do Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Mt.19/16) In addition; prayer, knowledge of the bible, sacrifice and good works, and receive the Sacraments regularly, especially Reconciliation and Mass and Holy Communion." Catholic Teen Life Readers, let's pray for all Priests who so bravely bring Jesus to us in the sacraments and for all those men who are discerning a call to the Priesthood!

Can you tell me a bit about yourself? I am 21, from Pennsylvania. I went to a Catholic School from grade school to high school and am the youngest of three. 2.Why are you studying to become a priest? I want to become a priest because I want to listen to the will of God. I am still not 100% sure if that's what God wants but I feel like I have heard his call and now I am just responding by being in seminary. 3. When and how did you receive your call to become a priest? Was it gradual or all at once? It was definitely gradual. In high school, I didn't feel that much of a call but once I got to college and had 2 religious brothers in English and Political Science classes, I did. 4. What attracted you to religious life? Something that attracted me to religious life would be the vows, community life in prayer, and the mission of education. 5.What is the best part of being a Seminarian? The best part of being a seminarian is being there for people when it comes to spiritual or life problems. 6. What advice would you give to a young person who is considering religious life? Do not be afraid. If it is for you, God will give you a sign. Listen to Him. This life is joy-filled and wonderful. 7.What is a typical day like for you? 6:50-7:35- Morning prayer/meditation Classes 5:15- Mass Dinner with friends outside seminary Freetime/homework Night prayer Rosary 12:00-1:00-Bedtime 8. What are your hobbies and interests? Running, photography, writing letters, watching Netflix, soccer, and hanging out with friends. 9.What is one thing you want young people to know about discernment and following God’s call? It is truly a joy to do the will of God in serving His people. It is so enriching. 10.What is one thing you dream of doing someday? I hope to be a principal of a high school some day. 11.Why should young people consider Religious Life? Every man should consider the priesthood because it brings them closer to Christ and to find God's plan for his life. Catholic Teen Life Readers, Let's continue to pray for all seminarians who have the courage to say "yes" to discernment and to God's plan for their lives!

Can you tell me a bit about yourself? Hello! I’m a Salesian Sister of St. John Bosco (formally known as the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians) www.salesiansisters.org Fun fact: God knows that I am not good at math so He’s allowed me to profess in 2000 so the math would always be easy when people ask: “How long have you been a Sister?” God is that personal, intimate, and gracious with each one of us, in our weaknesses and in the gifts He gives! Why did you decide to become a Religious Sister? It was a thought and a desire that wouldn’t leave me, no matter how much I tried to convince myself I was going to be married and have a large family! When and how did you receive your call to become a Sister? Was it gradual or all at once? I received the call suddenly when I was about 21 years old, had graduated from college and was working in NYC, not feeling particularly fulfilled. Though a Catholic since birth, I had never thought about it until that moment of prayer, asking God what I was supposed to do with my life. The sudden and unexpected reply in my heart brought me so much joy and peace, yet the discernment was a process over several years as I struggled to understand this vocation and overcome my fears. What attracted you to religious life? Jesus Himself. A life of complete and intimate union with Him held so much joy, serenity, and that ‘aha!’ experience of “THIS is what I am called to be and do with my life.” What is the best part of being a Sister? There are MANY life-giving and joyful aspects, but the BEST part is actually living my vocation each day, fulfilled in the one life I have been given here on earth serving God and others, especially the young, as a Salesian Sister! What advice would you give to a young person who is considering religious life? Pray. Have patience. Be willing to take the time to grow in self-knowledge and friendship with God through the Sacraments, good friends, generous service, and love for Mother Mary. Contact a priest or a vocation director who can accompany you in your journey of discernment because you are not meant to walk it alone! What is a typical day like for you? Morning prayer, meditation, Mass, and breakfast together starts each day in community. Then we are engaged in our various apostolates (ministries). We re-gather for spiritual reading, evening prayer, rosary, examination of conscience, dinner and recreation at the end of the day. The day closes with recollected silence and sleep! Since we work with and among young people, part of our evenings and weekends are sometimes also given to cheering them on at various sports, musical, or other events! 😊 What are your hobbies and interests? Reading, walking/hiking/being in nature, art & museums, learning something new (including eating new foods!), traveling What is one thing you want young people to know about discernment and following God’s call? You don’t want to regret not becoming a Sister (or priest/Brother) because you were too afraid to explore your vocation. [NB: Discernment is not just for “Religious Life” but for ALL of Life. Discernment is a ‘spiritual muscle’, a daily habit that serenely seeks God in all situations and to be guided by His Holy Spirit in our thoughts, words, and actions]. What is one thing you dream of doing someday? Being in Heaven with everyone! (and taking a 4-8 week RV mission trip across the country) Why should young people consider Religious Life? Why not? When people are trying to decide something, don’t they usually consider their options? And one’s vocation is perhaps the most important decision a person can make! So why not bring it out into the sunlight, especially if God has planted the seed for religious life? Water it and see what blossoms! God will give all the grace that’s needed. How can we pray for you? Remember me in your Rosary! Jesus and Mary know all my needs and prayer intentions. Thank you so much, and please be assured that you will be in my daily prayers! Catholic Teen Life Readers, let's pray for all of the amazing women who have so bravely said "yes" to God's call to Religious life and for those who are discerning!

Here are some resources for those of you discerning your Vocation! They are wonderful videos, websites, and books for anyone and everyone who is, or ever will be, discerning their Vocation (which means pretty much everybody...) Websites: Vision Vocation Match- https://vocationnetwork.org/en/match A vocation match quiz that forms a list of possible religious orders for you based on your interests and state of life. It's also completely free! The rest of the website also has some great resources. Imagine Sisters- https://imaginesisters.org/ A great resource for young women in their discernment! This organization works to "expose the beauty of religious life" as they say on their website. They also have a Youtube channel and are present on various other forms of social media. Religious Brotherhood- https://religiousbrotherhood.com/ This website serves as a resource for men feeling called to serve God in a community of Religious Brothers. USCCB Resources- https://www.usccb.org/committees/clergy-consecrated-life-vocations/vocations The USCCB website has some wonderful resources for discernment, as well as information on pretty much everything related to Catholicism. It's definitely a useful website! Most diocesan websites will have information on discerning a call to the Priesthood. I won't mention any specific diocesan websites here, but a quick search will give you lots of resources for discernment. Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EMOgG7lfmE - Ascension Presents https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdxYHfExkfo- Bishop Robert Barron https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80msIR5Zs6s- Ascension Presents Books: Discerning Religious Life- https://www.vianneyvocations.com/product/discerning-religious-life/ Discernment Do's and Dont's: A Practical Guide to Vocational Discernment-https://www.amazon.com/Discernment-Dos-Donts-Practical-Vocational/dp/1505110173 Called by God: Discernment and Preparation for Religious Life-https://www.amazon.com/Called-God-Discernment-Preparation-Religious/dp/1945125578 (I've read this book and I can tell you with complete honesty that it is 100% AMAZING!!!) Here is a Rosary for Vocations: https://www.dsj.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Rosary-for-Vocations.pdf No matter what sort of Call you are discerning, it is always helpful to talk to a Priest, Brother, Sister, or Married couple.. They have been through the discernment process for big decisions such as these! They know what it feels like to "step out of the boat" for Jesus, and would probably be glad to help you out. :-) These are just a few of the very numerous resources out there for discernment. Please comment below to suggest any other resources that have been helpful to you or someone you know!

We all have vocations. A lot of them. We are siblings, children, friends, (insert whatever your job is here), teachers, students, leaders, followers, lots of different things! But we are all called to a Vocation (notice the big "V") that is specific to each one of us. Sure, somebody can be a better doctor than you, but they can't be a better mother to your future children. They can't be a better priest to your future congregation. They can't be a better Sister to the women who you will eventually call your Sisters! God calls each and every one of us to a specific role in His Church. This role is called your Big-V Vocation. Your Big-V Vocation refers to the state of life in which God is calling you to love and serve Him in. We are all called to be Jesus' disciples- to be Fishers of Men. The way that God has designed each of us to do that is different, so we are all called to serve Him in different ways. Only YOU have the power to fill the you-shaped gap in the world. The Church needs you to follow wherever God is calling you. We need you to listen to His voice and follow Him wherever He is calling you! Explanation of National Vocation Awareness Week from The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: National Vocation Awareness Week, celebrated November 1-7, 2020 is an annual week-long celebration of the Catholic Church in the United States dedicated to promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and consecrated life through prayer and education, and to renew our prayers and support for those who are considering one of these particular vocations. This week on the blog I will be focusing on Vocations and discernment. There will be a post about resources for discernment as well as some interviews with people in all different stages of their big- "V" Vocations. Please pray, this week and always, for those discerning their Call in life and trying to find the way that they love best, as well as for their family and friends. Let's also pray for everyone who has already found where God is calling them to fill the "them- shaped- hole" on this earth, that they may continue to follow their Father and Lover wherever He leads them. May God Bless you on this Vocational Awareness Week and Always!

All of the Saints! The Story: Saint ________ lived their life for God and is now in Heaven with Him! They may have been His disciple from an early age, or may only have come to love Him later in life. They were a Sister, a Priest, a Mother, a Father, a layperson, a Teacher, a Pope, a Bishop, a Farmer, a Martyr, a Mystic, a Sibling, a Mentor, a Friend, a Baby.... they could have been pretty much anything, but what they all had in common was their faith. When he/she died, they went to Heaven and are now living in Love with their Heavenly Father! ​ Patron of: There's a patron saint for pretty much anything! In case you're wondering why this post looks so different, November 1st is All Saints Day, so we're celebrating all of the saints, canonized and uncanonized this month! Read this amazing article from Catholic Answers that explains All Saints Day: https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/whats-the-point-of-all-saints-day ​ All Saints Day is also the feast day of all the saints who are not celebrated on any other day in the liturgical calendar. We hope to someday be celebrated on this day too! Happy Feast Day to all the Saints!! Please pray for us!