Search 

So, we know that we, as Catholics, are pro-life. And we know that one of the practices we are working to eliminate is abortion, but do we really know what abortion is? One of the most important things about having a system of beliefs is knowing what you stand for and knowing how to tell right from wrong. If we are ever to effectively convince others of the truth that abortion is an evil and immoral practice, we need to know what abortion is and why it is immoral. In this post, we are going to discuss what abortion really is and why it is so wrong. What is abortion? From the Oxford Dictionary: “The deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy” Abortion is done deliberately. This means that it is done on purpose and that there is a reason for doing it. It is not a miscarriage in which the child is killed by natural reasons. Abortion terminates things, in this case, the life of the child that is living in its mother's womb until it is old enough to survive outside of the womb. Therefore, we can reasonably conclude that abortion is the purposeful killing of a child while it is still residing in its mother's womb. Abortion is performed in a variety of ways, most of which can be found on this page: https://studentsforlife.org/abortion-facts/ All of these ways of performing abortions are gruesome and traumatic for both the child and the mother. In most cases both the woman and the child experience pain, and the child is killed. Keep in mind that millions of abortions are performed every year around the world.Even if only a million were committed per year, That would be 2739 abortions per day in a 365 day year. 2739 lives lost in a single day. It's hard to believe that anyone could possibly rationalize that abortion could ever be okay. Over the next few days, we'll be breaking down common points that people use to justify abortion and learning the truth so that we can better protect the lives of the unborn. Why is abortion wrong? Because it ends the life of an innocent human being and strips them of their dignity. That's the answer. Plain and simple. Abortion ends the life of a human being who has worth and dignity and is made in the image and likeness of God. When a child is aborted it is not even given a chance to live. It cannot thrive and it cannot live the life that God meant for it to live. Abortion also hurts the woman who is having the abortion. Many women struggle with anxiety and depression, as well as other health issues after they've had an abortion. Many feel guilt because of their abortion and wish that they had not made the decision. If you or someone you know has had an abortion, help is available and people do care about you and want to help you. Here's a website of an organization that helps people who have been hurt by abortion: https://www.rachelsvineyard.org/ Overall, abortion is wrong because it hurts people. It hurts women, children, and all those who love them. Everyone, no matter their stance on abortion, would most likely agree that if something harms the people they love, it is not okay and should not be tolerated. I know that this is a tough topic, but it needs to be heard about and known about so that it can end. Please let me know in the comments section if you have any questions about abortion or the pro-life movement that you would like to be covered in other posts. You can go to the Students For Life of America website to get more reliable information about abortion and the pro-life movement. https://studentsforlife.org/

The Catholic Church is one of the biggest leaders in the Pro-Life movement all over the world today. We respect and value every human life, no matter the age or social stance, and believe that everyone, no matter what, should have the right to live. So, you might be wondering, "What makes pro-lifers different from the rest of society?" The answer: A lot. We live in what is called a culture of death. A culture where lives are not valued and treated with dignity. We can see this particularly through the support for abortion, the death penalty, assisted suicide, and even just magazine covers in the checkout line at the grocery store. Being pro-life means being pro- all life. From the moment that a child is conceived in its mother's womb, it is entitled to all basic human rights and deserves to be treated as we would treat anyone who is living outside of their mother's womb. We are different because we see every human being in the image and likeness of God. We know that he has a spectacular plan for their lives and because they are created by Him for His purpose, they deserve to live. St. Gianna Beretta Molla is the patron saint of the Pro-Life movement. Her feast day is on April 28th, just 12 days from now. Over these next few days, I will be focusing on one of the most immoral tragedies and practices that our society has normalized: Abortion. I am going to be sharing different strategies and resources to counter abortion, as well as give you facts and statistics so that you will have the knowledge and tools to use to help save lives. Abortion is by far the largest issue that the pro-life movement works to stop and definitely the most controversial. We, as a Church, need to spread the message of life and eradicate abortion. We don't just need to make abortion illegal, we need to make it unthinkable. If we are ever going to live in a world where people are valued and loved simply because they exist, abortion needs to end. We, as teenagers and the future adults and leaders of our world, have the power to bring back the dignity of life. And we will accomplish it. With God on our side, nothing is impossible.

Jesus is Risen! Alleluia! Imagine the joy that Christ's disciples and his mother must've felt when they first discovered that Jesus had risen from the dead as he said that he would! Let us try to grasp this joy and live it out in our everyday lives so that the whole world might know the true joy that comes from being a disciple and lover of Jesus Christ. Read more about it in my Easter post!

Happy Easter!! St. Pope John Paul II said that we, as Catholics, are Easter People. As Easter People, we need to spread the message of Easter, that Jesus Christ rose from the dead, to the entire world. Our world is so infiltrated by sin and hatred that many people don't even know what Easter is actually all about. Eggs, bunnies, flowers, and even chocolate, no matter how much superficial happiness they bring, are nothing compared to the joy that comes with knowing that Jesus Christ, Son of God, conquered sin and death so that we, ordinary people, ordinary sinners, may have the chance to be in Heaven, a paradise beyond what our Human minds are capable of imagining. And Heaven is a paradise simply because it is only there that we can be fully united with our Father once again. Easter truly is the happiest day of the year, no matter what the circumstances are. This Easter especially, we can meditate on the joy that comes simply with knowing that Christ rose from the dead. This year, many of us can't celebrate with family, friends, Easter gifts, or even the insane amount of chocolate that some of us usually receive. Instead of having the focus be on all of the worldly celebrations, we can switch the focus to where it belongs- on Christ. The man who literally defeated death itself, the man who gave his life for the people that brutally murdered him, the man who loves us with a perfect love, rose from the dead! Pope John Paul II said during his Angelus address one day in 1986: We do not pretend that life is all beauty. We are aware of darkness and sin, of poverty and pain. But we know Jesus has conquered sin and passed through his own pain to the glory of the Resurrection. And we live in the light of his Paschal Mystery - the mystery of his Death and Resurrection. “We are an Easter People and Alleluia is our song!”. We are not looking for a shallow joy but rather a joy that comes from faith, that grows through unselfish love, that respects the “fundamental duty of love of neighbour, without which it would be unbecoming to speak of Joy”. We realize that joy is demanding; it demands unselfishness; it demands a readiness to say with Mary: “Be it done unto me according to thy word”. As he says, we are all looking for joy. He reveals that the secret to feeling true joy is love. And not just friendship love, not just romantic love, but Agape love. Agape love is the love that God has for us. It is sacrificial love- A love that gives all it has and expects nothing in return. It is only through Agape love, faith in the Lord, and total surrender of our lives to God that we will ever find true joy. This Easter, ponder the amazing amount of love that Jesus has for you. It was you that He was thinking about as He hung upon His cross. Take that love, and use it to set the world on fire with the love of Christ. May God bless you on this Easter and always. I am praying for you every day. <3

Joseph of Arimathea gently lays the body of Jesus down on a stone shelf-like structure in the tomb that was supposed to be his family's final resting place. Although to those surrounding Him it seems like this is the end for Jesus, we know that that is not the case. While His disciples and his mother are mourning the loss of his life and are trying to grasp what has happened now that everything they know is seemingly gone, Christ is fully alive, saving souls and opening the Gates of Heaven so that all, by His grace and mercy, could spend eternity with He and the Father. As Christians, one of our duties is to bury the dead. This is one of the Corporal Works of Mercy. These actions are those that involve taking care of other people's physical bodies and include feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting prisoners, burying the dead, and giving alms to the poor. When we do these things in our everyday lives, we are serving Christ. Joseph of Arimathea is regarded as one of the best examples of practicing the Corporal Works of Mercy. Although in this time of isolation, it may be difficult to help people in person, there are still things you can do to practice the Corporal Works of Mercy. Here are a few ideas: Feeding the Hungry: -Donate to a local food bank or food pantry -Call family members and friends and see if they need any food items that you might have extras of -Play this game: https://beta.freerice.com/ to donate rice to families in poverty while improving your word skills. There's also an app!! Giving Drink to the Thirsty: - Conserve water in normal ways ( turn off water when brushing teeth, showers instead of baths, etc.) BUT STILL WASH YOUR HANDS!!! - Donate water bottles to food pantries -Donate to water charities such as The Water Project. Check out this link to see what they do! https://www.charitywater.org/about/mission Shelter the Homeless: - Pray. - Hand out masks. Here's a video about how to make them from one of this blog's subscribers! https://youtu.be/FiBdnHSCTlg Visit the Sick: - Check on family members or friends who are sick (virtually, of course) - Make a care package for healthcare workers - Pray for the health and healing of the world Visit the Prisoners: - Pray - Check on people who work in prisons Bury the Dead: - Pray for all those who have lost a loved one during this time - Donate flowers to a cemetery still allowing burials - Pray a Chaplet of Divine Mercy for all those who have died. Here's a link explaining how to pray the chaplet: https://www.thedivinemercy.org/message/devotions/pray-the-chaplet Give alms to the poor: - Donate money to charities helping the poor - Give food or clothing to those in need - Donate to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul The best thing we can do right now to keep each other safe is pray. Prayer is the most powerful weapon that we have right now and our world desperately needs us to use it during this crisis. Let me know in the comments how you and your family are practicing the Corporal Works of Mercy in this time when so many are in need.

Today, on this very unusual Good Friday, let's ponder the seven last phrases that Christ spoke on the Cross. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” When Jesus spoke these words He showed us His immense love and mercy. He forgave those who beat Him, stripped him, and crucified him. How much strength it would have taken to forgive those who were hitting him, even if they did not know what they were doing. Jesus, help us to forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We ask for your forgiveness and mercy in our lives and the lives of those we love. Prayer Recommendation: The Chaplet for Mercy to Forgive Others: https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/chaplet-of-mercy-forgiving-another/ “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Jesus says these words to one of the thieves that were crucified next to him. The man asked Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom. He does this after rebuking the other criminal for putting Christ to the test. Jesus assures the man that he will go to Heaven. This is what Christ promises us all when we are Baptized. If we stay in his grace and out of mortal sin, his promise will be fulfilled through his love and mercy. Lord, we long to be with you among the saints in the halls of heaven. Help us to avoid temptation and stay as far away from sin as possible. Prayer Recommendation: Prayer for the Salvation of the World: https://www.catholic.org/prayers/prayer.php?p=2730 “Woman, behold your son.” Jesus gives John to his mother and His mother to John, the beloved disciple. In doing so, He also gives her to us. Mary is our spiritual mother. She loves us and has great power before God and her son. She is the divine mediatrix, meaning that she intercedes for us and brings our prayers to the Father. She is always there for is, just as a good mother should always be. Jesus longs for us to belong to her so that we will be closer to Him. Mary, we thank you for being our heavenly mother. We ask you to intercede for us and bring our prayers to God. Prayer Recommendation: The Rosary: http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/prayers-and-devotions/rosaries/how-to-pray-the-rosary.cfm “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” "Jesus was not abandoned but He allowed Himself to feel and experience this complete loss of the Father in His human nature. He felt the deep experience of despair. He allowed Himself to know and experience the effects of sin. Therefore, He knows what we go through when we despair. He knows what it feels like. And He is there with us in those temptations enabling us to press on through any despair toward total faith and trust in the Father." TAKEN FROM CATHOLIC DAILY REFLECTIONS DAILY MEDITATION Lord, help us through our moments of trouble and despair. We unite ourselves to your suffering on the cross in those moments and long for the day when we will be in Heaven and there will be no more pain. Prayer Recommendation: Prayer to Unite Yourself To Christ's Suffering: https://catholicexchange.com/uniting-suffering-christs-passion (Scroll to the bottom of the article for the prayer) “I thirst.” These words are so powerful. Jesus thirsts for us. He longs for our souls. He wants us to come to him and love him- and he wants to love us. We can satisfy his thirst for souls by giving him all of our love. Mother Teresa wrote a beautiful meditation on Jesus' thirst for souls. Here's the link: https://youtu.be/uxrLdeurxis. If you get a few minutes today, take the time to just sit silently and meditate upon Mother Teresa's words. They are written from Jesus' perspective and are very powerful. Jesus, I find it so amazing that you long for my soul to be united with you. I want to satisfy your thirst with my love. Give me the grace to realize how much you love me and to love you and others more and more every day. Prayer Recommendation: Listen to Mother Teresa's "I Thirst" Reflection “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” These words are the words of ultimate surrender to God. When we say these words, we acknowledge that God has control over every aspect of our lives. We submit our lives to His will, which "is love and mercy itself", as we say in the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. We can all work on more fully giving our entire lives to God so that we can live totally with Him and for Him. Lord, I long to be totally yours. I want my life to reflect You. Use me in any way that you want and form me into the person that you created me to be. I give you everything, My Lord. Prayer Recommendation: Healing Prayer of Surrender: http://catholic.net/op/articles/1333/healing-prayer-of-surrender.html “It is finished.” What does Christ mean by this? Although it signifies that his life is coming to a close, it also shows that Christ has accomplished his earthly mission- giving himself as a perfect sacrifice for the salvation of us all. He suffered and died so that we may have eternal life. With every ending, there is also a new beginning. Jesus' death marks the beginning of a new world- one where death is not the end. Lord, you finished your earthly mission. You suffered and died at the hands of mortal men so that they too might someday be in Heaven with the father. Help us to realize your sacrifice so that we might spread the truth of what you endured for us to others. Prayer recommendation: Read this meditation on Jesus' words: https://catholicsstrivingforholiness.com/2017/04/13/good-friday-meditation-it-is-finished-jn-1930-summary-vid-full-text/ Just a reminder that today is a day of fasting and abstinence in the Church. Many Good Friday Services can be found online. Let me know in the comments section what your family is doing today to commemorate the Lord's passion.

As we ponder put dear Lord being taken down from the cross, let's again put ourselves in the place of our Blessed Mother as we did on day 4 of our meditation. They place him in my arms. His body is cold, lifeless. My son. I weep for him, recalling the torture that he has endured. I pity any mother who has to watch her child suffer. I cradle Him to my chest, just as I did when He was a child. "My Jesus...." I whisper, stroking his hair off of his face. Tears are flowing from all those around me. A man called Joseph of Arimathea comes up behind me. He says he is going to bury Jesus. John gently touches my shoulder as a signal that it is time to let Joseph do what he has come for. I kiss His forehead one last time and stand up and allow them to do what they need to do. Today let's pray for everyone who has lost someone close to them. Ask the Lord to heal their hearts and bring them peace. Let's also ask God to have mercy upon all those who have died. May their souls be eternally united with Him in Heaven.

Scott Hahn just released a YouTube video about Holy Thursday.... You should watch it because Scott Hahn is amazing and Jesus is even more amazing. Make sure to like and subscribe! https://youtu.be/Ct-xhvP2m2A Also, if you don't know who Scott Hahn is, you should do some research (but not tomorrow between 12 and 3 p.m.). He is an amazing Catholic convert with a great conversion story and a Theology professor at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Here's the link to his website! http://www.scotthahn.com/about-dr-hahn Also, if anyone has not watched Holy Thursday Mass today, here are the links to some YouTube Masses. Fr.Brian Van Fossen- https://youtu.be/8ovoU-qe8XY Father Mike Schmitz- https://youtu.be/Q36QGKJ4EWY

This day in the Church is SO AMAZING!! Holy Thursday is the day that Christ gave us His own body and blood in the Eucharist. As Catholics, we believe that ordinary bread and wine are completely changed into Christ's body, blood, soul, and divinity, at the moment of consecration during Mass. We believe in what is called Transubstantiation, which means, change of substance. The bread and wine are literally transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ, the only thing that remains is the appearance of bread and wine. No other religion, Christian or non- Christian has the full sacrament of the Eucharist. In no other religion does bread and wine become the flesh and blood of Christ. Contrary to other Christian's beliefs, the Church believes that in the Eucharist, Christ is truly present, and the bread and wine are actually changed into his body and blood because that is what Christ told us and it is not our place to twist God's words so we can better understand them. We don't celebrate the sacrament of the Eucharist to commemorate Christ's offering to us at the last supper, we actually do celebrate it! The bread and wine are not just a symbol of Christ's giving us his body and blood, they ARE his body and blood! We, as Catholics, are so blessed and privileged to be able to participate in this sacrament. Receiving the Eucharist gives us a glimpse into the Heavenly Banquet where we will fully be united with God once again. Maybe you have some questions about the Eucharist. You might be new to the faith, or you're a cradle Catholic who's never really thought about it before. I know it's hard to grasp. We, as humans, can never fully understand the mystery of Christ fully incarnate in the Holy Eucharist. Below are some resources that answer some commonly asked questions about Christ's teaching on the Eucharist. May God bless you on this Holy Thursday as you contemplate what Christ has done for us in giving us His body and blood. Why are Catholic Priests the only ones who can celebrate Masses and consecrate Bread and Wine? https://www.catholic.com/qa/why-can-only-priests-consecrate-the-eucharist This site answers many questions about the Eucharist (and it's also a fantastic resource for all things saints, sacraments and prayers.) Check it out! https://www.catholic.org/clife/jesus/eucharist.php If we are really eating and drinking the Body and blood of Christ, then isn't that cannibalism? http://www.unamsanctamcatholicam.com/apologetics/87-eucharistic-apologetics/202-eucharist-cannibalism.html Why do Catholics adore the Eucharist in Eucharistic adoration? https://www.catholic.com/qa/why-catholics-adore-the-eucharist What is Eucharistic Adoration?- This PDF gives the what's and why's of Eucharistic Adoration. https://www.stmarknc.org/media/1/18/what_is_eucharistic_adoration.pdf Let me know in the comments section if you have any questions that weren't covered on these websites and I'll try to find an answer!

In giving his life for us, Christ gave us all he had. As we talked about on the 10th Station of the Cross Meditation, Jesus had nothing left to his name in this world that the ordinary person could see. He gave his life so that we could have ours. In dying, he conquered death. What does that mean? It means that we, though we may die on earth, can live forever with God in Heaven. So what happened when Jesus died? Eyewitnesses said that the sky turned dark and the ground shook. All those who were at the scene of the crucifixion must have known that something big was going on. It could be no coincidence that when the man who claimed he was God died, the earth cried out of sadness. Imagine also how the apostles felt. Everything they had known and followed was taken away from them. Their teacher, their leader, their friend. He was gone. They probably didn't know what to do. But Christ was still with them, just as he is with us today. As he hung there on that cross, it was as if his arms were outstretched to envelop humanity in his loving embrace. Today (or tommorow since tomorrow is Good Friday), take a few minutes and just sit quietly. Our Lord, our God, has died. Let that sink in. Put yourself at the foot of the cross and give all you have to Jesus. He loves you. He died for you.

This meditation is in the form of a prayer. You can read this prayer aloud in front of a crucifix, or just say it silently from your heart. Oh my Jesus, the soldiers drive the large nails through your hands and feet. You cry out in anguish as the soldiers pierce your hands- the hands that have healed and loved so many. You do not deserve this. You have done nothing but good, and yet, you are still persecuted. As I think of the nails being driven into your precious hands, I realize that every slam of the mallet is one of my sins. Every time that I've done something wrong, I've hurt you further. That day on the cross you took on everything I've ever done and everything I ever will do. From the cross you cried out "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. " I realize that when I sin, I am not thinking about how it will effect you and others. I am only thinking of myself. In taking upon your cross and crucifixion, you thought of everyone but yourself. I am eternally grateful to you for taking upon your sufferings so that one day I may have the chance to be with you in Heaven. I realize that you did not have to be crucified. After all, it was not nails, but love that held you to the cross. You endured this purely out of love for me. I love you, my Lord. Grant me the grace to truly grasp your love for me. I desire to want to only love and please you every day of my life. You love me, my Jesus. I love you, and I thank you for being willing to obey your Father's will and be crucified for my sake. I unite myself to you, suffering, bloody, and beaten on the cross. Help me never to sin again so that I may not hurt you more than I have already done. I love you my Lord, grant me the grace to live my life totally for you and with you. Amen.

In today's society, it really is true that "clothes make the man". If you see two people, one dressed in nice business casual clothes versus someone dressed in rags, who are you more likely to go and talk to? I think most of us, if we're being honest, would be more likely to talk to the nicely dressed person. Clothes are what symbolize our stance in society as well as who we are on the inside. For example, if you wear sweatpants to Mass every Sunday, you will most likely be seen as irreverent and as not caring about our Lord*. However, if you dress nicely and in a modest fashion, you will be seen as reverent and having a deep respect and love for the Lord, as well as the people around you. If you wear t- shirts with inappropriate words, symbols, or that are cut in a revealing manner on them, you will not be revealing your true dignity and beliefs to the world. This is why it's so important that we, as followers and lovers of Christ, make sure that our clothing reflects who we are and who we belong to. Although clothing isn't everything, and it's certainly nothing to stress over, it is important to make sure that we always reflect Christ in our appearance and actions since that is what our secular world seems to thrive on. Since clothes have mostly always been a large part of societal standards, this action of the soldiers symbolized something much more than their just preparing Jesus to be crucified. They stripped away all that He had left to His name. He couldn't speak up and preach at that time, so He wouldn't have been seen as a Rabbi or Prophet by people passing by, He wouldn't have had any of His few possessions with Him, and once He was stripped of all His clothing, He wouldn't have had anything. The soldiers took all that He had. They took it and left Him vulnerable and exposed. He had nothing left to defend himself. There was nothing He could do about His situation. It seems to me that it was at this point that Christ could only be helped by his Heavenly Father. This station marks a turning point in Christ's Passion. He has stopped carrying his cross, and the crucifixion has begun. * If sweatpants are all you have then it's okay!!