“What were you thinking?” Many of us have been on the receiving end of this question, most likely when we were children and our parents asked us this question after we had done something stupid. The question assumes the answer: “You obviously were not thinking!” Prudence is the habit of thinking before acting. This flies in the face of today’s mentality of “Just do it!” While there is something to be said for spontaneity, some […]
In a previous episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we looked at virtues as good habits that we practice in order to walk the path of holiness. Traditionally, the virtues have been identified as the Theological Virtues (faith, hope, and love) and the Cardinal Virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance). In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the third of the Theological Virtues: charity (aka, love). For more information about virtues and charity, check out the following links: The […]
In a previous episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we looked at virtues as good habits that we practice in order to walk the path of holiness. Traditionally, the virtues have been identified as the Theological Virtues (faith, hope, and love) and the Cardinal Virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance). In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the second of the Theological Virtues: hope. For more information about the virtues and, in particular, the virtue of hope, check out […]
In a previous episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we looked at virtues as good habits that we practice to walk the path of holiness. Traditionally, the virtues have been identified as the Theological Virtues (faith, hope, and love) and the Cardinal Virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance). In this episode of Pop-Up Catechesis, we explore the first of the Theological Virtues, faith, and talk about what it means to practice faith. For more information about […]
From time to time, we Catholics find ourselves having to explain our relationship with the saints to those who are non-Catholic, especially our Protestant brothers and sisters. While all Christians honor the saints to some degree, we Catholics can be really “over-the-top” in our devotion to the saints. (And I mean that in a good way!) Our devotion to the saints is revealed in our love for icons, statues, relics, medals, litanies, prayers, novenas, and […]
Catholics believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. However, that word “inerrancy” means different things to different people. To some, the inerrancy of the Bible means that every word in the Bible is to be taken literally. This is known as fundamentalism, and folks who abide by this approach are known as fundamentalists. For Catholics, the inerrancy of the Bible refers to the truth that Scripture is conveying. In other words, Catholics believe that everything […]
When it comes to teaching about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, one might wonder: why doesn’t the Church grant permission to a group of scientists to examine reverently an unconsecrated host and a consecrated host under a microscope (much as the Church has allowed scientific studies to be conducted on the Shroud of Turin) and report on the differences they see between the two? I can tell you why the Church doesn’t […]
I think that holiness is one of the most misunderstood concepts in spirituality. That’s unfortunate, because holiness is something that we are all called to! Too often, holiness is equated with being pious. While I have nothing against piety, it is mostly thought of as being “devoutly religious,” which usually translates into “someone involved in a lot of church activities.” The problem with that is it confines holiness to the church campus and makes it […]
Isn’t it funny how, when you’ve known someone for a long time, you can tell by the look on his or her face what she or he is trying to say to you? We don’t always need words to communicate with someone. By the same token, it can be difficult to know how someone truly feels unless one puts it into words! When it comes to our prayer lives, at times we can rely on […]
Too often in our lives, we fail to consider the consequences of our actions. We act impulsively and then find ourselves overwhelmed by and even regretting the ramifications of what we have said or done. There’s no putting the toothpaste back into the tube after it’s been forced out! When we act impulsively—without thinking—our words and actions tend to come too quickly. They can be reckless, and the consequences can linger far too long. For […]
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