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World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow, Poland just concluded. An estimated 2.5 million pilgrims attended the closing mass with Pope Francis. I’ve had the gift of attending three World Youth day celebrations—Paris ’97, Rome 2000, and as a volunteer in Cologne in 2005. The first was life-altering and each was epic in different ways. In […]
You Can’t Miss World Youth Day Ever Again, Here’s Why Read More »
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Unless you’ve been on retreat this summer, you’ve probably been witness to roving packs of people of all ages with their phones out, searching for Pikachus and Charmanders in parks, vacant lots, and even busy intersections. They’re all playing the wildly popular new Pokemon Go, a mobile game that uses GPS and emergent virtual reality
7 Hilarious and Accurate Ways the Saints Would React To Pokemon Go Read More »
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If we don’t know where we came from and who went before us, we feel lost and end up seemingly drifting in the wind wherever it takes us. We need a foundation, on a “Rock”, or at least on a steady barque, in order to make it through the storms of the world. Without these
The Early Church Fathers Said WHAT?! — Things You’ll Never Believe, but Should Read More »
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1. A devotion to the Hail Mary prayer can be traced to the 1100s. Abbot Baldwin, the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1184 wrote about a devotion to the ‘Hail Mary’ prayer and said, “To this salutation of the Angel, by which we daily greet the most Blessed Virgin, with such devotion as we may, we
11 Historical Facts You Probably Didn’t Know about the Hail Mary, but Should Read More »
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Pokemon has been around for a long while, and like any cultural phenomenon, has attracted its share of ire from religious groups ranging from the Westboro Baptist Church to popular evangelical broadcasters. However, back in the franchise’s initial heyday in the West, the Vatican endorsed it saying that it had “no harmful moral side effects”
5 Ways Pokemon Go Will Improve Your Spiritual Life Read More »
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Soldiers are brave, courageous, tested, tough, eager to serve, and loyal to a code. They are a lot like Christians. We should always commemorate those who fought for our freedom, who gave their lives (either completely or in total service) so that we might break free from the chains of those who wish to rule
6 Saints Who Were Also Extremely Courageous Soldiers Read More »
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Sister Theresa Aleteia Noble wrote a hilarious piece a while back, 10 Things You Should Never Say to a Nun, and we asked if we could being it to you. We’re very happy she was generous. Here’s her original piece from Aleteia.com: I recently read a popular piece over at Epic Pew by Shaun McAfee
10 Things You Should NEVER Say to a Nun Read More »
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Because of poor catechesis or any number of other reasons, you might not be making the best confession possible. And that’s a problem…especially if it means you aren’t receiving the grace of the sacrament. So, here are five not uncommon ways that one might fall short of a good confession. 1. Confessing only venial
5 Ways You Can Definitely Screw Up Your Confession Read More »
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Eye of the Tiber is constantly pointing out the absurdity happening around the church with its sharp wit and satire. Unfortunately, there are some who must be first time visitors to the site, and didn’t realize it’s not an actual news source. Apparently, the satire wasn’t satirical enough. Jovan says it best: Here’s a few
15 Times Eye of the Tiber’s Satire Wasn’t Satirical Enough to Obviously be Satire Read More »
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“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) How does one remember to pray “unceasingly” as we are commanded to do? Unless we are a hermit or cloistered nun, it seams next to impossible! It’s actually different that you might
10 Ways to Pray Unceasingly and Still Get All of Your Work Done Read More »
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Disappointment has abounds in all our lives from time to time. For me, between periods of unemployment, health problems with no answers, not being able to take the vacations we’d like to, and being accepted into but not being able to pay for a screenwriting program I’ve been trying for years to get into, among
7 Disappointed Saints, and How They Dealt With It Read More »
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In conversations with Protestants, the topic of sola scriptura will almost always come up. According to those who are persuaded by this idea, the Bible—sixty-six, not seventy-three, books—is the sole infallible rule of faith and practice for the Church. Whatever is not specifically in the Bible, or may be logically inferred from it, is not binding
3 Verses That Fail to Prove Sola Scriptura, and Never Will Read More »
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They’re open year round, and there’s probably one very close to you. Make plans for a pilgrimage today. Alabama Ave Maria Grotto and St. Bernard Abbey In the South Eastern United States you will find one of the country’s most magnificent works. Often called “Jerusalem in Miniature” this 4-acre park is designed to provide a
These +100 Catholic Pilgrimage Sites in the U.S. are Completely Out of this World Read More »
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Mention the word “anniversary” to the married man on the street and he’ll probably recoil in anxiety. Did I forget it—again? Such is the typical modern reaction, as if we needed more evidence that something’s not quite right with our culture. A day that ought to be anticipated and celebrated has become an occasion of
7 Anniversaries Every Catholic Should Celebrate Read More »
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For many Catholic college students, going to church is something they know they should do but never get around to until their parents visit and they have to look up the Mass schedule to make it look like they go all the time. For others, going to church is just as important in college as it was in high school
What It’s Like To Be the Only (Or One of the Only) Catholic on Campus Read More »
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In a given year, nearly one in four adults will be diagnosed with a mental disorder. These disorders can range from mild depression to severe schizophrenia. They can include bipolar disorder, PTSD, generalized anxiety, postpartum depression, and many more. Some can be treated with a combination of therapy and medication, some require lengthy periods of
10 Things You Should NEVER Say To a Catholic With Mental Illness Read More »
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Those 2nd century Christians did some things that would never fly in an Evangelical community today. Check out these nine things that the people schooled by the apostles saw fit to do in their day, things they knew they had the authority to do. 1. There was no worship music BOOM! (like the bass drum
9 Things Evangelicals Hate About 2nd Century Christianity Read More »
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With all the great Catholic schools available, why would you EVER choose FUS? I mean, really. 1. All those households. Boring! I mean, seriously: who needs a family away from home? Lame. 2. There’s no social life whatsoever Can’t they invent something to do? 3. Nothing for young people to do either
15 Reasons to Never Attend Franciscan University of Steubenville Read More »
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Finding out something that you might not have known is always a fascinating and illuminating experience. Things that you may take for granted have a nifty back story or custom/tradition that dropped it into the collective consciousness. As a budding historian, I have always been fascinated by facts and random tidbits of information. For some
23 Catholic Facts That Will Make You Look Really Smart Read More »
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Lately, Big Bang Theory actress, neuroscientist, and outspoken Orthodox Jew Mayim Bialik has been catching some heat for how she chooses to dress on the Red Carpet—not because she’s wearing too little, but because she’s wearing more than the norm. Bialik follows tznius, the Jewish code of modesty, which at its most basic requires women
12 Things Modest Feminist Catholics are Tired of Hearing Read More »
