The alternate title for this week's recording is "Brimstone and Fire" because Fr. Ian said it so many times referencing his homily this past Sunday. We counted 8 times! This week we start off talking about the lowliness of Bethlehem and how it is surprising that...
Spiritual Warfare
The Spiritual Battle: How Satan Tempts Us And What We Can Do To Resist
St. Peter, in his first encyclical letter, says, “Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Pt 5:8).” From the beginning, the Apostle knew well that the Enemy was on the prowl and ready to construct...
A Step By Step Guide To Detoxing Your Soul
Many of us would sooner eat a kale smoothie than go to Confession. Why? Because we value physical health, the kind of health that everyone can see, over spiritual health, which often involves admitting we did something wrong and need to change our habits or attitude....
Only The Church Can Whup The Devil – Reason #30 Dr. Peter Kreeft Is Catholic
Whenever anybody gets really serious about exorcism, they go to a Catholic priest. Did you ever see a movie with a Protestant exorcist? The Catholic Church is an “expert” in the most dangerous war of all, spiritual warfare. Why? For these reasons: Jesus was. He...
Would You Be Able To Workout With These Nuns?
The Capuchin Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart in Poland have made it a habit to workout each morning in their habits in order to keep strong and able to serve orphaned children. You'll be inspired by the intensity with which these hardworking nuns hit the gym. We can...
A Catholic Woman Shares Her Victory Over Depression
"For so long, I kept things to myself and refused to open up because I didn't want to burden people with my problems and because I didn't think anyone would understand what I was going through. I was so wrong. No matter who you are, no matter what you're struggling...
How To Go Into The Desert: Entering The Wild, Scary, Interior Battle Of Lent
“Though in Your sight I despise myself and reckon myself dust and ashes, there is something I know about You, which I know not about myself.” - Augustine, The Confessions A few days ago I was with some close friends in Subiaco, (where St. Benedict first founded a...
Online Workshop: A Mind at Peace: Reclaiming an Ordered Soul in the Age of Distraction
God and the Gym (Part 1): The Rules of Conduct
My gym has a few things it can teach us church-going folk, especially when it comes to taking liberties with the rules. Rules are made for a purpose and if you don’t like those rules, why are you even here? I thought I’d interpret the gym’s rules for my church...
7 Truths About Exorcism And Exorcists
Frequently, while watching TV or when we go to the movies, we find that many of the stories told have as a protagonist the devil. There are diverse opinions about it: some believe that these stories are the result of old fashioned ideas from the past, which Hollywood...
Feast Of The Holy Guardian Angels: 4 Mass Prayers To Help Cultivate A Relationship With Your Own
October 2nd is the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels. How often do you think about yours? I confess that I do not think of or thank my own guardian angel regularly enough - and God knows he has seen me through my fair share of danger - physically and spiritually -...
“You Shall Not Pass!” – Ode To The Manly Priest And The Priestly Man
I have a pastor who is "in his natural habitat" at the altar and at the pulpit. His ars celebrandi (manner of saying the Mass) is so careful and reverent. He has a beautiful and clear voice for speaking and singing various parts of the Liturgy. His homilies are often...
5 Truths About Christian Life That The Bourne Trilogy Reminded Me Of
It’s true that movies about spies, shootings, and chases (like the Bourne Trilogy) have little to do with the faith. Nevertheless, it’s good to try to analyze if, at any part of the movie, there are any good elements worth rescuing. Not long ago, I watched for the...
3 Movies About The Existence Of the Devil (Especially for Nonbelievers)
It is said that one of the best strategies of the devil is to make us believe that he doesn’t exist… and it seems to be working great. I have often found people that tell me: “I don't believe in hell… to me, the devil doesn’t exist. God is too good to create a place...
11 Things That Happen When You Commit To Going To Confession Regularly
As Catholics, we are required to go to Confession once a year, but why stop there? We know Confession can be daunting or difficult, and there might be many reasons why you don’t want to go. However, regular Confession, whether it be monthly, every two weeks, or...
Watch This Young Girl Bring An Audience To Tears With Her Perfomance
This viral video of a young girl's poetry performance in her school classroom makes for powerful and somewhat painful viewing. She is a 7th-grade student, only twelve or thirteen years old. In watching it, my heart went out to her, because I understood her struggles....
St. Charles Lwanga And Companions, Martyrs Of Uganda: Saints You Need To Meet
June 3rd is the feast of St. Charles Lwanga and Companions. These great saints have been officially designated as martyrs for the Catholic faith. Officially, St. Charles Lwanga is the patron of converts, torture victims, and the African Catholic Youth Action....
What You Should Know About Blessed Salt
Do you know about the Catholic sacramental of blessed salt? A Sacrament is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. (The Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church are Baptism, Confirmation, The Eucharist, Confession, Holy Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, and...
Sacraments v. Sacramentals: What’s The Difference?
What's a sacramental? Even if you're not sure about the word, you are familiar with Sacramentals, and you probably use them regularly! I tend to file Sacramentals into my mental "Theology-of-the-Body Folder," not because they have anything to do with sexuality, but,...
Powerhouse for Purity: The Angelic Warfare Confraternity
Did you know there's a 400 year-old, worldwide, supernatural fellowship (spanning heaven and earth!) for the cause of safeguarding, healing and spreading the virtue of purity? What's more, did you know that it still exists? Did you know you can join it? The Angelic...
The 5 Necessary Spiritual Steps You Need To Take After You Sin
This is a matter we seldom talk about with clarity, I don’t know exactly why. My impression is that we talk a lot about sin in an abstract way, or using an academic-theological terminology that the common Christian doesn’t always understand. Nevertheless, we are...
12 Pieces Of Advice That Revolutionized My Lent
This post aims to compile some of the reflections the Lord has given me during a retreat I lived not long ago. They are not the result of my own inspiration whatsoever, but a true gift from God and the good preacher, whom God put in our path. In our lives, we are like...
10 Saints Who Prove God’s Grace Is Bigger Than Your Sin
Have you ever heard someone say, “My sin is too big for God to forgive”? Or, maybe you yourself even feel this way at times? This is a lie that the devil would like us to believe, but the truth is no one’s sin is bigger than God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness. He has...
3 Soul-Changing Challenges From A Seminarian To Make This Lent Count!
Lent is a great time to grow in one’s faith and there are tons of ways one can make Lent more fruitful. However, since most often, the penances we adopt during Lent don’t stick on after Easter, I wanted to present a set of challenges to those who really want to grow...
P90X For Catholics? Father Heilman’s “Nineveh 90” Challenge
When it comes to time, hard work and commitment, many of us are willing to push the envelope for the sake of our appearance. We'll resolve to hit the gym, join a fitness class, follow through on this or that workout resolution for the new year. And, in fairness,...