“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels”. — St. Augustine My first memories of mature confessions, not centered around fights with my sisters and forgetting my bedtime prayers, are not very interesting. I was a...
Morals & Values
7 Deadly Sins: Subtle Signs You Struggle With Greed
Greed, or the older term avarice, is an excessive or disordered love of riches. To be clear up front; money, or any material good, is exactly that. Good. That’s why we desire them. Wanting to secure your physical well-being through financial assets is good. Greed...
The Two Biggest Lies The Enemy Whispers That Keep You From Living Your Best Life
“I don’t have the time.”“I’m too tired.”“I’ve tried everything, and nothing works.”“I can’t do it perfectly, so what’s the point of trying?”“I started off motivated, but now I just don’t feel like it.” Sound familiar? These are just the tip of the iceberg when it...
The Shame That Binds You…And How It’s Different From Guilt
We are all shaped by our life experiences—both the joyful and the painful. Over time, these events begin to influence how we behave, how we react to challenges, and most significantly, how we see ourselves. Unfortunately, when those experiences are negative, they...
How To Surrender Addictions And Sin Like Mary Magdalene
At one point in my life, I habitually judged and resented certain people. I have confessed it once, twice, and numerous times. Each time I felt His forgiveness, I would tell myself I would do better. “I can forgive and I will not judge.” Lo and behold, I saw the...
The 8 Pillars Of Moral Money – Is Your Money Immoral?
Most people never think about the morality of their money. Our use of dollars, euros, or yen is simply "the way things are"—background elements of economic life, like the weather. But what if I told you that a form of money itself can be profoundly moral or immoral?...
THE “THREE RS”: A FRAMEWORK FOR OVERCOMING SIN
Excerpt from Pocket Guide to Overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins by Fr. Josh Johnson. Fr. Josh based his series, SET FREE; Daily Lenten Reflections, on the book, which helps readers better understand the ways sin affects them in their daily lives, gives practical...
Find Strength In Vulnerability By Doing These Three Things
So many men today walk around as if they have it all figured out and they don’t have a problem in the world. The “strong” silent type, if you will. I know this for a fact. I used to do the same thing. So much of my life was spent walking like a one man army,...
Using Art To Form Our Kids In The Langauge Of The Body
One of the biggest challenges facing Catholic parents today is trying to navigate tricky conversations about everything body-related with our kids. I work in menstrual cycle education– I first started as an NFP teacher about a decade ago, but slowly expanded into...
Five Steps To Teaching Kids To Conquer Sin
Sin can be a challenging concept to teach to children, especially in today’s world where sin is not only tolerated but often celebrated. But as Christians, we know that sin is real and it damages our relationship with God. We are in a spiritual battle…good versus...
How To Grow In Virtue When You Lack Willpower
The word virtue suggests something strong, but also difficult. Virtue is a good habit that makes you good. It also makes your life easier, because, just like any habit, as you grow in it, you do it more easily, almost unconsciously. Contrary to the modern view,...
Why Love Your Wife? 10 Reasons To Choose Love Over Lust
Find the first part in this series on Loving Your Wife HERE. Before we can go into specifics about how to transition from lust to love with your wife, let’s examine why developing a look of love – with your eyes and your heart – is so important for your wife and your...
10 Things That Happen If You Look At Your Wife With Lust, Not Love
Gentlemen, have you ever had your wife completely turn down your advances, seem completely disinterested in your attempts to woo her, and instead be totally annoyed with you? If your answer is yes, then you’re meant to read this. Why might she be reacting in this...
Is It A Mortal Sin To Leave The Catholic Church?
You may have heard that the largest religious group in America is the “nones,” those without a religious affiliation. In January of 2024, Pew Research stated that 28% of US adults are religiously unaffiliated. Of those, many are commonly called “fallen away”...
True Happiness Is…The Truth?
The greatest philosophers in history say yes In March of 2024, Axios reported that the United States had hit a new low in the annual World Happiness Report. The U.S. dropped eight spots, to Number 23 overall—the first time it’s fallen out of the Top 20. Americans felt...
What Did Jesus Actually Accomplish By Dying And Rising From The Dead?
“Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name…” Luke 24:35-48 What Did Jesus Actually Accomplish By Dying And Rising From The Dead? Most of us...
Discovering Virtue In Jane Austen’s Emma
Jane Austen wrote Emma knowing that most people would not like the main character: "I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like." Perhaps you have read the striking story Emma or watched the newest cinematic adaptation. Whether it is an...
5 Things To Do Before Your Anger Becomes A Sin
We all have experienced anger. Everyone has been on the receiving end of somebody else’s anger. Anger is a response, a reaction when our ego is being attacked, a reaction when what we want to happen happened otherwise, or a demand for justice because we...
It’s Time For Catholics To Get Real About Sex
Catholic Sexual Teaching - An Invitation to Reality Lust and Counterfeit Sexuality We live in a throw-away society. Fast food and plastic plates — our culture is full of the cheap and easy. Unfortunately, this mentality bleeds into our sexuality. America is obsessed...
How To Talk To Your Teen About Pornography
Imagine this: You stand outside your teen’s bedroom door. You knock a few times and there’s no answer. A few moments pass by and you knock again. All is quiet. You make an executive decision to enter the room. As the door opens, you find your teenager sitting down...
What Can You Do If You Can’t Get To Confession?
Chances are, if you are a modern day Catholic and at all serious about saving your soul, you may have encountered administrative elements of the Church who may not prioritize your situation as seriously as you do. To illustrate this further, take for instance the...
Growing Daily In Perfection As We Prepare For Lent
As Lent draws near, we turn our hearts to Christ’s call to holiness in the Gospels: “You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48). Although our life as Catholics demands that we strive day after day and year after year for this...
What Creed Do You Live By? Be Dangerous & Make A Stand!
The following is an excerpt from 12 Rules For Manliness | Where Have All the Cowboys Gone Be Dangerous - Make a Stand “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” 1 Cor 16:13 “There is no man more dangerous than one who does not doubt his own...
How Consciousness And Morality Point To God
There are many problems that an atheistic naturalistic worldview faces, and here I should like to highlight two. One problem is the realm of consciousness, and the other problem is the realm of morality. According to most mainstream versions of naturalism (naturalism...
Practical Ways To Teach Your Child How To Identify The Truth
The act of thinking is in a bit of a predicament these days. American culture has never cared less about what has been known for millennia as "objective truth." Despite the apathy, an objective truth still guides and directs reality, whether I or anyone else cares...