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,...
Confused By Purgatory? Fr. Mike Schmitz Explains All!
Purgatory is one doctrine that gets a lot of criticism from non-Catholic Christians, and confuses Catholics too. What's the deal with it?! Why do we need it, and where did it come from? This excellent video from Fr. Mike Schmitz at Ascension Presents cuts through the...
These 10 Married Saints Teach Us How Marriage Can Lead To Holiness
Did you know there are several married Saints? As our society likes to frequently remind us, marriage is no easy task. To live out the vocation of marriage requires a great deal of self-sacrifice and self-discipline. In the Sacrament of Marriage, both the husband...
Why Should You Get Your Baby Baptized? 7 Important Reasons
Why is it so important to get your baby baptized? From the moment of conception, parents begin to experience all of the emotions that come with welcoming a new life into this world. Though there is plenty of joy and excitement, there can also be feelings of...
What One Priest Told Me About The Mass That Still Gives Me Goosebumps
There are certain, obvious parts of the Mass that become more automatic touchstones ... easier, in a sense, for us to focus on or re-focus from. For instance, we can read along in our missals during the Liturgy of the Word—a natural way to engage. And at the...
Five Seconds of Awkward That Could Save Lives (and Souls!)
You might remember her from Dancing with the Stars or follow her on YouTube. In this video, Sadie Robertson, a Duck Dynasty family member, explains why "five seconds of awkward" saves lives. But, five seconds of awkward is worth it! Her five simple circumstances where...
How To Have A Happy Marriage: Explained In 4 Infographics
What is the secret to a happy marriage? The secret of how to have a happy marriage is realizing that happiness is not the purpose of marriage. If your goal in marriage is your own personal happiness, you're going about it all wrong. The first thing to do is to spend...
Why (And How) To Bring Your Kids To Adoration
I can almost feel the disapproving glares of the parishioners behind me burning holes in the back of my head, but I don’t dare turn and look. I am sitting on the floor at the front of the adoration chapel with my three energetic children, making a desperate attempt at...
7 Things To Do Before You Receive The Sacrament Of Confirmation
I did not fully understand the significance of the Sacrament when I received my Confirmation. While I’m certain my teachers did a wonderful job preparing me in an academic sense, my mind and heart were just not completely open to the transforming power of the Holy...
“Fearless” – A Powerful Film About The Holy Spirit That You Don’t Want To Miss
Have you ever witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit? Not many of us can say that we have actually seen a miracle occur before our very eyes. In the exciting new film about the Holy Spirit, Fearless, you will have the opportunity to watch miracles unfold as you...
Adoration: The Ultimate Act And Habit Of Friendship
One of the most fruitful yet daunting experiences in my life has been Eucharistic Adoration. Just a few years ago, I would often marvel at how some people could sit before the Blessed Sacrament and get lost in the experience. Meanwhile, I was scratching my head trying...
No, NFP Is NOT “Catholic Birth Control”
If the pope had his own grocery store, the aisle labelled “family planning” wouldn't contain pills or condoms or other contraceptives like most do. It would contain thermometers and charts. Likewise, if the pope was a doctor, he wouldn’t prescribe contraceptives to...
11 Tips For Living Purely When You’re In A Serious Relationship
Embracing chastity and starting to foster it is not always an easy task. If you come from a Catholic background and you have heard it since you were young then perhaps it’s more simple. It gets complicated when, like St. Augustine, conversion happens as an adult and...
9 Tip Survival Guide For Returning To Mass When You Haven’t Been In Awhile
This article is for you, especially for you, if you have been thinking about going back to Mass. On the part of all of us at Catholic-Link, let me personally invite you back to mass (we even wrote a letter for you!): We want you back! Today's article looks to give you...
4 Proposals for Divorced and Remarried Catholics and Receiving Communion
The synod of the family held a few years ago was a great opportunity for the Church to listen and better understand the situation of many Catholics. Often the Church is accused of being insensitive with these issues. From one point of view, this is understandable. The...
The Importance Of Making A Spiritual Communion And How You Can Do It Anytime, Anywhere
Spiritual communion is a great way to cultivate our love for Christ in the Eucharist for those times when we can’t make it to Daily Mass for a variety of reasons (no priest, something unexpected, weather, job, sickness, etc.). It is important to note that a spiritual...
Divorced and Remarried? 5 Tips For Living out Your Catholic Faith
With today's post, we would like to offer some tools to help those who would find themselves in a difficult situation, yet desire to draw closer to the Church and renew their relationship with God. Each one of us is called to search and respond to God in our personal...
What’s the Big Deal With Remarried Couples Receiving Communion?
You might have heard or read quite a bit about the issue of remarried couples and the Eucharist. Still, amongst the hype, there hasn’t always been a lot of clarity about what’s at the heart of it all. Why can’t remarried couples receive communion? Is it some kind of...
What Is The Meaning Of A Priest’s Vestments? A Practical Guide
If you have paid attention at Mass or at other liturgies at Church, you will have noted how the priest’s vestments change through the various seasons. It’s possible that you might have asked yourself why the change and what the different colors might mean. Put simply,...
10 Reasons You Should Be Skeptical About Becoming Catholic
Are you considering becoming a Catholic? Are you thinking about taking your Catholic life seriously, if you had neglected it? I do not know if converting to Catholicism is a good idea. If I was you, I would think it carefully before taking the next step. Catholicism...
Why are Catholics So “Exclusive” About Holy Communion?! 13 Ways To Approach This Sensitive Subject
Recently I attended a Baccalaureate Mass, and I couldn't help but feel the generally awkward vibe that tends to arise whenever Communion comes around, especially when the priest must explain that those who aren't Catholic may come forward and receive a blessing, but...
What Does Jesus Teach Us About Healthy Eating? | Luke 9:11-17
One of the best ways to enrich your faith-life is to pray with scripture. A great way of doing this is using the "Lectio Divina"; this is a powerful method which we explain here. We hope that it serves you in your personal prayer and that it serves as a resource that...
7 Names For The Holy Spirit That You Probably Didn’t Know
In college, I had the pleasure of taking a sacraments course with Dr. Scott Hahn, which was equal parts awe-inspiring and overwhelming. For starters, the man is practically a living encyclopedia when it comes to the Catholic faith, so notetaking in his class was...
7 Secular Musicians Who Accidentally Stumbled On The Sacraments
As a teacher, one of the primary things I try to instill in my students is the notion that whether one is a professed Catholic, or running away from the Faith, one cannot avoid talking about (and even glorifying) the Faith... if only accidentally. In other words, to...
Are You Courageous Enough To Pray “Come Holy Spirit”?
It may not be the case for everyone, but certainly, in my experience, the Holy Spirit seems to take a bit of a back seat behind Jesus and God the Father. In some Catholic circles (not all!), we “don’t do” the Holy Spirit. Maybe because there has been a lack of...