Editor’s Note: In Part I, we talked about what is going on with dryness or aridity in prayer. Today, we will look at our part in the struggle. A reader asks: Dear Father John, I have been praying (mental prayer) for a long time. But lately I seem to be experiencing dryness in my prayer … Read more
My original post on this topic was written when Catholic priests were especially singled out for severe and sometime even unjust criticism. The zeal and relish with which some impugned the priesthood in general went largely unanswered. There is also the broad supposition on the part of many that the priesthood is only about social … Read more
Editor’s Note: Today, Dr. Eric Johnston joins our team of writers. Dr. Johnston is an assistant professor of theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey and we are blessed to have this contribution from him. Please welcome him warmly to our site. Traditionally, the Eucharistic Prayer is divided into the … Read more
Father Fortea, what is eternal death? The human soul, as a spiritual reality, is immortal (see Catechism paragraph 366). Like any spirit, it is not subject to decay or illness; it cannot grow old or wear out. No matter what sins people commit, their souls cannot die in a metaphysical sense. They will exist forever. … Read more
Don’t you love the idea, the notion, the concept of a fresh start? I love to read about new beginnings. Or listen to life-changing stories and testimonies of people. They renew and energize us. They give us the opportunity to lift up our heads and our hearts and look toward the future. I am convinced … Read more
Why is it that the smallest inconvenience can set some people off while others maintain calm in the face of great adversity? What is the difference between those who know peace on earth, and those who don’t? The difference is in how they approach life and what they bring to it. These people possess a seemingly … Read more
Dear Father John, I am looking forward to Advent and Christmas this year with a little bit of enthusiasm and a lot of anxiety. I know it should be the other way around: a lot of enthusiasm and a little bit of anxiety. What am I doing wrong? How can I reverse the proportion? Progress … Read more
We have all done it–said too much or said the wrong thing and regretted it later. Too often, opening our mouths releases gossip, complaints, or destructive words. Our tongue is a concealed weapon–the most lethal. “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who … Read more
Even though she died in 1309, Saint Angela of Foligno helps us appreciate the enlightenment that can come from a life of penance. It was a time not unlike our own. Epicureanism was destroying society even as great saints attempted to help their contemporaries see that there is so much more than the short-term pleasures … Read more
The Three Ways: Longing for the Face of God Navigating the Interior Life (Part III of IV) In our first post of this series we covered an introduction to the concept of the three ways of the interior life. In part II we covered the first of the three ways. In this post we will … Read more
The Three Ways: Longing for the Face of God and “Navigating the Interior Life” (Part II of IV) In our last post we introduced the concept of the three ways. In this post and those following we will explore general descriptions of each phase with help from a classic in Catholic spiritual literature, The Soul … Read more
How Can I Forgive When I Can’t Forget? While many people believe forgetting an injury is part of forgiveness, Fr. Justin Waltz, pastor of St. Leo’s Church in Minot, ND, suggested just the opposite. In fact, he stated that forgetting is not even possible. “The only type of forgetting I have heard of is stuffing,” … Read more
While working as a Chaplain Associate a few years ago, I visited “Joe” in his hospital room. He stopped drinking about ten days before but was getting very sick. “Drinking is stupid,” he said, “I never used to drink. One day I had a little bit, and then a little more and then I was … Read more
How Being a Baptist Prepared Me to be a Good Catholic (II of IV) Life, As I Find It I’ve been reminiscing about how my formative years as a Baptist actually helped me get to Catholicism – and continue to impact my Catholic life. It may surprise some that being a Baptist taught me to … Read more
Fr. Fortea, how can one tell if a vision is demonic in origin or is a psychiatric problem? The best way to discern if something is demonic in origin or merely a psychiatric problem is through the passage of time. If something that seems extraordinary (e.g., a vision or a locution) is a mental illness, … Read more
Dear Father John, I am a recent “revert” to Catholicism – and I am so glad to be so! Recently, a friend of mine published a book about finding female power through sacred global feminine symbols. This involves, from her perspective, abandoning all patriarchal religious traditions. I never bought into radical feminism – in fact, in college I … Read more
Dear Father John, I have started saying a daily Morning Offering Prayer in which I ask God with the help of His Grace that I remain all day in a spirit of praise and thanksgiving and that all of my actions be for the purpose of doing His will. However, I find I cannot remain in this spirit … Read more
At the center of the spiritual life is the real presence of Christ Jesus given to us in the Eucharistic worship He instituted for our sake. Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Doctor of the Church, reminds us of the proper disposition we must maintain throughout our worship. It is a disposition of quaerere Deum, a reverent … Read more
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