“If the motivation is Christian and not selfish (you may need the help of a spiritual director to discern this), then take some initial steps to find out how you can go in that direction without neglecting your primary vocation.” – Fr. John Bartunek
“Why do you carve time out of your busy schedule to pray and worship God the Father through Jesus Christ in union with the Holy Spirit?” – Fr. John Bartunek
“Here we can enter a gray area between venial sin, for which we are in some way directly responsible, and what spiritual writers call “imperfections,” for which we are only remotely responsible, if at all.” – Fr. John Bartunek
“At the earlier stages of the spiritual life, the emphasis falls on weeding out the sinful and self-centered habits that are constricting the action of God’s grace in our lives. As we grow, the emphasis changes.” – Fr. John Bartunek
“Confession and spiritual direction are like partially overlapping circles: they share some common characteristics, but their centers, their essences, are distinct.” – Fr. John Bartunek
“Christ’s resurrection (Easter Sunday) is the unbreakable and undying promise that God’s omnipotence and wisdom are never trumped by the apparent triumphs of evil and suffering (Good Friday).” – Father John Bartunek
“God’s indicative will always flows from his wisdom and his love. In other words, whatever he wants us to do is for our greatest good.” – Fr. John Bartunek
“The mortification is never an end in itself, but a means by which we become better followers of Christ.” -Fr. John Bartunek
“In our tradition of Catholic spirituality, these types of practices are referred to as memento mori, a Latin phrase that means “remembrance of death” or “remembrance of mortality.” The practice of receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday is one of these.” – Fr. John Bartunek
“There may be other reasons too, subjective ones, maybe deeper ones. Sometimes we have some subconscious fears or issues, specific to our own personality and upbringing, that can add to the apprehension.” – Fr. John Bartunek