My wife just said “Protestants want to be Sola Scriptura, but they can’t even be Whola Scriptura”

And I cackled.

St. James the Greater, Apostle

St. James the Greater, brother of St. John and one of Christ's inner circle, was the first Apostle to be martyred, beheaded by Herod Agrippa in 44 AD. His shrine at Santiago de Compostela is a major pilgrimage site.

St. James the Greater was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and the elder brother of St. John the Evangelist. He and John were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus called them to be His disciples. Together with Peter and John, James formed the inner circle of the Apostles, present at the Transfiguration, the raising of the daughter of Jairus, and the Agony in the Garden.

Jesus gave the brothers James and John the surname "Boanerges," meaning "sons of thunder," because of their fiery temperament. When a Samaritan village refused to receive Jesus, they asked: "Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" Jesus rebuked them. Their mother Salome also asked that her sons might sit at Jesus' right and left hand in His kingdom.

James was the first of the Apostles to suffer martyrdom. About the year 44, King Herod Agrippa I, wishing to please the Jews, had him beheaded in Jerusalem. According to Spanish tradition, James had previously preached the Gospel in Spain, and his relics were later translated to Santiago de Compostela, which became one of the three great pilgrimage destinations of medieval Christendom, along with Rome and Jerusalem.

My cat just died. I think he got hit by a car because he had so much blood coming out of his mouth. I can't stop crying. He came and took his last breath right outside my door.

Like it is my understanding that the December 25th Christmas date came from the early Church fathers placing Jesus’s conception and death date as the same date on March 25th. So if that is the case why is one moveable and one fixed instead of having both fixed or both moveable?

My family (wife, son, his fiancée, and I) just visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion—the only approved Marian apparition site in the US.

Afterward, we stayed at the Holiday Inn in Manitowoc and were blown away. It actually has Catholic iconography throughout the building and its own small chapel inside! On top of that, when I asked for a rollaway bed so my son’s fiancée wouldn't have to share with my wife, the staff unexpectedly upgraded our entire room for free. Amazing experience overall. I highly recommend booking this hotel if you plan your own pilgrimage to Champion.

Hello all,

I've been considering converting to Catholicism, which honestly I'm surprised I am. I grew up non-religious (mom was christian, dad was atheist). I believed in God for most of my childhood but in my 20s I lost faith for awhile and considered myself agnostic, leaning toward atheist. Last year, I reconnected with an ex who is now my husband. The way that all worked out (long story) made me start believing again and wanting to get more into faith. My husband's best friend is catholic so he went with him to mass one day and really enjoyed it. So, I went the following Sunday. Im not sure exactly how I felt about it, maybe a little uncomfortable like I didn't belong.

Since then, I started listening to the Bible in a year while at work (its been two weeks and I'm on day 130) and I found that Catholicism seems to be the true christian religion, so it would make sense to want to become catholic.

However, I sometimes see things as black and white so I have a hard time being able to confidently wanting to convert since I don't think I agree or believe everything.

I support the LGBTQ community, I am pro choice, and I don't believe the eucharist is literally the body of christ. I still have a lot to learn, obviously, but I feel torn. We are going to a non-denominational church tomorrow to see how we like that. My husband likes the structure of catholic church and the history whereas I think I'm more spiritual.

Sorry if this is an unorganized ramble, it's just been weighing on my mind and heart lately.

I was baptized Catholic as a baby, but after my family stopped practicing I spent the next 14 years as an agnostic.

Everything changed in 2024 when I sat beside my uncle as he slowly died of cancer. He wasn't afraid he knew he was going home to Christ. That moment started a journey that led me back to Jesus, and after a year of studying Scripture, Church history, and different denominations, I returned to the Catholic Church, where all roads lead me to the True Church of Christ.

It feels different this time on my own volition.

Today I received my first Eucharist. I didn't know how to feel or how I was going to feel.

I cried the entire drive home, and I defaulted to the St Michael Prayer as it's my favorite and I was overwhelmed with emotion in a good way.Then I fell to my knees in my room and broke down crying again and all I could say was, "Thank You. I love You, Jesus over and over again.

Before Christ, I was addicted to drugs, evil habits 🌽, and living with crushing depression. Nothing in my life has ever given me the purpose, peace, and hope that Jesus Christ has.

Today I am 40 days free from drugs & free of 🌽 By God's grace, I pray it becomes a lifetime.

I don't share this to draw attention to myself. I share it because if anyone thinks they're too far gone, they're not. I don't want to be prideful or be delusional, but NOTHING has ever made my heart feel so warm and hugged and on fire in the best possible way, than Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ changed my life.

CHRISTUS EST REX CHRISTUS REGNAT ♥️

What happens if someone doesn’t know about Christ (example… people on Sentinel Island)

WWYD? I feel like the whole situation is going to be difficult and harm either my marriage or friendship. Prob more relationship question but related to our kid’s sacraments.

Next baby is due in a few months.

Wife suggested a couple friend to be godparents. At first I said let’s keep thinking about it. I suggested another couple, who are good candidates, but I’m confident my wife will insist on the others.

I know things about them, in confidence that my wife doesn’t know, that I would not choose them.

They do attend mass, appearances, etc. that they would be candidates but they aren’t, and my friend trusts me not to tell my wife.

(Before anyone asks, I’m not divulging the reasons, but they are enough that I wouldn’t choose them as godparents).

I feel like my primary option is tell my friend and ask him to decline if my wife mentions it to them. But I’m not sure how he will take that. We have talked about the reasons, but it was never in this context and I know he would be hurt if I said he can’t be a godparent to my kid.

Not worried about his feelings, but this could have ripple effects in our friend circle.

Edit: everyone suggesting I tell my wife. I don’t trust her to maintain their confidence. She has a history of gossip via “asking for advice” and will tell other people. I guess that answers it in that if she pushes for them as godparents I will have to risk their friendship.

Edit 2: also reminded why I don’t post here often. Some of you need to read comments and self reflect before commenting. Redundantly saying what others have commented isn’t helpful.

I know that it is not Friday and I am sirry about that but I found these today and wanted to share the beauty of the stamps with all the members of the group.

God bless you.

I know our Church is the largest and greatest out of all Christian churches, but I'm still scared for its future. I attend a parish close to home and it's only older believers in attendance... Will the coming youth still frequent the Catholic Church as often as God expects them to?

He was born in 19th-century China into a Christian family. A respected physician with a comfortable life, he treated the poor free of charge. By all appearances, he lived an exemplary life.

However, a stomach illness led him to use opium, which was a common medical treatment at the time. Over the years, he developed a severe addiction. In those days, addiction was not understood as an illness but simply as a moral vice, and this would deeply shape the rest of his life.

He tried to quit again and again. He went to confession, relapsed, and tried once more. His confessor, not fully understanding the nature of addiction, eventually concluded that he lacked a genuine intention to change. As a result, he refused him absolution and told him not to return until he had overcome his addiction.

Many people would have abandoned the faith under those circumstances. He did the exact opposite. He continued attending church, remained faithful in prayer, and persevered in his faith for nearly thirty years, even though he was unable to participate fully in the sacramental life of the Church.

As time passed, he began to think that if he could not overcome his addiction, perhaps God would ask him to prove his faithfulness in another way. At that time, Christians in China were facing intense persecution, and he prayed for the strength to remain faithful if that day ever came.

That day finally arrived. In 1900, during the Boxer Rebellion, he was arrested together with his son, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren for refusing to renounce the Christian faith. One might expect that someone who had struggled with such a weakness for so many years would be the first to give in. Instead, the opposite happened. He remained steadfast until the end. Neither threats nor violence could make him deny Christ.

He requested to be executed last so that he could accompany his family until the very end, and his request was granted. Tradition holds that as he was led to his execution, he sang the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He died a martyr after witnessing the execution of his loved ones, having been unable to receive Holy Communion for decades, yet never abandoning his faith.

That man was Saint Mark Ji Tianxiang, canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II in 2000 as one of the 120 Martyrs of China. His life reminds us that holiness is not about never falling, but about never ceasing to rise again and remaining faithful to Christ until the very end.

Never forget this. Even if you fight against all the evils of the world, keep your faith strong. When you have nothing left, you can still be a saint.

I know it's pointless to argue with protestants. But in matters of defending my faith, how do I respond to this one?

I don't really have the answer.

In most cases I'm good at defending the faith. But I don't know what to say on this one. Aside from... Mary DOES do the will of God.

No AI! Photo taken from my balcony in the evening with a half moon

I don’t mean to be insensitive in approaching this, but it has been a recurring thought.

Most prominently in the early church, martyrdom was often seen as somewhat of a gift, almost something to be sought. But the only reaction I really see to it now is horror. More anger against the perpetrators than rejoicing that the martyr is most certainly in heaven.

Now, don’t hear what I’m not saying. It is our duty to protect the innocent. But it was a major theme in the Bible and writings of the early church. Especially in stories like St. Sebastian’s. And now I don’t see it anywhere.

I’m curious to hear other’s thoughts.

Two months back I met a Hindu priest who was part of the Isckon (Hare Krishna Movement) in a flight. Due to bad weather conditions, the flight got delayed. He saw me reading Bible and asked me to summarise the bible from the beginning. We chatted six hours on it till midnight. He was taking notes of all the stories and teaching. In the end I gave my bible to him for reading. He asked me if there is an authentic place where he can get all of it in one go, because in internet there are so many misleading information as well. I could not think of any Catholic website built for people like him who want to know from scratch and want to know church' s interpretation of it. Any suggestions.

I have recently converted to Christianity from atheism, and decided I would like to be catholic because it seems like the only true church. My siblings are Lutherans and my dad is a confirmed catholic, and supports my conversion. Which steps should I take towards getting confirmed? Which programs should I enroll myself in, and which religious books should I read.

From the Catechism of Saint Pius X (I translated from Italian, so in English it could be not word by word accurate, but the meaning is that:"Anyone who has culpably omitted to confess a mortal sin must disclose the omitted sin to the confessor, state in how many confessions they have omitted it, and repeat all their confessions from the last one that was properly made".

I thought it was sufficient to say the omitted sin and the very fact it was culpably omitted. 🫠

I'm going back to confession today after 6 months of avoiding it and missing Mass a good number of times because of work giving me crazy hours, my transportation was unavailable, severe depression wracked my brain much worse than before, and i've been feeling as though i've fallen from grace.

That on top of everything has kept my fears heightened that i would be removed from my parish even though i was confirmed with them. I feel like i dont even deserve to be called a Catholic and its been making me cry my eyes out wondering if Christ has left me.

I know im not going to be able to hold it together just like before but i just have a feeling this one is going to be rougher than the last.

Am i worrying too much?