Moral Principle the Ends Do Not Justify the Means
Definition We cannot reach a good goal (“ends”) by doing evil to get it (the “means” to the goal). Explanation We’ve all heard someone justifying doing something evil by saying, “but I meant well,” or, “I did what I had to do.” Euthanasia is often justified by claiming it is done to relieve suffering. Movie…
Read MoreJesus Fulfills Salvation History
People of the Jewish faith who become Catholic (or part of a Christian ecclesial community) often claim that they are not changing religions, but living the fullness of their Jewish faith. Indeed, as Catholics we see it very much the same way. As Saint Paul tells us, we Gentile Christians are grafted onto the tree…
Read MoreMaterialism
Stuck in This World Materialism is the philosophy that reality consists only in the physical and tangible. Materialists seek their ultimate happiness in physical pleasures and possessions. They don’t believe in spiritual goods and they don’t really value human nature. People who embrace materialism often teeter between living life to the fullest and falling into…
Read MoreAuthor Book Reading: God the Father and the Best Day Ever
This week’s book reading is for the kids! Gracie Jagla reads her children’s book God the Father and the Best Day Ever. As she reads she also explains the illustrations. The Father’s “best day ever” is when His Son conquered death and opened Heaven for us. Her book begins with a simple…
Read More5 Meaningful Gifts To Celebrate Christian Confirmation
Confirmation is a very important part of any Christian child or teen’s initiation into adulthood. Presenting the newly confirmed person with a special gift is both a wonderful commemoration and congratulatory memento. Here are five gift ideas for this special time in any Christian’s life. A Rosary A beautiful rosary is a special gift for…
Read MoreCatholic Discipleship: Helping Others Grow in Faith
I think Catholics are becoming more aware of our need to evangelize. In a world that is increasingly secular and increasingly embracing evil, we are coming to realize the greater importance of inviting people into the faith and into the truth. The new evangelization reveals an increased awareness as well that not everyone in the…
Read MoreThe Virtue of Prudence: What Kind of Christian Are You?
Without the virtue of prudence, life quickly gets out of control. When we’re not focused on ordering our lives, disorder and imbalance creep in. For Christians, this can spell trouble in our life of faith. Our lives may superficially look like Christian lives, but without prudence, there will always be something missing. Being able to…
Read MoreChristian Friendship: Avoiding the Vice of Discord
The attempt to build a good Christian friendship is not an easy task. It takes not just time, effort, and persistence, but also the development of social virtues and avoiding social vices. Some of the social vices we need to avoid include Selfishness Materialism Shallowness Neglect One of the most damaging social vices is the…
Read MoreCatholic Parents: Raising Your Children to Follow Christ
Raising children to follow Christ can seem like a daunting task. How can you simplify these hard-to-grasp philosophical concepts to your tiny son or daughter when there is no roadmap to follow and no signs pointing the way. However, if you and your spouse are shining God’s light in your home, your children can learn…
Read MoreHow Neglect Affects Christian Friendship
Cultivating and nurturing good Christian friendship is an important part of Catholic spiritual growth. But there are some influences in our lives that make it difficult for us to keep our friendships healthy. Neglect is one of the deadliest friendship-killing influences – and unfortunately one of the most common. Life Happens . . . Hey…
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