Practical Prayer
Catholic Prayer: How Sacramentals Tie your Prayer to the Sacraments
Sacraments are the fonts of grace that Jesus gave us to draw us into the Mystery of the Holy Trinity. But from that font springs other outpourings of grace from our loving Lord. The sacramentals are one of those smaller fonts of grace. These are ceremonies, rites, or blessed objects instituted by the Church for private…
Read MoreLiving Catholic Spirituality in Sacrocanctum Concilium from Vatican II
Most people don’t turn to the documents of ecumenical councils for advice on how to live Catholic spirituality. So it may surprise you that we’re turning to a document like Sacrocanctum Concilium to talk about our prayer life. Sacrosanctum Concilium is the Constitution on Sacred Liturgy from the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. This document if…
Read MoreCatholic Prayer: Activating the Power of Your Confirmation
The sacraments are the fountain of grace that Jesus gave us to connect to Him and to His Body, the Church. So it makes sense for us to turn to the sacraments when we want to deepen our Catholic prayer life. The Sacrament of Confirmation is an untapped power for most Catholics. It has taken…
Read More5 Surprising Facts About the Sacrament of Confession
(And Why You Need to Go Back to the Sacrament) Is the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession a regular part of your Catholic spirituality? Here are 5 surprising facts about Confession to encourage you to get back to the Sacraments! Fact 1: Reconciliation is an act of community The main purpose of the Sacrament of…
Read MoreGod’s Thirst Meets Ours: The Desire of Catholic Prayer
Catholic prayer is a personal relationship with God. But this relationship is not the emotional feeling of connection that modern Christians often associate with a “personal relationship with Jesus.” In fact, Catholic spiritual masters often warn against being driven by feelings. While feelings of warmth and closeness to God are certainly real, and are in…
Read MoreCatholic Prayer: Why Prayer is a Vital Part of Your Vocation
“Do you think you might have a vocation? I heard this question constantly when I was in high school and in college. Of course, what people meant by this question was, “Do you think you might be called to the priesthood?” I prayed and discerned a call to the priesthood throughout college, and finally discerned…
Read MoreCatholic Prayer and Internal Distraction
Prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. It always presupposes effort. The great figures of prayer of the Old Covenant before Christ, as well as the Mother of God, the saints, and he himself, all teach us this: prayer is a battle. Against whom? Against ourselves and against…
Read MoreAuthor Book Reading: Why The Rosary Why Now
Author Gretchen Crowe reads chapter 2 from her book Why the Rosary, Why Now? “For a Deeper Devotion to the Church.” This chapter pulls from the writings of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen as he discusses the Holy Rosary is the solution to the lack of faith and the fear and worry that…
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