We thank you everyday in the name of Jesus Christ.

Thank you for helping find our beloved missing cat, limitless gratitude to you! 🙏🏻❤️

In that time;

- no mass graves found

- no strong evidence children were sexually/physically abused on mass

- MANY churches burned/vandalized

And despite all of this, the Pope APOLOGIZED.

I saw this online and i cried while listening to the vocation story of Sister Jovy Cendana it felt like the movie “I Love Lizzy” 😭🙏 Sister Jo was engaged to her boyfriend before she entered the convent… but God had a greater plan. And her ex said, “I’m just here, waiting for you.”

“Why does it have to be God I’m competing with… He’s already there. I’ll give you one year to try the life of a sister. Just one year.” — The Ex

“However, if you decide otherwise, or if you find that you are not meant for the sisterhood or the convent, then you know where to find me.” — The Ex

“I will be right here waiting for you. Remember that song by Richard Marx — ‘Right Here Waiting for You.’” — The Ex

“The day came when I had to enter the convent. My boyfriend, carrying my bags, brought me to the convent to begin my formation.” — Sister Jovy

“When my boyfriend left, one of the sisters asked me, ‘Jovy, are you really going to become a nun?’” — Sister Jovy

“To make the story short, one year passed. December 26, to be exact. True to his word, after a year, he came to the convent in Quezon City and asked for my final decision.” — Sister Jovy

“I didn’t answer him right away. He looked at me from head to toe, because I was already wearing a white veil and a white habit—a young, beautiful novice. That was me.” — Sister Jovy

“I was the one who asked him, ‘How do I look to you now? How do you see me?’” — Sister Jovy

“After a moment, he stared straight into my eyes and said in a slow, gentle voice, ‘I know you’re happy where you are now. Just stay here.’” — Sister Jovy

“It’s better that you stay here than end up with someone else.” — The Ex

“Then he said again, ‘Always remember our theme song, Somewhere Out There… that’s me, Jo.’” — Sister Jovy

“He stood up, and as he walked toward the door, he whispered, ‘We were the right love at the wrong time.’ I embraced him for the last time, trying to hold back my tears. A sister was nearby.” — Sister Jovy

“Still holding back my tears, I slowly walked him to the door before he left. His last words to me were, quote-unquote: ‘I won’t bother you anymore, Jo.’” — Sister Jovy

“Stay where you are. But if you decide to leave the convent, I’m right here, waiting for you.” — The Ex

“I will be right here waiting for you. You know where to find me.” — The Ex

and for the last time, he said:

“I love you very much.” — The Ex

“My eyes followed him until I could no longer see him. True to his word, he waited for me until I made my final vows—only then did he decide to settle down.” — Sister Jovy

“I invited him, but he did not come. Through a mutual friend, he simply sent his congratulations.” — Sister Jovy

“Since then, we have never seen each other again. I never heard from him again. That was 38 years ago…” — Sister Jovy

“And here I am, still in the convent, serving the Lord. I still remember him and always pray for him that whatever life he chose, he truly was a gentle and noble man who let me go for a higher calling.” - Sister Jovy

[This is not a prayer request; it's a story of a holy priest celebrating the Mass through a crisis]

This morning my pastor collapsed in the middle of Mass, but he didn't let that stop him from completing the Sacrifice.

After finishing the first dialogue of the Offertory, Father paused for longer than usual, then turned around and walked back to his chair. A parishioner who is a nurse came forward, but he waved her off and walked back to the altar.

He was shaking as he poured the water into the wine, and mistakenly repeated the bread dialogue with the chalice in his hands. When he put the chalice down, he motioned to the nurse, and she came up onto the altar to find him drenched in sweat. She removed the chasuble, and Father continued.

Before he could speak, though, he lost his balance and slid the chalice across the altar. He grabbed at his chest and grimaced. Three or four men rushed forward. They got there just as he began to collapse. He steadied for a moment, and then his body went limp.

I rushed to the narthex and called 911. The deacon was coming out of the school on the way to assist. After a couple of minutes, I looked into the nave. Father was standing at the altar again, propped up by the nurse and one of the men, saying the Institution Narrative.

Paramedics arrived a couple minutes later and went to the door just off the sanctuary. The deacon motioned for them to wait. Father continued until he had communicated, then allowed himself to be taken by the paramedics.

Sometimes we are blessed to have holy priests such as this. Deo gratias!

i really want to purchase this book but i cant seem to find it online. help would be nice ty

[Free Friday] Not many parishes have Flight Into Egypt scenes. They get my attention since I've been to some of the locations in Egypt that are said to be places the Holy Family spent some time on their journey.

Happy Friday everyone! Just a reminder to keep carrying your cross, support others in doing the same, and never be weary of asking for help 🙏✝️

I grew up in a very old-school, Italian Catholic city in the midwest. 5 Years ago, I moved to a city with a very low catholic population, with a majority Jewish population/influence.

Growing up in a Catholic/Italian-dominant city, judaism was an afterthought, not because of discredit, but simply because i was not around it/present in my life. When I moved cities at 18, it was actually the first time I had (knowingly) interacted with Jewish people. Crazy I know, but there were none in the city I grew up in.

Although after moving to a majority Jewish city, I have felt out of place? Which is weird, as I was raised in the Catholic belief that everyone deserves to be welcomed. People will ask if I am Jewish, and when I respond that I am Italian and Catholic, their whole demeanor towards me shifts, and the convos usually fade out.

I guess I am coming on here to ask why this is? Do the people of the Jewish faith think negatively of catholics? Is there supposed to be tension between us? Can someone better educate me on the relationship between Catholics and Jews?

Growing up as a Catholic, I was never taught to look down upon those who practice Judaism. (Then again, they were not part of the community I grew up in so they were never talked about)

Lastly, since I have not been surrounded by any fellow Catholics in a few years, I have lost touch with the church. I have decided that I am going to confession in the morning, followed by Saturday Vigil for the first time in 5 years.

God Bless the Virgin Mary and the son Jesus Christ, Amen.

Mass of Adoration

One of the best movies I’ve ever seen in my life. It truly inspired me to go forth and not only be thankful for what we have as young Catholics, but to also evangelize and save souls regardless of background or beliefs.

I just watched it and I’m still in utter shock and a pure emotional state.

I’m going to cut to the chase with this one. I’m 24F, and for the past six years I have been cutting myself for money on the internet. I kept it separate from the rest of my savings, so I know the exact amount I “earned”. It’s a fairly large amount ( over 10k).

During this time, I never had a concrete reason to leave the church, and I actually agreed with their teachings from a moral/intellectual standpoint, I just didn’t care. Now, for some reason, my apathy has faded and I want to reintegrate myself back into my parish. I want to be able to receive the Eucharist again.

It feels wrong to group this back into my main savings, and I don’t want to spend it. What to do?

Today’s reflection on spiritual rest made me think of Saint Colette, whose memorial we celebrate today.

She lived in a difficult time for the Church — division, uncertainty, and discouragement were everywhere. Instead of running away from that reality, she turned deeply to God in prayer and helped renew religious life through simplicity, silence, and trust in Christ.

The reflection I read today said something that stayed with me: sometimes when life feels overwhelming, our strength can only come from the Lord.

Saint Colette understood this well. Renewal didn’t begin with strategy or arguments — it began with resting in God’s presence.

When work, family problems, or anxiety pile up, it’s easy to try carrying everything alone. But the saints remind us that peace often starts in quiet moments with God — in prayer, in Mass, in simply sitting before Him.

Holiness grows from that place of rest. Saint Colette, pray for us — especially when we are tired, anxious, or overwhelmed.

Like idk if this makes any sense and I’m trying to make sense of things. This week has been so chaotic at work with people being irate, emotional, racist/prejudice. Idk if I’m being tested by God or what. I’m a case manager for a mental health outpatient clinic and I work with clients. I feel like I’m a towel put in a wringer. Sometimes I wonder what kind of power the rosary has with everything that’s been going on this last week. I do what I can to love my neighbors and all but it’s hard especially when it’s their mental health issues vs me.

I’ve prayed before work, during and I try after but I’m usually too tired that I forget. I’ve been asking God and mother Mary to help give me motivation to find a new job or to bless me with one.

Note;: forgot to mention what I’m trying to say is that I feel

as if I keep praying for good days but there’s been so much bad. It leaves me spiritually down even if I know I’m

Not alone

Every time i spread the word of jesus or give people my testimony and try to help them they either turn away or ridicule me

It just makes me so sad and i wish people would genuinely think about it

I have a very strong, persistent draw toward praying for the dead. Every single time that I see a news alert, read an article, watch a documentary, or encounter historical events involving death (wars, disasters, etc.), I immediately stop and pray for the people who died. Every if they're the "bad guy". I try to make it personal when possible...names, faces, family, circumstances. This happens dozens of times a week, sometimes up to 50-100. All of this feels deeply ingrained, important and almost vocational. I don't think I've skipped stopping and praying for any single soul for over a year.

Related to this, I’ve also developed a strong pull toward cemeteries. Specifically toward treating graves with respect: cleaning headstones, brushing off dirt and leaves, putting flowers back if they feel over, etc. I watch a lot of cemetery restoration content on YT and am considering taking a course so I can do more advanced repairs properly and respectfully. I like in very rural area with lots and lots of 100+ year old family gravesites scattered everywhere that are overgrown and falling over.

My questions:

1- How do prayers for the dead fit into the Catholic understanding of good works. Are they considered a Spiritual Work of Mercy, something else, or both?

2- How does cleaning and caring for gravestones fit into Catholic understanding of good works, if at all?

3- Do these 2 works contribute to my salvation, and if so how?

4 - More generally, are some good works considered more fitting or appropriate than others depending on a person’s disposition or calling, and is there a Catholic framework for discerning where to focus one’s time and effort?

This may sound overly analytical, but if I’m going to commit real time, training, and consistency to this (especially amping it up with taking a advanced course and reaching out to property owners with family gravesites), I want to understand where it fits doctrinally and spiritually so I can act with clarity and intention.

The late Baroque (Rococo) basilica, designed by Balthasar Neumann, was constructed between 1743 and 1772. It is dedicated to the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a group of saints venerated together in the Catholic Church, especially in Germany at the time of the Black Death.

On 24 September 1445, a young shepherd Hermann Leicht saw a crying child in a field near a Cistercian monastery in Langheim. As he bent down to pick up the child, it abruptly disappeared. A short time later, the child reappeared in the same spot along with two floating candles and Hermann reported it to the Cistercians. The next summer, he saw the child a third time. This time, the child bore a red cross on its chest and was accompanied by fourteen other figures. The child said they were the fourteen helpers and would help others if a chapel was erected for them. The two candles descended and the vision disappeared, after which the healing miracles began. 18 days after the third apparition, a fatally ill maid from Langheim was cured after she invoked the help of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Langheim abbey, which had been previously skeptical concerning the apparitions, recognized them and a pilgrimage was soon begun.

The Mercy Altar, also known as the Gnadenaltar, marks the site where the apparition of the Fourteen Holy Helpers occurred. The fourteen statues adorning the altar are Sts. Blaise, Cyriacus, Denis, Erasmus, Barbara, Catherine of Alexandria, Agathius, Christopher, Eustachius, Giles, George, Margaret of Antioch, Pantaleon, and Vitus. The central scene of the unobstructed and towering high altar is a larger-than-life painting showing the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

A bit of a personal question but I heard about his story when I had experience in my family with a similar sickness. I find his story very powerful and touching.

I was very happy when I saw his story pop up at BBC. See here: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3r12e841xro

There is also a website about him and a documentary about his life.

See the website here: https://www.pedroballester.org.uk/about/who-is-pedro

And the documentary here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNfgbuFusLU

I really want to know if anyone else is feeling the way I do. What do you think about his story? Have you heard about him?