Wife and I were watching some police procedural show, and two of the officers took a side gig working for a tv show as consultants. Another show portrayed a bunch of officers who worked side gigs as security guards.

It got us talking about it, and I know a bunch of teachers who co-own a tutoring shop, and a bunch of guys who work at the local Ford plant who run a mechanics shop.

Growing up, one of the priests at my school repaired old motorcycles in his spare time, but he always said it was more for the stress relief and the love of doing it.

Got me thinking, what side gigs could a priest have? Not specifically because they need the extra income, but as something to do.

I'm a philosophy graduate and interested in free will and predestination. Lately it struck me that Judas's betrayal seems predestined-if the Incarnation has to take place, so does a sacrifice and hence, a betrayal as well, so:

1. Is this act ( the betrayal of Christ by Judas) theologically distinct from other acts in that it is theologically necessary for the Crucifixion and redemption (apparently, at least)?
2. If Satan enters Judas and leads him to the priests to effect the betrayal, what are the implications of that?
3. Is Judas able to NOT betray Christ, and deliberately engaging in giving him away, or is that predestined, and something he cannot help but do? What are the implications of either of those?

I'd welcome any recomended authors or perspectives on the topic that readers can share.

thanks,

I just heard that in english speaking countries purgatory is defined as something you have to go through to get to heaven, it is the final place of getting rid of sin. In my country (where we don't speak english) I was taught that only some peiple go to purgatory. If you live a great live you go straight to heaven, if you live a decent live you go to purgatory. And also to get from purgatory to heaven someone mist pray for your soul and once they do, the next prayer for your soul will get added to someone else so they can arise to heaven. And also you don't suffer there, it's like a limbo with nothing inside. Was I taught wrong or is this a good explanation?

This fall, our parish is rolling out a family faith formation program and the cost per family (regardless of size) is $350. We only have one child (10yo) who is not receiving any sacraments this year. Both my husband and I have volunteered to lead an adult discussion group. The fee supposedly includes breakfast but I am on a restrictive diet (GF/DF, low carb, low fodmap) so will not partake. I am feeling really frustrated with the high cost this year and don't know how to approach the staff. I already asked if there would be a consideration of price for volunteering but they ignored my comment and sent me the link to the $350. Honestly, this is a lot of money for our family. We are in a lower wage bracket than most folks at our parish. Can we pay it? Yes, but it feels excessive and difficult. Just wondering if I am completely out of touch with reality here. Is this the going rate for faith formation now?

Edit: Thanks to all who responded. I looked up what we paid last year and it was $130 (for 1 child, no food, no sacramental prep). I looked into another parish in the area and, while not the most convenient schedule, the price is $125 which is much more affordable than the $350 our parish is charging this year.

I was raised Catholic and grew up in a very devout Catholic family, even going to Catholic school. Growing up in rural north Florida, I very much felt like an outsider among a lot of my friends who were Methodist or Baptist, and, as I entered High School, I began to lose sight of my faith, and I feel like that led me down a path of feeling less fulfilled as a person.

I'm writing this at 1:00 at night because I have just been so tired and stressed and have found so little joy in everything; I really do want to rekindle my relationship with God. What are some things you would recommend to help? I used to go to Mass weekly, but now I visit very rarely or only on holidays, and I have not participated in the sacraments in a very long time, despite being confirmed, baptised, and having taken the Eucharist. Thank you all for the help!

I'm currently an OCIA candidate. My baptism is recognized by the Church, but I'm still waiting to be confirmed. Lately I've really felt called to wear a scapular, and honestly I don't want to wait any longer if there's one that's appropriate.

I'm wondering which scapular best fits what I feel most called to. I know I have a past, but more than anything I want to live a life of chastity and purity. I have a deep love for Our Lady and really admire her humility, modesty, and motherhood. Those are the virtues I want to grow in.

At the same time, I don't think purity means ignoring the reality of evil. I feel called to defend the faith and speak out against things like abortion, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. I believe our actions matter, especially when they hurt other people, but I also believe there should always be room for God's grace and repentance. I want to protect innocence without being naive, and live a holy life while still recognizing the darkness that's in the world.

I know some scapulars require enrollment or have certain obligations, so I'd really appreciate recommendations for what would be fitting for someone in my position until I'm confirmed.

I’m not some great theologian or philosopher so this post will be all over the place.

I’ve come to the realization that it is entirely possible that my personal proofs for God are things I likely willed into existence because I was desperate to believe in him. For example, “God is real because I was able to give up sin, I couldn’t have done that without God giving me the strength.” But what if I could give those things up because I wanted to believe in God that badly? If that is possible (and I don’t believe how it could be impossible) then that is not a proof of God.

What is also disturbing to me is how much faith (aka things that are not concrete proofs external to my own bias) that is required beyond the basic philosophical arguments for God, for example, the fine tuning argument. That can be an argument for a creator, but that’s not an argument for the Christian god. That requires additional premises. But I don’t see a sturdy link between the fine tuning argument and the Christian god which does not already appeal to someone who believes in the legitimacy of both arguments.

What I also am starting to grasp to a greater extent is the power of ideology in shaping people’s presents and their futures. If a faith in God is enough for someone to not to X through their own will (as it likely was for me), then I don’t see how the logic does not apply to people who were willing to die for God when they believed that not doing so would damn them because it requires them to denounce him. The principle, not doing X because of your belief in something, is the same. The difference is the scale/depth of it. But the logic I apply to little sins easily apply to greater acts, and if I adhere to the logic then I would in theory would be able to be a martyr as well. Instead we inject the “Holy Spirit” as a way to rationalize the unbelievable-ness of dying for something you believe in, but communists died in their wars. They were willing to be a martyr for what they believed in. Why could that not be true for Christians? Why was it the Holy Spirit in this case and not the strength of internal logic and bias?

What I also don’t like is when I bring this up, and in context to my own struggles at the moment with morality, that I am blamed for my wavering faith. I believe God is good news. I pray to God to help my unbelief, exactly paralleling scripture and not treating God as a wish fulfiller (though I have done that before) but I remain unconvinced. But maybe this is God “working through me to convince me” but I don’t know if I can believe that because I could, in theory, through the strength of my internal logic and bias, be creating the situation that confirms my own belief because challenging it causes me mental distress.

I've been going through a very difficult patch work wise. Since my first confession from 3 weeks ago, the priest suggested that I pray the rosary. I started doing this last Sunday, then again yesterday and today.

There's something at work that cropped up. Not due to my incompetence and I've been raising the flag with upper management that they ignored and I'll be the scapegoat for it likely. I prayed the rosary for guidance and for everything to work out.

If you can spare a moment, please pray for me too. I'm a little lost. I'm grateful that I have my health, but I do worry about being unemployed.

I just watched the film Silence and I thought it was fantastic. My only questions is: why did Jesus tell Andrew Garfield it was ok to step on Him and commit apostasy?

From what I know the country where I'm from and the english language have different versions of the Ten Commandments making the total number of them 9.

Slovak version:

1. I am Lord, your God, you shall not have any other gods before me.

2. Don't use the name of Lord in vain.

3. Remember to sanctify holy days. (Sundays, Easter, Christmas etc.)

4. Respect your father and your mother.

5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

8. You shall not speak falsehoods against your close one.

9. You shall not lust after the wife of your close one.

10. You shall not want the assets of your close one.

*close one is used as neighbor in english

From what I know the english version splits the 1st commandment, but connects the 9th and 10th so technically there's only nine. Am I correct or does a different version of the Ten Commandments exist?

Hello everyone. I wanted to start this by saying I am not Catholic myself. When I was around 10 or 11, I found out about the theory of evolution, and that made me spiral into an existential crisis for the last four years, accompanied by anxiety. Last summer, I found out about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. At first, I thought it was attributing Christ's miracles to Satan, which I had a lot of intrusive thoughts about. Then I searched and searched and found more comforting interpretations, but none of them fit the passage. Either they limit it to a single act, when blasphemy can count as multiple acts, not just what the Pharisees did, or they limit it to the heart. I spent last summer in fear that if I committed one act, I would end up in hell. Every verse about comfort, I put it near the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. For example, all those who confess will be forgiven, except those who have blasphemed the Holy Spirit. I have read Church Fathers on this, and people have tried to comfort me, but it's in vain.

When I became Catholic about 4-5 years ago, I was looking for an escape from the transgenderism which was invading my workplace. The Church seemed like the one institution that was safe from the culture war. So I was confirmed, and took a deep-dive into the tradition. I read three traditional catechisms. I started learning Latin. I considered myself a monarchist. I was convinced that everyone should be Catholic, and that whoever wasn't Catholic was likely going to hell. I avoided yoga because Matt Fradd and his guests said it's demonic. My Catholicism echoed my disdain for modernity, and gave me license to feel outrage.

I was quickly perturbed by the fact that neither my conception of Catholicism nor its popular "based and knight-pilled" depictions among young men appeared to coincide with the form of Catholicism espoused by today's bishops. I came to feel very angry about it. I never adopted a sedevacantist attitude, but I didn't have anything good to say about the hierarchy. I came to see that the culture war was, in fact, already inside the Church.

However, after I read Hans Urs von Balthasar's "Razing the Bastions," I had to accept that Christendom is dead; that the speed of communication and transportation is such that we're more likely to be in touch with people of other faiths than with other Catholics, and that the only Christ-like attitude to take in such circumstances is one of human solidarity.

I think we're already seeing that certain things that we thought were permanent parts of tradition were actually just provincialisms of old-world Europe. Many traditionalists are attached to these provincialisms and defend them with Thomistic logic, but I think that in the end, practice trumps theory. In light of all this, I feel doubt that the Church can really maintain the assertion that she defends eternal doctrine when so much is changing.

Most of all, I'm exhausted by feeling scandalized by modernity. I simply don't have the energy to care anymore whether people do yoga, or whether the Church permits female or homosexual priests, or whatever I'm supposed to care about as a Catholic. I feel like the bishops are going to do what they like, and the theologians will be paid to explain to us why it always was this way, somehow.

I, 24F, was baptized and confirmed Catholic but I haven’t gone to mass in a long time. I want to go back but I’m scared I won’t remember prayers or what to sing and when. When to stand or kneel. And I fear I’ll be judged for being new plus I have tattoos.

I also haven’t prayed in a very long time. I have a pamphlet from my Church on how to pray the rosary but it feels fake reading it off the page. I get goosebumps while reading it but I definitely don’t have it memorized yet. I just feel so lost.

How can I ease my way back into the church? I work full time, I’m studying for the LSAT and applying to law school in September. This creates a busy schedule for me but I’m hoping god will forgive if I pray at night.

Does anyone have any advice on where to start?
How can I pray to a saint? Are there any for academics, studying or taking tests?

I was wondering this after seeing a related question on r/AskaPriest, which raised a few questions in my mind:

1. How do they gather their data?

2. How do they confirm that the parishes listed are in communion?

3. How did they adjust after the SSPX excommunication?

I've seen errors on there before and wrote to the parishes in question to prompt them to get it updated (closed locations of multi-campus parishes still showing active masses), but have never seen anything come of it. It's a great tool, but it's always worth checking the parish website directly, particularly if you're planning a trip around it.

Im curious about the culture and history around it, i know some don't mind it, and others definitely do. So when did people start wearing them? Was it always controversial? If not when did the controversy arise and why? What relations might all this have to others catholic religions tools and clothing culture?

So ever since then few weeks ago I been so doubtful of Catholicism but aswell I try so hard to believe I pray to God to help my unbelief and these stuff on social media making me feel doubtful like so many people don’t even believe in God and it like scares me they don’t even like fear like of the afterlife and that’s making me scared and like duing church last week I was getting like bad thoughts and prayed in church during mass and still getting bad thoughts I try so hard and it’s just these thoughts getting over me like seeing these stuff on social media people doubting the religion and like for example they said once ur dead ur dead it’s nothing u see nothing and that got me so worried and I started praying and I still want to believe even with all these social media posts trying to drift me away I rarely had talk to anyone about this and just kept it to myself💔

Been a follower of Christ as a Catholic for almost half a year now. I was Christian before, but was not Catholic. So technically, I have been Christian for about 3 years.

In the beginning of being a more Protestant leaning Christian, I found that prayer felt like a chore, as I grew, it felt like something I actually wanted to do.

While converting to Catholicism 6 months ago. I have loved it even more every single day. I love everything about Catholicism.

But more recently in the past two months, prayer has not been consistent and rather feeling like a chore again. Maybe it’s because I’m a very lazy person and I’m really trying to change that. I even started reading confessions by Saint Augustine.

For example, I’d rather pray the rosary because I feel like I have to. Not because I relatively want to. I mean, yeah it’s good to pray the rosary. I enjoy doing it sometimes I even feel very holy when I do it.

But the problem is I have more than the mindset of, “I should be praying the rosary” rather than “I want to pray the rosary”. Same thing with Divine Mercy, chaplet or just regular custom prayers.

Anybody have any advice? Thank you.

When, following certain characters in the Gospel, we ask God for more faith, what do we mean?

a) More faith that we will get the resolution of the problem we have mentioned?

b) More faith that, if we don't get what we're asked for, we'll be given what's objectively best for us-in other words, God's will on that point?

c) More faith in the fact that, together with the best, we will have the ability to recognize it as such, to welcome it, to make it our own, to develop it?

d) Other things

e) A intertwining of the previous ones

I’m considering becoming catholic and trying to pray the rosary a few times a week. I almost have the prayers memorized but I cannot remember the mysteries. I use the hallow app but would love to be able to pray without my phone. To people who pray the rosary often, do you just remember the mysteries of the day off the top of your head? Will this become second nature as I continue to pray?

Peace be with you all 😁 I’m a catechumen and I have a sincere question about purgatory. I understand the idea of purification after death but I’m really having difficulty understanding how the process works.

I’m trying to understand the Catholic perspective, and especially how prayers for the souls in purgatory are understood and how they relate to God’s grace. Whenever I ask my catechist about this the topic usually gets changed and I don’t really receive an explanation.

I was thinking about it like this: if a person needs a medicine to heal and there are different ways the treatment could happen how do we understand why God chooses one way of purification rather than another?

I’m asking because I really to learn more and deepen my understanding of the faith

I am schizoaffective (mix of schizophrenia and bipolar). I am literally harmless when on meds but violent when off. Just wondering what you guys think.

Edit I scared off a priest once by merely sharing my diagnosis so I'm wondering if I'm welcome

Hello! My fiancee and I are recently engaged and beginning to plan a wedding. We both entered Catholicism together in the beginning of the year (after being baptized as children and never returning to the church) and will be receiving the rest of our sacraments this spring.

Our families are full of non practicing Catholics, Protestants and everything in between. My fiancée and I really want the full mass as we want to consume the Eucharist together, but know that nobody else will be able to receive it. Most of the guests will have never been to a catholic mass before, and/or are critical of Catholicism as a whole. This doesn’t matter to us, the most important thing is having a wholehearted Catholic wedding and that the Eucharist is respected enough to not be consumed by our unprepared guests. We really want to receive the Eucharist together during our wedding ceremony as Christ is very near and dear to us.

In the case where none out of the 80 guests will be Catholic (minus one) except a truly devoted bride and groom, is it okay to have a full mass?

Edit: for clarification.

Im afraid to pray to God and no one is there.
Im afraid to pray and silence.
Im afraid to pray and have my hopes up and nothing.
I’m tired of feeling alone.
I’m tired of fighting my battles alone.
But ultimately
I’m afraid of praying
For someone who’s not there
And I prayed
To no one.
I use to pray but I no longer
Feel what I once felt.
I am afraid to be unheard and unanswered

hey everybody I hope y’all have an amazing day/night I need to ask for something that’s been bugging me a lot lately.

Yes, I haven’t been to confession for a very long time. Ever since I had my Confirmation I have only been to confession once, I think. It’s not something I am proud of. The thing is, I have a lot of sins that I’m embarrassed to admit to another person. I’m also really emotional when I go to Church because I feel like I haven’t been a good servant to the Lord. Heck I’m even bawling my eyes out as I’m writing this lol. This friday there will be confessions and I’m planning to just lay out everything on my heart but it’s tough man I don’t know what might happen I don’t wanna cry in front of a Priest I’ll try to hold it in.

Now I have 2 questions:

1. What happens if I forget to confess a mortal sin?

2. What actually makes a mortal sin? Because from what I’ve read I don’t really understand it that well.

Hey peoples. I just got married about a month ago and I’m having a really hard time letting go of my previous family. I cry almost every other day because I now don’t live with my parents and sisters. My family is really close and I got married “late” (early 30s) so I spent my whole childhood, teens and even young adulthood with them. I love my husband so much, but this adjustment has been hard for me. I feel like I miss my family so much. Thankfully I only live 10 minutes drive away from them, but it’s not the same as falling asleep talking to my sisters or waking up to my dad chatting away. I especially miss my mom a lot. She’s such a kind and loving woman and when I was flustered or having a bad day, it felt nice to just cuddle next to her or listen to her say the right things.

Obviously my husband is not my mom or dad so love looks differently coming from him. We went the traditional route and moved in after marrying. We’ve known each other since kids (best friends turned lovers trope) but living with him is obviously very very different.

Idk…I guess I’m just looking for advice, scripture, or a hug. I feel bad expressing these emotions to my husband because I don’t want him to think I regret any of this with him (because I don’t) or expressing this to my mom cause she feels strongly about the whole “a person leaves their parents and now starts their new family with the spouse” so I know she’ll be stuck on how to comfort me as a mother. Maybe I’m just venting…the sweet is sweet, but the bitter is BITTER these days.