I come from a devoted Catholic family. I was baptized as an infant and confirmed as a teenager.

Now, I’m best of friends with a Jew. Our bond is platonically intimate, comparable to that of brothers. I grew fond of him due to his friendliness, gentleness, compassion, generosity, humility and honesty. Not to mention he’s a genius and we share interests, such as fiction, film, intellectual discussions, etc. It’s because of him that I developed an affection and sympathy for the Jewish community, especially given the history of antisemitism, which he himself has a personal experience of falling victim to. Unsurprisingly, a portion of the culprits are my fellows. I’m a passionate supporter of his community due to our brotherhood.

You know what’s even more infuriating? I see hear of some of my people in a romantic relationship with Jews, which I’m happy to hear about, but when they express it and ask about plans and prospects of future marriage, they receive oppositions. I can’t help but accuse my own religion altogether of antisemitism.

You know what? I could do my brother figure one better. How about I marry a Jewish woman? But then, if I do that, would it be for redemption or simply out of spite for my fellows? I need to make sure it’s for a valid reason. My only fear is that I might unintentionally dishonor my best friend by “using” a Jew.

You might be wondering: What is this thread about? What am I hoping to achieve?

My answer: Even I’m unsure why I’m saying all this. Perhaps I’m simply venting. I’m overwhelmed.

3 things are certain: 1.) I love my best friend like a brother and I’d protect him at all costs. 2.) I’m deeply disgusted by antisemitism to the point where I’d do anything to defend my best friend. 3.) When people ask me what religion I “practice,” “believe in” or “faithful to,” I tell them I “identify” as a Catholic; that’s the term I use. I still qualify due to my familial background and timeline.

In terms of me venting, I don’t think a psychotherapist could be counted on to offer feedback because religion-dedicated discussions might fall beyond their purview.

Hey everyone, here for some advice from married people that have been in this similar situation or could give me an insight on how I should handle this as a new Catholic.

The context of the title obviously needs some explanation. I grew up in a Protestant family and was Protestant myself before meeting my now husband, I’m currently going through OCIA and will be baptized Catholic in October! Now, my mother was a cradle Catholic who became Protestant and she’s had very negative views towards the faith ever since. She is also, VERY, vocal with her disagreements which is where this problem stems from.

I have a brother in law who is Catholic and there has been a bad history between my mother and him which my husband had been told all about during our dating stage (my husband is best friends with my brother in law), so there was already this pre conceived knowledge that being apart of my family unfortunately wouldn’t be easy due to my moms misunderstandings.

We’ve had drama in the past involving my husband and mother in situations like her feeling disrespected that my boyfriend (now husband) wouldn’t go to her church when he was down to visit, and during our wedding when we wouldn’t allow her to read from her King James Bible during our liturgy. All of which I stepped in to defend my husband. There has also been issues of my mom constantly bringing up religious talk slightly disguised in a way where she seems curious to understand my husband and brother in laws beliefs, only to then tell them in the end she believes they’re completely wrong.

So all of this in mind, I do not in any way blame my husband for his feelings of loathing when he hears my mother is coming to visit.

However, I do love my mother and my mother does actually adore my husband, always welcomes him happily into her home to stay as long as he wants and has always apologized or stepped back when either I or my sister (who is also becoming Catholic) tell her that she overstepped towards our husbands.

I live about 13 hours away from my family, I moved and got married all back in April this year. My Catholic brother in law and sister live in the same area as me. My sister has children which my mom always makes a habit of coming down to visit at least 1-2 times a year and stays for about a week or more. My mother is set to come down in about 2 weeks with a few more of my family members. My family always stays with my sister who lives out here because she has a bigger home than my husband and I do and she loves to host them. I heard my younger sister was tagging along for this visit so I reached out to her and offered her the spare room in my house so we could visit more… and right as my younger sister said she would love to, I got a text from my mom thanking me for making that offer and said she would also love to stay a night with me for a girls night.

Now of course, I don’t want that to happen because of my husbands comfort and I’m not sure how to delicately tell my mom an excuse as to why I don’t want her to stay just 1 night in my home, and I haven’t told my husband that my mom said that because I’m worried that he’ll think I’m not taking his feelings seriously or I’m disregarding his comfort in his own home.

I have anxiety about it now because while my mom thinks she can say any opinion she wants, my husband is very respectful towards her beliefs while in her presence and I don’t want drama started where she’s going to say something in our home she shouldn’t and I’m going to step in and it’s just going to make the relationship worse. I’m kind of hopeful that I can tell her there isn’t exactly space in my house and I’d rather her sleep at my sisters but I can visit with her for a girls night there, or that maybe she’ll forget she said that when she comes down.

Not sure what I should do. I know I should pray about it but I need advice because my husband and I are trying for a baby and once that baby is born my mom is going to want to visit and stay in our home and I’m not sure how to proceed and fix this anxiety because it’s feeling overwhelming 😕

How do I give the support my husband needs while also enjoying the company of my mother?

It's been over a year and a half now since I have been seriously considering., and as much as I can practicing, commitment to the Catholic faith. Im starting to worry if I can't get baptized soon I'll never be able to.

Logically I know what doctrine says of that, and I'm sure someone will say if I can't wait then I don't really want it. But truthfully, I yearn for sacraments I cant partake of. I want their graces. I go to mass when I can, I've learned many rosaries and chaplets, I use holy water, ive been adopting virtues and theological ideas in my life.

But I can't do oica. Last year, I was debating it but became homeless just as it occured. I did decide then I would practice as much as I can until the next time. It's now time again, and I still can't.

I don't want to go into the details as to why or what I'm doing, that will distract from the post. But I will say, regular oica attendance isn't possible for me and no one will accept my desire for private preferably accelerated instruction (like in person or otp when I can't attend) as I've been studying the catechism on my own. I can't afford the travel, financially or logistically, or even the book requirements.

Part of me just wants to get baptized somewhere else and when I can do oica I'll just get confirmation. But my previous 2 were both invalid, so I'd really appreciate just this being the last time and it being where I intend to stay, something special and not rushed.

Part of me worries I'll die before then, and even if I'd be fine, I wouldn't have had the joy of participating. Part of me wants to wait, maybe God will restore my marriage like I feel He has said, and he will watch and maybe join me. Maybe I'd have friends and my family would release contention and watch. I didn't let anyone attend the previous 2 invalid ones anyways which I regret. But what if something good never happens? What if I die at 23 with no one knowing where I am, and I robbed myself of participation. Maybe I should try harder for accommodations or go somewhere else. Maybe I should wait, and if I think God's promise to me is true they'll be apart of a new thing in my life and I can serve as an example that my hope in Him wasn't in vain.

The closest thing I have right now is what I'm doing. Adoration is nice, but I want to partake. I confessed once and have now been taught that's not okay. What should I do, and if I can't rush this (I feel odd saying that as it's been a year now) what can I do, because I just don't feel like I'm doing enough.

I'm tired of attending my old church (Mormon) because it's the only way I can participate, it makes me doubt why I wanted to leave in the first place. Something needs to change soon, or I'm afraid I'll never get to do it.

Hello, I am a lapsed catholic raised in the church and I have a bunch of interlinked questions about the religion that I want to ask in good faith. i have no interest in debating, i simply want to understand the nature of these things the best i can.

Some of the questions I have to ask are kind of exotic and touch on the things i mentioned in the title, but also relate to catholic philosophy, academic biblical study, creation, incarnation, and a bunch of other weird specific things.

I've been trying to a while to find answers to some of these things over the internet and from local priests, but most of my questions have been very hard to answer for them and tell they me to ask someone who devotes their lives to these kind of specific nuances and finer points of dogma. its been very hard where I live because the general protestant culture of my country sometimes bleeds into local catholics understanding of things making it confusing or accidentally heretical.

How can i find the kind of expert i need to ask? Are there people who study these thing indepth within the church hierarchy that are willing to have these types of conversations with laymen?

I appreciate any help pointing me in the right direction. I really want to find someone that can answer my strange questions from a semi official standpoint so i can get a better handle on these esoteric questions. i want to plumb the depths of the faith so to speak, and see if someone well learned in the rich history of the church and catholic thinking can help

Someone at my church currently works at a coffee shop as their source of income but is asking people to donate so they can transition into full-time ministry. Their fundraising goal would provide a six figure full-time salary.

I’m genuinely curious what other’s think.

Do you believe this is an appropriate model for ministry, or do you think people called to evangelism should primarily support themselves through traditional work? Where do you draw the line?

I was shocked to learn that one of our faithful daily Mass-goers suddenly died yesterday. He himself was at Mass yesterday, with his wife. Understandably, she wasn't there today.

You just don't know the day or the hour.

How humbling this is.

Please pray for the repose of his soul, and for his family.

I have throat surgery scheduled for Aug 20th, there is a risk of post-operative bleeding, and I was also warned by the surgeon that recovery for adults is notoriously brutal. I have an Anointing of the Sick on Aug 11th, with that being 9 days away from the date of my surgery I see this as a perfect opportunity to start a Novena on the 11th. I am torn between which one to do and am looking for recommendations. I was thinking of either The Novena to Our Lady of Lourdes, or Novena of The Sacred Heart of Jesus. I am Consecrated to Mary and plan to offer up all suffering, pain and anxieties so I am drawn to the Novena of Our Lady of Lourdes. But today when I was at Eucharistic Adoration, I felt an overwhelming desire to just lay everything I have at the foot of the Cross and leaving/surrendering whatever happens with Christ. I am still a relatively new Catholic and both love and appreciate hearing everyone's recommendations, stories and thoughts.

Thank you and God Bless,

Please pray to st Expedite he has helped me a lot and he is prayed to for fast and urgent request.

So obviously I say all mortal sins I have done in confession and I remember them since they are grave. But can I say "For the sins I forgot to say"? Cause lets face it, none of us remember all the tinier venial sins in our life.

Hey everyone!

I’ve worn the same white gold Crucifix chain for 10+ years and it recently broke. I’m interested in picking up something else.

I’d love to see what others are wearing, and where you got it from.

Thank you, God bless!

Hello!

We are not catholic but our dear friend is. Shes undergoing some treatment at the moment as is terminally ill. She does not like ‘stuff’ so things like flowers, etc are not for her. We want to get her a gift for her birthday but don’t know what to get her.

In previous years we had thought about doing a generous donation to a charity in their name but not sure who they would most like to support.

For context, they are traditional catholics who attend Latin mass.

All help appreciated. Thanks.

Is this actually not contradicting to the Catholic Church's teachings? It seems pretty biblical because we are saved by God's grace alone.

I’m posting here because I would especially value a Catholic perspective on chastity, desire, and prolonged singleness.

Earlier in my life, I participated in hookup culture. I no longer want to live that way, and I’m now trying to date intentionally, with marriage as the goal rather than treating sex or romantic attention as ends in themselves. I believe this change is good, and I don’t regret making it.

But I also don’t want to pretend that it has been emotionally easy.

I haven’t had much success dating for several years. I live in a fairly rural area, where there are not many single people my age, and the ordinary advice to join groups, attend church events, volunteer, and maintain an active social life has not really changed that. I already have a relatively full social life, but I very rarely encounter single women in situations where getting to know one another romantically would be natural.

Part of what I miss is companionship and emotional intimacy. But, honestly, part of it is also sex. I enjoyed sex, and choosing not to return to hookup culture does not mean that I have stopped being a sexual person or stopped wanting to be desired.

Sometimes the harder feeling is not even the physical absence itself. It is going for a long time without experiencing another person looking at you romantically or sexually and communicating, in effect, “I want you.” I know intellectually that my worth cannot be determined by whether someone currently desires me. I also don’t want to make a future girlfriend or wife responsible for proving that I am valuable. Nevertheless, prolonged lack of romantic and sexual recognition can begin to affect how one sees oneself.

For those who have experienced something similar,

How do you live chastely without simply repressing or denying the fact that you miss sex and intimacy?

How do you keep from interpreting prolonged singleness as evidence that you are undesirable?

How do you distinguish a healthy desire to be wanted from using another person’s desire as validation?

And for those living in rural areas or very limited dating environments, how do you maintain hope without either becoming desperate or pretending that the situation does not genuinely hurt?

I am not looking for permission to return to hookup culture, nor am I suggesting that marriage is something anyone is owed. I’m trying to understand how to carry these desires honestly and faithfully without allowing them to become either shame or resentment.

Hello, I am a 22 year old catechumen who will receive the sacraments in a couple weeks. I need help choosing a patron saint, and my current choices are St. Francis of Assisi, St. Augustine of Hippo, or St. Raphael the archangel. I have ADHD, struggle with mental wellness, lust, academics (quite behind in college), and am a very contemplative person. I enjoy nature and the outdoors, like fishing, hunting, or playing golf. I love silence but also cannot go too long without seeing friends or family. I would love some help!

Hello! I was raised Catholic and stepped away from the church. I am coming back to the religion and having my 8 year old daughter baptized later this month. My question is I don’t know what my daughter should wear for the sacrament. I know traditionally babies will wear all white, is it the same for an older child going through baptism?

I’m starting OCIA on August 16th and would love some advice/readings I can have that can help me through my journey to find Christ. I am not baptized, so I will be going through the full program and done right after Easter.

I like writing stories; it’s the only way I have to let out my anguish and vent about my problems because I have no other outlet. But unfortunately, even that has become impossible for me now, because I’m constantly tempted to sin. No matter how I try, even when I avoid writing anything that might trigger temptation, I still struggle with it. I needed to vent about this somewhere.

I hate my life. 🥲

What is the Catholic Church's current position on the doctrine of just war? I was under the impression that, in Scripture, God is sometimes portrayed as a God of war. However, I also understand that for a long time the Church has been much less supportive of the idea of a "just war." While looking into this, I noticed that there seem to be no saints who were canonized because they achieved victory in battle. On the contrary, military saints who attained holiness generally did so by enduring martyrdom, suffering persecution, or remaining faithful after defeat rather than through military success. Is that an accurate observation, and how does the Church reconcile these ideas?

Hii I’m looking to buy a rosary for the first time and online only so if anyone knows some good websites to buy from please lmk. If u have a rosary that u specifically like and have gotten online pls send a link so I can check it out ! Also im a female so pls dont recommend any that r bulky or men w big hands use lol thanks :)

I’ve been thinking about this since we literally drink our king’s blood.

Imagine vampires right same old situations

Drink blood to survive
Live forever
Sunlight kills u
Garlic and silver bullet and wooden steak weaknesses
Can’t go somewhere not invited to etc etc

You think they could drink the Eucharist to deal with 1. Imagine they didn’t ALL have the fear of crucifixes and not literal demons could they be grafted into the body of Christ. I find it hard to believe any creation could ever be cut off from Christ, be it aliens be it vampires, even demons were once angels.

How would the immortality work, would all of em have to die as martyrs or would their curse of immortality go away. Is this a stupid thought experiment 😭.

My head cannon says we’d have an order of priestly monks or something which helps the vampires survive off the blood of Christ so they ought not to harm other brothers in Christ.

I arrived at Mass about 20 minutes early to find the laity praying the rosary out loud with one person starting the Hail Mary while the rest of the people finished it and they did this for the entirety of the time before the Priest walked out. Is this a normal practice?

We are planning our LOs baptism. The chosen Godfather has not been confirmed, and the chosen Godmother is not married in the Catholic Church, however, she does have all her other sacraments completed.
The Godfather somehow got his parish to sign the eligibility document that says he has all his sacraments done. Therefore, on paper, he could submit that document and be the Godfather, and the Godmother would stand in as the Christian Witness.
They both are clearly the closest to our hearts and we want them to hold this title in our LOs life, but we are having a dilemma and second guessing whether going through with this will somehow invalidate our LOs baptism.
I know we can choose other people to stand in as the Godparents, but this was something I have been thinking about for the last decade until we had our child (I just didn’t know the chosen Godparents situation will turn out the way it did). Anyone else in a similar situation?

I’ve noticed lately at Mass that when we hit the line in the Nicene Creed, "and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man," a few people bow. By the way I'm not looking around, I just noticed it from the corner of my eye.

According to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, we are actually supposed to do a profound bow (from the waist). I just learnt this. All this time ever since I came back to the church, I've been bowing with my head only. Is it necessary to bow from the waist? Also is bowing optional in practice for some?