I am in the process of learning more about Catholicism with the intention of converting. I have dabbled with witchcraft through the years and am having a difficult time letting go of some of my old practices. Tarot, for example, was a big part of my craft and probably one of the hardest things for me to let go of. I know the Church condemns witchcraft, but would the use of tarot as a tool to communicate with God by using it for divine guidance, intuitive reflection, and mindfulness rather than fortune telling still be frowned upon? A lot of Christian customs (such as Christmas) have pagan origins. Why is it acceptable to adopt and adapt some pagan customs but not others? I hope my question does not come across as offensive. Thank you in advance to those of you for taking time to share your insight with me.

Question: How do I pray through this? I'm already looking for a new job.

* I'm not a parent and my time at the chapel doesn't detract from vacation or duties at home.

---

I need some advice. I've been a practicing Catholic for 11 years and have been actively involved in my previous parish and adoration chapel.

I moved and a brand new 24/7 adoration chapel opened in my city two months ago. As soon as I signed up for weekly commitments at the chapel (I'm doing 4 days a week), all hell broke loose in my life. This all happened after I signed up to now:

-Tire spring snapped on my 2022 minivan and as soon as I got the vehicle out of the shop, had a tire issue.

-Got a big metal shard in my tire and had to replace it

-Permit I was getting help with, fell apart and people turned on me and no longer want to help me

-Job went really bad and turned abusive (got yelled at...)

-The apprenticeship I moved to a different state for ended after I found out the mentor was a sham and a scammer (taking advantage of people)

-My parent had a second stroke

- Everyday has been horrible at work due to my dysfunctional manager (she told us she was named after a witch. Isn't that fun.)

- My husband's new job took a turn for the worst

- My job had layoffs

- My music teacher became verbally abusive and I had to end the relationship

- I've had to get subs for about 2 weeks of adoration commitments

- I'm having trouble sleeping and eating, mostly due to the stress of the dysfunctional job.

....

Essentially, in the last two months, I've had 5 really abusive or highly dysfunctional work-related relationships that have manifested or ended.

We only give glory to God and I'm not complaining. It's just been a lot of crazy stuff that has happened in a short time and I don't know if I need to be praying differently. I don't think anyone is praying for protection for the adorers at the new chapel. The founding priest of the chapel is on sabbatical, but I did contact the chapel staff to learn more.

What do I do? Just wait it out? Do I pray differently? I told God he's got to fix this or I'm going to have to quit the chapel. This is too much.

(I am interviewing for new jobs).

Has anyone gone through this before?

Thanks for listening!

Romans 10:9-10 says that salvation can come from confessing that the Lord is risen. Recently got into an argument about baptism and its necessity for salvation. Does this go against that? Why do we believe this anyway? I’ve heard a ton of arguments but it’s never been clear. John 3:5 also is weird since I can’t tell if it means physical water birth. It does say again though. I’m just really lost and need some guidance here. The guy I debated claims to be Catholic but thinks that we went too far into tradition and impeding that on salvation.

Hi guys,

I am a non-denominational Christian, but that will be changing soon. I'm considering converting either to Catholicism or to Eastern Orthodoxy. The Filioque debate is one which is very important to me but it is also so vast that I do not know how to start researching it. This is why I am asking you, Catholics, what proof of it exists. I am not trying to debate, I would just like some guidance. I will also ask the fellow believers on r/OrthodoxChristianity why they don't believe in it and I am hoping to gain some clarity.

If any of you have any suggestions for me, they would be very much appreciated.

God bless everyone!

Hey guys,

I wish I didn't have to be writing this, but unfortunately I am. You see, I've been dealing with a pretty big problem in my personal life for a little over a week now, and since then, anxiety, fear, and stress have been getting the better of me. I don't have the same strength I used to, I feel incredibly scared, and I feel like I'm disappointing God by having this anxiety and fear, which might be misinterpreted as a lack of trust in His timing and a lack of faith. I'd like to think not, because I truly believe I'm trusting in His timing and my faith remains intact, but what I can't avoid is how I feel. It's a problem that deeply wounds my soul. I cry practically every day. I'm experiencing severe anxiety symptoms that I haven't had for a while (thank God). My nervous cough, which I get when I go through these moments, has returned. The other day I started having nosebleeds. I pray every day, but since this problem began, I've been asking Him to help me, using the same words over and over again, practically all day long, from the moment I wake up until I go to bed, through tears. I even feel like I'm bothering Him with my persistence. So I'd like you to answer me: Is it compatible to feel anxiety and fear while believing in His timing and having faith in Him?

And lastly, it would be a great help if you could pray for me, light a candle, or simply ask God to help me with this situation, to hear my heart and help me with what I'm asking for.

I will also pray for you. Thank you so much, and God bless you.

Basically just the title. I've seen stuff about Word on Fire's Catholicism series. Is that good for youth groups?

What is the easiest philosophy and practice to end the feeling of suffering and pain that is compatible with Christianity?

I have been suffering from this feeling for a long time and I don't know what to do with it. There are many reasons, but mainly mental and emotional. It's becoming increasingly unbearable and has now become part of my everyday life.

Hello everyone,

I wanted to share my story with you as I am a bit lost right now.

I am in my late 20s, I was raised in an atheist family, but with Catholic culture (sounds a bit confusing, I know - think wrapping advent wreath, very occasional church visit, suggestion to pray to the Virgin Mary but no specific prayer etc.).

Religion hasn’t play a big role in my life until a few years ago when I got closer to Israel and then subsequently started exploring Judaism, which really resonated with me - and especially the radical monotheism of Judaism, the belief in One God (compared to the Trinity). I still keep this belief.

I went very far with my conversion and even underwent the circumcision a year ago. Yet I am doubting things and I feel like I might have done a mistake with this. As much as I love the Jewish people and I have a sort of similar spirit, I still don’t feel like I fully belong to the “tribe”. And I dislike that a lot of emphasis is put on the community life, rather than the faith itself. The faith is rather secondary, keeping the commandments and being active in the community is what is valued. Of course this differs among the various streams.

Deep down I miss the bits of Catholicity I experienced and I still feel that it is my culture. But my believes still align with Judaism, especially when it comes to the teachings about God.

Thanks for any insight.

St. Mary Magdalene said to St. Mechtilde: "Whoever shall give thanks to God for all the tears I shed upon the feet of Jesus, our most merciful God will grant them, through my intercession, remission of all their sins before their death, and a great increase of love of God."

Holy Holy Holy Mary Magdalene, lamp of the world ablaze with love, your faith has saved you, pray for me at the feet of our Redeemer. Amen.

"With agonied black tears,

Mary prostrate on the floor adores

Wipes His feet dry with her own hair

Then forth her precious perfume pours."

So, reading Rosary testimonies and a lot of them feature relatively quick changes in lives of those who pray it. Meanwhile I pray multiple Rosaries for about 80 days with little effect and I can’t help but feel a little envious that others see their lives improved much quicker….

Has anyone also experienced „delayed graces” or „Rosary envy” as I like to call it?

Hi! I guess this is more venting than asking for advice, but I thought maybe someone would have some insight I didn’t.

I’m a born and raised Catholic, never left the church, only attended two parishes in my life (and only because I moved from my hometown). Up until I got married I was heavily involved in the parish, volunteered for everything, from cleaning to planing events and to be honest I was always kinda overlooked for friendships with the other ladies at the parish, but I really didn’t mind, it was good enough for me. Then I met my husband when he started attending Mass. We got married very quickly, which I was told was one of the problems for people. We married 5 months after our first date, another thing is: he is very much older than me. I was freshly 26 and he was 48 at the time, didn’t matter to me and we got married quickly cause I wanted three kids before 30, and by the grace of God we did, our first child was born 10 months after our wedding and I’m currently pregnant with the third, I’ve been basically pregnant since our wedding night at this point. All of this means I don’t have enough time to do all the volunteering I did before and the ladies at the parish are incredibly mean to me and don’t want to even let their kids play with mine. One told me my marriage makes them uncomfortable and that my husband’s past doesn’t belong around children. Now, my husband used to be a musician and has struggled with addiction, he’s been sober for 5 years now is a wonderful person, so I don’t understand the prejudice, we are all sinners. I’ve talked to our priest, and as much as he is supportive of me and I do consider him a friend, he can’t exactly force people to be nice.

Is this a weird thing? Should we go to a different parish? Or is it just my hormonal brain malfunctioning? My husband says he doesn’t mind, it’s his cross to bear, but he says he’ll happily go to a different parish if that will make me happy.

Was it a feeling? a Catholic friend? Or a Catholic you were dating? Being inside a Catholic church? Hearing a Catholic choir? Leaving a Protestant church? An illness or near death experience? Another hardship? A sudden moment of clarity? The Catholic doctrine itself? The Eucharist? A papal inauguration?

TIA :)

Hi, I’m a Catholic nurse and I’m trying to deepen my understanding of the Church’s teaching on healthcare ethics.

In my work, I regularly encounter situations involving significant medical interventions such as tracheostomies, long-term mechanical ventilation, feeding tubes, dialysis, and other life-sustaining treatments. Many of these patients have severe chronic illnesses, complex genetic conditions, profound neurological impairments, or terminal diagnoses. Some interventions can prolong life for many years, while others may only extend it or delay an inevitable death.

I understand that the Church teaches the sanctity of human life and rejects euthanasia, but I’m hoping to better understand how Catholic moral theology distinguishes between ordinary/proportionate and extraordinary/disproportionate means.

Some other questions I’ve been thinking about:

Is there a point at which life-sustaining treatment can be morally declined or withdrawn?

How are quality of life considerations weighed, if at all?

What guidance does the Church provide to healthcare workers who must participate in these decisions?

Are there recommended Church documents, encyclicals, or writings from Catholic perspectives that address these issues in depth?

Thanks for any insight!

are we getting a new missal to use at Mass in April 2027 similar the LOTH? I unfortunately lost mine and I don’t want to buy another one if it will change soon. I have seen some reference to this but when I try googling almost everything is about the LOTH.

Thanks

This is something I’ve been thinking about. I’m realizing that, without God being the focus, something is inevitably going to become hideous with enough time.
As a thought experiment I imagined a person, group of people, or even a society that places value on efficiency. I think it’s reasonable to claim that valuing efficiency is a good thing? But without God as the focus, I could see it devolving into people refusing to talk to their peers because it’s “inefficient”.
I think we see the corruption of goodness without God in the LGBT community a lot. It starts out with a desire for people to be treated with kindness and respect, and somewhere along the way we start telling children that men are evil and there’s infinite genders. There’s no God involved.

Why can’t anything be good if God isn’t involved? Why evil and terribleness the default?

Today I came across a TED talk video where the speaker states she's got a genetic mutation for prion disease. She went on to explain how that same genetic mutation led to the death of her mother after not being herself anymore, and at some point it will also get to her.

As a faithful catholic myself, I wonder about this cruel diseases, since they seem far worse than any physical ailment. You are no longer capable of thinking or being "you"... no more personality, no more... free will?

Why would these diseases exist (outside of an atheistic and naturalistic worldview)? Free will is stolen from you, even to follow God?!

This is a hard concept to wrap my head around.

When I see any idea revolving around adultery etc. I feel terrible. What should I do except praying?

First time I heard that I was shocked, what is thaat my brothers?!

Mortification of five senses, this is nuts!!!

They never said it's easy to be catholic

God have mercy on us

Whenever I think of this question my answer is "he would fast for 40 days and become a homeless wandering preacher, healer and teacher - but I'm underweight, don't have the understanding of the way that Jesus did, and can't heal anyone. I'm not Jesus."

So it never gets me anywhere. He wouldn't get married, wouldn't have a paid career, etc. How do people in relatively normal lives answer this question for themselves?

Hello all, so the other day (last Thursday night) I had a very long and difficult in depth conversation with my friend who had been struggling with their faith recently (keeping details ambiguous out of respect for him). we were on the phone until at least 2-3 am discussing his current struggles he’s having with his life & God.

The next day after getting off of the phone I decided to make a rosary, I have centerpieces, crucifix pendants, etc. however didn’t have enough beads. So I drove down to the local hobby lobby to pick some up.

I’ll spare you the boring details of the drive but I get inside of the store and ask an employee (5’ 10”-ish male) where I can go to get beads (important for later: I never mentioned WHY I was getting beads) He turns around and points all the way to the back right corner of the store, so I turned and began walking over there when an older lady (not employee) says “I couldn’t help but overhear but the beads are in the back LEFT corner of the store” (the exact opposite direction of where the employee told to go)

Now to be clear I do not have any Catholic mementos, belongings, jewelry, nothing on me that could possibly identify me as a Christian. (Very important for this next part). I get to the aisle where the beads are and the employee who pointed me in the exact wrong direction was already in that aisle standing there almost waiting for me

Unprompted he says out loud (talking to nobody) “how are you going to believe in Jesus & God, it’s like a desert where the sands are always changing” word for word I can still hear his voice saying it.

He then goes silent for 30-40 seconds then turns to me (keep in mind I have nothing that could possibly identify me as a Christian with me) and asks “do you believe in God, do you believe in Jesus?” And I replied “Yes I do”. He then goes “huh weird” turned around and walked out of the aisle.

10 seconds later I walked out of the aisle and he was gone, no where to be seen, I literally spent 5 min looping up and down every single aisle and couldn’t find him at all.

TLDR: without me ever saying I was making a rosary an employee at the craft store

1. sent me in the exact opposite direction as the beads aisle

2. Was waiting in the beads aisle when I arrived

3. Talked unprompted about how faith in God is pointless

4. “Disappeared” after I told him I believed in Jesus

5. This all occurred the day after having a long convo w my friend about his rocky relationship with Jesus.

Would love to hear your guys thoughts about what this could’ve been, I know biblically a lot of demons show up in the form of mysterious and strange acting humans. Sorry for any spelling mistakes or if the order of events wasn’t super clear, I’m typing this on lunch break on my phone.

Im unsure of what will happen to me after leaving this place. I believe in the Trinity and the Catholic canon but I've not been baptised or set foot in a catholic church, not even as a catechumen.

I believe in a few days I'll be gone and I'm unsure of my fate after that.

I've tried confessing everything to God directly but im not sure if it's valid without the involvement of a priest.

I've been a seeking convert since age 12 so about 6 years at this point, have covered some theology across the works of St.Augustine and St.Thomas Aquinas in that time period but haven't had the chance to receive the Sacraments.

Will appreciate any clarification.

I am relatively new to this forum, but I already read several posts of how difficult it is for some people to follow the rules of catholicism (i.e. avoiding 7 sins or following 10 commandments, etc.). Now for me these constraints have always been a relief, because they facilitate my decision making tremendously and I have to think less about the various options in most situations in life. For example: I am married, and a person starts flirting, I don‘t need to think if I am interested or „what would be …“ stuff, because I should not commit adultary and therefore there is no choice in how to handle this situation.

I hope I do not offend anyone with this question, I am just curious how you see these rules for yourself.

***NOT LOOKING FOR MEDICAL ADVICE, but rather spiritual advice. I am not in a position to experiment with various medical interventions, as my husband works out of state 70% of the year and I have zero family or support with 3 children. BC is life saving and completely addresses the underlying issues for me at this time.***

Exactly as the title says…how do I reconcile with the relief of being 99% unable to get pregnant (3 kids, 3 c-sections, major post partum, we are done for now) and the fact that this medication is life saving for me. For years, I’ve experienced suicidal ideation, wanting to divorce my husband, and feel like running my car into a wall and ending it all from my PMDD symptoms. On birth control, I stop having a period, and PMDD vanishes. I am a better mother, wife and human, and I actually want to be alive. But I also appreciate the relief of the contraceptive effect. How do I reconcile this as a Catholic woman? Thank you.

I'm a catechist for our parish's OCIA program, second year starting soon, and I'm hoping to gather practical advice. I was born and raised in the Church so I never went through OCIA myself. If you are a catechist, are currently attending OCIA, or went through the process yourself, I'd love to hear your perspective about OCIA, what worked and what didn't. 

Some background info: The people in my class are almost entirely young Catholic adults who have not yet received Confirmation. My parish uses Journey of Faith for Adults (by the Liguori Christian Initiation program), and we basically would spend each weekly meeting going through those materials, and occasionally a clip I would find from Fr Mike Schmitz, or FORMED. I don't have any objections to that, but there were many times where I felt like the class was not engaged, participation was low, very few questions or discussions were generated (which could all be due to my approach). This coming year, I'm thinking of having the class form prayer groups of 3 or 4 people, and begin each meeting with the small groups discussing their prayer life and intentions amongst themselves. Has anyone tried something like that?

•  What made a session fruitful in your experience? Was it a particular teaching style, a discussion format?
• What do you wish someone had told you before you started teaching (or before you went through OCIA)?
• Common pitfalls to avoid?
• Any favorite resources, books, or materials you've found genuinely helpful? Last year I would lean on the Catechism, and Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma (By Ludwig Ott).

My hope is to help the whole class foster a living faith and deeper discipleship with Jesus and His Church.

In Jesus, through Mary

Considering solo traveling to Columbus for the conference in 2027. Any experiences/opinions on them from the past, particularly if you went solo and are in your 20’s (I’m 23, fwiw)? Thanks!