It's become so toxic on Instagram with the Catholic content creators. Now, the women are only considered Holy if they marry young, a guy said 22. Have 10 kids. The woman needs to be in a sundress, probably with a flower in her hair. Have a basket for her sourdough bread, she's gotten up at 4am to bake. Needs to sew all her children's clothes etc etc. I'm so sorry about your miscarriages & that's what ppl don't take into consideration. What God allows in life. The thing is, ppl call these Catholic influencers out so they should ponder & self reflect their content, but it feels like such a trend or game they need to be a part of. When I was younger I couldn't deal with backlash like that, but they don't seem to care. I would've taken content down in my 20s. A Catholic influencer has guides as to how to marry before your 60s. Ppl keep calling her out for it, but she insists she's just trying to help. I said what if she finds herself single in her 60s because her husband died? She insists she did this & that & a year later she was married. God's will is not a one size fits all. She also insists women want to have children young, sure, I get it. But, it's never about what we want, but what God wants. It's sad because she has her cult followers who think just because things happened for her, they can follow her guides & they'll be married within a year, too. I think God will end up shutting down her content unfortunately, sooo many women write trying to make her see a different perspective, but she insists she has the answers. She'll mature & regret her content soooo much. Her content is repetitive too, it's about not being single in your 60s, how she met her Godly masculine man, how she prepared herself for it etc. But when you confront her about it she backtracks & says 'I never said there was anything wrong with being single in your 60s.' I told her there are ppl with cancer, who don't want cancer, but have it due to God's permissible will & she said 'They can pray to get better.' Of course, but what if they still don't get better. Everything is met with a flippant answer because she has a formula in life & God answered her prayers the way she wanted Him to. So, yea her content is very problematic. I think she's in her mid to late 20s early 30s. I didn't even bother looking, I was already too frustrated lol.
Article from The Catholic Herald: "Is Catholic Ireland really dying, or are there signs of life yet? As the Archdiocese of Dublin prepares to receive a record 129 converts this Easter, fresh figures and firsthand accounts suggest that, despite decades of decline and scandal, a quiet spiritual hunger may be stirring once more in Catholic Ireland." Link below: https://ow.ly/NrcK50YosGQ
It is very hard when it seems certain people get what they want when they want it and everything falls into line for them, when your own life feels so different...full of suffering, waiting, and plenty of "no's" from God. You want to be happy for them, to celebrate their success and not engage in self-pity or comparison. But being only human, it is natural to struggle with these thoughts of why...because we are told by the saints that God gives us what is good for us, not just what we want, and we wonder then if for some people God thinks it's good to give them everything they want, even if it makes them proud and self-confident...while for us, God thinks it's better to humble us constantly. I don't know about you, lol, but I do end up thinking, maybe I'm just a much worse person than that mom who got the 10 kids she wanted. If I had gotten the 10 kids I always dreamed of, maybe I would be an insufferable holier-than-thou person who believed I was worthy of such blessings. Maybe the fact that I feel somehow slighted and passed over is the proof that I AM unworthy. But God is merciful, and so, so good. I believe that He not only understands our weak feelings and loves us in spite of them, but that we can use our weakness to draw Him much closer to us than we would have otherwise. David cried to God constantly in the Psalms, asking why the good seem to suffer and be passed over so often... But he and God loved each other so much. Like Jacob, we wrestle with God, saying "I will not let You go!" And God blesses us and fills us with things we might not have thought to ask for if we had received our desires for this life.
Let me say from my own personal journey, humility is a most beautiful virtue which is wedded to authentic love; I know it takes time to mature. My conception is that the Traditionalist Movement is made up of many in the under-40 category. I still need lots of transformation before humility and charity are intertwined, and I'm in my 70s. I rejoice the Traditionalists embrace a Liturgy that will guide them on a path to spiritual maturity. Give the young Trads a chance to mature. They stand on a solid foundation. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for me who has recourse to thee.
It is important to remember that far, far, far more Catholics are leaving the Church than entering it. The reason why Catholics leave the Church is that they were never taught it in the first place. The reason why they were never taught it was that the Catholic Teachings Orders, especially the nuns vanished after Vatican 2.
Thank you, Jesus, for my faithful parents, and for their example of a lived Faith! Eternal rest grant to them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all my extended loved ones of past generations, rest in peace. Amen!
You're right Padraig, let's not get too carried away. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised to see the numerous reports of people coming into the Church, new converts / reverts etc. A lot of the time it feels far from that way. There's another thread called Ireland Has Fallen and I've posted some things there lately which reflect a different side of things. One was a recent article about the Augustinians' difficult decision to leave Cork City after a long association of almost 800 years, due to declining vocations. Thank God there are also these other reports of people being drawn into the Catholic faith for various reasons. Long may it continue and increase.
Good video from Robert Nugent this evening. "Gary Hamrick is 'deeply concerned' by growing numbers becoming Catholic."
My Name Is Lazarus: How the Church and Chesterton Rescued Me From Racial Hatred My photo had become the visual shorthand for white supremacy in contemporary America. The writings of G.K. Chesterton, however, helped lead me to Christ and His Church. Peter Cytanovic VI Peter Cytanovic (right) before his conversion invite the reader to Google my name. There is a strong possibility that you have encountered my photograph at some point, as it has become part of the visual shorthand for white supremacy in contemporary America. That image was taken when I was 20 years old, nearly 21. I am now 29. Despite the passage of time, many continue to see me only through that image. For this reason, I have decided it is finally time to tell my conversion story: how I became Catholic and how I found joy after the despair. My name is Lazarus, and this is the story of my journey to Christ and rebirth. My decision to attend the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville was not a single, isolated act; rather, it was the culmination of years of poor choices. Although I was raised in a loving home, it was economically strained, and there was a part of me that understood that there was injustice in the poverty I saw around me. Yet, I did not have the language or moral formation to articulate what made it unjust. I was not Catholic or religious at all. Both my parents were born Catholic but left the Faith. I was a “none” who was culturally Christian as a vague abstraction. I wanted justice, but I did not know what justice truly was. I enrolled at the University of Nevada, Reno, but I had no plan, no goal, and that absence of direction became the soil in which my radicalization took root. Over the next two years, my warped sense of justice led me gradually into what can only be described as neo-Nazism, though I did not recognize it as such at the time. The nihilism I had in youth evolved into a zealous rage against the world. I never formally joined a neo-Nazi organization, nor did I desire to, but I increasingly embraced hateful ideas that I justified as necessary to protect what I perceived as my community: the white community. That impulse eventually led me to the identitarian movement. In the summer of 2017, a few months before the Unite the Right rally, I joined the group Identity Evropa, driven by a radical zeal-turned-racial that had reached its breaking point. Yet even during this descent, there was a faint call to something better. In the quiet moments between classes and hours spent immersed in online radical spaces, I sensed a small but persistent voice telling me that I was on the wrong path and that another way was possible. I ignored it, more often than not. Still, I would pause to admire the beauty of my local cathedral when I passed by, and I occasionally attended Mass when invited by friends in the campus pro-life club, even though I did not believe or care at the time. There was an off-ramp, a different answer to the justice I sought, if only I had taken it. I did not. At my first major rally with the alt-right, I was photographed at a moment when years of rage erupted outward for all the world to see. That image captured my anger and hatred in a single frame. I believe that it was divine providence that this photograph was taken and that I was forced to confront the consequences of my actions. I was held accountable; and through that painful reckoning, I was given the possibility of a new beginning. As the weight of those consequences fell upon me, I finally understood what that quiet voice had been. It was Christ, calling me to Him. After the rally, I realized that unless I changed course, I would destroy myself. That fall, I entered RCIA and began the long journey home to the Catholic Church. When I was received into the Church the following Easter, I believed the teachings of Catholicism to be true. What I did not yet know was how to live as a Catholic in my daily life. I had spent years being hateful, angry, and, ultimately, lost—thus habituated to poor choices. In the spring of 2018, I resolved to begin again from the ground up: to study, to rebuild my intellectual and moral life, and to purge the hatred that still lingered in my heart, replacing it with something good. That decision led me to enroll at the London School of Economics, far away from the fallout of my choices. It was in London that I first discovered G.K. Chesterton and began learning how to live as a Catholic in ordinary life. I discovered Chesterton’s political writings as I studied populism, and from there I discovered the beauty and depth of Distributism and Catholic Social Teaching. Alongside Chesterton’s writings, my friendship with Reverend James Walters, the director of the LSE Faith Centre, and my involvement in the wider University of London Catholic community gave me concrete experiences of forgiveness, friendship, and community that went beyond race. They offered me grace and, in return, the opportunity to fill my heart with charity. I graduated in December 2019 and returned home right before Covid swept across the world. Though I was still searching for a new purpose, I had found a roadmap from which to start. By chance, or perhaps by grace, a family friend gave me Chesterton’s Heretics, Orthodoxy, and The Everlasting Man. With time and isolation in abundance, I immersed myself in his work. Chesterton became my guide out of the racial zeal and blind rage that had once dominated my life. His thought provided the foundation on which I learned to live joyfully in Christ after Charlottesville. Chesterton’s words also helped save me from despair. But this change was not quick. When I returned home, I was consumed by shame, guilt, and self-loathing. Once the racial zeal that drove me for years was stripped away, I was without purpose and more lost than ever. Uncertain about my future and burdened by my past, I fell into a deep depression. A friend suggested that I enlist in the military as a form of redemption. With no other direction in sight, I pursued that path, only to be rejected when my past resurfaced. This was not an attempt to infiltrate the military as many online claimed; it was a desperate and foolish attempt by a desperate man to find a sense of purpose. At that point, all I wanted was a way out, but I could see none. Employment was near impossible due to consistent firings or having offers rescinded. Everything from warehouse work to administration or social justice work was denied me. Even some Catholic Worker houses refused to let me volunteer, unconvinced of my conversion and desire to do good. I felt trapped, convinced that my life was effectively over before it had truly begun. Yet, in the quiet moments, I returned to Chesterton. His words gave me small but real reasons to find joy in ordinary life, and through them I found the strength to keep going. The joy of faith was my guide out of the void, away from despair and toward a new purpose that would open up to me when the time was right. Chesterton became my guide out of the racial zeal and blind rage that had once dominated my life. His thought provided the foundation on which I learned to live joyfully in Christ after Charlottesville. My Name Is Lazarus: How the Church and Chesterton Rescued Me From Racial Hatred - Crisis Magazine
I agree but it's truly out of hand lol. They've totally lost the plot & I think a lot of it comes from converts from Protestantism. A young girl posted that a great first date would be to go to a Protestant Bible study & ask them where the rest of their Bible is. Where are they coming up with these ideas lol. And actually, I have to stick up for myself here as well as older single Catholics or single Catholics in general. If anyone questions why someone is single esp if they are older in age it equates to asking a woman why she can't have children or is trying to & it's not happening yet. Only God knows the delay or if it happens at all. Same goes for a woman or man who desires becoming a nun or priest & it doesn't happen for whatever reason. Only ppl going thru it will understand that kind of pain, so forgive me if I think the young Trads will be in for a rude awakening if God doesn't answer their prayers according to their timeline. This is why I just need to bow out of the internet lol. The attitude is I should be patient with them while they throw around all kinds of insults to have the same thing happen to them if they end up single & childless. How will they cope? Thank God I've come to terms with all of this & God knows all I desire is to be obedient to Him & sometimes that means not marrying either if the men who come along encourage sin. Absolutely no one is worth losing my soul over...
Interview with Catholic Writer and Bioethicist Samantha Stephenson on her conversion from Lutheran to Catholic.
About Samantha Stephenson, from her website. "Samantha Stephenson is a Catholic author and bioethicist whose work explores both the spiritual and ethical questions shaping our rapidly changing world—whether in the hidden rhythms of home or at the frontiers of science. She writes the Choosing Human Substack newsletter and hosts the podcast Brave New Us. Samantha is the author of several books helping families navigate the spiritual and ethics questions of the modern age: Reclaiming Motherhood from a Culture Gone Mad, a theology of the body for mothers The Bellbind Letters, a creative take on C.S. Lewis’s spiritual classic Grow Where You’re Planted: Reclaiming Eden in Your Own Backyard, a prayerful guide to seasonal abundance and sustainable family life Samantha holds master's degrees in theology and bioethics, and is a former Paul Ramsey Fellow at the Center for Bioethics and Culture (2023-2025) and course instructor for Notre Dame’s McGrath Institute. Samantha’s writing has been featured at Blessed Is She, CatholicMom, Crisis Magazine, Fairer Disputations, The Federalist, FemCatholic, Natural Womanhood, Notre Dame’s Grotto Network, Our Sunday Visitor, Public Discourse, and Word on Fire. She homeschools her four children and tends a sprawling garden in Idaho’s Snake River Valley." Link to her website: https://www.snstephenson.com/
https://crisismagazine.com/editors-desk/is-the-catholic-church-growing-or-shrinking-in-america I believe this at least partially correct. Im not sure it's entirely right that cradle Catholics leave solely because parish life is effeminate. I believe it is because of overall poor catechesis since at least the 1970s. I also believe as a Church we became too institutionalized that created more of a "check the box" mentality. I know i found myself there. It was let me make sure I go to Mass on Sunday.. get in and get out. Send kids to CCD. Occasional confession. My attitude (fear?) was if I do tgese things God will be ok with me. If I don't, then there's problems with Him. I think many went this way. And it was the "job" of priests and religious to do heavy lifting. I think as much as it sounds "Protestant " , there was no personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I am so happy that I was able to connect with a charism within Church that focused on renewing our baptismal promises and to in ways become a catachumenate again. It has helped me. And i think in many ways it explains why non Catholics are the ones being drawn. They dont cone because of a Church or parish. They come because they see Jesus Christ as the answer to life that can be hard, suffering and unhappy. They have come to see and know Christ is the Way.
Not a 'conversion' story but there have been a few Irish faith related posts recently, so it seemed like a good place to share this one. From Shalom World News page: "Irish music resounded in the heart of Rome last week, when the students from Sacred Heart School, Tullamore, County Offaly, Ireland, performed during liturgies at St. Peter’s Basilica and Basilica of St. Mary Major. The performances by the Irish School choir marked a proud moment for the school community and the nation. Parents, family members, staff, and alumni travelled from Tullamore to witness the special occasion. The invitation followed several notable appearances by the choir in recent years, including performances broadcast on RTÉ, where their blend of sacred music and youthful harmony received widespread praise. After months of preparation, the students presented a programme of sacred works in Latin, English, and Irish, featuring music by Irish composers John O’Keeffe and Ronan McDonagh. The trip formed part of a wider pilgrimage to Rome, during which the group visited several historic and religious landmarks, including the Colosseum. Among those attending the liturgy at St. Peter’s Basilica was Erin Swan, Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Ireland to the Holy See. For many who travelled from Tullamore, the occasion was a memorable moment as the choir’s voices echoed through two of the most significant basilicas in the Catholic world."
The two parishes in my area are both headed by Msgr. Nyarko and often join jointly for such events like a summer picnic. And since daily Masses are split between the two parishes due to their close proximity. one will often see parishioners from both parishes in attendance. In addition, the parishes share the same person, Odette, as parish secretary. She is both warm and marvelously efficient.Being unmarried helps in the sense that her focus is not split between "family" and "parish" responsibilities. Odette is a blessing!
From Shalom World News Fb page today: "In a quiet parish of the Archdiocese of Tokyo, the faith of an eight-year-old girl has quietly touched the hearts of those around her. Minami Kimura, a second-grade student at Shirayuri Gakuen Elementary School in Tokyo, surprised her parents when she announced that she wanted to be baptized as a Catholic. Minami first encountered Christianity at the age of three when she enrolled at Shirayuri Gakuen Kindergarten. Though she remembers little from those early years, she recalls a feeling that stayed with her: “I felt that Jesus was like a family member.” As she grew older, religion classes and Bible stories deepened her understanding of God. Gradually, her desire to draw closer to Christ grew stronger. “Minami has carried the story of Jesus in her heart since kindergarten,” said Kiyoshi Shibata, the Jesuit priest at Kojimachi Church who is preparing her for baptism. When asked what draws her to Jesus, Minami’s answer is simple and sincere: “Jesus’ way of being.” Her decision also touched her mother, Maiko Kimura, who started learning about Christianity to better understand her daughter’s faith. Inspired by Minami’s conviction, she too has chosen to be baptized. Mother and daughter will receive the sacrament together on Easter Sunday at Kojimachi Church. Minami is still deciding which saint’s name she would take, considering Joan of Arc or Thérèse of Lisieux. For Minami’s parents, the baptism is more than a ceremony—it is a foundation of faith that will guide their daughter throughout her life. Discover God’s goodness every day- join Shalom World News! shalomworld.org/news-whatsapp Follow Us Shalom World News."
What a wonderful testimony! It fascinates me and causes great joy to see and read about the conversions of so many souls. Also, the number of new Catholics appears to be growing! The Holy Spirit is on the move!
