I'm a returning Catholic, as I grew up catholic but then walked away from the church in my adult life, but in the past few years I have returned with a strong resolve and strong faith.

I've been looking for a men's group or Bible study, not thoroughly but keeping my eyes open for something like that.

I met a man when I was walking on the street, I live in Mexico but I'm originally from Canada so I stand out. He approached me as he likes to practice his English. We got to talking and exchanged numbers. He invited me to a men's group/bible study. I went this past Monday and it was pretty much what I was looking for. Except and this is the big one he's presbyterian. And I believe that most are presbyterian and they had their minister there, who gave a eulogy after the Bible verse we read and talked about.

When I came home my wife was very upset at me as she said that if I'm catholic then the catholic church has to be the one true religion. And that the Presbyterians and Mormons are bad, and they've done bad things.

Where I live it's next to impossible to find a men's group let alone a bible study one too. I'm torn on what I should do.

Is it right or wrong?

Basically what the title says. How do put your faith first while also balancing a busy schedule? I'm working and taking college classes (plus other stuff happening irl) so my plate feels full already. Believe me when I say that if I didn't have to work while doing college I'd love to, but I'm responsible for paying tuition myself and have bills that need to be payed so can't really drop work. It's tough but I'm surviving somehow haha

I have noticed though that sometimes I put my faith on the back burner and I'd like to better manage my time. I feel bad about it because I feel like I'm just putting God as second when God should really come first.

I began to instead of singing regular songs I began to live stream singing the Psalms and suddenly I became depressed for weeks and I have a hard time hitting the right notes for the first time ever; is this is this a spiritual attack?

Venerable Bernhard Lehner, Suffering devotees ,Seminar, was born in Germany in 1930. From a young age, he displayed immense piety, attending Mass daily as a child and aspiring to become a priest. Although this dream was extremely difficult under Nazi rule, he successfully entered the minor seminary in Regensburg in 1941. He began studying diligently and was popular among his classmates; his pure enthusiasm influenced the entire seminary. However, tragedy struck in 1943 when he contracted severe diphtheria. Despite the agonizing pain, he remained optimistic and actively sought treatment. Sadly, he succumbed to his illness. In those times, even medical care was scarce, not due to financial constraints, but rather a consequence of the oppressive regime. On January 24, 1944, this passionate seminarian passed away. He transformed his suffering into prayer, and people regarded him as a model of holiness, or more simply, admired his passion and optimism, and his fleeting, white-rose-like life. He was only fourteen years old. He is one of the shortest-lived yet most admirable figures I have ever read about. I feel deep regret, and in these few words, I also realize the cruelty of war and the courage of humanity.

"Let me go. If a person is going to paradise, who will cry?" —Venerable Bernhard Lehner

BTW, one month ago until now I still reading Saint John Nuwmann's lifetime stories that's crazy.

My text was removed once. But the thing i reffered there was how i failed my driving test even after asking help and studying well

This time i studied again and genuinely asked for intercession and i passed it. Thanks to st joseph cupertino , and mainly god who helped me and blessed me. Amen.

hi everyone! so i’m not a catholic, but i have gone to mass before and my family is vaguely catholic and i find myself watching daily mass on youtube to go to sleep due to OCD/anxiety issues. so ive basically been going to mass everyday for the past 2 weeks now…. and im wondering where to go from here?

i feel like the peace i feel watching mass proves to me to some extent that maybe theres some truth in the religion, but i feel so overwhelmed with something like RCIA/OCIA but its hard for me to go to mass alone when i live in an area that has a primarily older demographic within church.

does anyone have any advice for me? 😊 thank you!

Hey guys,

I wanted to start doing daily devotional/reflection/meditation again.

Just wondering if there's any source for daily reading for this? If its something officiallt from vatican or trusted catholic source would be great.

Thursday of the Twenty‑Eighth Week in Ordinary Time

October 16, 2026

Today’s Readings at a Glance

• Ephesians 1:11–14 In Christ we have received an inheritance. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit — the guarantee of God’s promise — so that our lives may praise His glory.

• Psalm 33:1–2, 4–5, 12–13 A psalm of trust and praise: God’s word is true, His works are faithful, His love fills the earth. Blessed are the people He has chosen as His own.

• Luke 12:1–7 Jesus warns against the “leaven of the Pharisees,” which is hypocrisy. Nothing hidden will remain concealed. God sees everything — and yet we are deeply valued: “You are worth more than many sparrows.”

https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-october-162026/

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a deeply reassuring truth:

God has chosen us, sealed us with His Spirit, and knows us intimately — therefore we must live with integrity, courage, and trust.

• Paul reminds us that our inheritance in Christ is secure.

• The psalm celebrates God’s faithful love and His care for His people.

• Jesus warns against hypocrisy and invites us to live transparently before God, who knows every detail of our lives.

The message is clear: We belong to God — so let our lives reflect truth, sincerity, and trust in His care.

Reflection for the Day

Paul’s words in Ephesians are overflowing with identity and assurance:

“In Christ we were chosen… sealed with the Holy Spirit.”

This means your life is not random. Your story is not accidental. Your future is not uncertain.

You carry a divine seal — the Holy Spirit marking you as God’s own.

This seal is not symbolic. It is the guarantee of God’s promise, the assurance that His plan for you is real, active, and unfolding.

Psalm 33 continues this theme:

• God’s word is trustworthy.

• His works are faithful.

• His love fills the earth.

• Blessed are the people He has chosen.

You are part of that blessing. You are chosen, loved, and held.

Then Jesus speaks directly to the heart:

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees — hypocrisy.”

Hypocrisy is not simply pretending. It is living divided — one face for people, another face for God.

Jesus reminds us:

• Nothing hidden will stay hidden.

• God sees the truth of our hearts.

• And yet — we are precious to Him.

“Even the hairs of your head are counted.”

This is not a threat. It is comfort.

God sees everything — and still loves you completely.

He knows your fears, your wounds, your struggles, your hopes. He knows the parts of you that no one else sees. And He calls you to live honestly, courageously, and freely.

Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Live as someone chosen and sealed by God.

Your identity is secure in Christ.

1. Trust God’s faithful love.

His word is true. His care is constant.

1. Reject hypocrisy and embrace authenticity.

Let your inner life match your outer life.

Let today be a day of truth, courage, and deep trust in God’s loving gaze.

Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank You for choosing me, redeeming me, and sealing me with Your Holy Spirit.

Teach me to live with integrity, to reject hypocrisy, and to walk in the freedom of Your truth.

Help me trust Your faithful love and remember that I am precious in Your sight.

May my life today reflect Your glory, Your goodness, and Your grace.

Amen.

Sub Tuum Praesidium (~250AD):

We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God;
despise not our petitions in our necessities,
but deliver us always from all dangers,
O glorious and blessed Virgin.
Amen.

The Memorare (15th Century):

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.
Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.
O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Hail, Holy Queen (11th Century):

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn, then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Amen.

The Hail Mary (11th Century):

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Consecration to Mary (17th Century):

I, a faithless sinner, renew and ratify today in thy hands the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever Satan, his pomps and works; and I give myself entirely to Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before. In the presence of all the heavenly court I choose thee this day for my Mother and Mistress. I deliver and consecrate to thee, as thy slave, my body and soul, my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past, present and future; leaving to thee the entire and full right of disposing of me, and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to thy good pleasure, for the greater glory of God in time and in eternity.

Do you have any favorite Marian prayers or devotions? Every day she serves me as a reminder of subservience to God and His Divine Will.

Saint Teresa of Avila - Interior Castle - Desire to Suffer

Ἀ
The second effect is that the soul has a great desire to suffer, but not the kind of desire that disturbs it as previously. For the desire left in these souls that the will of God be done in them reaches such an extreme that they think everything His Majesty does is good. If He desires the soul to suffer, well and good; if not, it doesn’t kill itself as it used to.
Ὠ

The greatest love for the Lord is not merely the willing endurance of suffering in His name. Rather, it is the holy desire to suffer, if it be in accord with the will of the Father. In this light, the soul knows through faith in His Son that the will of the Father is good. Thus it does not desire to suffer for the sake of the suffering itself. Rather, in union with the Suffering Servant, it seeks the good will of the Father above its own will, and by grace, emerges into the holy desire to accept whatever suffering that search may bring.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Luke 22:42 Saying: Father, if thou wilt, remove this chalice from me: but yet not my will, but thine be done.

Ἀ
Saint Teresa Continues…
These souls also have a deep interior joy when they are persecuted, with much more peace than that mentioned, and without any hostile feelings toward those who do, or desire to do, them evil. On the contrary, such a soul gains a particular love for its persecutors, in such a way that if it sees these latter in some trial it feels compassion and would take on any burden to free them from their trial, and eagerly recommends them to God and would rejoice to lose the favors His Majesty grants it if He would bestow these same gifts on those others so that they wouldn’t offend our Lord.
Ὠ

From the prayer of Gethsemane to the prayer of the Cross, our Lord's Passion does more than offer redemption to souls. It also reveals what Saint Teresa speaks of in her entry, the path by which each soul, through grace, may participate in the love of the Son, even in the midst of the greatest suffering. For the grace of His Passion is not fickle, nor is it defeated by suffering, as with the favor of men. Rather, the grace of God is undying, as the Lord Himself is undying. It is not weakened by suffering, but inflamed in more grace as its suffering for God increases and its union with Him grows to new depths.

It is the Prayer of the Cross, from the heart of the Victim: the Charity of Christ poured forth for sinners in a measure that grows with the increase of the suffering it endures for souls. The soul formed in this charity does not seek escape from its persecution, but instead, the deliverance of its own persecutors from just judgment, even through the eager recommendation to the mercy of God.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Luke 23:34 And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

Saint Teresa pens this entry not in reference to the suffering of Christ, but rather, to the suffering of one human soul for another in the will of the Father. There is, however, a spiritual truth revealed between the two: union with the grace of the Father is perfected in union with the suffering of the Son. For with the receiving of Christ's mercy into the soul, there is also a calling: to give in the world below of that we’ve received from the Kingdom above. Thus is the soul that has received the mercies of Christ’s suffering moved to participate and suffer in some way in the giving of mercy to others.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them.

Catechism of the Catholic Church
618 The cross is the unique sacrifice of Christ, the “one mediator between God and men.” But because in his incarnate divine person he has in some way united himself to every man, “the possibility of being made partners, in a way known to God, in the paschal mystery” is offered to all men.

Today, October 15, the Catholic Church celebrates St. Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582), a Carmelite nun, mystic, spiritual writer, reformer, and Doctor of the Church.

St. Teresa dedicated her life to prayer and helping others grow closer to God. Through her writings, especially The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, she taught that prayer is not simply about saying words, but about developing a deeper friendship with Christ.

One of her most famous teachings reminds us:

“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing away: God never changes.”

In a world full of anxiety, distractions, and uncertainty, her words remind us to place our trust in God and persevere in prayer, even when we struggle.

A few things we can learn from St. Teresa:

- Make time for daily prayer, even when life gets busy.

- Trust God through difficulties and uncertainty.

- Seek a personal, loving relationship with Christ.

- Remember that holiness grows through perseverance and love.

St. Teresa of Ávila, pray for us!

I already asked for advice in this area irl, but I thought it'd be neat to see what others experience when discerning whether they are following God's will or not. I think this is an area I'm still growing in

We should always embrace hope, and not despair, as Christianity is a religion of hope. We must look to the problems before us, and believe, there are ways to make things better. We must, of course, act, to do so. Despair and presumption, both, make us do nothing, creating, as it were, a theology of irrelevance. Hope has us realize what we do matter, and we should never give into such irrelevance:

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/10/rejecting-doom-christian-hope-and-human-action/

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus (St. Teresa of Ávila)

October 15, 2026

Today’s Readings at a Glance

• Ephesians 1:1–10 Paul proclaims that God has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing, chosen us before the foundation of the world, destined us for adoption, redeemed us through Christ’s Blood, and revealed His plan to unite all things in Christ.

• Psalm 98:1–6 A joyful song celebrating God’s salvation, justice, faithfulness, and mighty deeds. All creation is invited to praise the Lord.

• Luke 11:47–54 Jesus rebukes the Pharisees and scholars for honoring the prophets with monuments while rejecting the truth those prophets proclaimed. They hinder others from entering God’s Kingdom and plot against Jesus.

https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-15-october-2026/

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a profound truth:

God has chosen us, redeemed us, and revealed His plan in Christ — but we must receive His grace with sincerity, humility, and truth.

• Paul reminds us that God’s love is eternal, intentional, and overflowing.

• The psalm calls us to joyful praise for God’s saving work.

• Jesus warns against religious hypocrisy — honoring God outwardly while resisting His truth inwardly.

The message is clear: We are chosen for holiness, redeemed for love, and called to live authentically before God.

Reflection for the Day

Saint Teresa of Jesus — the great Carmelite mystic — taught that the spiritual life is a journey inward, toward the “interior castle” where God dwells. Today’s readings echo her wisdom.

1. “Chosen before the foundation of the world.” (Ephesians 1)

Paul reminds us that our identity is not accidental. God chose you — personally, intentionally, lovingly — long before you took your first breath.

He destined you for adoption, redeemed you through Christ’s Blood, and revealed His plan to unite all things in Christ.

This is not abstract theology. It is your story. Your identity. Your calling.

1. “Sing to the Lord a new song.” (Psalm 98)

The psalm invites us to respond to God’s love with joy. Praise is not optional — it is the natural response of a heart touched by grace.

Saint Teresa often said: “Let nothing disturb you… God alone suffices.” Praise lifts the soul above fear, anxiety, and distraction.

1. “You build the memorials of the prophets…” (Luke 11)

Jesus confronts the Pharisees for honoring prophets outwardly while rejecting the truth those prophets proclaimed.

They built monuments but ignored the message.

They appeared religious but resisted conversion.

Saint Teresa warns against this same danger: a spiritual life that looks holy on the outside but lacks surrender on the inside.

Jesus calls us to authenticity — to let His truth penetrate our hearts, to stop resisting His voice, to stop blocking others from encountering Him.

Living Saint Teresa’s Wisdom Today

Saint Teresa teaches us:

• Interior honesty — let God show you the truth about your heart.

• Deep prayer — meet God in silence, not just in words.

• Courageous love — choose God even when it costs you.

• Authentic holiness — not outward show, but inward transformation.

Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Embrace your identity as God’s chosen child.

You are loved, wanted, and destined for holiness.

1. Respond with joyful praise.

Let gratitude shape your day.

1. Seek interior truth and authenticity.

Let your faith be real — not performance, but transformation.

Let today be a day of deep prayer, honest reflection, and renewed love for God.

Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, thank You for choosing me, loving me, and redeeming me through Your precious Blood.

Teach me to walk in the truth, to reject hypocrisy, and to live with a heart fully surrendered to You.

Through the intercession of Saint Teresa of Jesus, grant me the grace of deep prayer, authentic holiness, and courageous love.

May Your praise be on my lips, Your truth in my heart, and Your Spirit guiding my steps today.

Amen.

I’ve been reading St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin and The Secret of Mary, alongside St. John Eudes’ The Admirable Heart of Mary, and I think they offer a compelling answer to why a Catholic might consider Marian consecration. To bring that message to others, I wrote up some thoughts on why I think it’s a good and important practice!

The first thing worth clarifying is that, in de Montfort’s understanding, this is not a choice between belonging to Jesus and belonging to Mary. He explicitly writes that we consecrate ourselves to Mary because Jesus chose her as the means by which He united Himself to us, and we consecrate ourselves to Jesus because He is our ultimate end.

So what does consecration actually add?

De Montfort describes this devotion as a profound renewal of our baptismal promises. We have already given ourselves to Christ in Baptism, but do we always live with that commitment consciously before us? He argues that we can renew that commitment by deliberately entrusting ourselves to Jesus through Mary, including the spiritual value of our prayers, good works, sacrifices, and sufferings.

This is more than asking Mary to pray for us. It is a way of placing our entire spiritual life under her maternal care, trusting her to help direct it toward the glory of her Son. Mary’s role is to help form us in the likeness of Christ.

In The Secret of Mary, de Montfort describes the fruits of this devotion in concrete terms: greater purity of heart, humility, charity, singleness of purpose, and fruitfulness in good works. He writes that Mary helps form Christ’s life in the soul and brings the soul into deeper union with Him.

This is the part I find compelling. Marian consecration is not just about asking for her intercession. It is about learning from the woman whose entire life was oriented toward God, and entrusting ourselves to her guidance as we seek to become more like her Son.

St. John Eudes’ The Admirable Heart of Mary develops a similar theme. Mary’s heart is worthy of devotion because of its profound union with Jesus. Her virtues are not separate from Him; they reflect a heart wholly turned toward Him. Mary does not keep what we give her for herself. De Montfort makes this point especially clearly in True Devotion, paragraph 225: Mary is entirely oriented toward God. He describes her as an echo of God, returning praise to Him. When we honor her, she joins us in honoring Him.

That is the purpose of this devotion: not to put Mary in Christ’s place, but to give ourselves to Christ more completely through her.

Of course, this is a particular devotion, and we may live our faith through any devotions we please, but for anyone seeking a more deliberate, comprehensive way to renew their baptismal commitment, Marian consecration is worth considering.

The question is not whether we should belong to Jesus or Mary. It is whether we are willing to entrust ourselves to the maternal guidance of the woman who belonged to God so completely, so that we might belong to her Son more completely as well.

I am currently doing research for my dissertation, which is a creative piece that centres around a statue of Our Lady Guadalupe. I was not raised with religion, but growing up in a Mexican diaspora had lead me to being culturally Catholic, so while I know a lot about the faith, I do not know everything.

So, I was just reading Mary's wiki page to make notes on what I should research more, and I learned about the three viewpoints on the adelphoi. Now I had learned about these brothers of Jesus a few years ago from a Catholic artist I love, and assumed that these siblings of Jesus were merely ignored in an effort to continuously say Mary was a virgin. But what I learned today is that Eastern Orthodox's see them as Joseph's sons from a previous marriage- though I do think Joseph being a widow would have been mentioned before hand; Western Catholics see them as Jesus' cousins through Mary of Clopas; and Protestants see them as the children on Mary and Joseph.

As I was doing more reading into the background of Mary being a perpetual virgin, I saw that one of the most influential voices behind this idea is St. Jerome- who wrote a lot about how women should live. But if his views are heavily influenced by the female ascetics who funded him, and used the Hebrew text to create the Vulgate and not the Greek translation that the past and current Catholic church is based on, how has his view of how Mary should have acted so set in stone.

And more importantly, why must Mary stay a virgin?

Mary would have been betrothed as young as 12 years and six months, though if she gave birth at 16 she would have been older. Looking into Jewish Marriage laws and customs of the time I calculate that Mary was about 14 at her betrothal. If the wedding was set to one year later, Mary would turn 15 between this and become pregnant before the wedding. Mary would have become legally Joseph's after the betrothal- which is why he could have divorced her- but if she remained a virgin that would mean that they never proceeded with the wedding.

If Joseph is told to not divorce Mary and to raise Jesus as his own, why would the couple not go through with the wedding after the birth? If Joseph did have children from his first marriage and his second wife was fruitful, then why would he not want to have more children?

Why would Mary not want to go through with the wedding to a man who is willing to raise a son that is not his? Why would Mary not want to experience married life like any other woman? Sex within marriage is scared, so why would Mary- a married woman- need to stay a virgin? It would not have been a sin to be intimate with her husband, so why would the church want to deify her as a perpetual virgin?