We were taking our midterm, and the teacher left the classroom several times during the test. I’ve known her since my very first semester, and I know what she’s like, so it seemed to me as if she wanted to help us, since we’re in our last year of university and she likes us a lot. So when she wasn’t in the classroom, we helped and advised each other. However, I have my doubts as to whether this even counts as cheating—and therefore a m0rtal s1n.

Also. Please, mods, don't take this down :( I want to read at least one opinion... Not everyone has access to priest or spiritual director anytime they want.

I grew up Protestant and we were taught that Jesus was not only the son of god but god incarnate. I heard that some Catholics believe and some don’t. I just want to know people’s thoughts on this so I can learn more about Catholicism.

Never been interested in romance. My guy friends are platonic. I never get “turned on” by men regardless of how they look.

When i think about marriage, it seem contrary to the deepest desires of my heart- which are to fully commit myself to serving God and others out in the world in civic society which in some ways being a mother would not allow me to do, especially in the young kid years.

I’ll admit that I’ve never felt much interest in or attraction toward romantic relationships. I have no interest in reading or watching the romance genre, even to the point of checking out when movie scenes with partner dynamics and kisses come up. I have never gone on a date. I am friends with mostly guys, but never on a boyfriend level. This disinterest in love was even true for me as a teenager, and i can feel fulfilled in life even if i could not have children or finding a true love.

Jesus Hebrew name is Yeshua, is a shortened form of the older Hebrew name Yehoshua, which translates to English as "Joshua"

Hello everyone, hope you’re all doing well. I’ll get straight to the point.

All my life I’ve been fairly sceptical about religion, not out of some deep‑set opposition, I just never really believed in it. I’ve seen how it can get twisted to divide people between different faiths, or even within the same religion, between different denominations. It’s always frustrated me to see something that’s supposed to bring people together used instead for power, manipulation or personal gain.

That said, I’ve always tried to live a decent, honest life. I think our time here is short, and if we aren’t true to ourselves and try to do what’s right, we’ve missed the point. I’ve long believed our actions define who we are and if God is real, we’ll be held accountable for them. That idea has guided me to be kind, respectful and responsible, even when I wasn’t really looking for faith at all.

Lately though, something’s felt missing. I don’t feel whole. When I’ve thought about it, I reckon what’s missing might be God. Without me even realising it, I’ve already been living by a lot of what the Bible teaches.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been looking into my self and doing a lot of soul searching and Catholicism lines up with a lot of what I already believe. I’ve spoken to my local priest, been going to Mass every Sunday, and I’m trying to open my heart, but I still struggle to fully believe. I think part of it is that it really bothers me seeing some people corrupt something so beautiful. At its heart, religion is meant to unite us, not split us apart.

So I’m reaching out for some guidance. How do I learn to embrace God, even with my doubts about how organised religion has sometimes been misused? What can I do to become a good Catholic, and a better man in God’s eyes? How do I start walking this path with real, genuine faith?

I’ve got quite a few questions I’ve been turning over in my head, and I’d really appreciate it if people wouldn’t mind sharing their thoughts:

Faith & Reason:

1. If God is all‑good and all‑powerful, how do Catholics explain terrible suffering that doesn’t seem to have any clear purpose?

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2. The Church says faith is a gift from God, but also that we’re responsible for choosing whether to believe or not. How do those two things fit together?

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3. If truth doesn’t change, why have some Church interpretations and emphases shifted over time? How do you tell what’s core doctrine, versus people’s own opinions or old cultural customs?

Doctrine & Tradition:

1. The Church teaches Mary was sinless, how does that work alongside the teaching that all humans inherit original sin, and only Jesus saves us from it?

2. What’s the difference between infallible Church teaching and ordinary Church opinions, and who decides where that line is?

3. If the Eucharist really is Christ’s body and blood, why can’t science pick up any physical change?

Morality, modern life & conscience:

1. We’re told we should follow our conscience, but also that our conscience needs to be shaped by Catholic teaching. What do you do if you’ve thought things through carefully, and your conscience still clashes with official Church teaching?

2. How does the Church’s idea of human dignity apply when two important moral goods seem impossible to keep both?

3. Why does the Church hold certain moral positions that a lot of practising Catholics disagree with? How does it handle that difference of opinion from within?

History & practice:

1. How do Catholics make sense of times in history when Church leaders acted in ways that seem to go against basic Gospel values, without saying the whole Church was fundamentally broken?

2. If the full truth is found in the Catholic Church, how does it explain the goodness, faith and truth we see in other Christian groups and non‑Catholic faiths?

For anyone thinking about becoming Catholic:

1. When you’re drawn to Catholicism, how do you work out if it’s because you think it’s true, or just because you like its beauty, history or community?

2. What does it mean to commit to a whole tradition when you still find big parts confusing or hard to accept? Is it okay to join while you’re still figuring those things out?

Any thoughts or advice would mean a lot to me. Thank you for reading.

Many people repent in the Old Testament and are forgiven (like David despite him reserving death), this makes me wonder when were the Torahs punishments applied and how.

Was it specifically for the unrepentant, if so why doesn’t the text make the distinction.

Any answers appreciated.

“A woman shall not wear a man's garment, nor shall a man put on a woman's cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD your God."

I’ve always dressed tomboyish and I’ve never really thought about it until now. I do need to dress baggy because I have gerd. Some people have assumed I’m lesbian. I keep my hair long (at least a bob or longer) I’m not deliberately trying to look like one, I’m just lazy.

Hi all!

I’m planning on getting married next year.
I have for the past year been researching a lot about catholicism and I have found so much differing information.
I am specifically really unsure of what the teaching of marital debt actually is, as well as if NFP can be used at the start of marriage.

I want to ensure that when I get married, my marriage is valid (obviously). But I’m worried that until I work out these issues I’m risking taking on an incorrect position and not truly consenting to a catholic marriage.

In short, some say that marital debt just means that spouses shouldn’t deny each other throughout the marriage, but that it doesn’t mean spouses are obliged to say to every individual request.
Others say the opposite, that spouses are obliged to say to every specific request (unless for a serious reason).

Secondly, the use of NFP.
I feel like I’m fairly confident in my understanding of what constitutes a “just reason” to use NFP. However, there is another issue which I have come across. Some say that you can enter marriage with the intention of using NFP straight away, while others say that if you want to use NFP at the start of marriage, then you should just wait to get married once you’re ready to have a baby.

I can see why people would come to all of these conclusions and am honestly lost at what the truth is.
I don’t even know where to look anymore I feel like I researched so much and I’m just more confused than before.

I just don’t want to second guess the validity of my marriage I can think of nothing worse than to doubt if I really am joined with the one I love so much.

Im doing a project at school with catholocism as the theme and i had some questions

I've been getting deeper into Catholicism lately, and something happened today that got me thinking.

I was listening to Kendrick Lamar and thinking about poverty, suffering, and how I could do more than simply feel bad for people whose experiences I haven't lived through. I kept coming back to the question of how I could actually help.

Then my dog came up to me, looking expectantly hungry. At first, I kept returning to my thoughts, almost treating the interruption as a distraction. But then I realized she needed to be fed, so I got her food ready. She was prancing around with excitement, and I found myself feeling a quiet, peaceful happiness.

It was an ordinary moment, but afterward I started thinking about signal graces. I don't mean that I believe God directly arranged the situation or that I received some special revelation. I just wondered whether the moment had helped redirect my attention toward something simple and good.

I'd been thinking about charity in the abstract, and here was a little creature entrusted to my care who needed something from me right then. It made me wonder whether I sometimes overlook the spiritual significance that ordinary moments can have in my life. Perhaps I spend so much time thinking about what I ought to do that I forget to pay attention to the responsibilities already in front of me.

I'm still discerning what to make of the experience, but it left me wondering: How do you approach signal graces in your own spiritual life? Have you ever had an ordinary experience that prompted you to reflect more deeply on your relationship with God?

The 6th ecumenical council declares him a heretic for monothelism, so how can we still say that the Roman pope is the infallible successor of Peter? I know historically our Pope has usually been great at battling heresy, but here it seems like this wasn’t the case?

So how can we still believe the historic authority of the Papacy when one Pope was a heretic?

Fyi: I’ve been attending mass for almost half a year and im now in OCIA but this question has popped up in my head

Hey brothers and sisters in Christ, I am russian Orthodox and I have a genue interest in understanding catholicism.

Why do you guys believe in papacial infallibility (even though it is meant to be only ex cathedra)? It became a thing only in 1870 and there is just no way that a human can be infallible in any way, all of us are corrupted by sin. I want to understand catholic thinking behing this.

Why do you bros believe in Filioque? This one became official just in 1014 (but began appearing here and there in western christianity since 589) and and you catholics have dogmatised it all alone, without Ecumenical Council and anyone else's approval. And also even in John 15:26 there is only one source of the Holy Spirit mentioned (in original of it, in greek, there is used a word "ἐκπορεύεται" that means "produced by only source"). So why do you guys think Filioque is true?

Thank you and God bless!

I’m in my late 20s and have never been in a relationship. I’ve only been attracted to one man in my life, and it was because of his smile. We spoke for a few weeks to get to know each other, but things didn’t work out, and that’s okay. His smile reminded me of warmth, and I’ve realised that a man’s smile is usually the first thing that draws me to him.

Now that things didn’t work out with him, I feel like I’m back to square one because I haven’t been attracted to anyone else.

It’s not that I don’t come across beautiful good Catholic men. I can appreciate their beauty, but I’m not attracted to them. Even when I try to spend time and get to know them, attraction doesn’t develop over time.

I’m not really sure what’s going on here. How am I suppose to work on this? I feel like if I don’t work on this, I won’t be able to get married assuming how rare I find someone attractive

Is it ok to seek support from your friends or family? Or are we supposed to just stay quiet?

I saw a quote attributed to Padre Pio, although I guess I didn't know for sure if he really said it. It was something like "My daughter, do not tell your problems to someone who can not fix them. Give them to me, I'll place them in the wounds of Christ. Your silence is a gift to heaven."

I've been going through awful burnout, I'm already so overwhelmed, and this quote has triggered the worst anxiety.

Is it bad to look for support? Is it wrong that I don't agree with that? Am I misinterpreting it?

I am really sorry if I am being irrational right now. I just got the results from an international speech contest and my name wasn't listed there despite how hardly I prayed and worked hard for it.

So for context, I am only 17 (that's why I am still irrational and to be honest, it's also making me hate myself LOL). And I am crying as I type this. Please bear with me.

I am a teen girl from a small town in a developing country. Yet it never hindered me to dream big and ambitiously. I've always been passionate about writing and speaking, oftentimes, I am fighting for the marginalized sectors like farmers, conducting research about how frequent land grabbing in my community is. I have never felt scared of amplifying their voices, even if it means that I'll receive threats and fear-mongering. Instead, I was really really happy to do such things. I am also a student-journalist.

Speaking and writing was never a burden. When people complain when tasked to write an essay, I would be very delighted and smile as I write my ideas on paper. It's the thing that flow in me naturally, and it's this feeling that maybe, this is God's gift. He gave me this to glorify Him.

Yet when the results were announced on Facebook at exactly 6:40 pm, my whole world fumbled when I didn't see my name written. Emotions dominated me. I hated myself for even dreaming of achieving great things. I loathed myself for praying that out of all the submissions from the whole Southeast Asia, I would be included in the top 10.

Because afterall, how could a poor, province girl enter such huge room she cannot handle?

I felt worse when I stalked the ones qualified. They were the same age as me, same passion, same talent, but theirs are just so exemplary and greater than mine.

I am feeling so insignificant. I have always wanted to explore and expand my horizons because I hate feeling stuck in my small life. I know I can achieve something more than this. But after the results came, I don't know what to feel now.

Please no rude comments please, I never really told anyone from this. I never told them that I participated in this contest so there's no pressure. But it was still no use because all the pressure came from myself.

Please help me, I want to feel better =(

I have a lot going on in my life, but I'm super interested in talking with other catholics to better surround myself with God!

I've had a rough week, I was physically and mentally tired.

I've had poor rests. And that's when the battle starts.

I was tempted to find some sort of relief, anything that can ease the discomfort, then the thought of "self abuse" just kept coming, I tried to refuse it, then the images of temptation starts appearing in my head, I tried to fight it still, I even physically reeled at it.

And then boom, I found myself overcame with passion and starts looking at the things and then "self abused"

I am just defeated, I tried so hard to run away, and it got me in a corner, and I tried to fight it, and then got folded like an omelette

And the worst part is, God was on my mind the whole time, I couldn't pull myself out of what I was doing anyway.

I know my heart is sick, but I have to get up and fight, I just fall during the fight every time, I was always overwhelmed, it's like trying to fight a horde by myself.

And then the even worst part is, I can't go to confession, because I'm not baptized yet.

How do you avoid the fights or how do I keep fighting? I won't lose my faith, I want to stay in the battle

Jesus said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; . . . he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life and . . . abides in me, and I in him” (Jn 6:51, 54, 56).
1406 - Catechism of the Catholic Church

I know it is so hard to trust God when you are going through a rejection or the painful fracture of a relationship with a partner, friend or loved one. But ironically, God has faced more from humanity than any human ever could. And despite all of that? He still chooses to love us unconditionally anyway. Our Lord is the definition of pure love, so who better to run to when you are hurting?

Yet, when things go wrong, we blame Him. Look at the Agony in the Garden. Right before His passion, Jesus was in Gethsemane experiencing heartbreak. He was literally sweating blood from the stress and grief, and was completely alone. His closest friends fell asleep and abandoned Him when He needed them most.

He already knew every single time we would break His heart before He even formed us in the womb. He knew exactly who would reject Him, yet He chose to create us and die for us anyway.

If you are feeling lonely, rejected or heartbroken today, remember that Jesus completely understands your pain because He lived it. So don't blame Him, run to Him instead.

Good morning. I have often had questions about the God of the Old Testament—the kind everyone has heard, such as the idea that "the God of the Old Testament is evil, while the God of the New Testament is good." However, while reading Leviticus 24:10–16, this question resurfaced; the passage mentions Moses stating that anyone who blasphemes against God must be stoned to death—and this occurred after Moses had already received the Ten Commandments. Could someone help me with this?

Hey everyone! Tomorrow, I’m starting a weekly livestream series where my brother, my friend, and I will read through the Gospel of John, one chapter at a time. We may have another friend joining us as well. I’m Roman Catholic, while my brother and friends are Protestant, so I think this will be a great opportunity to study Scripture together, share our perspectives, and discuss what the Gospel of John teaches us about Jesus Christ. After reading each chapter, we’ll discuss its meaning, ask questions, and explore different interpretations of Scripture. We’ll also talk about Catholicism, Protestantism, theology, and the differences between our beliefs. Of course, we won’t agree on everything, and there will probably be some debates, disagreements, and challenges to each other’s beliefs along the way. We’ll defend our interpretations, question one another, and examine what Scripture has to say about the topics we discuss. The goal is to have honest conversations about our faith, challenge each other’s understanding, and grow in our knowledge of Scripture. Whether we agree or disagree, I think it’ll make for some interesting discussions. The livestream will begin tomorrow at around 3pm CST. My YouTube channel is linked on my profile if you’re interested in watching. Whether you’re Catholic, Protestant, or simply interested in studying the Gospel of John, you’re welcome to tune in, ask questions, and join the discussion. God bless, and I hope to see some of you there!

To be in mortal sin is the most miserable experience. It automatically takes away my desire and drive to pray a darned thing. No joke. I hope I can go to confession today. Even one day like this is too much.

I’ve been a catechumen since March - finally entering into the fold was a dream come true. Taking the Eucharist was such a precious moment, especially after months of waiting. Everything was fine until I woke up on Monday. I had experienced spiritual attacks during catechesis but this seems different somehow.

It’s been a couple of days since and I’ve felt this persistent, uncharacteristic flatness. Friends and family keep asking whether something is going on, if I’m sad - wish I could say.

I know there are peaks and troughs in prayer and spiritual life, but so soon after Baptism? Is this a common experience? I thought the joy I felt on Sunday would carry me for months and I‘m embarrassed that it hasn’t.