Near the end of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises is a curious section titled, “Some Notes Concerning Scruples.” Scrupulosity is one of those pesky spiritual problems that we don’t always recognize but can give us a lot a grief if left unchecked. Believe me, I know! Never heard of scrupulosity? How about Catholic Guilt? Scrupulosity is Catholic Guilt run […]
temperance
Sunday Reflection—Rich Man and Beggar
Luke, chapter 16, tells the story of the Rich man and the Beggar, Dives and Lazarus. It shows how some choices we make lead to addictions that can determine our eternal destiny. Gluttony, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, is a poison that has an antidote — the Cardinal Virtue called Temperance or Moderation. The Mass readings for the Twenty-Sixth Sunday […]
What Does the Bible Teach About Fasting?
Lent is fast approaching, so I thought we should revisit self-denial. Fasting and other forms of self-denial, as spiritual practices of materially subduing and controlling the physical appetites of the body, help us, by God’s grace, to enable the soul to more perfectly and freely pray. This leads to a deeper union with God and thus we become better stewards of the […]
Is Tardiness a Vice?
I am trying to finish this post, well after my deadline, and just emailed Deacon Mike an apology about not having it finished yet. I am submitting a post about being late… late. The irony of this is not lost on me. There is an increased tendency in my life to run late, and it’s not something of which I […]
Daily Catholic Quote — from G. K. Chesterton
“There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” (G. K. Chesterton; The Crimes of England) Print this entry
Protecting Our Addictions
Temperance. For older American, that word conjures up images of Carrie Nation shattering bottles of gin to usher in Prohibition. But the word temperance does not mean abstinence from alcohol or total abstinence from anything, for that matter. It means that the desire for pleasures of various sorts is brought into balance with other legitimate needs and obligations. Also called […]
Catholic Quote of the Day — from G. K. Chesterton
“There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” (G. K. Chesterton; The Crimes of England) Print this entry
The Biblical Basis for the Catholic Practice of Fast and Abstinence
Last week, I asked the question, “Are you looking for the secret to a better, deeper, more joyful life in Christ?” and responded by exploring the reasons for the Catholic practice of self-denial. We saw that “fasting and other forms of self-denial, as spiritual practices of materially subduing and controlling the physical appetites of the body, helps us, by God’s grace, […]
Daily Catholic Quote from G. K. Chesterton
“There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” (G. K. Chesterton; The Crimes of England) If you liked this quote, please share it with your friends and family using the Share and Recommend buttons below and via email. We value your comments and encourage you to […]
Pray for Life, Marriage and Religious Liberty
It can be surprisingly easy to forget at times that Catholics and other people of faith are living in an increasingly hostile secular culture. But, we must never forget; we must remain watchful. The U.S. Bishops have called Catholics to prayer, fasting and abstinence for Life, Marriage and Religious Liberty. From the “Call to Prayer” Video produced by the United States […]