I am officially a Catholic! Truly blessed to receive the body and blood of my Lord Jesus Christ and to be confirmed into the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Photo of my priest, Father Dave, me, and my sponsor Tom.

My weapon 📿

I need prayers right now. I’ve really been struggling spiritually this past week. I’ve fallen into serious sin again, including mortal sin. My anger and other issues have been getting the best of me. It’s the same exhausting cycle, and I’m just tired of it. I can’t make it to Mass for the rest of the month because I blew my money on things I didn’t need. My birthday yesterday was miserable. I’m not in a good place right now. I’m trying to get back on track, but it feels like I keep slipping. Please pray for me. Pray that God helps me get back on the right path and stay there. I don’t want to keep falling away. I’m so tired of this. I’ve been fighting it for a long time, and I want it to end. We’re about to enter 2026, and I just want to leave all this behind and move forward.

People have questioned whether I was sincere in my search for the true church and in my Christian faith. I have spent nearly 13 years going from church to church and from denomination to denomination because I have a deep desire for truth. I have wrestled with it, gone back and forth, and I will admit openly that I have flip-flopped. That stops now. I am going to be confirmed in the Catholic Church, and I will not leave it. This is the true church. Every other attempt fails in comparison. I ask that people trust my sincerity. I am here, I am committed, and I am not going anywhere. My best days are ahead of me. The Lord has a plan for me, and I want to be His servant to spread the gospel, proclaim the truth of His Church, and help bring more souls to salvation.

Emergency room again. Nearly collapsed walking to a friend’s house and blacked out. Anxiety and panic attacks are overwhelming me. Please pray to the Lord for me.

I am asking for your prayers. I struggle with severe anxiety and panic disorder along with functional neurological disorder. This condition cannot be detected with normal neurologic tests like EKGs, EEGs, or CAT scans. It requires a specialist to diagnose. My symptoms include hyperawareness, depersonalization, derealization, anxiety, and panic, which together are very difficult for me to manage. Because of this, I have been admitted inpatient often. Drinking alcohol has only made things worse. I need to stop, and I am committing to not pick up another bottle or beer again. Please pray for me. I am asking God to give me His peace that surpasses all understanding. He promised He would never leave me or forsake me, and I trust Him in that. I want my life to be used by Him, and I know I have not been living that way lately. Please keep me in your prayers. Thank you.

I am struggling with some particular sins and need prayer for deliverance. Please pray for me 🙏

I am a Catholic Candidate preparing for confirmation, but I’ve decided not to continue in the OCIA process. The class mostly consists of watching videos from Formed.org, which I could do on my own at home. It does not provide the depth of catechesis I need. Instead, I am completing five courses in the Catechism of the Catholic Church through the Institute of Catholic Culture: Catechism 101, 102, 103, 104, and 201. These courses cover Church doctrine, sacraments, morality, and the Creed thoroughly. At this point, the only step I need before confirmation is to secure a proper sponsor. I am already engaging in formation, confession, and Mass attendance, and I want to enter the Church and am ready to live as a committed Catholic.

I’ve been absolved. Thank you Lord Jesus for the Sacrament!

I want to clear up some confusion. I am not a confirmed Catholic. I am a candidate, which means I have already been baptized and the Church has recognized my baptism as valid. Because of that, I can go to confession, but I cannot receive the Eucharist until I am confirmed. When I go up in line during Communion, I cross my arms and the priest gives me a blessing instead of the Eucharist. So to be clear, I am a candidate, not a catechumen, since I am already baptized.

I'm checking back into a psychiatric hospital again. Pray for me! 😥

Yesterday my neighbors came over. We sat together, had a couple beers, and talked. Church came up. They told me they want me to help them get into the Church. They are a young couple in their twenties. Their names are Caitlin and Leo. Please keep this in prayer.

I will be meeting with my priest for confession soon, and I am grateful for the Sacrament.

In the same way that schools cannot compel religion on students, they can also not compel lifestyles either. What's fair is fair.

The Vatican’s decision to allow a prayer room for Muslims in its library is similar to the ancient Court of the Gentiles in Jerusalem. The Gentile Court gave non-Jews a place to pray near God’s presence without entering the sacred inner courts. The Vatican library’s room functions the same way. It is outside the Church’s liturgical spaces but within its domain, allowing non-Christians to pray in reverence to God. Like the outer court, it reflects hospitality without doctrinal compromise, proximity without equality, and a witness that God’s house is open to all who seek Him.

I am done watching Catholics attack the Magisterium over the title co redemptrix. The Church decides how Marian titles are used. The Church guards doctrine. I do not get to set that. You do not get to set that. The Magisterium does. Public outrage over a disputed title hands Protestants an easy talking point and confuses the faithful. If you reject magisterial authority, that is Protestant ecclesiology. Own it. Stop wearing the Catholic name while refusing Catholic governance. Cafeteria Catholicism is incoherent. You cannot claim communion and then treat the Magisterium like a suggestion box. If the Church says a title is theologically unhelpful or pastorally inappropriate, then drop it. You can love Mary without campaigning for slogans the Church does not teach as doctrine. Get serious. Learn the Catechism. Read the councils and papal documents in context. Keep fidelity to the bishops in communion with the successor of Peter. Pray. Go to confession. Receive the Eucharist worthily. Stop fueling online chaos that wounds unity and scandalizes new converts. I am asking Catholics who want renewal to act like Catholics. Obey the Magisterium. Guard your speech. Build up the Church. Get your house in order.

I’ve only done OCIA once (RCIA), and it was over Zoom with a layperson leading it. Tonight I’ll be starting classes at the church with the priest himself. I already have a Bible and the Catechism. Should I bring them with me or leave them at home? He said to bring a pad and pen.

She's not saying it didn't happen. She's saying it wasn't Osama Bin Laden who was responsible for the attack. Criminal elements within the United States government were responsible for the attacks on 9/11.

I’ll be meeting with Fr. Kevin, my priest, this afternoon for confession and absolution. Please keep me in your prayers.

Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven especially those in most need of thy mercy.

I am in the Lord's house for the first time in two months. 🙏🏽🙏🏽

I want to let everyone know that I’m feeling a little better today. God has been good and has given me peace. I have an appointment with a neurologist this morning. Thank you for all your prayers. I truly appreciate them. God bless you all.

Mark Levin is a Zionist shill.

Exactly. Inciting a riot is a criminal offense. He would be criminally charged. He hasn’t. Because it didn’t happen.

I’m back home. The psychiatrist and the psych unit started me on Abilify, which is both an antipsychotic and a mood stabilizer. I’m still struggling with drinking, but I believe this will pass. I will overcome it. This is only a temporary season in my life. I’m carrying a lot right now, and I hope you can understand. I’m drinking moderately, not to the point of blacking out, but I know alcohol is not helping me. Please keep me in your prayers. Ask God to set me back on the right path. I think I’ll be returning to the Catholic Church, since I honestly do not see another way forward. Thank you for your prayers and support. God bless.

John 6:68 (RSV-2CE): “Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 811: “This is the sole Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and apostolic… subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in communion with him.”

Dispensationalism needs to die. It is an inconsistent hermeneutic with a wooden interpretation of Scripture that devalues Jesus Christ and worships a land and physical lineage.

I’ve officially reached 34 years old today. Another year of life added. Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with another year.

The fact that you're even asking this question tells me that Elon Musk buying Twitter is the best thing that's happened all year, and the year isn't even over yet. No pun intended.

That's called the begging the question fallacy.

9/11 was an inside job. Criminal elements within the U.S. government were responsible for the attacks on 9/11.

Please pray for me. I need it. I was discharged from another psychiatric hospital yesterday again. I waited a few days before saying anything online. I am looking into going to a new church that is basically Pentecostal. I am also trying to get into a group home. I cannot live alone anymore. I need to be around people. The panic, anxiety, hyper-awareness, depersonalization, and derealization are too much for me. I need help. I started drinking again, but after last night I believe I am done. No more alcohol. Pray that God will give me peace and restoration, and that He will use me for His glory. I want to live out the purpose He has given me. I am not ordinary. I am a bright star meant to shine in the dark.

I am 33 years old today. Thank you Lord for another birthday!

This is not a time for attacking Mormons or their beliefs. This is a time for prayer. Their building was a house of worship. We live in a country where the First Amendment protects the free exercise of religion. There is no justification for murder. These people lost their lives simply because they were practicing their faith. We need to pray for their souls. We need to pray for the families who are grieving. We need to pray for the healing of the community and the church. That is the right and necessary response. When tragedy strikes, people often rush to argue and fight. This is not the time for that. This is the time to seek God’s mercy and ask Him to bring healing.

Growth and development never cause harm. You are fixed in your ways, which is why your faith cannot grow.

Credibly accused? What makes the allegations credible? And if it were credible, law enforcement would have been involved.

Mass has ended

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. - Psalms 18:2

Just so everyone knows, Republicans in both the House and Senate have introduced legislation to keep SNAP benefits (food stamps) funded during the government shutdown. Democrats have not introduced any such legislation but instead told the USDA to tap contingency funds to cover SNAP payments. That should show you who actually cares about the poor and the program.

That claim is false. The Catholic Church gave the world the Bible. The canon of Scripture was discerned and safeguarded by the Catholic Church at the Councils of Rome (382), Hippo (393), and Carthage (397, 419). Without the Catholic Church, you would not even have a Bible to read. The Church restricted unauthorized vernacular translations in certain times and places, not because it opposed Scripture, but because false and heretical translations were being spread that twisted its meaning. The same Church that some accuse of “keeping people from Scripture” also spent centuries painstakingly hand-copying and preserving the Scriptures in monasteries long before the printing press existed. That is why we still have the Bible today. The Church’s position has always been that Scripture must be read in unity with the teaching authority Christ gave to His Church (cf. Acts 15, 2 Peter 1:20). Vatican II’s Dei Verbum explicitly commands that “easy access to Sacred Scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful.” The Church prints and distributes Bibles more than any other institution. The reason people leave the Church is not because they “know the Bible.” It is because they interpret it apart from the very authority that gave them the canon in the first place. To pit the Bible against the Catholic Church is historically and logically impossible.

The Catholic Church does not teach salvation by works. It teaches salvation by God’s grace, received through faith and lived out in obedience. That is exactly what Scripture says. 1. Scripture teaches faith and obedience together. James 2:24: “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.” Philippians 2:12: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father.” 2. The verses you quoted don’t contradict this. Galatians 2:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, and Romans 11:6 teach that we cannot earn salvation by our own effort. Catholics agree. Grace comes first. Faith is a gift. Nothing we do obligates God. But once we receive grace, God expects us to live accordingly. 3. “Faith alone” is not biblical. The only place the phrase “faith alone” appears in Scripture is James 2:24, which rejects it. 4. The early Church taught the same as Catholicism. For 1,500 years after Christ, Christians believed that salvation is through grace, lived out in faith, hope, charity, and obedience. The “faith alone” doctrine came much later.

Emergency room again..... Told them I'm suicidal. Hopefully I get admitted to a psychiatric hospital and get the help I have been seeking for years!

This has absolutely nothing to do with race. It has to do with an evil heart.

If you are claiming that someone can go directly to God without the sacraments of the Church, then you are rejecting Catholic teaching and stepping outside of Catholic identity. I have been following your posts lately, and I am starting to wonder if you are struggling with your faith. If that is the case, then I encourage you to speak with people you trust, but do not lean toward leaving the Church or adopting Protestantism. I lived as a Protestant for many years. I respect the people there, I learned and grew during that time, and the Lord can use it. But it is not the fullness of the faith. It is not the fullness of the truth. You are a Catholic priest, and you know this.

The Vatican would never dedicate space for Satanic worship because it directly opposes God. In Catholic teaching, Islam is seen as a monotheistic faith with serious theological errors, not as demonic worship. Satanism is open rebellion against God, while Islam holds partial truth mixed with grave error.

Philippians 2:10–11 (RSV-2CE): “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

My sister was involved in a serious drunk driving accident and is being rushed to a different hospital for surgery. Please keep her in your prayers. Thank you all!

Pope Saint John Paul II, pray for us!

You people are insufferable. 😂😂

I think you meant to say your ethnicity. There’s only one race, and that’s the human race.

”𝙃𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨“ ~ 𝙎𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠

Old Covenant Israel was done away with in 70AD. The church is God's chosen people.

Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us!

By saying “I affirm Nicaea I but reject Nicaea II,” you affirmed the ecclesial mechanism that makes Nicaea I binding, then denied it when it crossed your confessional boundary.

Just got released from the psychiatric hospital.

My mental health struggles are still overwhelming me. I’m dealing with a very severe and rare disorder called derealization and depersonalization, along with functional neurological disorder, which is also rare. None of the usual tests like CAT scans, EEGs, or EKGs can detect it. I experience absent seizures that feel like sudden jerks or hypnic jerks. I’m asking for prayer tonight, that God would heal me and guide me to the right professionals. I’ve carried this burden for many years, and no one has been able to fix it. I’ve been misdiagnosed and mistreated, and at times I just want to give up. I have even prayed for the Lord to take me to heaven because I cannot bear the suffering anymore. But I’m still here. I hope the Lord will deliver me, and that one day I’ll be able to praise Him for healing me. Please pray for me. Pray that God hears me. I know He answers prayer, and I need Him to answer mine. I am crying as I write this. I just want the suffering to end. I want it to stop. I can’t take it anymore.

You quote 1 Timothy 2:5 like it shuts the case, but it doesn’t. Christ is the only Mediator of salvation, not the only one who can intercede in prayer. Paul told believers to “pray for one another” (James 5:16) and make “intercessions for all men” (1 Timothy 2:1). When Catholics ask Mary or the saints to pray for them, it’s no different than asking fellow Christians for prayer. The saints are alive in Christ (Luke 20:38) and Scripture shows them presenting our prayers before God (Revelation 5:8). No Catholic worships Mary. She points to Christ and says, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). If intercession were idolatry, your own prayer meetings would be too. Christ is the sole Mediator, but His Body shares in His intercession. That’s biblical.

This is what I got today.

The church is the new Israel. In Christ, we are grafted into the family of Abraham and inherit all the promises of God to Israel. We are God's chosen people, called to be a light to the nations. (Romans 9:24-26, Galatians 3:28-29, Ephesians 2:11-19).

Every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

I just purchased a rosary necklace that was truly made in Italy and blessed by Pope Francis. It will be delivered tomorrow. I’m so grateful! We love you and miss you, Papa Francis!

If you die in that state, you die refusing sanctifying grace. Heaven and hell are not random results of timing, but the consequence of whether your soul is in grace or not at death. The problem in your example is not Tuesday versus Thursday. The problem is the cycle of sin without repentance. If someone truly intends to commit mortal sin again, then their Thursday confession would not be valid because contrition requires a firm purpose of amendment. The Church does not teach you can game the system by timing sins and confessions. Christianity is about living well, but dying well matters because death fixes the state of the soul forever. That is why the tradition stresses perseverance and vigilance.

God bless Pope Leo XIV God bless the Holy Roman Catholic Church God bless you! Goodnight!

I have been absolved of my sins. Thank you Lord Jesus. 🙏🏽🙏🏽

It's obvious why you don't like @Kathy4Truth. Very obvious.......

Pope Francis himself blessed this rosary.

That’s not quite right. Priests themselves don’t forgive sins. Christ does. The priest is His instrument, not the source of forgiveness. When a priest says “I absolve you,” it’s Christ acting through him. And for the record, the Orthodox Churches have valid sacraments and valid Holy Orders. The Catholic Church officially recognizes that their bishops and priests can validly absolve sins, even if they’re not in full communion with Rome. It’s not true that only Catholic priests can forgive sins. It’s true that only priests with valid apostolic succession can validly absolve sins. That includes both Catholic and Orthodox priests.

Do you honestly believe that when you die you will stand before the Lord and be welcomed into heaven? Do you really believe that? I want you to sit with that before you go to bed tonight, Steven. With the way you behave, speak, and act, do you truly believe Jesus Christ will accept you into his kingdom? I think this passage speaks directly to you. “He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” - Luke 18:9-14

OCIA went really well. It was just me and another man, though most of the group was women. I think I’m going to buy the book on the Order of Christian Initiation because it feels like the kind of book I’d want to have. A lot of the material is new to me, especially the differences between catechumens and candidates like myself. I’m a candidate. Learning about the Rite of Welcoming the Candidates and the Call to Ongoing Conversion has been eye-opening. Across the diocese, they will celebrate the Rite of Election on the first Sunday of Lent at Rosary Cathedral. That’s encouraging to see. I’m enjoying learning the material and being around others. It’s uplifting to see brothers and sisters who are seeking God and His ways, realizing that there is more to life than what the world offers. I’m grateful to finally be on the road to officially becoming Catholic. The catechetical stuff I already know well, but I still keep studying because I enjoy it. At the same time, I know this journey is more than intellectual knowledge. It is sacramental, relational, and a way of life. Knowing the faith is one thing. Living the faith is another. I want to live it fully.

Your Holiness

You can never be gay or fake to receive a blessing.

I gave my priest my Didache Study Bible, an extra copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the General Instruction of the Roman Missal so he could donate them to the church. He was very thankful for the gifts. As he was leaving, he turned around and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want the RSV Didache Bible instead of the New American Bible?” It caught me off guard. Just this past weekend, my diocese had mailed me a brand-new Catechism and a brand-new Bible, The New American Bible. I told him that I read the New American Bible because it is the version used and approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for the Mass. He smiled and said again, “Are you sure you don’t want this instead of the New American Bible?”🤣🤣 I laughed because everyone seems to criticize that translation. Then he mentioned that the Conference of Catholic Bishops is working on a new translation of the Scriptures for the liturgy.

I have confession tomorrow afternoon with my priest. I used to find it comforting because I felt relief afterward, but lately it’s become difficult. It feels like a burden now, especially since I keep confessing the same sins. I know it’s a necessary sacrament, and I’m grateful that the Lord gave it to us, but I just don’t want to go anymore.

No. Your metric is bogus. The Church never judged truth by percent adoption. The question is witness, continuity, and liturgical reception. Fourth century. Epiphanius records that Scripture is silent on Mary’s end and allows that God could have taken her like Elijah. That shows the idea was known. Fifth century. Dormition and Transitus texts across languages describe Christ taking Mary. Turn of the sixth century. Pilgrims in Jerusalem report the empty tomb tradition at Gethsemane. Sixth century. The Dormition is in the Jerusalem rite and is fixed across the Byzantine Empire on August 15. Seventh century. Rome receives the feast under Pope Sergius I. Eighth century. John of Damascus preaches the Assumption as standard teaching at Mary’s tomb. No bodily relics of Mary in Christian antiquity. Only an empty tomb tradition. That is enough to show early and growing knowledge culminating in universal worship. The 1950 definition codified what the Church already prayed. Your challenge fails. I will not become Protestant on that basis.

Need prayers. I’m really sick — nonstop coughing, bad cold, headaches, and sinus problems.

Funny how you think “just one verse” destroys 2,000 years of Christianity. The Bible itself destroys your claim: The Mass: “This is my body… This is my blood… Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19–20) Purgatory: “He will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Cor 3:15) Priesthood: “I appoint you that you should go and bear fruit… whose sins you forgive are forgiven.” (John 20:21–23) Intercession of Saints: “The prayer of a righteous man has great power.” (James 5:16) and the saints in heaven offer prayers before God (Rev 5:8). Sacraments: “Baptism… now saves you.” (1 Pet 3:21). One verse did not destroy Catholicism. Scripture built it.

That was hard to watch. It looks like Charlie may not survive, but if he does, it will only be because God intervenes. God has already proven He works miracles, and He can do anything. If God wants Charlie Kirk to come home, that will happen. If God wants him to keep speaking, teaching, and waking people up, then he will keep doing that. Charlie Kirk is a good man. Pray for him. Pray that whoever carried out this attack is brought to justice quickly. Pray for Charlie Kirk’s family as they endure this. Watching that video broke my heart. There is so much evil in this world.

You people are insufferable. 😂😂

I have contacted my priests to ask for clarification about my status as a candidate, the sacraments, and when I may begin receiving the Eucharist. I want to make sure I am following the proper order with OCIA, Communion, Confirmation, and the Rite of Reception. I feel that I am ready. I am committed to being a Catholic after much contemplating.

Hot one today buddy

Birthday lunch 😋

Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord! - Psalms 27:14

My birthday is this Friday, and I’ll be turning 34. I don’t really want anything for it. Birthdays don’t mean much to me anymore. I’ve lost interest in them, and to me they’re just another day. Maybe that sounds sad, but I honestly don’t care about them. The only thing that matters to me right now is becoming Catholic. Waiting until the Easter Vigil feels like it will be a long six months, but I’m ready for the struggle. I’m in this for the long run. What I want most is to be confirmed as a Catholic. That’s the only thing giving me purpose and meaning. Without it, I wouldn’t see a reason to be here at all.

👇🏽👇🏽 2 Timothy 2:1-2 Paul charges Timothy to receive, guard, and hand on what was taught, not invent his own doctrine. Authority comes through transmission, not self-appointment. Acts 18:24 Apollos, mighty in Scripture, still needed instruction from those commissioned. Even eloquence and knowledge require correction by the Church. Colossians 1:24-26 The mystery of God is not uncovered by private effort. It is revealed through those entrusted by Christ to proclaim His Word. 1 Corinthians 9:18 Paul preaches not for personal gain, but because he has been given stewardship. Authority is received, not seized. 2 Corinthians 3:5-6 Competence in the New Covenant does not come from the individual, but from God who makes ministers. The Church produces ministers, not lone interpreters. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 The Word is received as what it truly is, God’s Word, through those who proclaim it with divine authority, not personal opinion. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Scripture is inspired and profitable, but it does not interpret itself. It equips the man of God who is taught and formed within the Church. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Without the Church’s authority, people wander after teachers to satisfy their own desires, and truth is exchanged for fables. God has not left His Word to chaos. If every individual carried equal authority to interpret Scripture, the Christian world would not be divided into over 38,000 competing denominations. Christ did not only die to forgive sins and inaugurate a New Covenant. He founded a Church to preserve His truth. That Church is the Roman Catholic Church, sustained for 2,000 years despite persecution, heresy, and corruption. It has endured because the Holy Spirit guides it and gives it authority over Scripture. To read the Bible apart from the Church is to drive without traffic laws. With no rules, confusion reigns, fear paralyzes, and collisions multiply. With rules, travel becomes possible, secure, and fruitful. The Catholic Church provides the guardrails of interpretation, ensuring that when we open Scripture, we encounter God’s truth, not private error. Within the Church, the Word of God unfolds without limit. Outside it, the Word fractures into countless voices. Authority is not oppression. Authority is the reason we can trust that what we receive is Christ’s truth and not human invention. That authority rests in the Catholic Church.

Early morning reading.

I would love to see Bernie Sanders advocate for getting rid of the Federal Reserve banking system. There's nothing in the Constitution that authorizes a central bank.

The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand for ever. - Isaiah 40:8

There are bad apples in every branch of Christianity—Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox. I've been attacked by all of them, called demon-possessed, ridiculed, and personally targeted. No group is exempt from having bad actors. But what truly matters is that you have a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and are following the Spirit's leading.

To everyone telling me to go back to OCIA, I’m not doing it just to sit through videos on Formed.org. I want real catechesis, not a passive class. I can study on my own, and I plan to buy the OCIA book and go through it myself. I understand that this process is more than just education, but I’m already attending Mass and part of the parish community. The only thing I still need is a sponsor. There’s no reason for me to go through a long, repetitive process when I already know most of the material and fully understand what I’m committing to. I just need to be confirmed so I can receive the sacraments. That’s it. It’s not about pride. It’s about avoiding unnecessary repetition.

I just purchased the Didache Catholic Study Bible, which is the Catholic Study Bible based on commentary from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I also found and purchased a brand-new Catechism of the Catholic Church issued under John Paul II, the edition without the 2018 revision on the death penalty that I mentioned before. So I now have the official edition issued by John Paul II himself, reflecting his view on the death penalty. I also purchased the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. I believe these basic and essential documents will serve well in forming me in the Church. I am also enrolled in the four Catechism courses offered by the Institute of Catholic Culture. Beginning this Saturday, I will start OCIA at my parish with my priest. He will be conducting the classes. Everything seems to be coming together. Praise the Lord. I am simply trying to remain faithful to the Church, to be confirmed, to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to live as a faithful Catholic apologist. I hope, God willing, to one day become a Doctor of the Church and leave a legacy for the Lord.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, - Matthew 28:19

1. What Paul actually condemns. 1 Timothy 4:1–3 warns against people who forbid marriage and command abstinence from foods that God created. Paul is describing Gnostic and Manichean heresies. They believed matter and the body were evil, so they outlawed marriage and condemned certain foods as evil in themselves. That is what Paul called “demonic.” 2. The Catholic Church does not forbid marriage. The Church holds marriage as a sacrament instituted by Christ (Ephesians 5:31–32). Catholics marry all over the world. It is honored, blessed, and elevated. 3. Celibacy is a discipline, not a doctrine. Priestly celibacy is voluntary. It is a discipline of the Latin Rite, not a universal requirement. Even today, the Church ordains married priests in Eastern Catholic Churches and in some cases in the Latin Rite (for example, married former Protestant ministers received into the Church). Celibacy is chosen for the sake of undivided service to God, following Paul’s teaching: 1 Corinthians 7:32–33: “The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord.” Matthew 19:12: Jesus praises those who make themselves eunuchs “for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.” 4. Forbidding vs. freely choosing. Forbidding marriage means saying no one is allowed to marry. The Catholic Church does not teach that. Instead, it encourages some to freely choose celibacy as a higher calling, while fully affirming the goodness of marriage. 5. The “abstinence from foods” issue. When Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays, it is not because meat is evil, but as a spiritual discipline of penance. Paul himself fasted (Acts 13:2, Acts 14:23), and Jesus told His disciples they would fast (Matthew 9:15). That is not “demonic”; it is biblical.

Mass was beautiful today. The church was packed, and the priest gave an excellent homily. The only awkward part came when I went up with my arms crossed for a blessing instead of receiving the host, and the Eucharistic minister, a lady, just stared at me like I was out of place. I had to laugh at it afterward. 😂😂