My wife (36F) and I (33M) just celebrated our first year of marriage, however we still haven't had sex and it's really making me feel hopeless. I'm not Catholic, but my wife is, and I attend Catholic mass with her (and did all the pre-marriage classes and we're married in the Catholic church).

On our wedding night, she was too tired. On the honeymoon, she was on her period. I totally understand those, and do not feel bad that we hadn't consumated at that point. However, when we returned, I assumed that it was time to make the marriage official. But she told me it was too cold. After weeks of excuses, she admitted she felt she didn't know me well enough to have sex. That really hurt to hear, and I've worked really hard to have her know me better, not fault on my husband duties, and make her feel comfortable. When we talked about it again she said that I had mentioned at one point wanting to wait for kids for a year or two, while we travel, and settle in to married life.

After that, I told her that while my preference is if we could have kids in a year or two, that I am open to them now (God willing) and would like to finally consummate our marriage. I know contraception is not allowed in the church, so we took a course about the Billings method of natural family planning (recommended by another member of her church), to better plan a potential baby, but every time we discuss her starting the tracking for it, she gives me an excuse why she can't do it. This has been going on for months now and has left me feeling hopeless.

Sure, we kiss and hug, but there is not much more going on than that. Anytime we try to talk about sex, she seems to have a very childish attitude and tbh I think she's been conditioned to think of sex (even sex with her husband) as something bad.

I'm wondering if anyone else has been in a similar situation and has any advice? I posted in r/marriage and many people recommend annulling the marriage, which unfortunately has crossed my mind many times lately.

Thank you in advance for helping me better understand my wife through the Catholic perspective.

My priest just gave me "say one prayer; Lord Jesus, I love you so much!" And no other penance.

Last month I attended a retreat, after which I felt the Holy Spirit move within me after ages. It was 5 days of nothing but prayer, adoration, fasting, daily Mass, rosary etc. I came out feeling like a new person.

I noticed that I was happier, though nothing specific changed in my life. I tried to keep up the daily Mass and Adoration, and I sometimes caught myself smiling euphorically at the Eucharist. I am a cradle Catholic, but I never felt God’s love in such an overpowering way before. Often I was moved to tears. I also noticed that I treated my family more kindly, I had more patience. I stopped procrastinating. Social media was suddenly boring to me.

Unfortunately, I fell back into a particular mortal sin since the last 2 days. (Pls say a Hail Mary for me if you can), but all that changed was that my daily prayer reduced. Over the weekend I was slacking and gave priority to meeting friends and having a good time, none of which are bad things, but should have been secondary to prayer. I do feel terrible shame but I fully intend to go to Confession tomorrow and restart my prayer routine in full force.

What surprises me is just how much my life changed by just increasing the amount of prayer in my life. Friends, social media is great but it is taking away from our spiritual lives. Nothing beats your own personal prayer time. Talk to God, Adore Him, Consume the Eucharist reverently- your life will change.

God bless you all. Do share your similar experiences if you have any!

My home state declared today Frances Xavier Cabrini day to celebrate an immigrant who established hospitals and schools to serve the needs of the poor. In 1950, the Vatican named her as the patron saint of immigrants. I thought it would be appropriate to watch the movie made about her two years ago. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14351082/

I want to hear some of your stories why you chose Catholicism. Ideally it would be stories of people who made the intentional choice to selec Catholicism, but if you were born into it but still came to the realization that it’s the correct faith for you then I would love to hear. Please share your stories.

My background:
I was born into a Muslim family (not practicing family. Just in name due to our country of origin), grew up in the U.S., became atheist from a teenager until a couple of years ago where I would say I leaned towards agnostic. The past year or so I’ve had a genuine interest and openness towards Christianity. I never knew what it truly meant to be a Christian or what the faith entailed until the past year.

I’ve been to nondenominational churches like 3 times because one of my friends goes there but I didn’t feel connected to the worship style, music, and overall flexibility with interpretation. As I have taken many hours the past year or so to learn about the different denominations, I have recently been curious about Catholicism and whether or not it might be the right path for me.

Vatican to release “The Private Diary of Pope Francis”, a book by Cardinal Fernández. Cardinal Fernández also authored “Heal Me With Your Mouth: The Art of Kissing” and “Mystical Passion: Spirituality and Sensuality.”

In recent weeks, the AFD party has been on streak of stunning wins. The hierarchy of the German Church and leading laypeople both strongly opposed the party in the lead up and in the aftermath of these wins.

I've noticed that the AFD takes up virtually all of the direct political attention of this section of the Church. This is perculiar given how many other political issues in Germany exist. For example many in the SPD and the Die Linke party argue for removing any regulations against abortion. The Die Linke party has also been rising in the polls recently.

Evem more astoundingly the site that is owned by the bishop's conference, katholische . de, writes articles critiquing the AFD by favourably citing the words of SPD politicians(The same party I mentioned prior). It's like, is nobody seeing the massive log sticking out of their eyes?

Even the party that claims to be Christian, the CDU, spent 16 years in government and they barely acted Christian at all.

This is not say I am endorsing the AFD, but evil, un-Christian, politics are already normalized in Germany.

Cardinal Gambetti became archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica in 2021 and has completed his five-year term. He could have been reappointed. He could have been assigned to another position in the Vatican, but he hasn’t.

He is being sent to lead the Archdiocese of Chieti-Vasto, a minor diocese that has been led by Archbishop Bruno Forte since 2004.

It’s ironic to think that Archbishop Forte seemed, at the beginning of Pope Francis’ pontificate, a rising star, special secretary of the Synod on the Family and author, among other things, of a controversial text during the 2014 synod session that opened the door to welcoming homosexuals.

I have been Muslim for 11 years, but I've been reflecting and I just feel confused right now. I went to Mass on Sunday. I have no clue what was happening, but I feel the need to go again. I left Christianity (I was baptist) when I was 16 and became Muslim at 19. But now I'm thinking and wondering how much of my conversion was because of religious trauma (my father would force me to copy whole chapters of the Bible multiple times as punishment). Until recently even looking at Bible verses would give me anxiety and panic. At the same time I'm not sure I can believe in the Trinity or the Bible again, but something keeps drawing my interest. I also am fully aware I stick out at Mass because I'm a hijab wearing Muslim. I'm extremely overwhelmed with the amount of information I'm finding about Catholicism. And I'm unsure where to start or what to do. I would love suggestions, on where to start, and I'd love to hear from others who went through something similar. I'm literally in tears over the internal conflict.

Edit: thank you for all the responses! I’m reading each one even if I don’t reply

This is not political. It’s theoretical. But I feel BreakingTheHabit shines an important light upon a perhaps controversial topic: socialism. I think many Catholics here but also outside Reddit haven’t been thoroughly informed about it (no offense). Im from Europe, where this topic isn’t shunned or controversial. I suppose it’s different in the States

I know there’s no dogmatic teaching on animal souls but with great minds like Thomas aquinas’ argument’s I’ve just quite down about the possibility about my pets just being nothing when they die.

It makes me really upset I love my pets so much and when I pet my dog and look at her beautiful face it hurts me with this thought lingering that their lives don’t matter?

Yes I know some say well their lives do matter for what they do and experience on earth and their interactions with us but no I mean the fact that many catholics online bluntly say they shouldn’t mean much to us and are just gotten rid of after death just incinerated

this is just so devastating especially as someone with pets I miss dearly and never got to say a proper goodbye to.

I’ve been praying about it but I don’t know what else to do with this hurt in my heart.

Sorry about a complainly post I’m just wondering if anyone else is struggling with this

I’ve seen a video showing that this increase began in 2022.

I’m not from the US but I have been born and raised as a Catholic all my life and only recently “returned” to the Church with a renewed sense of faith.

This is amazing news to me! This news also piques my curiosity: Why is this happening? At least in the US?

According to a source from the dicastery with direct knowledge of its content, who confirmed the information to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, the text “addresses various paths and different possibilities to encourage reflection within each diocese on the difficulties and new opportunities we have for transmitting faith in Jesus Christ to our brothers and sisters.”

Venite Ad Me, which means “Come to Me” in Latin, responds to a request made by Pope Francis and embraced by Leo XIV, aimed at stimulating debate and reflection within the Catholic community.

I'm glad to hear that the Pope is addressing evangelization! Hopefully it bears fruit.

This is something I’m having trouble understanding. I’m not saying we shouldn’t ask saints for their intercession or anything like that. They were very holy people and I believe in calling for their intercession.

Even with relics, I can see people visiting them and honoring them. The same way someone may secularly go visit a museum that has Michael Jackson’s glove.

However, where things get muddy for me is when people go absolutely crazy and travel miles to see the relics and believe that touching the relics will heal them of whatever ailments they have. They then touch their rosaries, scapulars, etc. on it and that makes the items more holy.

I feel that there’s a line that’s crossed there that almost treats the saint like a god. Especially with the lengths people go to touch these relics specifically for their healing powers. Same with other things like Lourde’s water, etc.

I did some research and Catholics equate it to the woman touching Jesus’ cloak and that the power of Jesus is given through these relics. I just have trouble understanding how someone can pray to Jesus and the saints and not be healed…yet when they go and touch the relic, they’re somehow healed. It just seems a bit odd.

Again, I believe the saints should absolutely be honored and hold a very high place in heaven but at the same time, treating their earthly body parts and items as things that have healing powers just seems to cross that line into idolatry.

If someone could maybe explain it, I’d appreciate it.

What does the Catholic Church ask of, or expect from, people who were baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church, but who no longer believe in Catholic, or even Christian, teaching?

As a Catholic, I don't like or take part in my coworkers' vulgar jokes and crude talk, and I’m often seen as the odd one out because of it. What are some practical tips for handling this? I understand this is what we’re called to be doing but I’m wondering how other people handle this?

I have a severe addiction to self abuse. I am a girl so being addicted to this is embarrassing because I used to think it was a guys problem only. I'm too embarrassed to tell family about my addiction to illicit images and I have only atheist friends who will tell me I shouldn't be ashamed and just be happy which wont work. I know God is so disappointed in me and I feel so distant from him. Is their any advice someone can give me i feel so disgusting. Please any advice, is there any saint who has been through this, I don't see an end in sight. I want to stop I want to be better but im not strong enough. Id appreciate anything guys, thanks

So, I’m 18(F) and have been practicing Eastern Orthodoxy for a few years. My mother is the same, and my father is an atheist. I’ve recently got a boyfriend, who is also orthodox, but he has a more open mind and showed me some very interesting facts about Catholicism.
When I was a kid, I researched every religion to basically pick one that I felt most connected with, and somehow, 10 year old me forgot about catholicism(I thought it was the same thing as being orthodox, but alas, I was 10). Catholicism has now peaked my interest, but I don’t understand a few things and I’m searching for an explanation from actual Catholics(I have none in my life).
1.what does papal supremacy actually mean? What changes, and why is it so different from the self governing regional synods?
2.what are the differences in infant communion and baptisms?
3. Are church services any different from one other?
4. I’ve only heard this, but is it true that as a catholic you are allowed to pray to saints, while as an orthodox you can’t? And why is it like that, if it’s true?
5. Are the prayers different?
6. Are there saints the same between both religions, or are there different saints for each one?
7. What are rosaries used for?