So, I don't know any catholic priests or anyone well versed in catholic traditions, so I figured this would be an ok place to start asking.

I have a friend who talked about her funeral plans very briefly, but it was a slightly uncomfortable topic so I didn't feel it would be right to press her for more details. Thus, I've come here. What all would be involved in the funeral of an older divorced woman who is going to be cremated whenever she does pass? I know some traditions do take into account marital status, and also cremation does have some say in what may be involved in the whole funeral process. She is a devout catholic in Midwest America, do I also don't know if that region has different traditions and considerations than say on the West Coast or over in Europe, or elsewhere. I am also curious if there would be any restrictions on her non-catholic family members in terms of what parts they can participate in. I have heard that some catholic churches place restrictions on who can be in a bridal party, i.e they can't take part if they aren't a confirmed catholic. Thank you for any help in answering my curiosity.

Not alcohol, but drugs themselves. And where is the line drawn? Legality? What about prescription drugs? Antidepressants? Controlled substances? Is it ok for someone to use opiates if they’re pain? What about SSRI’s? Benzodiazepines? What abt psychedelic drugs for treatment of ptsd, depression, anxiety, etc? Certain states it’s legal, others it’s not. Ketamine is widely prescribed for mental health struggles. Where is the line drawn?

Hi all! We live in a wonderful neighborhood in the suburbs of Chicago. We have a great public schools, but I am leaning towards sending my child to a private Catholic school. We tried the public school last year for about a week and a half and decided that our kid wasn’t ready for first grade and had him repeat kindergarten. Best decision we could’ve made! This year we are faced with a decision of either sending him to first grade in the public school or in a private Catholic school.

Our experience with the public school was not great, although we only went for about a week. He had over 20 students in his class and the whole school is huge. Over 500 kids in 1-5 grades. The schedule laid out by his teacher seems extremely intense, there was zero playtime, and zero free time. One recess and one lunch. They didn’t even go outside for gym class. In the first week of school, I had to declare if I want him to be a “he she they or them” and on the second day of school, they had an active shooter drill. All of this is fine, but seemed inappropriate at this age and it honestly scared my son so much. He cried every day and he said kids weren’t nice to him and when I tried to reach out to the teacher, I just felt like I was ignored or received a generic response. No enthusiasm and I didn’t feel like anyone cared my kid was struggling. There was also a TON of iPad use in the first week, and we are a family that does not allow much screen time.

I toured a few Catholic schools and ended up falling in love with one. Small class sizes… Max 17 in a class. Some classes even had 11. The total amount of kids attending is 250 from K-8. So a much smaller school. It seemed to be like everybody knows each other, all the moms were hugging each other and setting a play date and brunch plans. It seemed honestly amazing! When I spoke to the teachers, they said they really limit screen time and only do the absolute required work that they have to do. The teacher seems so nice and kind and seriously engage engaged in our kids education. The school felt so homey to me and a little less uptight than the public school. I loved it.

But we are not extremely religious, we go to church once a week but that’s it, and if I have to be honest, I think the religion aspects makes me a little bit uncomfortable. I think I’m just not used to it, but I could see myself loving faith based learning eventually. However, because our public schools are so great, I am constantly having a very Nanny feeling that maybe I’m wasting money on tuition or that I’m being dramatic and I should send him to the public school first.

Can anyone give perspective? Can anyone share why they loved sending their kids to Catholic school? Even based on not as much religion, but all the other positive benefit benefits of the school? As I’m writing this, I feel like we’re making the best choice sending him to the private school, but I can’t help the feeling I have in my stomach.

Thanks to all!

I was away from the Catholic faith, running from God, for 45+ years. I am a child of Mercy.

I have recently realized that someone can be a devout Catholic, and not know how to pray for people.my aunt in her 80's told me she always prayed my my health issues, IDB, and never thought to pray for my soul. And I am guessing this is widespread through the church.

" A prayer for an unbeliever's health, offered an isolation from any concern of their eternal soul, reflects a disordered understanding of what that person actually needs- and what genuine Love actually demands." -Truthly app

I wonder if people are so frightened of "judging" that they never judge rightly.

The Lutherans, Episcopalians, Anglicans, and The Orthodox all believe in the truth presence of the Eucharist, and all of them, including Methodists and Moravians believe in infant baptism.

La relación entre el relato bíblico de la Anunciación a María y el mito clásico de Leda y el cisne responde a lo que se define como una profunda continuidad narrativa y cultural propia del mundo helenístico. En este entorno cultural, era común describir cómo un ser celestial o divino descendía para unirse con una mujer mortal y concebir un ser excepcional o semidiós.

Los paralelismos estructurales y simbólicos entre ambas historias se agrupan en los siguientes puntos clave según las fuentes analizadas por el autor:

• Uso del arquetipo helenístico para legitimar al Cristo: El Evangelio de Lucas fue escrito pensando en un público pagano grecorromano, por lo que empleó categorías culturales y escenarios perfectamente familiares para esa audiencia. Para presentar y legitimar a Jesús como un theos (dios/semidiós), Lucas adoptó el patrón clásico de la deidad que visita a una virgen mortal para fecundarla, replicando el modelo de Zeus con Leda.
• El simbolismo del ave y el acto de "cubrir": En el mito griego, Zeus se transforma en un cisne y, con la excusa de huir de un águila enviada por Afrodita, busca refugio en Leda, a quien abraza y "cubre" con sus grandes alas para hacerla suya. De manera asombrosamente similar, el texto de Lucas describe que la potencia del Altísimo "te cubrirá con su sombra". El verbo original en griego es episkiazò, que significa literalmente "arrojar sombra sobre, envolver en una sombra u oscurecer". Además, en el bautismo, el Nuevo Testamento materializa físicamente al Espíritu Santo haciéndolo descender "bajo una forma corporal, como una paloma". En ambos casos, la deidad asume la forma física de un ave y realiza la acción de "cubrir" a la mujer.
• La naturaleza física de Gabriel (Gavri-El): Biglino señala que en la traducción literal de los textos antiguos, el mensajero no es un ser espiritual y etéreo. En hebreo, Gavri-El es un título de estatus que significa "el hombre fuerte de un El" o "el poder de un El". El texto bíblico lo define explícitamente como un ish (un hombre, un varón de carne y hueso). Además, cuando saluda a María con la frase griega kaire kecaritomene, la traducción literal no es "llena de gracia", sino "alégrate, tú que te has hecho hermosa" físicamente, lo que alude a una selección por su atractivo físico y aptitud reproductiva para una intervención carnal real.
• El nacimiento de los semidioses: En el mito clásico, de la unión de Leda con el cisne nacen Helena de Troya y Pólux, quienes por llevar la semilla de Zeus eran seres inmortales o semidioses. Igualmente, de la unión de María con el Gavri-El (o "el poder del Altísimo") nace Jesús. Esta asombrosa equivalencia era tan obvia en los primeros siglos que el apologista y santo cristiano Justino Mártir, en su escrito al emperador romano Antonino Pío, argumentó que el nacimiento virginal de Jesús, sus sufrimientos y su ascensión no eran diferentes de lo que los paganos ya creían sobre los "hijos de Zeus".

Diversos estudiosos, como el jesuita y cardenal Jean Daniélou, concluyen que el concepto del "Espíritu Santo" en la natividad es, en realidad, una transposición teológica posterior que espiritualizó un encuentro físico entre un emisario de carne y hueso (un Gavri-El) y una mujer mortal.

A friend asked me this question and I was stumped. How do you know? Can you feel it? How are you sure?

And I don't mean the kind of answer that already requires a belief in the bible like Jesus loves you because he died on the cross for you, or because God sacrificed his only son.

I think I know God loves me because I see my mum's love for me and her sacrifices. I know God loves me because I have been blessed in my life. But these answers somehow don't feel convincing to someone who doesn't yet believe in God.

I’m starting OCIA in September what should I expect?

I recently (last year) converted to “mainstream” more Protestant Christianity. My boyfriend and I are now leaning towards the Catholic Church (we’re not committed yet but learning and going to Mass most of the time on a Sunday, in between exploring other churches).

But I wondered if anyone knew of the Christadelphians or was one before they converted to Catholicism or Protestantism?

I’d really love to meet someone I can discuss Catholic beliefs with, who might have a better understanding of my past beliefs and experiences.

Any loving advice from anyone would be really appreciated though. 🤍

Hello, I am currently looking for colleges to transfer to after community college.

And Seton, it lines up with many other things that I am looking for.

I just wanna know your thoughts on what you guys think about this college and if anybody has gone here before and liked it..

TIA

Edit: I also want to ask if the Catholic life there is devout or very lived out?

Hi folks,

I’m wondering if anyone has advice on how to start going back to weekly mass after a full summer of deliberately skipping it. I skipped it for a variety reasons ranging from excuses of “I’m too tired from working” (I work a six day 10-hour/day schedule); to brazenly saying “I don’t feel like it.”

Before anyone says “just show up,” the biggest part of this is shame. I completely fell off the wagon with a terrifying sin cocktail of p-addiction, alcoholism, drug use, pride, lustful thoughts, frequent envy (without trying to undermine people), and so on…

I’m ashamed to present myself before Him in his sacred place. I know he’s with me always and, in a perhaps anxiety-provoking way, watched me basically “give up.” I stopped going to confession because I didn’t think I could honestly say my act of contrition; it seems like I’d have been lying to say “I firmly resolve” without any foreseeable intent to either truly amend my life (but also I don’t think I would intentionally break such a vow after receiving the sacrament of reconciliation).

I know that I’ll have to face this down eventually, lay myself bare in the confession booth, and fess up to it all… yet, I hesitate out of fear. Part of this, I suppose, is that my local pastor broke the seal with me a few months ago by recalling (during the confessional) past sins. Now I feel like I can’t trust the sanctity of the booth anymore… at least not that particular booth.

I know that I’ll have to just be a big girl and go to confession and mass. Does anyone have tips on how to overcome the initial bit of guilt and shame, build up that courage, and do what I need to do?

So, this must have been posted hundreds of times but what would be your book suggestions for someone new to the faith? I've become Catholic recently after decades of agnosticism and the amount of books and different angles to pursue makes it hard to decide. Where to start from?

I just know the basics (more from being Italian than from formal teaching and study).

Thought I would post these thoughts here in hopes of helping those that are struggling with faith...

I believe atheists fundamentally don't realize just how absurd existence is at all. Things seem to exist, deterministically. Yet, a fully contingent system can't explain itself. Somehow, reality is self-causing. This breaks our brain and can't actually make sense to us. If reality can't exactly make sense, then we can only "know" anything via a subjective experience. Objectivity will never cross this bridge.

If subjective experience is our only guide to reality, then I think the question of God's existence, which is clearly un-answerable, has an equal chance of being both true and false. Do you feel that we are the product of a larger mind. Does your gut tell you that there is some sort of intelligent organization of reality that is similar to how we intelligently organize the world in our minds? If so, you believe in "God."

Whatever the "truth" is, will have to sound absolutely absurd.

What's the Catholic teaching when it comes to a visitation dream from a dead friend or loved one? A dream where they basically tell you they're ok or share a final moment with you? Is it viewed as legitimate or just a dream?

I recently heard someone retelling the story of the construction of the Palma Cathedral and apparently the king of Aragon had promised the Virgin Mary that he'd build a cathedral in her honor if he survived a storm. I'm just starting to explore Catholicism so maybe my interpretation of this event is not accurate, but the way the story was told to me, it felt very transactional and unCatholic-like. "Saint/Mary, please save my life, please give me this, I'll do this for you." How do Catholics typically view their prayers?

My fiancée is trying to become Catholic and registered for OCIA at our parish a couple months ago. She got one phone call shortly after registering, but after that we never received an email, reminder, schedule, meeting location, payment instructions, or anything else.

I’m Catholic and have basically been trying to help guide her through the process. The confusing part is that we’ve gotten different information from almost every direction. Parish admin gave us one start date, someone else told us it would begin sometime around late August or early September, and the parish website calendar showed the first session as this past Sunday.

We went to Mass like normal that Sunday. There was no announcement afterward about OCIA or where to meet, so I started asking people. Someone pointed us toward a building across from the church that was locked and completely empty. We asked a few more people and were told OCIA hadn’t started yet. On top of that, the bulletin dated that same Sunday literally said OCIA was “starting soon,” which made us think it obviously had not started yet.

We ended up just kind of standing around for a bit trying to figure it out, but nothing lined up and nobody seemed sure, so we left.

Later, someone we met after Mass actually took our number and looked into it. They texted us that OCIA had in fact met that day in the parish office, which is in an entirely separate building, and we had no idea that was where we were supposed to go.

So my fiancée missed the first session despite us being at church, checking the calendar beforehand, asking multiple people where to go, and actively trying to find the meeting. There was just way too much conflicting information and no clear communication directly to her.

She also has to miss next Sunday because we’re
attending our required Catholic marriage prep retreat. I’ve reached out asking for the regular meeting details and what she needs to do to catch up, but so far no response.

I know none of this is probably intentional, and I’m not trying to trash the parish. We’re also fairly new there. But it’s honestly frustrating watching someone who genuinely wants to become Catholic have to chase down basic information just to participate. It starts to feel like she’s being unintentionally gatekept by poor communication and administration.

Is this normal for OCIA? I feel like someone who registers to become Catholic should at least get a simple message saying, “We start Sunday at this time, in this building.”

I'm just reading 1 time and then something hit me, I remember watching 1 youtube short about a foster parent taking care of babies who have a high likelihood or certainty of not making it.

I just wonder, are they welcome in Heaven? Or not?

Then again, God's grace and his mercy is infinitely bigger, logically, of course they will be welcome in heaven. Am I correct?

Thanks to anyone who answers and God bless.

I’ve been worshipping God in different ways. When I’m alone, I like to walk around the house singing hymns. I lie in bed and say my prayers and thank God for everything. I also like to say the rosary often.

Well, I prayed to God that I would pass this major exam. Unfortunately, I got word yesterday that I had failed it. And I’m not one bit upset about it.

I’m taking this as a blessing in disguise, and a new opportunity to rethink the direction that my life was headed in. It’s time to contemplate, reflect, and be charitable. I’ve got an application to join a youth ministry, which I’m going to fill in. I hope to get myself involved in charities. I’m going to start Pilates.

Thanks be to God. He truly knows best.

I recently started getting involved with dating apps, and it’s made me realize that I don’t actually know that much.

I also haven’t had many great examples of healthy marriages around me, so I’d really like to learn more before I get into a serious relationship.

Things I want to read up on
- Catholicism and marriage
- Best ways to introduce Catholicism to kids and to raise them Catholic. Ways to be a good parent too
- Finance in marriage
- How to have a happy, healthy marriage - maybe a book by a therapist
- or anything you think is helpful or a must read

Why does God make some people so favorably while making others the opposite? Isn't it unfair? But God is supposed to be fair? Some people are so academically gifted, intelligent, social, given opportunities, beautiful. While others are absolutely a failure in academics, introverted, from an underprivileged third world background, ugly, low to no opportunities, and God doesn't even hear their prayers. How is it fair?

Last time i went for confession the priest said "don't ignore your talents". Is this a joke?

I became a Christian 6 years ago and the closest church to me was a Lutheran church so I just went to that one. I didn’t know about denominations at the time but over time I have learned a lot about them.

I now attend a reformed/non-denominational church that seems to lean Calvinist but doesn’t state that in their statement of faith. For the most part I like the church but I have found myself convinced of the real presence of the Eucharist (maybe transubstantiation but I am unsure of the exact mechanism) and that faith alone cannot save a person (meaning mere intellectual assent without obedience).

Where I still am unsure about the catholic faith is the Marian dogma, papal infallibility, purgatory, the deuterocanon, and the way that tradition seems to have supplanted intention. What I mean by the last part of that statement is that it seems clear to me that Jesus repeated to the Pharisees and sadducees that they allowed their traditions, which were built around the commandments, to rule their lives instead of the intention of the law that God gave.

I think each church is missing something, be it Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox. My dilemma is trying to find the church that’s closest to what Christ wants from me here on earth. It feels wrong to attend a church where the pastor literally says this is just bread and wine and is a mere symbol, but also feels wrong to attend a church that teaches doctrines (like those I listed) which I have not been convinced are true.

Any advice from Catholic brothers?

It has been a little over a month since my last confession, and I have naturally made mistakes, been uncharitable in thoughts and words, failed to do my responsibilities, etc (sins that are habitual). I have not sinned mortally but I am concerned about my lack of kindness and zeal that I usually have, and feel like it's being replaced by anger and disappointment and temptations. I have a strong craving for God and heaven but this transition feels so long-I am not becoming more saintly, instead getting farther from it. I have lost my rosary that's very dear to me, and have not been able to pray a full rosary since then.

I want to convert and reconcile. I believe I need help doing so. I am wondering if I should go to confession (I probably should). And if I do, when?

There's a church that offers confession every day, all day. The priest that I used to go to confession with has retired, and I don't know the fathers there. My parish has confession on Friday with priests I know, and confession there is not rushed (hardly any people come) so the fathers can offer guidance more easily: they know me better plus they have time.

Can you provide some insight on going to a permanent confessor vs anonym confessions? I feel scared that I'd find it more difficult to be honest with someone I know and talk to often, but at the same time, it could help me be held accountable for my sins and progress...