Hello, here is a question that has always stumped me. I would welcome your help and clarification.

I think this would solve the liturgy wars. I believe Pope Benedict even said that two forms of one Roman Rite is not a permanent solution.

I personally believe allowing the vernacular was the only thing that needed to be changed in the mass after Vatican II, generally everything else was fine the way it was. As far as I can tell, the problem some people have with the Tridentine Mass is most justly the language, while the problem traditionalists have with the Novus Ordo is everything else.

I think putting the rubrics back to where they were in 1962 (or even pre-1955), with the only change being the vernacular (along with some other small changes that I could elaborate on) would honestly be a happy medium that could liturgically unite the Latin Church. However, I genuinely would like to know how popular/unpopular this take is.

I was born and raised Catholic and still am, but I have some questions as my non-denominational fiance and I begin to plan our wedding. Can anybody answer my questions without the answer simply being "because it's Church tradition" or "because the Church says so"?

Why does a wedding need to be performed in a Catholic Church and by a priest in order to be sacramental?

Why do Catholics give the same weight/importance to Church tradition/doctrine as they do the Bible?

Why do Catholic weddings all have to follow the same form (why can you not really personalize them)? And why can you not write your own vows?

Thanks!

What do you think is the strongest Catholic defense of veganism? I’d love to hear how you connect it to Scripture, care for creation, compassion for animals, unnecessary suffering, fasting, or Catholic moral teaching more broadly.

Hi everyone,

I live in Münster, Germany, and I’m hoping to meet a Catholic woman with whom I can build a marriage and a family. So far, though, I’ve found it harder than I expected.

A little about me: I’m 33, university-educated, and attend the Traditional Latin Mass. I don’t smoke or drink, and I come from a multicultural background. My faith is an important part of my life, and I value education, curiosity, and meaningful conversations. I’m hoping to meet someone who shares my Catholic faith and my desire to build a loving marriage and family.

I’d love to hear from Catholics in Germany, as well as anyone elsewhere who has faced similar challenges. How did you meet your spouse, or find a community where you could meet other single Catholics?

I’m especially interested in experiences with parish communities, Catholic groups, events, or dating apps in Germany.

I hope it’s okay to post this here! My fiancé and I will be attending a Catholic funeral Mass, and I have absolutely no idea what to expect.

His family is very culturally Catholic, so he grew up around it, but I’m not religious at all and have never even stepped foot inside a Catholic church. I really want to be respectful, but I’m worried I’m going to accidentally do something wrong or offend someone without realizing it.
My fiancé was explaining something about receiving bread from the priest or getting blessed instead? Do I have to participate in either of those? Is it disrespectful if I stay seated instead, or is there a specific thing I’m supposed to do if I’m not Catholic?

Also, what on earth do I wear? I’m pretty full and curvy-bodied, and sometimes I feel like I look “inappropriate” even when I’m completely covered up. My arms and legs are also covered in tattoos (nothing inappropriate or satanic or whatever), and I’m not sure if those are frowned upon in Catholic churches or if I should try to cover them.

I’m especially nervous because I haven’t met many people on this side of his family yet, and I really don’t want to make a bad impression during something so important to them.

I know these might seem like silly questions, but I would genuinely appreciate any advice on funeral Mass etiquette, what to wear, what to expect, and anything else a non-Catholic should know beforehand.

Thank you so much!!

EDIT:

Thank you to everyone who commented!!! Your advice was genuinely so helpful and has eased my nerves so much. I really appreciate everyone being so kind, patient, and informative. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in a church, so I was definitely panicking a little! 😅 But I’m feeling so much more confident now. Thank you all again for taking the time to help me feel more prepared! I’m feeling the love! ❤️

I'm genuinely curious.

Someone presented to me the objection that Christians who affirm an infinitely intelligent God cannot rationally assent to Christianity on the basis of evidence because humans with finite rationality have no means of reliably excluding the possibly that God, for rational reasons unknown to us, would produce or permit deceptive evidence of Christianity.

Your thoughts?

I love walking and the scenery in these catholic pilgrimage initeraries is generally insanely beautiful ? It feels like taking a break and going on a nice vacation ? If anything, staying at home and doomscrolling is more of a penance

I’ve been reading St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin and The Secret of Mary, alongside St. John Eudes’ The Admirable Heart of Mary, and I think they offer a compelling answer to why a Catholic might consider Marian consecration. To bring that message to others, I wrote up some thoughts on why I think it’s a good and important practice!

The first thing worth clarifying is that, in de Montfort’s understanding, this is not a choice between belonging to Jesus and belonging to Mary. He explicitly writes that we consecrate ourselves to Mary because Jesus chose her as the means by which He united Himself to us, and we consecrate ourselves to Jesus because He is our ultimate end.

So what does consecration actually add?

De Montfort describes this devotion as a profound renewal of our baptismal promises. We have already given ourselves to Christ in Baptism, but do we always live with that commitment consciously before us? He argues that we can renew that commitment by deliberately entrusting ourselves to Jesus through Mary, including the spiritual value of our prayers, good works, sacrifices, and sufferings.

This is more than asking Mary to pray for us. It is a way of placing our entire spiritual life under her maternal care, trusting her to help direct it toward the glory of her Son. Mary’s role is to help form us in the likeness of Christ.

In The Secret of Mary, de Montfort describes the fruits of this devotion in concrete terms: greater purity of heart, humility, charity, singleness of purpose, and fruitfulness in good works. He writes that Mary helps form Christ’s life in the soul and brings the soul into deeper union with Him.

This is the part I find compelling. Marian consecration is not just about asking for her intercession. It is about learning from the woman whose entire life was oriented toward God, and entrusting ourselves to her guidance as we seek to become more like her Son.

St. John Eudes’ The Admirable Heart of Mary develops a similar theme. Mary’s heart is worthy of devotion because of its profound union with Jesus. Her virtues are not separate from Him; they reflect a heart wholly turned toward Him. Mary does not keep what we give her for herself. De Montfort makes this point especially clearly in True Devotion, paragraph 225: Mary is entirely oriented toward God. He describes her as an echo of God, returning praise to Him. When we honor her, she joins us in honoring Him.

That is the purpose of this devotion: not to put Mary in Christ’s place, but to give ourselves to Christ more completely through her.

Of course, this is a particular devotion, and we may live our faith through any devotions we please, but for anyone seeking a more deliberate, comprehensive way to renew their baptismal commitment, Marian consecration is worth considering.

The question is not whether we should belong to Jesus or Mary. It is whether we are willing to entrust ourselves to the maternal guidance of the woman who belonged to God so completely, so that we might belong to her Son more completely as well.

I have been doing some reading online, trying to learn what the Eastern Catholic Church believes about the devil and demonic affliction. I came across some writings by my Archbishop where demonic affliction is more and more shrugged off as mental illness. Clergy and laypersons speak as if it doesn't exist at all. As someone who spent years doing demonic occult practices, including the summoning of demons, to the point it lead to demonic oppression (not possession), this is very concerning to me.

I have very real experiences with demons. They laid dormant when I was non-religious doing the occult stuff, but as soon as I decided to go to church, they immediately reared their ugly heads and tore me to pieces, doing everything they could to stop me. Yes, I've been cleared by the mental health field, and I have the cognitive discernment to know the difference. The idea that my horrifying experience with demons is brushed off as some sort of fairytale or psychosis breaks my heart, and I don't understand how the Church can be so dismissive of a very real spiritual peril.

Souls will be lost if people who are experiencing demonic affliction cannot find help within the Church.

In Mass on Sunday waiting for the Mass to begin my eye fell on the entrance antiphon.
‘ if you o lord should mark iniquities’ As soon as I read this it sparked my brain. I thought ‘ is that a newer translation of ‘if you oh lord should mark our guilt ‘ etc. Psalm 130?
At that moment the bell rings and the priest enters. So I quickly pick up the hymn book and open it roughly looking to find the first hymn judging by where I think I can find hymn number 865. But the hymn book falls open on another hymn entirely. The De Profundis. Immediately I think that’s just wild. What a coincidence. Then I look again and see the number of the hymn for the De Profundis is a number that has featured often in my life. I was just flabbergasted by the coincidence. At the end of the Mass I realised there were over 960 hymns in the hymn book. What are the odds of that ?

Someone told me that the Japanese Shogunate's persecution of Christians was a justified self defence against a foreign cult who was enslaving their people and overthrowing their government. He said modern Japan is a shining beacon of modernity not corrupted by Christianity. What a wild thing to say...

Japan has officially recognized threatening children with hell to force religious beliefs as a form of psychological abuse.

In December 2022, the Japanese government introduced guidelines addressing religious abuse of children.

Under these rules, using fear of hell or divine punishment to pressure children into religious activities can be considered psychological abuse.

The guidelines also cover forcing children into religious practices, restricting their education, and denying them necessary medical care because of religious beliefs.

The policy focuses on protecting children from religious coercion while respecting freedom of religion.

In Japan, the distinction is now formally recognized: teaching a belief is different from using fear to enforce it.

My opinion: I completely agree with this especially that it's focused more on cultish behaviors, like extreme guilt-tripping and fear-mongering and as I delve deeper, the Japanese government also stressed its importance to physical punishments like whipping and denying blood transfusions.

But I get fed up with the non-believers thinking it's a "gotcha moment" as if we're scaring people, or are we? Does Catholicism or God fears people of hell to believe? This is a genuine question as someone exploring Catholicism. Thanks! Would love to hear from everyone!

ADDENDUM: Please recommend some books about theology or Catholicism so I can be more firm of what I believe more and doesn't always feel like just larping Catholicism. Thankss

Hello Everyone, I want to write a book or a novel about a upcoming priest or monk while dealing with worldly desires. maybe it's a bit overused not sure, but the part I need help is that I have no clue how the process is.

So I want to ask the people who are priests or monks how that process was and what did it felt knowing you were stepping into that kind of life.

If you're neither a priest or a monk, but if you were about to become one tell me your experience and what you felt and were thinking during that point of time.

It's going to be my first book or novel, and it's something I want to publish but first i'm probably going to share it at my school for a class.

Lastly, I'll take notes from the responses and most importantly try my best.

Eu estou com uma dúvida sobre se baixar ROMs de jogos que não são mais vendidos (ou seja não prejudicando ninguém economicamente) seria pecado ou não, porque mesmo assim você estaria violando os direitos autorais.

Se configura pecado ou não?

i recently got from protestantism to catholicism and my mom still thinks catholicism is heresy because
1 she things mary is not sinless
2 icons are making images about god and god says dont make any images or statues of me
3 she doesn’t know why the eucharist is so important

can someone help me to give logic answers to this questions? also include scripture like bible verses in the answers if you would like,
thank you god bless

​

Have you ever wished you had never existed? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. We are born and thrust into this battle between good and evil, between heaven and hell, without ever having a choice in the matter. I look at my life and see so much misery, and I find myself thinking, "Lord, I know I’m a sinful wretch—but then again, so is everyone else. Why do things have to be so difficult? I just need some kind of relief." It’s been two years since I accepted that the Catholic Church is the Church of Christ, and it has been incredibly difficult to follow the Catholic faith—essentially all on my own. I see everyone else with companions, while I am completely alone. I see so many people receiving so many graces from God, yet here I remain. God has granted many graces in my life—there were even times when I truly thought I was going to die—but it feels as though He only gives me just enough to keep surviving. And surviving is not the same thing as living. I know I’m a wretched human being, but I just wish things would get better, even if only for once in my life. I’m losing the joy of living. I’m constantly anxious, sad, and rotting away in my room. I know we’re supposed to trust in God, but how do you actually do that in practice? If trusting is a choice, then I choose to trust—but my body doesn’t react that way; I still feel just as anxious. There’s a girl I met; things were going well, but now it feels like everything is crumbling before my eyes. I pray, "Father, I ask You—if it is Your will, please bless my relationship with her. If it is not, then please take her out of my life and help me deal with these feelings." Lately, I’ve been having several problems in this relationship, yet it hasn’t ended; it continues, despite the issues she and I are trying to overcome. Should I take this as a sign that I ought to keep trying, or not? How can I know what God’s will is? Forgive me for this text; I ended up venting a bit too much. I don’t have any Catholic friends I can talk to, and my girlfriend is the only Catholic person in my life—but we’re going through a difficult time right now.

Anyone experience on annulling first marriage to enter catholic church? Share experience/thoughts/process/length/ if it fails what next?

Background context: I’m a cradle Catholic, and attending Sunday Mass has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I love my faith and the Eucharist, and I don’t see myself ever abandoning Catholicism. However, lately I’ve been struggling with a dilemma regarding my church community and would appreciate some advice from fellow Catholics.
In my current Catholic community, I have taken on a significant responsibility for the choir and hymns during Mass. I often feel that the responsibility falls on the same few people every week, whether it’s singing, organizing the music, or doing the readings. I’ve tried repeating familiar hymns to encourage participation, but there is often very little enthusiasm from the congregation.
Over time, I’ve found myself becoming frustrated and sometimes even angry during Mass, when I know my attention should be on prayer and the Eucharist. I don’t resent serving the Church, but I wish there were more people willing to share the responsibility so that I could participate in the liturgy without constantly feeling that I have to keep everything going.
At the same time, I’ve found a Christian student community where people seem genuinely invested in their faith and in one another. Their prayer and worship sessions are full of collective singing and heartfelt participation, which I find deeply moving. I’ve also formed meaningful friendships there, and I feel appreciated and encouraged in my faith.
This has left me wondering whether I should attend a Saturday evening Catholic Mass to fulfil my Sunday obligation and then participate in the Christian community’s worship on Sundays, rather than continuing to attend my usual Catholic community every Sunday.
My hesitation is that I feel as though I might be abandoning my Catholic community, especially because I’ve played such a significant role in helping its liturgy run smoothly. At the same time, I wonder whether continuing out of a sense of responsibility is healthy when it has begun affecting my ability to pray peacefully.
I know that the Eucharist is central to my Catholic faith, and I don’t want to compromise that. But I also long for a Christian community where I can worship wholeheartedly, build meaningful friendships, and grow spiritually without constantly feeling burdened by responsibilities.
I’d appreciate any advice from Catholics that have faced a similar situation between serving their parish and finding a community they feel spiritually connected to.

I love and hate myself. I’m 18 and a freshmen in college and I have an amazing family and great friends. However I hate how ugly I am. Everywhere I go on campus I feel like the ugliest person around and when I think i see somebody who’s I think is uglier I use that too boost myself and that makes me feel bad because I don’t want to judge. Sometimes my friends or people with us will say something about my looks to boost themselves up and it just fucks me up. Im passing all my classes but my self esteem and self worth is just so low. I hate pictures of myself because of how bad I look my favorite ones are where I don’t look like myself. It doesn’t help I look young for my age either. I’m w5’9 which isn’t bad and I’m in good shape I would say I go the gym 3-5x a week. I pray and try to go to adoration one or two times a week along with mass. I lost a cousin to suicide so I wouldn’t want to do that because I know what it does to families but id be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. I’m also living in a state of mortal sin so that doesn’t help either and I can’t confess because I’m only a candidate in the church but I will hopefully be confirmed in march. I want nothing more than to have a wife and kids but I am discerning the priesthood because I don’t think I will ever find a wife and if I do I don’t want my kids to be ugly like me

I 20F work privately as a nanny for a family with two kids. I’m about to spend a week watching the children, and their mom recently asked me to take them to Catholic Mass on Sunday.
For context, I was raised, baptized, and confirmed in the Lutheran Church, and I’m still Lutheran. I’m also getting married in a Lutheran church this December, so my faith is an important part of my life. When I first started working for this family, I told their mom that I was Lutheran and asked if that was going to be a problem. She said no.
I’ve also asked the kids if they normally go to church on Sundays since they attend a private Catholic school, and they told me their parents don’t usually take them to church on Sundays.
I’m uncomfortable with Catholic Mass because there are certain teachings I disagree with, and I don’t feel comfortable spending an hour attending a service that conflicts with my religious beliefs. I also feel like I would stick out and look bad sitting there without participating in the service.
The other part of this is that Sunday is normally my time to worship at my own church, and by working that day, I’m already sacrificing that time for this job. It bothers me that I’m now being asked to spend that time attending a different denomination’s service that makes me uncomfortable, especially when the kids apparently don’t normally attend Sunday Mass anyway.
When I explained that Catholic Mass makes me uncomfortable, their mom basically responded that the kids need adult supervision and can’t attend Mass by themselves or simply be dropped off. She said I could sit quietly in the church without participating and pointed out that people from other religions sometimes attend services without taking part in the religious practices.
I understand that she’s paying me to watch her children, and I’m not saying I shouldn’t have responsibilities as their nanny. I also understand that the children need supervision and can’t just be dropped off at a church by themselves. However, I can’t help feeling like their mom wants them to go because she doesn’t have to take them herself, rather than because attending Sunday Mass is something their family regularly does.
I know we never explicitly discussed whether I would be comfortable taking them to religious services, so I understand there may have been a misunderstanding. I’m not trying to disrespect her family’s religion, but I also want my own beliefs to be respected.
AITA for not wanting to take them to Catholic Mass, or am I being unreasonable because I’m their nanny and this is part of supervising the kids?