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Category Archives: Blog

LifeTeen.com Blog

Long Island Medium: Ghosts, God, and the Church

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The show takes a look at Theresa’s life as she tries to balance family relationships with her daytime job as a medium, someone who can communicate with the spirit world. She believes that she can communicate with people who have died, so clients come to her looking for closure and answers as they hope to hear from those who have passed away.

It sounds harmless enough. After all, she’s just offering help and consolation to people who are still mourning the loss of loved ones, right? What does the Catholic Church say about channeling spirits or communicating with the dead?

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Defend Your Freedom

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en and women have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice everything to fight for peace and freedom. Many lost their lives, families, peace of mind, and much more. I’m incredibly grateful for all the heroic souls who fought for our freedom and how they resemble Christ in that way.

We’re called to follow in their footsteps by continually defending our freedom. Going off to war in a foreign land isn’t the only way to defend freedom. As a matter of fact, you can honor the veterans and honor God in your everyday actions.

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Beyond Words: 11/11/2012

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Why Do Catholics Confess Their Sins to a Priest?

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Priests can forgive our sins because Jesus has given them that authority through the grace of Holy Orders. With that power, priests can hear and forgive our sins by acting through Christ.

Jesus gave the Church the Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Penance or Confession, to allow us to have an intimate conversation with our God through the priest. . . .

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Election Aftermath

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It got old watching TV ads about why “Politician A” is so awful and why “Politician B” is practically a canonized saint.

I got sick of opening my mailbox only to throw away multiple print ads everyday.

I got tired of the mud-slinging, name-calling, and lying that seems to spread through every election I’ve voted in.

Finally it’s over! I can get back to my normal life, and my friends can get back to posting more pointless memes on Facebook.

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Annual Appeal: The 3 Ways You Can Support Life Teen This Fall

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As you will notice on the websites, it is Annual Appeal time at Life Teen. The theme we have chosen the appeal this year is, “Vocations Start Here.”

We live in a loud and fast paced world. God longs to speak to each one of us, but how can we hear Him amidst the noise and demands of our culture? For over 27 years, the Life Teen Movement has been committed to evangelizing youth and helping them hear God’s call. We humbly invite you to take part in our mission where vocations begin.

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LifeTeen.com Blog

“Bless Me Father, I’m #sorrynotsorry”

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This is also a feeling Catholics may have when approaching the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We know we need to go. Christ gave us this sacrament by which we “obtain pardon from God’s mercy” and are “reconciled with the Church” (CCC 1422). We need to hear those words — “Your sins are forgiven, go in peace!” Yet sometimes, like my mother, we do something and while we know it’s wrong we’re not that sorry. Should we still go to confession?

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LifeTeen.com Blog

The Friend Zone: Are you always her friend and never her boyfriend?

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In high school I was one of those “nice Christian guys,” you know, the guy who was always the good friend, but not the boyfriend. I used to complain with my other “nice guy” friends about being put into the friend zone, that awkward place when you have feelings for a girl but she just wants to be friends. I’ve been called “a good friend,” “like a brother,” and “a catch . . . for someone else.”

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LifeTeen.com Podcast

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday: 11/11/2012

Jesus is saying to you every day: “I’m going to ask you for everything . . . and then some.” That’s the way of the cross and the way of the gospel.

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LifeTeen.com Blog

What Makes A Saint

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Let’s be honest, “All Saints Day” does not refer to me. I have more in common with popcorn appreciation day. Or Taylor Swift fan club Mondays.

This feast commemorates all the saints in heaven and I feel like I’m so far away from being a saint. I want to be a saint though! I try really hard to not sin. In fact, I know the Ten Commandments about as well as I know the lyrics to “As Long As You Love Me.” So . . . very well.

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Are You There God?: 5 Ways to Prove God Exists

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I’ve heard it. You’ve heard it. We’ve all heard it. “You can’t prove God exists!”

It seems like more and more people these days only believe in what they can see, touch, hear, taste, and smell. It’s all about what our senses can experience and what we can wrap our brains around. Pope Benedict XVI has declared a Year of Faith for us all to get back to the basics and proclaim that there is more to life than only what we can see!

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Goodbye Victoria’s Secret: An Interview with Kylie Bisutti

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She had her dream job . . . and she was only 19. Kylie beat out 10,000 other women when she won the Victoria’s Secret Model Search back in 2009. She travelled the world modeling lingerie as a Victoria’s Secret Angel but Kylie realized it wasn’t everything she had hoped it would be, especially as a married woman. So last Spring she said “peace out Victoria’s Secret!”

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LifeTeen.com Podcast

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday: 11/04/2012

Are you just going through the motions of prayer, or are you entering in with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength? Love God intentionally today.

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Stop Yelling At Me

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I sat up straighter. Everything I’d ever read about apologetics and answering peoples’ complaints about the Church started running through my mind at full speed. I was like a lion ready to pounce on any reason she said, convince her she was wrong and corral her back to the Church . . .

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LifeTeen.com Blog

An Open Letter to My Sisters This Halloween

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It takes you from the powerful, inspiring, and awesome person that you are to a mere object of lust. You are already beautiful and deserve better than that. When you show cleavage and your legs with mini costumes, it is those parts of your body that are emphasized (by design). It sends the message that the most valuable thing about you is the body parts you’re putting on display.

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Video

Beyond Words: 10/28/2012

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Everything I Know About Love I Learned From Taylor Swift

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If you haven’t listened to T-Swift’s new album Red, go clear your schedule and come back to this blog later. My words will be empty and boring if you aren’t hearing the refrain of “All too well” or “Treacherous” on repeat in your head.

If you have been listening to her album, courtesy of iTunes, Target, a Papa John’s Pizza, or a YouTube playlist, then we are definitely friends. (If you participated in any sort of countdown to Red, you’re instantly elevated to best friend status.)

Miss Swift’s album is about more love and heartbreak than I’ve ever experienced. Like, ever.

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LifeTeen.com Blog

The Bible: Is It Reliable Reading?

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Still, there are countless people who try to say that the Bible is “unreliable” or “outdated.” Many people – some of whom are well-read and quite intellectual – do everything they can to debunk the validity of Scripture, thinking that if they can exploit seeming “inconsistencies” or supposed “errors” they can somehow do away with Christianity and even God. That’s the first mistake . . .

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LifeTeen.com Blog

The 5 Phrases of a Cell Phone Addict

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Being able to put your phone down and not let life pass you by will certainly help you grow in virtue. God uses all things to reach us, but the twitter account named after Jesus isn’t actually Him. Remember, grace doesn’t come in megabytes. God wants to show His face and His heart to you; don’t give Him the busy signal. Be available when He comes to you.

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LifeTeen.com Blog

Accepting the Challenge from Blessed JP2: Be Not Afraid

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I believe that Pope John Paul II was one of the greatest Popes to have ever served the Church. History has shown him to be a man who can be all things to all people. He was an athlete, an actor, a writer, a priest, a bishop, an activist and most of all a follower of Christ . . . In terms of leadership and bravery, William Wallace has nothing on this guy. During the years of Pope John Paul II’s service to the Church, he encountered many things that would make the average person run and hide.

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