If you’re anything like me, you’ve become pretty disenchanted with many so-called “heroes” and “leaders” in our world. The cheating, lies, deceit, and more have invaded my television to the point where I barely turn it on any more.
A few years ago, it was the scandal of Tiger Woods.
Just this past week, we’ve been bombarded with the confession of Lance Armstrong taking Performance Enhancing Drugs and whatever the heck is going on with Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o.
It’s common knowledge that hormonal contraception is detrimental to a woman’s physical health, but there’s little discussion regarding how the same drugs affect the health of her romantic relationships. Hormonal contraception changes a woman’s romantic chemistry. How?
It seemed like in one moment, our sophomore year, (our whole life) was changed forever. Two minutes ago we only had to think about cute boys, classes, and our plans for spring break. Now I had to think about baby diapers, stretch marks, and helping Jessica face the possible ridicule and judgment of our peers.
How was I supposed to love and support her? The selfish part of me didn’t want to face this. But the only thing I knew was that my Catholic faith asked me to take courage and stand beside my friend, to believe that God would work it out, and to hope in His promises . . . But sometimes things don’t end as you think it should.
I was off the pill for about three months when my cycles went crazy again (because the pill doesn’t cure anything, just masks it), and this time the pain was unbearable. I went racing back to my miracle pill for the next few years.
In our junior year of college, my boyfriend asked me to marry him. I of course said yes! I had only been waiting three and a half years! We set the date for two weeks after graduation – a year-and-a-half engagement (a.k.a. forever).
Near the end of eternity we went to our pre-cana (pre-marriage) class. When the subject of birth control came up, I clammed up. I didn’t want to hear what they had to say. I had medical reasons for being on the pill. I wasn’t hurting anyone by being on the pill, and we were so not ready for kids.
Check it out! We put together a fact sheet about abortion for you to download. It’s important to be aware of what’s really going on and you won’t know that until you look at the shocking numbers and data. Go ahead and print it out, pass it around, and educate yourself about this issue.
I think this is a pretty normal trend — with maturity comes better decisions about our health. We realize fruit and granola makes a better breakfast than doughnuts and mountain dew and preservatives that enable food products to last until the year 3000 (I’m looking at you, Twinkies) should probably be consumed in moderation.
A glaring exception to this is our culture’s enthusiasm for hormonal contraceptives, or “the Pill” as it’s known on the streets. If you’re like me, you hear “pill” and think something that’s good for you and will help you feel better, like Aleve for a headache or Nyquil for a cold.
What’s your New Year’s resolution? Are you going to study more? Eat your vegetables? Finally watch all those episodes of Honey Boo Boo clogging up the DVR?
How about a resolution to proclaim your faith a little more?
You know, proclaim. To state publicly, to announce, to shout from the rooftops. In his letter on the Year of Faith Pope Benedict XVI writes that,
“The Church on the day of Pentecost demonstrates with utter clarity this public dimension of believing and proclaiming one’s faith fearlessly to every person.”
The man in my life is Jesus. On a scale of 12 to 89 He weighs in at about a million. Some girls and Tumblr accounts, I’m not naming names here, think Mr. R. Gosling is the epitome of the male gender.
Just look at this face. But wait another 200 words before you agree because I’m about to do a Jesus vs. Ryan Gosling throwdown.
It was Gaudete Sunday and as the third candle of the Advent Wreath was lit at Mass we were called to rejoice, but my heart didn’t really feel like rejoicing. A prayer intention for the victims and their families and what seemed to be a small mention of Friday’s heartbreak during the homily didn’t seem enough to express what so many of our hearts were feeling.
How can we rejoice, God?
In the midst of all of this pain and hurt how can we rejoice today, this week, or on Christmas morning?
Christmas is right around the corner and gift shopping was sooooo 2 weeks ago.
“But the malls are crowded!”
“But everything is so expensive!”
“But I don’t have time to be creative!”
“But where do I find gifts with a hint of Catholic flare?”
We hear you. That’s why we’re electronically swooping in superhero style to save the day for you with this gift guide. You’re welcome. Feel free to send us the cookies you’ll bake with all the time and money you’ll save. And most importantly, have a blessed Advent preparing your heart for Jesus’ birth.
All you have to do is listen to a lot of popular music to hear about marijuana. All you you have to do is watch TV or movies to see marijuana. And just attend a concert if you want to stand around inhaling it secondhand. It’s everywhere. Marijuana is even legal in a couple states and even where it’s not – I know you still see it. It’s a topic that always seems to spark a ton of debate. Is it a sin? Can it be used in moderation, etc? I want to take a step back from the legality Read more [...]
This isn’t just about dating; I think that a lot of us guys have become so afraid of awkwardness that we never take risks. We’re not sure how we might appear if we take a stand for our faith, so we keep silent when the Church is mocked. We know that we’re not perfect ourselves, so we feel too hypocritical to challenge someone else for something that they’re doing or saying that is wrong.
Christ Himself told us that nobody knows the day or the hour that He will return to judge the living and dead on earth. Not the Mayans, not a television preacher, and certainly not Ke$ha. This means that tomorrow Christ could show up. Would your soul be ready, or would you wish you had more time? The truth about “living like you are going to die young,” is that we should be living like today is our last day, but realizing that there is eternal life after death. We should be making the most of our lives today – but not through sin, but virtue.
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.
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.”
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!”
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 . . .
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.
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.
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.
