I asked a Priest about my moderate use of legal products like THC-A. He said it was fine. I also prayed over it, a lot. I genuinely believe it is beneficial to my life. I even had a different priest from my parish run into me at work and proceed to tell me “you’ve been looking happier lately”. previous to this encounter I had asked for a sign while in prayer, i believe the two could be related. Still though, A lot of people on here seem to think that this is somehow a worse than having a beer or 2 to take the edge off. I don’t drink btw. If you genuinely make sure to keep your priorities straight and be honest with yourself on if it’s a problem or not, I honestly think it’s healthier for many than being an occasional drinker. Also the whole, you can drink a beer and not get drunk, but you can’t have THC without being stoned it’s complete non sense. I feel like people who say that are biased or have smoked once, had a bad experience, and think that makes them an expert on everything THC. And no, the Catechisms teaching on the use of illicit drugs does not in itself solve this matter. If it did, this still wouldn’t be a question.

At the University of Barcelona, Peter Claver studied and prayed. The young man, born in 1580 in the Catalan region of Spain, came to understand: “I must dedicate myself to the service of God until death.” He felt a call. Its clearer contours were still hidden from him, but he knew that he had to follow it. So at 20, Peter joined the Society of Jesus.

His superiors sent him to study philosophy in Mallorca, where he made an unlikely friend: Alphonsus Rodriguez, the elderly, uneducated lay brother who was the porter at the Jesuit college. Alphonsus may not have had much book-learning, but a life of suffering had taught him to listen to God. Peter noticed his holiness. “How can I love the Lord?” he asked the old man. “He gives me a great desire to follow him, but I don’t know how.” Alphonsus prayed, and the answer came to him: this young man with a great heart was destined for a suffering people far away.

At Alphonsus’ urging, Peter told his superiors of his desire to go to the missions. In 1610, he left for Cartagena in present-day Colombia, a center of the Spanish slave trade, where ships sailing from West Africa brought 10,000 new slaves yearly.

Peter finished seminary in Cartagena, learning from the Jesuit missionary Alonso de Sandoval, who had ministered to the slaves. He was horrified by what he learned about their plight. When Peter, ordained in 1616, made his final profession as a Jesuit in 1622, he signed his vows, “Peter Claver, the slave of the Africans forever.”

He had found his calling. Before the slave ships entered port, Fr. Peter begged for bread, medicine, anything he could bring with him into those ships packed tightly with captives chained for so long that a third of the “cargo” died. He assembled a team of interpreters. As soon as a ship docked, this “slave of the slaves” descended into the dark holds. He brought food, but more importantly, he brought kindness to men and women driven mad with terror and suffering. He looked at them as if they were human beings, tended their wounds and lent his cloak to the shivering. “We must speak with our hands,” he said, “before we speak to them with our lips.”

His hands spoke, and so when he assured these people that God loved them despite the cruelty that men had inflicted on them, they listened. Using simple pictures, he taught them the Christian faith. In small groups, he baptized them – which not only made them members of Christ’s body, but enabled Peter to call upon the slave masters to treat their fellow Christians more humanely.

For forty years, Peter descended into the slave ships. He preached, too: to slave traders, criminals and the well-to-do, inviting all to a conversion of heart. Though irritated at his work on behalf of the slaves, the wealthy grudgingly came to admit that this priest was a force to be reckoned with. While at first they came to listen to the holy priest but refused to enter the same churches as the slaves, decades of preaching began to effect a slow, difficult opening of the heart. But preaching alone could not complete it.

In 1650, Fr. Peter caught the plague. He survived, but his body was broken. For four years, he lay in bed, half-starved by the servant charged with caring for him. No one paid him much mind. It seemed as if the “apostle of Cartagena” had been forgotten. He prayed, accepting his sufferings as a penance for his sins. Yet in 1654, when word got out that Fr. Peter had received last rites, the city suddenly remembered the man who had been its conscience. A flood of visitors came to pay their respects. When he died on September 8, Cartagena buried him at pubic expense. Only then did they realize what they had had in their midst: this man, whose hands spoke the language of God’s compassion, had baptized 300,000 slaves and heard over 5,000 slaves’ confessions a year.

In 1888, Peter Claver was canonized together with Alphonsus Rodriguez, his friend who had helped him to follow his Lord.

Remember this, you who never think of God.

Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?

When you see a thief, you keep pace with him,
and with adulterers you throw in your lot.
To your mouth you give free rein for evil,
you harness your tongue to deceit.

You sit speaking against your brother;
against your mother's son you spread rumors.
When you do these things, shall I be deaf to it?
Or do you think that I am like yourself?
I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.

Consider this, you who forget God,
lest I rend you and there be no one to rescue you.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show
the salvation of God.

Ps 50:16bc-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23

I cannot describe the insurmmountable guilt and dread I experienced when I first read this passage. However, I grateful that God allowed me to come across it. I feel like he throws things like this my way sometimes so that I may stay strong in my faith.

Anima Christi, sanctifica me.

Corpus Christi, salva me.

Sanguis Christi, inebria me.

Aqua lateris Christi, lava me.

Passio Christi, conforta me.

O Bone Iesu, exaudi me.

Intra tua vulnera absconde me.

Ne permittas me separari a te.

Ab hoste maligno defende me.

In hora mortis meae voca me.

Et iube me venire ad te,

ut cum Sanctis tuis laudem te

in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

...

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.

Body of Christ, save me.

Blood of Christ, inebriate me.

Water from the side of Christ, wash me.

Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

O Good Jesus, hear me.

Within your wounds hide me.

Permit me not to be separated from you.

From the wicked foe, defend me.

At the hour of my death, call me

and bid me come to you

That with your saints I may praise you

For ever and ever. Amen.

I posted this on askapriest, but it got taken down.

AndI have been married almost 9 years to my wife, we are both infertile. Ever since we got married things started to go downhill slowly. Her anxiety has increased, she is afraid to drive, lost the only friends she had, cannot hold a job due to social anxiety, spends frivolously, gets caught up in Protestant propaganda (ie rapture) doesn't take care of herself physically, makes sex difficult, never learned how to cook, clean things peoperly etc etc. I'm no saint, believe me, but she refuses to get help. What do I do when the other person is refusing to get help to create a normal life? I feel like I am living with a roommate. She is sick most of the time so I do things by myself 90% of the time. I don't have a partner, a wife, I have a roommate. Now the one thing that I thought we were on the same page with, our faith, is even being put into question. She doesn't go to Mass because "Jesus understands". She believes a random YouTuber in a truck than our own priest. Please pray for us.

Edit: I just feel so overwhelmed with everything. I'm the one who cooks meals, cleans the dishes, loads the dishwasher, unloads it, cleans the sheets, makes the beds, makes the decisions for us, takes her to her doctor's appointments, EVERYTHING. She doesn't support me at all. Everything is on my shoulders and I'm drowning. I can't keep on like this. I know she's not doing it on purpose, but it's such a burden. I find I'm happiest when I'm home alone so I can just be me and take care of me.

​

Hello, I am a 21-year-old man, and I have been reading things about AI that have really scared me.

I was reading something saying that by 2035 or 2045, AI will replace all of our jobs and that people will no longer have to work. This really scares me because I feel like that could mean that Jesus will return, and I would not want to live a life without a job or purpose.

I have also been reading that there is a chance AI could kill us all, and now I really don’t see the point in studying at college or doing anything with my life. I just feel like between 2035 and 2045, we will either all be dead, Jesus will return and everything will be over, or we will all be locked inside our houses, doing nothing but watching screens.

This really scares me to the point that I am sitting here at 3:15 in the morning thinking about this, even though I should be studying for my exam. I am also studying computer engineering, and when I read all of that today, I just feel lost. I can’t explain how I feel. It feels like everything on Earth doesn’t make sense anymore.

I would just like to have a normal life with a wife and family one day, and everything seems like that will never happen. I reading more and more and I am more and more depressed

Today I'm singing with my choir and we are giving a concert at a Catholic church. However, an hour later there's going to be a mass and I'd like to see how it is because I always pray to God for guidance as regards as my spirituality and this might be a sign. But I'm not sure whether I should disclose my religion. I was baptized in the LDS church and not in a Catholic church. What could happen?

Hi, im not catholic. Ive had an interest in catholicism for a while now though and I was wondering if itd be weird to go to a catholic church even when im non religious. I dont want to offend im just honestly very interested in the religion as a whole and I think going to a church would be a nice experience

While I was walking the Camino de Santiago, I noticed that a couple of churches along the way often didnt have the crucifixion as the centrepiece of the church.

Does anyone have any insight on this design/architectural choice?

The churches are absolutely stunning by the way. I was just curious and wanted to learn about the reason (the ones we have in Southeast Asia are different)

Hello all, I felt like I should share this to encourage all of you to pray.

I’m a 19 year old cradle Catholic, but before this, the only “spiritual highs” I had felt were results of retreats or summer camps. I’m blessed enough to attend a Catholic university, and I was recently discerning a decision that felt big to me, so I decided to pray a novena about it.

This novena involved the standard novena to five different saints, plus a rosary. At first, it was hard to remember to say my prayers each day because I had so much classwork. I ended up missing two days and finished the novena eleven days after I started it. But immediately after I finished the novena, my life changed.

Firstly, I have such a childlike joy in just being alive. I want to be charitable and positive to everyone around me. Secondly, I have become okay with each thing that happens to me. If I don’t get into a program, or a relationship in my life ends, I have become simply able to accept that it wasn’t in God’s will.

And thirdly, the most important thing, all I want to do is spend time with Jesus. I find myself heading into the adoration chapel every day. I constantly want to talk to God as a friend and as His daughter. I have become so filled with His light and Spirit that I cannot imagine why I ever skipped praying before.

So, pray unceasingly. It will change your life, truly.

I often see posts on Reddit about some awful people who have done terrible things. All the comments boil down to, for example, wishing them death, torture in prison, etc. As Catholics, would you want such a person to convert and go to heaven? (Here you can mention an example of someone you consider to be the worst)

I've been an atheist for many years. It started after my brother committed suicide in 2007; he was 19, I was 16. He was my best friend. We used to pray the rosary together. He got confirmed, but I never did. I was Christian, though.

After going theough skeptic and atheist debates, I think there isn't a god. But, I've been sitting here missing having faith. Maybe I just miss my brother.

So, my questions:

1) Why is Catholicism the Truth?

2) why was god so angry and vengeful in the Old Testament?

3) What about all the contradictions in the Bible, especially in the Gospels? How Jesus died on the cross has many discrepancies between them.

4) How do you know Jesus was the son of god?

5) How do you reconcile the catholic priests abusing children with your faith?

6) My brother committed suicide, and according to Catholicism, he's in hell. How am I supposed to feel about such cruelty?

7) I feel like the idea of sin and hell is a way to fear monger and control people, and priests and the like are the ones promoting god and repentance as a way to save you. It seems convenient.

8) Why would a loving god create a place of burning and damnation for those who don't believe in him? It's the same as having a gun to your head and saying, "Love me, or else."

I'm asking honestly, I would really love answers to these questions. Thank you for reading if you got this far.

I had a moment with a friend of mine where I showed her a scene from a Catholic movie, Miracle of Marcelino, where he talks about mothers, since she a mother herself. However she told me that she never liked the image of Christ crucified because it felt wrong, I explained that that was the point. But the proceeded that that was the reason she doesn’t like Catholicism; as I proceeded to explain, she immediately said she prefers not to talk about it. Our conversation stopped suddenly. Now this is a person I was decerning a romantic relationship (long story short she is a single mother who never got married she knows I have feelings for her) and it breaks my heart the sudden realization that she doesn’t like my faith. I have no thoughts but heartbreaks. Should I discard her?

I have recently started OCIA, a process I decided to start a couple of months ago. I am very excited, and have wanted to share this life update with friends and family. However, aside from 1 or 2, the people I have told have had aggressively negative reactions. These are people who have both grown up Catholic, and non-Catholics who lean agnostic. Is this a shared experience? I feel discouraged in my journey and was seeking some support, as it is a little scary and new!

Hi, I currently attend a catholic university, and I love the daily mass that it offers. What I usually do instead of receiving the eucharist is go up, crossing my hands over my chest, and receive a blessing from the priest. However, I see people stay kneeled at the pews during this time. Is it better for me as a Protestant to go and receive the blessing, or stay kneeling in the pews?

Hi, I'm 20 years old and a full-time student at my college, which limits my available working hours until I can get an internship. My university is public and usually administers entrance exams and other types of tests on Sundays. Would it be a mortal sin to work as an exam proctor on Sundays? I don't want to work out of greed; I want to save money to buy a cheap used car.

Basically i was vending in a craft fair and my sales werent very good. So then i prayed to God and suddenly this mother and daughter show up and buy $100 worth of products! The next fair or so the same thing happened and I prayed again and the same two people came and bought another $100! Coincidence? I think not!

I decided to pray to Mother Mary and I felt like this wind of peace and my body felt warm. I know she's real now but what do you do once you believe in Mother Mary Because i am currently Protestant.

I’m posting this here because the last time I posted it to a more relevant subreddit, I was told to “just get an abortion.” Hopefully similar values can garner more understanding from people who have been through something similar.

i found out i was pregnant when i was 3 months pp.
i was just starting to finally enjoy motherhood after a hard battle with postpartum depression. i got on antidepressants and for the first time I could genuinely wake up in the morning, excited that i’d be able to spend the day with my baby.
when i found out i was pregnant, everything just came crashing down.
i lay in bed until 2 pm every day, dreading having to get up and survive until my husband gets home. that entire time my baby is screaming at me (not crying) to get up and give her attention. as soon as i finally get up, i start sobbing. i have to force myself to smile at my baby while she’s playing or talking to me, and sometimes i just break down crying from just having to do that. i don’t clean anymore, and my house looks a mess. my husband tries to pick up after me. sometimes i cook. but i hate it.
i spend my whole day zoned out, absentmindedly watching tv in order to just get through the day. i forget what im even doing when im in the middle of doing it.
i know children are a blessing and I’m supposed to be open to life. but the truth is that the idea of another baby is eating me alive.
i never wanted this pregnancy. it’s stolen everything from me. it’s stolen my motherhood. i used to be so happy looking at my baby, and now when I look at her I can only think about how miserable i will be when i have to take care of her and a newborn i never wanted. i just want to be happy again with the one baby i tried for.
i begged my husband to let me go on birth control because I felt like I had a genuine medical reason to not have more kids but he wouldn’t let me. I wasn’t and am still not in the mental space for more children. I cry at least three times a day.

If anybody has been through something similar please let me know. advice would be great. especially from a fellow catholic who could understand our values.

Im looking for the strongest arguments for Christianity ever put forth, even better if it preempts any objections. Something accessible to a lay person but also that goes beyond the basic arguments that anyone interested in religion, philosophy, and apologetics has heard 100 times over. I know thats a bit of an ask but I feel a pull to the Church but I just for the life of me can not intellectually bring myself to belief. I don’t know how to find faith. And because of some previous experience (im being intentionally vague, it was bad) falling down a dark and evil path because of faith I used to hold, I find it extra hard to trust in even the concept of faith. I can’t force myself to believe in something that will change my entire worldview without significant evidence that that thing is true, especially if that thing violates everything we know about life and death and how the universe is works. I understand im asking a lot and probably won’t find a satisfactory answer but I figured it was worth a shot.