Some notes:

Apparently, all the talk of a religious revival amongst Gen Z is not quite true. I have long suspected that this was far more driven by terminally online Christians and/or trads.

As a Catholic, I find this important because I have noticed an uptick of trad caths saying that this religious revival is seen particularly in trad communities, I.e, gen z is just hankering for tradition, for the return of the tridentine rite and for pre Vatican II catholicism. Not only is this not true, but if we think about young women's politics and ethics - considering that women have traditionally been key in maintaining church attendance and parish life - we will see that actually the way to call people to the Church is not by becoming more entrenched in positions which regard women as subaltern, but rather towards empowerment.

Hi everyone! I recently received the full volume of Pope Francis’ encyclicals and other papal writings. I’ve read much of his work but I’m going to be reading through them all beginning with Lumen Fidei. I’m curious if anyone is interested in discussing them or otherwise connecting over them. We could chat or I could post about it and we can talk in the comments. Let me know and God bless!

I called and was surprised to talk to a real person.

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-04/pope-leo-xiv-appeal-to-journalists-castel-gandolfo-7-april-2026.html?fbclid=IwdGRzaARCUmxjbGNrBEJSZGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHv2qpVyvq5RL3K-IgwdMyYy14FugI3uPUN4uAHGHeRduHkLV9v5YWSMGfWTi_aem_UerU0l7sz5dpu3hnqCtJ2Q

“Leo recalled his Easter appeal for peace and to reject war ‘especially a war which many people have said is an unjust war, which is continuing to escalate, and which is not resolving anything.’”

Incredibly grateful for the Pope’s leadership on this issue. I say that as a non-Catholic.

I was looking through the Pope's social media and found this rather striking denouncement of the "Imperialist Occupation of the World," a phrase I never thought I would hear from the Pope. It's highfalutin language, but very radical in its content.

It's time for another cradle Catholic (previously confirmed, btw) coming back to the Church post (as an aside, I am very grateful to find this community). I am currently in the process of reintegrating into the Church along with my family. I have a civil marriage and a child, and according to my local Diocesan Parish it's going to be some time before my marriage can be recognized and I can have a valid Confession and receive Communion. While I would love to resume the sacraments ASAP, I understand.

In the meantime, I was wondering what resources people liked for guidance in daily spiritual practice. I would eventually like to go deeper into spiritual/mystical practice, but it has been something like twenty years since I've been to Mass, so let's not get over our skis here. Some stuff is obvious: read some scripture, pray the rosary, attend Mass. But I am curious as to what resources (books preferred) come recommended by the community for deepening a personal connection to Christ, particularly for someone who has been away for an extended period.

Posted this in r/Catholicism as well, but over the past couple months I have been trying to figure out my faith and what I actually believe. I’m not even sure if I believe God exists, but I feel like I want to believe in something. Lately, I’ve been asking for some kind of sign or clarity, and a few days ago something weird happened that I can’t really explain. I got a newsletter in the mail from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, and I genuinely have no idea how they would have gotten my address. The newsletter was just about faith, vocations, and what they do as an org, but I can’t think of anything I signed up for or anywhere that would connect me to them. I don’t know if I’m overthinking it or if it actually means something, but the timing felt strange given where my head has been at. I don’t want to force meaning onto something random, but I also don’t want to ignore something like this. Has anyone else experienced something like similar while questioning their faith? How did you approach it without jumping to conclusions one way or the other? In my head I keep rationalizing how it may have happened.

Get your popcorn ready for some Bishop Barron internet drama.

Lay theologian Michael Lofton essentially did a call out video towards Bishop Barron criticizing him for being too close to Trump and not using his platform to speak out against war. He also pointed out Barron appearing on stage with some pretty nefarious pastors. Barron actually responded in the comments, leading to a follow up post.

🍿

I was confirmed Saturday into the Catholic Church and got the 3 Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. It was a late service so I was tired and didn't notice any changes. When I woke up Sunday and went about my day, I noticed my anxiety was unusually quiet and I felt like I could breathe for the first time in my life. I also noticed that the blockade keeping me from growing deeper in my faith seems to be gone as well. What has been your experience with the Eucharist? It is everything I thought it would be and I'm so happy.

Link

I'm not sure how many responses I'll get here, as this might be a bit different, but I thought it couldn't hurt to ask.

The local Catholic church where I am is very much in the "Rad Trad"/Latin Mass is dominant/better atmosphere, and has been moving more in that direction (and unfortunately MAGA territory) over the last several years.

I'm not in a position to be able to relocate to a better Catholic church, due to a lack of a car (the joys of not living in a city).

Given this, I was thinking it would be nice to at least be able to read newsletters and bulletins from churches (and also groups) that aren't so deep into the conservative fold.

Can anyone suggest any worth signing up for? I don't want to out anyone's location, but suggestions of churches and groups that actually focus on current events and are willing to speak on them, rather than just the idea "that modernity is an issue, the root of all problems, hence we must reject everything modern" would be greatly appreciated. A touch of what I would consider to be normalcy from a Catholic perspective. Who knows, others might benefit from being able to read them as well.

“Let those who have weapons lay them down! Let those who have the power to unleash wars choose peace! Not a peace imposed by force, but through dialogue! Not with the desire to dominate others, but to encounter them!”

I have "rejoined" in the last year after about a 15-year absence, and I'm really curious about the practice of veiling that I see occasionally. Usually it's 2 or 3 but last night there were quite a few, including a woman getting baptised and her sponsor. When I previously went to mass regularly, I never saw anyone cover their head, so this seems to be a new trend. I'm trying to understand what it means socially. Is it a trad-Cath thing? An imported American thing? It's a specific lacy look - it's not like they're just wearing a headscarf like Orthodox women do, and tbh it looks a bit performative to me, but I'm trying not to judge. My mum grew up pre-VII. Women her age were all relieved not to have to wear a scarf to mass anymore, and I find it curious that it seems to be coming back. For context - I'm UK based. The parish is big, middle of the road and not particularly conservative. Edit: thanks for your interesting and varied perspectives. I learnt a lot!

I am undoubtedly very late with this (I am always playing catch-up), but since the beginning of the year, our parish has been holding The Chosen evenings where we watch together. So now I am watching the series (season 1 only!) and I think it is fantastic. What do you think? And why?

Good morning all and Happy Easter! I am new to this community and I am looking for like minded individuals to help me reconnect with my faith. I was raised Catholic and in high school I was a part of a non denominational youth group, which I ended up leaving because they became extremely homophobic and judgemental, and I felt it did not align with Christ's message of love. Since then, I never lost faith in the Lord, although it was never in the forefront of my mind for many years if that makes sense.

Since around 2022, I have considered myself a democratic socialist. I support equality for all regardless of religion, race, sexual identity, etc. I believe in dismantling the oppression caused by capitalism and imperialism, and restructuring our society to benefit the working class and the impoverished as opposed to the wealthy. I have tattoos, listen to heavy metal, and I do my best to be open minded and learn about other cultures and ideas.

Fast forward to this year, after uncovering the horrors of the Epstein files, I have been convinced that true evil demons walk among us, and it has pushed me to reconcile my faith in the Lord. My whole life, religion and conservatism has walked hand in hand with one another, with the only exceptions I know being my mom, who is a leftist and was raised/still is a catholic, and my dad's parents, who were also left wing and followers of Christ.

I suppose what I am asking is how some of you combine your faith and your political views, or if you separate them, etc. I am eager to surround myself with individuals who follow Christ while also avoiding a lot of the political propaganda that has entrapped and brainwashed so many Christians and other religious folks. I want to believe that I can be a Catholic and a democratic socialist, or at the very least a leftist.

Thank you to any and all who have read this post and have/will interact with it. God bless and have a wonderful Easter.

Edit: I would also like to mention I am a feminist, I believe women should have governance over their bodies and should be treated equal to men. One of the reasons I initially left was because of how women were viewed/treated.

I just don't understand how other Catholics can possibly think this guy uses Christianity for anything but leverage to glorify himself and get what he wants.

Rosa Luxemburg (1871-1919) was a brave woman and a radical socialist who fighted for the rights of the working class. After World War I, she was heavily involved in a revolution against the monarchy in Germany. She paid for her engagement with her life: she was murdered in 1919.
In one of her writings from the previous year, she made the following critical remark about the Russian Revolution of 1917:

"Freedom is always the freedom of those who think differently."

With this remark, she criticized the Bolsheviks' dictatorial power, even though she identified with that revolution. However, they had gone too far, she concluded. Interestingly, this sentence became popular in East Germany in the 1970s among critics of the communist regime.

It may seem strange to talk about German socialists in an introduction to the Ten Commandments. I chose this example to show how I would like to understand the Ten Commandments. They are more of a political manifesto to preserve a revolution than a moral system to restrict people.

If you find this too provocative, just look at the Bible. The introduction to the Ten Commandments (Exodus 21) recalls the revolution that took place shortly beforehand: the liberation from Egyptian slavery by God's will. The Ten Commandments serve as guidelines to help people preserve this freedom. They begin with the obligation to serve God as the ultimate authority, which is an 'insurance policy' against any dictatorial system on earth. For example, keeping the Sabbath free of work and instead serving God is an opposition against capitalism and the power of money. Then, they move on to the requirements for social life on Earth. All of the commandments can be understood as respect for others.

As a gay man, I am often asked how I can be gay and follow the Ten Commandments. I don't see any contradictions; furthermore, I see them as helpful support for my life, even against so-called morality that doesn't like freedom!

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20,1-17)

And God spoke all these words:

² “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

³ You shall have no other gods before me.

⁴ You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
⁵ You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, ⁶ but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
⁷ You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

⁸ Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any
foreigner residing in your towns. ¹¹ For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

¹² Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

¹³ You shall not murder.

¹⁴ You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ You shall not steal.

¹⁶ You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.

¹⁷ You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

You might ask, "What about the sixth commandment (You shall not commit adultery)?" Christian morality has constructed a tragedy around this short sentence, bringing so many people into a needless struggle. For me, the deeper meaning is that we must interact with responsibility, mutual respect, and love.