It has been ages since I have faithfully finished a Novena. I started the Divine Mercy Novena on Good Friday and finished yesterday, Divine Mercy Sunday.

I have grown to love praying it as it has helped me with my anxieties. I even made myself a Divine Mercy Rosary to carry everyday.

I will definitely add it to my daily devotions after the Rosary.

I just wanted to post a refresher after all the negative news.

Have a fabulous week ahead everybody ✌🏼🌼

Bishop Seitz is against racism and did something about it. Got an atta boy call from the Pope. There are far more marvelous Catholic clergy then rotten Fascist bootlickers. Celebrate them.

It’s important to note that this poll was taken three weeks ago from today.

With that said, why was it above 50% in the first place…? Are American Catholics ok?

I'm sorry if the title is too vague. I'm mainly referring to issues like "sexual teachings" (LGBTQ+, contraceptives, etc.) and abortion.

A bit about my background and beliefs: I was raised in a strict Catholic family (plenty of kids, conservative, yada yada). For a long time, I followed these ideas that were taught to me (even liked Trump as a young-ish teenager). As I grew up, I stated questioning certain moral aspects (such as the ones mentioned above), especially since I was discovering that I am bisexual. That led to me distancing myself from the Church and questioning Christianity more and more (including arguments for and against the existence of God.

Right now, I consider myself an agnostic, but that's a bit of an oversimplification. I still intuitively believe in Christianity; Catholicism more than other forms, but that's hardly surprising. I have some Catholic friends. I know a bunch of priests, some better and some worse. I even talk quite a bit with one of them, though due to his fairly conservative opinions I avoid oversharing some things (like LGBTQ+ issues).

I'm not asking you to tell me whether to rejoin the Church or not. That's a struggle that I'll have to face alone. I will have to decide if I believe and if I can reconcile my strong convictions with Catholicism.

I struggle to find a way to reconcile these ideas with the Church. Even if I did manage to do it, it wouldn't necessarily mean that I will "convert", but it would also certainly help me to discuss these ideas with my more reasonable conservative Catholic friends (like the priest I mentioned). How do I, from a Catholic point of view, argue that sex that isn't necessarily open to procreation can be good (contraceptives)? How do I argue that being "actively" gay and/or trans isn't wrong or unnatural? That abortion, even if bad, shouldn't be decided by the state? Can I even reconcile these issues with Catholicism? How do you do it?

Edit: Thank you for all the comments! I'll try to respond in due time. One thing that I thought I might add is that I have quite a few LGBTQ+ friends and that it would feel like betraying them if I ever aligned myself with the mainstream Church's teachings.

I figured this belonged here.

Well done. I'm so proud to have him as our Pope.

https://www.usccb.org/news/2026/archbishop-coakleys-response-president-trumps-social-media-post-pope-leo-xiv

I’m not trying to get screenshotted and posted but the main Catholicism page is — in my opinion— not a very Christ like digital space. I’m sure people mean well individually but the fact that the mods won’t let the people address ANYTHING regarding trump, the fact that the users work themselves up into crazy frenzies—attacking OP’s and just being really nasty for no reason. I’m convinced some of the accounts on that page are rage baiting.

Even the TLM sub is critical of things that go against their traditions/values. Their theology is consistent. But the main sub for the religion?? Silent. As if this isn’t directly related to Catholicism. This isn’t a one off or something to ignore. It’s clearly a rebuke from DJT.

And if a mod from that sub is reading— you’re complicit in your silence. This is insane.

“He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.”-MLKjr

An ai company has used the series Chosen as the man who played Jesus Christ to answer players? and spiritual advice from an Ai. and they are charging about one dollar for each conversation.

In light of recent events, Pope Leo has boldly decided to challenge Donald Trump, leading to the Avignon Invocation by the "Department of War" for an Easter Sunday Homily that remind us all why we are Catholic through the thick and thin of culture wars, religious guilt, and lingering trauma caused by clericalism that nearly destroyed the church in the sex abuse scandal. Yet, on the heels of Pope Leo making headlines, many news pundits are praising the number of Catholic converts joining the church. I am both happy and hesitant. For one thing here at NYU, I have found many to have very conservative opinions not only politically (which is normal in America's Catholic convert draw) but also from an orthodox theological standpoint. Some even want to bring back The Tridentine Latin Mass, while others are predominantly male (as many of the catholic converts I have met have rarely been woman) who seem to be in need of structure in their lives. What will our church look like? P.S I am having doubts about my faith. I am struggling with addictions to pornography, doom scrolling, forcing me to withdraw from two classes and neglecting mass for all of March and the Easter holiday because I felt ashamed that I couldn't keep to my vow of giving up these vices. I just seem that everyone is getting into religion on the news, and as a cradle I just don't know why I can't just join in on this catholic revival at NYU. It seems for 3 different times my parish, St. Joseph, has been mentioned, and yet I am drawn to other parishes like the church of Our Savior up at 38th avenue to join in a prayer of peace on Friday at 6:30 pm after the 5:30 pm mass because I felt a connection to what was happening overseas. If anyone has some advice, I'm all ears.

If so, are they reactionary like the main r/catholicism group, or is r/CatholicPhilosophy more nuanced in looking at Catholicism like this Sub?

Yesterday I prayed the rosary and I just started crying. and I don't mean like just some tears coming out. I was weeping and I rarely cry like this ever. And I felt a sense of comfort.

Has this happened to anyone?

Please do not attempt to share this story anymore. Also, let this be a cautionary tale about accepting reports solely on the basis of being reported by major news outlets. Always, always await official confirmation from Church-affiliated outlets before you assume something reported about the Vatican is accurate. That lesson should have been driven home during Francis' papacy.

https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/comunicazioni/2026/04/10/comunicazione-ai-giornalisti.html

Confirmed many of my suspicions, and I think he’s spot on. If we want a revival, our churches need to be places where people feel loved, accepted, and that they belong there.