Expectations vs. Reality
When things don’t go the way we expect, it’s hard not to be frustrated and disappointed. How do we move on after unmet expectations? And how do we break the vicious cycle?
Today, Fr. Mike tells us how to keep it real.
Seeing is NOT Believing
We must place our faith in Christ in order to allow him to save us. But what does it actually mean to have faith? What does it look like? Does it mean you just “agree” with everything Jesus and his Church say? Or is it deeper than that?
Today, Fr. Mike draws a sharp distinction between faith and mere “agreement”, and calls us to a more radical trust in our savior.
Catechism Answers – July 24, 2023
Have questions about the Catechism? We have answers!
📣 Catechism expert Dr. Scott Sollom from Franciscan University will be going LIVE each week to answer your questions about the Catechism as we journey through The Catechism in the Year podcast! Join us every Monday at 12:30pm ET.
Dr. Scott Sollom is a Professor of Theology at Franciscan University and the Director of the Catechetical Institute at Franciscan’s Center for Evangelization and Renewal. He has been blessed to engage in various catechetical workshops across the country as well as consult for the USCCB Institute for the Catechism. Scott has previously served as a DRE in Stillwater, Minnesota, and College Station, Texas, and as a youth minister in Hudson, Wisconsin. Scott and his wife, Mary, have five children and enjoy spending time outdoors as a family.
The Catechism in a Year – Day 208 – Completing the Earthly Pilgrimage
The effects of the Anointing of the Sick are numerous and deeply transformative. In times of great need and temptation, this sacrament brings us strength, courage, peace, and the forgiveness of sins. Fr. Mike explains that these effects aren’t only for the individual recipient but for the whole ecclesial community. We learn that when a person approaches the threshold of death, joining this anointing with Reconciliation and the Eucharist as viaticum constitute “the sacraments that complete the earthly pilgrimage.” Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1520-1525.
Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/GPICk60pNJs
The Catechism in a Year – Day 207 – Celebrating the Anointing of the Sick
The Anointing of the Sick is not just for those on the verge of death but for any faithful suffering from a grave illness. Fr. Mike explains that because of this, we don’t have to put this sacrament off to the very end; instead, we can enjoy the graces it confers as often as is fitting throughout a lifetime. This section also discusses how we can celebrate the Anointing of the Sick. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1514-1519.
Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/nMVqM8j_OYI
The Catechism in a Year – Day 206 – Healing the Sick
By taking up our cross and following Christ, we gain a new way of seeing sickness and frailty. Along with this newness of vision, the Church is given the command from her founder to heal the sick. Since its beginning, the Church has anointed the sick among us, praying for their healing and salvation. Amid their sufferings, the suffering can endure, uniting themselves to Christ’s own afflictions for the sake of the Church. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1506-1513.
Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/U94oBQ8ZHj4
The Catechism in a Year – Day 205 – Christ the Physician
Sickness and suffering bring us face-to-face with our fragility and limitations. While they might cause some to lose hope and become bitter, we can also endure them in such a way as to grow in maturity and trust in God. Jesus not only heals the sick in the Gospels but also plunges into suffering’s depths. In this redemptive work, we know Jesus as the physician of soul and body. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1499-1505.
Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/v71IcAYTCaM
The Catechism in a Year – Day 204 – Summary of Sacrament of Reconciliation
In today’s nugget day, Fr. Mike reviews the major themes of the sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Mike emphasizes the six spiritual effects of this sacrament and reminds us of the great gift of Confession because, as the Catechism states, “to the eyes of faith, no evil is graver than sin.” We conclude today’s article with humble gratitude for God’s unfathomable mercy. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1485-1498.
Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/PkeggrEIcVY
The Catechism in a Year – Day 203 – The Purpose of Indulgences
Fr. Mike expands on the purpose of indulgences and clarifies why the Church has the authority to provide indulgences. We also learn about the role of the Communion of Saints in our strive for holiness and the different liturgical forms and elements of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1474-1484.
Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/FXETDjn8HnU
The Catechism in a Year – Day 202 – How Confession Heals
What happens to us when we go to Confession? Fr. Mike explains the powerful ways the Sacrament of Reconciliation spiritually restores and perfects us. We also learn about the eternal and temporal consequences of sin, and finally, Fr. Mike discusses the four aspects to an indulgence and how these aspects require our cooperation with God’s grace. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 1468-1473.
Click on link to play video: https://youtu.be/Z5T79PFdTtE