St. Faustina has been added to the Liturgical Calendar!

In an announcement carried here: (CNA,) “Pope Francis has decreed that St. Faustina Kowalska’s feast day be added to the Roman Calendar as an optional memorial to be celebrated by all on October 5.

The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship issued the decree May 18, the 100th anniversary of the birth of St. John Paul II, who canonized St. Faustina on April 13, 2000, making her the first saint of the new millennium.

The decree said that Pope Francis had taken the step in response to petitions from pastors, religious men and women and associations of the faithful, and “having considered the influence exercised by the spirituality of St. Faustina in different parts of the world.”

Courtesy: CNA.

This is interesting. I had once thought it odd that she didn’t have a date on the Universal Calendar, but then considered that she was the “Apostle of Divine Mercy” and as such she was more about spreading devotion to the Divine Mercy Message rather than attracting much attention to herself. But I suppose that if this does attract greater knowledge of Divine Mercy beyond the time around Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, then so be it.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Sober Catholic YouTube Channel (UPDATE)

Just a quick post to let you know that I’ve just spent the last hour or so managing this blog’s YouTube Channel. All that is on there are subscriptions and playlists; I have no original videos uploaded. The main thing I did was to delete all playlists and subscriptions relating to the Camino de Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage as well as after all these years make my subscriptions “public.” All this time I thought people could see what I subscribed to; but alas, apparently not. Oh, well. No one told me after prior posts on the channel which included references to the subscriptions. There’s a bunch of subscriptions to various addiction recovery resources including porn. The Camino videos and subscriptions were due to my obsession with the film The Way by Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen. I thought that the pilgrimage was a nice metaphor for recovery; however as I viewed the channel Camino videos seemed to dominate the appearance and so I thought a change was in order, even though it might not have mattered given my ignorance regarding privacy settings.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Divine Mercy Sunday in a Time of Pandemic

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday. I’ve written about it numerous times before; the following posts are among the more important ones: Divine Mercy Sunday and Divine Mercy Sunday: A great day for those who’ve really messed things up.  The Search Box on the blog will turn up more articles.

However, considering that you might be amongst the several billion humans on Earth who cannot go to sacramental Confession and receive the Eucharist and thus fulfill the requirements needed for the Plenary Indulgence, this handy article from the National Catholic register  says how you can still get it: You Can Still Get the Divine Mercy Indulgence, If You Do This…

Peace be with you, and may the mercy of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ lift you up from your sins…

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

A sudden inspiration regarding forgiveness

While praying this morning a sudden thought occurred to me regarding the concept of forgiveness. I do not recall by now where I was in my Morning Prayers and what triggered the thought. It doesn’t matter, really.

I have struggled with forgiveness quite a lot over the years; what it means, do you ‘feel anything,’ does it ‘take’ or do you have to forgive the aggressors or antagonists again and again if the feelings and resentments still oppress you.

My struggles with forgiveness stem primarily from the treatment that I was subjected to by my blood family, mostly siblings, in the aftermath of my Mom’s death in 2005. I won’t go into details about what they did, but it all made me consider suicide. I actually drove about my home county looking for a cliff or ravine I could drive off. I don’t recall why I settled upon that method of demise, but I was spared by a phone call from my pastor which alleviated some core issues.

So, back to the topic of forgiveness. Simply, what is it and what does it mean? Simply put, in my inspiration this morning, it means that…

…you no longer desire for those who have trespassed against you to be punished for their crimes. 

That’s it. No vengeance against them, no reconciliation with them, no alleviation or elimination of your feelings or resentments, no psychological process to cut off your emotional connection to the events that caused you suffering (nice, if you can do that and it works, but not necessary) no desiring their eternal damnation or even considerable time in Purgatory. You simply do not want them to suffer punishment for their actions against you.

That’s all. They wronged you, they hurt you even to the point of despair and possible suicide, and whatever else… it is no matter. Despite what they did, you just do not desire them to suffer for their crimes. At all.

Perhaps they’ll be punished for it someday. But you won’t be the agent of it, for be assured that God knows what they did and unless they repent and have remorse for their actions they will suffer for it.

Romans 12:19 “Do not defend yourselves, dearest ones. Instead, step aside from wrath. For it is written: “Vengeance is mine. I shall give retribution, says the Lord.””

Luke 11:4 “And forgive us our sins, since we also forgive all who are indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

Courtesy: Sacred Bible: Catholic Public Domain Version

We see from those two Scripture passages that vengeance is reserved to the Lord alone and that our sins are forgiven if we forgive those who have sinned against us. Want forgiveness? Be forgiving. Leave it up to God what to do about those who have harmed you.

As a concluding note: Perhaps they can even let you know in some way that they’re sorry, and would like to make amends. That would be nice. An email, message through Facebook, an actual snail mail letter. Whatever. Some satisfaction, assuming they’re humble and compassionate enough to reach out to you. “I’m sorry, Paul, for hurting you so much. I’m sorry I made your grief worse; that what we did to you was like rubbing salt in a fresh wound. I’m sorry for driving you to consider suicide. I’m sorry for not coming to your aid against the one who was primarily responsible for your pain and despair. I’m sorry for not being there. I’m sorry you were so alone and abandoned…” Yeah, that would be nice. Don’t hang too many hopes on it happening, it may be best to just let it go.

I looked up “Forgiveness” in the search engine for this blog, found many posts but these seemed most interesting for today:

Reconciliation and Forgiveness

Forgiveness and the Adversary

Or there’s the post archive (warning, there IS A LOT): Forgiveness post archives 

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Psalms for sanity

I am blogging this in an Adoration Chapel; I’ve added a Holy Hour in addition to my usual one later in the week. I’m not boasting, I simply like Adoration and the Chapel isn’t too far from home.

While here I chose to read the Gradual Psalms. They are Psalms 120-135 (or 119-134 in Catholic Bibles translated ftom the Latin Vulgate, such as the Douay-Rheims or Knox.)

While reading them, I am finding them to be quite applicable in these pandemic times. They express hope and trust in God’s providence, protection and mercy; joy in His help and gladness in coming to His temple.

I suggest that you read them in order; there is a certain sequence to them. They are called “Gradual” or “Songs of Ascent” because pilgrims recited them as they ascended the old Temple in Jerusalem.

Take out your Catholic Bible and turn to the Psalms. Try reading the Graduals. Pethaps afterwards, especially if you are not too familiar with the Book of Psalms, look through them. They form the prayer books of the Church, and countless saints found peace, joy and comfort in them.

There are psalms for virtially every emotional state you could possibly have.

I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available! "The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Spiritual Communions

OK, as promised in Worshipping and Adoring in a time of Pandemic here are several spiritual communions you can use daily (and multiple times a day) in these times; and whether or not you can get to Mass.)

To the prayers!

One of the more common:

My Jesus,
I believe that You
are present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You.

Amen.

The Anima Christi:

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.

More:

Jesus, meek and humble of heart; make my heart like unto thine.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I implore, help me love thee more and more.

Another thing you can do is to just say something about desiring Jesus to unite Himself with you. Using your own words may even be better, once in a while!

This is a link to a PDF file for the Proper Prayers of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form Votive Mass for the Deliverance from Death in Time of Pestilence:

Proper Prayers of the Mass in the Extraordinary Form The page numbering on it appears odd; I think it is intended to be printed out for those without Missals at Latin Masses. They’re good to read and add to your devotions in these times. If you’re planning to print out this post, click on that link and it should open in a new tab, then download and print.

These were posted earlier in Faith in a time of Pandemic, but in case you want to print out all the “In Time of Pandemic Prayers,” I’m including them again.

Oh My Jesus, I include myself in all the Holy Masses which are being celebrated this day throughout the whole world, and offer them to You in union with the intentions of Your Sacred Heart. I implore You to reserve for me, from each Holy Mass, Your most precious Blood to atone for my sins and their punishment.

Grant me also the grace of obtaining through the merits of every holy sacrifice the release of one poor soul from the pains of purgatory, the conversion of one sinner, and that one soul in the agony of death may obtain mercy, and that one mortal sin, which is so painful to Your Sacred Heart, may be prevented.

Eternal Father, we offer You the Blood, the Passion, and the Death of Jesus Christ in satisfaction for our sins, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for the needs of Holy Mother Church, and for the conversion of sinners. Amen.

Another:

Lord Jesus, I unite myself to Your perpetual, unceasing, universal Sacrifice. I offer myself to You every day of my life and every moment of every day, according to Your most holy and adorable Will. Since You have been the Victim of my salvation, I wish to be the victim of Your love. Accept my desire, take my offering, and graciously hear my prayer. Let me live for love of You; let me die for love of You; let my last heartbeat be an act of perfect love.

Here’s one more that I say daily:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, the reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.

Regarding the latter, I sometimes omit the words “Apostles of Prayer,” and substitute “Knights and Ladies of the Militia of the Immaculata” and “Knights at the Foot of the Cross,” as I am a member of both the Militia of the Immaculata and their sister organization, Knights at the Foot of the Cross. If you are a member of some other Catholic apostolate, such as the Knights of Columbus, the Legion of Mary, or are Third Order Franciscan, Carmelite, etc., maybe use that instead (or along with.)

There are many more prayers to be found online. If you’d like, you can post some in the comments. I’ll try and check in frequently to review and/or approve.

One last thing: Pray the Rosary often. Stick close to Mama. I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available!
"The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Worshipping and Adoring in a time of Pandemic

In my two previous posts, Sobriety in a Time of Pandemic and especially Faith in a time of Pandemic, I addressed several issues of interest to my Sober Catholic readers. In the last one I said that “This afternoon I’ll write one or two more posts on the matter.” Well, it’s the afternoon and here’s one of the posts. I also neglected to say exactly what I was going to actually blog about. This time, it’s “Worshipping and Adoring in a time of Pandemic.” Next post will be on Spiritual Communions.

I have found a number of websites that offer Mass online, in both the Ordinary Form and Extraordinary Form. In case anyone cannot get to Mass because they’ve been cancelled to the public or you have legitimate concerns about spreading the virus, I found a bunch of them. There are many others, so this list is not exhaustive. If you know of others, add them to the comments; I’ll try and check in daily and approve any, if needed.

EWTN dominates, because I love them and have a devotion to Mother Angelica; I also provided links to their TV and radio program schedules. They do broadcast Masses via radio, too. It might be available through your local Catholic radio station.

There are also links to a few other Catholic networks and parishes; also, I’ve added links to online Eucharistic Adoration site. Finally, links to some “apps.”

EWTN:

Live Daily TV Mass and Readings

EWTN TV Schedule

EWTN TV Show Lineup

EWTN Radio

EWTN Radio Shows Lineup

EWTN Radio Live

EWTN Radio schedule

Traditional Latin Mass:

LiveMass from an FSSP Parish

St. Mary’s of Pine Bluff

TLM Missal (to follow along! Divinum Officium

Other Masses in the Ordinary Form:

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Marytown (Libertyville, Illinois, USA)  and Marytown, YouTube Channel  Schedule: View the Friars’ private Masses Sunday at 9:00 am and Monday-Saturday at 12:00 Noon (Central Time-USA)

CatholicTV Sunday Masses with links to others

CatholicTV Mass Schedule

The Vatican News site has Papal Masses. See Vatican News for details.

St. Mary’s Parish, Navan, Ireland

For Canadians and those who love them 😉

Salt+Light TV Live

Salt+Light Schedule

Salt+Light TV Ways to Watch

LIVE ONLINE EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

Marytown (Libertyville, Illinois, USA)  and Marytown, YouTube Channel

EWTN Adoration Chapel

St. Mary’s Parish, Navan, Ireland

St. Martin of Tours Parish, Louisville, KY

No Masses, but they’re good, too:

Ave Maria Radio

Ave Maria Radio Schedule

Vatican:

Vatican Radio Schedule

Vatican TV

Vatican News

Device Apps:

Look these up on your device’s App Store (Android, iOS and Amazon Fire).

EWTN Apps

Ave Maria Radio App

iCatholicRadio

iCatholicMusic

CatholicTV Ways to Watch

So, there’s no reason not to remain connected to the Church and the Mass. It isn’t the same as physically being there and receiving Him in Communion, but it is better than nothing. You do receive graces.I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available!
"The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Faith in a time of Pandemic

Recently, in Sobriety in a Time of Pandemic I blogged a bit on coping in a time of a pandemic. Saints to intercede for us and so on. Now that it’s been a few days, I’m expanding upon that. This is the first of several posts I’ll be doing today. I just finished my Morning Prayers and had breakfast, and I have time before heading off to my Latin Mass. This afternoon I’ll write one or two more posts on the matter.

I’ve read a lot of stuff online, on Facebook and other venues, about what to do. People are panic-buying toilet paper and sanitizers, water and other foodstuffs. Various Dioceses are either cancelling public Masses or are lifting the obligation to attend Mass for a certain period. There are interesting reactions to these measures, some sane, some irrational.

Many are interpreting these cancelling/lifting of the obligation as a sure sign that the Bishops are in league with Satan and the Modernists; that the last thing we need to do is to restrict the Mass. They cite examples from the Medieval era during the Black Plague when Pope So-and-so did Eucharistic Processions around Rome and St. Michael the Archangel was invoked and he made appearances and miraculous healings resulted. “And that’s all that we have to do to defeat this pandemic! Go to Mass! It worked then!”

True. It probably did to some degree. But they also had significantly less knowledge of plague vectors and technological responses and the like. Note this: God only performs miracles when all normal means that we have at our disposal have failed. This may by why some prayers of yours invoking God’s miraculous help may have gone unanswered: perhaps you were omitting something you could have done. I think He may work the miraculous in your life when you might have effective means at your disposal, but you may not be aware of them, and the situation may be critical enough that He is willing to overlook your omission or ignorance. But whether that does happen, is determined by Him.

We do not live in the Middle Ages (although I wish for the revival of much Medieval culture and civilization; not all of its aspects, only the better parts. That will perhaps have to be discussed on my other blog sometime. 😉  ) We live in the 21st Century and our knowledge and ability to deal with things is different. While I applaud the faith of those who wish to rely solely on the Mass and the Sacraments; to exclude contemporary science and technology is folly. And perhaps a sin. “Really? How’s that?” you ask incredulously. “Read on,” I reply.

Faith and reason; science and religion are not antonyms. Miracles and such like work when mundane resources fail; back in the Medieval era they had little to no knowledge of disease vectors and their causes. We know better today, and therefore sacramental methods are applied differently nowadays. 

Science and religion go hand in hand, both are parts of God’s Revelation of Himself. God reveals Himself to us in two ways: through Divine Revelation by way of Sacred Scripture in concert with Sacred Tradition, both being safeguarded by the Catholic Church; and through Nature, as discerned and explored by humans utilizing Science. Like I said above: Faith and reason; science and religion are not antonyms. Truth does not contradict Truth, despite the opposite believed by atheists on one side and believers on the other. They only reveal the ignorance they possess of the other means of Divine Revelation that they reject. Like anyone who creates original work, God leaves information about Himself in His creations. We know Him by exploring His creation. Science helps us to do that. Using one does not de-emphasize the other.

When we know of the manner in which plagues spread and the means to contain it, that does not mean abandoning faith and religion, but it does mean we use our God-given intellects in a responsible manner and avoid spreading disease. It does not mean that we forsake Eucharistic Processions, invoking this or that saint, or anything else that may have worked back in simpler times. We do those. They may not work in the miraculous ways of 500 or more years ago, but they may assist in giving insight to vaccine researchers, given them a nudge to consider “this way” instead of “that way,” give extra courage and fortitude to medical professionals like doctors and nurses, and convey grace upon grace to all struggling to cope. So it’s not an “either or” choice. We do both. We flee to the refuge our Faith provides as well as using our God-given minds to respond to the crisis.

And this is where I answer the question about how is it sinful to disregard science in responding to the pandemic. If one of the definitions of sin is that of misusing or abusing our natural gifts (such as alcohol abuse instead of moderate drinking, or extramarital sex instead of chastity, or greed instead of responsible use of material things and money) then it is sinful to disregard the recommendations or outright orders to stay at home instead of going to Mass (or any other public gathering.) You are guilty of pride, in that you are parading your piety to defy rational consideration. “Nothing and no one will separate me from the Mass!!!” is what I frequently read in various Facebook Groups. OK, I understand that you have a devotion to the Mass; we all should. We all should attend Mass on Sundays (it IS an obligation) and daily if we can. If Jesus is available in an Adoration Chapel, we should visit Him. But your piety and faith should not get in the way of your reason and common sense; just as they do not contradict one another, when used together that can be an unstoppable force for good. God made us, He also gave us our intellect, our capacity for reason and logic, as well as the ability to figure out when to use them. They are gifts to us, a part of our being. To ignore them is to risk peril. You could also be guilty of idolatry. The Mass is a means (worship) to an end (God.) By being disobedient and insisting that you must attend Mass or else, you are idolizing the Mass, focusing on the means rather than the end.

“But what about the Mass?!?!?! We do need that!!!!” you vent.

“Relax,” I calmly respond. “It has not been prohibited. It is still being said. Even if public Masses are cancelled where you are, priests are still saying them privately. And public Masses are being offered elsewhere. We are members of the Mystical Body of Christ, we are united in prayer to everyone else who is praying, everyone else who is attending Mass. Unite yourself in prayer with them.”

“Oh? We can do that? How?”

Here are a few prayers to do just that. They are old, come from various sources, are found online anywhere and in old prayer books and missals dating prior to Vatican 2.

My favorite among them, and I say it daily:

Oh My Jesus, I include myself in all the Holy Masses which are being celebrated this day throughout the whole world, and offer them to You in union with the intentions of Your Sacred Heart. I implore You to reserve for me, from each Holy Mass, Your most precious Blood to atone for my sins and their punishment.

Grant me also the grace of obtaining through the merits of every holy sacrifice the release of one poor soul from the pains of purgatory, the conversion of one sinner, and that one soul in the agony of death may obtain mercy, and that one mortal sin, which is so painful to Your Sacred Heart, may be prevented.

Eternal Father, we offer You the Blood, the Passion, and the Death of Jesus Christ in satisfaction for our sins, in aid of the Holy Souls in Purgatory, for the needs of Holy Mother Church, and for the conversion of sinners. Amen.

Another:

Lord Jesus, I unite myself to Your perpetual, unceasing, universal Sacrifice. I offer myself to You every day of my life and every moment of every day, according to Your most holy and adorable Will. Since You have been the Victim of my salvation, I wish to be the victim of Your love. Accept my desire, take my offering, and graciously hear my prayer. Let me live for love of You; let me die for love of You; let my last heartbeat be an act of perfect love.

Here’s one more that I say daily:

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, the reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month. 

Regarding the latter, I sometimes omit the words “Apostles of Prayer,” and substitute “Knights and Ladies of the Militia of the Immaculata” and “Knights at the Foot of the Cross,” as I am a member of both the Militia of the Immaculata and their sister organization, Knights at the Foot of the Cross. If you are a member of some other Catholic apostolate, such as the Knights of Columbus, the Legion of Mary, or are Third Order Franciscan, Carmelite, etc., maybe use that instead (or along with.)

I’ll have another post later on regarding “Spiritual Communion,” which I’ve blogged about before and also there are numerous online resources for that. It’s getting late and I must shower and get dressed for Mass.

Oh, one other thing: you can also watch Mass online. It’s available streaming live and archived.  I’ll try and post links to online Masses later today, but EWTN and Live Mass are great. The EWTN one is a good, holy, Mass in the Ordinary Form, LiveMass is the Tridentine (Latin Mass) Rite.

Bye! I REALLY HAVE TO GO NOW!!!

 I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available!
"The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Sobriety in a Time of Pandemic

By now you have all learned from various sources that there is currently a global health crisis. The US Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization have provided much information on the “COVID-19” Coronavirus, now declared to be a pandemic. I won’t go into the particulars here as that’s beyond the scope of this blog. Use your own judgment regarding credible information; be aware that there is considerable bogus “help” available online, from outright conspiracy theories regarding the origins and true nature of the threat, through fake cures and treatments.

It may be premature, but it does seem that we have lost our collective minds over the Coronavirus, given the reactions. Many may indeed be prudent reactions, but time will tell if the fear and panic being generated is justifiable or will cause greater harm that the virus itself.

Anyway, I urge typical sanitary precautions: wash your hands regularly, don’t cough and sneeze on people and eat right. Stuff you’re supposed to be doing but, hey, we all need reminders.

There is Spiritual Warfare currently being waged all around us; the degree to which this pandemic is related is debatable. But there are things we can do in the spiritual realm to help cope with the virus. Perhaps we can be protected, perhaps not (God only performs the miraculous when the mundane methods have run out). But prayer is never a waste of time and there are specific things we can do.

The following articles can point you in the right direction:
Saints to Call on in a Pandemic

Cure the Coronavirus: Prayers to 2 Incredible Saints Who Miraculously Defeated Plagues

There’s even a St. Corona, although she doesn’t have anything to do with diseases, plagues and pandemics.

This next article is a must read, it puts things in perspective regarding the balance of faith and reason and the degree to which one can rely of faith alone; it helps prevent one from completely becoming irresponsible even when you have the right intentions (i.e. what to do about Mass attendance when you’re sick. Yes? No?) Please read the entire article: Prudence and Pandemic: Considerations on Coronavirus.

So that’s all I have to say on the matter. Keep me in your prayers and I will pray for you, too. May we get through this…I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available!
"The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)

Converting those who have strayed

In the Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours for the Friday after Ash Wednesday, there’s this passage from the Letter of James:

James 5:19-20 “My brothers, if anyone of you strays from the truth, and if someone converts him, he ought to know that whoever causes a sinner to be converted from the error of his ways will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Courtesy: Sacred Bible: Catholic Public Domain Version

Although we all work out our own salvation in fear and trembling, we also are our brother’s keeper. Therefore we should take a keen interest in the salvation of those around us; for, as St. James clearly indicates, if we can turn them away from the path of sin, our own sins are ‘covered up.’ Makes sense, for if we can gain Heaven for another and spare them from damnation, we shall be rewarded in kind.

So, during this Lent and beyond, try and admonish your family and friends. In a kind and charitable manner speak to others about their actions that you observe that are objectively wrong. If you see a loved one engaging in sinful behaviour, lovingly approach them and draw them out. You would know the best manner in which to do this; knowing them and how they might react, engage them and sound them out about what they are doing; they might not even be aware that certain behaviours are sins, given the state of catechesis and homiletics in the Church.

Remember, we do not judge. Judging is determining the final outcome of a life; admonishing is making a value determination of an observable action.I have a new book! "The Sober Catholic Way" is a handbook on how anyone can live a sober life, drawn from over 17 years of SoberCatholic posts! It's out now on "Amazon," "Apple Books," "B&N" and and others!"!

My two other books are still available!
"The Stations of the Cross for Alcoholics" and "The Recovery Rosary: Reflections for Alcoholics and Addicts" (Thank you!!)