Why? 1. A Catholic is ALWAYS ready with a comeback. Such as… Your insane troll logic is not compatible with our Earth logic. 2. A Catholic will always have an answer to whatever objections people have against the Church and the members of the Body of Christ. We may not have these objections right away, but give us time. And a crayon. Let me give you an example. Say, hypothetically, you come across this often-used atheist argument. “Catholics only do... Read more
According to Americancatholic.org: Technically, Sundays are not part of Lent. Although we celebrate them liturgically as part of Lent, the Lord’s Day cannot be a day of fast and abstinence. Six weeks of Monday through Saturday gives you 36 days. If you add to them Ash Wednesday and the three days after it, you get the 40 days of Lent. Some people may find it easier to “give up” something for the entire time between Ash Wednesday and Easter, but... Read more
I decided to take CSLentIPJ’s photo prompt of “confession” and turn it into a writing prompt for this blog post. During my MTV/VH1 phase, I saw this interview with The All-American Rejects where they talk about the making their music video “Dirty Little Secret.” The music video shows people holding index cards with drawings and various secrets written on them. Later on, I found out the website they got those secrets from, PostSecret. For a while, I was obsessed with the... Read more
As with many others of my generation, I am an Instagram addict. I was browsing my feed and saw this quote: I’m the kind of person who loves the end results more than the process of getting there, but as soon as I saw this quote I immediately thought about Lent and all that happens during the season. People begin Lent with an end goal in mind. Ideally, most people start with the hopes of becoming better by the time Easter comes... Read more
I’ve mentioned Marian Consecration on this blog before as a type of devotional. Today is the beginning of the 33 Day Marian Consecration that ends on the feast of the Annunciation. If you so choose to, you can start today with me or pick another Marian feast day later in the year. For this post, I’ll talk about where the Marian Consecration came from and how you can start. The full title of Marian Consecration is “Consecration to Jesus Through... Read more
Like many 20-somethings these days, I have a problem finding the means of getting a steady income these days. Days like this I’m thankful for the Rice Bowl. Although I’m still searching for a steady job, I still get an allowance and plenty of times where a little spare change comes into my life. The wonderful thing about the Rice Bowl is that a little change can go a long way. You don’t have to follow the calendar or give... Read more
Yesterday, I talked about how I had issues with fasting. Today, I want to talk about the second pillar of Lent, prayer. (Incidentally, that’s the prompt for today’s CSLentIPJ challenge.) I have an easier time with prayer than fasting. In fact, increasing prayer is actually my favorite part of Lent. For this blog post, I’ll talk about the types of prayer I like to pray on a regular basis. I hope that this will give you some ideas for increasing... Read more
The chain of your lies Kept me in a dream Until I found a crack in the wall And finally woke up. On a dark rainy day, I let out a silent scream, Declaring once and for all That we were done. “You don’t get to decide what I do or how I feel!” I yelled. “You don’t have the right!” And the first thing I did without you Was learn how to fight. It took time for me... Read more
Although I love Lent’s emphasis on prayer and almsgiving, I have a problem with fasting. Mostly that fasting for me is harder than most people. And it’s not just because I snack a lot. It’s because I have food allergies. Most people would think that I would use food allergies as an excuse to opt out of the “one large meal and two smaller meals” clause that comes with fasting. But what can I say? I’m a glutton for punishment.... Read more
Diana is the creative force behind The Faithful Traveler, as the show’s co-producer, writer, host, second cameraperson, and editor. She is also The Faithful Traveler’s entertaining and vivacious host, imbuing the series with an exuberance that attracts viewers of all ages and backgrounds and makes them excited to join her on her travels. Diana explores the art, architecture, history, and doctrine behind shrines and places of pilgrimage around the world, and hopes to encourage people to visit these spectacular locations... Read more
Monique Ocampo Writes
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