Andrea Bocelli - A Gift From God

Andrea Bocelli tells a beautiful story.

Quick Question

from This Rock

Q: "If a person asks in prayer for assistance but no answer comes, should the person just give up on the prayers? "

A: We all like our prayers answered yesterday. But the Lord knows the best time. He’s the only one who really knows what time it is. To keep praying is to keep trusting him. To keep trusting him is to keep loving him. St. Monica spent 30 years praying for her son’s conversion. When he finally converted, he became a great saint. But all the while she had been praying, she herself became a saint. Don’t give up on God.

Daily Actions

I will examine how I perform the ordinary actions of the day.

Have I risen at the sound of the bell and immediately turned my thoughts to God and to the subject of my meditation?

Have I prepared well the points of my meditation, and sincerely tried to make to make a good one; applying my memory, understanding, and will, and taking practical resolutions?

Did I hear Mass with reverence and receive Holy Communion with due preparation and thanksgiving?

Have I recited my prayers with attention and devotion, remembering that I was then praising God in the name of the whole mystical Body of Christ and in union with the saints and angels in heaven?

Have I applied myself seriously and constantly to my duties and occupations, with a right intention, seeing the dispositions of Providence in all circumstances of the day?

Have I avoided sensuality and selfishness in eating and drinking, and attended to the wants of my neighbor at table?

Have I been faithful in my devotions to the Sacred Heart, the Blessed Virgin, St. Joseph, my patrons and my guardian angel?

From Catholic Prayer Book

Faith (Do I.........?)

Questions to ask yourself:

Do I make an honest effort to grow in the virtue of faith by daily mental prayer on the mysteries of the faith, as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ?

Do I make at least a short act of faith everyday?

Do I pray daily for an increase in faith?

Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?

Do I unnecessarily read or listen to those who oppose or belittle what I know are truths of my Catholic Faith?

What have I done today to externally profess my faith?

Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith?

Do I defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed?

Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?

from Catholic Prayer Book

Carrying the Cross

I have looked at this picture so many times in the past few years but I feel like I have just seen it for the first time. It is of course obvious that Jesus is carrying His cross, but it is where He is looking that just struck me.

In the middle of His suffering Christ looks up to heaven, up to His Father in prayer so that He may be able to carry out His will.

At least that's what I see.

I now see this painting as a great reminder to me, to all of us, since we all have our own crosses to carry, some big, some small. No matter what the size we mustn't forget to ask Our Heavenly Father for strength, patience, and guidance through those trying times.

Litany in Honor of the Holy Cross

Catholic Beliefs Class (Faith)

What is faith? What challenges your faith? When have questions or confusion about your faith led to personal growth?


A catechism I once read defined faith as “the virtue by which we firmly believe all the truths God has revealed, on the word of God revealing them.” But faith is more than that. Faith is also believing in God’s plan for our lives, every part of it. We must give our complete trust to Him, and being able to do that is having faith.

Living in a world of family, friends, and co-workers who do not share the same faith is always challenging. The greater challenges however come from those who have no real faith at all and as a result usually have no moral code by which to live. In today’s world your faith must be strong to stand up to those challenges the world presents.

My conversion to the Catholic Faith has been the greatest experience of personal growth I’ve ever known. The faith I have today has not always been as strong as it is now, and it didn’t come overnight either. I found the most difficult thing for me to have faith in was being worthy enough to receive God’s love. Once I overcame that dilemma the answers to my questions were easier to understand and much less confusing.

Faith, Hope, and Charity

Faith: Faith is (Heb 11:1) “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” our firm belief in God and all that He has revealed to us through Holy Mother Church. 1 Thes 2:13 “When you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God.”

Hope: Hope (Heb 10:23) “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hope resides in the will; it keeps us from discouragement, sustains us during desolation, and opens our hearts to eternal beatitude. God’s almighty power, infinite goodness, and fidelity to His promises are the pillars of our hope that we will receive the grace necessary to reach heaven.

Charity: Charity is our love for God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbor as ourselves for the love of God. Jesus told His apostles, (Jn 13:34) “Love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” St. Paul told us, (1 Cor 13:13) “Faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Charity is a gift to us from God, wrapped in sanctifying grace. Charity, like hope, resides in the will.