Corpus Christi Blog

We live in a time of deep division. Whether we are discussing religion, morality, politics, workplace events, or even how we run a ministry, the language we use can be divisive and harmful if we are not careful. It can be argued that there have been many moments in history and cultures where this has been the case; however, the difference now is that we have the internet, social media, texting, and recording capabilities that cause our words to echo further and linger longer than ever before. We know that gossip damages relationships and reputations, but today, I would like to discuss some more nuanced forms of gossip that are formally identified in the Catechism of the Catholic Church so that we can be careful to avoid them in emotionally charged situations.

The Catholic Church is very blessed to contain many religious orders, spiritualities, and expressions of faith. As members of the Church, we can draw on these expressions and incorporate them into our personal spiritual lives as we grow on our faith journey. I was recently inspired to explore the Carmelite order and its spirituality, as I had little experience with it outside of my knowledge of a few individual saints, such as Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, and Thérèse of Lisieux. I would like to share a brief history of the order, outline the key components of its spirituality, and discuss how we can incorporate Carmelite spirituality into our daily lives.

We talk quite a bit about our souls when discussing our faith. We talk about the salvation of souls, whether they go to heaven or hell, their purification in purgatory, and the effect sin has on them. The very reason for the existence of our Church is for the care of our souls. But what exactly is a soul? If we deepen our understanding of what our soul is, it can help us to take better care of it.

The Catholic Church has three sources of authority: Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium.

Scripture is the inspired Word of God written down by men throughout salvation history. After the Book of Revelation, there will be no new revelation to be added to Scripture until the Second Coming of Jesus brings everything to fulfillment. Tradition is the passing on of the Church’s practices, customs, and teachings orally and through the written word from the Apostles onward, forming the Deposit of Faith.