10 Ways to Grow Your Catholic Faith
1. Go to Confession once a month. If you want your faith to grow, you need to confess your sins regularly. This great act of humility can push the limits of our power, but this is exactly where the Lord desires to do his greatest work, as He chips aways that which is not necessary. Every saint in the life of the Church returned often to this sacrament of mercy. For it reminds us that despite our broken and sinful condition, we are utterly and unconditionally loved. The darkness of sin is dispelled and our relationship to God restored. It does not get much better than that! For more information on Confession click here.
2. Go to Mass every Sunday. At the center of Christian worship is the call to follow with obedience the words of Jesus Christ: "Do this in memory of me." And every time the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is offered once more, as we encounter the same sacrifice He offered 2,000 years ago, our hearts are directed back to the source of life itself. As we go about our week we find ourselves worshiping idols, creations that we worship instead of the Creator, like power, money, success, popularity, or pleasure. Mass directs our hearts back to God and sanctifies us through the reception of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. For more information on the glory of the Eucharist click here.
3. Pray 5 minutes daily. Our Lord Jesus Christ was manifested in the flesh to draw us back into relationship with God the Father. Relationship involves spending time with the other. Prayer is the way to spend time with the Lord so as to fall in love with He who has made us and to be loved by the one who always has loved us. As we spend at least 5 minutes in prayer each day, we will constantly hunger for more. Just start and see what happens. For ideas on what to do during your 5 minutes of prayer click here.
4. Read a Good Book. We need to fill our minds with the goodness of God and the witness of the saints. Reading for just 10 minutes a day can do wonders. Need some recommendations on some good books to read whether you want the life of a saint or a work of Catholic apologetics click here.
5. Read the Daily Mass readings each day. The only way to know God's way is to place ourselves in the world of the Scripture and most especially, to walk with Christ, so as to see as He sees. The Scriptures in a unique way transform our capacity to see God and to know how to follow and love Him. You can always find the Daily Mass readings here or download an app like IBreviary or order a nice monthly missal like Magnificat or buy the Daily Missal. Lots of options! Take one up!
6. Do one Act of Mercy each day. The Church has given us the spiritual and corporal works of mercy so as to give life to the word of the Gospel so that all might know of God's love and mercy. As we do the works of mercy, it is the Lord who works His mercy upon us as well and makes us into the image of His Son Jesus.
Corporal Works of Mercy
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To feed the hungry;
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To give drink to the thirsty;
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To clothe the naked;
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To harbour the harbourless;
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To visit the sick;
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To ransom the captive;
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To bury the dead.
Spiritual Works of Mercy
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To instruct the ignorant;
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To counsel the doubtful;
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To admonish sinners;
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To bear wrongs patiently;
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To forgive offences willingly;
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To comfort the afflicted;
7. Pray the Rosary. Mary is our Mother and as we go through the joys and struggles of life, she walks with us. She is the perfect disciple. She has been down our path and remained faithful. She has also walked with Christ through out her life. If there is anyone who can help us to know her Son it is her. The Rosary gives us an interior look at the life of Christ through Mary and as we ask her intercession, her Son gives to us the grace we need to follow Him faithfully as His disciples. If you need some help learning to pray the Rosary check out when we pray it as a Parish or read these instructions on how to pray it.
8. Find a good Catholic Community to join or at least a few good Catholic friends to encourage you on. We need community. It is the reason Jesus gathered His 12 Apostles together and when He sent them out, He sent them in pairs. It is not good for us to be alone and even more so as we strive to be disciples in a modern world that lives so contrary to the Gospel. Find a community or ministry here at St. Katharine Drexel (SKD) or reach out and find some good Catholic friends. You always have a place here at SKD.
9. Find a way to volunteer in the Parish. There are so many opportunities to serve in the Parish. Find yours! And if you are not sure how, send us a message and we will help you find a place of service.
10. Cultivate thankfulness. Thank the Lord for three things each day. A spirit of thankfulness kills a bitter heart and helps us to see that truly everything is a gift from the Lord. Whether the Lord gives or the Lord takes away we must bless His name. It also gives us the vision to see what God desires for us.