Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic

2015-05-20T17:24:35-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Marriage is Not a Purchase, Your Spouse is Not Your Slave

Last updated on: May 20, 2015 at 5:24 pm By Jennifer Fitz

Unclear on the concept is abounding these days. Michelle Arnold shared the link to this terribly twisted approach to marital relations and all I can say is no. Just no. For a clear-headed discussion of the patriarchy movement in general, here’s those wild liberals at HSLDA stepping up to disown this nonsense. Christianity is not about this. Just no, never, no way no how, end of story. What is marriage? The free gift of self between husband and wife. It’s faithful,... Read more

2015-05-19T16:28:08-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Unclear on the Concept, Teachers Sexting Edition

Last updated on: May 19, 2015 at 4:28 pm By Jennifer Fitz

A friend passed on this article, about a public high school coach who texted her students a photo of a man licking the teacher’s ear. You can read the article if you want to know more about the contents of the image. Here’s the part we want to talk about here: “This picture is extremely inappropriate,” Mafes said. “If she had on what I have on and he was licking her ear, it would still be extremely inappropriate.” Mafes doubts... Read more

2015-05-16T11:33:11-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

That Perpetually Lost and Confused Feeling is not a Bug, it’s a Feature

Last updated on: May 16, 2015 at 11:33 am By Jennifer Fitz

The headline sets aside the question of pre-Fall living, which none of us are doing. It’s the 16th of the month, which means I’m pre-prayed. Naturally I completely forgot and re-prayed this morning, which you’re allowed to do. I can’t remember what thoughts I had this morning, but here’s where my thinking went last time I reflected on today’s Gospel: Lord, I don’t understand everything. I’m struggling with difficulties that are leaving me feeling completely lost and maybe even abandoned.... Read more

Liturgical Living

Stick that Corner

2015-05-15T17:38:28-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Letter to a Discouraged Evangelist

Last updated on: May 15, 2015 at 5:38 pm By Jennifer Fitz

I wrote the following in response to a “What would you say?” question from Sherry Weddell, who shared in a private forum the comments she’d received from a discouraged-but-faithful Catholic. The details hardly matter. We all know the territory. Here’s my answer, and couple follow-on comments come after. *** Dear Friend in the Field,You’re absolutely right. Catholics are horrible and evangelization can drive you mad. It’s pretty common for people who are serious about the faith to go through periods... Read more

Church Craziness

Sacred Art & Music

Stick that Corner

2015-05-13T13:15:53-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Shame that Breeds Helplessness is Destroying Our Parishes

Last updated on: May 13, 2015 at 1:15 pm By Jennifer Fitz

There was some debate among internet-Catholics about the recent findings by the Pew Research Center concerning the growing departure of young people from the faith – any faith. Some were asking whether the statistics were accurate. I had an impulse: How about an informal poll? My parish youth program has a private Facebook group, and I figured we had a good pile of parents of older children — kids in that target 18-30 age range. Maybe our youth director keeps tabs on... Read more

Church Craziness

Evangelization

2015-05-13T09:39:34-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Why I Love Facebook Ads

Last updated on: May 13, 2015 at 9:39 am By Jennifer Fitz

I was clicking through Facebook this morning and of course there were lunch boxes everywhere. Certain children of mine have been campaigning for shiny new lunch boxes and leaving up browser tabs full of end-of-season clearance choices so that I’m sure to stumble across the good deals. Facebook knows. Facebook knows when I buy shoes, and gamely suggests I buy another pair just like the ones I bought. Facebook knows when I am in the market for a new pair... Read more

It's All Catholic

2015-05-12T10:18:15-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Survey Results: What Would Make it Easier for Families to Learn About the Catholic Faith?

Last updated on: May 12, 2015 at 10:18 am By Jennifer Fitz

The responses to the first Listen to Me survey have been astounding so far. If you are charged with the care of souls, could I recommend you do this? It takes about twenty minutes to whip together a Google form, and then you have a free, confidential way to ask open-ended questions that let people tell you what they are really thinking. Even the shy people. Even the people you think you have pegged, but really you don’t. Do this, guys.... Read more

Catechesis

Church Craziness

Evangelization

Listen to Me Survey Series

2015-05-11T10:24:30-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

If Your Ministry, Apostolate, School, or Parish is Failing . . . It’s Probably You. – Updated

Last updated on: May 11, 2015 at 10:24 am By Jennifer Fitz

Updated to preface the comments below with responses to two readers who scrupled in various directions. 1. For a clear understanding of what it is we humans actually do 99% of the time, read Simcha Fisher’s seminal work on the topic, “Go Forth and Get Me Butter, Says the Lord.” 2. When you get down to the reality-check paragraph, here’s the expansion pack comment: There are a lot of reasons a ministry might not “succeed,” and one of them is... Read more

Church Craziness

Rant-o-Rama

2015-05-10T14:25:59-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Survey Now Open: Listen To Me, Catholic Mothers Edition

Last updated on: May 10, 2015 at 2:25 pm By Jennifer Fitz

I’ve lost my patience with church people who just won’t listen to the real stories of the Catholics and not-quite-Catholics they are supposed to be serving. So I’m starting a survey series, and survey #1 is for Catholic mothers. If you’re a mother and you consider yourself Catholic, then you’re part of that group, even if you’re not a very good Catholic. (As you’ll see, the questions reflect this.) You can find the form here. The only required question is... Read more

2015-05-10T15:20:07-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Preaching: What Works? Why Does it Matter? – Updated

Last updated on: May 10, 2015 at 3:20 pm By Jennifer Fitz

Father Longenecker* writes about his frustration as a homilist here, and he raises a good question: Does good preaching matter? And if so, what kinds of homilies (or lectures) are effective, and what effect do they have? I’m going to answer as someone who teaches the Catholic faith outside the pulpit, who’s been subject to the very best and very worst of Christian preaching and teaching, and who spends an awful lot of time with Catholic lay people who say... Read more

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: The Sermon on the Mount includes the Lord's Prayer.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Books Catechesis Catholic Q&A Chastity Church Craziness Come See Me Talk Disability & Chronic Illness Economics Evangelization Facepalm Forgiveness Good Things History Homeschooling Human Rights It's All Catholic Listen to Me Survey Series Liturgical Living Marriage Modesty Not Satire. But almost. Rant-o-Rama Sacred Art & Music Satire South Carolina Spark Clutter Stick that Corner Suffering Thinking Topics Writing Stuff

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 July 2026 June 2026 January 2026 December 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 November 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Catholic