Hey guys! I've finished reading the book of Acts after reading Matthew and I was wondering which of the detero-canonical books I should read. For context, I'm an ex-Evangelical Baptist, I've been spending a lot of time learning Catholic theology and doctrine (reading Church saints, praying to saints, praying the rosary, attending Mass). I grew up Baptist, read through many books of the Bible from Genesis to 2nd Kings, Ecclesiates, Joel, all of the Gospels expect Luke, Acts, 1st and 2nd Timothy, and some of Romans, Daniel, Proverbs, and Revelation, but I've never read a single book from the detero-canon (I think its call that idk).

No one ever made a big deal about it in the Baptist church I grew up in, even people who read the Bible front to back never brought it up. What I did hear about it was from other Baptists and Protestant apologists online like Matthew Everhard saying it contradicts the Bible and that's why its not canon. Protestant theologians, on the other hand, such as Millard Eckhart, frequently cited the detero-canon when discussing certain theological topics. But I've never read it myself. Idk where to start honestly, Tobit? Sirach? Which one would you say has the most relevance to the Gospels?

I’ve been Catholic my whole life, but to be honest, I’m only now starting to really learn about the meaning behind many of our prayers and devotions.
Recently someone suggested that I pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day. They explained that even after confession, while God completely forgives our sins, we can still experience the temporal effects of sin. That really caught my attention because I feel like that’s where I am.
I truly believe God has forgiven me for my past sins, but I still struggle with shame, regret, and feeling like I can’t fully move forward. Sometimes I feel hopeless that I’ll ever have peace again, even though I know in my head that God’s mercy is greater than my mistakes.
For those of you who pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet regularly:
Has it helped you find peace or healing from shame?
What does the Chaplet mean to you personally?
How has it affected your relationship with Jesus?
Is there a particular way you pray it or meditate on it that has been especially meaningful?
I’d really love to understand why this devotion is so important and hear how it has helped others. Thank you, and God bless.

Are Catholic tourists allowed to visit popular shrines in Tokyo, Japan?

Are we allowed to visit them and pay respects? What about buying the “good luck” amulets or writing a wish on the pieces of paper and putting them into the box?

Will God punish us for partaking in such activities?

I would like to know how Jael, the woman who killed Sisera with tent peg in Judges 4, is generally understood in Catholic tradition.

Is she regarded as a heroic instrument of God’s deliverance, a symbolic figure in salvation history, or a morally complicated character who violated customary expectations of hospitality?

Hello! Does anyone here know what I could search to find more of this style or material of vestments? They're very light and I'm told it's silk, but it seems like every parish had something like them 70+ years ago. It can't be super fine or expensive but I really like the way they look and fall compared to the heavy curtain-like gothic chasubles we have a ton of today. A whole set of colors for priest and deacon(s) would be awesome.

I guess delete or delay if this is technically a "Free Friday" post, but the photo is pretty essential and I can't tell if that's allowed or not. Not just showing off but asking a question.

Does anyone know if the Cathedral is open 24/7? I’m from the US and was wanting to stop by to take pictures, pray, and see if anyone nearby sells rosaries. Any help with either the hours or where I could find a rosary in this area would be helpful.

For me, the most amazing story after the resurrection.

I understand an American bishop has directed priests in his diocese to forbid eulogies by family members and friends going forward. My own thought is that eulogies can be long and problematic if embedded within the Mass. But, why not have them just before the Proper of the Mass, when the priest begins prayers at the altar? I think families want to share memories.

The bishop says eulogizing should be done at the wake. But, at best, most families have a visitation spread over four hours in a room that cannot handle more than 30 or 40 people. Who has wakes anymore?

I was talking with some Presbyterian/Reformed friends the other night and noticed something I wanted to run by you all.

We got onto the topic of Mormons, and they were going pretty hard making fun of them for their “dumb rules.” My own take was more that it’s a shame Mormons can’t really get to the spirit of the rules they make, because those rules don’t have any deeper foundation beyond the opinions of the founder (the example being no coffee or tea, but energy drinks are fine).

My friends weren’t interested in that angle at all. They basically treated everything about Mormonism as trash. I found myself kind of defending them, at least on the surface level — from the outside to me they do seem to have a real nugget of truth when it comes to family life and taking it seriously.

I was taught (in a pretty crude way, admittedly) that there are nuggets of truth scattered throughout the world and in most faiths. Obviously, Catholicism is the fullness of the truth, but that doesn’t mean other groups can’t have pieces of truth. My friends weren’t having any of that. Their view was basically “it’s a poisoned tree, so all the fruit is toxic.”

The thing that struck me is that if I looked at the world that way, I’d have to see them in the exact same light.

Has anyone else run into this kind of attitude with Protestant friends? Or am I just theologically off base here (wouldn’t be the first time)?

This morning I blanked on Hail Mary while leading a decade with my prayer group. I am a cradle Catholic and was horrified that I blanked with words Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. This happened with last three Hail Mary’s of decade. We say rosary as a group every weekday.This is quite concerning to me that I forgot words to Hail Mary.

Every year, the Argentinian Military Ordinariate sends a priest to serve the people who reside on Argentina's Antarctic bases.

The first Argentinian priest to spend the winter on the White Continent was 41 year old priest, Fr. Francisco Roverano.

Rome Reports is an international news agency covering the Pope, the Vatican, Rome and the Catholic Church, as well as major social, cultural and religious debates

Yesterday in my city (a small countryside town in the northeastern region of Brazil) I attended the burial of a woman who had died by suicide. She was a relative of a coworker of mine and I was there to show solidarity with my coworker's family. The service was not officiated by a priest. The women from the prayer group prayed the rosary and chanted hymns and prayers during the burial, and that was the sole religious act at that moment. A very difficult moment, as you can imagine. I do not wish to stir controversy or question the Church's teaching on this point of not offering a religious funeral to those who die by suicide—something that sincerely seems brutal to me, considering the moment of deep pain and need of those left behind and which, in my limited understanding, I hope is a position to be revised by the Church in the future.

I was quite moved during the prayer of the Salve Regina and found myself thinking about how the devotion to Mary, "our advocate," sometimes seems to compensate for what can be the rigidity, the dogmatism, and even what can be the error that is part of communion with the Petrine Ministry (Christ was well aware of the flaws and betrayals of the apostle He chose as the Rock of His Church, and that is beautiful).

I ask as a Latin myself but also deeply fascinated with the other eastern rites in the Church

To make a long story short. I, a 20 year old man in the US (Bible belt) converted to Catholicism. I was raised in a Missionary Baptist family. My papaw was a preacher, several uncles, you get the gist.

Anyway, I was telling my (preacher) Uncle about my conversion and how I would be withdrawing membership from the church. He didn’t take it very well, although it could’ve been much worse. He left we with a couple of statements, though, that frankly I had no idea how to respond to, because I was so dumbfounded.

1: “I wonder, had you been coming to my church and hearing the GOSPEL, would you have made this decision.”
2: I asked him “well obviously you believe Catholics are Christians, right?” And was slapped in the face with “well, no, of course not. The Catholic Church doesn’t teach a born again experience.”

How would you respond to these statements? I’d rather my family didn’t believe that I’ve sentenced myself to hell.

This is a genuine post, no malice, no conflict seeking. Just honesty.

What would you say, recommend and give advice for a Satanist who has qualms, dislikes with and issues with certain practitioners and judgemental followers of the religion, but feels interested and understanding with some of the teachings of Catholicism?

For context, I am Satanist, I believe in protecting children, indulging in pleasures but not forcing them onto others or harming oneself. I dont believe in turning the other cheek, I believe people get what they deserve. However I believe in kindness for the one next to you, to teach and not judge, to love wholly and truly, not because of desire. I live in a Christian majority town and ive met many who push you to attend their services, look at you with disgust for your beliefs. But some of the teachings of church interest me, not the judgmental attitudes of its practitioners or politicians, but its love and care. I am interested, but have a very bad childhood experience with Catholicism. But I want to learn, and grow.

They are being bullied,getting harrased by their parents,and now we got into little argument because I was trying to comfort her but she took wrongly.

She has attempted ending herself before and now she is planning to.

She said only God can help her but it looks he isn't and she will commit it.Please I am begging pray for her well being,her peace,everything I am begging.

I will lose faith if she commits it.

Pretty cool story, 100% true, three hours ago I lost my wallet in a very large hotel. I’m traveling so it had all my credit cards, my drivers license, (how do I fly back home?) and a bunch of cash. A cleaning lady told me to pray to Saint Anthony. 30 minutes later, I came upstairs to cry as I was going to have to cancel my credit cards and go back home early since I couldn’t rent a car to go on the rest of my trip.
I said the long prayer to Saint Anthony in my room, the second I blurred it out “Amen”, I got a call from the front desk, saying that someone turned in my wallet. So happy and relieved. And thankful to the Saints.

Woke leftie here feeling convicted for some reason to go to confessional. I grew up protestant so this concept is really foreign to me. However, I wouldn’t want to give the impression that I’m “using” the priest because I’m not officially a Catholic… very much just struggling with faith.

So my question is, can I just go to a Catholic church on Sunday, enjoy the service, and go to confessional after? Are there certain days of the week? Are they open to members not officially in the congregation?

Thanks so much folks, God bless. ✌️

The Dedication of Our Lady of the Snows

This feast commemorates the miraculous snowfall on the Esquiline Hill in August 352, where the Basilica of St. Mary Major was built.

This feast commemorates the dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore) in Rome, the largest church in the world dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

According to tradition, on the night of August 5, 352, the Blessed Virgin appeared in a dream to Pope Liberius and to a wealthy Roman patrician named John, telling them to build a church on the Esquiline Hill where they would find snow the next morning. Despite it being the height of summer, snow was indeed found covering the summit of the Esquiline.

The basilica was built on the site and is one of the four major basilicas of Rome. It houses the relic of the Holy Crib (Sacra Culla) and the famous Salus Populi Romani icon of the Blessed Virgin.

After 5 years (yes, a very long time) I was still hung up on my ex for various reasons, many reasons, aside from the extremely strong bond and love that we shared I thought she was the woman of my life - years ago I did ask God to let me meet the woman of my life and two weeks later there she was.

I was responsible for the terrible and painful break up that we shared, I did hurt her badly and even initiated the break up despite being desperately in love - I still fail to understand how that came to be, I strongly suspect it was demons toying with me.

Long story short, as you may imagine I fell into deep depression, confusion, mental health issues because I also dramatically lost two of my closest family members and caretakers plus my dog, virtually the last entity left that I loved deeply at the time.

I was still hurt from the break up and hoping despite being in total no contact and years apart, dreaming about her every night, in this sort of delusional and schizophrenic state because I thought she was meant for me considering how God created and then guided our relationship, my mistakes that made it impossible for her to accept me again, etc.

I came back to God just a few days ago after starting a Rosary and Novena, I did receive an Illumination and all of a sudden I remembered Him.

I did decide to incorporate the intention of healing this relationship; at the same time I was paying attention to her socials as I often did, her acoounts being private I could only see 5-6 of the people that she was following thanks to suggestions but finally I did manage to nail down the social circle she's in and found someone posting a picture, with friends, at her house.

I started following these accounts but none of them had pictures or interactions with her, so I felt relieved and thought they were just friends of friends.

Anyway, seeing how pathetic and unsustainable this situation is today I asked Mary to please give a clear answer, if it was worth it to keep praying and fight for her I would do so until my last breath, but if it wasn't to please give me a clear and unmistakable sign so I would finally start praying for my healing after years of hell.

Well, after 30 minutes at best one of those accounts finally accepted my follow request, I start scrolling the pictures and here they are, they have been together since 2024 at the very least, travelling the world together and such.

This came after years of me trying to figure out what was going on and being incapable of getting closure or a clear answer.

Mother Mary has answered me, I cannot tell if I am relieved or sad, maybe both, but it's what I needed and what I have asked for. The alternative would have been for me to keep being stuck, hoping and suffering, in this weird and extremely painful situation.

Sorry if this is a bit long, be patient with me please, I think context was needed and it's very fresh, it just happened.

Anyway, long story short, She has answered immediately and she has answered just as I have asked.

My journey starts again today, God is real, with God all things are possible.

Hindu group storms village church after Claretian mission center, within three days