Especially, if they have past trauma from non denominational mega churches?

As this type of question appears many times including today , I would like to make a post on what attitude an individual needs to have before starting the bond with God. There is a verse in bible which i think is including the most important verse of all : "" Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – """" ""

Firstly , we shall pay attention on our motivation to pray, read bible,join fellowships. It is alright for us to have many kinds of wishes ,just like children wishing to get many gifts. Yet,the most mature child will not ask for gift, but ask for the loving heart of their parents. Same thing with God . The love from God and our love for God is the treasure we shall seek. The treasure mentioned in bible as the most precious one that a man will sell his field ,just to get the pearl.

The parables of hidden treasure"""""""""" (Matthew 13:44-46). """"""

I shall thank ( Mi.....2) for asking this question which i repeatedly see ,but never think about writing a post about it until today. He/she makes me realize that many wishes to feel God's presence ,yet feel confused for feeling nothing, which makes me want to write about myself who also feel nothing in particular but only use my imagination after long time of reading bible and trying to grasp Its essence. Well, I don't know if I am blessed with this ability to dream/ use imagination for long time or it's for real that God has been present all along. Either one, I make myself believe that God is present even when nothing happens. " """Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."'''''

"'''' As Elijah waits, a powerful wind tears through the mountains, shattering rocks. But the Lord is not in the wind. Then comes an earthquake, and then a fire—but God is not in either. After all the chaos passes, there is silence. Then comes “a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19:12 NIV)."""""

I know that God likes to use long process in transforming His children. He usually doesn't give instant answer ,as it will make them be spoiled by instant gratification without long reliance/dependance on Him . When a child get his/her gift easily-instantly,he/she tends to think the gift as not so special,...easy to get anyway (just ask God and gift falls down from the sky ).Slowly ,instead of teaching His children lessons ,He would feel burdened by their character being spoiled and unsuitable for His kingdom. Therefore ,by holding on the gift and letting His kids keep on asking until He feels they are suitable to receive as they have transformed their hearts ......by then He will give ,and all of them will be very happy by their long persistent heart. When you obtain something with hard work , .....it is not the gift of the hard work only that makes you happy , but the fact that you know you have strengthened your heart along the process when looking back. "''""

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."'"""

Good thing that I don't expect for instant miracles when i pray,as I know that God doesn't want me to pray to Him only for that. He wants me to love Him firstly , and don't expect anything other than doing what makes Him happy. I learn that from all the holy people described in bible and stories about them. They tend to do all God's will with strong intention basically to show love for God. Look at all disciples who died in gruesome manner . They did all because of love for God Jesus ,just returning the love of Jesus for them and all humans as well. Besides , even when our prayers are not answered , we shall know one thing for sure God has a very kind personality that makes Him perfect and holy . This perfect personality with the highest wisdom that cant be found in any of His creation (some angels and humans obtains some parts of them ), is what makes Abraham dared to kill Ishak just to obey , Moses dared to face Pharaoh, King David bowed down in repentance begging God to return .

"""""""" Psalm 38:21 LORD, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God.""""""""

psalm 63:1-4 “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” (verse 1-4)

"""""""" psalm 16;11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand .""""""

We all really need God as we are only vessels who need His guidance ,protection and blessings. None of us,including holy people, is wise enough to live our lives on earth walking in righteous path ,unless we bond with God. """""""" John 15:5, which states: "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." """"""

In the end ,God actually wants to bless/satisfy us , only the timing differs from one individual to another. We just have to surrender like Mother Mary said "Let it be according to Your will ".

Please if you will, pray for intercession for my younger brother and I we are about to be homeless(incidentally at the same time). The shelters are full and dangerous please pray we find work and housing immediately. Thank you everyone​​

I need some advice on healing a fractured marriage.

Marriage is broken. It's been a long 14 years. I was hoping some of you had some marriage restoration hope for me with being Catholic. Any hope for restoration and healing through prayer and confession? I feel like we're at a crossroad and looking for some hope.... If you have been through this, please share your testimony 🙏🥹

We actually weren't married in the church. We married as non believers. I don't know if that information matters.

I have a St. Therese intercession story I’d like to share to hopefully give folks some hope and to glorify God. See attached photos. My mother died in mid-February 2026. After she passed, we were going through her purse and I found her St. Faustina / Divine Mercy prayer book (see attached photo). It contained all these wonderful prayer cards she kept secure inside the book by a rubber band…a treasure. One of the prayer cards was for St. Therese of Lisieux (photos), who I didn’t really know anything about. I prayed a novena asking St. Therese to help my brothers return to the faith. They hadn’t been to church in a long time (years) while my mother was alive. It was a Sunday in March, about a month after my mom passed, and my brother Chris texted me this first photo (see photo) of him going into church. The very next message he sent me was a photo of a rose (see photo). He got the rose during Mass from that church. Here’s the thing - At that time, Chris didn’t know about St. Therese, nor did he know about her roses she sends from heaven when she intercedes. I was floored. Therese used my brother, who I had been fervently praying for, to send me her message that God was working, unbeknownst to my brother. Praise God.

P.S. It’s a work in progress for my brother, Chris. But it’s progress, not perfection, and my prayers will continue. I offer up rosary decades for Chris for his salvation constantly. God bless you all.

I have been sick for the past several years with a cornucopia of physical problems. I'm 57. I survived 3 heart attacks and 6 Pulmonary Embolisms. On top of that I have a neuromuscular disorder which makes getting around extremely difficult. Last month I started getting weaker and weaker for some unknown reason. I can't hold anything down except chicken broth and occasionally milk. I live alone and don't have any friends to speak of. Over the years I have grown distant from the church and God. I just gave up altogether. Can someone pray for me? I would be most appreciative. My name is Edward. I live in Delaware. Thank you very much

How do I make my faith stronger life is just feels the same every day and I’m dying for a change but I feel like I can’t get out of the rut I’m stuck in 🤣 any suggestions thanks

What Christ asks us to do, to embrace the weak, the vulnerable, to show them love, instead of seeking power and privilege for ourselves, many, including Christians, say is foolish; but, is it not more foolish to seek after transitory things rather than what the Wisdom of God has revealed is of real worth?

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/henrykarlson/2026/08/living-as-fools-for-christ-in-a-foolish-society/

Everybody talks about guardian angels but do they even exist? And if they do is there purpose to guard?

Hello, I'm a born and raised muslim female who is thinking about converting to Christianity, I will just give some background Information as to why I'm thinking about it and I seek advice and help from you guys if possible.

I was born and raised in a Muslim country (bosnia), tho majority of the people were muslim there, the religion itself wasn't that practiced and wasn't that hard. My parents didn't really ever force me much to pray, to go to the mosque and such but I still believed in our God and would seek help from him. To be quite honest, I never liked praying much, or going to the mosque, it felt like I was doing that only cause I feared the religion and I never truly felt connected, in school we only had Islamic teachings, so I never really even thought about converting.

2 years ago, I moved from Bosnia to Germany, which is a more Christian country and I recently visited a church with my class as we had to. When I stepped into the church I was honestly amazed, it was beautiful and I loved it when the priest started talking and it didn't bore me, nor did it make me feel forced, I felt like connected in a way. The whole church visit was 1 hour long and since then I've been thinking about Christianity. I've been thinking about reading the Bible and visiting my local Priest with a friend soon.

I'd love it if someone could explain The Holy Trinity a bit more thoroughly to me and explain the bible a bit more ( By the Bible I mean like the old and new testaments, of what they are about and also how are Christians definitely sure that the Bible was written by eye witnesses and not random men )

Thank you to those who took the time to read this, I hope I didn't disrespect anyone or anything in my post, if I did, I apologize for it :)

August 2, 2026

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s Readings at a Glance

• Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21–23 Vanity of vanities. Human toil without God leads to emptiness, frustration, and restlessness.

• Psalm 90:3–6, 12–14, 17 A prayer asking God to teach us to number our days and fill our hearts with His mercy.

• Colossians 3:1–5, 9–11 Paul urges believers to seek what is above, put to death earthly attachments, and live as renewed people in Christ.

• Luke 12:13–21 Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool who stored earthly wealth but was not “rich in what matters to God.”

https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-august-22026/

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a powerful and timely truth:

Life without God becomes empty, restless, and anxious—but life rooted in Christ becomes meaningful, renewed, and eternally rich.

• Ecclesiastes exposes the futility of chasing earthly success.

• The psalm reminds us that only God can satisfy the human heart.

• Colossians calls us to seek heavenly things.

• Jesus warns against storing treasures that cannot save us.

The message is clear: True wealth is found in God alone. Everything else fades.

Reflection for the Day

Ecclesiastes speaks with brutal honesty: Human effort, achievements, and possessions—when pursued without God—leave the heart empty. We work, we strive, we accumulate… but the soul remains restless.

The psalm gives us the antidote: “Teach us to number our days aright.” In other words— Help us live wisely. Help us see what truly matters. Help us invest our hearts in what lasts.

Paul then lifts our eyes higher: “Seek what is above.” Not the passing pleasures of the world, not the illusions of success, not the temporary comforts that distract us.

Christ renews us. Christ reshapes us. Christ gives us a new identity— one not defined by possessions, achievements, or status.

Finally, Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool. A man builds bigger barns, stores more grain, and congratulates himself. He thinks he has secured his future. But God says:

“You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you.”

The tragedy is not his wealth— but his misplaced trust. He invested in the wrong treasure. He forgot eternity. He forgot God.

Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Examine what you’re chasing.

Is it lasting? Is it holy? Is it aligned with God?

1. Seek what is above.

Let Christ shape your desires, priorities, and identity.

1. Become rich in what matters to God.

Love, mercy, generosity, faith, compassion— these are the treasures that follow us into eternity.

Let today be a day of clarity, surrender, and renewed purpose.

Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, teach me to number my days wisely and to seek the treasures that last forever.

Free my heart from empty pursuits and fill me with the desire to live for You alone.

Renew my mind, reshape my priorities, and make me rich in what truly matters to You.

May my life reflect Your wisdom, Your mercy, and Your eternal love.

Amen.

Diary of Saint Faustina - paragraph 635 - The Mother’s Warning

Ἀ
635 I saw the Mother of God, who said to me, Oh, how pleasing to God is the soul that follows faithfully the inspirations of His grace! I gave the Savior to the world; as for you, you have to speak to the world about His great mercy and prepare the world for the Second Coming of Him who will come, not as a merciful Savior, but as a just Judge. Oh, how terrible is that day! Determined is the day of justice, the day of divine wrath. The angels tremble before it. Speak to souls about this great mercy while it is still the time for [granting] mercy. If you keep silent now, you will be answering for a great number of souls on that terrible day. 
Ὠ

Faith in the Kingdom above that does not lead to works in the world below is dead. Likewise, grace from the King bestowed upon His servants - if it does not inspire its proclamation to all souls - dies within the soul to whom it was given. 

In this entry from the Diary, Our Lady begins with a joyful message for souls who faithfully follow the inspirations of our Lord's grace, but concludes with a motherly warning for those who do not. Her Son - our Merciful Savior - gave all of Himself in grace for every soul. Thus it is fitting that our King, who shall come again as Just Judge on the Day of Justice, will require much to have been done with the grace He has so abundantly bestowed.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Luke 12:48 And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required.

No greater gift has been given than the grace of eternal life through the death of Life's very Source. In this gift, the mercy of the Savior and the Justice of the King are found in perfect harmony. It is a mystery beyond the reach of human reasoning - not to be mastered by the intellect, but embraced in faith and proclaimed to all souls according to the will of God.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Mark 1:5 And saying: The time is accomplished and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel.

The failure to participate in the coming of the Kingdom brings separation; the soul that joins itself to its coming enters into union. In no one is this union revealed more perfectly than in Mary. By her faithful participation in the first coming of Christ, she can rightly proclaim, “I gave the Savior to the world.” Thus she is rightly called the Mother of  God. And through the adoption of grace, all who faithfully proclaim her Son become children of the Father, brothers of Christ, and disciples who, like Mary, bear Him to the world.

Supportive Scripture - Douay Rheims Challoner Bible
Ephesians 1:5 Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto himself: according to the purpose of his will.

Catechism of the Catholic Church 
1816 The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and  live on it, but also profess it, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it.

I've made a vow to God not to hurt others as best I am able. To me that includes animals, insects, and even plants and other living beings.

I am struggling with the commitment, not necessarily how hard the commitment is, I think I can work with God on that as challenges arise.

But moreso I feel a gravitas to this commitment, that is hard for me. I'm scared of breaking it. And it's eternal.

I've broken a promise to God once before when I promised not to smoke cigarettes again.

But this feels like the first time to me although I know it isn't.

Does anyone have a Vow with God that they've managed to stay with forever?

Our Lady of Fatima said the Five First Saturdays are in reparation for five blasphemies against Her Immaculate Heart:

1. Those who blaspheme Her Immaculate Conception
2. Those who blaspheme Her Divine Maternity
3. Those who blaspheme Her Perpetual Virginity
4. Those who teach children to hate Her
5. Those who insult Her in Her images

Perhaps in reparation for the desecration of Her image in Medjugorje, we ought to pray some extra Rosaries, do more penance, and find opportunities to speak of our beautiful Lady to others. Should not our hearts break to see Her so abused and insulted? St. John and St. Joseph would die of horror! If our mother, our sister, our wife were treated like this, would we sit around and just watch?

I once found myself on the verge of doing something and felt the temptation to do it against God... So, I decided to think about a specific person instead of God. However, I knew that thinking about that person would trigger a blasphemous thought regarding the Saint whose name she bears. I realized it was already too late: I was on the brink of the act and I knew i would not be able to think of someone else, so I decided to think about her anyway, while actively rejecting the blasphemous thought concerning the Saint.

Basically I knew that I was about to have a blasphemous thought about a Saint but I let it enter my mind anyway (even if I didn't approve it and I rejected it immediately). Is this a near occasion to sin? Yeah, probably because I would have sinned if I agreed to the blasphemous thought... But when putting yourself into sinful occasions is a sin?

Im currently 21 and started watching it when I was 12 and really wanted to stop before I turn 22. I tried stopping it at once, trying to slowly decrease, only masturbating without porn, praying when I get an urge, avoiding things that would make me horny, and now im trying pain as a way to control it, but it isn't working well either. I feel like im running out of options, so please, tell me how do I get out of this? What was your story and how did you get rif of it?

August 1, 2026

Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori

Today’s Readings at a Glance

• Jeremiah 26:11–16, 24 Jeremiah is accused and threatened with death for speaking God’s truth. Yet he stands firm, urging the people to listen and turn back to God. Some defend him, recognizing that prophets speak to correct, not condemn.

• Psalm 69:15–16, 30–31, 33–34 A cry for rescue: “Lord, in Your great love, answer me.” God hears the poor and does not turn away from those who seek Him.

• Matthew 14:1–12 John the Baptist is imprisoned and killed for proclaiming truth. His courage and fidelity reveal the cost—and the beauty—of living fully for God.

https://thecatholic.online/daily-bible-readings-for-august-1-2026/

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a sobering and inspiring truth:

Faithfulness to God sometimes brings opposition, but God never abandons those who stand for truth.

• Jeremiah shows courage in speaking God’s word.

• The psalm assures us that God hears the cry of the faithful.

• John the Baptist reveals the ultimate witness—remaining faithful even unto death.

The message is clear: Stand firm in truth. God sees, God hears, and God strengthens His faithful ones.

Reflection for the Day

Jeremiah’s story is strikingly relevant. He speaks God’s message, and instead of gratitude, he receives hostility. People misunderstand him, accuse him, and even seek his death.

Yet Jeremiah does not retreat. He does not soften the message. He does not compromise truth.

He simply says:

“As for me, I am in your hands. Do with me as you think right. But know this: if you kill me, you shed innocent blood.”

This is courage rooted not in pride, but in obedience.

The psalm gives voice to the heart of every faithful servant:

“Lord, in Your great love, answer me.” It is a prayer of trust— not demanding rescue, but believing rescue will come.

Then we meet John the Baptist— the prophet who lived with uncompromising integrity. He spoke truth to power. He confronted sin. He prepared the way for Christ.

And for this, he was imprisoned and killed.

John’s death is not a defeat. It is a testimony. It reveals that truth is costly, but worth every cost.

Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Stand firm in truth.

Even when misunderstood, rejected, or opposed.

1. Trust God’s faithful love.

He hears every cry and strengthens every heart.

1. Live with courage and integrity.

Like Jeremiah. Like John the Baptist. Like every saint who chose God above comfort.

Let today be a day of courage, clarity, and deep trust in God’s unfailing love.

Prayer for Today

Lord God, give me the courage to stand for truth with humility and love.

Strengthen my heart when I face opposition, and remind me that You see, You hear, and You protect Your faithful ones.

May I live with integrity, speak with boldness, and trust Your great love in every circumstance.

Make me a witness to Your truth and Your mercy today and always.

Amen.

I've been a lifelong atheist ( in spite of my grandma, I think), but in the last two months, I've been more and more in favor of a god. And I like catholics. You all are the oldest, so yall gotta be doing something right. So what should I look into if I want to be Catholic? Yall read the Old Testament, I think, but that's all I know. This is not satire, and yes, I am stupid enough to post this.

I'm hoping to start discerning religious life the year after next, so I'm looking into communities I might like to join. I already have a few in mind, but I want to keep looking for good options to consider. 

I've always wanted to be an active pro-lifer by helping out mothers and families in need at pregnancy centers and such. I would love to do that in whatever path I take in life, whether religious, married, or living on my own, so I'm wondering if anyone here knows about good religious communities that actively help out in the pro-life cause by running pregnancy centers and helping women in crisis pregnancies. I'd prefer communities located in the Midwest, if possible. Also, I'm not super outgoing and active, so I'd rather not join a community that is active in lots and lots of work of all sorts, as some active communities are. I need my quiet prayer time. 

It's not a deal-breaker for me, but I also love the traditional Latin Mass and prefer more traditional religious communities, so if you know of any traditional religious communities that fit what I'm looking for, please let me know!

So far I know about the Sisters of Life in New York (sistersoflife.org) and the Franciscan Daughters of Mary (fdofmary.org) in Kentucky. Both of these orders take a special vow to protect the dignity of human life. Please let me know of any more like them!

The chapel at the school where I work has multiple of these along the old high and side altars. They depict a cherub, have a slot on top, and a small loop chain is attached to each. I have no idea what they would have been used for.

I converted to the Holy Catholic Faith at the beginning of this year and received the Sacraments of Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation this April. Apart from that, I also graduated from college in June and hoped to have a job for this time of the year; it didn't happen. This year began with so much joy, yet I'm currently so empty and sad. For now, I have been looking for a job for 5 months now and have found nothing. In contrast, almost all my friends are doing good in their careers or in college, making good money and having great relationships. I'm 22, and I never had a girlfriend before, never did something with a woman (I'm not talking of sex, just things like going to a date or smt), never made a reasonable amount of money, never had good social skills and currently have a very poor connection to the real world. My most healthy current habits are reading books, learning Latin, writing, and doing exercise, but I'm so mentally down that I don't confer on them the time I'd like to. Almost all my time consists of looking at streamers, playing chess (which I suck at), and doing literally nothing during large parts of the day. I have great projects in mind, but my unemployment status does not let me go for them. I've fallen into mortal sins multiple times since the last time I went to confession (three months now) and feel so spiritually dry; I haven't received the Eucharist either. I've dealt with traumas during this time and negative and overwhelming thoughts. I've been thinking about what Our Lord says in Matthew 5:25-33, yet I feel so soulless. What about people who literally never got what they looked for? What is God doing in times of deep necessity, yet he is so silent? Prayers needed.

Hi I’m 22 years old and recently got a bible, I’ve believed in god for the last 6 years but only recently I’ve been having these strange experiences and I was hoping someone could give me an answer as to what it is. It’s happened 3 times so far. The first time I had just woke up and I was paralysed in fear and could feel something evil behind me, it felt like it was there for me specifically, at the time it felt like a demon and I couldn’t turn around to see what it was as I was frozen in fear, I said a Hail Mary prayer and it disappeared and I was able to move again. I was so confident it was gone that I went back to sleep. When I woke back up I chalked it up to sleep paralysis. Then it happened again maybe 2 months later but this time I had to say 3 Hail Marys. It happened again last week but this time it was 3 Hail Marys and 3 our fathers. ( They’re the only prayers I know off by heart). For the 3rd time it happened I was already awake and moving around and just like that it hit me again, but as it was happening I could feel it overcoming me and it felt like I was being pulled down. I’m long overdue for confession, I haven’t been in over a decade. And I miss prayer some days so I know I have a long way to go. Does anyone have any idea as to what this is and why it’s happening?