Rememberance and celebration during the coronavirus

Today we remember that Jesus Christ shed innocent blood for us. We remember that Our Father loved us so much that He gave us His Only Begotten Son. Jesus took the nails because He couldn't bear the idea of eternity without us. He would have died for even just one of us and if needed, would do it again in a heartbeat because He loves us so much.
During these times, it might be hard to feel it. We can't go to Mass in person because we might get sick. However, perhaps that will help us remember to celebrate more joyously than before at Mass, especially next Easter! For now, remember that Christ opened so many doors for us and be grateful for all He's done. I don't really know what else to say, but I felt the need to say something. Happy Easter!

My absence and failing this lent

I have not posted a blog entry in over eight months. I have revisited this blog and edited my posts, but I haven't made a new entry. I had a long job search for about a month after my last post, then I took on two jobs and went back to school in January. I quit one of those jobs in March, but then the coronavirus popped up. I now plan to get back into blogging now that I have the time for it. Looking forward to it!

Also, as I said, a big pandemic called the coronavirus has swept the nation, as we all know. My goals this lent were to do the Fast of Daniel and avoid electronics. We haven't really observed our Lenten promises as a family. I guess the stress of the coronavirus made us forget about Lent. Reguardless, Holy Week is here. This is a week where you can get back to your lenten promises and prepare for the crucifixtion of Jesus. Ask God what you can do to prepare. Pray the rosary daily, watch Mass daily, or make donations for nurses and doctors. Perhaps this can wrap up a bad lent. I just don't really know what else to say.

Lack of Motivation+ different struggles

Well... I have not posted on here in over a month! I have been busy and I just haven't really had anything to talk about! However, I am going to talk about why bad things happen to good people and why God has different wills



This picture was taken when I had my first communion and the person in the pic is my grandma. This was in 2008. My paternal grandmother was the only grandparent who lived for me to be born, and as blessed as I was to have her as long as I did, she passed away in January this year. In fact, in four days it will mark 6 months since her passing. Sometimes I wonder why I didn't get more of an experience with a living grandparent than I did. Then I remember some people lose their last grandparent when they're younger than I am and some are not even born. I wonder if the reason God didn't end her life sooner is because He wanted me to have more time than I deserved with a living grandparent.


Totally unrelated, I got a job at a Pizza Hut about 25 minutes from home (living in a rural town, that's convient!) However, I lost it after only a week, and I got a job about 45 minutes away. I was sad that I couldn't have a job in a town that feels more like home, but the town is where I go to school. Maybe this is a sign He wants me to return to school in the spring.

God works in mysterious ways. How has He worked for your life?

Advantages of being Catholic

As you know from my blog name, I am a Catholic! I have been my whole life. I will admit that at age 14 and 15, I was going through a phase where I wanted to look at protestant churches. My parents were actually okay with me going to them as long as I made the Catholic Mass a priority. However, staying Catholic was definitely better for me, as I will let you know from what I have found to be advantages of being a Catholic!

1. The original Church. The first protestant church did not arise until the 1500s by Martin Luther, and back then being an atheist was unthinkable. Everyone was Catholic at the time, so you know your methods of worship best point to God (although when done well, many protestant services have been spiritually uplifting).
2. Similar readings and beliefs. The word "Catholic" means "Universial" (I believe it is Greek, but unsure.) The readings will be the same that week for every Catholic Mass in the world. For instance, if one Catholic Church is reading St. Mark 10:12-23 for the gospel, all the Catholic Churches in the world will that day.
3. You have easier access to your callings. As I have said in previous blog entries, only boys should serve and I think there should be an all-girl activity, such as "Handmaids of the Altar". There's no scripture banning altar girls (or requiring servers or handmaids, for that matter), but men and women are different, and this is clearly shown in the way God calls us to serve.
4. We have more role models. God is obviously the most important role model in our life, but he sent other people to help shape His creation up. We believe Mary prays for us on our behalf and that she was very generous. Back then, pregnancy out of wedlock was unthinkable and she suffered a lot of abuse not only during her pregnancy but by watching her son die on the cross. We also have saints who were so faithful that they allowed themselves to be martyred, saints who specialize in special care (such as St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows), and those not considered saints who were very devout with Christ (such as Mother Angelica). Although you can find a role model in a less formal way for anything, God has put these people on Earth to help us stay faithful regardless of any hardship we might endure. 
5. The connection of being Catholic. While there are different types of masses (such as Latin and Novus Ordo), we tend to find comfort in knowing someone else is Catholic. About a month before my grandmother passed away, she was in a behavioral help center in a hospital (not going into details why), but we saw a nurse who happened to also be Catholic. We prayed a rosary together and, a few days later she went unconscious, but we prayed a rosary around here and another nurse pointed out she was Catholic. Being connected to our medical team through our faith was such a blessing because chances are they have also lost a relative and chose to hang on to God during that time the way we were. 
6. The Sacrements. We have all the Christian Sacraments, such as Baptism, Confirmation, etc. We are able to confirm our faith in different ways, such as confirming what you believe as an adult Catholic (partially the point of Confirmation), recieving the actual Body and Blood of Jesus in our bodies at every Mass, and being able to admit our sins to a spiritual leader (a priest) and knowing our sins are forgiven. We are unspeakably honored to have such benefits.

In short, if you decide to be Catholic, I don't think you'll regret it. I offer my words simply as food for thought. Maybe God had you stumble on His page for some life-changing experiences.

Not up to attending Mass/service?

Many so called Christians, even Catholics, only go to church once in a while or only on holidays, and some don't even go then. Some go weekly, but have days where they really don't feel like going to church? Why should you push through and go?


Obviously, nothing is impossible for God, but going to church makes His job of preparing you for Heaven and getting you to prepare others for Heaven easier. You will have help sharing His word by learning what His word even is.

1. It's when you need to go the most. My mom has had days where she just doesn't want to go to church, but she always does. I think it's God calling her to go to mass. My mom once had a dream where she had set her alarm and hit snooze several times, thinking, "I go to church every week. I can skip this once." Eventually, she woke up in real life and went to Mass. She usually feels like going to mass, but this dream taught her to always go.
2. You find a religious community. I am a Catholic and I always like seeing other people and somehow finding out they're Catholic, such as when my family prayed a rosary when she was dying and one of the nurses, who also happened to be Catholic, took a mini-break to pray with us. However, when you go to a Church, you find a lot of people who share your beliefs. In a Catholic Church, apart from a few visitors, everyone else is Catholic. Even in a protestant church, apart from maybe a few atheist visitors, you're still connecting with other people and with God. They are there for you when your faith is being tested, such as if your have cancer or a relative is dying, and you get to be there for them when you need it. The more often you attend Church, the more you can see these people, the closer you two are, and the more they will help you when you need it and vice versa.
3. You may find an opportunity to do something for yourself, the community, and God. If you go to church regularly, you may have different organizations you can join and different ways to help God's people. For instance, maybe an announcement will be made saying that the church needs volunteers for the soup kitchen they run. You might try volunteering and end up doing it frequently. You will be serving God's people using the place you learn about Him. 

I will find more reasons later. Have a good week!

Mini-Pilgramages

A lot of people go on mini-pilgrimages every year. A pilgrimage may vary in definition, but I have taken a few trips to religious sites- which I call mini-pilgrimiages. Here are three benefits I have found.

1. A reason to try the Latin Mass. In a lot of places, the Latin Mass is scarce. Most Catholic churches will have the Novus Ordo, but finding a Latin Mass can be hard. Many major parishes, such as shrines and bascilias, will only offer the Latin mass, although there are churches who offer both types of Masses (such as a parish that offers one Spanish mass and the rest are in English). 
2. A problem or theme to consider. Have you wanted to learn about Mary, the Mother of God, and ask God to thank her and have her pray for us? Even if you haven't, you still could go to a shrine, such as Our Lady of Fatima in Portuguese. You might feel peace knowing you took time with God about a situation.
3. A time to slow down. We live in a fast-paced world that is open 24/7. You might get a text to come into work when you're trying to take a day off- if you're lucky enough to have one! However, as I have said in the past, we are commanded to keep the Sabbath Holy. A trip may help you do so and encourage you to take more rests.

I know these aren't a lot, but I go on one annually, but only have for a few years. I will visit this topics when I learn firsthand of more possible benefits. Have a good week!

God's prayers are answered in His way

I have gotten a job. I had no job experience, so I was basically restricted to fast food, so I have to work on Saturdays and Sundays. I will show how this is relevant later.


God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to tell the difference. 

Many Catholics- and perhaps some protestants- are familiar with the Serenity Prayer, which is the prayer I typed below the picture. Such a prayer helps you remember God knows everything and he is in control. This has helped me through college and getting a job. I prayed that God would do His Holy Will for me when I was placed on academic probation during my fall semester. I honestly did not believe I could possibly get off probation during the spring semester, but I prayed about it and I did, thanks to God! However, I feel called by God to take off a semester, and possibly a year, to work in a town closer to my house and save up to live on campus. (At my school, most people live in the county of the school or the surrounding counties. I hadn't thought about living on-campus until last year, but I got interested.) Anyway, my grandma had multiple health problems and passed away in January. This caused my grades to suffer. However, I prayed, and I got off probation after a lot of work, but I am still taking the semester off. God made us able to afford for me to go to college this year, but my grandma's medical and funeral expenses made this financially difficult. I want to take time off so I can make money and so my parents can save money for me to continue my education and live on-campus.

Sometimes God's answers are a little rockier. My mom warned me my grandma would not likely live much longer around Christmas because she was having hip surgery. The surgeons said the fracture was likely an old one because there was no bleeding. She also forgot how to eat and developed an infection throughout her whole body called sepsis. She went unconscious with septic shock a week before she died, and my mom said a miracle could happen. However, as Catholics, we gave her the Anointing of the Sick Sacrament. She continued to decline and passed away on January 27, 2019. Though I was sad she was gone (especially since she was my only grandparent who lived for me to be born), I knew God was calling her home.

Back to my job. I only work four days a week rather than five, but being fast food, I have to work specifically on Saturdays at four PM. This is when people are starting to grab food and hang out. The problem with this is this is when my church has Mass. (It's the earliest you can go to church and it fulfill your Sunday obligation, although I'm not sure why that was chosen.) Since I live in a small town, our church population is low, and we only have a few altar servers. (We allow girls to serve. The reason I still serve is because we don't have many servers and there are few kids, so banning girls, in this case, is not helpful. By the time the altar-boy issue was revealed to me, the damage had been done.) Basically, since that's in the middle of the day and just before dinner time, and since I live in a small town with no fast food chains-and no where for teens to work- I kind of have to work during that mass and go to a different parish without my family. I also have to just hope other people serve and accept the fact that I will not be available to serve anymore. However, I know God will make things at my church work out. Maybe people will see I'm not available anymore and will step up and serve. Maybe some of them will be boys and will become priests one day. Being unavailable is hard, but maybe God has a plan for something good to come out of that.

Of course, God answers many prayers in different ways. Sometimes dying people get a miracle and stay alive, such as Colton Burpo, who almost died due to appendicitis when he was 3. He went to Heaven, but he returned to Earth. Other times, God is calling those people home. I really believed Sophia Gall, a 16 year-old Austrailian who had Osteosarcoma, would beat her cancer, and she did... because her positive and bubbly personality shone through every obstacle she faced and eventually her suffering ended. Although at first I believed she would stay on Earth, she passed away almost a year ago. Some will wonder why a loving God would allow an innocent child to suffer. Although none of us will ever really understand why, it is likely a sign that He is in control and His will will be done.  As hard as it is to accept, one day we will be in Heaven and understand.

It's been almost a year, Sophia. You are missed very much, and so are you, Grandma. Your birthdays were both October 4th. May God make Sophia's family and mine as happy as possible on that day.