Recently on Father Simon Says, a listener called in to ask about the innumerable religious orders that occupy the Catholic Church, how they came to be, and why they exist. Fr. Simon began by taking us back to the early days of the Church and explaining the hierarchical structure. “In the early days, you had...Continue reading→

“All practices of magic or sorcery, by which one attempts to tame occult powers, so as to place them at one’s service and have a supernatural power over others – even if this were for the sake of restoring their health – are gravely contrary to the virtue of religion. These practices are even more to be condemned...Continue reading→

Sometimes doubts, uncertainty, and fears enter our heads, and we don’t know what to do. Forming our conscience responsibly includes developing the virtue of prudence, the habit of properly exercising the conscience, knowing when we can trust its formation, and the need to act on its judgments. A prudent conscience is like well-exercised muscles that...Continue reading→

US Bishops call on Catholics to pray and offer reparation on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in response to the offensive honoring of a blasphemous group by a professional baseball team. June 12, 2023 WASHINGTON – On June 16, the Catholic Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Most...Continue reading→

Some say: Ignorance is bliss. But they say this because they really want to do what they want to do. Only invincible ignorance excuses a person who has no possibility of knowing the morality of an act. This is most common among children and very uneducated people. If… the ignorance is invincible, or the moral...Continue reading→

“There are six things which the LORD hates, seven which are an abomination to him” (Proverbs 6:16). The seven deadly sins (or capital vices) are “works of the flesh”—temptations or habits—that directly lead to the kind of behaviors that “those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21). The deadly...Continue reading→

Temptations are wonderful opportunities to manifest our love and deepen our relationship. The way we react to the temptation can and should affirm our love. One way to show our love is to avoid occasions of sin (persons, places, things that easily lead to sin). For example, if an alcoholic finds it impossible to resist...Continue reading→

I always know May is here and spring is in full swing when I find myself juggling multiple after-school schedules. Acting as an expert scheduler trying my best to figure out the logistics between baseball, soccer and ballet. Life is often bustling and hurrying along. We find ourselves moving quickly from one activity to the...Continue reading→

It’s easy to spot the home of a Catholic with minimal inspection. There are usually crucifixes on the walls, a holy water font by the entrance or in the bedrooms, and there are drawers full of rosaries, medals, scapulars, and prayer cards throughout the house. One can never have too many sacramentals. To that point,...Continue reading→

My husband and I were recently at a wedding, seated during dinner with some friends of the groom. During one of the speeches, a groomsman emphasized the importance of making the most of today, as tomorrow is never guaranteed. A man at my table leaned over and told us the speech reminded him of something...Continue reading→

Sin ruptures our relationship with Jesus Christ, the source of the freely given gift of grace and eternal beatitude. Sin is thus the principal obstacle to true happiness, as it hurts relationships key to that happiness. Recent popes have identified another obstacle to grace: “The greatest sin today is that men have lost the sense...Continue reading→