Sunday, September 3, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 29

In today’s episode, on the 14th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Upcoming Feastdays this Week
  2. Customs for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
  3. The Magisterial Weight of Various Papal Documents

This episode is sponsored by Meaning of Catholic. I would like to thank Meaning of Catholic for sponsoring this episode. Meaning of Catholic has just launched its online store offering PDF copies of “The Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence” (in 3 languages), “The Roman Catechism Explained for the Modern World,” and a few other great books to add to your library by authors like Timothy Flanders and Kennedy Hall. Please visit https://meaningofcatholic.com/shop/ to check them out today.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Monday, August 28, 2023
The Errors of So-Called Protestant Reformers


Who Was Jan Huss?

Jan Hus (also known as John Hus) was a Czech religious philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. He was born in Husinec, Bohemia (which is part of the modern-day Czech Republic) around 1369 AD and he died on July 6, 1415, in Konstanz, Germany.

Hus was a predecessor to Luther and his errors greatly affected the Faith. He believed that the Church had become corrupt and that its teachings had strayed from the true message of Jesus Christ. He was eventually excommunicated by the Church in 1411. Despite this, he continued to preach and gained a large following in Bohemia. In 1414, he was invited to the Council of Constance to defend his views, but he was arrested and tried for heresy. He was found guilty and burned at the stake on July 6, 1415. 

Hus's ideas had a significant influence on the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century, particularly in his emphasis on the authority of the Bible and the priesthood of all believers. He is considered a national hero in the Czech Republic, where his ideas are still celebrated today, although the Czech Republic is known as one of the most atheistic countries in the world. The embrace of Protestantism ultimately leads to atheism.

What Did Huss Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?

The Council of Constance condemned 30 of Huss’s false teachings as heretical. They included the following:

1. There is only one holy universal church, which is the total number of those predestined to salvation. It therefore follows that the universal holy church is only one, inasmuch as there is only one number of all those who are predestined to salvation.

2. Paul was never a member of the devil, even though he did certain acts which are similar to the acts of the church's enemies.

3. Those foreknown as damned are not parts of the church, for no part of the church can finally fall away from it, since the predestinating love that binds the church together does not fail.

4. The two natures, the divinity and the humanity, are one Christ.

5. A person foreknown to damnation is never part of the holy church, even if he is in a state of grace according to present justice; a person predestined to salvation always remains a member of the church, even though he may fall away for a time from adventitious grace, for he keeps the grace of predestination.

6. The church is an article of faith in the following sense: to regard it as the convocation of those predestined to salvation, whether or not it be in a state of grace according to present justice.

7. Peter neither was nor is the head of the holy catholic church.

8. It is not necessary to believe that any particular Roman pontiff is the head of any particular holy church, unless God has predestined him to salvation.

9. The pope is not the manifest and true successor of the prince of the apostles, Peter, if he lives in a way contrary to Peter's. If he seeks avarice, he is the vicar of Judas Iscariot. Likewise, cardinals are not the manifest and true successors of the college of Christ's other apostles unless they live after the manner of the apostles, keeping the commandments and counsels of our lord Jesus Christ.

10. There is not the least proof that there must be one head ruling the church in spiritual matters who always lives with the church militant.

Grouping these together, we see two key issues: predestination and papal authority. He paved the way for Luther and his successors.

The Errors of Luther

One key figure in the Protestant Reformation was Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, who, led astray by private judgment, set himself against the Faith held for 1500 years. He decided that all Christians before him had been in error. Is it possible to believe that Jesus founded a Church to mislead the world, and then after 1500 years approved of over 500 contradictory church denominations founded by men? But, you may say, the Protestant Church is the Church of Christ, purified of error, and only this purified form dates from Luther. I answer that you must choose between Luther and Christ. Jesus said His Church would never teach error (John 14:26); Luther says it did teach error. If Luther is right, Christ is wrong; if Christ is right, Luther and all his followers are wrong.

Luther's chief errors are contained in the following propositions: (1) There is no supreme teaching power in the Church. (2) The temporal sovereign has supreme power in matters ecclesiastical. (3) There are no priests. (4) All that is to be believed is in the Bible. (5) Each one may interpret Holy Scripture as he likes. (6) Faith alone saves, good works are superfluous. (7) Man lost his free will by original sin. (8) There are no saints, no Christian sacrifice, no sacrament of confession, and no purgatory.

You can read more by clicking here.

Beyond Lutheranism

Martin Luther unleashed a holy war against the Church. Actual physical battles in defense of the Catholic Church exploded in Germany and abroad. His movement of protest was formally called Protestantism. The resultant physical conflicts in Germany alone caused the destruction of more than 1,000 monasteries and castles, the sacking of hundreds of peasant villages which were left in ashes, and the burning of the harvests of the nation. More than 100,000 were killed. Others, inspired by this easy and seductive way of finding salvation once for all times, were quick to pile on, each with a different interpretation of Scripture. 

Who Was Zwingli?

Huldrych Zwingli (1484-1531) was a Swiss theologian and the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland. Zwingli's religious ideas emerged independently of Luther's in the early 16th century, yet both sought to attack the Christian Faith with a radically different doctrine than that which was preached for 15 centuries beforehand.

Zwingli took his own interpretation to Switzerland, where he taught that the actual body and blood of Christ was not present in the Eucharist, but only a representation. His interpretation of Scripture caused further consternation between not only the Catholic Church and his adherents, but also between Zwinglians and Luther’s adherents. John Calvin taught that only certain people were predestined to be saved. No amount of work by one not predestined could change God’s mind. Those not predestined were going to Hell. And as Protestantism spread, so did a myriad of different interpretations of Scripture emerge.

What Did Zwingli Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?

The Bible As the Sole Authority: Zwingli emphasized the authority of the Bible as the sole source of religious truth in a rejection of any other authority. Those familiar with the errors of sola-Scriptura can easily refute this since the entire history of the Church showed that authority was never found directly in the Scriptures. Even the Bible itself states: "Therefore, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught, either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours."

Rejection of Church Tradition: Zwingli challenged the veneration of saints, celibacy of the clergy, and the use of images and relics. All of these ideas of his can be condemned through a study of history, Scriptural authority (ironically), and the teaching of the Apostles and their successors.

Denial of the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist: The alleged “Reformers” were unanimous in rejecting Transubstantiation and the sacrificial nature of the Eucharist, and they argued endlessly over the Real Presence. Zwingli denied any Presence and called the sacrament a commemoration or symbol. Calvin accepted a ‘presence of power’ or spiritual presence. Luther believed in the Real Presence but not in Transubstantiation but a separate false doctrine called Consubstantiation. Zwingli actually so vehemently opposed Calvin and Luther that he declared them damned and ministers of Satan. Luther eventually wished to remove the doctrine and, in his words, give “a great smack in the face to popery,” but he declared that the Scriptures were too clear on the Real Presence of Christ to remove the doctrine.

Rejection of the Merits of Penance: Zwingli directed multiple attacks against the merits of good works, including fasting and abstinence, through the infamous “The Affair of Sausage” in 1522. He audaciously claimed that since Sola Scriptura was the only authority, sausages should be eaten publicly in Lent in defiance.

Who Was John Calvin?

John Calvin was born in Noyon, France, and initially studied law, but his interests soon turned to theology after he learned of Martin Luther’s new religion. In the early 1530s, Calvin fled from France to Basel, Switzerland, where he began to develop his theological ideas and wrote "Institutes of the Christian Religion” which was filled with the errors of predestination, sola scriptura, and others which became the foundation of the “Reformed” protestant sects.

In 1536, Calvin was invited to Geneva, Switzerland, where he became a leading figure in the city's Reformation. He sought to implement his ideas of church governance and moral discipline, which led to conflicts. After being initially expelled from Geneva, he was later invited back, and during his time there, he helped establish a theocratic government that emphasized a strong connection between Protestantism and state. Thankfully God raised up St. Francis de Sales to combat Calvinism who, by God’s grace, converted 72,000 heretics back to the Catholic Faith.

Calvin's teachings spread throughout Europe, and his influence extended to various Reformed movements in different countries, such as the Netherlands, Scotland, England, and parts of Germany. His theological ideas, known as Calvinism, became a major force in shaping Presbyterianism, Congregationalism, and Reformed Baptists.

What Did Calvin Teach Against Catholic Doctrine?

The Bible As the Sole Authority: Like Luther and Zwingli, Calvin emphasized the authority of the Bible as the sole source of religious truth in a rejection of any other authority. He rejected the Catholic view that tradition, along with Scripture, held equal authority in matters of faith. For Calvin, Scripture alone was sufficient for understanding God's will and receiving divine guidance. And like those who came before him, Calvin’s view is refuted by both Scripture itself and 1,500 years of actual Church history.

Justification by Faith Alone: Calvin, like other protestant founders, held to the doctrine of "sola fide," or justification by faith alone. He taught that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone and does not require us to live out our faith through any works, which contradict the teaching of our Lord directly.

Denial of the Visible Hierarchy Established by Christ: He opposed the hierarchical system of the Church which was established by Christ to have a physical earth, including the authority of the pope.

Rejection of Church Tradition: Calvin objected to the veneration of saints and the use of images and relics. 

Denial of the Sacraments: Calvin recognized only two Sacraments— Baptism and the Eucharist – but he viewed even those two Sacraments as symbolic acts that pointed to spiritual realities and rejected the idea of Sacraments as channels of divine grace which affect what they signify. He therefore denied the Real Presence of Christ, the Sacrifice of the Mass, and even the efficacy of Baptism for Salvation. Those who were baptized as children in denominations that follow Calvin’s ideas should be conditionally baptized upon conversion to the Catholic Faith.

Predestination: One of Calvin's most controversial and egregious teachings was the doctrine of predestination. He believed in the concept of "double predestination," which asserted that God predestined some individuals to be saved (the elect) and others to be damned (the reprobate). He, therefore, rejected free will since a person is destined to either heaven or hell and cannot change their fate.  

Various Congregational, Reformed, and Presbyterian churches look to these errors as their basis. We have a responsibility to work for the conversion of those ensnared in the errors of Calvin, and to that end, let us invoke the patronage of St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen who was martyred by the Calvinists for his defense of the Catholic Faith.

There is No Uniformity in Protestantism

Once Luther stated that the Bible was open to individual interpretation, the theological trail became crisscrossed with Biblical theorizing and harsh denunciations. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Anabaptists, and others all preached different pathways of what each described as the true road to salvation. And they all conflicted with each other. Just as 1 + 1 must equal 2, it is impossible for all of the conflicting and varied protestant groups to all be true. The truth is actually found only in the Catholic Church.

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Sunday, August 27, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 28

In today’s episode, on the 13th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Reminder of St. Michael's Lent
  2. Upcoming Feastdays this Week
  3. Public vs. Private Litanies

This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.comPrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various formats, including Latin-English rosary pamphlets with the traditional 15 mysteries. Shop for additional Latin resources like missal booklets, server response cards, and more. Visit PrayLatin.com today.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Sunday, August 20, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 27

In today’s episode, on the 12th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Upcoming Feastdays this week, including the Octave of the Assumption & the Vigil of St. Bartholomew Vianney
  2. Should Catholics Honor Coptic Orthodox “Saints”?

I would like to thank CatechismClass.com for sponsoring this episode.  CatechismClass.com, the leader in online Catholic catechism classes, has everything from online K-12 programs, RCIA classes, adult continuing education, marriage preparation, baptism preparation, confirmation prep, quince prep classes, catechist training courses, and more. It is never too late to study the fullness of the Catholic Faith, and CatechismClass.com is the gold standard in authentic Catholic formation online.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Sunday, August 13, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 26

In today’s episode, on the 11th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. All Things Assumption: The Vigil of the Assumption, Assumption Day, Octave of the Assumption, and Customs for the Assumption
  2. Historical Proof of Early Christians Believing in the Assumption and in the Immaculate Conception
  3. Upcoming Feastdays this Week: St. Joachim, St. Hyacinth, and St. John Eudes

This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.comPrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers in Latin conveniently on the go. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com offers prayer cards in various formats, including Latin-English rosary pamphlets with the traditional 15 mysteries. Shop for additional Latin resources like missal booklets, server response cards, and more. Visit PrayLatin.com today.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Sunday, August 6, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 25

In today’s episode, on the 10th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Upcoming Feastdays this week, including the changing dates for St. John Vianney
  2. Saturday Fasting & the Binding Force of Custom
  3. Catholic Productivity

I would like to thank CatechismClass.com for sponsoring this episode.  CatechismClass.com, the leader in online Catholic catechism classes, has everything from online K-12 programs, RCIA classes, adult continuing education, marriage preparation, baptism preparation, confirmation prep, quince prep classes, catechist training courses, and more. It is never too late to study the fullness of the Catholic Faith, and CatechismClass.com is the gold standard in authentic Catholic formation online.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Sunday, July 30, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 24

In today’s episode, on the 9th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. Upcoming Feastdays this Week
  2. The Often-Uncelebrated Feast of St. Peter’s Chains
  3. The Forgotten Feast of the Finding of St. Stephen’s Relics
  4. The Portiuncula Indulgence

This episode is sponsored by PrayLatin.comPrayLatin.com offers Latin prayer cards to learn and share prayers in the sacred language. Learn your basic prayers without spending more time looking at screens. Conveniently carry these Latin prayers with you on the go. Share basic prayers in Latin with your family and friends. PrayLatin.com prayer cards are available in various formats. Practice your pronunciation with easy-to-follow English phonetic renderings of Latin words. PrayLatin.com also offers Latin-English rosary pamphlets with the traditional 15 mysteries. Visit PrayLatin.com today and take advantage of generous free shipping offers on both domestic and international orders.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Tuesday, July 25, 2023
Saturday Fasting & the Binding Force of Custom

Saturday Fasting in the East

By the end of the 600s AD, a controversy arose at the Council of Trullo regarding whether it was appropriate to fast on Saturdays – a practice that was observed in Rome but not elsewhere. Canon 55 of the Council states: 

“Since we understand that in the city of the Romans, in the holy fast of Lent they fast on the Saturdays, contrary to the ecclesiastical observance which is traditional, it seemed good to the holy synod that also in the Church of the Romans the canon shall immovably stand fast which says: ‘If any cleric shall be found to fast on a Sunday or Saturday (except on one occasion only) he is to be deposed; and if he is a layman he shall be cut off.’”

Importantly, the Council of Trullo was never accepted in the West as a valid Ecumenical Council as Rome was not represented at the Council and two canons of the council (e.g., Canons 13 and 55) condemned certain Roman practices. But by 711 AD, Pope Constantine, in a compromise, accepted the canons in the East as valid but allowed differing practices in the Western Church to continue. A subsequent letter by Pope Hardrian I in 785 quoted Tarasios of Constantinople as approving the canons, and the letter was thereby taken as Pope Hadrian’s own approval. The letter was read at the Second Council of Nicaea and in the aftermath, by the 12th century, some of the canons of the Council were incorporated in Gratian’s Decretum Gratiani, known more commonly as the Decretum, which was the main source of law of the Roman Catholic Church until the Decretals, promulgated by Pope Gregory IX in 1234, obtained legal force. 

Regarding Saturday fasting in particular, St. Augustine had previously written:

“God did not lay down a rule concerning fasting or eating on the seventh-day of the week, either at the time of His hallowing that day because in it He rested from His works, or afterwards when He gave precepts to the Hebrew nation concerning the observance of that day.” 

Hence there were differences from East to West when Saturday fasting was observed, but St. Augustine affirms that these differences were not matters of doctrine. There was no prohibition against Saturday fasting in divine law and no universal obligation in the Church to fast year-round on Saturdays either.

St. Augustine further writes on this disagreement while noting the binding force of custom: 

“As to the question on which you wish my opinion, whether it is lawful to fast on the seventh day of the week, I answer, that if it were wholly unlawful, neither Moses nor Elijah, nor our Lord himself, would have fasted for forty successive days. But by the same argument it is proved that even on the Lord’s day fasting is not unlawful. And yet, if any one were to think that the Lord’s day should be appointed a day of fasting, in the same way as the seventh day is observed by some, such a man would be regarded, and not unjustly, as bringing a great cause of offence into the Church. For in those things concerning which the divine Scriptures have laid down no definitive rule, the custom of the people of God, or the practices instituted by their fathers, are to be held as the law of the Church. If we choose to fall into a debate about these things, and to denounce one party merely because their custom differs from that of others, the consequence must be an endless contention, in which the utmost care is necessary lest the storm of conflict overcast with clouds the calmness of brotherly love, while the strength is spent in mere controversy which cannot adduce on either side any decisive testimonies of truth” 

In the East, the issue long preceded the Council of Trullo and was based on the sabbath having been a day for rest and prayer similar, though distinct, from Sunday. This tradition is seen in the Apostolic Constitutions:

“But assemble yourselves together every day, morning and evening, singing psalms and praying in the Lord’s house: in the morning saying the sixty second Psalm, and in the evening the hundred and fortieth, but principally on the Sabbath-day. And of the day of our Lord’s resurrection, which is the Lord’s day, meet more diligently, sending praise to God that made the universe by Jesus, and sent him to us, and condescended to let him suffer, and raised Him from the dead. Otherwise, what apology will he make to God who does not assemble on that day to hear the saving word concerning resurrection?” 

Yet the same Council of Trullo in Canon 56 shows the universality of the form of abstinence in both East and West at that time:

“We have likewise learned that in the regions of Armenia and in other places certain people eat eggs and cheese on the Sabbaths and Lord’s days of the holy Lent. It seems good therefore that the whole Church of God which is in all the world should follow one rule and keep the fast perfectly, and as they abstain from everything which is killed, so also should they from eggs and cheese, which are the fruit and produce of those animals from which we abstain. But if any shall not observe this law, if they be clerics, let them be deposed; but if laymen, let them be cut off.”

The controversy would continue when in 867, the patriarch of Constantinople, Photius, wrote an encyclical to the other patriarchs of the Eastern churches, accusing the Roman Catholic Church of several errors alleging, among them Saturday fasting and “giving permission to the people to eat flesh food and animal products (cheese, milk, eggs) during the first week of Easter.” 

Photius audaciously issued an attempted ex-communication of the Pope, for which he was condemned and disposed of as Francis Dvornik notes:

“By daring to pass judgment on a Pope, Photius committed a deed till then unheard of in history, one that endangered the unity of Christendom, for which there could be neither excuse nor justification. Rightly or wrongly, his action set a precedent invoked or imitated by all those who later were to break the unity of the Church.” 

The Binding Force of Custom

The tension regarding fasting and abstinence would continue to intensify and would, unfortunately, be one of several factors that would lead to the Great Schism of 1054 between the Orthodox and the Catholic Church. However, the tensions of this time highlight the misunderstanding of the binding force of custom.

St. Augustine further addressed this point directly when he wrote: “The customs of God’s people and the institutions of our ancestors are to be considered as laws. And those who throw contempt on the customs of the Church ought to be punished as those who disobey the law of God.”  St. Thomas likewise asserts: “Custom has the force of law, abrogates law, and interprets law.” 

The force of custom concerning fasting is also seen in the churches in Gaul in modern-day France, who adopted the Roman practice of fasting on Saturday. Dom Guéranger mentions this while also noting how changes were likewise occurring in terms of where and how the fast of Septuagesima, the period before Lent, began:

“The first Council of Orleans, held in the early part of the 6th century, enjoins the Faithful [of Gaul] to observe, before Easter, Quadragesima, (as the Latins call Lent,) and not Quinquagesima, in order, says the Council, that unity of custom may be maintained. Towards the close of the same century, the fourth Council held in the same City, repeals the same prohibition, and explains the intentions of making such an enactment, by ordering that the Saturdays during Lent should be observed as days of fasting. Previously to this, that is, in the years 511 and 541, the first and second Councils of Orange had combated the same abuse, by also forbidding the imposing on the Faithful the obligation of commencing the Fast at Quinquagesima. The introduction of the Roman Liturgy into France; which was brought about by the zeal of Pepin and Charlemagne, finally established, in that country, the custom of keeping the Saturday as a day of penance; and, as we have just seen, the beginning Lent on Quinquagesima was not observed excepting by the Clergy. In the 13th century, the only Church in the Patriarchate of the West, which began Lent earlier than the Church of Rome, was that of Poland its Lent opened on the Monday of Septuagesima, which was owing to the rites of the Greek Church being much used in Poland. The custom was abolished, even in that country, by Pope Innocent the fourth, in the year 1248.” 

These are important principles to keep in mind the next time someone who is Orthodox falsely condemns the Roman Catholic Church for advocating and even obligating Saturday fasting.

Want to learn more about the history of fasting and abstinence? Check out the Definitive Guide to Catholic Fasting and Abstinence.
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Sunday, July 23, 2023
A Catholic Life Podcast: Episode 23

In today’s episode, on the 8th Sunday after Pentecost, I address the following: 

  1. The Upcoming Assumption Fast
  2. Upcoming Feastdays this Week
  3. The Apparitions of St. James to Free Spain from Islamic Rule

I would like to thank CatechismClass.com for sponsoring this episode.  CatechismClass.com, the leader in online Catholic catechism classes, has everything from online K-12 programs, RCIA classes, adult continuing education, marriage preparation, baptism preparation, confirmation prep, quince prep classes, catechist training courses, and more. It is never too late to study the fullness of the Catholic Faith, and CatechismClass.com is the gold standard in authentic Catholic formation online.

Subscribe to the podcast on Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, I-tunes, and many other platforms!

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Friday, July 21, 2023
The Catholic Guide to Productivity

"He that is loose and slack in his work, is the brother of him that wasteth his own works" (Proverbs 18:9)

Mid-Year Goal Evaluation

Now that we are in the second half of the year, it is an ideal time to assess our year thus far in terms of our spiritual progress. I have often recommended people set Catholic-based goals as part of their New Year's Resolutions. And I strongly encourage people to reflect each week on how those goals are going - in addition to other goals (e.g., professional, family, financial, fitness, etc). Goals are not useful if we set them and forget them. And the same is true for our good resolutions made in Confession or our ambitious plans at the beginning of the year to study the Faith more, to pray more often, to assist at Mass more days in the week, to fast more, or to conquer our vices or dominant fault. We need reminders to assess what we are doing. I encourage people to spend time each week to assess all of these. I have found that either Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays, work best for this kind of review.

The Importance of a Daily Schedule

As James Clear makes evident in his best-seller "Atomic Habits," small, incremental changes in day-to-day life can have an enormous impact over the long term. A daily schedule is one way we can better organize our lives for greater productivity to fulfill our vocation. Since so many people are prone to say they do not have time to pray, study, or assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass during the week, crafting a schedule that is conducive to Catholic life is an ideal starting point for achieving Catholic-based productivity.

Father Patrick Troadec, in "From Epiphany to Lent," provides a short but helpful reflection on the importance of having a daily schedule:

We have various obligations depending on our role in society, and it is not rare that we neglect certain of our duties and let ourselves be absorbed by others...or by leisure...We can fail in some of our duties simply because we are disorganized, but certain other activities we do sometimes neglect deliberately because we find them distasteful.

So the first question we have to ask ourselves is this: Among our duties, do we not have a tendency to put too much emphasis on one aspect, to the detriment of some other? Once we have made an inventory of our duties, we have to prioritize our activities, sifting what seems urgent from what is really important, and giving an absolute priority to what is important. That will help us to see where best to start and what time to dedicate to each activity.

And so if we wish our life to be more fruitful and effective, it is good to reflect on the way we spend the precious time which God gives us for working out our salvation. Too many people let themselves be caught in the two-sided trap of overwork and idleness. So it is important to reflect on the means of avoiding this double pitfall. The means is simple and it is within everybody’s grasp: it is a daily schedule. A daily schedule that is well made, well structured, can help us bring more peace into our life, more serenity and more effectiveness.

For there are two ways of living: allowing the events of the day to carry us along as the various occupations arise one after the other, or else guiding those events by determining the place and the time for every occupation. And there is no doubt that this second solution is the better and the more effective of the two.

With a daily schedule that is well thought-out, we truly conform our will to the will of God and we run much less of a risk of sacrificing the essential to the secondary, the important to the trivial. Help me, Lord Jesus, always to organize the broad lines of my days, to plan a time for everything, to be always occupied with something and to avoid not only idleness but overwork, both of which are harmful to my balance and to my spiritual life. 

In the past, I shared "A Daily Schedule for A Christ-Centered Life," which can be adapted for your needs. The principle of finding morning and evening times for prayers is key. Practicing our routine daily, in the same spot and at the same time, is highly effective. And as James Clear teaches in "Atomic Habits," habit stacking can be very effective. This practice involves attaching a new habit to an existing one, using the current habit as a cue for the new behavior. For instance, saying that you will say morning prayers and the Angelus after brushing your teeth and showering is habit stacking. You then know when to do it. And you set a specific place each day for it. This has been shown to significantly increase the likelihood of success.

Principles of Atomic Habits to Use for Catholic Goals

The main points of the book can be summarized as follows. Think through each on how it can help you grow in sanctity this year.

  1. The Four Laws of Behavior Change: James Clear outlines four fundamental principles that drive habit formation:
    1. Cue: A trigger that initiates the habit.
    2. Craving: The desire or motivation to act on the habit.
    3. Response: The actual behavior or habit itself.
    4. Reward: The positive outcome or benefit from performing the habit.
  2. Make Habits Obvious: To build good habits, Clear advises making cues and triggers more visible and noticeable. This could involve setting up visual cues or creating specific routines to prompt the desired behavior. Having your Rosary out is one such cue. If it is in the closet or in a bag, you will not think to pray it.
  3. Make Habits Attractive: Linking positive emotions and rewards to habits can make them more appealing. By associating enjoyable experiences with the habit, we are more likely to repeat it.
  4. Make Habits Easy: Simplifying the process of habit formation increases the likelihood of success. Reducing friction and lowering the barriers to entry for positive habits makes them easier to adopt.
  5. Make Habits Satisfying: Providing immediate and satisfying rewards for completing a habit reinforces the behavior. Feeling a sense of accomplishment can reinforce the habit loop.
  6. Break Bad Habits: To break undesirable habits, it is essential to identify the cues and triggers that lead to them. Understanding the underlying reasons for these habits helps in replacing them with positive alternatives.
  7. The Role of Identity: Clear emphasizes the significance of seeing ourselves as the type of person we want to become. By adopting a new identity and belief system, we align our habits with our desired self-image. We are Catholics. That means something with how we live and act. And this identity requires a behavioral change.
  8. The Two-Minute Rule: A practical strategy to overcome procrastination and build new habits is to start with actions that take less than two minutes to complete. This simplifies the task and provides momentum to continue. This is a great way to help us pray the Angelus more. Just set a timer on your phone or watch for 6 AM, Noon, and 6 PM each day. The Angelus takes only a few minutes to pray.
  9. Habit Stacking: This technique involves attaching a new habit to an existing one, using the current habit as a cue for the new behavior. This method increases the likelihood of forming the new habit.
  10. Environment Matters: Modifying the environment can significantly impact habit formation. By organizing our physical and digital spaces to support positive habits, we make it easier to follow through. Having a specific place to pray is one way we can adapt this. It does not even need to be an entire room. Having a certain chair used only for spiritual reading or setting up a home altar can be very effective.
  11. Plateau of Latent Potential: Often, breakthroughs come after consistent efforts, even when it seems like progress is slow. Habits may take time to show their full impact.
I have also found the principles of David Allen's "Getting Things Done" book to be highly effective in helping me achieve all my responsibilities while prioritizing my spiritual goals. The following flow chart from his resources is something that I regularly use, and I would encourage you to download it and use it as well.


Yet In All Things, Priorities Come First

In all of the talk of productivity, first things must still come first. And to the Catholic, that is the priority of Sunday Mass which is foundational in our life. If possible, we can and should go to Mass more often during the week. But at a minimum, Sunday must be a day of rest and a day of worship of God. All else must be based on that understanding - productivity can never overtake the 3rd Commandment and the Precepts of the Church.

Conclusion

Now that we are halfway through the year assess how you can make renewed progress for the spiritual life in the second half of the year. Finish strong. Fight the good fight. Do not treat the Catholic Faith as one part of your life but rather, treat it as the center of your life. Prioritize your Catholic values and goals. As our Lord said, "Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).

If you have any recommendations for how to organization your productivity to live a Catholic life, or if you have any links to books, podcasts, articles, or videos that you found helpful, please paste them in the comments below.

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