Catholicism

I was encouraged by the humble yet beautiful beginnings of CPNZ. In the age of social media, events sometimes buckle under the pressure to be aesthetic and glamorous. For this reason, people (including myself) are reluctant to start because they feel they don't have the resources to meet the high standards keyboard warriors demand. The CPNZ event didn't seem to concern itself with all that, resulting in a relaxed environment that allowed authentic conversation to flow. I felt my heart grow lighter as the conversation progressed because I finally had the physical representation of what I imagined an organised effort to equip Catholics for evangelisation and service in daily life would look like.

I have contemplated my predicament for several months now. With each passing month, I think I am approaching a crossroads. I'll either emerge with a deeper faith in God, or I'll become agnostic.

The greatest source of my frustration with the church is the rigidity of some and over-excitement of others in dealing with the moral issues of our time. Take for instance, the furor surrounding Fiducia Supplicans. One camp applauded the document without reservation, disregarding the very real concerns of scandal. The other camp forcefully brought down the hammer, almost ready to tear the church apart. One side shouted, “kindness, mercy, compassion”, the other chanted “justice, consequences, excommunication”. 

Cecilia’s softness and lightheartedness, coupled with the unmatched kindness and generosity of Joanna and Elaine, became the gentle double-flame that would begin the process of thawing my frozen heart. Little did I know that Marielle, our group coordinator in charge of the week’s drama exercises, would effectively shatter the ice in one, swift blow.

You should have heard our group sing Bless The Lord, My Soul in our first Mass together. This band of twenty-three pilgrims who barely knew each other's names somehow harmonised the Taizé chant so beautifully, it was nothing short of angelic.

There are so many resources that help Catholics the world over to go through Lent “the right way”. Hallow had the #Pray40 challenge. Ascension Press has books, parishes have retreats and almsgiving opportunities. There seems to be nothing out there that details the very simple steps on how to do Lent the wrong way. And so, as someone who has failed at Lent yet again, I feel it is only fair to share this valuable information, in case someone else finds it useful. Follow the simple steps below for the most unfruitful spiritual experience of the year. Bonus points if you find creative ways to repeat said steps every year. 

The rosary is a very powerful weapon against evil. Done right, it is such an impenetrable shield from the powers of the devil. The problem for me was I wasn’t doing it right anymore. I had gone from meditating on each mystery on the life of Jesus and His mom with the reverence of one

We may not agree on any of these reasons, but I’m just happy you’ve even taken the time to read through this article. I