📿 Mary asked the children to pray the Rosary every day to bring peace to the world and to end World War I. The Rosary is emphasized as a powerful weapon against sin and for the conversion of sinners.
📿 Mary called for personal devotion to her Immaculate Heart as a way to bring souls closer to God. This devotion serves as a refuge and path leading to God’s grace and peace.
📿 She urged the children (and the world through them) to offer up sacrifices for the reparation of sins, conversion of sinners, and salvation of souls. Mary stressed the importance of penance to avert divine punishment.
📿 The Virgin Mary requested that Russia be consecrated to her Immaculate Heart. She warned that without this, Russia would spread its errors (interpreted as communism and atheism) throughout the world, leading to wars and persecution of the Church.
📿 Mary showed the children a vision of hell, emphasizing the reality of eternal damnation for unrepentant sinners. This vision was meant to motivate the faithful to repentance and conversion.
📿 During the Fatima apparitions, an angel also appeared, encouraging devotion to the Eucharist and reparation for offenses committed against it.
📿 Mary promised that in the end, her Immaculate Heart would triumph, bringing peace to the world. She assured that despite the turmoil, God’s victory through her heart was inevitable.
📿 The Fatima message, which was revealed in 2000, contained a vision of the persecution of the Church, including the martyrdom of the faithful, bishops, and the Pope. This has been interpreted as a symbolic representation of the Church’s suffering throughout the 20th century.
1. The Greatest Commandment: Love God and Neighbor: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40
2. The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:3-5
3. Forgiveness and Mercy: “Then Peter came to him and asked, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.’” Matthew 18:21-22
4. The Call to Discipleship: Carry Your Cross “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
5. The Golden Rule: “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12
As Catholics, perhaps there is no more important word in our vocabulary than transubstantiation. Do you use it? Do you know it? For certain, it’s not a word that we use often in everyday language, but transubstantiation is powerful and central to our faith.
What is Transubstantiation?
According to the USCCB, “Since the Middle Ages, the change of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ has been called “transubstantiation.” This means that the substance of the bread and wine is changed into the substance of the Body and Blood of Christ. The appearances of bread and wine remain (color, shape, weight, chemical composition), but the underlying reality—that is, the substance—is now the Body and Blood of Christ.” (Source: United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, USCCB, Chapter 17. The Eucharist: Source and Summit of the Christian Life • p. 223)
Why Is It Important?
The Eucharist is described as “the source and summit of the Christian life” (CCC 1324). This means that all other sacraments and works of the Church are oriented toward the Eucharist, and it is the most important act of worship for Catholics.
In John 6:53-54, “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
What the Eucharist and Transubstantiation is Not!
Let’s be clear, if we truly believe that the eucharist is body, blood, soul and divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then we must defend it! You will hear many arguments made about what the eucharist is; a wafer, a piece of bread, a fallacy, a myth. And perhaps the grand daddy of them all, a symbol. Through the act of transubstantiation, the eucharist is none of these. It is our Lord Jesus Christ, fully present offered as a sacrifice for the salvation of our souls.
Transubstantiation Jesus is the true bread of life. Transubstantiation is the conversion of the substance of the Eucharistic elements into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ during Holy Mass at consecration, with only the appearances of bread and wine still remaining. Consider the bread of life discourse in the Gospel of John 6:22-59. Jesus says, “I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have any life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.” When the crowd murmured and expressed disgust, did Jesus issue a retraction? No, he only reiterated His message. Where would we turn if not to Jesus?
Reconciliation Many non-Catholics argue, I will not seek forgiveness from another man. But they are missing the true meaning of Jesus’ call to us. God knows that we are sinful beings and we need a tangible way to wipe our slate clean. Jesus did not simply come to earth, only to depart in 33 years time. What happened when Jesus appeared to the Disciples after His resurrection? He said to them: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you…Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (John 20:21-23). Again, where in scripture does Jesus say, ‘you humans have no right or power to forgive sins’? He never said it. The power of reconciliation will change your life.
Saintly Intercession To be a declared Saint, is to live one’s life at the pinnacle of the Catholic faith. We often ask our friends or family to ‘pray for us’. Why wouldn’t we do the same with the communion of Saints? Or the Virgin Mary? After all, we know they are close to Jesus in Heaven. Would we not want to find every advantage that will lead us to Heaven? Saints are real and they are in Heaven. We should view this as a game changer in our lives.
1. The Nature of Purgatory (CCC 1030-1032): Many people are aware of the existence of Purgatory but may not fully understand its purpose. The Catechism teaches that Purgatory is not a place of punishment but a state of purification for those who die in God’s grace but still need to be purified of venial sins or temporal punishment due to sin before entering heaven. The Church encourages prayer and offerings, especially the Eucharist, to aid the souls in Purgatory.
2. The Role of Conscience (CCC 1776-1794): The Catechism emphasizes that conscience is the “inner sanctuary” where a person hears the voice of God. The Church teaches that one must always follow a well-formed conscience. However, it also states that conscience can be in error, and thus it must be properly informed through the teachings of the Church, Scripture, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
3. Participation in Political Life (CCC 1913-1917): The Church teaches that it is not just a right but a duty for Catholics to participate in political life. This includes voting, engaging in public discourse, and working for the common good. The Catechism stresses that political participation should be informed by the moral teachings of the Church, particularly in upholding the dignity of human life, justice, and peace.
4. The Social Dimension of the Eucharist (CCC 1397): The Eucharist, while a profound personal encounter with Christ, also has a social dimension. The Catechism teaches that receiving the Eucharist obliges Catholics to serve the poor and work for justice. The unity shared in the Body of Christ should inspire believers to extend that unity into society, promoting solidarity and care for those in need.
5. The Church’s Stance on Organ Donation (CCC 2296): The Catechism teaches that organ donation is an act of charity and can be morally acceptable, provided it does not bring about the death of the donor. It emphasizes that the donation must be done with the free and informed consent of the donor or the donor’s representative, respecting the dignity of the human person.
As consumers, we are faced with many choices on a daily basis. Truth be told, we are a blessed generation with many gifts from God, including our ability to work and earn money. But have you given thought to how you spend your money and with whom? Well, Brooke Joiner has pondered this very question and we are fortunate to hear about her story today. As Co-Founder and CEO of Catholic Owned, Brooke and her husband Matteo are Building theNew Catholic Economy, aptly named by them. Catholic Bros is proud to connect with Catholic Owned on exploring how Catholics can do more business with…you guessed it, Catholics! Off we go…
Bros: Brooke, we are blessed to have this opportunity to interview you and hear about your story. Thank you so much for spending time with us.
Brooke: Thank you for your kind invitation. I love what you guys are doing to spread our faith through authentically Catholic content!
Bros: Where did the idea and inspiration of Building the New Catholic Economy come from?
Brooke: In 2021, my husband was inspired by God to build a company where people could shop according to their core values. We interpreted this to be a more broad-reaching values-matching system. But God had other plans. A friend came to us in 2023 and asked for help connecting with Catholic business owners for a fundraising project he was working on. He had assumed we would know many because of the work we were doing. We only had two contacts for him that night, after nearly two years of work. That was when we realized we were missing something.
We explored the idea of niching down to serving only Catholics while preparing for a trip we had already planned– a pilgrimage to Italy. God is truly an artist.
We traveled with our four children in tow, visiting Assisi, Rome (for the 7-churches pilgrimage, the old route, plus the Sancta Scala and the Immaculate Heart Parish), then to see Padre Pio and ended in Loreto, where the Word became Flesh.
When we returned home, we knew just what to do. We launched a digital magazine to test our riskiest assumption: Would Catholics really come to us to find Catholic Owned businesses?
It turns out they did, so as the community grew, we went on to build our App, which launched April 25, 2024.
Bros: In our Catholic faith, we discuss the importance of vocations. What is the role for Catholic talented business owners in the economy?
Brooke: The Church and the faithful have material needs that are best fulfilled with workmanship that is good and beautiful. Doing this work returns a profit for the worksman. And a faithful Catholic will use that profit for the good of his family, his Church, and the poor around him.
A Catholic business owner has the responsibility to provide a valuable service to the market, to earn revenue in a way that is aligned with Catholic teaching, and to pursue work that ideally advances some cause or mission of the Church. It is absolutely the responsibility of each and every faithful Catholic to use his or her gifts and talents to the fullest for the greater glory of God.
In our experience, the role of the Catholic business owner is one consisting of deep formation and discernment, a radical trust in God, an immense input of labor, and a reliance on an outpouring of graces from God. Oftentimes, our clients share with us that their business is their evangelization to the world. And we see that played out.
Bros: In your work with Catholic Owned, what is your vision for Catholics doing business with Catholics?
Brooke: The faithful can spend a lot of time trying to research companies before making a purchase, and in a lot of cases, we give up due to frustration or running short on time. Then when we compromise, we feel guilty.
When we eliminate this process for them, Catholics can enjoy their shopping experiences and be freed up in time and conscience– hopefully to pursue greater devotion to Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother.
At scale, there are a ton of us, more than enough to sustain the New Catholic Economy, and our goal is to enable that to the maximum extent possible.
Our Vision is for Catholics to live their faith fully, without compromise, and for Catholics supporting Catholics with every transaction to be easy.
“the role of the Catholic business owner is one consisting of deep formation and discernment, a radical trust in God, an immense input of labor, and a reliance on an outpouring of graces from God.”
Bros: Tell us more about your own personal faith journey. How did you arrive at the idea for Catholic Owned and turning it into a reality?
Brooke: I converted in 2012 and went to Calcutta to serve the poorest of the poor with the Missionaries of Charity. It was there that I met my husband, a cradle Catholic. We were married the following year and went on to have four children (so far), though my personal Marian devotion began to take root after my third was born. I progressed from praying the Rosary to practicing the First Saturdays Devotion and on to Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary.
Our company is consecrated to the Immaculate Heart and Catholic Owned is truly hers. She is endlessly interceding for us, and we are but servants of hers, just showing up to do the work every day.
Bros: How has the process of setting up a Catholic business supported and improved your faith life?
Brooke: The stated purpose of Catholic Owned is to propagate knowledge of, devotion to, and love and admiration for the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in reparation for the many sins and blasphemies against her. We truly aim to bring more souls to know and love her, and to help souls live their Catholic faith more fully. And that devotion begins with us, every single day.
As I mentioned, we started with the digital magazine. Well, we continue to publish the magazine twice per month. Producing this content has benefited my faith greatly. When I am researching and writing for the magazine, plus selecting the art and devotions to focus on, I find my faith refreshed and renewed every time. Similarly, our Instagram account is our love letter to Our Blessed Mother. Thankfully the readers and followers also enjoy this content because it is incredibly rewarding to make and comes straight from the heart!
Bros: What advice do you have for Catholic business owners who are perhaps shy about mixing their faith with business?
Brooke: I would suggest in every case, to first grow in holiness. The easiest way to do this is to develop a devotion to Our Blessed Mother.
Once that happens, there may be the need to learn the “how,” but the hesitation will disappear, with courage appearing in its place.
St. Pope John Paul II said it best: “Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch…Be not afraid.”
Studies have long shown that companies that operate ethically earn more revenue, are more profitable, and sustain over the long term far longer than those who don’t. It only follows that running a company as a Catholic, with faith at the center, would bear that out to an even greater degree.
Last, Our Lord and Our Blessed Mother cannot be outdone in generosity. Whatever we give to them, we will be far better for having given it.
Brooke Joiner is a slave of Jesus in Mary, wife to Matteo & mother of four children, and the Co-Founder & CEO of Catholic Owned. With a degree in business & project management and more than five years’ experience in startups, Brooke is passionate about serving Catholics in the marketplace. A convert to the Faith in 2012, her favorite devotions are the Holy Rosary and the Five First Saturdays, and she has a special love for Mother Teresa and her Missionaries of Charity.
We recently had the honor to meet Chéri Ballinger, an accomplished Hollywood actress, model and movie producer. As you will find below, Chéri’s fire for Jesus and positive outlook on life is simply undeniable and contagious. Her Catholic roots took hold during a personal tragedy, allowing her to persevere and overcome during an unexpected storm. She has not only overcome but has taken her faith to new heights as she encourages many around the globe to BE THE LIGHT of Christ! She is indeed a bright light in this world, leading the way to Jesus. Off we go…
Bros: Chéri, we are blessed to have this opportunity to interview you and hear about your story. Thank you so much for spending time with us.
Chéri: Thank you so much guys! Truly, the blessing and pleasure is all mine!
Bros: To kick us off – tell us about your family upbringing, how and when did your Catholic roots take hold?
Chéri: Well I’m blessed to say that I was raised Roman Catholic and grew up with a very traditional French Catholic background. My mom is from a large Catholic family with many priests, nuns, and religious in our lineage. It was very normal for me to be surrounded by tons of uncles, aunts and cousins and a priest cousin who married and baptized everyone! Regular Sunday gatherings were like a party and it was just my family! My French lineage is extremely devout and the more I learn, the more I’m really humbled and in awe of God’s plan. I have very fond memories of praying the rosary as a family, my mom praying with us on our way to school and other Catholic devotions that for me was just completely normal every day life. My dad was raised non practicing Protestant and is a very honorable man. He later converted to Catholicism but before that officially happened, he was always with us in Mass every Sunday and always completely supportive of us all going to Catholic school and being raised in the Faith. It was like he was always Catholic haha. My parents have six children—five boys and one girl. I’m the lucky girl haha!
Bros: In 2014, you experienced a traumatic brain injury, spiraling your life into 4 years of recovery. As you think about your life before and after your TBI, how did this life altering accident impact your spiritual journey and faith in God?
Chéri: It was definitely life altering. When I reflect on my life before my TBI, I cannot help but praise God for the foundation He gave me with the tools to deal with the hardships that go hand in hand with life. My Catholic Faith has always been my rock. When I was recovering from my TBI, I went through the natural stages of grief and loss while having to learn how to walk and talk again amongst everything else—wondering what I had done to deserve this and why did this happen to me and why did I lose everything?? I completely lost everything. My entire life just stopped. It was so beyond awful. I’d be lying if I said I was always my super positive self but despite my anger, frustration, and sadness, I always had the reminder in my mind of what I knew our Blessed Mother did for me—she spared my life. I fell on the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, February 11th of 2014. I prayed several rosaries that day in honor of her feast which I had a great devotion to, given my French roots. I didn’t know why she spared my life but I knew she did. My Faith sustained me through all those horrific years and now I know why I had to endure it all. Without my Catholic Faith, there is absolutely no way I would be here. I have so much compassion for people who go through what I did and don’t have the Faith. It’s so essential to be able to get through the inevitable tough times.
Bros: In your role as executive producer of the 2019 movie Roe vs. Wade, what was your inspiration to get involved in this project and, what important lessons did you learn from the movie?
Chéri: When you’ve been given a second chance at life, the last thing you want to do is go back into Hollywood haha! Having been a professional model and actress for many years, I did not have it on my radar at all. But, God had other plans and when the opportunity was presented to me, I felt like God wanted me to. He gave me a second chance at life and I knew that I wanted to do as much good as possible! I was just restarting my life at that time and I figured it would just be a one time producer experience given the topic. It was a scary, uncertain time for me. However, the opposite happened! I quickly learned that when you go all-in for doing great things that embody the true, the good, and the beautiful, God will make the way and take care of you! Fast forward to now, I honestly cannot believe that I am a major movie producer and I know without a doubt that it’s my destiny. This all came from the pure intentions I had with coming on board as one of the executive producers of “Roe v Wade”.
“My Faith sustained me through all those horrific years and now I know why I had to endure it all. Without my Catholic Faith, there is absolutely no way I would be here.”
Bros: From a project perspective, what are you currently working on and what is next on the horizon for Chéri Ballinger? Will you continue to produce faith-based Catholic Christian content?
Chéri: It’s such an exciting time to be alive! I’m working on several major projects right now (please pray for me!) and I feel so blessed to be working alongside incredible people who also want to bring beautiful content to the world. It’s so needed! In addition to “faith based” content, I am also more focused on bringing back mainstream films that normalize faith and values and that portray compelling storytelling. Beautiful stories that will inspire and enlighten everyone, everywhere…I cannot make any announcements right now but definitely watch this space…
Bros: We will indeed pray for your upcoming projects! It takes a level of courage to be an outspoken Catholic in your industry. You certainly have a unique perspective being a faithful Catholic in Hollywood. What is one thing that Hollywood may not know and appreciate about the Catholic faith, and conversely, what is one thing that Catholic’s may not know about Hollywood?
Chéri: Thank you…I don’t necessarily think of myself as courageous but I am indeed very passionate about life and I feel such a fire within me. I really think there are sooooo many misconceptions about Catholicism in our society today. What people think is Catholic isn’t actually Catholic and vice versa. I grew up watching classic films and I’m well versed with “Old Hollywood”. Many young people don’t realize that the very best films, the very best stories, have strong Catholic roots! So I’d say that people in Hollywood nowadays have forgotten that or just never knew this truth and then Catholics outside Hollywood are in the same boat! Catholicism embodies true art and true beauty. We need to remind and teach people this! I can give you guys a list of some great films…maybe that’s another interview? Haha
Bros: In closing, we love your motto “Be The Light”. The world is certainly full of faithful people who “are the light” and have attained peace through Jesus Christ. But sadly, the light is growing dim for many. What is your advice to those who are experiencing despair and have no sense of hope?
Chéri: It is my great desire to bring people hope because I’m seeing so much despair and it genuinely affects me. My heart goes out to all who are suffering. I’ve been there. I know how it feels. I remember feeling absolutely hopeless and not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. But I want to remind people that even if you don’t see or feel it, the Light is ALWAYS there! We all have a purpose and beautiful mission from God—He has a special plan for each one of us. Plans that are far better than what we even want for ourselves! I’m living proof! I’m blessed to speak around the world now and share my story because I want you all to hang in there like I did. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. I’m SO happy that I didn’t give up and give in to my despair no matter how badly I wanted to. Every day of life is a beautiful gift! Never ever give up! Be the Light for others…you never know how you affect people around you so never stop sharing His Light.
Chéri Ballinger got her start in film while being discovered as a young girl and placed in the iconic 1998 remake of the Walt Disney classic “The Parent Trap”. She has worked in film steadily ever since. With her passion for her second chance at life after suffering from a severe TBI that stopped everything and resulted in 4+ years of recovery, she is now back to work in the industry as a film producer. Chéri is also heavily focused on her international philanthropy efforts as well as being on the forefront of revolutionary medical technology. Not one to stifle her entrepreneurial spirit, she is at the helm of several conscious business startups to keep an eye out for (stay tuned!)…A coveted international speaker, she is the official US Ambassador for the Women’s Brain Project based in Switzerland and the US Ambassador for the Same You Foundation established by actress Emilia Clarke in the UK. She enjoys speaking everywhere around the world- from Harvard University, to business, charity, youth, and women’s groups around the globe , to the podium where Winston Churchill gave his 1946 speech in Zurich, Switzerland- so that all people can be reminded that every day of life is a beautiful gift and we have the ability to overcome all the odds against us–Her story is proof of just this! She reminds people that miracles happen every day! Chéri has vowed to use her background, Faith, and personal comeback story to bring people hope and to inspire positive change through business and the beautiful medium of film. She is one of the executive producers of the recently released feature film “Roe v Wade” starring Jon Voight which has enjoyed tremendous press and critical acclaim, after which she quickly became known for her unique and fresh approach to bringing projects to life. Chéri is currently working on several upcoming high profile productions with the desire to have her name and talent associated with films that reflect her passion for life and storytelling. A highly sought after motivational speaker, she continues to delight and inspire audiences, giving her so much joy and fulfillment. Her motto: “Be the Light”.
#1. Prioritize & Focus It all starts with “the why”. Is there anything more important than God? This is the question as you work to prioritize and focus on your prayer plan. The world loves to distract us. Don’t allow it. Start with the why, Prioritize God and Focus. Without starting here, everything else falls apart.
#2. Plan the Content There is absolutely a time and place for spontaneous prayer…anywhere, anytime. But it’s also important to make time to plan your prayer agenda. Take 30 minutes per week to plan your prayer content for the week ahead. Will you be reading from the Bible? The Catechism of the Catholic Church? Will you pray the Rosary? Or perhaps spend time in Eucharistic Adoration or listening to a Podcast? Who is praying with you…Yourself? Your family? Get intentional and take your prayer life to another level.
#3. Don’t Walk Alone As you create your plan, build in an accountability system, (Which doubles as evangelization). Share your plan with family members; your spouse, children, siblings, parents. Pray with them and ask them to hold you accountable in making prayer a priority.
#4. Listen for His Voice Have faith & confidence that only good comes from prayer. Nothing bad comes from prayer. Remain silent to hear God’s voice and experience His gentle nudge. He may be asking you to do something different or uncomfortable, it will be ok. Have an open heart and ask the Lord, “what is your will for me today?”
St. John Paul II once said, “As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.”Wow, nothing could be further from the truth today. The foundation of our spiritual journey and wellbeing is deeply rooted in, you guessed it…family life. But, there is a problem. The culture has no value for the family. In many cases, it actively works against it seeking to undermine the family at every turn. Whether we realize it or not, we are indeed in a spiritual battle. The most vulnerable – do not see it.
We were blessed to have an opportunity to sit down with Dr. Ray Guarendi (“Dr. Ray“), a leading Catholic voice in offering solutions that protect the family against an aggressive and unfriendly culture. He is a bright light in our world and we are fortunate to learn from his knowledge and wisdom today. Off we go…
Bros: Dr. Ray, thank you for joining us. So, families today are under siege with a great deal of noise and distraction. What steps can Catholics take to foster Christ-centered homes?
RG: First step – protect your child’s innocence. Never before in Christian history have children been forced to grow up so fast. By that I don’t mean “mature”, I mean worldliness. So therefore, whatever a parent can do to go against the cultural pace of mis-shaping a child – do it! This will automatically put the parent at odds with much of the culture. It may put them at odds with their family and people around them. For example, the average age of the smartphone is nine-years old – that is lunacy. However, if a parent holds out to age thirteen, they are in a minuscule minority, probably under 5% of children who do not have smartphones. But again, age thirteen is still lunacy! So, the point is, many decisions that parents now make are going to be very countercultural if their main goal is to raise a God-seeking child. If that is their overall parental aim, they are going to make many moves that the culture and even their own children will not understand.
Bros: Your stance on no cell phones for young children and adolescents seems like common sense. Why do you think this stance goes against the norm – even in many Catholic households?
RG: It is very hard to stand strong against a tsunami of opinions that are against you. Many people, parents in particular, guide their behavior by social norms. So, if in fact, society says that this is a good and healthy psychological thing – the first question you have to ask is, ‘who is saying that’? If the experts are saying that, you have to ask another question – ‘do the experts believe what you believe’? Is this an expert who says that a God-seeking child is the most important thing to wellbeing, or, is this an expert who is spouting a particular psychological theory?
So, parents have to be ever aware that the overwhelming push of opinion and in some respect, psychological threats effectively saying…if you don’t do this, you are short changing your children, they will become resentful, they will eventually turn away from everything you try to teach them…Parents are now parenting afraid. They are afraid of making a psychological mistake, miscalculating, not going with the cultural norms. The experts have done a lot to make parents afraid. Often times, the expert attitude is, don’t say we didn’t warn you if you don’t do it this way. I tell parents routinely, you have to trust your own judgements. Make sure that what you are doing is what you want to teach not what the culture thinks is valuable. I have always said this, if my kids go astray as young adults, I want to be able to say it’s because they went through me and not because I stepped aside.
Bros: What is your message to luke warm Catholics who may be disillusioned by the Church, the Vatican or the sexual abuse scandals?
RG: Let me draw this parallel. If a 15 year old child walks up to a parent and says, Mom I want to let you know that I pretty much agree with everything you are trying to teach me, I’d say about 90% of it. As long as I agree with it, I will follow it. However, there is 10% that I don’t agree with and I decide what 10% that is. But Mom, you should be really pleased because 90% obedience is very very high, much higher than most of my friends.
I then ask the parent – is that an obedient teenager? And most say, no it is not. Why not? Because the child decides what he is going to obey, even if it’s only 10% – it’s his decision. He is the authority.
The parallel can be drawn to Catholics who decide, as long as I agree with the church – I will follow her. But if I don’t agree, I decide how I am going to follow her. At that point, I become the authority, not the Church.
If am convinced that there is a God, and that Jesus Christ is God, and that Christ established an authority to speak in His name after He left the earth physically, then I must say that I have to follow what that authority says because they know better, whether I agree or whether I don’t. When they say, do it this way and not that way, and that will result not only in a closer relationship with God but better psychological well adjustment (which is what the research says BTW), then it is in my best interest to say I will obey 100% of the Church’s beliefs and teachings. Unfortunately, it is now a very small minority of self-proclaimed Catholics who do that.
Bros: What aspect of the Catholic faith do you hold most dear?
RG: I asked a priest once, what for you is the most powerful evidence that the Catholic Church is true? He said, the system works! I asked, whatsystem?…The liturgical system, the hierarchical system, which system? He said, the moral system! The Church has teachings that the culture says are foolish, are unenlightened, are throwbacks, are hateful. But they work. Research has said over and over, this is the better way to live. More contentment, more psychological peace, longer lives, better physical health. So in every way, the Church is my parent. The Church says to me, this is the best way to do it, and the reason she is right is because…CHRIST SAID SO! If the Church were just some organization that had a whole bunch of ideas on how to live then she could be as easily wrong as anybody else. But if she is protected by Christ and that is what He promised, then her words are His. And for me as a psychologist, I recognize that the further Catholics drift from the way the Church says to do it, the more trouble they bring into their lives.
Bros: What has been the most rewarding book you have written to date?
RG: For parents, it is called Discipline that Lasts a Lifetime. It is 100 of the most common discipline questions that I get asked for ages 2-18. It is very much geared towards a parents confidence, peace of mind and authority. To help them stand strong against a culture that is no longer on their side. The book that is probably the most powerful for adults would be a book called, Thinking Like Jesus – The Psychology of Faithful Disciple. It is a lot of ideas that work well in getting along better with others and being more content in your own life. It is my wife’s personal favorite.
Bros: Final question – Being an author and radio host, do you have a favorite author, book and radio host?
RG: Peter Kreeft! Dr. Peter Kreeft. He is a modern C.S. Lewis. He is brilliant. He is a brilliant easily understandable author. He has written something like sixty books and all of their are so faith filled and practical. I also like the book Handbook of Catholic Apologetics, again authored by Peter Kreeft and a priest named Fr. Ron Tacelli. It is a very logical presentation…How do we know that the Catholic Church is who she says she is? How do we know Christ is who He says He was? How do we know the Bible can be trusted? How do we know there are miracles? And they approach this from a very logical – reasoning perspective. I dramatically appreciate that book.
My favorite radio host; I’m going to be reluctant to say it because I work with so many of them. I think Ray Arroyo is a special talent, he is very good interviewer and he is incredibly knowledgeable. My dearest friend Al Kresta is one of the most well read radio hosts. David Anders, very very intelligent – thoughtful man. Teresa Tomeo is a skilled interviewer.
There are just so many talented Catholic people and we’re glad we got em’!
Dr. Ray Guarendi is a Catholic father of ten, clinical psychologist, author, professional speaker, and national radio & television host. His radio show, “The Dr. Is In” can be heard on over 440 stations and SiriusXM® channel 130. His EWTN television series, “Living Right With Dr. Ray” is aired in 140 countries. Dr. Ray has given over 3,000 talks on various topics including parenting, marriage, family and the Catholic faith. He captivates audiences with his compelling humor-laced presentations providing practical advice and proven techniques. You can visit Dr. Ray at https://www.drray.com/.
Description: The Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, an indigenous peasant, requesting a shrine to be built in her honor. She provided him with miraculous signs, including the imprint of her image on his tilma (cloak), which is now enshrined in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. This apparition is credited with a massive conversion of indigenous people to Christianity in Mexico.
#2. Our Lady of Lourdes (1858)
Location: Lourdes, France
Seer: Bernadette Soubirous
Description: Mary appeared to Bernadette, a young peasant girl, identifying herself as the “Immaculate Conception.” During the apparitions, a spring of water emerged, which has since been associated with numerous miraculous healings. Lourdes has become one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the world.
#3. Our Lady of Fatima (1917)
Location: Fatima, Portugal
Seers: Lucia dos Santos and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto
Description: The Virgin Mary appeared to the three shepherd children, delivering messages that included a call for prayer, penance, and devotion to her Immaculate Heart. The apparitions culminated in the Miracle of the Sun, witnessed by tens of thousands, during which the sun appeared to dance in the sky.
#4. Our Lady of Knock (1879)
Location: Knock, County Mayo, Ireland
Seers: Fifteen villagers, including men, women, and children
Description: On a rainy evening, the villagers saw an apparition of the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and Saint John the Evangelist at the gable wall of the parish church. Unlike other apparitions, there were no verbal messages. Knock has since become a significant site of pilgrimage and prayer.
#5. Our Lady of La Salette (1846)
Location: La Salette-Fallavaux, France
Seers: Maximin Giraud and Mélanie Calvat
Description: Mary appeared to two shepherd children, giving them a message that emphasized the need for conversion, prayer, and penance. She also prophesied future events related to the faith and morals of humanity. The apparition site is now a pilgrimage destination.
