Near the end of St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises is a curious section titled, “Some Notes Concerning Scruples.” Scrupulosity is one of those pesky spiritual problems that we don’t always recognize but can give us a lot a grief if left unchecked. Believe me, I know! Never heard of scrupulosity? How about Catholic Guilt? Read more
I am not particularly holy. That is to say, I don’t usually act holy, understand holiness much, think holy thoughts, or say holy things. I moan and groan, yell at my kids, live half my life by the motto “Me First,” mistrust God and generally schlep along the Road to Zion when I could be Read more
The quest for perfection can never been attained in any endeavor worthy of humans. The demand for being perfect, based on Matthew 5:14, “Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” became the deranged and deranging discipline that was brought to an end by Vatican II’s healthier attitude toward spiritual growth. One of Read more
Where do you find true holiness? It is difficult, because the real saints are hidden and humble and holy. Instead of looking for the hidden holy ones we often fall for the celebrity saints, says Dwight Longenecker “If you were to tell them they were a saint they would laugh and tell you to keep searching.” If Read more