Here is the weekly roundup of all the new free content on Ascension’s website. Every Friday you can check back here to make sure you didn’t miss any of our new podcasts, articles, or Ascension Presents videos. This week, Fr. Mike Schmitz explains why non-Catholics can’t receive Communion, Fr. Josh Johnson talks about celibacy, priests playing favorites, and Pope Francis; Nick LaBanca shares some solid advice on being a heroic Catholic father, and that’s just the beginning. Find out more below.
Ascension Presents
Holy Communion is not just a member privilege the Catholic Church offers to Catholics. It is an expression of the pre-existing reality that the communicant believes the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus. In this video, Fr. Mike thoroughly and passionately explains why the Church teaches that non-Catholics cannot receive Communion. Fr. Mike’s hope is that through his explanation, you will see how the Church’s teaching on this matter expresses its desire for all Christians to be one. Watch video
Oftentimes the advice we receive for overcoming lust sounds a little cliché, so we dismiss it as unhelpful. In this week’s video from Matt Fradd, though, he offers advice from St. Thomas Aquinas, who taught four ways to combat lust. Though they may seem common and difficult, no one who has consistently tried all four has found them lacking in their power to combat lust. Watch video
If you’d like to learn more about how to overcome porn and masturbation, check out Matt’s weekly podcast, Love People, Use Things.
Find out more about Matt Fradd at mattfradd.com.
Father Emmanuel tells the story of when a fellow priest showed him God the Father’s love. After hearing Father Emmanuel’s confession, the priest told him, “You’re a beautiful mess.” In many ways, that confession changed the course of his life. Watch video
Ascension Podcasts
What does a legendary pro wrestler have to do with Catholic sacramentality? Listen
Fr. Josh answers questions about Pope Francis and the media, priests playing favorites with parishioners, and dealing with celibacy as a priest. If you have a question, comment, or a response for Fr. Josh, email us at askfrjosh@ascensionpress.com. You may hear your question or comment in an upcoming podcast episode! Listen
Did Vincent Van Gogh really commit suicide, or is there more to the story than we think? In light of recent suicides (Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain) Jeff comes to you with a special episode on preventing and responding to the tragedy of suicide. Find out how one of the historic icons of suicide (Vincent Van Gogh) has a different story than what you learned. Learn the the signs that typically lead to someone wanting to take their life, ideas as to how you can respond, what the Church teaches about suicide, and practical things you can do if you or someone you know is feeling depressed. Listen
If you’re not praying, you’re not going to get very far in understanding your faith or being able to help others grow in theirs. Historical theologian Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio explains three prayers of the Church to help you deepen your own prayer life and help others deepen their prayer lives as well. Listen and come away with a better grasp of the Church’s teaching on prayer, as well as several very practical ways to incorporate these three specific prayers into your own life and ministry. Listen
Ascension Blog
Examine the life of almost any saint and you will be struck by how ordinary they all started. St. Francis of Assisi is an excellent example of this. As a young man, Francis indulged in parties, dreamed of glory in battle, and was pretty much just like the rest of the young men in his town. Read More
St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most popular and beloved saints. It may be a surprise to some that the finder of lost items is also a doctor of the Church, even given the title of Evangelical Doctor as proclaimed by Pope Pius XII in 1946. Read More
As I look at my children every night before going to bed, I wonder what their futures will be. I wonder what type of vocation they’ll have. I wonder what kind of relationship they’ll have with each other. I wonder what kind of relationship they’ll have with God.
And then, as I slowly leave the room and quietly close the door, I realize that the answers to those questions are contingent on one person. Me. Their father. Read More
Every sacrament has ministers who perform them. But who are these ministers? It turns out they vary depending on the sacrament. Today we will begin to look at this, as well as other issues in a sacramental refresher: a who, what, when, where, and how of sacraments. Read More
Feature photo by Mahir Uysal on Unsplash.
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