My boyfriend and I are abstinent.

But it’s a secret.

Would anyone please pray for a special intention for me the next time they say the rosary?

Hey Tumblr Catholics!

I’m in a lively and friendly debate with a co-worker about the importance of Mary and praying to the saints. He believes that Catholics praying to them is wrong and against God. I’ve explained everything from: You ask people on earth to pray for you, why not saints? to how Jesus respects and listens to his mother Mary and that we are called to see her as our mother as well.

According to my friend, Mary and the saints are not any more special than anyone else, so why do we put them on a pedestal? He says only God can be a saint (I have a feeling he doesn’t have a very good definition of saint, so if someone could help me pin one down that would be great.) When I talked about asking friends to pray for you as a comparison to praying for the saints, he said that we shouldn’t be praying to saints in God’s Church. I said, don’t you ask friends to pray for you at church? And he said yes, but saints are put on a pedestal, and we shouldn’t treat them as so special.

Those of you who know my story know how very special the saints are to me. I haven’t told him my story yet, but I plan on it tomorrow! We’re planning to discuss this all again tomorrow night, so I’d love it if ya’ll could hook me up with some good scholarly articles and such!

Pax,

Rafa

Today I woke up excited because I get to take communion for the first time in six months!

Huzzah!

I can’t put off confession again like I did this past half-year!

Or at least multiple times a week, will really change your heart, the hearts of those around you, and your life.

I’ve never had prayers answered so fast.

Seriously,

Not to brag, but my boyfriend is awesome! He knows about my love for Saint Anthony of Padua, and while I was texting with him today (he’s still in Europe) he told me that Saint Anthony was all over the place in Portugal and that every time he saw something related to Saint Anthony he said a prayer for me. I thought this was the sweetest thing.

But SRSLY guys, I think I need to marry this boy someday.

On a different note, went to confession today. I haven’t been to confession many times, since I’m a convert and all, so it is still awkward because I don’t know exactly what to do when I go and I always have to be led through it, but I feel great now since it’s been six months overdue!

The penance the priest gave me was really unique and great, I think. He asked me to sit in the church and look at the tabernacle for five minutes and just let Jesus talk to me and to feel his love and warmth for me.

And people think confession is a practice to make us feel more guilt and shame…I’ve never had that experience! It’s all about forgiveness and God’s love!

Anyway, hope you all are well!

Love,

Rafa

Dear people of tumblr,

We may disagree on many things, but I feel this is one thing we can agree on.

Make a difference in the world. This video is only half-an-hour long, but it is so worth it.

Kony 2012!

It’s true.

Some days I could care less about God and his role in my life, and others I am so in love and asking for his presence in my life.

I’m trying to work on this, but I also recognize that faith is not simple and that I will have good days and bad days.

As many of you know, I converted to Catholicism from non-denominational Protestantism (Wesleyan theology if you’d like to be more specific about it!) and when I first approached Catholicism there was one figure that I was very hesitant towards— Mary. 

I can’t help but feel inundated by all the negativity towards Catholicism I’ve been encountering in the world lately. I understand that not everyone likes or agrees with Catholicism, and I even understand why people are angry or upset by Catholics (as there are many Catholics out there who give the rest of us a bad name). I recognize the misunderstandings that the world has of us, as I was one of those who misunderstood Catholicism, myself.