Ideas for New Year's Resolutions

De Maria | 12/31/2016

How about, studying the Catechism?

It's free, simple and effective. You get one email a day (MON-FRI) and cover the entire catechism in a year!

To sign yourself up for Catechism in a year, click here.

How about a Bible study?

Jeff Cavins has a great site. The Great Adventure Bible study. Find a study near you, or put your Great Adventure Bible study on the map!

Explore the Map

Not to be out done, the great Scott Hahn also has one.

Reading the Bible from The Heart of The Church

The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology is a non-profit research and educational institute that promotes life-transforming Scripture study in the Catholic tradition. Learn More

"No, no!" You say, "I just want to become a better person and do more good for my fellow man!"

Huh? Well, have you tried your Church. At our Parish, we have the St. Vincent de Paul society. Their members gather clothing, appliances and food to give to the poor members of the Parish. In addition, the provide services, such as daycare, for mom's who have to work and they look for employers for people that need jobs. And they do all that, on a voluntary basis.

The Knights of Columbus, Knights of Peter Claver and many other societies are out there in the Catholic world which provide services to the needy. I've never been to a Catholic Parish which did not at least have connections to several of these. Just ask in your parish office.

"Yes, but what I really want is to feel closer to God!"

Ha! You've come to the right place! The best way to feel close to God, is to partake of the Eucharist. And the Catholic Church offers the Eucharist daily. Check your parish office for times. Or you can check this website for Mass times in your area. They even have an app for your phone.

Mass Times for Travel on the App Store - iTunes - Apple

Mass Times for Travel - Android Apps on Google Play

We've got several prayer devotions which you can do alone or in groups.

The Holy Rosary

The Chaplet of The Divine Mercy

The Five First Saturdays Devotion to the Immaculate Heart

THE SACRED HEART - Catholic Tradition

And there are tons of others. Ask around at your Parish. There's lots of things they have for those of you looking to turn over a new leaf

More Stories By De Maria:

EPIPHANY - Last chance to open Christmas gifts!

Our Lady of Guadalupe, Tepeyac, Mexico

Faith alone is faith in oneself

Christ-Mass!

Understanding the Old and New Covenants

Who is the Schoolmaster that leads us to Christ?

Analysis of a Conversion - Why I left the Catholic Church, the devil made me do it

A House Divided Against Itself, Can Not Stand

About the Author

De Maria

website

My name is not, De Maria. But De Maria is who I am. About 30 years ago, the internet was new. And many of us, including my wife and I, considered it the Beast of Revelations. Therefore, we stayed off of it. But, one day, after experiencing a very powerful conversion back to the Catholic Church and the Spirit, being strong within me, made me yearn to teach the Faith. Little did I know, how little I knew about the Faith I practiced.

Becoming a Catechism teacher took me back to the days when I was young and hungry for knowledge. But in those days, no one wanted to be bothered answering my questions. And I believe that is one of the reasons why I fell away. No one could explain the Faith to me in a manner that was satisfactory. I didn't want to be that type of Catechist. I wanted to understand so that I could pass on my understanding. But it soon became obvious to me, that I didn't understand very much at all.

Then, one day, someone said, "why don't you ask for explanations on the Internet? There are lots of knowledgeable people there." So, I investigated. And, thanks be to God, I found a now defunct website for Catechists. I learned so much from them. I can't ever repay them.

But, back to my pen name, De Maria. Back then, most of us distrusted the Internet. And this forum for Catechists did not permit us to use our real names. They required pen names. So, since I love Our Lady, I took her name. (I am a guy, by the way.) In the grand tradition of male Saints who have adopted Our Lady's name, for instance, St. Louis "Marie" de Montfort and St. Alphonsus "Marie" de Liquori. And that's who I am. I believe that I belong to Mary and that I am sent by her to preach about her Son.

Besides this website, I have two more. Washed, justified and sanctified in the Sacraments of the Catholic Church and CatholicBibleTalk.