Articles by Randy Hain
Six steps to joy
Jun 24, 2013 / 00:00 amRecently, I had coffee with a fellow Catholic who gloomily shared his ongoing struggles with living out his faith openly in the world and his reluctance to discuss his faith with others. He made it clear that going to Mass on Sunday was all he could or should be doing. After a few minutes of discussion, it became obvious that there was a connection between how my coffee companion presented his faith to the world and how others view the Catholic Church.Why do some Catholics lose their enthusiasm for the faith? Why do some leave the Church? Why do those curious about the Church have reservations about converting? The unfortunate truth is that many (not all) of us make being Catholic look about as exciting as having a root canal. Non-Catholics may be looking for inspiration from people who are truly joyful about Christ and the Church he founded. They want to see in us genuine passion for the Eucharist and the other sacraments. They would love to see us have prayer lives worth emulating. Does the thought ever occur to us that our actions as well as our words are being observed by others and this places an important burden on our shoulders?So, let’s ask ourselves: Are we “mirrors of joy” reflecting the light of Christ to others or have we lost our Catholic identity and become completely assimilated into the secular culture?We have so much to be truly thankful for in our relationship with Christ and the truth and beauty of our Catholic faith. But being truly joyful should lead to sharing that joy and the ability to express the truths of our faith in a way that shows the depth of our sincere belief and love to others. Consider this quote from writer Cormac Burke: “A Christian who is not convinced he has the truth is not convinced he has Christ. Only convinced Christians have any chance of convincing others. Half-convinced Christians won’t even half-convince anybody. They won’t convince at all.”It is so easy to get lost in our problems and fail to be joyful. It happens to me and just about everyone else I know. But, remember that we are surrounded by people who are watching us. They may be seeking Christ and looking for someone, anyone, to show them the way. They could learn from our good example, be inspired by our joy and be encouraged by our faith if we will only remember that we are called to share the Good News. If we are gloomy, frustrated, inward-focused and critical of the Church, we will never be able to help anyone and may risk our own salvation.Six Actions Leading to JoyLet me leave you with six simple actions which I try to follow in my desire to be joyful:Surrender to Christ. Every day I recommit to putting him first in all areas of my life.Give up burdens to Jesus in daily prayer. I can’t do it alone and I need his help!Go to frequent Reconciliation (Confession). Unburdening my soul of sin in this sacrament brings me peace and joy.Be thankful for my blessings. I can gripe about my problems or I can focus on all of the incredible blessings in my life and express my gratitude to the Lord in prayer.Stay out of the “Cafeteria Line.” I fully accept the teachings of the Catholic Church and follow the magisterium. I don’t follow the parts I like and reject those I do not like. I know that what I may not understand will be revealed to me over time if I have faith.Start with the end in mind. Are my actions each day serving him? I hope to hear Jesus say at the end of my life on earth, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” My goal is heaven and I must live a life that leads me there.I am not sure where you are on the “joy spectrum,” but please reflect on these points and take them to prayer. Ask yourself if you find it difficult or easy to share your joy. Reflect on the obstacles between you and the fuller, engaging and joyful Catholic life which awaits us all. As for me, I personally subscribe to the thinking of Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York who once said: “Being Catholic is not a heavy burden, snuffing the joy out of life; rather our faith in Jesus and his Church gives meaning, purpose and joy to life.” Amen.
Letter to my sons
Jun 3, 2013 / 00:00 amBeing a father can seem daunting, and at times we fail to say what we mean or do what we say. Thinking about this the other day, I decided to write a letter to my two boys. I would recommend this task for all dads.Dear boys,It must seem strange that I am writing you a letter. When you finish reading this you will hopefully understand the reason. First of all, I want you to know your mom and I love you both very much and we could not be prouder of you. We are not perfect parents, but we have done our best to help you make your way through these difficult growing-up years and prepare for the future.There is so much I wish to share with you! I want to tell you what it feels like to fall in love with the woman you will marry. I want you to know the indescribable joy I felt when both of you came into this world. I want you to understand the rough years I spent in the spiritual wilderness with no faith and the profound conversion experience I had when I surrendered to Christ and found the Truth I was seeking for most of my life in the Catholic Church. The list of rich experiences and lessons is almost endless, but perhaps I will share some of them now and save the rest for future letters.To keep it simple, here are eight things I want you to think about, pray over and hopefully remember for the rest of your lives:Faith. God loves you, no matter what. Stay true to yourself and always love and serve Him. Stay devoted to our Catholic faith despite all the temptations you will have from the world to leave. Be men of prayer and observe the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation. Never forget you were made for Heaven and not the world.Values. Your mom and I have taught you the difference between right and wrong. Our Catholic faith has helped you learn to love your neighbor and serve others. Never lose touch with your values; they define who you are. Don’t be tempted to sacrifice your values for a little temporary comfort or pleasure. It is never, ever worth it.Education. School isn’t always going to be fun. It wasn’t for us either. But, it is very important to have a quality education if you want to have good career options. Never be satisfied that you know enough. Become lifelong learners. Be insatiably curious about other people and life in general.Work Ethic. Nothing in life is truly free. Work hard and you will be rewarded. Pay your dues and out-hustle everyone around you. No matter what you hear later in life, I promise you there is no easy path to riches and there is no substitute for hard work. I know, I know, this part sounds just like Papa!Love. You will meet lots and lots of girls in your lives. Treat them all with dignity and respect. Care more about their inner beauty than their outward appearance. Treat your bodies like holy temples and don’t give in to sinful behavior. You will know you are in love when your knees go soft, your stomach has butterflies and you can’t stop thinking about her as the most beautiful girl you have ever seen. Then what? Get to know her, build a relationship and take the time to see if she is the ONE. You will eventually know if she is and she will be looking at you in the same way. Be counter-cultural, do the right thing and save yourselves for marriage. The world might make fun of you, but Jesus will love you for it.Responsibility. You have heard your mom and I say this a million times: “You need to be more responsible!” Well, you do. Someone has to be responsible, why not you? If you are involved in an activity or project, act responsible and be a leader. If you make a mess, clean it up. If you say you will do something, do it. One of my old bosses told me years ago that if “I touched it, I owned it!” This has always served me well and helped me in countless ways. Don’t wait for somebody else to take responsibility. It may be up to you.Friendship. Be true to yourself and your friends. Hang out with people who share your values. Be a good enough friend to others that you always tell them the truth. This is the sign of a true friend. If your friends go down a path you know is wrong, stand your ground and do not follow. The tricky thing about friendship is you sometimes find yourself alone because you are committed to following the teachings of the Church or the values you learned. Trust me on this one – never abandon your faith or your values to follow the crowd. On the other hand, you will hopefully have a few close friends who stay with you a lifetime and they are to be treasured as gifts from God.Be Real. Don’t ever pretend to be someone else. You are who God created you to be. Don’t be tempted to hide your true self, your faith or what you really think from others. Reflect on my favorite quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”I will stop with these eight lessons and we will dive into other valuable topics again in a future letter. I hope you read this and come to me and your mom with lots of questions. I promise we are here to help you. Did you know your mom and I have a vocation (job) given to us by God? Our vocation is to help our family (and everyone else) get to Heaven. That is our number one responsibility as parents. You are going to stumble and struggle at times in life, but always remember we are here for you and we love you. Most importantly, God loves you and he will never abandon you. He wants you to learn, grow and think for yourselves, but never stray from His love.Boys, your mom and I want one more important thing for you. We want you to be happy. Really, truly happy! You know what? You can’t be truly happy unless you have joy. Do you know where joy comes from? Joy comes from putting Christ first in your lives and loving Him so much that everyone sees Him at work inside you. Then, you will have true joy which will make you really and truly happy.With all my love,
'C&E Catholics' and New Evangelization
Apr 8, 2013 / 00:00 amThey were there at the 7:30 a.m. Mass in my parish on Easter Sunday as well as Masses throughout the day. Faces I had never seen before filled the pews, many finely dressed, just as they had come at Christmas. What draws this group of people these two days each year, what some call “C&E,” Christmas and Easter Catholics? Perhaps it is nostalgia for what they experienced as children – the sort feeling I have for Disney World, where I went as a kid. Or maybe they like the festive Mass and feeling of hope and renewal the seasons bring. Whatever their reasons, they are connected enough to their faith to realize that something important is held in the tradition, even if they do not attend Mass the rest of the year.I wonder why they fell away and no longer practice their faith, and why they make the effort on these two days to dress up and come to Mass. Is it because they are looking for something, or more importantly, Someone? Are their hearts restless and their lives empty? Do they secretly long for the Church of their childhood memories? Whatever the reasons, let me challenge all of us to stop making fun of these brothers and sisters in Christ, or looking down on them. Shame on us if we do!We have all heard of the New Evangelization. We are supposed to reach out, in a particular way to those who have already been evangelized and share again with them the Good News. We have countless thousands of Catholics who are not actively practicing their faith marching into our parishes twice a year and we are doing very little to win them back. This group is possibly the most fertile ground for our evangelization efforts. How can we help them?Five Ways We Can Help “C & E” CatholicsPray – Let’s pray daily that every Catholic who has fallen away will begin to actively practice the faith, just as we pray for other critical areas in our lives.Make Christ and the Catholic Church attractive and inviting – This one really hits home because we have to look inside ourselves and ask some difficult questions. Do people see the light of Christ when they look at us? Do we live out our faith in such a joyful way that we make the Catholic Church welcoming and appealing? Are we actually doing what we are asking them to do?Stop judging and engage, listen and love – Let’s not stand with our arms crossed and a scowl on our faces when we encounter Catholics who have fallen away. We are not perfect and have no right to judge. Let’s engage them at every opportunity and simply listen. Based on what they share, we need to offer a loving response and help them find their way back. We may hear some very difficult and angry words. If so, help connect them to a knowledgeable deacon or parish priest for help and guidance.Extend an invitation – This seems obvious, but when was the last time we invited someone who has fallen away from the Church to attend Mass? If they are not ready, start with a Bible study or prayer group or simply keep praying until they are ready to make this important step.Direct them to the Catholics Come Home website (CatholicsComeHome.org) – This ministry’s sole purpose is to help people come back to the Church. The website provides outstanding Church resources and answers to difficult problems. If at all possible, get them to watch any of the powerful world-class videos on the website about the Catholic Church.This may be helpful information, but how do we actually identify these “C & E” Catholics? Is Christmas and Easter the only time we will see them? No! They are all around us. They work with us, they are our neighbors and we probably see them at our kid’s sporting events. However, we will never know about their faith unless we ask. Sound intimidating? Start by talking about your own life, where you work, your family, your parish. Transparency invites transparency and by sharing first, you can draw them into a meaningful dialogue which involves faith. Your parish priests and deacons may also be able to direct you to people who are struggling with their faith or left the Church. From there you can jump into the five actions listed above.I know this is not easy, but I promise you someone from an evangelical church is talking to a Catholic about having a personal relationship with Jesus even as you read this. They are describing the incredible music and wonderful sermons as they extend a warm invitation to attend their churches. Meanwhile, here we are in the Church Christ founded, possessing the fullness of the faith and the True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (the most personal relationship you can have with Christ!), and we are making a mediocre effort. Let’s do something about the Disney-like longing Christmas and Easter Catholics may be experiencing and help them return to an active practice of our beautiful faith.
True Catholic 'rebels'
Mar 18, 2013 / 00:00 amIn our secular culture, it’s easy to gain approval by criticizing the Church. Perhaps today’s true Catholic rebels stand out by embracing Church teaching and following the Pope’s leadership. Let’s rebel against the way of the world and embrace the path to heaven that leads through the Catholic Church.Here are “Five Positive Ways for Catholics to Rebel against the World.”1. Avoid Cafeteria Catholicism – We can’t pick and choose what we believe and still be authentically Catholic. Follow the Magisterium and authentically practice the faith, trusting that two millennia of Church history and teaching are far superior to what we may come up with on our own. “Be Catholic, really, faithfully, unapologetically Catholic, and the future will have the kind of articulate and morally mature leaders it needs,” Archbishop Charles Chaput said to Catholic educators.2. Put Pride Aside and Surrender – “Few souls understand what God would accomplish in them if they were to abandon themselves unreservedly to Him and if they were to allow His grace to mold them accordingly.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola)It must take a pretty big ego to say no to Christ and his Church! What we need is more humility, total surrender and a sincere commitment to put Christ’s will before our own. I know from personal experience that doing it my way has never really worked out well.3. Pray for Personal Holiness – Blessed John Paul II wrote in Christifideles Laici 16:“The call to holiness is rooted in Baptism and proposed anew in the other Sacraments, principally in the Eucharist. Since Christians are reclothed in Christ Jesus and refreshed by his Spirit, they are ‘holy’. They therefore have the ability to manifest this holiness and the responsibility to bear witness to it in all that they do. The apostle Paul never tires of admonishing all Christians to live ‘as is fitting among saints’ (Eph 5:3).” 4. Be Joyful! – It is so easy to get lost in our problems and fail to be joyful. It happens to me and just about everyone else I know. But, remember that we are surrounded by people who are watching us. They may be seeking him and looking for someone, anyone, to show them the way to Christ. They could learn from our good example, be inspired by our joy and be encouraged by our faith journey if we will only remember that we are called to share the Good News. If we are gloomy, frustrated, inward-focused and critical of the Church, we will never be able to help anyone and may put our own salvation at risk.5. Pursue Heaven, Reject the World – Heaven is our ultimate destination. Will our critics help us get to heaven? Will they stand up for us during tough times? No, they will pull us into a secular way of life which has little room for God, and where materialism and popularity are the fashionable idols of the day. Doing what is right is not always easy, but in the long run it is clearly the most beneficial. Why would we not choose heaven?There is still another way to be a true Catholic rebel in today’s world that is the basis for everything else: Pray faithfully every day.Start the day with a prayer of thanks to God for the blessings in our lives. Pray for help and courage to face the trials the world throws at us. Make the sign of the cross and pray over every meal, public or private. Pray a daily Rosary and ask for the help and intercession of our Blessed Mother, and pray with our families every night.It would be easy to read this post and decide that it doesn’t apply to you since you’re a faithful Catholic. But I would suggest we are all guilty of some degree of negative rebellion each day. We may take the easy way out in the practice of our faith when a little extra effort is required, or we ignore what is required by our God-given vocations. We may resist doing what we know to be right because we fear the negative opinions of others or lack the courage to confront difficult situations.The Catholic faith is not always easy. But as a convert to Catholicism, I know that it is well worth the effort.
Regular Catholic heroes
Feb 4, 2013 / 00:00 amDo you seek good examples for yourself, your children or your grandchildren to emulate because you hope they will demonstrate in word and deed what it means to be authentically Catholic? Are you so often let down by those held up as models when they fail to live up to the faith in word and deed?Perhaps we are looking in the wrong places for heroes. Maybe for too long we have placed the wrong people on pedestals. It is entirely possible that we need look no further than our own parishes, workplaces and communities for good examples, or as we may call them, “regular Catholic heroes.”They are all around us, but we may fail to notice them, since it is easy to overlook the faithful, virtuous, humble and selfless persons among us. We are not drawn to them because they go about serving Christ and his Church often in quiet ways, avoiding the spotlight whenever possible. They care more about doing good than getting the credit. When they are not working, they are likely to be spending quality time with their families, serving others in the community or on their knees in prayer. They provide a powerful witness in the simplest of actions.In the past week, I encountered three people whom I had the good fortune to see, maybe for the first time, as regular Catholic heroes. I have known them for years, but I was struck recently by how each of them was such good role model. Tom, a senior sales leader devoted to the Church and his family, selflessly gives his time to a local homeless shelter and organizes our parish community to support it. He is a prayer warrior who loves the Rosary and can always be counted on when you need help. Paige, a senior executive with an Atlanta-based company, is a devoted Catholic wife and mother who finds time to carry out her business duties, run a jobs ministry at her parish, teach parish school religion and selflessly help anyone she meets to find everything from stronger faith to a new job. Finally, there is Judy, a lady in my parish who is heavily involved in pro-life ministry and is one of the most faithful Catholics I have ever met. She is always smiling, talking about her children and grandchildren and setting an example for all of us in her devotion to the sacraments. Ironically, all of them would be very uncomfortable being described as heroes.What traits do they have in common?Regular Catholic Heroes like these three individuals and others are often humble, selfless, loving, reliable, prayerful and authentically Catholic.How can we recognize these Regular Catholic Heroes?They clearly show the light of Christ to those around them. They are joyful and make being Catholic look inviting and attractive. They follow the Magisterium, are devoted to the sacraments and have vibrant prayer lives. They live authentic Catholic lives which don’t change to suit their companions or in the face of challenges. When dealing with others, it is always about us and not about them. It is their privilege to do any task necessary to help a ministry or in the service of another person. They possess a quiet and powerful form of courage in the face of adversity which emanates from their complete trust in Jesus Christ.What really struck me as I wrote this post and reflected on the heroes I am now seeing with new eyes, is how they are pursuing lives of holiness and working to attain heaven. They are likely closer than the rest of us. In fact, these humble and selfless Catholic heroes all around us may just be the saints of tomorrow. We should seek them out, share our sincere gratitude and pray that we will follow their great example.Do we have what it takes to become Regular Catholic Heroes to the people we encounter?
Faith in your workplace
Jan 7, 2013 / 00:00 amAs we begin a new year, have you considered how to bring your Catholic faith with you to work? Putting God first and blending your faith with every aspect of your life will promote balance and peace, and help you forge a deeper relationship with God. Of course, this is a challenge that takes time and effort.
Whom would you rather offend?
Dec 17, 2012 / 00:00 amOver lunch this week with a long-time client, the blessing I said at the beginning of the meal sparked an interesting conversation. This human resources executive smiled as I made the sign of the cross at the end, and said, “Well, I don’t see this every day. I can’t remember the last time I said a blessing over a meal at a business lunch.”
Raising independent Catholic kids in an age of conformity
Dec 3, 2012 / 00:00 amSexting, drugs, alcohol, cyber-bullying, teen suicide, rampant materialism, technology addiction, and me-first mindsets. The list of challenges to young people today can seem overwhelming. As parents of two boys under the age of 16, I feel like my wife and I are on the front lines of a never-ending war for the very souls of our children. I would love to tell you that we always make the right decisions, but some days I am not so sure.My wife and I often feel worn out from the daily challenges of protecting the boys from the worst excesses of the surrounding culture while also teaching them how to live in the real world with their faith and values intact. Granted, we know full well our vocation is to get ourselves and our children to heaven, but we feel like we are swimming against the current much of the time. Prayer is always a source of comfort and strength, as is simply asking Jesus to help us with our burdens and to watch over our sons. I am not sure how we would make it through a single week as parents without our Catholic faith.We don’t have all the answers, but we do have a lot of lessons! Here is what we have learned in our parenting journey so far about raising independent and faith-filled children:1. Model strong faith and prayer. Attending Mass, holy days, and evening prayers are to be expected. We go to Reconciliation frequently and let the kids know why it is so important for our souls. We also make sure our children pray with us in public over every meal. We frequently pray for others and are trying to incorporate family Rosary time in our home. Bottom line: we love our faith and pray and hope that they see and model our behavior.2. Engage and Guide. If we don’t spend quality time with our kids, they may fill it with something potentially harmful (inappropriate peers, harmful video games, bad TV, etc.). Dinner time is sacred at our house. We play games and read together as often as possible. They are allowed TV and video game time, but we carefully audit both and there are time limits. We engage in conversation about the real world and never cease to be amazed at how interested they are in politics and other issues. Often, our boys just want our time and a listening ear.3. Encourage independent thinking and creativity. We provide guidelines, but also encourage the boys to come up with their own answers to questions. We give them ample opportunity to make decisions and encourage them to think creatively. Instead of telling them the answers to questions, we often respond with “What do you think is the right answer?”4. Encourage them to dream. If they have their own dreams and goals, they will be less likely to follow the pack mentality in their schools. Their goals may change each month (our experience), but at least they are being genuine. When they share a goal or dream with us, we can then talk about what they will need to do to achieve it.5. Don’t try to keep up with the Jones'. We honestly don’t care what our neighbors and friends have in the way of material possessions. We weren’t raised that way and it’s not a priority. Our kids see this and hopefully learn from our example. To reinforce it, we often discuss the family budget, saving and giving money to the Church and other causes. Our kids are also encouraged to save up for things they might want with their own money. Christmas and birthdays are the only gift-giving days in our house.6. Encourage gratitude. Be grateful for what we have and encourage this through involving the kids in volunteer activities that help those less fortunate. We say what and who we are grateful for during prayer time. Our observation is that grateful children are less likely to be greedy children and they won’t covet what advertisers and their friends say they should have.7. Embrace old-fashioned customs. Yes, we actually teach our kids to open the doors for ladies and senior citizens, to say please and thank you and to write thank-you notes when they receive a gift! Respecting us, other people and themselves is also critically important. We had some pretty good lessons from our own parents, and living in “modern times” doesn’t necessarily mean that we have to throw out what works.All of these lessons have had varying degrees of success and we are constantly experimenting. The ongoing mainstays are devotion to Christ and His Church, prayer and family time. As worn out as we may get about being vigilant, we know that turning over our parenting responsibilities to others is not an option. We have only so many years to be a positive influence and we can’t waste the gift that God has given us in these children.
Our own Emmaus road
Nov 5, 2012 / 00:00 amWe are all likely familiar with the “walk to Emmaus” by two of Christ’s disciples the evening of the Resurrection. (Luke 24:13-35) These two men, overcome with hopelessness and discouragement, were talking about the incredible events they had witnessed over the previous few days as they were walking to their home village of Emmaus outside of Jerusalem.As I read this Gospel passage in Eucharistic adoration the other day, I was struck by the parallels with our modern world. These two men were anxious, despondent, and uncertain of their future, and had even begun referring to Christ in the past tense. Considering the times we live in, don’t we sometimes act and think like these two disciples?The attacks on the Church, the assaults on religious liberty, the sputtering economy and the eroding of values and morality in public life are just a few of the challenges causing many of us to feel discouragement, anxiety and even a lack of faith. The valuable lessons of Emmaus Road are manifold, but four were very apparent to me as I reflected and prayed:Without a doubt, our faith will be tested. If put to the test, will we abandon all hope in Christ and look to our own efforts, or will we trust in him? Will we have the kind of faith that endures trials and suffering? People of faith are in for difficult times ahead and we must be prepared to withstand the pervasive influence of the secular world and the forces of evil that will be thrown against us.Are we willing to be helped? When Christ appears to the disciples on the journey, he interprets the events of the previous days for them in the light of the Scriptures. Their faith and hope are restored through the Lord’s help. Are we prepared to accept help? It is available to us every day through the Eucharist in the Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, an active prayer life, spiritual direction, the Bible, the Catechism and the candid advice of trusted friends who share our faith and values.Christ will be revealed to us. When the disciples were ready, Jesus allowed himself to be recognized when he broke bread and said a blessing. He will also be revealed to us if our hearts and minds are ready to see him. He may be revealed in the suffering of the hungry and homeless, the struggling co-worker going through personal pain, a smiling newborn baby or those fleeting moments in eucharistic adoration, or other quiet prayer times when all distractions have disappeared, and we are blessed with clarity and peace.We have a mission and it can’t wait. After Jesus revealed his true self to the disciples, he disappeared. They arose at once and set off for Jerusalem to share what they had seen. They had a mission, as do we. The bottom line is that even though we are made for heaven and not this world, we are called to live and do God’s work while we are here. Being devout in the practice of our faith, helping our families and everyone else get to heaven, and living courageous and authentic Catholic lives in the public square are part of our calling. Today’s world desperately needs us to accept this responsibility.Please reflect on these lessons and pray for the wisdom, discernment and courage to make necessary changes. We are all susceptible to discouragement, anxiety and doubts, but we serve a wonderful, living God who is faithful to his promises. Think about how the disciples felt as they discussed their meeting with Jesus: “Did not our hearts burn within us, while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32) We too can experience our hearts on fire if we are faithful and open to the help and love he is always willing to provide.Have faith, have courage and seek him out. He is waiting.
Our restless hearts
Sep 10, 2012 / 00:00 am“Thou movest us to delight in praising Thee; for Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.” (St. Augustine, Confessions)
Six steps to cure Catholic boredom
Aug 27, 2012 / 00:00 amOn a recent Saturday morning my 11-year-old son said, “Dad, I’m bored. What are we going to do for fun today?” Like many kids in our age of digital innovation, my youngest son was looking for something new and exciting. Not a bad thing in itself, but his question got me thinking: Do we adults also crave excessive change and entertainment in our lives, and does this desire spill over into how we view our Catholic faith?I often hear complaints that the “Mass is boring,” “the priest is difficult to understand,” or “he didn’t wow us with an exciting homily.” Still more complaints center on the lack of exciting music during Mass, the “inconvenience” of having to go weekly as well as on Holy Days of Obligation, or a local Protestant church that has better music and entertaining preachers.With these and other complaints, I wonder if we suffer from spiritual ADD – Attention Deficit Disorder. Many studies cite kids’ overstimulation from video games as a contributor to the problem, yet we adults also struggle with our own addiction to smart phones and information overload from computers and TV. Does this problem affect our spiritual lives? Do we go from parish to parish looking for some sort of “Catholic buzz”? Do we flirt with heresy by attending non-Catholic churches? Are our brains, craving stimulation, incapable of finding peace?Yet we need to tune out the “noise” to achieve the quiet and focus required at Mass.Do you ever notice that a church before Mass often resembles a movie theater prior to the promos, with noise and chit-chat filling the building right up to the beginning of Mass? Where is the reverence? The respect? The humility? Time spent preparing to enter into the mysteries? We are about to receive Holy Communion, the body and blood, soul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we sometimes treat this sacred time like a family reunion instead of a holy celebration. Maybe one of the reasons people feel bored with the Mass is that they have forgotten the center of the Mass, Jesus Christ in the eucharistic sacrifice. Jesus is the reason we are there.If we are in the “complainer camp,” how can we change course? A thorough and honest examination of conscience provides an excellent way to identify our sinful behavior before having those sins forgiven by a priest in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. With more self-awareness and a contrite heart, it is only logical that we can then focus on what is really important about the Mass and better understand the critical role the Church plays in our lives. We can’t be bored if we are sincerely seeking God.Boredom is a side effect of our fast-paced, materialistic culture. We feel bored because we are constantly being over-stimulated and sold on the idea that we can have it all now and that something better is always around the corner. Yet if we are sincerely seeking Christ, we will find him through the Church he founded.The world offers celebrities to idolize – the Church offers saints to follow.The world offers noise – the Church offers Peace.The world offers false dreams – the Church offers the Truth.The world celebrates vice – the Church calls us to virtue.The world offers earthly pleasures – the Church offers heaven eternally.How do we change? To sum up, here are the key points you have read, summarized into “6 Steps to Cure Catholic Boredom”:1) We have to turn off at least some of the noise. Our spiritual ADD is fed by our addiction to too much input from various sources. Don’t listen to the radio in the car. Eliminate most, if not all, TV time. Read more books. Get outside more often. Find time for quiet reflection and prayer every day.2) Show more respect for our priests and quit looking to them for entertainment. They are not here to make Mass “exciting.” We are at Mass to offer worship and receive the Eucharist; not to hear an emotional homily or loud music.3) Remember the Mass is about the Eucharist. Have we prayed to be worthy to receive Jesus? Have we thanked God for this gift? Have we prayed to let others see Christ in us? Reverence, gratitude, humility, worship, these are the key words to remember about the Mass.4) Go to Confession as often as possible. Do a thorough and honest examination of conscience. Where have we fallen short? Confess these sins to a priest and be forgiven. We will be less critical and eliminate boredom if we are acutely aware of our thinking and behaviors that lead to these avoidable sins.5) Get involved and make a difference. Sitting on the outside and complaining is boring. Why not join a parish ministry and contribute time and talent in a more productive way?6) Quit trying to please both the world and God. “You cannot please both God and the world at the same time. They are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions,” said St. John Vianney. Feeling bored about our Catholic faith is subtle and dangerous – it sort of creeps up on you. When we are bored we tend to be critical and seek more excitement. This is the wrong path. The world offers us false gods and tries to paint a negative picture of Catholicism. We have to fight through these lies. Perceived boredom may lead some to leave the Church for other faiths. They are drawn to the excitement and buzz, but will learn in time that they had everything they needed in the Church Jesus founded.Let’s reflect on how we feel right now about the Mass, priests, Church, etc. If we feel bored or critical, let’s follow a clear road map to bring us back from this dangerous territory. We have so much to be thankful for as Catholics if we will only take the time to appreciate it. The choice is ours, and I humbly pray that we will make the right one.