Four practices

Reform of Life

Maybe you have been away from the Church for a long time.

Maybe you still believe, but prayer has become something you rarely do. Maybe you go to Mass but don't feel like you know what is happening. Maybe you haven't been to Confession in years. Maybe you have tried to change before and found yourself falling back into the same habits.

You don't have to fix everything at once.

The Catholic life is not a program for becoming a better version of yourself. It is a life of following Jesus Christ.

These practices are meant to help you begin again: prayer, Scripture, Confession, and the Mass. Later, you can take up fasting, service, and life in the Catholic community.

Start small. Be faithful. When you fall, begin again.

Christ is not waiting for you to become worthy of coming back.

He is calling you back.

  1. I Daily · about 20 minutes The Rosary The Rosary is a simple way to pray while keeping your attention on the life of Christ. The beads give your hands and your voice something to do while your mind and heart stay with the mysteries of His life. You don't have to be good at it. You just have to begin.
  2. II Daily · about 10 minutes The Gospels The Gospels introduce us to Jesus Himself: His words, His actions, His mercy, His demands, His suffering, His death, and His Resurrection. Read a little each day. Don't worry about understanding everything.
  3. III Every month or so Confession If it has been a long time, Confession can feel intimidating. You may not remember what to say. You may be embarrassed by your sins. You may wonder whether the priest will judge you. He won't be surprised.
  4. IV Every Sunday · about an hour The Mass The Mass is the center of Catholic life because Christ Himself is at the center of it. If you are not sure when to stand, sit, kneel, or respond, don't worry. You can learn.

Where to begin

Don't try to do everything at once.

Choose one practice and begin there. If you have been away for a long time, starting small is not a lack of seriousness. It is often the best way to begin something you can actually continue.

If Confession has been weighing on you, start there. If you have been longing to pray again, begin with the Rosary. If you want to get to know Jesus, open one of the Gospels.

There is no perfect place to begin.

Just begin.

The four practices above are not four things you have to accomplish. They are four ways of turning your attention back toward Christ and His Church.

One thing worth saying plainly

Nothing on this site replaces the sacramental life of the Church. Sunday Mass and Confession are not items on a list beside the others; they are where Christ gives Himself to us. The rest of these practices exist to help you live what you receive there.

Keeping track

Your record

You can mark each practice as you complete it. The purpose isn't to earn points or prove that you are doing well. It is simply helpful to see that you are actually taking steps.

If you miss a day, nothing is ruined. Begin again.

You can install this site on your phone so that the practices and your record are available even when you don't have an internet connection. On an iPhone or iPad, open this in Safari, press Share, then Add to Home Screen. On Android, open the browser menu and choose Install.