Skip the doomscrolling!

You can listen to my interview from this morning here. The topic? Prayerful alternatives to before-bedtime doomscrolling. A few takeaways:

• Put down the phone, pick up the beads. Rosary beads, of course.

• Give yourself space for an evening examination of conscience (“the examen”).

• Swap out mindless news feed reading for listening to a homily or reading an edifying book or passage from the Bible.

• Or - just go to sleep! You can do that. I give you permission.

This is a great topic to take into Lent, too. Giving up doomscrolling is a wonderful Lenten plan. Do you know what you’re “doing” for Lent yet?

Enjoy the conversation!

Tomorrow's radio: the prayerful alternatives to doomscrolling

Everyone, I will be on Relevant Radio’s Morning Air program once again to discuss prayerful alternatives to before-bed doomscrolling. That includes putting the phone down and instead doing things like praying the rosary, listening to a homily, doing an evening examen, or even just packing your lunch and picking out your outfit for the next day. I really believe that if you want to end a bad habit, you have to replace it with something positive. The best part is, you will thank yourself for subbing in healthy behaviors for the negative doomscrolling one, and will have greater peace of mind and interior freedom.

The conversation will be around 8:20 eastern tomorrow morning, and see how you can listen here.

For American Catholics on the 250th anniversary of our nation

Last week I was on Morning Air to discuss some American Catholic history trivia in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. You can listen to the full interview here.

In addition to talking about how many American saints there are (11 - though not all were actually born here), when the first Catholic Mass was celebrated (1565!) and some of the festivities happening in the DC region this year, Glen asked a great question: is the anniversary an occasion for the country to come together? And of course I answered: yes! So that is very much something for us all to ponder this year, which has already started off as divisive, or even more so, than ever.

We also discussed the civic duty Catholics have: to pray for elected leaders, and to vote your conscience. It is an interesting thought experiment, that if all practicing Catholics voted, how this country would look differently. Well, it’s a midterm year - get out there and do your thing!

One last thought: we are now just under two weeks out from the annual March for Life, which is Friday, January 30. Like much of the country, Washington is about to get hit with some severe cold weather. Pray for all those marching for the continued protection of all life, for the conversion of hearts, and for our country to move toward a more family-friendly (aka pro-life) culture. As I now have my own family, it is something I think about a lot.

Oh here’s one more reminder, because I love to think way ahead: Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, is Wednesday, February 18. Just one month away! May it be a fruitful season for our entire nation. Perhaps that is the intention where I will direct my Lenten sacrifice.