4 Ways Catholic Radio Can Help Form Your Conscience
Written by catholicradio on November 1, 2023
As Catholics we are called to live our faith authentically. Catholic radio can help us on this spiritual journey. We are continually invited into a deeper relationship with each of the Persons of the Holy Trinity. Yet we sometimes face obstacles to that in daily life.
How are we to live moral lives in this world? As new social and cultural issues arise or evolve, how do we resist relativism and stand firm in the Truth of Christ? What does a Catholic citizen look like?
Catholic Bishops Evangelize, Especially the Faithful
The twelve apostles selected by Jesus became the first bishops of the Catholic Church. After Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, early communities were organized with a hierarchical structure to preserve unity.
Today’s Catholic bishops are called to represent Christ and are commissioned to attest to Jesus as the Son of God. They preserve His teachings and pass along what was handed to them.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is an organization that seeks to support the ministry of bishops in a variety of areas relating to their vocations. Together they continue to evangelize and transmit the Sacred Deposit of Faith to people everywhere, and especially in the United States.
The USCCB Teaches Us How to Form Our Consciences
In the article, Understanding Conscience, on the USCCB website, there are suggestions to “help us as we seek to inform and strengthen our consciences with God’s truth”:
- Pray
- Learn
- Reflect
- Nurture friendships
We are also warned about challenges we may face in following our consciences, namely:
- Indifference
- Coercion
Have You Thought About Forming Or Strengthening Your Conscience Lately?
Usually as local, state, and federal elections draw near, those in Catholic circles hear the phrase, “inform your conscience” or “vote according to your conscience”. But at those moments, there is no instantaneous download from heaven. Informing one’s conscience is a process that takes time.
Catholic Radio Is A Simple Way To Begin Forming and Strengthening Your Conscience
When turning the channel to Catholic radio, you may be interested in a call-in show, program host, or news from a Catholic perspective. But if you call to mind the suggestions of the USCCB, you will find Catholic radio provides for the four ways to form or strengthen your conscience.
-
We Can Pray With Catholic Radio
As we pray and participate in the sacraments, we encounter God. The USCCB remind us that Confession, attending Mass to receive Jesus in the Eucharist, and Eucharistic Adoration are sacred times. They draw us closer to the Lord.
Catholic radio not only encourages all the opportunities mentioned above, but provides some of its own. You can listen to the daily Mass and make a spiritual communion. You can also pray the rosary, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and other prayers.
Further, one constant of Catholic radio is that it points to Christ in the sacraments. You will be reminded and encouraged to go to Mass more often when time permits and go to confession regularly. Program hosts also speak about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and making a Holy Hour.
We become what we listen to. Listen to Catholic radio and you will find yourself becoming a person of prayer and you will hear his voice.
-
Listening To Catholic Radio Helps Us Learn About Our Faith
It is nearly impossible for our conscience to guide us if we are not instructed in our faith. The USCCB reminds us that as Catholics we possess the gift of the teaching authority of the Catholic Church and we can turn to it when needed.
Catholic Radio Network provides sermons, retreat talks, and call-in programs that answer questions about the Catholic church and what she teaches. Even those that are created for non-Catholics are opportunities for the faithful to better understand the Truth of Christ.
Catholic radio points to Jesus, refers to the Magisterium (teaching body of the Church), and refers to saints who can serve as role models for all of us today.
-
Catholic Radio Provides Opportunities To Reflect On What We See, Know, and Learn
If you have attended Mass regularly for a few years, you have read much of Sacred Scripture. Sometimes in our modern days we are removed from what life was like in biblical times. Sometimes there is a context to stories in the bible that we are unaware of.
Listening to Mass, sermons, retreat talks, stories of conversions (and reversions) to the Catholic faith are opportunities to be formed by the stories we hear, as the USCCB suggests. These can be times of encouragement and help hone our instincts.
-
Friendships Are Nurtured When You Listen To Catholic Radio
Sometimes what Christ teaches is contrary to what is happening in the culture around us. The USCCB reminds us that following Jesus can be challenging without help from a community and holy friends.
Listening to Catholic radio provides talking points for when you meet a like-minded person. Community events are often advertised which can lead you to holy friends you can partner with in the faith journey. And don’t forget the communion of saints. You will learn about saints and martyrs when you listen to Catholic radio and they can become close heavenly friends as well.
Catholic Radio Helps Us Face Challenges
The U.S. Bishops warn that when we are overloaded with news and images we can become indifferent to people and the world around us. In addition there are groups that use the media and the state to coerce people to violate their consciences.
Catholic radio can help fortify against these attacks by bringing them to your attention and sharing tools to fight the spiritual battle. We encourage you to listen online, find your local station, or download our free app for Apple and Android.
