5 Favorites and 3 Reasons

Today I'm blending linkups and joining Hallie for Five Favorites and Micaela for Three Reasons I Love Catholicism:

(I can do that because being Catholic is my favorite!)

Three Reasons:

1) Catholic Schools and Hospitals.

I've professed my love for Catholic schools before  but can you imagine if all the Catholic schools and hospitals were closed?  Can you imagine how many lives would be affected?  I am so thankful for the people who work at and run these establishments.  

Galatians 5:13-14: For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

{In the above photo from our Diocesan newspaper, Eamon was dressed as Pope Francis and wheeled around the school in his "Pope Mobile" to make sure even the youngest of students could understand the important part of history they were living through.}

2) The Real Deal.

It's the only Christian faith that can be traced back to being started by Jesus Christ.  As in the Son of God.  You can ask someone from any Christian religion "Who started your church?" and they will name some mortal person.  But we are lucky enough to say that our Christian religion was started by the Big Guy Himself.

Matthew 16:18: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church.

3) The Families.

Being only one of few religions that warns against the downfalls of premarital sex, contraception, and abortion, Catholics who are trying their hardest to follow the guidelines of the Church are apt to have loving marriages and big families.  I love belonging to a pro-life Church that encourages marital love and being generous with the Lord in regards to family size.  That's not to say all families have to be big, parents are able to discern through prayer with God what fits them best, but the first thing I think of when I see a big family is "must be Catholic!" and I'm glad to be part of that circle.

Genesis 1:28: God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the  earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over  every living thing that moves on the earth."

And now two more favorites:

4) 

New baby boys!!  Congrats go to Hallie and new son, Charlie and Jen and new son, Joseph!!  I love me some boys :)

5)
My new Buxton wallet from Kohls:

Now off you go...