Blog: Catholic Teen

I am a senior with Modg and I am wrapping up my Catholic Doctrine course when the last chapter really hit me with a couple of very interesting facts. Guardian Angels are one of the most unique and tucked away blessings from God. They are like your secret best friend who guides you through life. Guardian Angels are a very personal gift from God and it's almost unbelievable to think that every person...

While YouTube surely has a lot bad stuff on it, it also has a lot of good, wholesome Catholic content on it. Here are my top 4 favorite Catholic Youtubers. Pints with Aquinas. Hosted by Australian-American speaker and author Matt Fradd, this show has long form discussions and short clips from full episodes pertaining to faith and reason. It also hosts monthly debates between Catholics and non-Catholic...

Saint of the Month: St. Elizabeth of the Trinity St. Elizabeth of the Trinity is a Carmelite Saint who was born to an army captain and his wife, Madame Catez, in Dijon, France, 1880. When Elizabeth was seven years old, her father died, leaving her mother to take care of her and her younger sister. As a young girl, Elizabeth was an amazing pianist, dressed up as nuns with her sister, and had a fiery...

With Covid-19 daily claiming more and more victims, all of the dioceses throughout the United States are making the decision to suspend Masses for at least several weeks. This may leave us feeling a little lost on Sundays. There are plenty of good ways that we can still keep the Lord’s Day holy, however, although of course nothing can replace the Mass. Here are a few ideas. Many Masses are b...

Are you ever inspired to start a big project, then quit when you’re bored of it? Does having the same classes, activities, and schedule feel repetitive and boring? If you answered yes to either of these, you’re a lot like me. Without consistent motivation, it’s hard to excel at what you’re doing, especially during the school year. If you’re in need of inspiration, there are a few...

MODG Senior ShaLynne Ouellette talks with Social Media Editor Gwynith Hayden about what it's like to be under self-quarantine during the Coronavirus. ShaLynne recently returned from a family trip to Spain just before Spain went under countrywide lock down.

Every Catholic knows the story: during Lent, you sacrifice. You give something up. Maybe it’s fast food, or Instagram, or maybe even warm showers. But the point is, you give something up. Obviously, this is a great tradition of the Catholic Church, and one that should help us grow in our relationship with Jesus by uniting our own suffering to His suffering. But do we usually allow that to happen...

Thinking back on the first time I was confronted about by faith, I realize I was grossly under prepared. There are things I wish I knew, and things I wish I never had to hear. When I was in ninth grade, I went to a twice-a-week Baptist co-op. I got constantly bombarded with questions about being Catholic and people trying to convert me to their beliefs. I hope this article will help anyone...

Prepare for Christmas During Advent So when is it really the right time to start preparing for Christmas? Well, the Church actually gives us a select time to prepare for Christmas, the celebration of Christ’s birth. This time is called Advent. This coming Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent. Although Christ came into this world 2,000 years ago, Advent is really a time to prepare for Christ’s...

Saint Spotlight: Katharine Drexel Katharine Drexel was born in Pennsylvania on November 26, 1858. She, her sister, and her two stepsisters were raised in a very wealthy and influential Catholic family. Her father and stepmother homeschooled their children, and it is from them that Katharine grew to be passionately Catholic. After Katharine finished school, she travelled around much of the...

In a world that is full of lies, and discouragement, or even encouragement for the wrong thing, we must look for the good. We must look for strength and hope. This can ultimately be found in God. Turning to the scriptures for encouragement, hope, and strength can never go wrong. Here are some colorful quotes from scripture to brighten your day!    Hebrews 6:19 This hope we have as an anc...

"TO ENCOUNTER JESUS CHRIST AND FOSTER CATHOLIC CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY THROUGH EXPEDITION RETREATS OF PRAYER, PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURE."                 (http://cyexpeditions.org/new-cover-page-1)   Here are five questions with MODG’s Kolbe Dax on Catholic Youth Expeditions:   Q. What made you want to attend Catholic Youth Expeditions? A. My first t...

MODG News Reporter Diana Neilson talks about St. Clare, who is not only her favorite saint but also her confirmation saint.

If you are reading this, then you are most likely a student. You may feel like you are drowning in work, and seem to constantly be overwhelmed and frustrated. If only school wasn’t this hard, if only it would make sense! Being a student myself, I know what this is like. But I think you and I would find our studies less challenging and more enjoyable if we approached them with humility. Humility a...

Do you have trouble focusing on your schoolwork? Are you tired of distractions and all those half-hearted attempts at finishing your math lesson? Focusing on school can be a challenge. Here are ten tips to help you have a more productive school day! Get more sleep. No one can focus when they’re tired! Build up a habit of going to bed earlier. Take one step at a time, and start with going to...

As MODGers everywhere slog through their course load, there is a slight possibility we may have forgotten that Lent is nearly upon us. Perhaps you’re like many people and feel like you never get enough spiritually out of Lent. If you’re one of these people–or if you aren’t, and just don’t want to get back to work on that history paper quite yet–check out these ideas for having a spiritually...

Is constant exhaustion the new fad? I recently read an article in the New York Times on the “hustle culture” about today’s millennials. The writer noticed that people prize a busy lifestyle above normal activities.   I’ve noticed this even within my own circle. My friends and family are proud of their long hours and excessive commitment to work.  I’m not even in college yet, but I...

This is the last Catholic Teen Blog post of the school year! Creating and developing this blog has undoubtedly been one of the highlights of my junior year. I’m very proud of how far it has come, and I’m looking forward to further developing it next year! On my request, our followers on Instagram (@modgvoxnews) sent in some questions for me to answer! So here’s our last post of the year! ...

Are you in love? Like MAD in love? One MODG student recently messaged me, saying, “We must find that drive to evangelize. When I think of how much God longs for me, and how much he does for me... it then dawns on me that God longs for each...of the people in this world. That he has a MAD love for every single person.” Gwyneth Sawicki, you’re the best! In a movie I’ve loved since I was l...

Do you ever feel like you fluctuate between multiple personalities?   One of my friends recently helped me to realize that often, I change the way I act depending on the people around me. I guess you could say I’m having a bit of an identity crisis as I reflect upon all the different masks I wear. In a quiet group, I sometimes fill the space with empty chatter out of some feeling...

Lent is upon us. Around this time, you will probably hear homilies on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. But today, we’re going to zoom in on prayer- particularly personal prayer. Before we get into this, I want to make a point. It’s now Lent, so I feel justified in being a little somber with you all. The most important thing you can do for your prayer life is making time for it. For me, ...

Before getting reading this blog post, make sure you’ve read “Productivity, Part One.” Now that we’ve dealt with the “big picture” of productivity, it’s time to deal with the nitty-gritty. Here are five simple tips for completing more tasks during your day!   1. Less is More   Pinterest is dangerous, folks. This is probably more applicable to the ladies out there, b...

Productivity.  Talking about this word motivates me, but it also triggers guilt because I hardly ever feel productive. It seems that at the end of every day I look at my to-do list, full of mostly uncompleted items, and feel disappointed in myself. Recently I wondered: “What am I doing wrong?” I know I’m not the only one in this boat. There are two main productivity thought trains...

I don’t know about you, but usually I come across a point in the semester, not even halfway through, where my motivation drops like the steepest negative slope line you’ve ever seen. That point hit me last week at full speed. To revitalize my school routine, I’m making some goals  for myself to help me live a purposeful Monday-Friday lifestyle going after holiness in the small mundane thi...

WHAT IS THIS ABOUT? Welcome to the first post in the new blog, the Catholic Teen Blog! This blog is for teens and anyone interested! Our first post is about something applicable to people of any age. I hope this blog will become your "morning read with my coffee" or your nighttime guilty pleasure, because, unlike other parts of our site, this is where we get personal and real. I recently had an ...