The place of the heart in the history of thought We have already mentioned the surprise caused by the Encyclical Dilexit nos, which speaks of the heart and to the heart. After the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, this fourth and last encyclical remains a spiritual testament to the human being, “in […]

Christmas, Light for these days Historic Christmas is a source of peace. A tale of more than 2000 years continues to fill millions of people around the world with peace. The birth of a child is celebrated even by non-believers, as a source of peace. Could it be a mass psychological suggestion? How does Christmas […]

ow can we live our vocation feeling God’s closeness and the joy of self-giving? How can we passionately walk this path? Can what we are obliged to. do also make us feel fulfilled? How can we make our affections help us fall in love with God and not desire other loves that distract us? We […]

St. Josemaría on personality and character The help of the saints is worth it. To achieve happiness, one must strive to be a good person. And one’s own way of being can be modified. The most successful interpersonal relationships arise when one strives to improve one’s character. We are going to see how to improve […]

Let’s assume that there are people who are happy and proud of their consumption of pornography. Whether you are one of them, or whether you are among those who would like to give up a vice that entangles like a spider’s web and consumes body and soul, believers and non-believers alike, we suggest reading this […]

Good Humor and Holiness, Prayer attributed to Thomas More (London, 1478-1535) Thomas More was a saint whose good humor stood out, and perhaps that is why he is credited with this well-known prayer: «Give me, Lord, a good digestion and, naturally, give me something to digest. Give me the health of the body and the […]

Jesus wants each of us to reach the fullness of life They will receive “a hundredfold” in this life, and then eternal happiness[1] is Jesus’ promise to those who have followed him closely with an exclusive vocation. They will not receive that hundredfold in just any way, but they will receive it in their affections, […]

It’s moving to see a young passionate person. Even more if what they are passionate about is finding true love. Jesus met a young man like that. so much did he search for this true love that he ran and knelt before Jesus. What he asked is what he wanted with his whole heart. “ […]

Intimacy as your most valuable wealth What is the most valuable hidden wealth of the human being? His intimacy: it is not only his interiority, but his most precious core. And lovers always exchange that which is their most beautiful fortune: “I know that in your house you have a garden / to which you […]

This new article in the series Literature and Feelings deals with taste, will and desire, starting with Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story. Table of contents Between taste and will Freedom Beyond Taste and Desire in Michael Ende Thinking about what you want Discovering true will from desire The role of intelligence in desire and tastes […]

Communication is key for the good functioning of a work team, in companies, in the family, for mental health in general and in a special way for children. The idea for this article was given to me by many parents, first for signing up for the courses I give on this subject and mainly for […]

Medicine’s defeat in euthanasia, triumph in vaccination Do euthanasia, suicide and vaccination have anything in common? In my early years as a medical student, a professor told us: “You treat people, not wounds”. Since then I have always remembered that the sick have a special dignity. That dignity has been trampled upon by some. Table […]

Contemporary culture influences the perception of celibacy in many different ways. In this first article of a series, we will give a glimpse of some approaches. Although some elements contribute to the fact that this vocation today encounters a certain cultural incomprehension, this is at the same time an opportunity to get more deeply to […]

Literature, this time with Ivan Ilyich, teaches us once again that life is worth living. The experience of the last epidemic that has struck the whole world and that still continues to plague us has allowed us to think about many things: many that we thought were important and necessary, and were not, and others […]

We started a series of articles to help prevent mental health from childhood, in the family, where receiving and giving affection is key. Table of contents: prevent with affection from childhood Prevention and secure attachment for mental health in childhood Affection in the family from the earliest years. What does it mean to love? The […]

Psychology and Christian life: anxiety, depression and burnout Anxiety and nervousness. Sadness and depression. Professional stress or burnout. Knowing these symptoms, which affect many people, is essential. Prevention strategies for anxiety, depression and burnout are offered, for an effective care of psychic and spiritual health. There are many strategies to prevent mental disorders from stress, […]

Extraordinary phenomena: in search of some answers Psychiatrist Massimo Bettetini explains the frequency of extraordinary phenomena, and how to distinguish real ones from pathological ones. How frequent and true are extraordinary mystical phenomena? To answer this question, a certain amount of psychotherapeutic experience may be useful in the search for a discernment that knows how to distinguish […]

A phenomenological and psychological approach Mystery of death helps to live with joy. November is a good time to remember. Ever since death came into the world, it has been a cause for concern but also for hope. It has always been frightening because it indicates a limit, an insuperable and invincible pass. For this […]

Living and teaching the adventure of loving and being loved Formation of affectivity for the adventure of loving and being loved. Learning to love in order to be in tune with God, with others and with the world. Having a compass to love. Chapter from the book Loving and teaching others to love. Paul O’Callaghan, an […]

We present the first article published by John B. Torelló in issue 3 of the journal Studi Cattolici, with the title “Will Schizophrenia be unveiled?”. See glossary for definition of schizophrenia. As part of the cataloguing studies of Torelló’s personal archive, many of the nearly fifty articles he wrote for the journal Catholic Studies were […]

‘A hundredfold’ in this life, and then eternal happiness. This is the promise Jesus makes in the Gospel to those who leave everything to follow Him exclusively, giving Him their whole heart. Is celibacy an attractive way of life? A ‘hundredfold’, this is the answer of Jesus to so many who received the gift of […]

Understanding the meaning of physical and psychological suffering The spiritual accompaniment of the sick is an art, like all spiritual direction, with major challenges. In this article or script, different themes are developed to better understand depression, anxiety, psychiatric illnesses, but also the normal ailments that affect us until the end of our days.

Last 2nd September marked the 26th anniversary of the Austrian psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl, well known throughout the world for being the creator of the third Viennese school of psychiatry, Logotherapy. Religion was not a distant topic for Frankl, and his thoughts can shed an interesting light on it. Within the studies being carried out […]

Frankl: The Contribution of Man’s Search for Meaning to our Time Viktor E. Frankl is well known today as a psychiatrist and philosopher. Frankl was born into a Jewish family in Vienna on March 26, 1905, and died in the same city on September 2, 1997. His most widely published book is Man’s Search for […]

Rebirth from a vocational crisis New birth from the vocational crisis is the theme of this tenth article in the One Hundred for One series on celibacy. Starting a vocational path is an adventure. There is much to discover and the awareness that difficult times may arise. One of the most frequent fears when undertaking […]

Research Group in Psychology and Spiritual Life The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross has received as a donation the personal archive Professor Joan Baptista Torelló. At the same university a research group has been set up a Research Group in Psychology and Spiritual Life, which is named after him. Torelló was a professor in […]

Benefits and challenges of Christian celibacy Reflections on the amazing psychology of celibacy of priests, religious and lay people. An experience of more than two thousand years and thousands of people. Psychology of celibacy in the Catholic Church.

Let’s look at some criteria for Christian vocational discernment. A few days ago, I was walking through Rome, I was dressed as a priest, and I was stopped by two young men, who were both covered with tattoos and piercings. They wanted to have their picture taken. Table of contents: criteria for vocational discernment 1. […]

Marijuana, benefits and risks Marijuana love and health, includes in the title something that this drug cannot provide. The access to marijuana nowadays has been accelerated in an unprecedented way. There are more and more blogs and YouTube channels dedicated to offering news and advice for its cultivation and consumption.

How to assess the usefulness of yoga and mindfulness What is the usefulness and goodness of mindfulness and yoga for the Christian life? Are these Eastern techniques a source of lasting peace in society and in the individual? Yoga, mindfulness and other forms of Eastern meditation are practices that have grown and produce fascination, surprise and admiration; […]

Understanding and coping with sleep problems Sleeping problems are very frequent. Insomnia is difficulty falling or staying asleep, or waking up early. The person may not be aware of not having slept, but wakes up feeling tired. In general, insomnia is a symptom or manifestation of other difficulties, and not a disease in itself. About […]

Working in a group is not just about efficiency Learning to work as a team is very important. We remind some keys to forming a good team, which allows to make decisions and push forward a common project with a shared sense of purpose. They can be applied to a family, the governing council of […]

Mental health and emotionality in times of coronavirus Covid, as it is known, has changed lives and affected young people’s emotional health. Shortly before writing these lines, a young teacher asked me for help and advice because a 16-year-old student of his class had come very close to taking his own life. After a long […]

Including emotions in prayer with God Role of affection in prayer is very important, because prayer is an activity that involves all the faculties of the person. These faculties are: intelligence, will, imagination, feelings? The emotions also play an important role in the life of prayer, but how can we integrate them harmoniously in our […]

Dealing with depression with optimism Depression affects almost 15% of the world’s population. The recent pandemic has increased the frequency of depressions. It is key to know what to say and what not to say to a suffering person The first step is prevention, followed by a good diagnosis. See also useful advice for the spiritual accompanniment […]

The path to happiness: forgive, forgive yourself and forget To ‘purify the memory’ is a felicitous expression of the theologian Jutta Burggraf and is a fundamental process in the quest for happiness. A poor memory can be a good ally of happiness, especially if one forgets negative memories; although this is not easy, as negative […]

Helping people with psychological wounds As we said in the first part of the guide, we hope that these lines will help us to recognize and better understand our own way of being and that of others. We are not determined, but numerous events of the past leave their mark, for instance, some moments of rejection […]

Mania is an abnormal mood state with excessively elevated and expansive, euphoric mood tone, tendency to talk rapidly, psychomotor excitement, hyper-evaluation of oneself and one’s own abilities, leading to dispersion in many interests, unwarranted optimism and undertaking numerous initiatives. Mania is a clinical sign opposite to depression and the key symptom in bipolar disorder. Bipolar […]

The term psychosis includes mental disorders in which there is a profound fracture or loss of contact with reality, which prevents the person from an adequate assessment of the real world. The two fundamental symptoms are delusions and hallucinations. Delusion is an alteration of the content of thought, consisting of the formulation of erroneous ideas […]

Addiction or dependence is the urgent need for a substance (alcohol, drugs); or to perform a certain behavior (behavioral addictions such as gambling or pornography, or internet addiction), leading to unrestrained consumption and loss of freedom. Addiction is a reflection of an inner emptiness that one wishes to fill. It can be a lack of […]

Obsession is an alteration of the content of thought The thinking of an obsessive person is invaded by irrational and repetitive ideas, perceived by the subject as his own but absurd or exaggerated. The content of obsessions is varied: ideas of being contaminated, of having sinned, of having to check if the light is off […]

Depression and burnout are an alteration of the mood Depression is a mood disturbance. It is an illness characterized by symptoms such as low mood, loss of interest and initiative, psychomotor slowness, pessimism, indeciviness, feelings of guilt and others. Depression differs from normal sadness in that it is too intense, goes beyond what would be expected, […]

Anxiety is an unpleasant and painful emotional state, with a feeling of uneasiness and threat to one’s physical or moral integrity. It is presented together with insecurity, perplexity, fear before a real or imaginary danger. It is often accompanied by physiological changes similar to those caused by fear: sweating, tachycardia, difficulty breathing. It can occur […]

Male and female complementarity   Javier Vidal-Quadras   I remember, when my children were young, a friend, who only had daughters, saying to me, “From time to time, I will borrow some of your boys for my girls to know in a natural way the difference between men and women.” I am talking about very […]

Morality in the Sexual Dimension Asghar Farhadi’s The Traveler won an Oscar for the best foreign language film in 2017. The plot begins with a stranger who sexually assaults the protagonist’s wife. When he is finally discovered and asked why he did it, he simply responds, “I fell into temptation” which is really an understatement […]

When they saw the star, they were overjoyed (Matthew 2:10)   Stars are used to distinguish the quality of hotels. Stars are used to reward good restaurants. Stars, from one to five, are used to rate books, all kinds of purchases and services, and people. For centuries stars have been associated with magnificent events, with memorable […]

Educating the sexual dimension to be happier We offer part of chapter VII of the document on human sexuality of the pontifical council for the family. Some ideas are highlighted for easier reading. Anyone who wishes to know and face the theme of sexuality, from a Christian anthropology, will find it very useful to read the whole […]

Coronavirus and the post-pandemic world: a new War Not long ago we wondered whether the coronavirus would change the world for the better. Now, with a new war raging in the heart of Europe, with Russia and Ukraine engaged in a bloody conflict, the answer is clearer: only good people improve our common home. Having […]

Resources to educate in the virtue that humanizes sexuality Bibliographic suggestions and other resources for sexual education, according to the age of the persons. We point out some useful books, web pages and documentaries to favor maturity in the sexual dimension. Living sexuality humanely will always be a current issue, essential to achieve a happy and […]

Tenet and our longing for God Christopher Nolan’s film Tenet, analyzed in its psycho-spiritual dimension, shows a human aspiration. We will not tell the details of the story, which each one has to discover. Outline of the plot and scientific foundations of Tenet Tenet’s action revolves around a disturbing threat to humanity, one that transcends […]

Mental and spiritual health care How to be positive and optimistic in the face of the unknow. Updated while waiting for a third winter: Will there be a new wave of coronaviruses? Uncertainty remains: Will a third or fourth or fifth… wave arrive? Will vaccination against new viral strains be effective? Vaccines are confirmed to […]

Building a good and happy personal life   By Iván López Casanova   There is a certain idea gaining currency that, in one’s personal life and especially in the education of children, the achievement of virtue – the ‘good operating habits’ described by classical philosophy – is essential. See Original Spanish Version  We each have […]

How to be faithful in love Building antibodies against infidelity is key. On several occasions, I have received references from studies on the health benefits of fidelity and mutual love. But the truth is, whether out of scepticism or lack of interest, I have never paid much attention to them. However, about a month ago, […]

My wife noticed the mess of a canister filled with paddle tennis balls with the lid off… and she closed it… By Javier Vidal-Quadras   Last Sunday I went to play paddle tennis. I opened a jar of new balls and it started to rain. We finished the match, the result of which I don’t […]

Identity for spiritual accompaniment Accompanying someone in their spiritual growth and self-awareness is exciting and difficult. In this article, we will cover some spiritual and psychological aspect, linked to that process. In another article we dealt with the emotional dimension of human and spiritual formation. We will consider the context of personal spiritual accompaniment, in which the ABC’s of “emergency […]

Spiritual accompaniment of the heart In the first half of this article we set out the ABC’s of spiritual guidance, and focused on the identity that sustains a person. Let’s now look at that inner world that is so often agitated and prevents us from breathing calmly: The world of emotions or “affectivity” How can we put affectivity in harmony […]

Faith and Hope of Thomas More, Patron Saint of Politicians We offer an original prayer of St. Thomas More, to pray for peace. The battle that achieves peace is the struggle of each person within himself, to think of others. The rulers who recognize and abandon their self-centeredness truly serve. Imprisoned in the Tower of […]

The desire for pleasure taken to the extreme It is often said that the sexual revolution began in the second half of the 20th century. Much of the theory underlying it was already written, however, and not only by Freud. At the beginning of the 20th century, various changes in customs were promoted in order […]

Faith Lived with Coherence Improves Health Faith is not medicine, but there are many reasons why it is useful for health: more precisely, for the unity of the different dimensions of the person. Faith gives light to intelligence, to grasp more easily what is good and bad, what is virtue or vice, the value of temperance. Interview […]

Is it possible to find any good in the pandemic?   God is far too great for us to be able to judge his actions, but we can get some insights from what we know of Him. Original article in Spanish The pandemic brings to light our “false securities”.   Without considering it a punishment, […]

Dynamic Maturity and Personal Growth The name Cultivating humanity groups five challenges that arise in family life and society, divided into sub-themes. Exploring each of them makes it easier to learn about and find the content we offer: 1. Developing a Christian personality 2. Body and heart 3. Healthy Psyche 4. Friendship and the relational […]

Our temperament shapes the way we look at reality The human person is a mystery. Little by little, anthropology and psychology are revealing aspects that were previously undeveloped. Temperament and character knowledge is important in formation work. Complete with Online Temperament Test  Download pdf Temperament and character have been spoken of since classical antiquity as […]

Young people threatened by social networks and Internet Expert in youth education explains, from his daily experience, how to improve mental health  in a world of screens. Chema Camean (Vanallinna Hariduskolleegium, Tallinn) I have been working as a teacher for almost 20 years and have noticed that, in the last 10 years, children and young people […]

Manias are like Limpets that Stick to our Lives  and it is Hard to get Rid of Them   By Javier Vidal-Quadras   This morning I had a double surprise: I went into the kitchen and found the last teenage son we have left living at home – oh, dear, what will we do when […]

The first for the husband is his wife…and vice versa By Javier Vidal-Quadras When we talk about fidelity, sexual infidelity immediately comes to mind. However, fidelity goes much further. I like to talk more about loyalty, which is a preference for the loved one, choosing him or her every day and putting him or her above […]

  The largest medical-scientific Review in Sexuality and Gender The Mayer Report on Sexuality and Gender It does not include moral or philosophical considerations. They present the scientific data, with particular attention to children and adolescents: scientists confirm that in this group, most of those who report attractions to the same sex will not experience it […]

Arvo Pärt and rebirth of the spirit Music is the most immaterial of the arts. For a long time, it was not even written down. It seems to disappear with the last echo of the final note. Is that not a reflection of our life? Music easily touches the spirit and responds to or queries […]

Sex education from Christian anthropology We offer part of chapter VI of the document on human sexuality of the Pontifical Council for the Family, highlighting some ideas. The complete reading of the document, with abundant notes, is a basis for understanding the theme of sexuality, from an adequate anthropological point of view.

Flying free into the light One day, that you may remember, the darkness closed your mind. It was perhaps in your childhood, or when it awakened in you an enigmatic desire for new pleasure. Your body seemed suitable for everything, you were flying in the wind and you felt good. Why did you stop feeling the same after […]

We have become experts in health issues   Never before has so much attention been paid to physical health as in our times.   Original article in Spanish At what other time have the young, and not-so-young, become as determined to achieve a good physique as now? It is surprising to see 15-year-old boys and […]

Prof. Rafael Ruiz Rafael Ruiz. Associate Professor of American History at the Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP).

Prof. Francisco Insa Born in Seville in 1975. Degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Extremadura (Spain, 1999); Psychiatrist (2004). Licentiate (2008) and doctorate (2010) in Moral Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome). Secretary of the Center for Priestly Formation (2016) and professor of Moral Theology (2017) at the […]

Born in 1991. He is a medical doctor from the Austral University, Argentina. He has a degree in Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome. He was ordained priest in September 2020. He is currently assistant professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. He focuses his research in […]

Prof. Wenceslao Vial Mena Professor of Psychology and Spiritual Life at the Faculty of Theology of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, in Rome. Medical Doctor (Universidad de Chile) and catholic priest; PhD in Philosophy (Pontifical University of the Holy Cross). He combines his experience of clinical practice and his academic activity with a wide […]