Introduction - Discipline

Welcome to the topic of Discipline. I know it is a scary topic, but the right discipline is necessary discipline.

Here, we attempt to compile useful lists of important doctrines, dogma, spiritualities, and all other spiritual food in a way that you could print them off onto a business card and keep in your wallet or purse.

That's not a bad idea.
Go make yourself felt (not the fabric...)!

Thank you for being interested in the narrow way,

Matthew S. MacLennan
Catholic Self-Help

Introduction - Book Summaries

Welcome to the Book Summaries section of Catholic Self-Help!

Here, we do what we say: Summarize the key lessons from what we deem as important books that will guide you in your life in Christ.

We are all busy people. Catholics, because of our various responsibilities, duties, and our moral obligation to uphold them and be excellent in them, we should be particularly busy. Don't just say you are busy... you should be genuinely BUSY! Therefore, my hope is that by summarizing important books, I can save you some time in reading an entire book, in case you are not planning on reading the entire work.

If you are planning to read an entire book, you can use the Book Summaries posts as "the gist" of the book you want to read. I hopefully won't give it away!

I also attach a cover photo and the link to purchasing it on Amazon.

Don't just read, DO!

Thank you,

Matthew S. MacLennan
Catholic Self-Help

Introduction to Visuals

In this section of Catholic Self-Help, we introduce Visuals. A convenient way to express interconnecting ideas, sequential actions, and networks, visuals provide a streamlined way to learn things which may be difficult to visualize through text alone.

We will present visuals which will help explain Papal documents, visuals which present the overall structure of an important work, visuals which are already in print, and visuals created right here on Catholic Self-Help!

We hope that the visuals presented here will be useful for educational purposes. More sincerely, we hope that through increased understanding, you may come to know the love God has for you, the love His Church has for you, and the magnificent quest of life He calls you to.

Thank you,

Matthew S. MacLennan
Catholic Self-Help

Introduction to Leadership Section

God bless you!

In the posts under the Leadership category, you will find everything from examples of leadership, to ways of developing leadership skills, excellent resources for leadership, and handy formulas for defining leadership and helping you remember the essence of leadership.

Our philosophy is in line with the major leadership teachers and practitioners today: Leadership is a learned skill. Anyone can become a leader, provided they spend the time and energy to develop into one.

Leadership takes a lot of judgment, giving to others their due, a strong will, and the ability to say "no" when needed. All you need to do is practice!

Take care & God Bless

Matthew S. MacLennan

Christian Self-help, Catholic self-help

Foreword

Covey would call it “effectiveness”. Siebold would call it “world-class” or “champion”. We call it “sanctity”—the complete version of effectiveness; it is heaven-class, elevating the world-class to heaven-class. It is beyond excellence--it is blessedness. It is what we really want.

The saints are exceptionally tough people. Even though many of them had physical ailments and spiritual struggles, one thing we know is that they battled through them all—with joy.

This blog is a two-fold response to the thousands of excellent self-help books out there:

1. Most Christians mistakenly believe that self-help books are only for people who do not believe in God.
2. Most self-help books do not approach life as “life in Christ”, but only approach life as “life”.

These misunderstandings and lacks are really masks behind which people hide their true selves.

Most Christians mistakenly believe that self-help books are only for people “who don’t need God” because they themselves do not wish to take practical steps to become better people. Somewhere down the line, they believe that God will “fix” them, irrespective of what they do. This is a tragic attitude in life! This is also the reason why religion is used to justify destructive behaviour and attitudes. The saints did not have this attitude. Instead, the saints used whatever means necessary which God had already given them in order to realize His divine will for them. They were the opposite of selfish—they were selfless.

Secondly, most self-help books only approach life as “life”—common to all people in joys and struggles. I would insist, however, that life in Christ is a whole other ballgame! Life in Christ is more demanding, more painful, and more joyful—it is glorious!

Our goal is not only to be effective or world-class, our goal is sanctity! We do not only desire to be successful in the life we live in the world, but more importantly successful in the spiritual life, which we also live amidst the world. The two are not incompatible, as many mistakenly think.

There is a very obvious congruence between self-help books and Christian self-help: self-help books are to help you be successful in your life and its various roles, while Christian self-help is to help you be successful in your life and its various roles in order to become holy and to help others become holy. Where self-help books end, the Christian life, the sacramental life, begins.

Remember, Christians and non-Christians alike can and should be successful in life in all the same ways. The difference is that the Christian has the obligation to do all things with extraordinary love—with the love of Jesus Christ.

For any good self-help book you read, remember this: do it all out of pure love for God first, and for others. That way, you will bring honour to God.

Matthew S. MacLennan

August 17, 2012

Welcome!

Welcome to Catholic Self-Help!

This blog is dedicated to surveying personal and professional development in the areas of leadership, management, and self-help from a Catholic perspective.

I hope you find the insights given here useful!

God bless you on your journey toward personal, professional, and spiritual excellence!

Matthew S. MacLennan