The Monk Who Almost Destroyed Himself Trying to Be Holy

The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns · Mar 14, 2026 · 8m

A monk once nearly destroyed his health trying to become holy. He prayed longer. Fast more. Slept less. He thought holiness meant pushing harder… until his abbot stopped him and said something that changed his life forever: “Don’t destroy the instrument God gave you. Tune it so it can make beautiful music.” In this episode of The Catholic Journey with Deacon Pat Kearns, we explore the forgotten virtue of charity toward yourself—why caring for the body and soul God gave you is not selfish, but essential to living a faithful life. If you’ve ever felt spiritually exhausted, overwhelmed, or like…