About ARMOR

Purpose: Promote true happiness as a virtuous response to the universal call to holiness.

Mission: Help people grow in virtue.

Vision: Be a leader in faith-based behavioral change.

ARMOR is a response to the universal call to holiness, which is a Catholic teaching that is explained in Chapter 5 of the Church's Second Vatican Council document, Lumen Gentium, from which the following excerpts are taken:

#39. "Therefore in the Church, everyone whether belonging to the hierarchy, or being cared for by it, is called to holiness, according to the saying of the Apostle: 'This is the will of God, your [holiness].'" (1 Thessalonians 4:3)

#40. "The Lord Jesus, the divine Teacher and Model of all perfection, preached holiness of life to each and everyone of His disciples of every condition. He Himself stands as the author and consumator of this holiness of life: 'Be you therefore perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.'" (Matthew 5:48)

#42, §1. "Each one of the faithful must willingly hear the Word of God and accept His Will, and must complete what God has begun by their own actions with the help of God's grace. These actions consist in the use of the sacraments and in a special way the Eucharist, frequent participation in the sacred action of the Liturgy, application of oneself to prayer, self-abnegation, lively fraternal service and the constant exercise of all the virtues."

#42, §5. "Therefore, all the faithful of Christ are invited to strive for the holiness and perfection of their own proper state [in life]. Indeed they have an obligation to so strive. Let all then have care that they guide aright their own deepest sentiments of soul. Let neither the use of the things of this world nor attachment to riches, which is against the spirit of evangelical poverty, hinder them in their quest for perfect love. Let them heed the admonition of the Apostle to those who use this world; let them not come to terms with this world; for this world, as we see it, is passing away." (1 Corinthians 7:31)

"Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil."
-Ephesians 6:11

ARMOR's name was inspired by Ephesians 6:11, where we read that the "armor of God" enables us to withstand the "tactics of the devil". These tactics include the habits that are hindering progress in fulfilling our universal call to holiness. These habits hindering holiness (ie. vices) can be overcome by habits helping holiness (virtues) that are practiced daily.

"Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground.”
-Ephesians 6:12-13

The military block font style of the name and motto represents the spiritual warfare that St. Paul suggests in Ephesians 6:12-13, and ARMOR is an active engagement in spiritual warfare against the devil's tactics as a response to God's call to be holy.

"So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
-Ephesians 6:14-17

The "Grow in Virtue" motto is rooted in Ephesians 6:14-17, which Pope Paul VI alluded to in the last section of his address to a General Audience in 1972, where he recalled “how often the apostolic method of teaching used the armor of a soldier as a symbol for the virtues that can make a Christian invulnerable. The Christian must be a militant; he must be vigilant and strong; and he must at times make use of special ascetical practices to escape from certain diabolical attacks. Jesus teaches us this by pointing to ‘prayer and fasting’ as the remedy. And the Apostle [St. Paul] suggests the main line we should follow: ‘Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’” (Romans 12:21, emphasis added) 

"The virtues provide our defensive armor... [and] are our best defense against [the devil’s] attacks, for they guard our minds and hearts against his deceptions and temptations. A lapse in virtue is in fact a chink in our armor that makes us vulnerable."
-Manual for Spiritual Warfare

The motto also takes its shape from the above statement, which inspires ARMOR to help people grow in virtue. As we grow in virtue, we fulfill our universal call to holiness. And as we fulfill our universal call to holiness, we find true happiness that comes only from God.

ARMOR's logo uses traditional symbols of the virtues that are also represented by other symbols in Ephesians 6:14-17:

• Faith - The cross in the center of the logo symbolizes faith, which is also represented in the logo by the shield referenced in Ephesians 6:16 to "hold faith as a shield to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one" so that we believe in God and all that He has revealed.

• Hope - The anchor in the center of the logo symbolizes hope, such that being anchored in Christ helps to keep from discouragement and to stay joyful in trials. This virtue is also symbolized in Ephesians 6:17 to "take the helmet of salvation", which is symbolic of protecting the mind from temptation to despair.

• Charity - The heart in the center of the logo symbolizes charity, since the heart is a symbol of our will that makes choices for or against God. This virtue is also symbolized in Ephesians 6:14 to be "clothed with righteousness as a breastplate", where the breastplate is symbolic of protecting our heart.

• Prudence - The open book at the top of the logo symbolizes prudence. This virtue is also symbolized in Ephesians 6:14 to be "clothed with righteousness as a breastplate", where righteousness is being rightly related to God and others by loving God with all our heart, soul, and mind and by loving others as we love ourselves. Love consists in choosing and doing what is right and good, and knowing what is right and good requires learning.

• Justice - The scale at the bottom of the logo symbolizes justice. This virtue is also symbolized in Ephesians 6:15 to have "your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace", where we demonstrate peace with God and others by fairness to both.

• Fortitude - The lion on the left side of the logo symbolizes fortitude. This virtue is also symbolized in Ephesians 6:15 to have "your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace", where a lion's courage is required to demonstrate peace.

• Temperance - The cup pouring liquid into another cup on the right side of the logo symbolizes temperance. This virtue is also symbolized in Ephesians 6:14 to "stand fast with your loins girded in truth", where we must seek and live the truth about what it means to love God, others, and ourself rightly with respect to all pleasures of the flesh as represented by the "loins".  Pouring liquid from one cup into another cup represents diluting wine with water to achieve balance, moderation, and harmony of fleshly pleasures.

Do I need to be Catholic to join ARMOR?

While ARMOR uses Catholic prayers in a faith-based approach to behavioral change, people of any faith or no faith are invited to join.

How is ARMOR different from other approaches to behavioral change?

Other approaches to behavioral change focus on avoiding specific undesirable behaviors that weaken relationships with God, others, or self. In contrast, ARMOR is a faith-based approach that focuses on practicing specific desirable behaviors to replace the undesirable behaviors.

What else can I do in addition to ARMOR?

While ARMOR helps people grow in virtue to be holy and, ultimately, to find true happiness that comes only from God, all are encouraged to consider additional ways to facilitate behavioral change:

• Participate in a program of recovery from substance or behavioral addiction.

• Work with a certified spiritual director for guidance on the spiritual journey.

• Get professional counseling from a licensed therapist to address psychological pain and trauma.

• Work with a life coach who can facilitate identifying and practicing new habits to grow in virtue.