What do Catholics think of Mortification of the Flesh today?

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Back in the Good Old Days, one might do penance with a discipline (a small whip) to offer atonement for personal sins of some degree. Some are said to utilize this to this day, and then we have some using the cilice (a small spiked chain worn around the thigh or waist) as well.

What is the general line of thought among Catholics today on mortification? Is it good, bad, indifferent, or just plain old-fashioned?
 
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The rule of thumb with this is not to use it without guidance from a spiritual director. It can be beneficial in some cases, but it is often not.
 
It’s great if you are Mother Teresa, it’s terrible if you are an albino monk who kills people…

😆

But with all seriousness, I think @ezweber might have best answer
 
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As described by the OP one should not do it without guidance from a spiritual director. In general, that need not be the case. As @(name removed by moderator) pointed out, there are lots of different means of mortification. Whenever someone uses this tradition as a means of discrediting the Church, I like to point out that mortification is alive and well in many areas of society, particularly among people who do a lot of exercise. It is not uncommon for people to exercise more than needed, just to “see push themselves” or it “makes them stronger”. Its really the same thing. We just acknowledge the spiritual help of it. So we should all do it to some extent. Deny yourself that extra helping of food, skip a meal when hungry occasionally, take a cold show, go a day without looking at social media, etc. Lots of ways to do this, they are a good idea.
 
It was not my intention to use this example as a pretext for ‘Catholic-bashing’; I don’t do that sort of thing. I’ve just been doing a lot of reading (I’m a nut for history) and seeing examples of this is an interesting- if painful- facet of the Church’s history (but is, as pointed out, by no means limited to Catholics, depending on one’s view of what constitutes mortification). I can very easily see why or how one might use this as a way to keep one’s focus or for any number of good reasons- but I can also see how it could go very, very badly if not kept in moderation and is instead used as a crutch or vice.
 
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Right. I was just saying that mortification in the manner described in the OP should not be done without the recommendation of a good spiritual director. I’m pretty sure that about half a second passed between CajunJoy’s post and mine
 
I’ve had priests tell me taking a cold shower is a good way. Whips aren’t prescribed anymore but that still happens I’m sure.
 
One good way of mortifying the flesh is by fasting.

Of course you need to talk to your doctor first before taking on a fasting regiment.
 
I do not think physical harming ourselves might be the best way to offer sacrifices to God. Dealing in a proper way with whatever our daily Cross is might be more important to God than making up our own sacrifices.

In Saint Faustina Diary it is mentioned:

I want the eyes of your soul to be always fixed on My holy will, since it is in this way that you will please Me most. No sacrifices can be compared to this.

If we are not doing God’s will it matter little how many sacrifices we do.

God Bless
 
As others have already mentioned, there’s other methods of mortification. One popularized by St. Josemaria Escriva is the Heroic Minute: waking up each day at the appointed time with no delay (no hitting of the snooze button).

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First thing in the morning, we are faced with a battle. Our alarm goes off, and we have a choice—we can either hit snooze or get out of bed immediately. I have a confession to make: For most of my life, I have hit the snooze button and dozed off again. Sometimes I have even done this […]
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PeterT said:
As others have already mentioned, there’s other methods of mortification. One popularized by St. Josemaria Escriva is the Heroic Minute : waking up each day at the appointed time with no delay (no hitting of the snooze button).
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I think that sounds harder.
 
PeterT said:
As others have already mentioned, there’s other methods of mortification. One popularized by St. Josemaria Escriva is the Heroic Minute : waking up each day at the appointed time with no delay (no hitting of the snooze button).
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Huh…all along I’ve been bailing out of bed without hitting the snooze button so my better half doesn’t kill me. Little did I know what I was actually doing was practicing mortification!!!
 
I find that this is much easier than just getting up on time when I don’t have to. Something about having to go somewhere gets my body functioning.
 
One of the most ‘strict’ priests I’ve ever known (for lack of a better descriptor) says the best mortification we can employ these days, with guidance and prudence, is self-denial of some food. Other minor pleasures (TV, etc.) could be good as well.
 
Self flaggelation is a pious practice. But so is fasting and other ways of mortification. Furthermore, it should only be done under the guidance of a director.

Pope John Paul II was known to engage in this pious practice.
 
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As someone who struggles with gluttony, fasting and denying myself treats anytime I crave it has helped me with my struggles.

Treats are now a special occasion item for me and not an everyday indulgence.
 
We’re not supposed to do this without the express permission and guidance of a spiritual director. My guess is that most spiritual directors would not permit this nowadays because of an increased awareness of the psychological issues that can accompany self-harm of this type. Some people actually grow to enjoy it and get a thrill out of it, others overdo it, etc.

I think fasting and prayer are better disciplines, or something really minor but annoying, like a couple of times I’ve gotten a piece of gravel in my shoe and left it there for an hour before taking it out, and offered that up. The gravel didn’t hurt or cut my foot, it was just annoying.
 
ReaderT said:
Some of our (Orthodox) monks sleep in their coffins.
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When I was a little girl, there was a young girl in my town who had a coffin on the outside screened porch of her family’s apartment and she would hop into it to sleep in the summertime. The neighbors got freaked out and called the police and it made the papers.
 
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