Catholic Fire

Our Lady of Good Counsel On April 25, 1467, the feast of St. Mark, the people of Genazzano, Italy witnessed a miracle. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon when they heard exquisite music – the sound of angelic voices singing. Then, as they gazed upward at the clear blue sky, they saw a mysterious cloud appear and descend upon an unfinished wall of their church dedicated to Our Lady of Good Counsel. When the cloud disappeared, a beautiful image of Our Lady and the Child Jesus was revealed which had not been there before. The church bells rang of their accord and many people from the countryside rushed into the city to investigate the reason for the ringing. Many miracles occurred shortly after the appearance of the image, which were attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel. Consequently, Pope Paul II ordered an investigation of the image. The same image had been seen in a church dedicated to the Annunciation in Scutari, Albania. The image in this chu...

Prayer to Our Lady, Mother of Mercy Blessed Virgin Mary, who can worthily repay you with praise and thanks for having rescued a fallen world by your generous consent! Receive our gratitude, and by your prayers obtain the pardon of our sins. Take our prayers into the sanctuary of heaven and enable them to make our peace with God. Holy Mary, help the miserable, strengthen the discouraged, comfort the sorrowful, pray for your people, plead for the clergy, intercede for all women consecrated to God. May all who venerate you feel now your help and protection. Be ready to help us when we pray, and bring back to us the answers to our prayers. Make it your continual concern to pray for the people of God, for you were blessed by God and were made worthy to bear the Redeemer of the world, who lives and reigns forever. Amen. -- Saint Augustine of Hippo

The First Step in Changing Society How do we change the society we live in to be more in tune with the laws of God? What is the secret of motivating people to become more virtuous? These are questions that I continually ask myself. In these times of constant unrest in the world where the prevailing attitude is "an eye for an eye" and "a tooth for a tooth", where innocent human beings are slaughtered in the womb daily, and our disabled and elderly are treated as burdens on society, I ask myself what can I as one person do to promote change? The answer I consistently receive in my conversations with God are to come before Him daily and to surrender my life to Him and to His Holy Mother. This begins with offering up all my thoughts, words, actions, joys, and sufferings to Jesus and Mary. A prayer as simple as, "All for You, Mary" will suffice. A morning offering and more formal consecration prayers to Jesus and to Mary are part of my usual routi...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOTHER ANGELICA! Mother Angelica, you have been an angel to me. You have brought Jesus into my heart and soul when I have been homebound and too ill to go out. You have taught me how to love and laugh in the midst of pain. You have helped me to learn how to offer up my pain, my sufferings, and trials to the Lord. Thank you for strengthening my faith and for teaching me how to handle my suffering and trials by your wonderful example. Every time I hear your name or see your smiling face, a deep joy fills my heart. I am praying for an abundance of graces for you today, Mother. Happy Birthday, Mother! "Unless we are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous." -- Mother Angelica