Catholic Fire

WASHINGTON -President Bush's new pick for the Supreme Court has a track record on abortion that suggests a shift toward more restrictions. Although there are no guarantees that Samuel Alito would vote to overturn the court's landmark ruling ensuring a woman's right to abortion, he has sharply different views from the justice he was picked to replace, Sandra Day O'Connor. If confirmed by the Senate, the judge immediately would find himself in a tie-breaking role in pending abortion cases, possibly in his first months on the bench. The timing of his confirmation hearings is key, as the Supreme Court in the next few weeks takes up its first significant abortion case in five years. Alito, a Catholic, is opposed to abortion, his 90-year-old mother forthrightly told reporters in New Jersey. As an appeals court judge, he held that states can require women seeking abortions to notify their spouses. The Supreme Court disagreed. "If he thinks that's OK, there are certain...

WASHINGTON — Following President Bush’s nomination of 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. to serve as Associate Justice for the United States Supreme Court, Fidelis President Joseph Cella released the following statement: “Judge Alito is a first class nominee and his judicial philosophy appears to be one that reflects faithfulness to the Constitution and the rule of law. Judge Alito’s background and temperament make him particularly suited to serve as a Justice on the Supreme Court. The depth and breadth of Judge Alito’s intellect and service to his country is exemplary. We are confident he will extend his record of judicial restraint and impartial leadership on the Supreme Court. Judge Alito is a man of deep character, humility, and a congenial disposition that will serve him well during his confirmation hearings. Judge Alito is likely to spark a robust debate about the Constitution and the proper role of a judge and the courts. We welcome this debate and believe i...

Fidelis : (adj ) faithful, loyal, true. The name Fidelis, is widely recognized as a part of the United States Marines motto “Semper Fidelis” (always faithful). The family of Fidelis organizations chose this name because it represents the deepest aspirations of our combined work – to encourage and advance a spirit of faithfulness in American public life, in both the duties of citizens and in our commitments to religious faith. Fidelis is a Catholic-based advocacy organization established to help elect pro-life, pro-family and pro-religious liberty candidates to public office, support the confirmation of judges, and promote and defend laws faithful to the Constitution in Congress and the Courts. Fidelis is principally focused on protecting the right to life at every stage, upholding the time-honored institutions of marriage and family, and advancing the role of religious liberty in the renewal of American culture. These truths have united millions of Americans since the founding of o...

With the upcoming feast day of all Saints, I have been reflecting on those saints who have most impacted me in my life and want to extend my thanks to them for their continuing help and guidance as I travel on this earthly journey toward my final destination. As a small way of expressing my gratitude, I am making a list of my top ten favorite saints and a few of the virtues and the personality traits that I admire most in each of them. 1. St. John, the Evangelist - love for God and man 2. St. Therese of Lisieux - her simplicity, perseverance,love 3. St. Catherine of Siena - her spunk, obedience to God,love 4. St. Teresa Benedicta - intelligence,wisdom,courage,love 5. St. Gianna Molla - intelligence,unselfishness,love 6. St. Teresa of Avila - perseverance, determination,love 7. St. Pio of Pietrelcina - humility, obedience,love 8. St. Joseph - obedience to God, protective nature,love 9. St. Louis de Montfort-courage, stamina, obedience, love 10 St. John Vianney - humility, obedience, per...

If Alito is confirmed, the Supreme Court would have 5 Catholic justices (Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Kennedy, & Alito). If these Catholics are truly living out the gospel message in their daily lives, as we are called by our faith to do, then abortion, euthansia, and all pro-death laws would cease to exist in this country as we know them today. God's law, and not man's law, would rule the land.

Nicknamed "Scalito" for views resembling those of conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito Jr. is a favorite son of the political right. Appointed in 1990 by George H.W. Bush to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, Alito has earned a reputation for intellectual rigor and polite but frequent dissent in a court that has been historically liberal. His mettle, as well as a personable demeanor and ties to former Republican administrations, has long had observers buzzing about his potential rise to the high court. "Sam Alito is in my mind the strongest candidate on the list," says Pepperdine law Prof. Douglas Kmiec. "I know them all . . . but I think Sam is a standout because he's a judge's judge. He approaches cases with impartiality and open-mindedness." A New Jersey native, the 55-year-old Alito received a bachelor's degree from Princeton and graduated from Yale Law School. He worked in the solicitor general's office du...

A documentary seven years in the making tying Bill Clinton to an Arkansas prison blood scandal that spread AIDS to thousands around the world and resulted in the death of thousands is set to screen in Hollywood next week – renewing controversy about the long-forgotten story. This is a real life horror film that documents the crime of the century topped only by Hitler, Stalin, and Tito.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush, stung by the rejection of his first choice, will nominate Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, selecting a conservative federal judge to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, a moderate. The choice, confirmed by two senior Republican officials, was likely to spark a political brawl. Unlike the nomination of Harriet Miers, which was derailed by Bush's conservative allies, Alito will face opposition from liberal Democrats. Bush planned to announce the nomination at 8 a.m. EST. The White House hopes the choice mends a rift in the Republican Party caused by his failed nomination of Miers, and puts his embattled presidency on a path to political recovery. Democrats already put the White House on notice that a conservative judge such as Alito would create problems. So consistently conservative, Alito has been dubbed "Scalito" or "Scalia-lite" by some lawyers because his judicial philosophy invites comparisons to conservative Su...

Today, December 16, 2003, is an important day in the United States. After listening to numerous pro life doctors, bioethicists and leaders warn of the dangers of allowing the abortifacient pill "Plan B" to be sold over the counter, the U.S. advisory panel to the FDA voted to recommend allowing the "morning after" contraceptive pill to be sold without a prescription. The pill is intended for use by women within 72 hours after sexual intercourse to prevent pregnancy. It's incredulous how these US advisors for the FDA could have made such an evil decision after having listened to the good Judie Brown testify that "these high doses of artificial hormones can and do terminate the lives of human beings after their lives have begun at conception/fertilization; these pills are dangerous for women, particularly adolescent women, and the damage to family life would be severe. Emergency contraception is not contraception...the Food and Drug Administration has a moral ...

"The sins which lead most souls to hell are sins of the flesh!" ~ Blessed Jacinta Marto During the week of October 10-14, students at the prominent Catholic University of Notre Dame faced another assault against traditional Catholic morality on campus: "National Coming Out Day." The weeklong event included shocking pro-homosexual activities under titles such as: -- Speak Out! Sex and Gender at Notre Dame Rally -- Come Out of Your Closet! -- Library Exhibit: Famous LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trasgender] Individuals -- The Process of Coming Out: A Panel Discussion -- "Gay? Fine by Me," T-shirt Day An email alert advertising pro-homosexual activities circulated by a Notre Dame graduate student on October 7, stating: "All campus Masses [on Sunday, October 9] will be dedicated to creating a more welcoming environment for ND GLBTQ [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer] students. Homilies at Mass in residence halls and the Basilica will reflect this...

WARNING: These are really scary. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1.

TRICK OR TREAT -- How it all began Begging at the door grew from an ancient English custom of knocking at doors to beg for a "soul cake" in return for which the beggars promised to pray for the dead of the household. Soul cakes, a form of shortbread — and sometimes quite fancy, with currants for eyes — became more important for the beggars than prayers for the dead, it is said. Florence Berger tells in her Cooking for Christ a legend of a zealous cook who vowed she would invent soul cakes to remind them of eternity at every bite. So she cut a hole in the middle and dropped it in hot fat, and lo — a doughnut. Circle that it is, it suggests the never-ending of eternity. Truth or legend, it serves a good purpose at Halloween. The refrains sung at the door varied from "a soul cake, a soul cake, have mercy on all Christian souls for a soul cake," to the later: Soul, soul, an apple or two, If you haven't an apple, a pear will do, One for Peter, two for Paul, Three for...

When you think of Halloween, what comes to mind? For a lot of people, Halloween has become synonymous with candy, costumes, scary stuff, witches, ghosts and pumpkins. But do you know the Christian connection to the holiday? The true origins of Halloween lie with the ancient Celtic tribes who lived in Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Brittany. For the Celts, November 1 marked the beginning of a new year and the coming of winter. The night before the new year, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, Lord of the Dead. During this festival, Celts believed the souls of the dead—including ghosts, goblins and witches—returned to mingle with the living. In order to scare away the evil spirits, people would wear masks and light bonfires. When the Romans conquered the Celts, they added their own touches to the Samhain festival, such as making centerpieces out of apples and nuts for Pomona, the Roman goddess of the orchards. The Romans also bobbed for apples and drank cider—traditions which may soun...

A priest stood at the church door greeting the parishioners after Mass. "Good mornin', Mr. and Mrs. O'Riley. I married you ten years ago but still you have no children? "Indeed you did, father. We've not been blessed. My husband and I have tried but we've not been successful", said Mrs. O'Riley. Father replied: "I'm going to Rome for a few years sabbatical. I'll light a candle for you in the great cathedral at the Vatican. Perhaps the Holy Mother will look kindly on you and your husband." Several years later, back at the church door, greeting parishioners, the priest meets Mrs. O'Riley: "Mrs. O'Riley, did you ever have any children?" "Indeed I did , Father," she said pointing to a family behind her. "We've had a set of triplets, a set of twins and two singles since we last saw you." Father replied: "Praise be the Holy Mother. She's blessed you. But I don't see Mr. O’Riley. Is he ...

In his most recent film, The Passion of the Christ, the dialogue was in Aramaic and Latin. Now Mel Gibson has announced the dialogue in his new film will be an ancient dialect called Yucatec. Apocalypto - a Greek word meaning 'new beginning' - concerns a Maya Indian family man who 'has to overcome tremendous odds to preserve what he values the most'. The action movie - directed, produced, funded and co-written by, but not starring Gibson - will employ relatively unknown actors along with hundreds of extras speaking the Mayan tongue of Yucatec. The Maya are people of southern Mexico and northern Central America (Guatemala, Belize, western Honduras, and El Salvador) with some 3,000 years of history. The Maya were part of the Mesoamerican Pre-Columbian cultures. Contrary to popular myth, the Maya people never "disappeared." There are an estimated 6 million Maya people living in this area at the start of the 21st century. Some are quite integrated into the modern...

Today Pope Benedict XVI made an unannounced pilgrimage to the Mother of the Graces of Mentorella shrine, about 30 miles from Rome. He celebrated Mass there in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The visit fell on the 27th anniversary of the first time Pope John Paul II prayed at the shrine as pope. Pope John Paul II had prayed at the shrine just two days before his election on Oct. 16, 1978. He returned there on October 29, 1978 at the beginning of his pontificate and several times afterwards. The Holy Father's message on October 29, 1978 was: "Prayer... is... the first task and almost the first announcement of the Pope, just as it is the first condition of his service in the Church and in the world." "It should never be forgotten that prayer constitutes an essential part of Christian life, understood in its fullness and centrality. Indeed, prayer is an important part of our very humanity: It is "the first expression of man's inner truth, the first condition ...

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A light blue 1975 Ford Escort GL once owned by Pope John Paul II sold for $690,000 Saturday to a Houston multimillionaire who said he plans to put it in a museum he wants to build in his hometown. "To me, it's a piece of history," said John O'Quinn, 62, a Baptist who said he has a collection of about 600 vehicles. "What a great human being Pope John Paul was." Built 30 years ago at a Ford plant in Cologne, Germany, the car sold Saturday in what auctioneer Dean Kruse said was original papal condition - no hubcaps, no air conditioning, no radio, but with several nicks and dents. "The car will never be driven," said O'Quinn, who said that at least temporarily it will be warehoused with his other cars. "But hopefully, in my life, I'll be able to go back and touch this car and feel the pope's spirit." O'Quinn, a personal injury lawyer who made a fortune in a multibillion dollar Texas tobacco settlement, outbid ...

Our Nothing, which art Nowhere, give us this day our daily bread, and deliver us from: Abbots and Abbesses, Acolytes, Amish, Anabaptists, Angels, Anglicans, Animists, Anthems, Anthropomorphists, Apocalypses, Appolinarianists, Archbishops, Archdeacons, Archimandrites, Augustinians, Ayatollahs, Bahaists, Baptists, Benedictines, Bibles, Bishops including Bishops of Rome, Blackfriars, Bonzes, Brahmism and Brahmists, Buddhism and Buddhists, Calvinists, Canon Laws, Canons, Canticles, Cargo Cultists, Carmelites, Carthusians, Catholics, Chaplains, Chorales, Christadelphians, Christian Scientists, Christmas, Carmelites, Choristers, Church Bell Ringers, Churches, Church Organists, Churchwardens, Cistercians, Commandments, Complines, Conclaves, Confucianism and Confucianists, Consistories, Copts, Credos, Creeds, Crucifers, Crusaders and Crusades, Cults, Curates, Curia, Deacons and Deaconesses, Deans, Decalogues, Dominicans, Doxologies, Dukhobors, Encyclicals, Epiphanies, Epistles, Evangelists, Ex...

JUDGE KAREN WILLIAMS U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, appointed by G.H.W. Bush, 54 years old Lots of recent buzz for Judge Williams, known best in constitutional law circles for writing the opinion that said the Miranda warnings are not constitutional requirements. The Supreme Court reversed her. If you can't beat em, join em! New World Man presents: My favorite candidate for the Supreme Court brought to you by Quizilla On the basis of 12 questions, I came up with this result. I don't know much about this person other than she has a nice smile. Maybe that would be enough to qualify her for the position. The Anchoress has some interesting comments to make about this.

If you selected the third image, you are correct. Catholic Ragemonkey asked this question. Actually, it took less than five minutes for us to select the Halloween candy for the Trick or Treaters this year. We chose the same kind we do every year -- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups -- my husband Bill's favorite. That way we never have any left-overs. However, if you do have too many Three Musketeers left over this year, here are some suggestions for what to do with it. Three Musketeers has been my favorite since I was a child. They first came on the market in 1932 -- a year or two before I was born.

"When the time comes, as it surely will, when we face that awesome moment, the final judgment, I've often thought, as Fulton Sheen wrote, that it is a terrible moment of loneliness. You have no advocates, you are there alone standing before God -- and a terror will rip your soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that those in the pro-life movement will not be alone. I think there'll be a chorus of voices that have never been heard in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next world -- and they will plead for everyone who has been in this movement. They will say to God, 'Spare him, because he loved us!'" ~Congressman Henry Hyde

The name of St. Simon usually appears eleventh in the list of the apostles. The first cousin of Jesus, he was born at Cana and is surnamed "The Zealot." He preached in Egypt, Spain, and Lybia, leaving behind him the fertile hills of Galilee, where he had been engaged in the healthful cultivation of the vineyards and olive gardens. He later rejoined his brother, Saint Jude, in Persia, where they preached and died as martyrs together. St. Jude, also called Thaddeus or "Courageous", is the author of the short epistle in the New Testament. He was the apostle who asked the Lord at the Last Supper why he had manifested himself only to the disciples and not to the whole world (John 14:22). Sts. Simon and Jude left the comfort and safety of their secure environment to go out into the world and to preach the gospel, converting many hearts. As simple farmers, they appear to be the least likely candidates to be called to perform such a great task for the Lord. However, the Lo...

Call the White House now and let them know you want a Pro-Life person to be nominated for the Supreme Court. Click here for White House contact information . Remember to be nice. Email contact information: vice_president@whitehouse.gov comments@whitehouse.gov

WASHINGTON, October 27, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Harriet Miers has withdrawn her nomination to the Supreme Court Thursday as a result of growing opposition to her selection. President Bush has "reluctantly" accepted her decision. See the President's official statment on the withdrawal President's Statement on Harriet Miers' Supreme Court Nomination Withdrawal http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/10/20 ... Miers Withdrawal letter http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1027051miers1... More to come.

RAY NAGIN, the mayor of New Orleans was asked about his position on Roe Vs Wade. He said he didn't really care how people got out of the city. ~ via DJ Smith

When I was growing up, I loved watching Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen on TV and our whole family enjoyed his wonderful sense of humor. The following is just a small sampling of that. "There are 200 million poor in the world who would gladly take the vow of poverty if they could eat, dress and have a home like I do." It's like being a Knight of the Garter. It's an honor, but it doesn't hold up anything." "An atheist is a man who has no invisible means of support." "Baloney is the unvarnished lie laid on so thick you hate it. Blarney is flattery laid on so thin you love it." “Never measure your generosity by what you give, but rather by what you have left.” "Love is a mutual self-giving which ends in self-recovery." "Hearing nuns' confessions is like being stoned to death with popcorn."

On Thursday, November 3rd, at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time, Fr. Francis Mary will be interviewing Fr. Antoine Thomas on EWTN's Life on the Rock . Fr. Antoine belongs to the Congregation of St. John , one of the fastest growing religious orders within the Catholic Church. I can say from first hand experience that Fr. Antoine is one of the most interesting and informative spiritual instructors I have ever known. This is a program you won't want to miss.

For a pro-life treat, check out "Believe whatever you want, just don't kill me" at Thirsty Scribe -- a personal meeting with Fr. Frank Pavone, Founder of Priests for Life.

VATICAN CITY, OCT 26, 2005 (VIS) - Today's general audience, held in St. Peter's Square, was attended by 50,000 people who heard the Pope speak on the subject of the Canticle from the Letter to the Philippians, "Christ, Servant of God." Benedict XVI explained how the text contains "a double movement." The first highlights Christ's sacrifice "even to the humiliation of death on the Cross," the second "reveals Christ's paschal glory which, following death, reappears in the splendor of His divine majesty." The Father "exalts" the Son, said the Pope, and such exaltation "is expressed not only by His enthronement at the right hand of God, but also by bestowing on Christ 'the name which is above every name,' ... the most exalted 'name,' that of 'Lord,' which belongs to God Himself." "On the one hand, then, is the recognition of the universal lordship of Jesus Christ, Who receives homage f...

As a St, Louis Cardinals fan, I was disappointed when the Cardinals dropped out of the World Series in the play-offs, but am now rooting for my dad's favorite team -- the Chicago White Sox . I am sure he's cheering them on from Heaven and probably has asked God to post some angels in the outfield. Raised just south of Chicago, I do feel some loyalty toward the "Irish Catholic" team and wish I could join the other Catholics in the area who have been cheering them on.

You are Psalms. Which book of the Bible are you? brought to you by Quizilla Via Confessions of a Hot Carmel Sundae.

This is too funny ! The Humorous Mysteries of the Rosary from The Sacred and the Profane

A new poll conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University shows a majority of Americans say abortions should either always be illegal or that abortions should be allowed in only very rare circumstances. In summary, most Americans oppose most abortions .

‘Promises turned peril” Freed from “bondage”! “In 1963 a similar bomb [to the A bomb] was dropped on the US.” “..the pharmaceutical companies deny any possibility of their Golden Goose..” March 17th, 2000 - On the feast of St. Patrick, Thomas Wilson Ferebee, the bombardier who dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in World War II, died at 81. Ferebee was 26 on Aug. 6, 1945, when the B-29 Enola Gay took off for Japan with the first nuclear weapon ever deployed. Ferebee once stated that he never felt guilty but was sorry the bomb killed so many. America's bombing of Hiroshima and the blast at Nagasaki three days later left more than 100,000 dead and led to the end of the war. In 1963, a similar bomb was dropped on the United States. It was an atomic time bomb. The atoms in this bomb were not split as in the bomb that fell twice in Japan but these atoms were joined by similar chemistry to come together and form a chemical entity now known as "the pill". It was dropped wi...

I recently had the privilege of blessing the grave of Terri Schindler-Schiavo, who was murdered on March 31, 2005 by dehydration. Her grave is not far from the place where she died, and where people from around the world had gathered to protest and pray. Those who visit the gravestone, however, will notice something highly unusual. While on most graves there is an inscription of two dates - when the person was born and when he or she died - on Terri's there are three. Here's exactly what the grave says: Born December 3, 1963 Departed this Earth February 25, 1990 At Peace March 31, 2005 The whole world knows that she died on March 31, 2005. National and global media were present at the scene for days, covering every detail. Media were present again when I preached at her funeral mass. We know when she died. But her gravestone has become a pulpit for the euthanasia movement. Those who killed her are now using her grave as a platform for their twisted ideology. What they are tryin...

Pope Benedict has written his first encyclical, which is expected to be published before the end of the year, deals with one's personal relationship with God. The work is just under 50 pages long and is expected be published to coincide with the feast of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8. according to a Vatican source. Source

Now a new study by a post-abortion research institute and Bowling Green State University professors finds that women who have abortions are more likely to abuse their children. Published in the medical journal Acta Paediatrica, the study found that women who have had abortions are 2.4 times more likely to physically abuse their children. Pro-life advocates say it proves the need for providing women with post-abortion counseling to help deal with the emotional trauma of the abortion.

Howard Dean -- well-known for his loud mouth, his idiotic, inane comments, and his far left immoral radical views is blaming Republicans for trying to save the life of an innocent woman. Dean has the nerve to talk about ethics here -- can you believe it? This is truly the most ridiculous news item of the day!

Today is the feast of St. Anthony Mary Claret -- a favorite saint that my husband introduced me to several years ago when he gave a teaching on this amazing man of God. I don't think I have heard of any saint who was filled with so much zeal for his apostacy. He was a monk and a mystic who exerted an unusual amount of influence over the laity by obeying the call of God. Born on Christmas eve, 1807, in the village of Sallent, in Catalonia, Spain, Anthony was a very pious child. In his youth, Anthony Claret excelled as a maker of cloth as a weaver in his father's textile factory. He then studied for the priesthood, desiring to be a Jesuit. Ill health prevented him from entering the Order, so he served as a secular priest. He busied himself preaching in rural areas, organizing conferences for clergy, and writing. Zeal for the salvation of souls spurred him on to preach an estimated 25,000 sermons, write 144 books, and preach countless missions. During his mission work, he accept...

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas reports, that contrary to mainstream media reports, Miers has never been a Catholic . The liberal media is constantly generating so much propaganda to get people turned off by anyone President Bush nominates that this isn't the least bit surprising to me.

It is both shocking and sad that this could happen to a Catholic Church. I have never heard of anything like this happening before.

This is quite a conversion story . I would like to see Ann Rice on The Journey Home to tell it in her own words. Newsweek calls it "the most startling public turnaround since Bob Dylan's 'Slow Train Coming' announced that he'd been born again."

You are like a Cloud. Caring, peaceful, dreaming and sometimes bossy. You can be dissapointed very easily sometimes but it won't happen to you that often because you are a great person and a great friend. People love your kindness and calm appearance. It sounds good, but I don't know about the bossy part ... hmm... let's just call it leadership or supervisory skills.

1) Never take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night. 2) There can be a fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness." 3) You should never confuse your career with your life. 4) No matter what happens in life, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously. 5) Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. 6) Never lick a steak knife. 7) Take out the fortune before you eat the cookie. 8) The most destructive force in the universe is gossip. 9) Nobody can give me a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time. 10) A person who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person. --- Author Unknown

Father Alberto Hurtado was a Jesuit priest born in Viña del mar, Chile on January 22, 1901. He was beatified in 1994. His ministry was directed to the youth in St. Ignatius school and the Catholic University of Chile. He died on August 18th, 1952. Maria Alicia Cabezas worked at Christ's Home, the sanctuary founded by Father Alberto. In July, 1990 she miraculously survived three serious hemorrahages through the intercession of Father Alberto Hurtado. This first miracle attributed to him was approved by the Holy See. His story will be broadcast on EWTN on Friday October 21, 2005 6:00 PM Eastern Time Fr. Hurtado is one of five blesseds to be cannonized this coming Sunday, October 23. The other future saints are: Jozef Bilczewski, archbishop of Lviv of the Latins (1860 - 1923); Gaetano Catanoso, priest, founder of the Congregation of the Veronica Sisters of the Holy Countenance (1879 - 1963); Zygmunt Gorazdowski, priest, founder of the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph (1845 - ...

On October 25, 2005 students from around the country will remain silent, in solidarity with the over 4000 babies killed that day by surgical abortion. Students will wear a red arm band or red Duct Tape with the word life written on it to identify themselves as taking part in the day of solidarity. Students will also carry flyers that explain why they are remaining silent for the day. Go here for more information.

PITTSBURGH, October 20, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) An ex-funeral director is facing charges for corpse abuse for failing to incinerate the corpses of 19 dead babies. Authorities, however, found the corpses of more than 300 babies, but because the remaining babies were either aborted, miscarried or stillborn, they are not considered persons. Charges were laid only for those infants who were born alive but died shortly thereafter. Robert B. Winston Jr., 61, had a contract with Magee-Womens Hospital to cremate the remains at a rate of $1 per pound. The man’s lawyer said he failed to cremate the bodies, which were found in his garage, because he could not afford to.

"In a recent poll on religion and the family conducted for RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research Inc., almost three quarters of all Americans agree that 'God's plan for marriage is one man, one woman, for life.' {Entire Story]

Oct. 21 (FIDES/CWNews.com) - The world's Catholic population increased by over 15 million in 2003 (the last year for which full statistics are available), accordino to figures compiled by the Fides news service. The number of Catholics grew significantly on every continent but Europe, where it fell by 214,000. [ Entire Story] The fact that the world's catholic population is growing is good news -- the gospel of life and the Roe effect are increasing our numbers. Catholics are evangelizing and take the Word of God into the market place and both conversions and reversions are occuring. However, the plight of our European brothers and sisters saddens me. I was once told that Pope John Paul II saw the Americas as the future of Catholicism, but I don't understand how Europe got into the shape they are in today. Many of our greatest saints are from France, Spain, and Italy. For years, I thought I would love to travel to the many shrines and apparition sites in Europe so as to a...

A Catholic teacher had 40 students in one class. After leading her students into church for daily Mass, she noticed one of the boys acting up. She coughed, then cleared her throat. Finally, in exasperation, she hissed, “Neil!” Immediately, all 40 students dropped to their knees.

At the present time most Catholics have little to no understanding of the emotional causes of homosexual attractions and behavior nor of the powerful role that Catholic spirituality can play in the healing of this disorder. The reasons for this state of ignorance are numerous and include the scant literature available on the value of the Catholic Faith and sacraments in the resolution of homosexual attractions and acts; failure of traditional therapy to resolve homosexual behavior; views within the American Psychiatric and Psychological Associations that homosexuality is not a disorder; and the influence of powerful groups within the media and educational, social service, health and political fields. In addition, there are many factions within the Church herself that are opposed to and are attempting to undermine traditional Catholic moral doctrine on this issue. The failure to understand the actual causes of homosexuality impacts those who counsel teenagers and adults with this disord...

Vatican, Oct. 19 (CWNews.com) - Christians should see God not an as implacable sovereign but as a loving father, Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) said at his weekly public audience on October 19. Speaking to about 40,000 people, as yet another large crowd gathered in St. Peter's square for the Wednesday audience, the Holy Father offered a meditation on Psalm 129, noting that it is "one of the best-known and most loved psalms of the Christian tradition." This psalm, with its familiar phrase "out of the depths I cry to thee," illustrates the sinner's comprehension of his own iniquity, the Pope said. (Breaking from his prepared text, and looking up at the gray overcast skies above Rome, he commented that the weather seemed to be appropriate for penitential devotions.) But no matter how low a sinner might sink, God is prepared to welcome him back, the Pope continued. In Psalm 129, the Pope said, the sinner recognizes God's immense mercy, as "the supplicat...

The United Catholic Music and Video Association has announced the finalists for this year's UNITY Awards. Fr. Benedict J. Groeschel, founding member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, (Bronx, NY) and EWTN television personality was named a finalist for his recording of the new Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary , “The Rosary is a Luminous Place”, once again teaming up with the well-known, Catholic singer-songwriter Simonetta. Fr. Groeschel’s previous award winning recording “The Rosary is a Place” is now considered complete with the addition of the new mysteries first suggested by Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginus Mariae. [Entire Story]

Eight French Jesuit missionaries came to North America in the 17th century, amidst the hardships of sickness and extreme poverty, to bring the Word of God to the native Indians. They endured many horrific tortures and death in order to accomplish what they had set out to do. In 1625, St. John de Brebuf, at age 32, entered into the Huron tribe in the harsh frontier of Canada. John had tuberculosis, but the climate so agreed with him that the Hurons, surprised at his endurance, called him Echon, which meant load bearer . John was tortured and martyred in 1649. The Indians, hoping to gain the incredible strength he had, drank his blood. St. Issac Jogues was sent to Canada in 1636, where he worked among the Mowhawks. He was taken captive by the Iroquois in 1642 and imprisoned for thirteen months, where he was kept as a slave and beaten by the women of the tribe. While in captivity, Father Jogues secretly taught and baptized the other captives and slaves of the tribe. His greatest sorrow wa...

There has been quite a bit of blogging about Halloween lately -- Happy Catholic , The Anchoress , Minivan Mom have all written interesting posts, sharing their opinions, so I thought it was time to put in my two cents. I enjoy Halloween -- the costumes, the popcorn balls, the taffy apples, the candy corn, little children coming to visit me in darling costumes, carving the jack-o-lantern, and watching old classic scary movies. This year my Catholic parish is having a Family Fun Night, where children of all ages dress up for an early Halloween party and parish fundraiser. My husband, Bill, who is 6'7" tall plans to go dressed as Gandalf from Lord of the Rings. I had planned to go as one of the following: Yoda, St. Francis of Assisi or St. Joan of Arc. Unable to find suitable costumes (I only sew buttons and hems.)for any of these characters, I decided to go as Eowyn . My costume isn't identical to hers, but it is regal-looking. Just trying it on made me laugh and feel a l...

WASHINGTON (AP) - New revelations about Harriet Miers' views on abortion hint she would shift the Supreme Court away from abortion rights, more so than new Chief Justice John Roberts. The impact could be almost immediate. If confirmed by the Senate, the 60-year-old who has never served as a judge would probably be thrust into a tie-breaking role on abortion cases - possibly in her first week. The court will consider reinstating a New Hampshire abortion law next month. While her vote would not be enough to overturn Roe v. Wade, President Bush's pick would play a crucial role in deciding how far states and the federal government can go to restrict abortions. "She will not disappoint the president early out of the box," said John Baker, a law professor at Louisiana State University. Miers would replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the architect of a 1992 compromise that barred abortion restrictions that impose an "undue burden" on women. Because of O'Co...

Although today's LifeNews.com article on Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers appears to be optomistic, I continue to have mixed feelings about her nomination. We still need more information on her. Concerned Women for America presents an extensive list of questions that need to be answered before pro-lifers can comfortably endorse her.

According to the Drudge Report , Madonna --"the material girl" --believes"the beast is the modern world that we live in!" "The material world. The physical world. The world of illusion, that we think is real. We live for it, we're enslaved by it. And it will ultimately be our undoing," Madonna explains in her new documentary film. She also states, "Most priests are gay." I suppose strutting around on a stage half-naked belting out suggestive songs and designing a line of sexy clothes for children qualifies her as an expert on morals and spirituality. Or is it her many years of training in theology and philisophy that no one is yet aware of? As for her statement about priests... hmm....I wonder how she knows that? Do you suppose she conducted a scientific poll? I wonder how long it has been since she last spoke with a priest?