Catholic Fire

American life League exposes the bias and hypocrisy of the main-stream media following the murder of abortionist George Tiller, which is very revealing and shares new information.

The house has currently passed and the Senate is considering a draconian cap & trade bill that will have devastating effects on our economy and your household budget. Obama readily admits that under his plan electricity rates will necessarily skyrocket. Is your family ready to pay thousands more a year for gas & heating so that Obama and his minions can combat "man made climate change." ~ Via ExposeObama . For more information, see: The 8 cap-and-tax Republicans…and the 44 Democrats who voted no Oppose the Cap and Trade ‘Tax’ Increase Bill, H.R. 2454

Lila Rose and Live Action Films today exposed yet another Planned Parenthood sting in its undercover investigation and video series. This time it's a PP abortion mill in clinic in Birmingham , AL , caught 2 ways: for covering up rape of a minor and circumventing parental consent laws. A Planned Parenthood counselor in Birmingham was caught on hidden camera telling an alleged 14-year-old statutory rape victim that the clinic "does sometimes bend the rules a little bit" rather than report sexual abuse to state authorities. This is the seventh Planned Parenthood clinic implicated in a multi-state child abuse scandal involving the deliberate and unlawful suppression of evidence of statutory rape. Lila Rose, 20-year-old UCLA student and Live Action president, went undercover at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Birmingham and told a counselor that she was 14-years-old, pregnant by her 31-year-old "boyfriend," and needed a secret abortion so her pare...

1. Make a firm resolution to be pure and to stop any impure behavior. Decide today to refrain from any behavior or activities that are impure. In 1902, a priest gave instruction on purity to the first Communicants in which he stated, "Purity at All Costs", One of the first Communicants was Maria Goretti, who gave her life rather than offend God. Which do we value more: our eternal salvation or false pleasure which comes from a box of wires - a computer or television? 2. Express Contrition We experience true contrition in our hearts when we realize how much sin offends God, hurts us, as well as others. It is our sins that have caused the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. It injures our soul and mortal sin results in spiritual death. Sin also injures our relationship with others, especially with our wife, girlfriend, friends, co-workers, as well as the mystical body of Christ. We should meditate daily on the passion and death of Jesus Christ. 3. Quickly Flee From Temptat...

The Coliseum Rome, Italy From My Personal Photo Collection February, 2006 When the city of Rome had been devastated by fire in the year 64, the Emperor Nero launched a persecution against the Christians, who were soaked in tar and burned as living torches at evening banquets, fed to wild animals in the arena, or crucified. Their deaths are documented in the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus and in Pope St Clement’s letter to the Corinthians. These martyrs died before Sts. Peter and Paul, and are called “disciples of the Apostles. . . whom the Holy Roman church sent to their Lord before the Apostles’ death.” Collect: Father, you sanctified the Church of Rome with the blood of its first martyrs. May we find strength from their courage and rejoice in their triumph. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

From the LA Times , June 25: President Obama suggested at a town hall event Wednesday night that one way to shave medical costs is to stop expensive and ultimately futile procedures performed on people who are about to die and don't stand to gain from the extra care. Read that again. Obama was subtly promoting euthanasia... Read the entire post Obama promotes euthanasia in healthcare plan at Jill Stanek's blog.

Wichita, KS – Friday afternoon a man on a bicycle attacked Operation Rescue’s national headquarters in Wichita, Kansas , and attempted to disable the security system. There were four people working in the office at the time. Operation Rescue President Troy Newman heard noise outside his office and observed the assailant through the security cameras attempting to gain access to the roof. Newman rushed outside and confronted the man, who then tried to punch Newman. When that failed, he flung his bicycle at Newman then fled the scene. One security camera was stolen causing an estimated $1,000 in damage. No one was hurt in the fracas. Police were called and a report was filed, but the suspect is still at large. Ironically, at the time of the attack Newman was on the telephone giving an interview to a reporter from the Washington Times about the increase in threats against Operation Rescue staff members in the wake of the murder of late-term abortionist George Tiller. “In light of...

"Paul wants the Christian faith have a 'responsible', an 'adult faith. The word 'adult faith' has in recent decades become a popular slogan. It is often used to refer to the attitude of those who no longer adhere to the Church and her pastors, but choose for themselves what they want to believe and not believe - a kind of do-it-yourself faith." "Speaking against the Magisterium of the Church is presented as courageous. In reality, however, it does not take courage for this, since you can always be sure of audience applause." "Rather it takes courage to adhere to the faith of the Church, even if it contradicts the 'scheme' of the contemporary world. It is this non-conformism of the faith that Paul calls an 'adult faith.'" ~ Pope Benedict XVI ~ Via LifeSiteNews.Com

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton recently launched a video sharing Web site, www.dottube.org , to post video and audio produced by the diocese's television and radio offices, and allow parishes, schools and church members to post their videos in the same fashion as Dottube's secular cousin, YouTube. Read full story at MyCentralJersey.com

AL KRESTA in The Afternoon Talking about the "things that matter most" on June 29 3:00 EST– Health Care Reform and the Concerns of Right to Life Go here to listen. The National Right to Life Committee has long argued that the cost of health care does not require rationing life-saving treatment. With so much momentum building for enactment of some sort of measure to provide coverage for the uninsured, it is not enough for NRLC simply to oppose ways of doing so that entail health care rationing. It is necessary to demonstrate that it is in fact possible to achieve this goal without having to accept rationing as a tradeoff. Since its inception, the pro-life movement has been as concerned with protecting older people and people with disabilities from euthanasia as with protecting unborn children from abortion. It has recognized that denial of lifesaving medical treatment, food and fluids against the will of a patient is a form of involuntary euthanasia. When the government proh...

...and so is Obama in his choice of Sotomayor for Supreme Court Justice The United States Supreme Court reversed Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor in the now-famous New Haven firefighters case. Although Judge Sotomayor and two of her colleagues did not even think the case worthy of a published opinion, the Supreme Court said the case presented "two provisions of Title VII to be interpreted and reconciled, with few, if any, precedents in the courts of appeals discussing the issue." Concerned Women for America (CWA) President Wendy Wright said, "This decision sends a disturbing message that Sonia Sotomayor, as a judge, sanctioned discrimination against people because of the color of their skin. This validates concerns that Judge Sotomayor's judicial philosophy reflects her personal bias, as expressed in speeches and the controversial groups to which she has belonged, that people should be discriminated against based on their ethnicity or sex. No one in a burning...

When Pope Benedict XVI recently proclaimed June 2009 through June 2010 The Year of the Priesthood, dedicated to Saint John Vianney, Leonardo Defilippis was overjoyed. That's because Defilippis, the director and star of the feature film THÉRÈSE, has been working for two and a half years on a new live production on John Vianney, which will open on August 4, 2009, the 150th anniversary of the saint's death. The U.S. tour of VIANNEY will travel to parishes, theaters, seminaries, universities and throughout the Catholic school system, as a significant contribution to the year-long celebration and renewal of the priesthood and family life. "The Pope's focus on John Vianney is right on target," says Defilippis. "The Curé of Ars is the saint who will inspire all of us, especially young people, with a deeper understanding of the heroic life of the priest. I believe we'll see a tremendous upsurge in vocations from this Year of the Priesthood - because our youth are...

Sts. Peter and Paul are the co-founders of the Church - the solid rock on which it was founded. St. Peter Peter's original name was Simon. He was a fisherman and the brother of Saint Andrew, the apostle who led him to Christ. As an apostle of Christ, Simon was renamed "Peter" (in Hebrew Kephas) or "rock" by Jesus to indicate that Peter would be the rock-like foundation on which the Church would be built. Peter's house often became the scene of miracles, since Jesus would stay there whenever He was teaching in that locality. Together with his brothers John and Andrew, Peter belonged to the first of Jesus' disciples. After the Ascension, Peter took the leading role that Christ had assigned to him and became the first Pope. He served as the first Bishop of Rome and died there as a martyr in 64 a.d. crucified with his head downward, as he was not worthy to die in the same manner as Christ. Peter is the author of two letters, the first encyclicals. St. Peter ...

This is a Must See! H/T: John Francis Bora.

I agree with Thomas at American Papist : I t's a straightforward concept , requiring no elaborate explanation from yours truly. People who choose Pelosi should probably get some sort of special indulgence. That's why I have selected Nancy Pelosi. She needs prayers and I can certainly use an indulgence. I'm spiritually adopting you, Nancy, and I expect to see some changes -- hopefully in my lifetime.

With dozens of lawsuits filed over access to Barack Obama's certified long-form birth certificate, many more lawyers working on his behalf to keep it secret and the validity of the U.S. Constitution hanging in the balance, guess where a "certified copy" of the original Mombasa "document" has been found? On eBay. Item No. 160344374585, at least as of today, is described as "a certified copy of President Barack Obama's Kenyan Birth Certificate." Read the rest on WND.com.

The Message of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help The child Jesus has just seen the angels who have shown him the instruments of his passion. St. Michael the Archangel holds the lance and gall-sop. St. Gabriel the Archangel holds the Cross and the nails. Frightened by the sight, Jesus has run to his mother’s arms so quickly that he almost lost one of His tiny sandals. It dangles from his foot. Mary holds Him lovingly but her eyes look at us - pleading with us to avoid sin and love Her Son. His hands are in hers to show that, as a child, Jesus placed Himself in Mary’s hands for protection and to remind us that He now has placed into Her hands all graces, to be given to those who turn to His mother and ask. The star on Mary’s veil shows her to be the one who brought the light of Christ to the darkened world - the beacon that leads the way to Heaven. The falling sandal symbolizes a soul clinging to Christ by one last thread--devotion to Mary. The golden background is symbolic of Heave...

The following is a statement from American Life League president Judie Brown regarding Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley’s announcement that archdiocese-affiliated Caritas Christi Healthcare has withdrawn ownership of CeltiCare Health Plan. The announcement comes only two days after A.L.L. announced it would launch an investigation into the scandal. “Praise God! After months of tireless effort from American Life League and pro-life heroes in Boston and around the country to expose a potential scandal only days away from becoming a tragic betrayal of Catholicism’s unwavering commitment to the dignity of the human person, Cardinal Sean O’Malley has heard our voices and will end the joint venture with abortion-providing Centene Corp! We profoundly thank Cardinal O’Malley for his courage, leadership and pastoral concern for the health and well-being of those youngest members of his archdiocese. He has set a beautiful example of dedication and charity for those poorest of the poor – the prebo...

St. Cyril is one of the great Greek fathers of the Church. He was chosen by divine Providence to be the shield and champion of the Church against Nestorius, who denied the unity of person in Christ. If this heresy had succeeded, Mary would not be called the Mother of God. Cyril was born in 376 at Alexandria, Egypt and became partriarch archbishop of his birthplace in 412. He presided over the Ecumenical Council of Ephesus which defined the inseparable unity of the divine and human natures of Christ, and thus the appropriateness of invoking the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of "Theotokos" or Mother of God. He died in 444AD. Prayer in Honor of Mary, Mother of God Hail, Mary, Mother of God, venerable treasure of the whole universe, lamp that is never extinguished, crown of virginity, support of the true faith, indestructible temple, dwelling of him whom no place can contain, O Mother and Virgin! Through you all the holy Gospels call blessed the one whom comes in the name o...

This one's for you, Bill! Happy Anniversary!

St. Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer (1902 - 1975) You can read his biography here. A Few of My Favorite Quotes: "You go to pray; to become a bonfire, a living flame, giving light and heat." "We are children of God, bearers of the only flame that can light up the paths of the earth for souls, of the only brightness which can never be darkened, dimmed or overshadowed. The Lord uses us as torches, to make that light shine out. Much depends on us; if we respond many people will remain in darkness no longer, but will walk instead along paths that lead to eternal life." "No Christian married couple can want to block the well-springs of life. For their love is based on the love of Christ, which entails dedication and sacrifice. . . Moreover, as Tobias reminded Sara, a husband and wife know that 'we are children of saints, and we cannot come together in the way of the gentiles, who do not know God.'" "...to live the virtue of chastity, one doesn´t have ...

An Incredible Story via The Star, Cleveland County, North Carolina: North Carolina recalled a regrettable side of its history on Monday by unveiling a roadside marker remembering poor people, mental patients and prisoners who were sterilized against their will by state officials. The cast aluminum sign in downtown Raleigh provides a permanent remembrance of the program intended to keep thousands of people considered mentally disabled or otherwise genetically inferior from having children. "This does represent one of the ugly chapters in North Carolina's history," said the Rev. William Barber, president of the state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People . "We have to deal with our past in order to have a better present and a stronger future." More than 7,600 people were sterilized by "choice or coercion" under the state's so-called eugenics program between 1933 and 1973, according to the marker's text. Nor...

Without offering any specific explanation , the video-sharing site YouTube has removed a new video by the student group Live Action that shows dishonest counseling practices at Planned Parenthood. The video first plays undercover footage of a Planned Parenthood counselor from Tucson, AZ telling a patient that images of aborted fetuses "are not real" and then shows photographs of a completed abortion and documentation of their authenticity. Lila Rose , 20-year-old president of Live Action, calls on YouTube to re-instate the video in accordance with its own guidelines: "Since the video we posted does not violate any terms of use, we expect YouTube to re-instate it immediately. YouTube's own 'Community Guideline Tips' advise that intense or disturbing imaging should be 'balanced with additional context and information,' which is exactly what Live Action has done." YouTube has removed videos posted by Live Action without explanation before, including...

Today's saint is William of Vercelli. Saint William was born in Vercelli, Italy in 1085. He lost his father and mother in his infancy and was raised by a relative. At age fifteen, he made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. When he returned, he became a hermit in Naples and lived there in an uninhabited mountain. After a miracle was obtained by his prayers, he was discovered and his contemplation interrupted, so he decided to move to another mountain, where he built a beautiful church in honor of Our Lady. His holiness attracted many followers and, in 1119, he established the Congregation of Monte Vergine, or Mount of the Virgin. These sons of Our Lady lived in great poverty. Saint William founded several more monasteries, both for men and women, in various places in the kingdom of Naples. He assisted the king of Naples in practicing all the Christian virtues of a worthy sovereign, and in gratitude, the king had a house of the Order built at Salerno directly across from ...

I read the amazing story of this "miracle" in this past Sunday's Wichita Eagle (the newspaper edition), but had planned to wait on reporting about it after the Vatican investigation; however, since it is already circulating around the Internet, I'll go ahead and share what I know at this point in time. I invite my readers from the Diocese of Wichita -- particularly those from Colwich -- who are more familiar with the details of this "miracle" story to share their reactions in the comment section below. To those of you who are not familiar with this area, Colwich is a wonderful small town -- a farming community -- not far from Wichita (19 miles) with many fervent Catholics. Some of my favorite people live there. Via The Wichita Eagle : People in Colwich like to touch Chase Kear's arm or his shoulder with their fingers. Or they hug him. "Miracle Man," they say. "Let me touch the miracle." With anybody else in Colwich, this would be j...

This is a great video to watch during this month of weddings and anniversaries. A couple who have been married for 62 years play an impromptu recital together in the atrium of the Mayo Clinic. Enjoy! H/T: The Deacon's Bench

Primary Care Less Than One Percent of Planned Parenthood Business This is just another example of PP's overwhelming greed to get their hands on taxpayer's money in order to corrupt the morals of our youth and to abort babies. Via Katie Walker: In order to get its hands on an even larger chunk of President Barack Obama’s socialized healthcare package, Planned Parenthood is rolling out a new ad campaign in the Washington D.C. area. The nation’s largest abortion chain wants D.C. viewers to believe that 90 percent of the services it provides consist of “preventive and primary care.” However, the reality, according to Planned Parenthood’s own data, is that primary care accounts for 0.7 percent of its lucrative business. “As Obama pushes toward national health care, Planned Parenthood is desperately trying to position itself as a mainstream health service organization,” said Jim Sedlak, vice president of American Life League. “Planned Parenthood has always been a master of word games...

Jill Stanek reviews eight great new pro-life films at WND: 22 Weeks Come What May Demographic Winter Killing Girls Lines That Divide The Great Stem Cell Debate Mafia 21: Black Genocide in 21st Century America The Terri Schiavo Story Thine Eyes Read the reviews here.

People unite in 30 cities worldwide to support the people of Iran as they fight for freedom, as they protest oppression, terror, and the brutal atrocities of the Islamic Republic of Iran . H/T: Leticia Warning: Graphic Content -- Not for children.

The Birth of John the Baptist 1540's The Hermitage, St. Petersburg Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John....” But John would have agreed completely with what Jesus added: “[Y]et the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28). John spent his time in the desert, an ascetic. He began to announce the coming of the Kingdom, and to call everyone to a fundamental reformation of life. His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. His Baptism, he said, was for repentance. But One would come who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John is not worthy even to carry his sandals. His attitude toward Jesus was: “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). John was humbled to find among the crowd of sinners who came to be baptized the one whom he already knew to be the Messiah. “I need to be baptized by you” (Matthew 3:14b). But Jesus insisted, “Allow it now, for thus it is...

Health care "reform" may have stolen the limelight from the President's first Supreme Court pick, but revelations about Sonia Sotomayor's pro-abortion past may bring new attention to the woman chosen as Justice David Souter's replacement. According to an op-ed in today's Washington Times , Sotomayor has a history of extremism when it comes to i nventing a "right" to abortion in the U.S. Constitution. As the article, "Sotomayor worse than Souter," explains, she served for 12 years on the governing board of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (PRLDEF), which filed six briefs in abortion cases at the U.S. Supreme Court. Charmaine Yoest details that each one "pushed aggressively for an interpretation of abortion rights that would eliminate most or all state and federal abortion regulations while requiring state and federal funding of abortion." In two of the six, the briefs "took positions more extreme than thos...

Via CNS: Pope Benedict XVI will welcome U.S. President Barack Obama to the Vatican July 10 for an audience scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. Obama will visit Italy July 8-10 to participate in the Group of Eight summit, a meeting of leaders of the world's wealthiest nations. The meeting will be held in L'Aquila, site of a devastating earthquake in April. After the G-8 summit, the president and his wife, Michelle, are scheduled to fly to Ghana, arriving late July 10. Although Pope Benedict usually meets heads of state and government in the morning, the Vatican agreed to host Obama's first visit to the papal palace the evening before he flies to Africa. Read the entire article. Questions for Discussion: What do you think the Holy Father and Obama should discuss? What do you think they will discuss? Will Obama listen to the Holy Father? How will his visit compare with Nancy Pelosi's?

"The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus." "O, how great is the priest! ... If he realized what he is, he would die." "Without the priest, the passion and death of our Lord would be of no avail. It is the priest who continues the work of redemption here on earth...What use would be a house filled with gold, were there no one to open its door? The priest holds the key to the treasures of heaven: it is he who opens the door: he is the steward of the good Lord; the administrator of His goods...Leave a parish for twenty years without a priest and they will end by worshiping the beasts there..The priest is not a priest for himself, he is a priest for you." ~ St. John Vianney

Greetings, I was very pleased to discover your page concerning Saint Zita on another website. Do you know how i can acquire a holy card of her? I would also like to obtain a litany or prayer booklet that includes prayers to Saint Zita. Thank you very much. Peter in Illinois

Today's saint of the day is Blessed Basil Hopko, also known as Vasil Hopko (1904 - 1976). Basil was born in the village Hrabske, in eastern Slovokia to Anna Petrenko and Basil Hopko, poor peasants. His father died when he was only a year old and when he was four, his mother emigrated to America to look for work. He remained in Europe and was an excellent student. He wanted to join his mother in the United States and pursue his vocation to the priesthood there, but his poor health did not permit him to travel. Basil was ordained in 1929 and served as a parish priest in Prague, with a special mission to the poor, the unemployed and students. In 1947, he was named auxiliary bishop of Prjashev. Three years later, he was arrested by Communist officials, kept on starvation rations, and tortured for several weeks. He was given a trial and sentenced to 15 years for “subversive activity.” His health failed as he was continually tortured. In 1964, he was transferred to a home for seniors....