Catholic Fire

PRAYER TO THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION O God, who by the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession, to come unto You. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Day One   O most Holy Virgin, who was pleasing to the Lord and became His mother, immaculate in body and spirit, in faith and in love, look kindly on me as I implore your powerful intercession. O most Holy Mother, who by your blessed Immaculate Conception, from the first moment of your conception did crush the head of the enemy, receive our prayers as we implore you to present at the throne of God the favor we now request... (State your intention here...)  O Mary of the Immaculate Conc...

With the number of Americans and Canadians at risk of hunger far higher than usual and the number of those planning to give to charity at this time of year lower than usual, the Knights of Columbus has committed $1 million and legions of active volunteers to its “Food for Families” program to collect food and financially support food banks in the United States and Canada this winter. Statistics released by the USDA show nearly 50 million Americans experienced “food insecurity” last year , while new numbers in Canada show those using food banks has increased by 18 percent in the past year. The program encourages each state jurisdiction in the United States and each province jurisdiction in Canada to work with their local parish churches and other public places to collect food for food banks in their area. Those states and provinces in which a significant number of councils participate will then be allocated a portion of the $1 million fund for food banks in their areas. “At a tim...

St. Andrew , son of Jonah, was born at Bethsaida in Galilee. He was a disciple of John the Baptist and became one of the first to follow Jesus, to whom he brought his brother, Simon Peter. Both were fishermen and at the beginning of Our Lord's public life occupied the same house at Capharnaum. As one of the twelve apostles , Andrew was very close to Our Lord during His public life; he was present at the Last Supper; beheld the risen Lord; witnessed the Ascension; shared in the graces and gifts of the first Pentecost, and helped, amid threats and persecution, to establish the Faith in Palestine. He was crucified by order of the Roman Governor at Patras in southern Greece on a cross which was in the form of an "X". This type of cross has long been known as "St. Andrew's cross." He was martyred during the reign of Nero, on November 30, 60 A.D. St. Andrew's relics were transferred from Patras to Constantinople, and deposited in the church of the Apostl...

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops  has created an Advent and Christmas website with suggestions for daily prayers, readings, reflection and action. A collection of Lessons and Carols is also provided for live listening or download. The site also contains a printable Advent calendar, a Christmas calendar, and family activities. Elena at My Domestic Church lists her Advent mega-links here. The Anchoress posts on Advent on First Things with related resources. Aggie Catholic's post and resources for Advent can be found here. Karen Edmisten blogs on The No-Panic Advent Series here. If you need an Advent wreath for your blog, check out The Curt Jester's post here. Related Posts on Catholic Fire:  First Sunday in Advent: Pro-Life Advent Reflection with Fr. Thomas Euteneuer   12 Tips To a Better Advent Season

  Part 1 of 4 2009 Pro-Life Advent Reflections:

Saint Catherine Laboure was born in Burgundy, France on May 2, 1806. The ninth of eleven children born to a farm family, she felt a call to the religious life from an early age . Catherine entered the community of the Daughters of Charity, in obedience to a vision of Saint Vincent de Paul, telling her that God wanted her to work with the sick. The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Catherine Laboure, who was then a 24-year-old novice, three times. On July 18, 1830, the first apparition occurred in the community's motherhouse. St. Catherine saw a lady seated on the right side of the sanctuary. When St. Catherine approached her, the heavenly visitor told her how to act in time of trial and pointed to the altar as the source of all consolation. Promising to entrust St. Catherine with a mission which would cause her great suffering, the lady also predicted the anticlerical revolt which occurred at Paris in 1870. On November 27, the lady showed St. Catherine the medal of the Im...

Today, November 27, is the Feast of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. Devotion to and wearing of the Miraculous Medal is second to the Rosary in popularity among traditional Catholic devotions. History In 1830, the Blessed Virgin Mary revealed the design of the Miraculous Medal to St. Catherine Laboure in an apparition. In Paris, on June 6, 1830, the Lord appeared to the young (age 24) Daughter of Charity novice Catherine at Mass, and again on the nights of July 18-19 when she was summoned to the chapel by a beautiful "child clothed in white" to converse with the Virgin Mary. Catherine was told prophecies and charged with "a mission" that manifested itself on November 27 in an early morning (5:30am) appearance of the Blessed Virgin who was "clothed in white" standing on a globe and "a serpent." Rays of light issued forth from rings on her fingers and Catherine was told to commission a medal of what she was seeing. Then, turning the l...

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I'm thanking God for each one of you today. A Thanksgiving Prayer Oh, God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry; When I have work, help me to remember the jobless; When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer; And, remembering, help me to destroy my complacency and bestir my compassion. Make me concerned enough to help, by word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted. ~ Samuel F. Pugh "For I was hungry and you gave Me food. I was thirsty and you gave Me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed Me..." ~ Matthew 25: 35

“They don’t speak of abortion but rather the ‘voluntary termination of an unwanted pregnancy,’ and everybody swears they are not in favor of abortion itself. But they do not recognize the value and dignity of human life as a principle value. They all worry about defending the pregnant woman and nobody worries about defending the human being who is going to be born." ~ Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Abelardo Alvarado of Mexico City  Read the full story at CNA.

Fr. Dwight Longnecker: 10 Reasons Why Modernist Christianity Will Die

Flint, MI (LifeNews.com) -- Caitlin Bruce is the victim of a forced abortion that saw abortion practitioner Alberto Hodari and a staffer forcibly restrain her as she screamed no. Now, Bruce has given an interview to a local television station where she describes how Hodari and his associate "ripped the life" out of her. Bruce told WJRT-TV about her lawsuit she has filed against Hodari and said that she changed her mind and withdrew her consent for the abortion after seeing an ultrasound of the unborn baby. Despite her subsequent decision, Hodari held her to her original one. More here. For more information on forced abortions, go here. Learn more about Hodari from this graphic and truthful video put out by Catholic News Agency: 

 Humor: Jimmy Kimmel Live - New Moon Trailer with Sarah Palin  

 Today is the optional memorial of St. Catherine of Alexandria (292 - 310), virgin and martyr. Catherine was beautiful, brilliant, and extremely wealthy at the age of eighteen when she debated the Emperor Maximin (311-313) and harshly criticized him for his persecution of Christians who refused to worship pagan gods. Astounded by her wisdom, Maximin ordered her to be kept confined, and summoned fifty of his most learned philosophers, promising them great rewards if they could get Catherine to abandon her Christian faith. However, her arguments were so convincing that all fifty of the philosophers were converted to Christianity. Outraged by this, Maximin ordered all of them to be burned alive. Then the Emperor attempted to win Catherine by flattery and by promises, but his efforts proved equally fruitless. Next, he had her thrown into a dungeon, without food and water. He ordered her whipped with rods, scourged with leaden nodules, and then left to languish eleven days without ...

Check out all the photos at the Big NCYC Picture Post at the Catholic Key Blog.

 Sarah Palin soars, and her return seems to have contributed to a new low in public opinion towards Barack Obama. Get ready for the pending 2012 showdown.  

 On Monday Bishop Thomas Tobin tangled with television pundit Chris Matthews on MSNBC’s “Hardball” about the relation between religion and politics as well as the legal status of abortion. Matthews’ comments, which charged that the bishop has overstepped his authority, were criticized as a “rant” and an “extended lecture.” (CNA story here.) Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the way MSNBC host Chris Matthews handled his interview with Providence Bishop Thomas Tobin last night on “Hardball”: We were deluged with phone calls, faxes and e-mails after what happened yesterday on “Hardball.” After watching the first portion of the interview between Chris Matthews and Bishop Tobin, I wondered what all the fuss was all about: Chris was just being his usual aggressive self. But it didn’t take long before Matthews literally spun out of control. Matthews proceeded with an extended and quite insulting lecture. He had absolutely no interest in a discussion on the quest...

In her latest column, Judie Brown shares: Ever since Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, D.D. , arrived in the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, he has been an articulate defender of truth. Since his installation in May 2005, he has focused his attention on shepherding his people, not only with a vision of faith through understanding, but with a clear set of Catholic moral principles that clearly guide his actions and shape his words. Snip Bishop Tobin does not mince words. During the latest scuffle with Congressman Patrick Kennedy , for example, he suggested that pro-abortion Catholic public figures “really have to question their membership in the [C]hurch.”  Further, Bishop Tobin published an open letter to Kennedy after the congressman chose to take his disagreement with his bishop to the public square. Read Judie's entire column here. Here are some excerpts fr...

 This sounds like a great way to rid the Republican party of RINO's and pro-aborts:   Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- National Republican Party leaders may vote on a purity resolution at their January meeting that would prevent the party from funding candidates that did not adhere to a set of GOP principles, one of which includes opposing abortion. The resolution is sparking an internal party debate on the best way to advance pro-life principles.   The resolution is sponsored by Jim Bopp, a prominent pro-life attorney who is the legal counsel for the National Right to Life Committee and a longtime Republican committeeman from Indiana. Read the full story here.  More Information:  Wall Street Journal : Some Conservatives Push 'a purity test for GOP Candidates

There are 117 martyrs in this group and although they died at different times, they were all canonized by Pope John Paul II on June 19, 1988. Of the group, 96 were Vietnamese, 11 were Spaniards, and 10 were French. There were 8 bishops, 50 priests and 59 lay Catholics in the group. Of the priests, 11 were Dominicans, 10 belonged to the Paris Mission Society, and the rest were diocesan priests plus one seminarian. Certain individual martyrs were mentioned by name in the process of canonization: Andrew Dung-Lac, a diocesan priest; Thomas Tran-Van-Thien, a seminarian; Emmanuel Le-Van-Pung, father of a family; the Dominican bishops Jerome Hermosilla and Valentine Berrio-Ochoa; and John Theophane Venard. ~Excerpted from Saints of the Roman Calendar by Enzo Lodi St. Andrew Dung-Lac's name was originally Dung An Trân, and he was born about 1795 in a poor and pagan family in Bac-Ninh in North Vietnam. When he was twelve the family had to move to Hà-Nôi (Hanoi) where his parents could...

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy Mother says her son received wrong medical diagnosis after 1983 car crash

The Future of the Catholic Church in the United States Eucharistic procession of the National Catholic Youth Conference in Kansas City

In her memoir, US vice-presidential candidate tells of the problems and the joy of living with her special needs son 

The liturgical season of Advent begins on the first Sunday in Advent, opening a new year in our Church's Calendar. The word Advent is from the Latin adventus, which means "coming" and is associated with the four weeks of preparation for Christmas. Advent blends together a penitential spirit, very similar to Lent, a liturgical theme of preparation for the Second and Final Coming of the Lord, called the Parousia, and a joyful theme of getting ready for the birth of Christ. During Advent, we are called upon to: 1) prepare ourselves to worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love, 2) make our souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace 3) make ourselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world ~from New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia Advent is a season of waiting, a season filled with hope. Here are twelve tips that will help y...

 For Today... November 23, 2009 Outside my window... it's sunny, bright, and in the 50's today...not windy at all,  which is unusual here. I am thinking...of the week ahead and all that I have to do, but with God's grace it will get done and focus on the things that are most vital. I am thankful for...my ever deepening relationship with Jesus Christ as He carries me and my family through these challenging times. I am ever thankful for my Catholic faith which sustains me and provides all the graces I need to take things one day at a time. From the kitchen...I am preparing chicken and brown rice with veggies for supper. I am wearing...a blue dress. I am creating...a beautiful and organized home for Thanksgiving or at least I'm attempting to do so. I am going...to the bank and to the chiropractor later this afternoon, followed by Mass and exercise -- walking. I am reading...my devotionals and the Bible. I am hoping...to have my second book published a...

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on what happened on the ABC-TV show, “The View,” today: The panelists discussed the controversy between Rep. Patrick Kennedy and Bishop Thomas Tobin on the propriety of an abortion-rights Catholic politician receiving Holy Communion. Why anyone would go on television and discuss something she knows absolutely nothing about is a mystery, but I’ll tell you this much—it makes for a great laugh. So here’s the transcript . Which one of them was the most brilliant is debatable, but what’s for certain is that all the gals really sparkled. Let producer Bill Geddie know your choice for first prize. Contact: bill.geddie@abc.com For more information see: LES FEMMES - THE TRUTH: Bishop Tobin vs Kennedy with vapid commentary from Fr. Tom Reese The Curt Jester: Rep. Kennedy barred from Communion in 2007?

Miguel Agustin Pro was born January 13, 1891, in Mexico. From his childhood, he was known for his high spirits and happy personality. The son of an affluent mining engineer and a pious and charitable mother, Miguel had a special affinity for the working classes. At 20, he became a Jesuit novice and shortly afterward was exiled due to the Mexican revolution. He traveled to the United States, Spain, Nicaragua and Belgium, where he was ordained in 1925. Father Pro suffered greatly from a severe stomach disorder. When his health did not improve after several surgeries, his superiors permitted him to return to Mexico in 1926. At this time, the revolutionary government in Mexico had banned all religious practice. The churches were closed and priests were in hiding. The government was particularly focused on finding and persecuting priests. Father Pro became a great master of disguise and spent the remainder of his life in a secret ministry to the Mexican Catholics who helped hide him ...

WASHINGTON -- Sweeping health care legislation cleared its first hurdle Saturday in the Senate on a party-line vote, paving the way for debate on a massive health insurance overhaul. The 60-39 vote opens the door for debate on the $848 billion legislation to start after Thanksgiving. The measure is designed to extend coverage over six years to an estimated 31 million Americans who lack it and crack down on insurance industry practices that deny benefits. Read the entire story. Go here to see how your Senators voted . Related Information : National Right to Life to Obama and Reid: You wanted debate? Now you'll get debate on government - funded abortion

It's that time of year again when we receive our patron saints for the following year. This year  you may  receive your special saint at Where Angels Blog ... ... OR you may also go to Sancta Sanctis where Enbrethiliel was recently asked by someone to do them that service. For more info about the "Saint of the Year Devotion," go here . This year, I was assigned St. Dominic de Guzman -- one of my favorite saints! H/T: Julie.

Long Live Christ the King! By Thomas J. Euteneuer This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King and on Monday the feast of Blessed Miguel Pro, the Mexican martyr who died with the words "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" (Long live Christ the King!) on his lips. How ironic that the feast of Blessed Miguel falls every year somewhere near the feast of Christ the King in the Church calendar. This marvelous saint and, indeed all the saints, remind us that our lives are not our own, that we serve a great King whose service is sweet and blessed - and demanding. Our King does not need a political party or an army of pawns to do His Will. He needs saints to transform the kingdom of this world into the Kingdom of God. Will we join Him? In the modern world we are not used to kings (and queens) being anything other than figureheads. In countries that have them, they are generally nothing more than symbols of the national identity or holdovers from a bygone era, or heads of state but wi...

I hope this brightens your day. Thanks, Joan, for sharing it with me: As a bagpiper, I play many gigs..  Recently I was asked by a funeral director to play at a grave side service for a homeless man.  He had no family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper's cemetery in the Kentucky back-country. As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost; and being a typical man, I didn't stop for directions.  I finally arrived an hour late..... and saw the funeral guy was evidently gone, and the hearse was nowhere in sight. There were only the diggers and crew left.... and they were eating lunch.  I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late.  I went to the side of the grave and looked down.  The vault lid was already in place.  I didn't know what else to do, so I started to play. The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around.  I played out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends.  I p...

 Vortex presentations from RealCatholicTV.com on CCHD: (Watch both.)

"God inspired in the heart of the pure Virgin Mary His own intense love for humility, and abhorrence of pride. She possessed, even from her infancy, a far greater horror of pride and ambition, and a far deeper love for humility than all the saints together. It was the first virtue that she practices. She abased and humbled herself before all. She esteemed herself, and would have been happy to be treated by others, as the last of the creatures. By marvelous radiance of her Immaculate Conception, she beheld herself susceptible to the guilt of the children of Adam, except that God miraculously preserved her, and she considered that she might have been capable of all the sins in the world, whose source is original sin. It was this humility which attracted to her the countless graces which rendered her worthy to be the Mother of God, Queen of heaven and earth. Give thanks to Almighty God who resists the proud and gives grace to the humble, and offer Him all the glory that this Maiden...

Felix, born in 1127, and John of Matha founded the Order of Trinitarians for liberating captured Christians from Saracen slavery. He belonged to the royal family of Valois. The breviary recounts several marvelous events from his life. As a boy he frequently gave away his clothes to clothe the naked. He pleaded for the life of a murderer condemned to death and foretold that he would reform and lead a highly edifying life-which prophecy proved true. With St. John of Matha he journeyed to Rome at the bidding of an angel and requested permission from Pope Innocent III to found a religious Order (1198). During holy Mass the Pope was granted a revelation regarding the proposed foundation; an angel appeared to him clothed in white with a red and blue cross. At Innocent's bidding the Order took the name of the Blessed Trinity. In the newly-founded monastery at Cerfroi, Felix was favored with a visit by the Blessed Virgin. During the night preceding the feast of Mary's Nativity a...

This novena begins today November 19 - 27, won't you join us in prayer... Novena of the Miraculous Medal O Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of Our Lord Jesus and our Mother, penetrated with the most lively confidence in your all-powerful and never-failing intercession, manifested so often through the Miraculous Medal, we your loving and trustful children implore you to obtain for us the graces and favors we ask during this novena, if they be beneficial to our immortal souls, and the souls for whom we pray. (Here form your petition) You know, O Mary, how often our souls have been the sanctuaries of your Son who hates iniquity. Obtain for us then a deep hatred of sin and that purity of heart which will attach us to God alone so that our every thought, word and deed may tend to His greater glory. Obtain for us also a spirit of prayer and self-denial that we may recover by penance what we have lost by sin and at length attain to that blessed abode where you ar...

 I'm not an Oprah fan, but found this interesting (particularly in light of the recent Sarah Palin interview): From the Chicago Tribune: Oprah Winfrey plans to tell viewers on Friday's live edition of her top-rated daytime program that she will retire the Chicago-based syndicated talk show that made her rich, famous and, if not a kingmaker, a maker of bestselling authors and perhaps even a U.S. President at the end of the 2010-11 season, its 25th on national TV. Harpo Productions confirmed Thursday both her decision and that she will discuss it on her program, her last live show of the calendar year, set to air at 9 a.m. on WLS-Ch. 7, her flagship station. Speculation has been rampant that she might choose to leave daytime TV ever since it was announced in January 2008 that she and Discovery Networks planned to partner on a cable network: OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network. More here.

According to the Diocese of Paterson , memorial masses are scheduled to be celebrated worldwide on December 9th to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the death of famed author, lecturer and television evangelizer Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, as well as promote his cause for canonization. More here. Via Notes From the Blackboard: His family and friends will gather for a special Memorial Mass on December 9, 2009, 5:00 pm at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NY , where Sheen preached so many memorable homilies and where he is buried. A special reception will follow the Mass to help raise funds to support the works of the Sheen Foundation. For more information or to be placed on the invitation list, please contact Jane Peverly at the Sheen Foundation, PO Box 728, Peoria, IL 61762, or info@archbishopsheencause.org H/T: Esther

If you have been concerned about about the swine flu and vaccines, I recommend you take a look at the following fascinating posts online: ALLERGIES, ASTHMA MAY BE HAVE VACCINE LINK, ALONG WITH SPIRITUAL IMPLICATIONS Testosterhome: Trust in the Time of Swine Flu Swine Flu: Will Your Kids Get the H1N1 Vaccine? Simple Solutions to Battle H1N1 Hysteria

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the latest developments regarding the health care bill: On November 15, presidential advisor David Axelrod made it clear that President Obama opposes the Stupak amendment that bans abortion funding in the House’s version of the health care bill. The Senate has just completed its version, and it contains nothing like the language of the Stupak amendment. As reported today by AP, “On a controversial issue that threatened to derail the House legislation, [Senate Majority Leader] Reid would allow the new government insurance plan to cover abortions and would let companies that receive federal funds offer insurance plans that include abortion coverage.” President Obama, after telling the public that he would not support a bill that provided federal funds for abortion (he was hailed by the bishops for doing so), is now championing a bill that would do just that. Moreover, he is pushing for legislation that the American people do not sup...