Catholic Fire

For the next week, I will be in attendance at the Catholic Writer's Conference, and will be involved in very important work related to my writing career. I would deeply appreciate your prayers at this time. I may be back to put up a few essential posts, but need to focus on the project to which the Lord has entrusted to me. Thank you, dear readers, for your patience with me and for your support and prayers. You remain in my heart and prayers. I will return soon. God bless you!

Historically today is the feast of St. Walburga, sister of Sts. Willibald and Winebald. St. Walburga was born in Devonshire England, around 710. She was the daughter of a West Saxon chieftain and the sister of St. Willibald and Winebald. Walburga was educated at Wimborne Monastery in Dorset, where she became a nun. In 748, she was sent with St. Lioba to Germany to help St. Boniface in his missionary work. She spent two years at Bishofsheim, after which she became Abbess of the double monastery at Heidenheim founded by her brother Winebald. At the death of Winebald, St. Walburga was appointed Abbess of both monasteries by her brother Willibald, who was then Bishop of Eichstadt. She remained the superior in charge of both men and women until her death in 779. She was buried first at Heidenheim, but later her body was interred next to that of her brother, St. Winebald, at Eichstadt. For some reason an aromatic fluid with healing qualities began to flow (and still flows) from a fissu

English Version: Stabat mater dolorosa juxta Crucem lacrimosa, dum pendebat Filius. Cuyus animam gementem, contristatam et dolentem, pertransivit gladius. O quam tristis et afflicta fuit illa benedicta Mater Unigeniti. Quae moerebat et dolebat, Pia Mater cum videbat Nati poenas incliti. Quis est homo qui non fleret, Matrem Christi si videret in tanto supplicio? Quis non posset contristari, Christi Matrem contemplari dolentem cum Filio? Pro peccatis suae gentis vidit Jesum in tormentis et flagellis subditum. Vidit suum dulcem natum moriendo desolatum, dum emisit spiritum. Eia Mater, fons amoris, me sentire vim doloris fac, ut tecum lugeam. Fac ut ardeat cor meum in amando Christum Deum, ut sibi complaceam. Sancta mater, istud agas, crucifixi fige plagas cordi meo valide. Tui nati vulnerati, tam dignati pro me pati, poenas mecum divide. Fac me tecum pie flere, crucifixo condolere, donec ego vixero. Iuxta c

A great Lenten Meditation on Esther, my favorite biblical character in the Old Testament, based upon today's first reading at Mass:

A hymn for Lent, sung by by the Daughters of Mary , imploring the mercy of God. The melody is traditionally French and was adapted from Pergolesi.

Bishop Michael O. Jackels of the Catholic Diocese of Wichita:

 Perhaps it's been awhile since you have been to Confession and you have forgotten how it works.  Or maybe you will be entering the Church and making your first Confession soon. Perhaps you're not Catholic and you're simply curious about what happens when a Catholic goes to Confession. Whatever the reason, this video may be helpful to you. H/T: Patrick Madrid

"Pray and pray much; it is in prayer that you will find the greatest strength." ~ Saint Just de Bretenières

Washington, D.C. - an old priest lay dying in the hospital. For years he had faithfully served the people of the nation's capital. He motioned for his nurse to come near. "Yes, Father?" said the nurse. "I would really like to see President Obama and Speaker Pelosi before I die", whispered the priest. "I'll see what I can do, Father", replied the nurse. The nurse sent the request to The President and Congress and waited for a response. Soon the word arrived; President Obama and Nancy Pelosi would be delighted to visit the priest. As they went to the hospital, Obama commented to Pelosi, "I don't know why the old priest wants to see us, but it will certainly help our images and might even get me re-elected. After all, I'm IN IT TO WIN." Pelosi agreed that it was a good thing. When they arrived at the priest's room, the priest took Obama's hand in his right hand and Pelosi's hand in his left hand. There was s

Celibacy can be a choice in life, or a condition imposed by circumstances. While attending a Marriage Weekend, Frank and his wife, Ann, listened to the instructor declare, 'It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other." He then addressed the men, 'Can you name and describe your wife's favorite flower?' Frank leaned over, touched Ann's arm gently, and whispered, 'Gold Medal-All-Purpose, isn't it?' And thus began Frank's life of celibacy . . . . . . . . . H/T: Joan

The Miracle of Life shows us how amazing and wonderful the gift of Life is that God has blessed us with. Through incredible ultrasound video and photos we can actually see this miracle as we watch a baby develop in the womb.

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life , said today that the 24 bodies of dead babies found in the freezer of a Philadelphia abortion clinic should be given a reverent burial as soon as possible, and that this should be a public event in which people can mourn the loss of these lives. "The disrespect that the abortion industry has for the human body is seen not only in the fact that they kill these children, but also in how they treat their bodies after death," Fr. Pavone explained. "It is time now for the bodies of these children to be honored with a dignified burial. It should be a public event, so that our nation will have the opportunity to see that abortion is not an abstraction, and so that people can make up in some fashion for the disrespect with which these children have been treated." Fr. Pavone has conducted a number of funerals around the country for children whose bodies were recovered from abortion clinic trash dumpsters. "N

Fr. Tom Hoisington, a Roman Catholic priest from the Diocese of Wichita, has started a new blog, Reflections on the Sacred Liturgy , which offers reflections on the daily Mass readlings, as well as resources for Lent, Extraordinary Form Resources, and Resources for the study of the Latin Language. It is a beautiful blog for both study and reflection and I highly recommend it.

  A great Lenten Meditation based upon today's first reading at Mass :

Blessed Thomas Mary Fusco was beatified in 2001 as a model of holiness for priests. He was dedicated to his priestly ministry, preaching spiritual retreats and missions, teaching catechism to youth and organizing prayer evenings for young people and adults at the parish. He had a deep devotion to the crucified Christ throughout his life and worked to build the devotion to the Most Precious Blood of Jesus among the faithful. He was born Dec. 1, 1831, in Pagani, Italy, the seventh of eight children. Orphaned by the age of 10, his uncle, a priest, took charge of his education. Since 1839, the year of the canonization of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Thomas Maria had dreamed of the priesthood. He entered the seminary in 1847 and was ordained in 1855. In 1862 he opened a school of moral theology in his home to train priests for the ministry of confession. That same year he founded the priestly Society of the Catholic Apostolate for missions among the faithful. In 1873, deeply moved by the pli

STRENGTH: “And there were standing by the cross of Jesus his mother” (Jn 19:25) *Acting from conviction and deep love *Standing at the Cross with Jesus in bereavements, worries, doubts *Being willing to act as God would have me act, despite feelings of aversion *Being open to the truth of my weakness and being willing to change *Perseverance in keeping a commitment *Fidelity to ‘little things’ in the course of my ‘daily duties’ ~ Via The IHM Sisters.

"The more we have denied ourselves during the day, the nearer we are each evening to the heart of our Lord." ~ St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

 A spectacular exhibition. 28 frames compiled from the most important museums in the world are in Rome to commemorate a special date. 400 years since the death of one of the most important Baroque artists, Caravaggio. Carravaggio is one of my favorite artists. To learn more about him and to view more of his work, go to Caravaggio .com .

Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, who was John Paul II’s personal secretary for 40 years, told participants at a Colombian conference that the late-Pope's beatification process “is practically finished.” In Colombia, where Cardinal Dziwisz traveled to participate in a conference on the legacy of John Paul II, the cardinal remarked that the beatification process of the pilgrim Pope “is practically finished.” “In order for the beatification to take place, it is important that the Church recognizes a miracle in which he has interceded. There is a case that is currently being investigated and it is of the miraculous healing of a French nun suffering from Parkinson’s.” Regarding the date of the beatification, the cardinal said, “It is not known, but his tomb is visited by thousands who thank him for favors.” “Not only do Christians want to see him made a saint, but Jews and Muslims as well.” Read the entire story here.

We all need to oppose this horrible proposal that promotes the murder of our children. Abortion is not health care! Passing this legislation will only make matters in our country worse and lead to the demise of our nation. Please contact your congressmen today and let them know you oppose Obama's death care legislation. See below for more information on how to do this. Pro-life activists in Washington, DC, have reacted strongly against a new health-care reform proposal unveiled by President Barack Obama, noting that the legislation would provide government support for abortion. Congressman Bart Stupak of Michigan, the sponsor of a pro-life amendment that was included in the version of the legislation passed by the House of Representatives, called the Obama version "unacceptable" because it adopted the approach of the Senate version. Douglas Johnson, the legislative director of the National Right to Life Committee, went further: None of President Obama's pro

Lila Rose and Live Action Films today exposed yet another Planned Parenthood sting in its undercover investigation and video series. New undercover footage shows staff at a Milwaukee, WI Planned Parenthood abortion clinic counseling a purportedly 14-year-old statutory rape victim not to tell anyone about her 31-year-old boyfriend and coaching her how to obtain an abortion without her parents' consent. In the video, after hearing the girl is 14 and her boyfriend is "much older," the counselor says whether or not the situation will be reported by clinic workers "depends on the person you're disclosing that information to." When the girl says that her boyfriend is 31, the counselor tells her, " You don't have to say anything " about the statutory rape and instructs her, "Just give them the information that's needed." The counselor also confirms that the 31-year-old "boyfriend" will be paying for the abortion. In

Terri's Foundation and Priests for Life are happy to announce that Ave Maria University will once again host "The National Mass for Terri's Day" at the Ave Maria Oratory at Ave Maria University, located near Naples, Florida. Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, and Father Thomas Euteneuer, President of Human Life International, will be joined by many other priests and faithful for the Mass at 5 PM on Wednesday, March 31. Priests for Life and Terri's Foundation established the "International Day of Prayer and Remembrance for Terri Schindler Schiavo, and All of Our Vulnerable Brothers and Sisters" ("Terri's Day") two years ago. Its purpose is to foster education, prayer, and activism regarding discrimination against the disabled, and advocacy for people in situations similar to what Terri and her family faced so that no one will again suffer as she did. Terri's Day is recognized each year on March 31st, the da

Today's saint is St. Polycarp of Smyrna (- 155), a disciple of the Apostles, bishop of Smyrna, and a friend of St Ignatius of Antioch. He is one of the earliest Christians whose writings still survive.   St. Polycarp was one of the immediate disciples of the Apostles, in particular St. John the Evangelist. He embraced Christianity very young and was named bishop of Smyrna. He was greatly respected by the faithful, wrote many letters and formed many holy disciples. His epistle to the Philippians - the only one to be preserved - demonstrates his apostolic spirit, his profound humility and meekness, and his great charity. St. Polycarp fought against heresy. He also taught that Christians must walk in truth, do God’s will, keep all of His commandments, and love whatever He loved. Christians must refrain from all fraud, avarice, detraction, and rash judgment. They must repay evil with forgiveness and mercy. He taught that one must pray all the time, so as not to be led into temptati

  Attributed to Pope St. Gregory the Great (540-604). In the Roman Breviary this hymn is used at Vespers during Lent for both Sundays and the ferial Office from the first Sunday in Lent until the Friday before Passion Sunday.

At the American Conservative Union's recent annual meeting, Deal Hudson , president of the Catholic Advocate , hosted an event with the theme “It's time for a Catholic Tea Party.” The annual meeting of the ACU, called the Conservative Political Action Committee (CPAC) took place in Washington D.C. from Feb. 18-20 . Hudson told attendees of the Catholic Advocate event that “it was time for Catholics to realize they don't need permission from their bishops to become politically active.” Hudson's remarks were made in the context of a campaign to “reform the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)” that he is helping lead. The CCHD, which is under jurisdiction of the U.S. bishops, has recently come under fire for its alleged connections with a network of community organizations that have promoted abortion and the homosexual agenda. Clarifying what he means by a “Catholic Tea Party,” Hudson said, “We are not calling for the dismantling of the USCCB, not at al

President Obama's  new trillion dollar 'health care' plan proposal was posted on the White House website today. Steven Ertelt at Life News reports: President Barack Obama has proposed changes he thinks should be included in the changes made to the Senate health care bill as Democrats move ahead with their plan to railroad the bill thorough Congress via reconciliation. However, Obama does not propose any changes to the massive abortion funding. In fact, analysis from one pro-life organization finds Obama's plan actually increases the total potential abortion funding. The current Senate bill contains massive abortion funding that could force taxpayers to fund hundreds of thousands of abortions and it has other pro-abortion problems. But the new Obama health care proposal, unveiled today in advance of the White House health care summit, leaves intact that Senate language funding abortions. Read more here. In response to President Obama's release of a n

"Lent is like a long 'retreat' during which we can turn back into ourselves and listen to the voice of God, in order to defeat the temptations of the Evil One. It is a period of spiritual 'combat' which we must experience alongside Jesus, not with pride and presumption, but using the arms of faith: prayer, listening to the word of God and penance. In this way we will be able to celebrate Easter in truth, ready to renew the promises of our Baptism". ~ Pope Benedict XVI, from his Sunday remarks before praying the Angelus in St. Peter's Square on February 21, 2010

The Catholic Church’s membership in the United States grew at the “robust” rate of about 1.5 percent in 2008, according to National Council of Churches’ (NCC) new 2010 Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches. A slight loss in Catholic membership in the U.S. was reported in the 2009 Yearbook, but the NCC said the latest figure shows “robust growth.” The figures come from 2008 statistics. The growth outpaces the estimated U.S. population growth rate in 2008, listed as 0.9 percent, according to the CIA World Factbook. There are now an estimated 68.1 million Catholics in the United States. Read the story here.

Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral Associate and Director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, said today that the "Black babies are an endangered species" billboard campaign by Toomanyaborted.com is causing controversy because it points out hard truth. "Abortion on demand has always been sold – and 'sold' is the word – as an answer to a whole host of problems, but instead of eliminating economic hardship, familial stress, or societal ills, it has only eliminated people, a disproportionate number of whom were African Americans," said Dr. King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "Like the stunning video Maafa21.com , the 'black babies are an endangered species' billboards bring home the message that abortion is predicated on lies. It's time that those lies were exposed." ~ Via Christian Newswire. My comment: I have seen Maafa 21 and highly recommend it. It is a powerful video which conveys the truth about black genocide in th

The annual spiritual exercises of the Pope and the Roman Curia began on Sunday afternoon, February 21st, with Eucharistic exposition and the celebration of Vespers. The exercises, which will take place in the Redemptoris Mater Chapel of the Vaticans Apostolic Palace, will continue all week in the presence of Benedict XVI, with sessions in the morning and the afternoon. They will come to an end on Saturday, February 27th, and during the retreat all audiences will be cancelled, including the weekly general audience on Wednesday, February 24th. This years meditations will be directed by the Salesian priest, Fr. Enrico Dal Covolo and the theme is: The Lessons of God and of the Church on the priestly vocation.

Today is the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter , so I have included a photo from my pilgrimage to Rome (Vatican City) in February 2006. The above photo is the beautiful bronze statue of St. Peter created by Arnolfo di Cambio, c.1300 which is located in the northwestern nave of St. Peter's Basilica. Pilgrims who come to the Basilica traditionally touch and kiss its foot, so that it is literally worn thin. View some beautiful photos of the Chair of Peter here. The feast of the Chair of St. Peter commemorates the teaching authority - the Magesterium of the Vicar of Christ who occupies the throne of St. Peter. The Catechism teaches that "it is the Magesterium's task to preserve God's people from deviations and defections and to guarantee them the objective possibility of possibility of professing the true faith without error" so that "the People of God abides in the truth that liberates. (CCC 890). The exercise of the authority of the Chair of Peter gives rise

  At the beginning of Lent, Servant of God Fulton J. Sheen reminds us that emptying ourselves through little mortifications and self-denial makes room for Christ in our lives.  

One of three commercials that airs in between the Gospel of Life TV Program and the EWTN series "Defending Life." This shows how an abortion alters the course of the future.   

 Today's saints are Blessed Francisco and Jacinto Marto , the visionaries at Fatima. Francisco, 11, and Jacinta, 10, are the youngest non-martyrs to be beatified in the history of the Church. The brother and sister, who tended to their families’ sheep with their cousin Lucia Santo in the fields of Fatima, Portugal, witnessed the apparitions of Mary, now commonly known as Our Lady of Fatima. During the first apparition, which took place May 13, 1917, Our Lady asked the three children to say the Rosary and to make sacrifices, offering them for the conversion of sinners. The children did, praying often, giving their lunch to beggars and going without food themselves. They offered up their daily crosses and even refrained from drinking water on hot days. In October 1918, Francisco and Jacinta became seriously ill with the Spanish flu. Our Lady appeared to them and said she would to take them to heaven soon. Bed-ridden, Francisco requested his first Communion. The following day,

Ought we rejoice in Lent? Well, Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, Oregon, has given us the absolute best reason to rejoice in a penitential season: he yanked the title "Catholic" from a hospital in his diocese that refuses actually to be Catholic. What a refreshing development in episcopal leadership! In fact, Lent is probably the perfect time for such an act to take place because it is an exercise of discipline and courage, which we love to see in our prelates. Bishops who are true shepherds, and not politicians, strengthen us and enliven our faith - thank you, Bishop Vasa! The point of contention that the good bishop had with the St. Charles Hospital in Bend, OR was the hospital's practice of surgical sterilization. Apparently the Board of Directors thought that the Church's clear prohibition of this practice was, uh, optional. So after a fair and timely investigation, the bishop could not convince the hospital administration to change practices and simply yanked t

Late on Friday, pro-lifers defeated AttorneyGeneral Six's Robo-Call Privacy Act (SB 456) by a final vote of 13-27 in the Senate.  The bill would have restricted the use of auto-dial calls by non-profit groups, including Kansans for Life. This is a big win , particularly since A.G. Six put out a big press push yesterday (which is now removed from his website). Kansans for Life opposed the bill , warning that the bill exempted arbitrary entities and hampered free speech.  Kansas already has a  Do-Not-Call law, which applies to unwanted business calls. Sen Terry Bruce (R-Hutchinson) carried the opposition to SB 456, and warned that it violated Constitutionally-protected free speech with severe financial penalties. Sen. Karin Brownlee (R-Olathe) and Dick Kelsey (R-Goddard) warned about the chilling effect the bill would have on various charities. Before the vote, Sen. Tim Huelskamp (R-Fowler) secured an amendment to exempt political speech, which is really the target of

Saint Conrad was living peacefully as a nobleman of Piacenza. He had married when quite young and led a virtuous and God-fearing life. One day, when engaged in his usual pastime of hunting, he ordered his attendants to set fire to some brushwood where game had taken refuge. The prevailing wind caused the flames to spread rapidly, and the surrounding fields and forest were soon in a state of conflagration. A mendicant who happened to be found near the place where the fire had originated was accused of being the author; he was imprisoned, tried and condemned to death. As the poor man was being led to execution, Conrad, stricken with remorse, declared the man innocent and confessed his own guilt openly. In order to repair the damage of which he had been the cause, as he then volunteered to do, he was obliged to sell all his possessions. He repaid his neighbors for all the losses they had suffered, then retired to a distant region where he took the Third Order habit of Saint Franci

What do Martha and Mary have to say about "social justice"?   Michael Voris asks, "Do you see the Church's primary mission as tending to souls or to the body?"

Pope Benedict XVI told a group of visiting Romanian bishops on Friday to resist the “scourges” of abortion and artificial birth control. The pontiff said the Church should set up “parish consultancy services” for young people to help them combat the “scourges of abortion, corruption, alcoholism and drugs, as well as birth control by methods contrary to the dignity of the human person.” Read the entire story here.

By Hilary White, Rome correspondent ROME, February 17, 2010 ( LifeSiteNews.com ) – Five prominent members of the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy for Life are calling on the pope to remove Archbishop Rino Fisichella as the Academy’s president following their plenary meeting in Rome last week. According to these key PAV members, Fisichella has manipulated both the media and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in order to deflect blame for damage to the Church caused by an article he wrote last year in which he appeared to condone the abortion of twins in Brazil. Read the entire article.

A Massachusetts Catholic college’s “emergency contraception options and resources” list includes links to Planned Parenthood of Massachusetts and to the state government’s “access to emergency contraception” web site. The list is found of the web page of the Stonehill College Women’s Center, which also offers links to gay activist organizations. In addition, the college’s Book of Majors-- published in 2005 by the Office of Academic Services-- lists “Planned Parenthood counselor” among “professional careers” for gender studies majors. Founded in 1948 by the Congregation of the Holy Cross, Stonehill College has 2,426 students, all of them undergraduates. Source

A grass roots organization in Mississippi has amassed over 130,000 signatures in order to place a Personhood amendment on an upcoming ballot in the state. The amount of signatures well surpasses the minimum requirement of 89,285 needed for a ballot initiative. Personhood Mississippi, a non-profit group that seeks to “protect all life, regardless of age, health, function, physical or mental dependency, or method of reproduction,” reported that this latest ballot initiative broke the state record and garnered more signatures than any other initiative in Mississippi's history. Volunteers have been collecting signatures since February 11, 2009. Read the entire article here.  Related Posts: Judie Brown: 40 Years in the Wilderness   Deal Hudson: Personhood and Politics   Personhood expands to three new states The American Life League Training and Activism Week and Personhood Conference (Photos) Personhood Kansas Launches Campaign to Amend Constitution, Recognize Human

A Catholic man could face prison after violating a temporary court order that forbade him from taking his toddler to Mass. Joesph Reyes of Chicago is in the midst of a bitter divorce suit with his estranged wife, Rebecca Shapiro, who is Jewish. Shapiro was awarded custody of their three year old girl when the couple split and has raised the child in the Jewish faith. Reyes pleaded “not guilty” in a hearing on Tuesday. The arraignment comes after Reyes had previously received a 30-day restraining order forbidding him from “exposing his daughter to any other religion that the Jewish religion” after he had his daughter baptized a Catholic and sent pictures of the occasion to his soon to be ex-wife. Read the story here.

STATEN ISLAND, NY, Feb. 18 / Christian Newswire / -- Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life , commented today on the case of a 26-year-old woman who held a knife to the throat of a pro-life sidewalk counselor outside a Duluth, Minnesota abortion clinic , then changed her mind and decided not to abort. "This case illustrates what is true across the board about those seeking abortions and even those performing abortions: they are conflicted and ambivalent.  Despite any effort to appear sure of what they are doing, they aren't.  Despite the rhetoric about 'freedom of choice,' they resort to abortion because they feel they have no freedom and no choice," Fr. Pavone asserted. "And the lesson for pro-life activists is that what often presents itself as anger and upset is often the first stage of conversion. We should not be afraid of these reactions."

With 107 criminal charges against Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri stalled for months in the Kansas Supreme Court, Operation Rescue has launched a petition to to send the illegal late-term abortion case to trial. “Planned Parenthood has been investigated. A judge has found that there is probable cause to believe that it has broken the law. One hundred and seven criminal charges have been filed, twenty three of which are felonies. It’s time to clear the log-jam, put aside political obstructionism, and allow this case to go forward to trial on its merits,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. Listen to 1-minute radio commentary airing on Bott Radio Network. Former Johnson County District Attorney Phill Kline filed the massive abortion case on October 17, 2007, three months before leaving office. Current District Attorney Steve Howe, a political rival of Kline’s, has shown no interest in pursuing a prosecution. But the case actually began as early as Septemb

Born in Lourdes, France, on January 7, 1844, Bernadette was the first  child of Francois and Louise Soubirous, a poor peasant family. A severe asthma sufferer, Bernadette was such a poor student that she was unable to make her First Holy Communion until she was 14. She had many trials to contend with as a child -- poverty, health problems, which caused her to be behind in school, many responsibilities as the oldest child of six siblings, moving from one poor place to another, and a father who escaped from his financial problems by drowning them in alcohol. Her education was entrusted to the Sisters of Charity and Christian Instruction. - a teaching and nursing order whose mother-house is at Nevers, in central France. The Sisters soon discovered that although Bernadette had a quiet, modest demeanor, she had a lively sense of humor and a pleasing personality. It was to this simple 14-year-old girl that Our Lady chose to appear in what is known as the apparitions at Lourdes. Between

Related Posts: Lent: The sounds of the season   Ash Wednesday: Pope Benedict and Lent   Lenten Quote for Ash Wednesday   Ash Wednesday: A Journey into the Desert   Lenten Ideas 2010

English Translation: Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. To Thee, highest King, Redeemer of all, do we lift up our eyes in weeping: Hear, O Christ, the prayers of your servants. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. Right hand of the Father, corner-stone, way of salvation, gate of heaven, wash away our stains of sin. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. We beseech Thee, God, in Thy great majesty: Hear our groans with Thy holy ears: calmly forgive our crimes. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. To Thee we confess our sins admitted with a contrite heart We reveal the things hidden: By Thy kindness, O Redeemer, overlook them. Hear us, O Lord, and have mercy, because we have sinned against Thee. The Innocent, seized, not refusing to be led; conde

Did you get your ashes today? I'm still wearing mine. Once again, I had the opportunity to assist in distributing ashes which, to me, is a great privilege. It is such a joy to see families approach the altar with everyone from infant to adult receiving the ashes. We are all on this spiritual journey together. During this great season of Lent, each one of us seeks conversion in his /her own unique way. We are all here to help one another not only make it through the season of Lent, but to assist one another in getting to heaven. Let's keep that in mind as we strive to meet our goals during this Lenten season. How can we assist others in our lives obtain that ultimate goal? Whether it be through prayer for another, a sacrificial act on our part, a word of encouragement or comfort, we are all companions on this journey.

Michael Voris continues to comment on the abuses against human life.

As reported in today’s Washington Post , Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Washington has ended its foster-care program. At issue was the right of the archdiocese to reject gay marriage and remain a city contractor; a bill legalizing same-sex marriage recently passed in the District. Catholic League president Bill Donohue supports the archdiocese: Archbishop Donald Wuerl is a man of principle and prudence: he did not want to end the foster-care program, but he was left with no realistic option. District lawmakers could have granted the kind of religious exemptions that would have ensured a continuation of services, but instead they sought to create a Catch-22 situation for the archdiocese. Surely they knew that Archbishop Wuerl was not going to negotiate Catholic Church teachings on marriage, yet that hardly mattered to them.  The real losers are the children who were served by the Catholic Church. Those who say that Wuerl is throwing the kids overboard are phonies. If Planned