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Showing posts from January, 2011

Fr. Barron: Arguments for God's Existence

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This is exclusive clip #3 from Fr. Barron's highly anticipated project: CATHOLICISM. This short clip is a preview from episode #3 of the series about the Mystery of God. In it, Fr. Barron beautifully demonstrates one of the classical proofs for God's existence: The Argument from Contingency. H/T: Matt Warner

Pope: Neighbor can be met online

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While involved in the digital world, we must never forget the question: "Who is my neighbor?", and to really establish our presence in an evangelical sense. The Pope said this in a message entitled "Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age".

Pope sets doves free for world peace

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Flanked by two Roman children, Benedict XVI prayed the angelus and called for world peace, before setting a flock of doves free into the wind. Much to his surprise, the doves took a U-turn, a metaphor for just how difficult it is to solidify peace, espeically in the Middle East.

St. John Bosco

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Today the Church celebrates the life of St. John Bosco, priest and patron of youth. He was born in Piedmont, Italy of a peasant family, and he was brought up by his widowed mother. He became a priest, and his particular concern was for the young. He settled in Turin, where, as in so many cities in the 19th century, the industrial revolution was bringing enormous movements of population and consequent social problems, especially for the young men who came there to work. John Bosco devoted himself to the care of the young, first of all by means of evening classes, to which hundreds came, and then by setting up a boarding-house for apprentices, and then workshops for their training and education. Despite many difficulties, caused both by the anti-clerical civil authorities and by the opposition of some senior people within the Church, his enterprise grew, and by 1868 over 800 boys and young men were under his care. To ensure the continuation of his work, he founded a congregation, which...

Amazing Time Lapse Video for 2011 March for Life

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This is an amazing video!  What a crowd! The time it took the pro-lifers to pass the camera was one hour and thirty-one minutes!

A Gift of God

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Fr. Barron comments on St. Thomas Aquinas

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St. Thomas Aquinas

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Happy Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas! As a graduate student in theology,  I have prayed daily to Thomas for the past several months. He was been my dear friend and intercessor and has gotten me through some difficult times. Today is his feast day and I plan to celebrate it heartily, but first, let me share a little about him. Saint Thomas Aquinas was a 13th century Dominican priest, philosopher, and theologian. As a Doctor of the Church, he has been given the title "Angelic Doctor" and is the patron of Catholic universities and schools. St. Thomas ranks among the greatest writers and theologians of all time. His most important work, the Summa Theologiae, an explanation and summary of the entire body of Catholic teaching, has been standard for centuries, even to our own day. St. Thomas reflected the Dominican ideal. He was a true contemplative who shared the fruits of contemplation with others. Born of a noble family in southern Italy, Thomas was educated by the Benedictines...

A Story of Human Dignity: Till Death Due Us Part

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OK, if you liked the story American Idol contestant Paris Tassin had to tell, you’ll love this one. They’re not married yet, but Christ Medina is already taking his impending wedding vows very seriously. Be prepared for a powerful witness: H/T: Chelsea

Prayer Vigil for Beatification of John Paul II to be held in Circus Maximus

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Rome is already making preparations to welcome around 2 million pilgrims for the beatification of John Paul II. The Circus Maximus in Rome will host the crowds on the evening of April 30 for a prayer vigil in preparation of the ceremony.

"There Be Dragons" film based on Opus Dei founder opens May 6

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The film “There Be Dragons” tells the story about a journalist investigating the connection between his father and the founder of Opus Dei, Josemaria Escrivá. It's set to hit the big screens in the US on May 6. The movie's director, Roland Joffé, is well known for his other hits like “The Mission” and “The Killing Fields.” His newest project takes us to Madrid in 1936, during the Spanish Civil War. During a violent time in history, we see the trials experienced by Josemaria Escrivá as Catholic priests are being persecuted throughout Spain and the turmoil of a civil war that separates families and divides a country. Years later, a young man investigating the candidate for canonization Josemaria, discovers his own father had a complicated relationship with the Opus Dei founder. The film based on true events, stars the young actors Charlie Cox from “Stardust” and “Casanova,” Wes Bentley from “American Beauty,” and Olga Kurylenko from the James Bond movie “Quantum of So...

ONE MILLION ROSARIES FOR UNBORN BABIES

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Prayer Event set for May 6th - 8th The multinational ONE MILLION ROSARIES FOR UNBORN BABIES prayer event is set to happen May 6th (Friday), 7th (Saturday), and 8th (Sunday), 2011. Last year, people from more than 40 nations registered Rosaries, though the goal of one million was not met. This year, the Saint Michael the Archangel Organization of Memphis, Tennessee is again encouraging pro-lifers to participate by praying at least one Rosary for an end to the surgical and non-surgical killing of unborn human persons. Register here:   www.SaintMichaelTheArchangelOrganization.org

Saint Angela Merici

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  Today is the optional memorial of St. Angela Merici, the foundress of the Ursulines. Angela was born on March 21, 1474 at Desenzano, Lake Garda, Italy and died on January 27, 1540 in Brescia. Angela’s parents died when she was only ten years old. Together, with her older sister, she moved to the nearby town of Salo, to live with her uncle. When her sister died quite suddenly without receiving the last sacraments, Angela was deeply upset. At the age of 15, she became a Franciscan tertiary and greatly increased her prayers and sacrifices for the repose of her sister's soul. She asked God to reveal to her the condition of her deceased sister and He answered her prayer by showing her through a vision that her sister was in Heaven. When her uncle died, she returned to live at Desenzano to make a life for herself. She was convinced of the need for women to be educated in their faith and converted her home into a school where she daily gathered all the girls of Desenzano and taugh...

Pope calls Christian unity a 'moral imperative'

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For Benedict XVI, Christian unity is a moral imperative. He says in order to obtain it, we must overcome any pessimism or resignation about the process. This came during the closing ceremony of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

Benedict XVI: 'Joan of Arc is an example to all politicians'

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During the general audience, Benedict XVI spoke about Joan of Arc as an example of a saint committed to the society of her time.

Saints Timothy and Titus

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Memorial of Sts. Timothy and Titus, Bishops St. Paul was so influential and attractive a personality that he was able to draw such different types of men as Timothy and Titus and to make them his collaborators. Timothy and Titus were converted to Christianity by St Paul, and became his companions and helpers. They were were two of the most beloved and trusted disciples of St. Paul, whom they accompanied in many of his journeys. Paul made both men bishops and entrusted Timothy with the care of the Christians in Ephesus, and sent Titus to Crete to look after the Christians there. He wrote them “pastoral” epistles, giving advice for pastors and people alike. Timothy was St. Paul's confidant. St. Timothy has been regarded by some as the "angel of the church of Ephesus", Rev 2:1-17. Titus was the negotiator, the one St. Paul sent to clear up misunderstandings, reconcile differences, and the one who would organize a new Church. He received a letter from St. Paul which e...

Fr. Barron comments on Abortion: Shocking Numbers out of New York

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March for Life 2011

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Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul

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  Happy Feast day of the Conversion of St. Paul! The conversion of Saul, persecutor of the early church, was of pivotal importance for the worldwide development of Christianity. Paul means much for our faith and for the New Testament. Today we celebrate that significant event on the road to Damascus when Saul, fallen to amazement at a great light from heaven, spoke with the risen Savior and arose as Paul, to become the Apostle to the Gentiles. Paul was born at Tarsus, the capital of Cilia around 4 A.D. A Jew, he spoke Greek and he held Roman citizenship. He belonged to the tribe of Benjamin and was given the name Saul at the time of his circumcision. As a Roman citizen from birth, he also had the Latin name Paul. He learned to be a tent maker from his father, or rather to make the material of which the tents were made (goat's wool or linen fibers).  At the age of 12 or 13, he left home and was sent to Jerusalem to be educated by Rabbi Gamaliel the Elder, where he acquired a...

March for Life 2011: Hundreds of thousands assemble against abortion in DC

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  Hundreds of thousands of people packed the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 24 to show their support for the human rights of the unborn at the annual March for Life. This year's march marked the 38th anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade. For the first time ever, the morning rally events that preceded the March for Life took place at two locations – the Verizon Center and D.C. Armory – to accommodate larger-than-usual crowds. Growing youth participation, possibly assisted by online social media, has nearly quadrupled the size of the march during the past decade. Fr. Mark Ivany, a priest from Bethesda, Md., told the crowd at the Verizon center on the morning of the march that they were speaking on behalf of those who would never be able to speak for themselves. "The greatest difference between other civil rights movements and this one,” Fr. Ivany reflected solemnly, “is that most of the people affected by Roe v. Wade can't march...

March for Life 2011 - ProLifeCon: A Premier Gathering of Pro-Life Online Activists

Pro-life internet activists gathered at Family Research Council headquarters on January 24th, 2011 for ProLifeCon, the premier conference for the online pro-life community. This video features: Jill Stanek, Abby Johnson, and Lila Rose.

Digital Rosary marks sign of the times

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You can even pray with Pope John Paul II!

Pope proposes a 'Christian Style' of using internet

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Pope Benedict XVI has asked Catholics to make their presence felt in social networks. It is part of his message for the World Day of Social Communication, in which he said there is a "Christian style" of using the internet.

Lila Rose on Abortionist Kermit Gosnell and Roe v Wade

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Live Action President Lila Rose talks from her hotel room in Washington, DC. Hundreds of thousands will be rallying together on Monday, January 24, 2011 on the streets of DC protesting the killing of unborn children and stand up for the right to life of all human beings, born and unborn.

Saint Francis de Sales

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Today is the memorial of St. Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor. Francis was born on August 21, 1567, at the Chateau de Sales in Geneva, Switzerland to a noble family. He was a frail and delicate child, but very intelligent, humble, kind, loving, patient and gentle. He was educated in some of the best schools of that time period. At the age of thirteen, he attended the University of Paris where he studied theology. He then attended the University of Padua, where he earned his doctorate in law. His father desired that he become a lawyer and politician, but Francis desired to become a priest. In 1593, he was ordained. The Catholic Church at this time was losing many of its parishioners to the new churches of the Protestant Reformation. Francis set out to restore Catholicism to the area around Lake Geneva known as Chablais. For three years, he trudged through the countryside, his feet frozen and bleeding, as he trampled through the snow. No one would listen to him, so he wrote out h...

Day of Prayer and Penance for Life

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 Today is a the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and a Day of Prayer and Penance for Life. Prayer to End Abortion Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life, And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the Resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part in ending abortion. Today I commit myself Never to be silent, Never to be passive, Never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, And never to stop defending life Until all my brothers and sisters are protected, And our nation once again becomes A nation with liberty and justice Not just for some, but for all, Through Christ our Lord. Amen!

St. Vincent of Saragossa

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Today is the optional memorial of St.Vincent of Saragossa , deacon and martyr. St. Vincent of Saragossa was one of the Church's three most illustrious deacons, the other two being Stephen and Lawrence. He is also Spain's most renowned martyr. Ordained deacon by Bishop Valerius of Saragossa, he was taken in chains to Valencia during the Diocletian persecution and put to death. From legend we have the following details of his martyrdom. After brutal scourging in the presence of many witnesses, he was stretched on the rack; but neither torture nor blandishments nor threats could undermine the strength and courage of his faith. Next, he was cast on a heated grating, lacerated with iron hooks, and seared with hot metal plates. Then he was returned to prison, where the floor was heavily strewn with pieces of broken glass. A heavenly brightness flooded the entire dungeon, filling all who saw it with greatest awe. After this he was placed on a soft bed in the hope that lenient trea...

Idol Contestant Chooses Life for Her Special Needs Child

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Prior to her audition, 23-year-old Paris Tassin talks about getting pregnant at 18 and choosing life for her daughter who was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in the womb: H/T:   Reflections of a Paralytic

St. Agnes

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After Carlo Dolci (1616-1686), Italian St. Agnes , undated copy Today is the memorial of St. Agnes, virgin and martyr. St. Agnes was born in Rome during the beginning of the third century. She was brought up as a Christian and grew to be a very beautiful young woman. By the age of twelve, Agnes was already receiving suitors for her hand in marriage. And already by the age of twelve, Agnes had developed a deep spirituality that directed her to devote her life to God as a consecrated virgin. Several of the suitors who Agnes turned away became bitter at her and turned her in to the authorities as a Christian. The political atmosphere at the time was very charged, and the Diocletian persecution was well under way. Agnes was arrested and thrown into a house of prostitution to await her death. All who came to look lustfully upon Agnes lost their sight, but many had their sight restored by her intercessory prayers. At last Agnes was sentenced to death. Her body was taken away and buri...

Priest from US Civil War declared Venerable by Pope

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Father Nelson Baker served as a priest in the diocese of Buffalo, New York for 54 years.

St. Fabian

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Today is the optional memorial of St. Fabian, pope (236-250) and martyr. Eusebius, born just a few years after Fabian's death, tells us how Fabian came to Rome after Pope Anteros died in 236. A layperson, and not a very important one, he may have come for the same reason many still come to Rome today during a papal election: concern for the future of the faith, curiosity about the new pope, a desire to grieve for the pope who had passed. Seeing all the important people gathered to make this momentous decision must have been overwhelming. Which one would be the new pope? Someone known for power? Someone known for eloquence? Someone known for courage? Suddenly during the discussion, a dove descended from the ceiling. But it didn't settle on "someone known" for anything at all. The dove, according to Eusebius, "settled on [Fabian's] head as clear imitation of the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove upon the Savior." There must have been som...

Mexican actor pledges to build largest pro-life women's clinic in US

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Mexican producer and actor Eduardo Verastegui has announced that his organization, Mantle of Guadalupe , is planning to build the largest pro-life women's clinic in the United States. Verastegui's announcement came during the first-ever gala held by Mantle of Guadalupe and Catholic Charities of Los Angeles. Continue Reading.

“Ask Them What They Mean By ‘Choice’ Blog Day,” January 21

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Announcing the “Ask Them What They Mean By ‘Choice’ Blog Day,” January 21! She can definitely count Catholic Fire in!

EWTN to acquire National Catholic Register

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 This is wonderful news! The Eternal Word Television Network has announced plans to acquire one of the most prominent Catholic publications in the United States, the National Catholic Register. “The Register is a perfect addition to our teaching apostolate,” said EWTN's President and CEO Michael Warsaw as he made the move public. “I am very pleased and excited that the Register will now be a part of the EWTN family.” The change in ownership was announced in Birmingham, Ala. on the morning of Jan. 19, and will be finalized at the end of January. Read more

Pope calls for the unity of the Church

During the general audience catechesis, Benedict XVI encouraged prayer for the unity of the Church based on the example of the first Christians.

Saint Joseph Sebastian Pelczar

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The saint we commemorate today is Saint Joseph Sebastian Pelczar 1842-1924), Bishop of Przemyśl and founder of the Congregation of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Joseph Sebastian Pelczar was born on January 17, 1842, in the small town of Korczyna in southwestern Poland. There he spent his childhood, raised in an atmosphere of traditional Polish piety. Recognizing his exceptional talents, his parents sent him to the district town of Rzeszow to continue his schooling after he had completed two years of elementary education at the local primary school in Korczyna. Even when he was still a young student, Joseph Sebastian decided to devote himself to the service of God. In his diary he wrote: “Earthly ideals are fading away. I see the ideal of life in sacrifice, and the ideal of sacrifice in priesthood.” After completing the sixth grade at the Rzeszow Academy, he entered the Minor Seminary. Later in 1860, he began theological studies at the Major Seminary of Przemysl. Ord...

Bishop Finn: ‘Abortion too monumental a disgrace to neglect’

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In his recent column, Bishop Finn he reminds us all with regard to the Christian’s attitude toward various issues – abortion, capital punishment, nuclear proliferation, migrants – that “Man-made law does not, of itself, establish right and wrong.” He also firmly reiterates his assertion, that particularly with regard to abortion, “No elected official or appointed judge is worthy of our support, if among their many acts of just advocacy they will not support the most vulnerable of our human race.” From the upcoming edition of The Catholic Key: March for Life: Culmination of Many Efforts to Support and Protect Human Life By Most Rev. Robert W. Finn Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph Throughout the past year the realities of the world around us have caused us to look long and hard at a many issues that endanger the well being of God’s people. In these columns I have shared with you the principles that help to insure the respect for human life and the dignity of the human person. ...

Farmyard blessings in St. Peter's Square

Amid this barnyard melody, the papal vicar of Vatican City blessed these Roman citizens, marking the feast of St. Anthony the Abbot.

Chapel where John Henry Newman was ordained opened to public

Cardinal John Henry Newman was ordained as a priest in 1847 in this chapel dedicated to The Three Wisemen. The chapel was part of the Vatican congregation responsible for missionaries around the world.

Blessed Christina Ciccarelli: prophet, healer, visionary

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Today we commemorate Blessed Christina Ciccarelli (1480 - 1543), prophet, healer, and visionary. Matthia Ciccarelli was born at Luco in Abruzzi, Italy. She was the youngest of six children and her father was Domenico de Pericolo. As she grew up, Matthia felt the call to a life of prayer and penance. She decided to become a cloistered nun. (Cloistered Nuns are nuns who live hidden from the world and spend all their time alone in silent prayer). Matthia entered the convent of St. Augustine in Aquila and took the name Sister Christina. Sister Christina's life as a nun was hidden and silent but the people of Aquila began to find out about the beauty of her work and the life she had chosen. She and the other nuns were bringing many blessings to them through their fervent prayers. Sister Christina was cloistered but she knew the needs of the poor people of her area. She and the nuns sent to them whatever they could. Sister Christina was also aware of the crosses and sufferings p...

Benedict XVI: "The beatification of John Paul II is a joy for those who knew him"

Amidst a cheering crowd during the Angelus, the Pope spoke about the coming beatification of John Paul II to be held on May 1.

Sexual Morality in the Church Today

Sexual morality is a BIG issue in the Church these days. The lack of consistent preaching has created a world of woes for Catholics specifically and the world at large.

Book Review: Weaving Faith and Experience – A Woman’s Perspective

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By Patricia Cooney Hathaway, St. Anthony Messenger Press, Publication Date: January, 2010, paperback, 127 pages. Reviewed by JEAN M. HEIMANN, graduate student in theology, retired psychologist and educator, freelance writer, and Oblate with the Community of St. John. In Weaving Faith and Experience , Patricia Cooney Hathaway helps women understand the relationship between faith and human experience during the middle years within the context of the whole life cycle. She uses both psychology and spirituality to interpret adult development, drawing on the insights of such psychologists as Erik Erikson and such spiritual writers as St. Teresa of Avila. Dr. Cooney-Hathaway is a full professor of spirituality and systematic theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, MI. Weaving Faith and Experience came about as a result of her course on the stages of human and spiritual development for seminary students and her speaking engagements on the interweaving of women’s human and sp...

Twenty-somethings taking the pro-life reins in Alaska, elsewhere

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By Patricia Coll Freeman, CatholicAnchor.org Tweeting and texting, the Echo Boomers are taking the reins of the decades-long effort to restore legal protection to the unborn in Alaska and across the U.S. These 20-somethings – children of Baby Boomers and Generation Xers – were born and raised after the 1973 Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade. They are survivors of the era of legalized abortion in America. But a full third of their generation did not survive – 26 million of their brothers, sisters and friends have been aborted. Read the full story.

Quote of the Day: Alveda King on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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“In advising men and women on questions of personal behavior 50 years ago, Uncle Martin sounded no different than a conservative Christian preacher does now. He was pro-life, pro-abstinence before marriage, and based his views on the unchanging Word of the Bible. Today, Planned Parenthood would condemn Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as part of the 'religious right’.” ~ Dr. Alveda King  Source

George Weigel releases second part of John Paul II's biography

The acclaimed biographer George Weigel has published the last part of his biography on John Paul II, The End and the Beginning. This book covers the last six years of the Pope's life and sheds light on his fight with communism based on new information from previously classified documents.

St. Anthony of the Desert

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St. Anthony of the Desert (c. 251–356), a religious hermit and monk, is known as the founder of monasticism. His rule of order was one of the first to create guidelines for monastic living. He became a monk at age 20 and withdrew into total solitude on a desert mountain near the Nile River. Saint Anthony’s only food was bread and water, which he never tasted before sunset, and sometimes only once in two, three, or four days. He wore sackcloth and sheepskin, and he often knelt in prayer from sunset to sunrise. Here, in the desert, he overcame extreme temptations of the devil, and emerged about 20 years later from total seclusion to instruct nearby hermits in the ways of monasticism. He demonstrated the power of Christ to touch lives by healing the sick, providing spiritual guidance, casting out demons, and preaching. Many were attracted to monasticism by his example. Athanasius's Life of St. Anthony perpetuated his story and inspired waves of monks who civilized and evangelized E...

As I Have Loved You

The Presence is Real

This is a powerful video! From the moment of consecration, Christ is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. We do not see Him as we see other people, but He is there, body, blood, soul and divinity. Even though we cannot see Him, He is always with us in the Blessed Sacrament. From the moment of creation, a person is truly present. We can't see him or her as we see other people, but the whole person is there. Unique DNA can be detected, which will determine his or her physical and mental characteristics. There is a striking similarity between the number of Catholics who support abortion (40-47 percent) and those who do not believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist (43 percent). Thus, we must pray and fast for intellectual, spiritual, and psychological healing for baptized Catholics who have strayed from the truth.

St. Paul the Hermit

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The saint of the day for January  15 is St. Paul the Hermit. St. Paul the Hermit was born in Lower Thebaïd, Egypt in 229 of wealthy and noble parents, but was orphaned by the age of 15. Nevertheless, he was a learned and devout Christian. As a young man, during the persecution of the Christians by Decius in 250, Paul fled into the desert and learned to enjoy his solitary life "alone with God alone" so much, that he remained there for the rest of his life. For ninety years, he lived in the cave, drank water from a nearby spring, and ate from the fruit of a palm tree. He wore leaves. One day St. Anthony, who was ninety, was divinely inspired to visit St.Paul. Though they had never met previously, each greeted the other correctly by name. The two hermits spent some time in the company of one another, and St. Paul informed his younger friend that for 60 years, day after day, a raven had been bringing him a half a loaf of bread. That day, however, the raven brought them a wh...

Nun-profit Healthcare

St. Joseph Hospital in Arizona is no longer Catholic. The reason? The hospital and its parent organization, Catholic Healthcare West, refuse to acknowledge that the abortion that took place there was completely unjustifiable. But recent developments reveal a much darker story with far-reaching consequences.

Benedict XVI to Beatify John Paul II on Divine Mercy Sunday

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It's official! Via Vatican Information Service:  On 1 May, the second Sunday of Easter and Divine Mercy Sunday, Benedict XVI will preside at the rite of beatification for John Paul II in the Vatican. According to a note released by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, "today 14 January, Benedict XVI, during an audience granted to Cardinal Angelo Amato S.D.B., prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, authorised the dicastery to promulgate the decree of the miracle attributed to the intercession of Venerable Servant of God John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla). This concludes the process which precedes the rite of beatification. Continue reading

Surrender

St. Felix of Nola

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The saint of the day for January 14th is St. Felix of Nola . Felix was the son of Hermias, a Syrian who had been a Roman soldier. He was born on his father's estate at Nola near Naples, Italy. On the death of his father, Felix distributed his inheritance to the poor, was ordained by Bishop St. Maximus of Nola, and became his assistant. When Maximus fled to the desert at the beginning of Decius' persecution of the Christians in 250, Felix was seized in his stead and imprisoned. He was reputedly released from prison by an angel, who directed him to the ailing Maximus, whom he brought back to Nola. Even after Decius' death in 251, Felix was a hunted man but kept well hidden until the persecution ended. When Maximus died, the people unanimously selected Felix as their Bishop, but he declined the honor in favor of Quintus, a senior priest. Felix spent the rest of his life on a small piece of land sharing what he had with the poor, and died there on January 14. His tomb soon beca...

Prayer for Unborn by Pope Benedict XVI

DVD Review: The Faithful Traveler

The Faithful Traveler Mash-Up from The Faithful Traveler on Vimeo . The Faithful Traveler is one EWTN program that I haven’t yet had the opportunity to watch, so I was very happy to receive the DVD set for the first season of this popular program to review. In this exciting new DVD set , Diana von Glahn shows us the wonders and the treasures of the Catholic Church by exploring Catholic shrines, churches, and pilgrimage sites throughout the United States. The extroverted and ebullient Diana von Glahn is our personal tour guide on this virtual pilgrimage around the United States. Sharing her enthusiasm and expertise on the saints, Diana skillfully intertwines the biographies of the saints, revealing little known facts about their lives, with each location she visits. She also uncovers the secrets and meanings behind the various works of art, the architecture, history, tradition, and dogma of each location she visits, interviewing artists, rectors, and pastors at the various sites...

Vatican workers preparing for beatification of John Paul II

Workers at the Vatican have already begun preparations for transferring the body of Pope John Paul II, in anticipation of his beatification. The body of the late Pope, currently buried in the crypt of St. Peter’s basilica, will be moved to the main floor when he is beatified. The tomb will be in the chapel of St. Sebastian, near the main door of the Vatican basilica. Earlier this week, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints reportedly approved the authenticity of a miracle through the intercession of the late Pontiff. If their decision is ratified by Pope Benedict XVI—a decision that could be made within days—the final requirement for beatification would be fulfilled and the ceremony could be scheduled. In a related development, a retired Polish bishop suggested that the beatification of John Paul II could take place as early as May 1. Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek pointed out that the date would be especially significant: May 1 this year will be the feast of Divine Mercy, a feast p...

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