Catholic Fire

Today is the feast of St.Thérèse of Lisieux , my dear friend and heavenly helper. In honor of the 118th anniversary of St.Thérèse's entrance into eternal life, I would like to share some of her most precious and intimate words about her one and only Love, Jesus. The Kiss of Jesus "How sweet it was, the first kiss of Jesus to my soul! Yes, it was a kiss of Love. I felt I was loved, and I too said: 'I love Thee, I give myself to Thee forever!' Jesus asked nothing of me, demanded no sacrifice. Already for a long time past, He and the little Therese had watched and understood one another... That day our meeting was no longer a simple look but a fusion. No longer were we two: Therese had disappeared as the drop of water which loses itself in the depths of the ocean, Jesus alone remained; the Master, the King! Had not Therese begged Him to take away from her, her liberty? That liberty made her afraid; so weak, so fragile did she feel herself that she longed to be ...

I have never been on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, but with Marge Fenelon’s new book, Our Lady ,  Undoer of Knots: A Living Novena , I feel as if I have actually traveled there. In Our Lady, Undoer of Knots: A Living Novena, Fenelon takes us on her Holy Land trip, as she follows Pope Francis in his historic 2014 pilgrimage to the sacred sites. She reflects on the nine sacred sites, the inspiring words of the Holy Father, and the knots that obstruct the peace there, comparing them to the common knots that prevent each of us from experiencing interior peace in our daily lives. As we travel along on the nine-day pilgrimage, Fenelon shares fervent novena prayers to Our Lady for each of the nine days. She also poses thoughtful questions which encourage us to delve deeper and to untangle the knots. The various knots include: injustice, separation, confusion, hopelessness, grief and loss, discord, betrayal, envy and pride, and affliction. The Our Lady Undoer of Knots novena is...

Today is the memorial of St. Jerome. Here are fifteen fast facts about him. 1. St. Jerome is a Father and Doctor of the Church. 2. He was a brilliant scholar, monk, traveller, teacher, letter writer, and consultant to Popes and Bishops. 3. St. Jerome was born in Dalmatia (near Aquileia, north of Rome) around 340 to a wealthy Christian family. 4. At the age of 20, St. Jerome was sent to study in Rome, where he became fluent in Latin and Greek and developed a love for the classical writers. 5. He he acquired many worldly ideas, made little effort to control his pleasure-loving instincts, and lost much of the piety that had been instilled in him at home. 6.  St. Jerome travelled throughout western Europe with a friend but that ceased when he had a conversion experience in Trier and decided to become a monk. 7.  He joined a monastic community in Aquileia in 370, where he met some who would become his close friends and others his enem...

Today is the feast of the Archangels: Sts. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. These three Archangels are the only angels named in Sacred Scripture and all three have important roles in the history of salvation. Michael's name means "Who is like God?"  St. Michael’s name is mentioned four times in the Bible: twice in Daniel and once in both the Book of Revelation and the Epistle of St. Jude. In the book of Revelation 12:7-9, we read of a great war that took place in heaven, in which Michael and his angels battled with Satan and the other fallen angels (devils). Michael became the great champion of faithfulness to God and the victor over evil. Today, he is our protector. He guards the people of God, defends the souls of the just, and brings the souls to their final judgment.  To combat the forces of evil in our world today, we pray the St. Michael the Archangel prayer.  Pope Leo XIII composed the prayer after experiencing a horrific vision of attacks against the Church. T...

The saint of the day for September 28 is Saint Lorenzo Ruiz (1600-1637), a husband and father, the first saint of the Philippines and the first Filipino martyred for the Christian Faith.  He and 15 others were martyred at Nagasaki, Japan in 1637. The group included two consecrated women, two other laymen, two brothers and nine priests. Lorenzo Ruiz was born at Binondo, Manila, Philippines to a Chinese Father and a Filipino mother who were both Catholic.  Educated by the Dominicans, he was a devoted and active Catholic, a member of the Confraternity of the Holy Rosary, and a third order Dominican.  He was a husband and father of two sons and a daughter. In 1636, while working as a clerk for the Church, Lorenzo was falsely accused of murder and forced to leave his country. The Dominican fathers who knew Lorenzo arranged to have him take a ship to Japan. Soon after arriving in Japan, Lorenzo was captured for being Catholic and brought to Nagasaki, where he was tortu...

Why am I entitling this "September Joy?" I simply want to share some of the many things that brought joy to my heart this month, beginning with Our Holy Father's visit to the USA. 1.   Welcome, to the U S A, Papa! 2.  The Holy Father's Speech to the U.S. Congress  3.   4.   The Feast of Our Lady of Ransom  Kansas Skies -- God's Paintings:  Copyright Jean M. Heimann 2015 5.    6.   7.   Have a blessed and beautiful weekend!   Jean For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain't The Lyceum.                                                                                                   ...

Today, September 24, in many parts of the world, the Catholic Church commemorates the feast of Our Lady of Ransom, also known as Our Lady of Mercy or Nuestra Señora de la Merced. The Blessed Virgin appeared in 1218 in three separate visions to St. Peter Nolasco, St. Raymund of Penafort, and King James I of Aragon, asking them to found a religious order dedicated to freeing Christian captives from the barbarous Saracens or Moors, who at that time held a great part of Spain. On August 10, 1218, King James established the royal, military and religious Order of our Lady of Ransom (first known as the Order of St. Eulalia, now known as the Mercedarian Order ), with the members granted the privilege of wearing his own arms on their breast. Most of the members were knights, and while the clerics recited the divine office in the commanderies, they guarded the coasts and delivered prisoners. This pious work spread everywhere and produced heroes of charity who collected alms for the ranso...

(Vatican Radio) Celebrating his first Mass in the United States on Wednesday, Pope Francis declared a new saint of the United States.  Fr. Junipero Serra, a Spanish Franciscan priest known for starting nine missions in the 18th century in what is today the US state of California, was raised to the glory of the altars during a solemn open-air Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, in the US capital, Washington.  Several cardinals and bishops, all in white vestments, joined him at the altar on a state erected specially for the canonization, while many more sat in front of the altar. The Pope who is in the US, following his visit to Cuba Sept. 19-22, was accorded a state welcome Wednesday morning, at the Whitehouse in Washington by President Barack Obama, after which he met US bishops in St. Matthew's Cathedral. The canonization rite at the start of the evening Mass included a biography of Fr. Serra and the chanting of the Litany of the Sa...

September 23 is the memorial of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968). St. Pio is one of my favorite saints. Miracles happened everyday of his life. He was a priest, a mystic, and a stigmatist who possessed many rare and mysterious gifts. He was bi-locational, that is, he appeared in two places at one time. He was able to communicate with others through mental telepathy. When he thought of them, they began to smell the scent of violets, which they associated with him. In the Confessional, he was able to tell people their sins in detail, even those which they did not confess to him. Through the simple means of touch, he was able to heal others. God had blessed him with an abundance of gifts that he used wisely to build up the body of Christ and to convert sinners. Padre Pio was born in 1887 in the small village of Pietrelcina in southern Italy, the son of a shepherd. His baptized name was Francesco (Francis) Forgione. He joined the Capuchin friars at the age of 16 and was ordained ...

We love you, Holy Father, and we are praying for you! Catholic World News - September 22, 2015 Bells tolled in Catholic churches across America on Tuesday afternoon, September 22, as Pope Francis arrived for his first-ever visit to the US. The papal flight touched down at Andrews Joint Base outside Washington, DC, shortly before 4 pm. The Pontiff was greeted by President Obama and his family, and-- after a brief informal meeting-- escorted to a Fiat wagon that would take him to the apostolic nunciature, where he will spend the night. There was no formal ceremony at the airport; neither the Pope nor the President made public remarks. An official welcome will be held at the White House on Wednesday morning. Pictures speak louder than words, so below I am sharing some videos of our Holy Father as he arrives in the USA. In the first video, Pope Francis, fresh off his trip to Cuba, arrives by airplane at Andrews Air Force Base outside of Washington on Tuesday to begin his f...

The novena to St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower, begins today, September 22, and is recited for nine days. St. Therese is a powerful intercessor. Also known as St. Therese of the Child Jesus, she is a doctor of the Church and Pope Pius X called her the “greatest saint of modern times.” Novena Prayers Dearest Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God up until the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithf...

Those who are not traveling to see Pope Francis during his three-city apostolic visit to the United States can join in a virtual pilgrimage with these prayers for each stop on his journey. Tuesday September 22 — Washington, DC As our shepherd Pope Francis begins his pilgrimage to the United States, please pray for the Church in our country. Here is a prayer for that intention from the Roman Missal: O God, who in each pilgrim Church throughout the world make visible the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, graciously grant that your faithful may be so united to their shepherd and gathered together in the Holy Spirit through the Gospel and the Eucharist, as to worthily embody the universality of your people and become a sign and instrument in the world of the presence of Christ. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Wednesday September 23 — Washington, DC The White House. U.S. Government photo.As Pope Francis goes to the White House to meet President Obama, ple...

Today, September 22, is the feast of St. Thomas of Villanova, a 16th century Spanish Augustinian monk and archbishop who lived a life of poverty and penance in order to provide for the spiritual and material needs of his people. Thomas García (1486-1555), the son of a miller who was born in Fuentellana, Castile, Spain. He studied theology at the University of Alcalá, where he later became a professor of philosophy. In 1516, Thomas was offered the chair of philosophy at the prestigious University of Salamanca, where the Augustinians had founded a monastery in 1377.  However, he declined the chair and instead entered the Augustinian Order in that city. Ordained to the priesthood in 1520, Thomas served as prior of the Augustinian houses in Salamanca, Burgos, and Valladolid, and was later elected provincial of Andalusia and Castile. As provincial, he sent the first Augustinian missionaries to the New World where they helped evangelize what is now modern Mexico and, from there, ...

Today is the feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. He is the traditional author of the first gospel. St. Matthew was born at Capernaum. He was working as a tax collector when Jesus called him to be one of the twelve apostles. He was sitting among the tax collectors, when Jesus said to him, "Follow me." "And he got up and followed him" (Matthew 9:9). Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebrew. His gospel, with its familiar references to the messianic prophecies, throws light on the continuity between the covenants. Moreover, his vocation is one of the most popular episodes in the life of Jesus, because of the personality of the one called the tax collector and the revelation of redeeming love that concludes and crowns the story. Matthew's position as tax collector equated with collaboration with the enemy by those from whom he collected taxes. Jesus' contemporaries were surprised to see Christ with a traitor, but Jesus explained that he had come "n...

Today, September 19, we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of La Salette. On Saturday, September 19, 1846, on the feast day of Our Lady of Sorrows. about three o'clock in the afternoon, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared on the mountain in La Salette, France to fifteen-year-old Melanie Calvat and eleven-year-old Maximin Giraud, two young shepherds. Mary appeared in a resplendent light as a beautiful woman dressed in a strange costume, seated on a stone, her face buried in her hands, crying. The beautiful lady then stood up and crossed her arms. She told the children not to be afraid but reassured them that she had great news to share. She gave them both a public message and asked them to make her message known to all her people. Our Lady called the townspeople to repent of their sins and to turn back to Christ.  The Blessed Mother told them: "If my people do not wish to submit themselves, I am forced to let go of the hand of my Son. It is so heavy and weighs me ...

September 18 is the feast day of St. Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663),  If you have watched the film "The Reluctant Saint", you know just how endearing this sweet Franciscan saint was and what strong humility he had. Joseph’s father was a poor carpenter who died prior to his birth. His mother, Francesca Panara, was unable to pay the debts, so the creditors evicted her from her home. She gave birth to Joseph in a stable at Cupertino, Italy. When Joseph was eight years old, he began receiving ecstatic visions that left him staring into space with his mouth wide open. Children made fun of him and called him "the gaper."  He was poorly educated and could scarcely read or write, which led others to think of him as stupid. In addition, his continual ecstasies made it difficult for him to concentrate on any task.  When he was seventeen, he decided he wanted to become a monk or friar. Joseph applied for admission to the Friars Minor Conventuals, but was rejected d...

Today is the feast of St. Robert Bellarmine (1542-1621), Italian cardinal and theologian. One of the great saints of the Jesuit order, he has also been declared a Doctor of the Church and the patron of catechists. He is also the patron of catachumens and canon lawyers. Robert Bellarmine was born on October 4, 1542 in the Tuscan town of Montepulciano. He was the third of ten children born to Vincenzo Bellarmine, a nobleman, and Cinthia Cervini, sister of Pope Marcellus II. As a young man, Robert was educated by the Jesuits and in 1560; he entered the Jesuit order himself. He studied philosophy for three years in Rome, then taught humanities at Florence and Mondovi until 1567, when he began a study of theology at Louvain that lasted until 1569. In 1570, Robert was ordained to the priesthood in Belgium, where his sermons attracted crowds of both Catholics and Protestants. In 1576, he returned to Italy and took up an academic position addressing theological controversies. As ...

I watched EWTN News tonight and learned of the approval of the apparitions of Mary Mediatrix of all Grace  that I am excited to share this with all of you. In 1948, Our Blessed Mother appeared 19 times to a novice in the Carmelite order in Lipa City, Philippines. Teresita Castillo recounted that Our Lady stressed humility, penance, prayers for the clergy and the Pope, and to pray the Rosary. Our Lady also asked that a Mass be held on the 12th of every month. Before her final departure, the Blessed Virgin identified herself: "I am the Mediatrix of all Grace." Teresita reported that there was one secret for herself, one for the Carmel convent in Lipa City, one for China, and also one for the entire world.Initially declared by a local bishop as non-supernatural in 1951, the case was reopened in 1991 with extensive research then investigation, and was formally approved by Archbishop Ramon Arguelles on September 12, 2015.   Update: Here is a video of the EWTN News...