Catholic Fire

John Fisher was born at Beverly, Yorkshire, England in 1469. He was chaplain to the mother of Henry VIII and chancellor of Cambridge University before being elevated to the bishopric of Rochester in 1504. He counted Thomas More among his friends. John Fisher and his friend Saint Thomas More gave up their lives in testimony to the unity of the Church and to the indissolubility of marriage. John Fisher opposed the divorce between Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon and the constitution of the so-called Anglican Church. Because he refused to swear an oath affirming the supremacy of the king as Supreme Head of the church of England, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. There he received the title of Cardinal granted him by Pope Paul III. He was condemned to death by torture, but this penalty was changed to beheading because the 66-year-old Cardinal was ill and too weak to endure torture. He was martyred on June 22, 1535 and buried in the churchyard of All Hallows, Barking, without rite...

Saturday Christmas Weekday Saint of the Day: St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, Canada's First woman saint, founder of the Congregation of Notre Dame de Montreal Have your children visit this interactive webpage about the life of St. Marguerite which also teaches the history of Canada. See my special post dedicated to St. Marguerite Bourgeoys and the Sisters of the Congregation on Notre Dame who taught me in elementary school and high school. Saint Quote of the Day: Our Lady's love is like a stream that has its source in the Eternal Fountains, quenches the thirst of all, can never be drained, and ever flows back to its Source. ~ St. Marguerite Burgeoys Today's Mass Readings On This Day in Catholic History 690 - Saint Benedict Biscop , the Benedictine abbot and monastery builder who introduced the stone-built church and the art of glassmaking to England, died (b. ca. 628). 1167 - Aelred (a.k.a. Ailred, Ethelred), abbot of the Cistercian abbey of Rievaulx in Yorkshire, England, di...

Born in 1380, Nicolette was named in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra. Her loving parents, who were both in their 60's when she was born, nicknamed her Colette from the time she was a baby. Colette's father was a carpenter at an abbey in Picardy. Quiet and hard-working, Colette was a pious child, who prayed frequently, eagerly assisted her mother with household chores, and demonstrated a sensitive and loving nature. When Collette was 17, both of her parents died and was left her in the care of a Benedictine abbot. Her guardian wanted her to marry, but she was drawn to religious life. She initially tried to join the Beguine and Benedictine orders, but neither one worked out for her. Instead, she became a third order Franciscan. At age 21 she renounced the world in order to spend her life alone in penance and prayer as an anchoress - walled into a cell whose only opening was a grilled window into a church. She soon became well known for her holiness and spiritual wisdom, but left h...