Catholic Fire

1. Do not be afraid to be holy! Have the courage and humility to present yourselves to the world determined to be holy, since full, true freedom is born from holiness." -- St.John Paul II, World Youth Day, Santiago, Spain, 1989 2.  “Holiness does not consist in doing extraordinary things. It consists in accepting, with a smile, what Jesus sends us. It consists in accepting and following the will of God.”  -- Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Mother Teresa: In My Own Words , 1 3,  "Sanctity consists in struggling, in knowing that we have defects and in heroically trying to overcome them. Sanctity, I insist, consists in overcoming those defects - although we will still have defects when we die; for if not, as I have told you, we would become proud." -- St. Josemaria Escriva The Forge , 312 4. "All the science of the saints is included in these two things: To do, and to suffer. And whoever had done these two things best, has made himself most saintly....

The Virgin Appearing to Saint Philip Neri Giovanni Battista Tiepolo 1740 Oil on canvas, 360 x 182 cm Museo Diocesano, Camerino Image Source St. Philip Neri was born in Florence, Italy on July 22, 1515. He was one of four children of the notary Francesco Neri. His mother died when he was very young, but a very capable and competent stepmother filled her place. Although they were related to Italian nobility, the family was quite poor. Philip was a cheerful and friendly boy, and was popular with all who knew him. At eighteen, Philip was sent to the town of San Germano, where he lived with a childless relative who had a business there to train as an apprentice and heir. Philip had a strong aptitude for business. Soon after his arrival, Philip began speaking of his conversion, which dramatically changed his life. He left his relative’s home and set out for Rome, as he had a vision that he had a mission to fulfill there. He left without money or a specific plan, trusting in God’s providence...

St. Ambrose was born of a Roman family in Trier about the year 340. He studied in Rome and served in the imperial government in Sirmium. In 374, while living in Milan, he was elected bishop of the city by popular acclaim and ordained on December 7. He devotedly carried on his duties and especially distinguished himself by his service to the poor and as an effective pastor and teacher of the faithful. He strenuously guarded the laws of the Church and defended orthodox teaching by writings and actions against the Arians. He died on Holy Saturday, April 4, 397. Quotes of St. Ambrose: There is no time of life past learning something. No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.Neither angel, nor archangel, not yet even the Lord Himself (who alone can say "I am with you"), can, when we have sinned, release us, unless we bring repentance with us. The Church of the Lord is built upon the rock of the apostles among so many dangers in the world; it therefore remains unmoved. ...

Image Source St. Frances Xavier Cabrini was the first United States citizen to be canonized. Born in Lombardy, Italy in 1850, she founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart in 1880 and established many hospitals, schools, and orphanages. In 1889, she set out for the United States and arrived in New York, where she and six other Sisters worked with the poor, especially with Italian immigrants. Over the next 28 years, she founded numerous schools, hospitals, and orphanages. Mother Cabrini died in Chicago on December 22, 1917 and was canonized on July 7, 1946. She is the patron saint of hospitals, immigrants, and orphans. St. Frances Xavier Quotes "We must pray without tiring, for the salvation of mankind does not depend on material success; nor on sciences that cloud the intellect. Neither does it depend on arms and human industries, but on Jesus alone." From a letter to the immigrants of Latin America and the Carribbean: "In the adorable Heart of Jesus, I can alw...

"You must never turn back for anything at all. You must not break away from holy prayer for any reason except obedience or charity. For often during the time scheduled for prayer the devil comes with all sorts of struggles and annoyances - even more than when you are not at prayer. He does this to make you weary of holy prayer. Often he will say, 'This sort of prayer is worthless to you. You should not think about or pay attention to anything except vocal prayer.' He makes it seem this way so that you will become weary and confused, and abandon the exercise of prayer. But prayer is a weapon with which you can defend yourself against every enemy. If you hold it with love's hand and the arm of free choice, this weapon, with the light of most holy faith, will be your defense" ~ St. Catherine of Siena, The Dialogue , 65 "Every soul should know that even though God does not answer its prayer immediately, he will not on that account fail to answer it at the oppor...

To read St. Margaret Mary's biography and the twelve promises of the Sacred Heart, go here to last year's post. Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from St. Margaret Mary: "What a weakness it is to love Jesus Christ only when He caresses us, and to be cold immediately once He afflicts us. This is not true love. Those who love thus, love themselves too much to love God with all their heart." "The Divine Heart is an ocean full of all good things, wherein poor souls can cast all their needs; it is an ocean full of joy to drown all our sadness, an ocean of humility to drown our folly, an ocean of mercy to those in distress, an ocean of love in which to submerge our poverty."

“No matter what others say or do, even if the wicked succeed, do not be troubled: commit everything to God and put your trust in him.” “Extend mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His mercy from us?” "You have been chosen to be at the disposition of Divine Providence and, if you do not fully submit ot It, you will loose much." "But do you know what it is to labor in charity? It is to labor in God, for God is charity, and it is to labor for God purely and entirely; it is to do so in the grace of God." "Make it a practice to judge persons and things in the most favorable light at all times and under all circumstances." "We must love our neighbor as being made in the image of God and as an object of His love." "The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know...

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 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 as a priest seven years later. He spent fifty years at the monastery of San Giovanni ...

“If I ever become a Saint—I will surely be one of 'darkness.' I will continually be absent from Heaven—to light the light of those in darkness on earth .” "Stay where you are. Find your own Calcutta. Find the sick, the suffering and the lonely right there where you are -- in your own homes and in your own families, in your workplaces and in your schools. ... You can find Calcutta all over the world, if you have the eyes to see. Everywhere, wherever you go, you find people who are unwanted, unloved, uncared for, just rejected by society -- completely forgotten, completely left alone." "If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive." “People ask me what advice I have for a married couple struggling in their relationship. I always answer: pray and forgive. And to young people from violent homes, I say pray and forgive. And again even to the single mother with no family support: pray and forgive.” "You see, in the final analysis, it is between you...

Louis IX, King of France, son of Louis VIII and Blanche of Castile, was born at Poissy, April 25, 1215. Louis was eleven years old when his father's death made him king. At that time, his mother Queen Blanche of Castile, was declared regent and remained an important influence in his life. At nineteen, he married Marguerite of Provence and the couple had eleven children. Louis was a model father and his children received careful instruction from him in the Christian life. Louis brought justice to France. When, for example, a baron hanged three students for poaching rabbits, the King's response was firm. He forced the Baron to surrender his forest, imprisoned him for a time, fined him heavily, made him build a chapel in memory of each student, and ordered him to crusade for three years in Palestine. Louis was a loving and generous king. The poorest of the poor were recipients of his charity and alms everyday. Beggars were fed from his table, he ate their leavings, washed their f...

St. Rose of Lima “Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.” “When we serve the poor and the sick we serve Jesus. We must not fail to help our neighbors, because in them we serve Jesus.” “Would that mortal men might know how wonderful is divine grace, how beautiful, how precious; what riches are hidden therein, what treasures, what joys, what delights. If they but knew, surely they would direct their energy with all care and diligence to procuring sufferings and afflictions for themselves. Instead of good fortune all men everywhere would seek out troubles, illness and suffering that they might obtain the inestimable treasure of grace. This is the final profit to be gained from patient endurance. No one would complain about the cross or about hardships coming seemingly by chance upon him, if he realized in what balance they are weighed before being distributed to men.”

Guiseppe Sarto was born June 2, 1835, the second of ten children born to a poor family in the village of Riese, Province of Treviso, near Venice. His mother, Margherita Sanson, was a seamstress. His father, Giovanni Sarto, who was a cobbler by trade, as well as the caretaker of the city hall and the town's postmaster, passed away when Gisueppe was 16. Gisueppe entered the seminary at the age of 15 and was ordained at the age of 23. For nine years, he served as chaplain at Tombolo, having to assume most of the functions of parish priest, as the pastor was old and in poor health. He sought to prefect his knowledge of theology by studying Saint Thomas and canon law. He established a night school for adults, and devoted himself to pastoral ministry for 17 years. He became the bishop of Mantua, cardinal patriarch of Venice, and Pope in 1903. As Pope, he took as the motto of his reign "to renew all things in Christ." Referred to as the "Pope of the Eucharist", he advo...

Jane Frances Fremiot was born on January 23, 1572, into a prominent and prosperous family of Dijon, in France. Her father was the president of the parliament and a wealthy landowner; her mother, who died in childbirth when Jane was about eighteen months old, was a descendant of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. By the time she was twenty, Jane was a beautiful, lively, charming young woman, not only rich and clever, but also possessing high ethical standards of service and a capacity for hard work. In 1592, she was wed to Baron Christophe Rabutin-Chantal, a member of the aristocracy and a soldier in the king’s service, who did not hesitate to leave the care of his neglected estate to Jane. As result of her diligent efforts, the family lived comfortably. In spite of the fact that her first two children died in infancy, Jane was supremely happy in her role as wife and mother and administrator of a large property which gave her a chance to practice great charity toward the poor. She set up soup ki...

The Community of St. John adoring the Lord at a church in Rome From my Private Photo collection "God dwells in our midst, in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar." "My aim is to institute perpetual adoration, [which is] "the most important activity." ~St. Maximilian Kolbe

Alphonsus Liguori was born in Naples, Italy, in 1696 to noble parents. He was well educated and excelled in his studies. At the early age of sixteen he became a lawyer and was very successful and renowned in his chosen career. After winning case after case and attaining a name for himself, Alphonsus made a mistake which caused him to lose a very important case. He did not eat for days afterwards and prayed for discernment for God’s will in his life. God showed him the vanity of human fame and glory. He decided to abandon the legal profession at the age of twenty-seven and to become a priest despite his father’s disapproval. He desired to labor for the glory of God alone. Saint Alphonsus was ordained a priest in 1726, and he soon became as renowned a preacher as he had been a lawyer. His father stopped in a church to pray one day, and amazed, heard his son preaching and suddenly saw clearly how God had marvelously elevated his son. His heart became filled with joy and he exclaimed: “My...

"We cannot go to heaven in feather beds." "Every tribulation which ever comes our way either is sent to be medicinal, if we will take it as such, or may become medicinal, if we will make it such, or is better than medicinal, unless we forsake it." "What does it avail to know that there is a God, which you not only believe by Faith, but also know by reason: what does it avail that you know Him if you think little of Him?" "The ordinary acts we practice every day at home are of more importance to the soul than their simplicity might suggest." "But no matter how high in the clouds this arrow of pride may fly, and no matter how exuberant one may feel while being carried up so high, let us remember that the lightest of these arrows still has a heavy iron head. High as it may fly, therefore, it inevitably has to come down and hit the ground. And sometimes it lands in a not very clean place.” "As Boethius says: For one man to be proud that he...

"It is love alone that gives worth to all things." “To have courage for whatever comes in life - everything lies in that.” “What a great favor God does to those He places in the company of good people!” “Accustom yourself continually to make many acts of love, for they enkindle and melt the soul.” "God has been very good to me, for I never dwell upon anything wrong which a person has done, so as to remember it afterwards. If I do remember it, I always see some other virtue in that person." "To reach something good it is very useful to have gone astray, and thus acquire experience." "We shall never learn to know ourselves except by endeavoring to know God; for, beholding His greatness, we realize our own littleness; His purity shows us our foulness; and by meditating upon His humility we find how very far we are from being humble." "There are more tears shed over answered prayers than over unanswered prayers." "The tree that is bes...

Today is the optional memorial of St. Anslem of Canterbury, Benedictine Monk, Bishop, Theologian, Philosopher, and Doctor of the Church. St. Anslem (b. 1033, Aosta, Lombardy; d. 1109, Canterbury, Kent) is generally considered to be the founder of the philosophical school of Scholasticism, for his attempt to analyze and illumine the truths of faith through the aid of reason. He was a major figure in the intellectual life of the Middle Ages, and a major political and ecclesiastical force as well. To learn more about him, go here . Here are a few of his gems: "O God, let me know you and love you so that I may find joy in you; and if I cannot do so fully in this life, let me at least make some progress every day, until at last that knowledge, love and joy come to me in all their plenitude. While I am here on earth let me know you fully; let my love for you grow deeper here, so that there I may love you fully. On earth then I shall have great joy in hope, and in heaven complete joy in...

"We must never glance at what is good in ourselves, much less ponder over it, but we should search out what is wrong and what is lacking. This is an excellent way of remaining humble." "Humility is nothing but truth, and pride is nothing but lying." ~ St. Vincent de Paul "Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility." ~Saint Augustine "Humility is the virtue that requires the greatest amount of effort." ~St. Philippine Duchesne "No man has understanding if he is not humble, and he who lacks humility is devoid of understanding. No man is humble if he is not peaceful, and he who is not peaceful is not humble. And no man is peaceful without rejoicing. In all the paths upon which men journey in this world they will find no peace, until they draw nigh to hope in God." ~ St. Isaac the Syrian "Humility is constant forgetfulness of one's achievements....