Catholic Fire

"Realize that you may gain more in a quarter of an hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament than in all other practices of the day." ~ St. Alphonsus Liguori

"It is well known, and is daily experienced by the clients of Mary, that her powerful name gives the particular strength necessary to overcome temptations against purity". ~St. Alphonsus Liguori

"St. Teresa of Avila said that in this world it would be impossible for all subjects to speak to their king. For the poor the most they can hope for is to speak to him with the help of a third party. But to speak to You, O King of Heaven, there is no need of a third person. Everyone who wishes can find You in the Most Holy Sacrament and can speak to You at their convenience and without conditions. For this reason, the same saint states, Jesus Christ has concealed His majesty in the Sacrament, under the appearance of bread, in order to give us more confidence, and to take away our fear of approaching Him." "Jesus seems continually to exclaim from the altar: Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. (Matthew 11:28) Come, He says, come you who are poor; come, you who are infirm; come, you who are afflicted; come, you who are just and you who are sinners, and you shall find in me a remedy for all your losses and afflictions. ...

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...