Catholic Fire

October 4, 1922 – April 28, 1962 If you must choose between me and the baby, no hesitation; Choose—and I demand it—the baby, Save him!” Gianna Beretta Molla was an Italian doctor, wife, and mother who refused to have either an abortion or hysterectomy when she was pregnant with her fourth child. Doctors had discovered in the second month of her pregnancy a fibroma tumor in her uterus. As a doctor, Gianna knew the consequences of not fully treating the fibroma. She chose the life of her child over her own. On the morning of April 21, 1962, a healthy baby girl was born, Gianna Emanuela. Despite all efforts and treatments to save both of them, on the morning of April 28, amid unspeakable pain and after repeated exclamations of “Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you», the mother died of septic peritonitis. She was 39 years old. Her funeral was an occasion of profound grief, faith and prayer. Gianna was beatified by Pope John Paul II on April 24, 1994, during the international year of the fa...

It's Catholic Carnival time at the Pillars and Ebeth is showing her excitement and enthusiasm over The Holy Father's upcoming visit to the US tomorrow by posting some great shots of our "dear Papa" like the one above. I encourage you to stop by and read the interesting posts there. A few of my favorites include: Elena's How to have a Domestic Church , Heidi's post, "Mary Prayer: When you need sleep" from, Behold Your Mother: A Bouquet of Love from Mary to her Children, and Steven's post on The Mad Celtic Warrior Poet Priest , but be sure to check out all the posts while you're there.

US Conference of Bishops Asserts New Appointee is Pro-Life WASHINGTON, DC, September 21, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - On Monday LifeSiteNews.com published a story on Kathy Saile, who was recently named Director of Domestic Policy for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Evidence on the internet and commentary on various blogs pointed strongly to the possibility that the new USCCB Director supported abortion. Calls to confirm or deny the allegations were not returned by USCCB communications official Sr. Mary Anne Walsh. In response to queries from concerned LifeSiteNews.com readers, the USCCB has now indicated that Saile is in fact pro-life. The USCCB offices did not make this assertion to LifeSiteNews.com. On Wednesday Catholic News Service, the media arm of the USCCB, published a story on Saile highlighting her pro-life position. The article explained that Saile's work in Washington brought her into contact with the pro-abortion group Women's Information Netw...

Washington, DC – Operation Rescue President Troy Newman will be part of a historic Christian prayer delegation to Iraq. The group of six men, led by the Christian Defense Coalition, has been officially welcomed by the Iraqi government and will be their guests in Baghdad. The group is scheduled to leave today for Iraq, and will spend a week praying for people of Iraq and seeking God’s wisdom and guidance for the direction of Iraq during this critical time in the nation’s history. “Because we are a pro-life group, we are very concerned about the loss of life, both among the American troops endeavoring to bring stability to Iraq and to the innocent non-combatants that too often find themselves in harm’s way,” said Operation Rescue Senior Policy Advisor Cheryl Sullenger. “This is an amazing opportunity to cover this nation with much-needed prayer.” “We are aware of the dangers of traveling to a war zone, so we are asking for special prayer Troy and the other men in the delegation that they...

Too many husbands and wives expect their partners in marriage to give only what God can give: eternal ecstasy. Yet if any man or woman could do that, he would be God. We are right to want the ecstasy of love, but if we expect to enjoy it through the flesh, which is merely on pilgrimage to God, we prepare ourselves for disappointment. The first ecstasy of love is not an illusion; but is only a kind of travel folder, a foretaste, a preview, urging body and soul to start the journey toward eternal joys. If the first ecstasy passes, the change is not an invitation to love another person, but to love in another way -- and the other way is the Christ Way, the way of Him who said: "I am the Way." ~ Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, "Way to Happiness", Fawcett Publications, Greenwich, Conn., 1957, page 75.

As God recognized each of us before we were born, and called us by name, so too may we recognize the value of each human life and pledge ourselves to continue to defend and nurture God's greatest gift to us. -- NCCB 1992 Respect Life Manual

Pope Benedict XVI met on July 5 with bishops from the Dominican Republic, who were completing their ad limina visits to the Holy See. The Holy Father said that the people of the Dominican Republic have "a profoundly Christian soul," remarking that the country has a "spirit open and sensitive to the Good News." Still the Church faces challenges, he said, because of secularizing trends and threats to family life. The family, the Pontiff continued, is the place where young people are formed, and must be protected from the moral indifference that arises in "a society so marked by hedonism and religious indifference." He encouraged the bishops to give the greatest possibility support to families, recognizing the threats that they face "especially with the tragedy of divorce and pressures to legalize abortion, as well as the spread of unions not in accordance with the Creator's design for marriage." Source

Whispers in the Loggia : Motu Proprio Released National Catholic Register: Priest TV Show Vows Respect CNA: EWTN airs program to inspire Christians to end abortion CWA: Supreme Court ruling upholds faith-based programs LifeNews.Com: BIPARTISAN CONGRESSIONAL BILL WOULD PROMOTE ADULT STEM CELL RESEARCH FAMILY OF TERRI SCHIAVO TO GET NATL PRO-LIFE AWARD, START MEDICAL CENTER KANSAS LEGISLATORS CALL ON STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO ENFORCE ABORTION LAW LifeSiteNews.Com: Hybrid Embryos Must be Given Right to Life Say UK Catholic Bishops New Oxford Review: German court jails pastor for abortion comment