Catholic Fire

The Coliseum Rome, Italy From My Personal Photo Collection On the day after the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, we honor the first martyrs of the Roman Church. They were victims of the Emperor Nero, who blamed Christians for a fire that destroyed most of the city of Rome in the year 64. These Christians were arrested, interrogated, and brutally murdered for Nero's personal entertainment. They were thrown to the wild beasts in the arena or soaked in tar and used as living torches. Their deaths are documented in the writings of the Roman historian Tacitus and in Pope St Clement’s letter to the Corinthians. Pope Clement encouraged His flock, "We are placed in the same arena, and the same contest lies before us. Hence we ought to put aside vain and useless concerns...Let us fix our gaze on the blood of Christ, realizing how precious it is to His Father, since it was shed for our salvation and brought the grace of repentance to all the world."

There’s an ancient symbol that uses a ship or boat to represent the Catholic Church. In this video, Fr. Mike Schmitz takes that analogy a step further, using it to explain how everything Christians love about their church, whichever one it may be, originally came from the flagship or mothership of Christianity. She has had her struggles, some of which have caused others to leave and start their own fleet, but ultimately she has stayed her course and will always welcome her crew home.

According to the latest statistics from the Vatican, there are now 1.229 billion baptized people in the world, a ten percent increase since 2005. The Church has grown the fastest in Africa, where the number of Catholics increased by 29 percent. Meanwhile, Europe was the only region with a decrease in growth. The figures, gathered in December 2012 and released recently, show that the number of priests changed from 406,000 in 2005, to 414,000. Bishops showed a similar growth rate, reaching 5,000 today, while seminarians topped 120,000. However, the numbers of religious shrunk by seven percent during the seven-year period, to 703,000. The greatest change was in the number of permanent deacons. In 2005, they were over 33,000. Seven years later, they rose to 42,000. While the practice of ordaining permanent deacons is common in the Americas, it grew significantly in Europe. The Vatican Publishing House published these figures recently in the 2012 edition of the Annuario Pontifici...

In a setting unlike any other, Pope Francis Baptized 32 babies in the Sistine Chapel. names stand up....... He described the Sacrament as an unbroken chain of faith that links generation to generation. POPE FRANCIS "I want to highlight one thing. You are transmitters of faith. You have the responsibility of passing on the faith to your children.” As a Vatican employee, Massimo Cara and his wife Cristina, saw their 4 month-old baby girl,  Baptized by Pope Francis, precisely on the date when the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. MASSIMO CARA Gendarmeria Vaticana "When you think about it, our faith is the most important inheritance you can give your children.” He says the homily was short, but direct and the message really hit home. MASSIMO CARA Gendarmeria Vaticana "When you have the gift of faith, everything else, especially materialism, is just in the background.” For six years, Paolo de Angelis has worked at the Vatican. Eve...

I came "Home" for Christmas many years ago and it was the happiest Christmas of my life! In different parts of the globe, it's the same story that's being heard over and over again. Distanced Catholics are going back to Church and embracing their faith. Some call it the 'Francis effect' others say it's the result of the  New Evangelization. Either way, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales is jumping on board with an initiative called: 'Come Home for Christmas.' It's website www.comehomeforchristmas.co.uk encourages Catholics who never or rarely attend Mass, to go back and rediscover their faith.  It includes the personal stories of Catholics who for different reasons, distanced themselves from the Church for months, years or even decades...but eventually they all decided to go back. Every person brings a unique story. In an increasingly secular country like the UK, Bishops want to invite their flock, young and ol...

(Vatican Radio) The head of the Catholic church in the Philippines, Cardinal Luis Tagle says every times he sees images of the massive destruction caused by typhoon Haiyan he’s left speechless. At the same time, Cardinal Tagle says he is consoled by the love and solidarity that is pouring in from all over the world in the wake of this disaster. Read more. View more images HERE. Related:  Pope sends $150,000, as Vatican sets up fund for victims of super typhoon in Philippines

Father I. Michael Bellafiore presents some interesting ideas HERE. 1. Parishioners and clergy must take responsibility for evangelization. The church is not a spiritual McDonald’s whose success largely depends on its managers, the clergy. Paraphrasing President John Kennedy’s call to service, “Ask not what the church can do for you, but what you can do for the church.” Evangelicals and Pentecostals have much to teach Catholics in this regard. Polls show Catholics stayed away from church because they were ignored, slighted, or scandalized. Sometimes they misunderstand church teaching.  They need to know that they are missed and that the door is open for them. 2. A priest in France has attracted people to packed Masses largely by spending six hours every night in the confessional. (He also wears priestly garb on the street so that those who want a priest know where to find one.) Clergy here need to recommit themselves to the sacrament of confession. They must be available at...

September 3, 2013. (Romereports.com) Starting in mid-October, 58-year-old Italian Archbishop Pietro Parolin will become Pope Francis' right hand man in governing the Church. By virtue of his age, he will become one of the Vatican's youngest Secretary of State in history; replacing 78-year-old Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who has held this position for the past seven years.   Pietro Patrolin was, up until recently, the apostolic nuncio to Venezuela. He also worked at the embassies to Nigeria and Mexico, as well as in the Vatican Secretariat of State. In 2002, John Paul II named him as undersecretary for relations with states, a post he held for seven years. Archbishop Parolin took part in several high stakes negotiations, including the warming of ties with Communist Vietnam, dialogue with the U.S. Government following the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, and with Spain's socialist government under Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero. The Italian showed great diplomatic and...

allowfullscreen> (Vatican Radio) The Church is not a bureaucratic organization, but a love story. This was Pope Francis’ message during Wednesday’s Mass in the Chapel of the Casa Santa Marta. Attending the Mass this morning were employees of the Institute for the Works of Religion, commonly called the Vatican bank. Cardinal Javier Lozano Barragán, President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Health Pastoral Care, concelebrated Mass with the Holy Father. The day’s readings tell the story of the growth of the first Christian community. In his homily, the Pope warned against being tempted to make "deals" simply to get "more partners in this enterprise." Instead, he said, “the road that Jesus willed for His Church is otherwise: the way of difficulties, the way of the Cross, the way of persecution . . . And this makes us wonder: what is this Church? Because it seems it is not a human enterprise." The Church, he said, is "something else."...

April 23, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis celebrated the feast day of St. George, his patron saint, with a Mass as the Pauline Chapel, along with the resident cardinals in Rome. At the start of the ceremony, Cardinal Dean Angelo Sodano congratulated him on behalf of others. During the hour-long ceremony, Pope Francis gave a brief homily similar to the ones he offers at the Casa Santa Marta Chapel. POPE FRANCIS “I also thank all of you who wanted to come today: Thank you. Because I feel welcomed by you. Thank you. I feel good with you, and I like that.” Without written remarks, but basing himself on the Gospel of the day, he spoke about the Church's expansion, starting with the first persecution of Christians. POPE FRANCIS “And this is how the Church moved forward. Whose was this initiative to speak to the Greeks? This was not clear to anyone but the Jews. But ... it was the Holy Spirit, the One who prompted them ever forward ... But some in Jerusalem, when they hear...

May she rest in peace. LIVERPOOL, England (CNS) -- The Catholic bishops of England and Wales offered prayers for the soul of Margaret Thatcher, the former British prime minister who died at age 87 following a stroke. Baroness Thatcher, who led Britain from 1979 to 1990, died "peacefully" the morning of April 8, according to her family. Soon after news of her death was made public, Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, president of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, issued a short statement. "It was with sadness that we heard the news of the death of Baroness Thatcher, who served this country for many years both as a member of Parliament and as prime minster," said Archbishop Nichols. "We pray for the repose of her soul and for the intentions of her family and all those who now mourn for her," he added. Later that day, the Vatican released a telegram that Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican's secretary of state, ...

This trailer presents the first 10 minutes of the Catholic Radio and Television Network - documentary "A Hidden Life." With the coming to power of the Communists in Bulgaria, religious communities became increasingly oppressed. Continuously controlled, continuously observed the sisters were subject to ever more intimidating interrogations and ruder searches. Some of them, such as the Carmelites, awaited prison sentences. In 1948 the authorities started to confiscate Church run schools, convents and orphanages, forcing the sisters to move to a hidden life in tucked away corners such as choir lofts or abandoned buildings. This is the story of how two religious communities, the Carmelites and the Eucharistine Sisters, survived this time. H/T: The Anchoress

Saint Robert Bellarmine was born in Tuscany in the town of Monte Pulciano in 1542, became a Jesuit and was ordained priest. He was a vigourous defender of the faith at the time of the Reformation. He also taught theology in the Roman College. He was made a Cardinal in 1599, but after a disagreement with the Pope was sent as bishop to Capua in 1602. He was a very pastoral bishop, visiting, preaching and teaching, and giving the example of a truly Christian life. He returned to Rome in 1605, and died in 1621. Prayer God our Father, you gave Robert Bellarmine wisdom and goodness to defend the faith of your Church. By his prayers may we always rejoice in the profession of our faith ~ Via Daily Gospel Saint Quote of the Day: "Sweet Lord, you are meek and merciful." Who would not give himself wholeheartedly to your service, if he began to taste even a little of your fatherly rule? What command, Lord, do you give your servants? "Take my yoke upon you," you say. And what i...