Catholic Fire

St. Gertrude was born in Eisleben, Germany in 1256. As a five-year-old, she was received into the monastery of the Cistercian nuns in Helfta. She was an intellectually gifted student with a gentle disposition who applied herself to her studies, concentrating on literature and philosophy. At the age of 26, Gertrude had the first of many visions of Jesus which brought about a deep interior conversion, drawing her into the innermost recesses of His Sacred Heart. Her heart symbolically united in a vision to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, she was a precursor of the later devotion to the Sacred Heart. She also advocated frequent reception of the Eucharist and devotion to St Joseph. Similar to other mystics, such as St. Teresa of Avila, the Passion of Christ was her favorite devotion and when she meditated on it, or on the blessed Eucharist, she was often unable to control the torrents of tears which flowed from her eyes. She frequently went into ecstasy when she meditated or focused on t...

On All Souls' Day, November 2, Roman Catholics commemorate and pray for the holy souls in Purgatory, undergoing purification of their sins before entering heaven. It is a great act of charity to pray the poor souls and it is very much needed. St. John Chrysostom instructs us: “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice (Job 1:5), why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and to offer our prayers for them” (Homilies on 1 Corinthians 41:5 [A.D. 392]). St. James the Apostle says: “He who saves a soul saves his own and satisfies for a multitude of sins.” Finally, St. John Vianney said: "We must say many prayers for the souls of the faithful departed, for one must be so pure to enter heaven." Our Lord appeared in a vision to St. Gertrude, and emphasized the necessity of prayer for the poor souls: “My love urges Me to release the poor so...