Catholic Fire

Pope Francis sent a message to the Knights of Columbus to mark their 132nd International Convention in Orlando, Florida. The message was sent to the Knights in a letter sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State. The Pope expressed his gratitude for their service in contributing "to the mission of the Church at every level” especially their work in charitable activities. The Knights of Columbus set a record in donations in the past year, donating more than $170 million to charities. He also called on them to defend religion’s "proper place in the public square and to encourage the lay faithful in their mission of shaping a society which reflects the truth of Christ.” The letter was read to over 2,000 members of the Knights of Columbus attending the conference. ~ Via Rome Reports.

The saint of the day for February 4 is St. Joseph of Leonissa, OFM Cap. He was the third of eight children born at Leonessa (Italy) on January 8, 1556. At baptism he was given the name Eufranio. Impressed by the example of Matthew Silvestri, who had left the medical profession to embrace the Capuchin life and whose holiness was evident, Eufranio was inspired to become a Capuchin.  After overcoming family opposition, he was admitted to the novitiate and received the habit and the name Joseph and made profession on January 8, 1573. On May 21, 1581, the Capuchin general vicar issued patents for preaching, the ministry in which Joseph would be engaged for the remainder of his life. Relying solely on grace and with a mission crucifix always tucked in his cincture, Joseph negotiated the most obscure, mountainous regions of Umbria, Lazio and the Abruzzi in an intense and extensive mission of evangelization among those who were poor. Joseph enjoyed such great success in preachi...

by Jean M. Heimann, M.A. Theology October 1st is the feast of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a saint who is very dear to my heart. Over the years, she has been a close friend and a powerful intercessor for me. Let me share a little about one of my favorite saints with you and why she is so special to me. I first learned about St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus when I was 15 years old, a sophomore in a Catholic high school. In English class, her autobiography, Story of a Soul, was one of the options on our required reading list. As I read her love for Jesus and learned of her "Little Way", I couldn't help but admire and desire to emulate this beautiful saint, who expressed so much joy in the midst of suffering. I cheered when this young woman who was my age when she acted with such strong faith and determination and did the forbidden, speaking out when she was told to remain silent, pleading with the Pope to let her enter Carmel. I was fascinated with the poetic way she...

Today marks the feast day of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta - a beautiful servant of God who is one of our most celebrated mothers and a universal symbol of God's merciful and preferential love for the poor and forgotten. In her own words: “By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belong entirely to the Heart of Jesus.” "God still loves the world and He sends you and me to be His love and His compassion to the poor.” Mother Teresa of Calcutta (1910-1997) Biography Mother Teresa of Calcutta: Peacemaker, Pioneer, Legend Related Posts: Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta: My Favorite Quotes Book Review: Mother Teresa's Secret Fire Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta: Do It Anyway A PICTORIAL TRIBUTE TO BLESSED MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA (1910 - 1997) Mother Teresa Anniversary and Novena Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta: Contraception, Abortion, Love,...

Today's saint of the day is St. Stephen of Hungary, the first Christian king of Hungary. Born a pagan, Stephen was baptized at age 10, along with his father, and was raised as a Christian. In 996, at age 20, he married Gisela, the daughter of Duke Henry II of Bavaria and devoted much of his reign to the promotion of the Christian faith. He gave his patronage to Church leaders, helped build churches, and was a proponent of the rights of the Holy See. Stephen also crushed the pagan counter-reaction to Christianity, and converted the so-called Black Hungarians after their failed rebellion. In recognition of his efforts, Stephen was crowned king of Hungary in 1000, receiving the cross and the crown from Pope Sylvester II. His crown and regalia became beloved symbols of the Hungarian nation, and Stephen was venerated as the ideal Christian king. The secret of St. Stephen's amazing success in leading his people to the Christian faith was his deep devotion to the Blessed Virg...

Father Robert Barron discusses Pope Francis' impact on vocations to the priesthood.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton recently launched a video sharing Web site, www.dottube.org , to post video and audio produced by the diocese's television and radio offices, and allow parishes, schools and church members to post their videos in the same fashion as Dottube's secular cousin, YouTube. Read full story at MyCentralJersey.com