Catholic Fire

AN ELECTION YEAR PRAYER FOR THE FAITHFUL WITNESS OF CATHOLICS IN THE UNITED STATES O Lord Jesus Christ, You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Your Church You show us the Way, You teach us the Truth, and You give us Your Life. Grant, we humbly beg You, that, always and in all things, we may be faithful to You in Your Holy Church, and to Your Vicar on Earth, the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis. Grant also, we beg You, that, in these times of decision, all who profess to be Catholic and who are entrusted with the sacred duty to participate in public life, may, by the strength of Your grace, unwaveringly follow Your Way and faithfully adhere to Your Truth, living in You with all their mind and heart, for Your greater glory, the salvation of souls, and the good of our nation. Amen. Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America, Pray for us. Saint Thomas More, Patron of Religious Freedom, Pray for us. By His Eminence Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke Prefect of the Su...

We're praying daily for Catholic blogger Thomas Peters and hope that you will join us in continued prayer for his healing. Here's the latest news on his progress from CNA/ EWTN: A young Catholic blogger known for his defense of the faith in the public square is thankful for prayers and support as he begins the long process of recovery following a severe accident. “Rehabilitation will not be easy and there are no answers for how much Thomas will be able to rehabilitate,” said Natalie Peters in a statement collaborated with Thomas, her husband. However, she told CNA that she and Thomas “have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of prayers” and encouragement coming from family, friends and supporters in the weeks since his accident. A leader in the Catholic community, Thomas Peters starting the award-winning blog “The American Papist” in 2006 before joining the group Catholic Vote in 2010. The 27-year-old became one of a few American bloggers invited to the Vatican’s fi...

Thomas Peters, a blogging friend at American Papist and Catholic Vote, was involved in an accident yesterday evening and has sustained major injuries . He is awake, responsive, and in stable but critical condition. Family and friends are with him. Please pray for Thomas, and for his family, especially his parents at this time. I have been praying for his healing through the intercession of Venerable Fr. Emil Kapaun. Here is the prayer, if you would like to join me: Father Emil Kapaun gave glory to God by following his call to the priesthood and serving the people of Kansas and those in the military. Father Kapaun, I ask your intercession not only for these needs which I mention now -- the healing of Thomas Peters--but that I too may follow your example of service to God and my neighbor. For the gifts of courage in battle and perseverance of faith, we give you thanks O Lord. Recite one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be. You can read about one of Fr. Kapa...

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Whispers in the Loggia: Finn: At Stake, Your Soul Fr. West's Catholic Blog: More Than 100 Reasons to Vote Against Barack Obama Embracing Motherhood: Please Take a Moment to watch and Pass This on! Johnette Benkavic at Women of Grace: No Time Left — Get Off the Fence! Thoughts and Faith to Share: Bishops Instruct Faithful Citizens on Voting The American Catholic: Knights of Columbus: “Remember FOCA on November 4th” American Papist: McCain's Hail Mary to Hispanics Creative Minority Report: It's All on You LifeNews.Com: Barack Obama's Abortion Position Could Result in Closing Catholic Hospitals Operation Rescue: Read & Forward! Powerful Commentary On Obama’s Dangers Ignatius Insight Scoop: The Five Non-Negotiables for Catholic Voters Maureen Wittman: (Obama) Under My Plan Electric Bills Will Skyrocket Jill Stanek: Washington Times anti-Obama editorial The Washington Times: EDITORIAL: Obama is a 'liar' on abortion Kicking Over My Traces: Obama versus Obam...

By Jean M. Heimann We’re in the process of counting down the hours for this upcoming election. Most of us have been praying and fasting for some time now. We have also been working hard to spread the truth about both Obama and McCain and their positions, particularly on pro-life issues. While Obama is an extremist in the area of pro-life, strongly opposing every human life issue, McCain is pro-life on all of the issues, but one. Biden is also 100% pro-death, while Sarah Palin is 100% pro-life. What can we do in these final days to promote pro-life candidates in the November 4 elections? 1. Continue to pray and fast until the elections are over. 2. Take the day off on Election Day. Volunteer to help in a campaign for pro-life campaign making last minute phone calls or driving others to the polling places. 3. Remind others to vote. 4. Spend as much time as you are able to in Eucharistic Adoration on Election Day, without neglecting the duties of your vocation. Prior to voting, go to Con...

By Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas One of the saddest moments for me during this year’s election campaign occurred during the vice presidential debate, when the “Catholic” vice presidential candidate, Senator Joseph Biden, bragged about his role in preserving Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision which in effect legalized abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. This outburst of pride by Sen. Biden occurred as part of his response to a question inquiring how his thinking had changed since he first entered public life. Senator Biden answered by noting that when he first became a member of the Senate, he believed judicial appointments should be made purely on the basis of the legal competence of a candidate. However, at some point in his Senate career, his thinking evolved. Senator Biden now believes that ideology must also be a factor in evaluating the suitability of a judicial candidate. By his own admission, Sen. Biden’s leadership o...

In this final video on the elections, Fr. Frank gives his advice and how the outcome of the elections is all up to us.

When? November 4th. Where? Local Voting/Polling Sites around the nation, 7 am to 7 pm in most areas. What? Cast your vote for your Local, State and National Pro-Life Candidates. The cost is free to you. Every Pro-Lifer can be heard, but only if they cast their vote! Don’t let the media vote for you. Don’t believe the media when they tell you that your vote won’t count. Don’t let the media tell you who is going to win; YOU tell them who is going to win - make YOUR voice heard – Vote on November 4th. An election is the government asking for your opinion. They want to know who YOU think is the best qualified person to hold a position in the government. Voting does not mean you are placing someone in office to rule over you. It is just giving your opinion; who do you feel would be the best for that position. Be sure to let them know on November 4th. In God's eyes every Christian votes in every election. We vote by ballot or by silence. Silence gives weight to those in opposition t...

Here's an ad from a very courageous Bishop, his excellency, Rene Gracida. The text of the ad is as follows: This is Bishop Rene H. Gracida, reminding all Catholics that they must vote in this election with an informed conscience. A Catholic cannot be said to have voted in this election with a good conscience if they have voted for a pro-abortion candidate. Barack Hussein Obama is a pro-abortion candidate. ~ Via Gloria Romanorum , H/T Esther.

I have been asked by many people to help clarify Catholic teaching on exercising one's voting rights, especially with respect to the abortion issue. There are many candidates across the nation running on many issues, and Catholics are trying to sort through them all, so I will state the Church's position as unequivocally as possible for the education of the faithful and not as an endorsement of any particular candidate or candidates: true Catholics are not "single-issue" voters - we are principled voters. That determines which candidates we give our vote to and it determines the state of our souls after we vote. With respect to the abortion issue, the principle in question is the moral impossibility for a Catholic to cooperate in an act or an institution that is "intrinsically evil." Now, something that is "intrinsically evil" is not just a bad thing - it is a heinous thing, trumping all other moral considerations, and we can never legitimately com...

Bishop Hermann Image via St. Louis Catholic Judgment Day is on its way. We cannot stop it. We don’t know when it will come, but just as surely as the sun rises daily, the Son of Man will come when we least expect. Judgment Day is on its way. For many, this coming election may very well be judgment day, for this election will measure us. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us in 10:32-33: "Everyone who acknowledges Me before others, I will acknowledge before My heavenly Father. But whoever denies Me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father." Judgment Day is on its way. When my time comes, I will be measured by my Savior for the decisions I have made. I will either be acknowledged by Jesus or denied by Him in the presence of our heavenly Father. The question I need to ask myself is this: What kind of witness will I give to Him when I go into the voting booth this election day? The decision I make in the voting booth will reflect my value system. If I value the go...

Kansas Senator Sam Brownback is heading the national Catholics for McCain committee. During a Catholic luncheon at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Brownback urged Catholics to get out the vote for the McCain-Palin ticket. Go here to view the video. H/T: Jay Anderson

This is from my friend, occasional blogger, and cartoonist here, John Francis Borra: Here are his instructions : Here's my spin on American Life League's bumper sticker. If you print it off at about 150%, it makes something nice to stick in your back window.

Knights of Columbus spot features beating heart of 10-week-old unborn child A 30-second radio spot encouraging people to “vote pro-life” in the November elections began running on radio stations around the United States Sept. 23 It will continue to air until the Nov. 4 election. The ad features the sound of an unborn baby’s heartbeat at 10 weeks, and the voice of a woman saying, “Listening to this makes me wonder – why would anyone question that her life has begun?” It concludes with the words, “Vote your heart. Vote Pro Life.” “The fact that the child whose heartbeat we hear is alive is simply a matter of science,” Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson said in announcing the beginning of the ad campaign. “We believe that it is vital that America’s pro-life community make it clear that they will reserve their votes for candidates of either party who are committed to protecting life from conception to natural death.” A similar ad is planned for broadcast in Canada, where general elections...

Following the party conventions and after a week of campaigning, John McCain has closed the gap significantly among Catholics likely to vote. Mr. Wagner of QEV, who undertook the landmark Catholic Voter Project for the 2000 election cycle and has been studying Catholic voter attitudes for more than a decade, points out that McCain has pulled to within two points of Barack Obama, 45-47 percent (8% undecided) among all Catholics. · In a mid-August, pre-convention QEV survey, McCain trailed Obama 40-50 percent, with 10 percent undecided. · This is a group Bush ultimately won 52-47 percent in 2004. · At this point in the 2004 campaign, Bush led Kerry among Catholics 47-46 percent. · At this point in the 2000 campaign, Gore led Bush 52-41 percent. Among religiously-active Catholics likely to vote, McCain leads Obama 53 – 39 percent (8% are undecided). · In mid-August, McCain led 49-42 percent (9% undecided). · Bush ultimately won this group i...

I received a very bizarre "comment" from someone named Kathy this week. The "comment" was in response to my posting the inspiring video The Catholic Vote put out by CatholicVote.com , which most of you have seen and posted on your blogs or sent via email to others. However, I was not alone in receiving this comment. In his post today, The Curt Jester reveals : Catholic blogs such as Cosmos-Liturgy-Sex and Bettnet and no doubt others have received the same "comment" by someone named Kathy that includes the following. If you forward this video or link to the website in your official capacity you may be in violation of IRS regulations and Church policy. You will also be distributing materials that contradict Church teaching. It then goes on to say that there are "other intrinsic evils" involved this campaign season such as racism (I didn't know anyone was running on a pro-racism platform). Ironic since I thought that lying and making false clai...

Visit http://www.catholicvote.com/ for more information. Learn more about the CatholicVote.com project from Fidelis . H/T: American Papist

"A large number of endangered, unwanted, and unborn children held a town hall meeting on the 4th of July--alarmed at the brutal and untimely killing of millions of their brothers and sisters in recent years. That the murderous war waged on them had the full force and respectability of the law made their plight all the more terrifying. Their complaint was humble and it was simple. They were not distressed by rising gas prices, or the deteriorating economy in general. They were not even frightened by the exponential increase of natural disasters. The threat of global warming or global terrorism did not greatly disturb them. They had become an endangered species, and little had been done to answer their terrified and silent screams from the womb... " ~An excerpt from Father Corapi's new video entitled "Death Wish" Make sure to view part 2 - as these videos go together.