Catholic Fire

September 26 is the memorial of St. Vincent de Paul, the 17th century French priest known for his apostolic work among the poor and marginalized. Born to a poor family in Pouy in the southwest of France in 1581, Vincent was an intellectually gifted youth who began his theological studies at the age of 15 and was ordained at the age of 20. On a voyage to the Holy Land, Vincent's ship was boarded by pirates and he was captured and sold into slavery in Africa, where he was held for two years before he converted his master to Christianity and was freed. He returned to France and was appointed to a parish near Paris, from where he began to initiate and organize missions for the poor, destitute, forgotten, sick, uneducated, and unemployed. He founded the Congregation of Priests of the Mission and the Congregation of the Daughters of Charity and sent priests to Africa to minister to and ransom slaves. He vigorously opposed Jansenism and helped reform orders of priests and re...

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. – Matthew 5:9 How do we cope with the violence, chaos, and conflicts that we face in our world today?  How can we find peace and also serve as true peacemakers in our twenty-first century culture? St. Bernard of Clairvaux , a Doctor of the Church, a contemplative, theologian, and mystic of the twelfth century is an excellent example for us to follow. He found peace in God through a devout prayer life as a contemplative. However, he also led a very active life, performing works of peace and love in the secular world.  He traveled throughout Europe, which was plagued by various schisms, restoring peace and unity. Not only did he resolve divisions in the Church, but he also mediated in secular disputes and was sought out as an adviser and an arbitrator by the ruling powers of his era. What was his secret for restoring peace and unity to a troubled world? He was merely a modest monk with no worldly pow...

March 19 is the solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary, foster father of Jesus, and patron of the universal Church.  On May 31, we honor St. Joseph as the patron of workers. Most of the reliable information on St. Joseph is contained in the first two chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Here we discover that Joseph was of royal descent from David, that the family was from Bethlehem in Judea and that Joseph, who was a builder, had moved from Bethlehem to Nazareth in Galilee. Joseph was engaged to Mary and upon learning that she was pregnant; he had plans to divorce her. Described in Matthew as a righteous man, he intended to dismiss her quietly. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream to tell him, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (MT 1:20-21). "When...

By Jean M. Heimann Today is the memorial of St. Ambrose, one of the most illustrious Fathers and Doctors of the Church. He was one of the four original Doctors of the Latin Church and the bishop who baptized St. Augustine.  His life story is fascinating and even a bit bizarre. Ambrose was born into a noble family around 340 in Trier, Germany. As a young man, he went to Rome and began a career in law and politics. He later became the Imperial governor of Northern Italy. He was a man who seemingly had it all – a fruitful career as a lawyer, an influential position as governor of Milan, and a large estate. What more could a man ask for? God had something else in mind for Ambrose. When the bishop of Milan died in 374, a fierce fight erupted between the Catholics and the Arians over his replacement. Ambrose intervened and the people were so impressed with the way he handled the situation that they demanded that be made their bishop, although he was only a catechumen and had not...

Today many of us are entertained and fascinated by the lifestyles of royalty and their romantic adventures in movies. However, St. Elizabeth was a genuine princess, who served as an exemplary model of the heroic virtues of charity and humility. Her life is true love story. Born in Bratislava, Hungary in 1207, Princess Elizabeth was the daughter of King Andrew of Hungary and his wife Gertrude. Her aunt was St. Hedwig and her great niece was St. Elizabeth of Portugal. Elizabeth was betrothed at the age of four to Prince Herman of Thuringia (in central Germany) and grew up in his father's court. In 1216, Hermann, who Elizabeth was to marry, died. After this, she then became engaged to Ludwig, the second son. The couple married when she was fourteen and he was twenty-one.  She loved him and bore him three children. They were very happy together and deeply devoted to one another. Ludwig was protective of his wife and the couple often prayed together, holding hands while kneelin...

On November 3, we celebrate the feast of St Martin de Porres, a Peruvian Dominican Brother whose life of charity and devotion led to his canonization as the first black saint of the Americas. Martin was born in Lima, Peru in 1579, the son of a Spanish knight, Don Juan de Porres and the former Panamanian slave Ana Velazquez. His father initially refused to acknowledge the boy publicly as his own, because Martin, like his mother, was black. Though Martin's father later helped to provide for his education, his son faced difficulties because of his family background. At age 12, Martin studied to be a barber, which at that time meant he was also a druggist, a physician and a surgeon. Once trained, he began to use his skills to serve the poor. He became very well known for his compassion and skill as a barber, and cared for many people as well as animals. Martin was a pious child, who began praying at a young age. He had a deep devotion to our Lord’s Passion, and prayed for di...

The saint of the day for May 11th is St. Ignatius of Laconi, OFMCap. Born on December 18, 1701 the second of seven children, to a poor Italian farming family, he received the name Francis Ignatius Vincent after St. Francis of Assisi, who had interceded for his safe delivery at birth. In turn, his mother promised the saint that she would name her unborn baby Francis and that he would join the Capuchins as an adult. Vincent was a pious child and loved to go to church which he called "my home." Noticing the youngster's prayerful attitude, people called him "the little saint." He was also a hard worker on the farm. He desired to join the Capuchins as a teenager, but his father would not allow him to because the family depended on his labor to survive. During adolescence, Vincent fell seriously ill. He promised that, if he recovered, he would become a Capuchin. Despite his recovery, his father continued to oppose his call to the religious life. At age 20, h...

A native of France, Pope Urban V was born Guillaume de Grimoard at Grisac in Languedoc in 1310. Born of a knightly family, he was educated at Montpellier and Toulouse. He studied canon law and theology and became a Benedictine monk. He was one of the greatest canonists of his day; was professor of canon law at Montpellier, and also taught at Toulouse, Paris, and Avignon. He was named abbot of his monastery in 1352, served as a papal diplomat, and was sent as an ambassador to various locations. He also served as a bishop. He was elected pope in 1362 while on diplomatic business, even though he was not a cardinal. Guillaume de Grimoard was chosen for his virtue and learning, and for his skill in practical affairs of government and diplomacy. In spite of his great intellect, he was a humble man who lived simply and modestly in contrast to other clergymen of that time who preferred comfort and luxury. He was a great lover of peace and his papacy was blessed by his peacekeeping a...

In his Thursday morning Mass, Pope Francis talked about so called 'hidden saints.' Men, women, parents, religious and everyday people who live out the Gospel and give hope. POPE FRANCIS "Let's think about all the priests who don't publicize it, but who work in their parishes with great love: Teaching catechesis to children, caring for the elderly, the sick, and preparing newlywed couples...Every day it's the same, the same, the same. They don't get bored because their foundation is solid like a rock. It's Jesus. This is what gives Holiness to the Church. This is what gives hope!” The Pope then added that being Christian is about more than just appearances. Rather, its about living the Gospel in everyday life. SUMMARY OF POPE'S HOMILY (Source: Vatican Radio) "Let us consider so many priests who are not seen, but who work in their parishes with such love: [doing the work of] catechesis for children, care of the elderly, of the sick, ...

Today is the memorial of St. Francis Xavier (1506-1552), one of the greatest missionaries of all times. He was a marvelous evangelizer, who was on fire for the faith, filled with zeal. The great missionary St. Francis Xavier was from a Basque noble family, like his beloved mentor St. Ignatius Loyola. When Francis met Ignatius in Paris, he was a proud, autocratic, ambitious man wanting to accomplish great deeds in the world. For three years Ignatius patiently encouraged Francis to look at his life differently. “What profits a man,” Ignatius asked Francis, “if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” Francis joined Peter Faber as the first of Ignatius’s companions. Francis Xavier was ordained in 1537. In 1541 King John of Portugal asked Ignatius for priests to send to the missions in India. Despite knowing he would never see his beloved companion again, Ignatius chose Francis Xavier for the mission. Francis left for India, arriving at the city of Goa in 1542. For the nex...

Today we celebrate the feast of St Martin de Porres, the first black American Saint. He was born in Lima, Peru in 1579, the son of a Spanish aristocrat and a freed black slave woman from Panama. His father was repulsed by the darkness of his son's skin at birth and deserted him. At age 12, Martin was apprenticed to a "surgeon," at that time a combination of barber, druggist, physician and surgeon. Once trained, he began to use his skills to serve the poor. Martin was a pious child, who began praying at a young age. He had a deep devotion to our Lord’s Passion, and prayed for discernment to know how he could show his gratitude to God for this great sacrifice. He believed that God was calling to serve as a religious. At fifteen, he became a lay brother at the Dominican Friary in Lima, where he worked as a barber, a farm laborer, a clothier, and a care-giver for the sick. Each day Martin distributed food to the hungry, he nursed the sick, and he helped to found an or...

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” – Matthew 5:9 How do we deal with the violence, war, and conflicts that we face in our world today?  How can we serve as true peacemakers in our 21st century culture? St. Bernard of Clairvaux , a Cistercian abbot, a contemplative, theologian, and mystic of the twelfth century is an excellent example for us to follow. Due to the numerous schisms which had arisen in the Church during his age, he traveled throughout Europe, restoring peace and unity. Not only did he deal with divisions in the Church, but he also mediated in secular disputes and was sought out as an adviser and an arbitrator by the ruling powers of his era. What was his secret for restoring peace and unity to a troubled world? He was merely a modest monk with no worldly power or possessions. What made him so influential and valuable to others was the fact that he was a man of heroic virtue. Which virtues made him effective as a peacemaker in...

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis during his Homily at Mass on Friday at the Casa Santa Martha said that as Christians we are called to proclaim the Gospel with humility. Taking his cue from Friday’s Gospel which recounts the tragic death of John the Baptist, the Pope said John was the man God had sent to prepare the way for his son. He, Pope Francis continued, was a man in the court of Herod, filled with corruption and vices who urged everyone to convert. The Holy Father recalled how this great Saint firstly, proclaimed Jesus Christ. John had the chance to say he was the Messiah, added the Pope, but he did not. Secondly, said Pope Francis John the Baptist was “a man of Truth”. The third thing John did, underlined the Holy Father was to imitate Jesus in his humility, in his suffering and humiliation. The Pope also stressed that like other religious figures such as Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, John the Baptist had dark moments, moments of anguish and doubt sending his disciples to a...

During his daily morning Mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis talked about the importance of dialogue. He asked all Catholics to engage in it,  to solve problems. POPE FRANCIS "It’s important to not let time too much time pass after a storm, after a problem. It’s important to engage in dialogue as soon as possible, because time allows the walls of resentment to grow taller, just as weeds grow taller and get in the way of the corn. When our walls grow tall, reconciliation becomes so difficult!" The Pope admitted that dialogue isn't always easy, but a  good way to start, he said is by embracing humility. SUMMARY OF POPE'S MASS (Source: Vatican Radio) "Christians must build bridges of dialogue, not walls of resentment. These were the words of the Holy Father at Mass on Friday morning in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. Pope Francis reflected in his homily on the conflict between King Saul and David which is the focus of the day’s Old Testament reading. At...

During his daily morning Mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis talked about humility, explaining that a humble Christian always has a fruitful life. As an example, the Pope talked about Elizabeth, who despite being sterile, managed to give birth. POPE FRANCIS "With this humility, the humility of the desert, the humility of a sterile soul, may we receive this grace. The grace to flourish, to give fruit, and to give life.” Symbolically speaking, the Pope said that it's not the  humble, but the proud who end up having sterile souls. SUMMARY OF POPE'S MASS: (Source: Vatican Radio) Pope Francis said at Mass this morning in the Casa Santa Marta. The Holy Father said that the intervention of God overcomes the sterility of our life and makes it fruitful. Then he put us on guard against the attitude of pride that makes us sterile. Often in the Bible we find women who are sterile, to whom the Lord gives the gift of life. That was the starting point of Pope Francis’ homily...

Today, September 18, is the feast day of St. Joseph of Cupertino (1603-1663),  If you have watched the film "The Reluctant Saint", you know just how endearing this sweet Franciscan saint was and what strong humility he had. Joseph’s father was a poor carpenter who died prior to his birth. His mother, Francesca Panara, was unable to pay the debts, so the creditors evicted her from her home. She gave birth to Joseph in a stable at Cupertino, Italy. When Joseph was eight years old, he began receiving ecstatic visions that left him staring into space with his mouth wide open. Children made fun of him and called him "the gaper."  He was poorly educated and could scarcely read or write, which led others to think of him as stupid. In addition, his continual ecstasies made it difficult for him to concentrate on any task.  When he was seventeen, he decided he wanted to become a monk or friar. Joseph applied for admission to the Friars Minor Conventuals, but was reje...

The saint of the day is St. Jeanne Jugan (1792 – 1879) , also known as Sister Mary of the Cross. During the 19th century, she founded the Little Sisters of the Poor with the goal of imitating Christ's humility through service to elderly people in need. Born on Oct. 25, 1792 in a port city of the French region of Brittany, Jeanne Jugan grew up during the political and religious upheavals of the French Revolution. Four years after she was born, her father was lost at sea. Her mother struggled to provide for Jeanne and her three siblings, while also providing them secretly with religious instruction amid the anti-Catholic persecutions of the day. Jeanne worked as a shepherdess, and later as a domestic servant. At age 18, and again six years later, she declined two marriage proposals from the same man. She told her mother that God had other plans, and was calling her to "a work which is not yet founded." At age 25, the young woman joined the Third Order of St. John ...

Pope Francis has certainly won my heart. I could tell he was a humble man, when I first saw him on EWTN. Everything we have been reading about him in Catholic news reports points to his humility and love for God and the poor. Then, just the other day, my husband shared this with me , which opened my heart to him. He reminds me of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta in many ways. Mother Teresa opened a home in America for AIDS patients and she urged the destitute and dying to come to her for care, even when they had been rejected by their own families. Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of AIDS patients in Argentina. There is much that I could say about him, but you can learn so much about him just by watching him interact with people and listening to him. March 17, 2013. (Romereports.com) It seemed like there was no more room in St. Peter's Square or along surrounding streets. Hundreds of thousands of people came to hear the first Angelus of Pope Francis. Early ri...

It is sheer lunacy to imagine that one has deserved the gifts of God. You may be proud only of the achievements you had before the time of your birth. But anything after that, indeed the birth itself, is a gift from God. You may claim only those virtues in you that are there independently of your mind, for your mind was bestowed on you by God. And you may claim only those victories you achieved independently of the body, for the body too is not yours but a work of God. A chaste man is someone who has driven out bodily love by means of divine love, who has used heavenly fire to quench the fires of the flesh. A person is at the beginning of a prayer when he succeeds in removing distractions which at the beginning beset him. He is at the middle of the prayer when the mind concentrates only on what he is meditating and contemplating. He reaches the end when, with the Lord, the prayer enraptures him. Humility has it signs: ...poverty, withdrawal from the world, the concealment of one's ...