Catholic Fire

A Great Lenten Project Are you married? Are you Catholic? Do you have a devotion to the saints? Have you and your spouse or a family member experienced hope and healing as a result of prayer to a saint or saint(s)? This is your chance to evangelize and it makes for a wonderful Lenten project as well. I am looking for dramatic conversion stories as well as stories of trials and tribulations (for example, financial difficulties, addictions, the birth of a child with a medical problem) overcome or that you learned to cope with better through the intercession of a saint or saints and the grace of God to publish in a new book meant to inspire and encourage married couples. In order to be published: Your story must name a saint or saints. It must be at least 1800 words, but not more than 2000 words. Email your submission to me no later than March 15, 2009. jean.heimann@gmail.com

What is Lent? "Lent is a retreat that the Church gives us in order to re-focus on what should be first in our lives. The purpose of Jesus' life was to glorify the Father and save the world. ..Lent is not first a time of giving up but a time to re-choose to be the victim of Christ, the Lamb. It is a time to live the Beatitudes.” (Fr. Dominique, OSJ) “Each year, Lent offers us a providential opportunity to deepen the meaning and value of our Christian lives, and it stimulates us to rediscover the mercy of God so that we, in turn, become more merciful toward our brothers and sisters. In the Lenten period, the Church makes it her duty to propose some specific tasks that accompany the faithful concretely in this process of interior renewal: these are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.”( Pope Benedict XVI from MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS BENEDICT XVI FOR LENT 2008.) Lenten Ideas for Adults Fasting Fast from watching TV one night a week so that you can spend time on a Lenten practice, such ...