Catholic Fire

Credit: CNA, EWTN By Jean M. Heimann I was both saddened and joyful when I learned of the death of Mother Angelica on Easter Sunday, March 27. What a beautiful bride of the Lord! She offered her entire self to Him – body, mind, spirit, and soul. Now, I pray that she is rejoicing in ecstasy with Him for all eternity. Although I did not know Mother Angelica personally, I felt that we were the best of friends. She had that effect on people, not only with me, but with people all over the world. She was a down-to-earth, commonsense type of person who always spoke the truth. She was witty, feisty, funny, and sometimes a little over the top. She was herself and did not put on any airs and I think that is why we loved her. She was warm, empathetic, and very human. I first heard about Mother Angelica in the ‘80s, shortly after I returned to the Church following a fifteen year absence. I heard that there was a cloistered nun who was appearing on TV who was really shaking things up in...

1. Looking for a good read?  I have been reading and reviewing Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle’s books for the past seven years and have been a big fan. Donna-Marie has served as an inspiration to me and to all women, speaking to us in a gentle, gracious manner, guiding us spiritually, with wisdom and love. Now, she has written a book (her twentieth) that tops them all. In The Kiss of Jesus: How Mother Teresa and the Saints Helped Me to Discover the Beauty of the Cross, she shares her life story. And, what a story it is! Continue reading. 2. Need some help in sharing your faith story? Nancy Ward has the perfect evangelization tool! Check out my interview with her here. 3. Looking for a good Catholic movie to watch? Check out My All-American. 4. This past week we celebrated the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. I am continually praying for the intercession of St. Jude, the patron of  desperate situations and lost causes, hospital workers, and hospitals. H...

By Jean M. Heimann As Catholics, most of us have a difficult time sharing our faith story with others. Unlike our Protestant brothers and sisters, we have not been taught to evangelize. Nevertheless, people today are hungry to hear how God is working in and through others. There is a yearning for the truth and a longing for hope in our wounded world. But how can we help others if we cannot even share how God is working in our lives? Today I would like to share a conversation I had with Nancy HC Ward, a Catholic convert, journalist, blogger and speaker who offers a solution to this dilemma. In her new DVD "Sharing YOUR Faith Story," she tells her own conversion story while coaching her viewers on how to share their stories. Nancy, I have been enjoying your blog, JoyAlive.net for years. It is both uplifting and inspirational. Now, you have a wonderful new resource, a DVD, entitled “Sharing YOUR Faith Story.” I recently viewed your DVD and it is an excellent reso...

1. Generations of Faith has returned in our parish this fall. We meet once in the fall and once in the spring each year. This fall we had a spectacular guest speaker, Julianne Stanz , Director of the New Evangelization from the Green Bay Diocese, speak about the New Evangelization this past Sunday. As you can see, she brought her darling little son along, who slept through most of her talk on the New Evangelization. A native of Ireland, she was an amazing speaker and storyteller, who shared some new tips on evangelizing those we meet everyday. 2.  After the supper and the talk, we went into the church to pray and sing.Our pastor, Fr. Jarrod, gave a wonderful personal witness as to how the Holy Spirit has been working in his life. The above photo was taken in the school gym. 3. Here is the Spirit-filled choir which we sing along with during our Generations of Faith sessions in the church. 4. This has been a week of transitions: taking down the summer house deco...

Is religion really just about being a nice person? Is the goal of Christianity to simply become more kind, compassionate, and just?  Fr. Robert Barron explains what Christianity is really about.

Today is the feast of St. Mark, the Evangelist. John Mark, later known simply as Mark, was a Jew by birth. He was the son of that Mary who was proprietress of the Cenacle or "upper room" which served as the meeting place for the first Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12). He was still a youth at the time of the Savior's death. In his description of the young man who was present when Jesus was seized and who fled from the rabble leaving behind his "linen cloth," the second Evangelist might possibly have stamped the mark of his own identity. During the years that followed, the rapidly maturing youth witnessed the growth of the infant Church in his mother's Upper Room and became acquainted with its traditions. This knowledge he put to excellent use when compiling his Gospel. Later, we find Mark acting as a companion to his cousin Barnabas and Saul on their return journey to Antioch and on their first missionary journey. But Mark was too immature for the...

The Community of St. John has initiated a new summer program, known as Ecclesia. The website describes the program as a place where the Saints of the Third Millenium are formed and the protagonists of a New Evangelization can come to pray, study, and live in the “deep waters” of Catholic Faith. In response to Pope John Paul II’s call to a New Evangelization, Ecclesia offers the opportunity to earn undergraduate, graduate, or continuing education credits, all while experiencing a summer of prayer, study, evangelization, and fellowship with other young people from across the country. Ecclesia seeks to especially serve those young people who are looking for a deeper and more intense experience of Christ and His Church. Persons of a variety of backgrounds and interests will join the Brothers and Apostolic Sisters of the Community of Saint John from June 30-August 4 . The Ecclesia program kicks off with four days of back-packing in the North Dakota Badlands. Its purpose is to form l...

Great stories are timeless. For centuries now, the Bible has stood out as the best story of all time. FR. DWIGHT LONGENECKER The Romance of Religion, Author "Faith is an adventure, it’s a journey, it’s a quest. It’s a great story.” But the Bible is much more than just a good story. In his latest book, 'The Romance of Religion,' Fr. Dwight Longenecker, ties elements of the great classical novels to the Bible: Everything from great saints to Biblical heroes. FR. DWIGHT LONGENECKER The Romance of Religion, Author "The Romance of Religion is not so much about erotic romance and human love. Instead it’s using the word romance as great stories.” As it turns out, the book has also turned into a tool for the New Evangelization. What better way to transmit the Gospel, he says, than by sharing faith stories. From successes and disappointment to highs and lows. But he does admit, he often sees one major obstacle. FR. DWIGHT LONGENECKER The Romance of Religion, ...

The Vatican released Pope Francis' first message for the World Communications Day. In line with the main themes of his pontificate, the focus is on using modern methods of communication to build "authentic encounters.” With the Internet and social networks dominating the way people reach out to others, the message calls on people to go beyond just connecting with each other. MSGR. CLAUDIO MARIA CELLI Pontifical Council for Social Communications "There is an avalanche of communications: messages, sounds, everything. And it's sometimes hard for humankind to decide which of these messages can best serve them in their search for the truth.” The message conveys two central concepts. The first is proximity, or being neighborly, with one another. In his message, Pope Francis uses the parable of the Good Samaritan to explain how it applies to the way we communicate today. He said that, just like the Good Samaritan took responsibility for the wounded person, it is...

Related: The Miracles of Our Lady of Guadalupe: Yesterday and Today POPE FRANCIS SENDS MESSAGE TO THE AMERICAS FOR THE FEAST OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

By Jean M. Heimann We all hunger in our hearts for some form of fulfillment.  Not all hearts are able to identify the Source of that hunger, but every heart longs for something.  We are all hungry.  Each one of us yearns to be satisfied.  Sadly, many souls are starving!  In our current culture of relativism, where nothing is definitive and there are no solid answers to anything, how can individuals be guided to the Truth to discover the One, True Love that their hearts seek? Read the rest of my post at the New Evangelizers blog.

October 14, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis expressed his concern for people who are leaving the Church. Speaking before the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, the Pope highlighted the importance of being professional, and leading by example when it comes to catechesis.   POPE FRANCIS “In our time, we often witness an indifference towards faith, no longer considered to be important in the life of man and woman. The new evangelization means reawakening the faith in the hearts and minds of our peers.” Pope Francis went on to say that the Church must fight against “illiteracy” of the faith. He emphasized the role the family plays in the new evangelization. Specifically, he singled out the parents as a child's first teachers. POPE FRANCIS “It's important for us Christians to show how to live our faith concretely through love, harmony, joy and suffering. Because that prompts us to ask questions, like at the beginning of the Church's p...

Read my latest article "Evangelization and the Secret Weapon of St. Francis de Sales" at the New Evangelizers.

September 19, 2013. (Romereports.com) The Vatican is once again looking for new ways to spread the new evangelization. It's now preparing to launch a new phone app to help with catechism education, as it prepares to welcome hundreds of participants to the World Day for Catechists.   As part of the events for the Year of Faith, the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization organized the World Day and the World Congress for Catechists. It'll take place from September 25th to the 29th. MSGR. RINO FISICHELLA President, Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization “First of all we need to recognize the role that they play within the Church and the life of the Church. But secondly, I think it's very important for us the challenge that is coming.” Msgr. Fisichella says catechists are vital to the Church in parts of the world like Latin America and Africa, where there are not enough priests for every parish. He especially highlighted the role ...

Denver, Colo., Sep 4, 2013 / 12:54 pm (CNA).- The second installment of the popular “Catholicism” series by Fr. Robert Barron is being released this month, with a focus on the New Evangelization and the Church’s response to secularism in the West. “While the content of the Apostolic Faith remains the same, all Catholics are called to share it with new ardor, new expressions and new methods,” said Fr. Barron in a statement announcing the Sept. 3 release. “We need to reach out to those in our culture and invite them to know Christ and also reach out to those who have already been baptized, but have drifted. We are called to awaken their faith and bring them closer to Jesus Christ and to his Church.” Read more.

Catholic evangelizers talk about how the new evangelization requires new technology:

By Greg Willits, released June, 2013, Servant Books, Cincinnati, Ohio, 149 pages, Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook,CD, and Audible Audio Edition, CD abridged. Available from Servant Books, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble, Major books stores and Catholic and Christian book stores. Reviewed by JEAN M. HEIMANN, M.A. in Theology, adult educator, new evangelizer, freelance writer, and oblate with the Community of St. John. Archbishop Charles Chaput recently made the following controversial statement: “A new evangelization must start with the sober knowledge that much of the once-Christian developed world, and even many self-described Christians, are in fact pagan. Christian faith is not a habit. It’s not a useful moral code. It’s not an exercise in nostalgia. It’s a restlessness, a consuming fire in the heart to experience the love of Jesus Christ and then share it with others — or it’s nothing at all” (CatholicPhilly.com) In The New Evangelization and You:  Be Not Afraid...

July 03, 2013. (Romereports.com) Between July 4th and 7th, Rome will be the center of a special event dedicated to seminarians and novices from all over the world. According to the Vatican, the city will welcome more than 6 thousand people from at least 70 countries around the world. Most of these pilgrims will be youths, so the event will in a way be a preview of WYD in Rio. The train of celebrations in the Eternal City has been organized by the Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization. ARCH. RINO FISICHELLA President, Pontifical Council for the New Evangelization “I think that the presence of thousands and thousands of young people in Rome will be a witness of joy, first of all, and a witness that youths today can be once again able, even with difficulty, to follow Jesus Christ.” The series of events will have a special focus on formation. On Saturday, July 6th, pilgrims will attend a special conference to analyze the role of clergy education plays within the new eva...

(Romereports.com) The International Catholic Film Festival celebrated its fourth anniversary. Recognized as the most important festival of its kind, it promotes the New Evangelization through movies. This year the Festival's prize, also known as 'Silver Fish' was awarded to Noelle, a film directed by David Wall, who also received  recognition for his work. The film is about the inner transformation of a priest who is sent to a small English village to shut down a parish. But in the process, he gets to know the people. The prize for Best Leading Actress went to young Katia Miran for her role in the French film Je m'appelle Bernadette. She plays Saint Bernadette, the young shepherdess who witnessed the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes, in France. As a theme, the nearly 2,000 films presented this year shared the 'The Year of Faith.' Each movie deals with this very topic in an original way.  Some are about parishes, priestly vocations or  saints. LIANA M...