Catholic Fire

I just learned this: Last week, things seemed to be going so well.  Thomas Peters (aka the American Papist), who fractured the fifth cervical vertebra in a swimming accident on July 16, had been outfitted with a HALO and it appeared that spinal surgery would not be necessary. Today the report is not so good.  Infection has set in, resulting in fever and exhaustion.  Thomas’ vertebrae have shifted, making surgery likely. Read more . Please continue to pray for Thomas, his new bride, Natalie, and their families! Also, join the prayer group on Facebook for daily prayers and reminders.

Please pray for Catholic writer and blogger Donna Marie Cooper O'Boyle and her son. Here is her request: Please pray for my son who was just beat up by a gang of 8 or ten men outside his college dorm. He was protecting a friend who they were beating up and they said they were going to kill my son! He says he is doing okay. More later but putting out a urgent request for prayer. God bless and love, Donna

Today I received word from my dear friend Esther (whom most of you know as A Catholic Mom in Hawaii ) that her beloved father passed away. Please join me in praying for the repose of his soul and for peace and comfort for the family. Lord Jesus, our Redeemer, You willingly gave Yourself up to death so that all people might be saved and pass from death into a new life. Listen to our prayers; look with love on Your people who mourn and pray for their deceased brother. Fill their hearts with the peace of Your presence and comfort them in their sorrow. Wipe away every tear from his family’s eyes. Keep them looking forward to the time of refreshment, to the coming of a new heaven and a new earth. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord. And let Your perpetual light shine upon him.

Apparently, and sadly, Fr. Richard John Neuhaus editor of First Things, has been diagnosed with cancer. Fr. Neuhaus wrote this note on First Things : I cannot begin to respond to the deluge of assurances of prayer and concern about my health. Please be assured that I am grateful and count mightily on being remembered by you before the Throne of Grace. Or, as Catholics are wont to say, on your storming the gates of heaven. The nature of the cancer is beginning to come into clearer focus, and I hope to have more details in short order. Meanwhile, I will, please God, continue to be as engaged as possible in the work of First Things and other apostolates, even as I am compelled by grace to know more deeply our solidarity within the Body of Christ. ~ Via What Does The Prayer Really Say?

Here is a plea for help from my friend and blogger, Steven, at Book Reviews and More , who was off work for 30 months with an injury, and is in need of assistance to provide for the basic needs of his family: I was told my original request was not clear. We need help to make ends meet, specifically rent that is due this week. I was not asking for help to keep the blog going. I was asking for help to meet our needs, diapers, formula, gas, groceries ... I have always had a hard time asking for and accepting help. I know it is a personal character defect and have been working on it. I once had a friend accuse me of robbing others of the blessing of giving, because I would not ask for help to go on a retreat even though over the few years prior to that I had sponsored others going.Well It is time to ask for help again. As many of you know I was off work for 30 months with an injury, that took place at work. I am thankful that I have retrained and am now employed full time. You can read my...

Fmsdude just pulled his 40 You Tube videos of Eucharistic desecration. Apparently someone found his address and wrote a letter to his father, suggesting he encourage his son to remove the videos. Apparently, there is a law in Canada against desecrating religious objects and the letter mentioned this. Please continue to pray for the soul of the desecrator and all those who encouraged him by their vile comments on the You Tube site. Lord, hear our prayer! ~ Via Crossed The Tiber. H/T: Esther.

I received the following prayer request from a friend: Please pray for my husband, Bob. Three months ago we found out he has a resilient melanoma through his bones at 55 years old. We have done chemotherapy to no avail, yet, and now we are to go to Loyola Medical Center for cancer.....VERY aggressive treatment. We meet them for the first time on Thursday to find out what is available for him. Please also pray for his wife, Nancy, and for their family. If you are praying, would you please comment in the box below or email me, so I can share this with them? Thank you!

Governor’s Veto Prompts Pastoral Action On the day of my return (Monday, April 21) from the exhilarating experience of participating in Pope Benedict’s pastoral visit to the United States, I learned that Governor Kathleen Sebelius had vetoed the Comprehensive Abortion Reform Act (HS SB 389), which had been passed by significant majorities in both chambers of the Kansas Legislature. Last week, an attempt to override the governor’s veto failed in the Senate by two votes. Governor Sebelius in her veto message claimed: “For years, the people of Kansas have asked their elected officials to move beyond legislative debates on issues like abortion.” From her veto message, I received the impression the governor considered it a waste of the Legislature’s time to pass a statute that attempts to protect some women by making certain they have the opportunity to be well-informed: 1) about the development of their unborn child; and 2) about abortion alternatives available to them. Evidently, the gove...

Please pray for my niece, Carol, a young wife and mother, who has just been diagnosed with cervical cancer. Please pray also for her family.

Operation Rescue is asking Christians around the nation for special prayer for a meeting that is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 29, 2008 , between pro-lifers and a working abortionist. In order to prevent any efforts to undermine this meeting, we are not able to tell you at this time where the meeting is taking place or who is involved. This opportunity has been ten years in the works and is the result of much prayer. The abortionist in question is finally at a place where he appears to be open to hearing the truth. Please join us as we pray that the Christians involved with this meeting will be able to share with wisdom the love of Christ and His love for the innocent, and that as a result, there will be sincere repentance and conversion on the part of the abortionist. Via Operation Rescue.

Via The KANSAS COALITION FOR LIFE, Project Love, Prayer, and Persistent Political Action. Thursday, March 20, 2008 CONFIRMED SAVE: Margaret W. & Margaret M.: At about 1:30 pm, a blue / grey Ford Taurus with Kansas Tags, carrying three young black people came into Tiller's parking lot. They did not stop to take material at the gate. Rather, they drove directly to the far (east) side of Tiller's parking lot and parked their car. It looked to Margaret W. like it was a young black couple, with a very young teenage girl who was pregnant. Since they were over 100 feet away from the gate where she was standing, and since they had not taken literature at the gate, Margaret W. tried to talk to them in a raised voice, yelling: "WE CAN HELP YOU…, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO KILL THE BABY…, MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION, WE CAN GIVE YOU A FREE SONOGRAM…, IF YOU KILL THAT BABY YOU WILL REGRET IT FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!... Etc." In response, all three of them just looked at Margaret W. a...

Unless I receive help with this blog, I will have to stop blogging. I have done everything I can possibly do to this blog to try to make it work and am extremely frustrated. Please pray that someone will help. Please refer to the details in the post below. I am also experiencing severe stress in my life at this time. Please pray for me! Thank you and God bless you!

Deo Gratias! My deepest thanks to all who have been praying for Bill -- he was dismissed from the hospital Thursday afternoon following an emergency visit on Tuesday morning. He was diagnosed and treated quickly -- within two days. Thank you so much for your prayers, as he was very ill . Please pray for his continued healing and for the finances to pay for the medical expenses. God bless you!

Would you please pray for my dh who was admitted to the hospital this morning? Thank you.

I will be taking a few days break from blogging to do house hunting with my dh. We thank God for his new job, and will be looking for a new home to move into near his job. Please keep us in your prayers.

MELISSA HACKENY AGE 24 The Daily Grotto is seeking urgent prayer for this young woman. Please take a moment to learn more about this precious young woman who is in desperate need of many prayers .... Go here for more information.

The town of Greensburg, KS, has been destroyed by a tornado and at this point in time at least ten people have been found dead in the region. They are still searching for boodies. The tornado that struck Greensburg late Friday damaged about 95 percent of the town, which is located about 110 miles west of Wichita and 50 miles north of the Oklahoma state line. President Bush has declared it as a disaster area and is promising federal monies to aid in recovery . Check out the tornado damage in the photos here. This town is about 2 hours west of me. Here is a video from AP and Wichita TV station KAKE on youtube.

There has been a reorganization in my husband's company and the higher-ups have decided to eliminate his managerial position here in Wichita. This past year we bought a new house and a new car and were expecting that this would be the job he would have until retirement. This was totally unexpected and came as a complete surprise to us. Please pray for new employment very soon. Thanks for your prayer support. God bless you!