Catholic Fire

March 16 is the feast day of St. Clement Mary Hofbauer (1751-1820), a hermit and a priest of the Redemptorist congregation, who is considered a co-founder of the congregation and called the “Apostle of Vienna" due to the long period of time he served that city. He is a co-patron saint of both Vienna and Warsaw. John, the name he was given at Baptism, was born in 1751, to a poor family in Moravia [now known as the Czech Republic], the ninth of twelve children. Although he desired to be a priest, the family did not have the money for him to attend the seminary, so he became an apprentice in a bakery at the age of 16.  At 19, he went to work in the bakery of a monastery. At that time, the effects of war and famine were sending many homeless and hungry people to the monastery for help. John worked diligently to feed the poor who came to his door. While this was still not the priesthood that he desired so badly, it was an opportunity to serve God's people who were in great ne...

January 5th is the feast of St. John Neumann (1811-1860), a  native of Bohemia who immigrated to the United States, where he became a Redemptorist priest and the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia. He founded the first Catholic diocesan school system in the U.S. and  a new religious institute — the Third Order of Saint Francis of Glen Riddle.  He is the first American bishop to be canonized. Read his complete biography. THE SPIRITUALITY  OF ST. JOHN NEUMANN Devotion to the Eucharist St. John Neumann had an immense love for the Eucharist and promoted The Forty Hours Devotion, which was initially treated nonchalantly by the priests in the diocese until huge crowds showed up. "How much I love You, O my Jesus!  I wish to love You with my whole heart; yet I do not love You enough.  My lack of devotion and my negligence still haunt me.  I have one desire, that of being near You in the Blessed Sacrament.  You are the sweet bridegroom of my so...