Catholic Fire

Via Pinterest. A female reader from Africa writes: I am on the verge of giving up. I feel very different from every other person in the world and I am wondering what reward I would get for my being chaste from birth. I have never accepted intimate relationships with anyone, part of me wonders if that is what the church preaches, part of me is unhappy, part of me finds my way of life satisfying. The other part wonders if I have a life at all. I don't exactly need a relationship, but I wonder what to do with my life when I need one. I wonder if I would join a convent when I don't get one, and I wonder if that's the life I want for myself. I need advice on how to live despite the way the world projects virginity with such negativity. I need an assurance that I am not insanely weird, and I need to know that God would be there to direct my life for the best. Hang in there! Don’t give up! God is with you and will give you the grace you need to keep you strong in the bat...

Photo Copyright Jean M. Heimann 2014 "The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus.  When you see a priest, think of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  ~ St. John Mary Vianney Greed doesn't sum up the priesthood. The average priest makes under $35,000 per year. Sexism doesn't sum up the priesthood. Jesus ordained men, but women never had to be priests to be important in the Church. In fact, some of the most important people in Church history have been women. Abuse doesn't sum up the priesthood. There were 9 credible allegations of child abuse in 2013, out of about 40,000 US priests. That percentage is lower than virtually every other profession that serves children. Of course one case of abuse is too many. Inexcusable. But nine don't sum up the character of tens of thousands of good men. One word sums up the priesthood: Love. Not the flawed love of human beings. Priests are humans like the rest of us. I’m talking about the Love that created space and time...

The Vatican has released the prayer intentions of Pope Francis for March 2014. The Pope's general intention is: "that all cultures may respect the rights and dignity of women." His intention for evangelization is: “that many young people may accept the Lord's invitation to consecrate their lives to proclaiming the Gospel."

Last year, I was privileged to interview the well-known convert and apologist Rosalind Moss before her move to the Archdiocese of Saint Louis at the invitation of Archbishop Burke. This past year has seen the very beginnings of the establishment of this order, which, when canonically erected, will be known as the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope. Read the rest at St. Louis Catholic.

“No matter how much I gave away, it was never enough.” With these words, Kelsey Wicks, 26, described her calling to religious life. Although she had been studying at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado and working as a campus minister, she always felt called to something more. Now, Wicks is preparing to enter the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia on August 10, pursuing a vocation that she describes as “a beautiful challenge.” The idea of a vocational crisis has been a concern within the Church for years. Both Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI have spoken of this crisis, highlighting the importance of prayer and fostering the conditions favorable to vocational development. But while other religious orders are struggling to stay alive, the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, better known as the Nashville Dominicans, are thriving. With 230 sisters serving in 34 schools in the United States, as well as starting a ministry in Australia, the order is truly alive and flourishing. ...

“Master, where are you staying?” “Come and See.” Vocation Retreat with the Brothers of St. John May 22-24, 2009 “This new religious family is first and foremost a community where the members seek to live a truly contemplative life following in the footsteps of the Beloved Disciple, St John. He is the contemplative who, under the motion of the Paraclete, placed his intelligence at the service of his love for Jesus, the Immolated Lamb, in order to contemplate Him and, in Him, to contemplate the Father. He thus became the faithful witness entirely dedicated to the service of the Church”. ~ Fr Marie-Dominique Philippe, O.P. Founder of the Congregation of Saint John Contact Brother John James, CSJ Congregation of Saint John 11223 W. Legion Hall Rd Princeville IL 61559 Tel. 309-385-1193 ext. 218 monastery.princeville@stjean.com www.stjean.com

This is a very inspirational and interesting video! The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation began with the establishment in 1860 of a girls' academy in Nashville, Tennessee, just prior to the Civil War. Today, over 240 Nashville Dominicans teach 12,000 students in over 34 schools from preschool to college, in 14 U.S. states and in Australia. In the spirit of St. Dominic, they continue to live a life that is traditional and yet dynamic. Go here for more information.

Fifty thousand filled St. Peter's Square to pray the Regina Coeli with Pope Benedict XVI at noon on Sunday, following Holy Mass in St Peter’s Basilica where he ordained 19 new priests for the Rome diocese. The Pontiff asked the faithful to pray for vocations and for his imminent journey to the Holy Land. “Both on a personal and communal level we must pray often for vocations, so that the greatness and beauty of God’s love may attract many to follow Christ to priesthood and consecrated life,” Benedict XVI said. “We also need to pray," he added, "for saintly spouses, capable of showing their children, above all by example, the high horizons for which to strive in freedom.” This appeal for vocations was made on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, called “Good Shepherd Sunday,” when traditionally the Holy Father ordains new priests, and the world marks a day of prayer for vocations. More here. American Papist has photos of the ordinations .

The work is a manual of devotion intended to assist the soul with its pursuit of holiness and communion with God. Its sentences are statements, not arguments, and are pitched in the highest key of Christian experience. Behind and within all its reflections runs the counsel of self-renunciation.The Imitation of Christ (or De imitatione Christi), by Thomas à Kempis, is a widely read Christian spiritual book. It was first published anonymously, in Latin, ca. 1418.

This is a beautiful, inspiring video from our Franciscan lay brother, Steve Silvia . "Start by doing what is necessary, than do what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible." ~St Francis of Assisi

"Laetetur Cor Quaerentium" Gregorian meditation Let the hearts that seek The Lord rejoice' Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he uttered, CHOIR,ORGAN,IMAGES of-Pluscarden Benedictine Abbey Via EJG Catholic.

The 'Monastic Family of Bethlehem and the Assumption of the Virgin Mary'took birth in 1950, following the promulgation of the dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin. The Sisters were founded on France, soon after, and the Brothers in France in 1976. They are 2 geographically distinct Lavras of Hermits,one Congregation men, the other of women, though with similar charism lifestyle and foundation. The life of the Monks is to love Jesus through Mary, and adore the Blessed Trinity in silence and solitude . It is Saint Bruno that the religious confide in to guide them toward the hermit life. The life of the monastic family of Bethlehem is inspired by the model lauras or skites in Egyptian beginnings of Christian monasticism, where the monks lived in solitude through the week and gathered for the Holy Synaxis on Sunday. The monks (and nuns) of Bethlehem pray, work, study, eat and sleep in their cells and hermitages. The monastic day begins with evening vespers celebrated in common in ...

Poor Clares -- Ireland Poor Clares -- USA Ours is a hidden life, a humble life, a holy, and thus, a happy life, as we run in the footsteps of our Mother, St. Clare of Assisi, who knew that all true joy is the fruit of the Cross. http://www.poor-clares.org/

This is an uplifting and inspirational video! It makes me feel so optomistic about religious vocations today. A March, 2007 documentary from Canadian Secular/(Socialist) News service, CBC, on the 'Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of The Eucharist', who teach in the USA. The Dominican Sisters of Mary are religious women who desire to love and serve God through the profession of the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist is a Roman Catholic community of women religious founded as a response to Pope John Paul II's call for new religious foundations to embody the graces of the New Evangelization of the third millennium Church. http://www.sistersofmary.org/ http://vocation-station.blogspot.com

Inspiring Video by a Seminarian. Prayer to Discern Your Vocation Holy Spirit of God, give me light to see what is the Will of God for me. Give me grace to do Your Will always. Dear Blessed Mother, help me to live and to die in God's love. Guide me in my Life's Vocation. St. Francis of Assisi's Vocation Prayer Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our minds. Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity, so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen.

Video portion from secular news report,2006. The Dominican Contemplative Sisters of the Monastery of the Heart of Jesus, located in Lockport, Louisiana, belong to a world-wide religious order which was founded by Saint Dominic Guzman in 1206. The cloistered Sisters live a penitential life of prayer, study, community and work. They are consecrated to God by public vows through the profession of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience. They have retained the full Habit, monastic customs and regular observances of the Nuns of the Order of Preachers. They accept and follow all the teachings and directives of the Church. The Lockport Dominicans as they are commonly known, are in the process of re-founding their community. In late 2004 using the internet, the Nuns began to interest young women in their way of life .As of January 2006, about 100 young women have been in contact with the nuns, and many have visited or will visit. Over twelve have applied to enter the monast...

4th Sunday of Easter: Good Shepherd Sunday Sunday Mass Readings Sunday Homily: Fr. Martin Fox Fr. Darren Zehnle 45th World Day of Prayer for Vocations MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER FOR THE 45TH WORLD DAY OF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS 13TH APRIL 2008 – 4TH SUNDAY OF EASTER Prayers for Vocations 24 Hour Rosary: World Day of Prayer for Vocations Top Ten Indicators of a Call to the Monastic Life Priests: Ordinary Men Made Extraordinary by Grace by Archbishop Charles Chaput

Today is the feast of St. Colette, founder of the Poor Clare Colettines. Born in 1380, Nicolette was named in honor of St. Nicholas of Myra. Her parents, who were both in their 60's when she was born, nicknamed her Colette. Quiet and hard-working, Colette was a pious child who demonstrated a sensitive and loving nature. When Colette was 17, both of her parents died and was left her in the care of a Benedictine abbot. She initially tried to join the Beguine and Benedictine orders, but neither one worked out for her. Instead, she became a third order Franciscan. At age 21, she renounced the world in order to spend her life alone in penance and prayer as an anchoress - walled into a cell whose only opening was a grilled window into a church. She left her cell in 1406 in response to a dream directing her to reform the Poor Clares. She entered the order of Poor Clares, was appointed superior general, and began a successful reform of the Poor Clare convent at Beaume, Switzerland, which ...

One of Northern Scotland's most unusual attractions and one which is unique in Britain, is Pluscarden Benedictine Abbey, near Elgin. It is the only medieval monastery in Britain still inhabited by monks and being used for its original purpose.

A beautiful dedication to Roman Catholic Monks is presented here - mostly Benedictine with a bit of Carthusian thrown in. Photos were taken in France, England, USA, Italy, and Canada.