Catholic Fire

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. Marie-Dominique Philippe, OP Lent is a 40-day period of preparation for Easter Sunday and one of the major liturgical seasons of the Catholic Church. Signifying the 40 days that Jesus spent in the desert after His baptism, it is a penitential season marked by prayer, fasting and abstinence, and almsgiving. Lent is not necessarily about “giving something up” for 40 days only to return to it on day 41 or afterward, but is a period of ongoing conversion so that we may draw closer to Jesus. When we repent for our sins and then make a permanent--rather than temporary--change in our lifestyle, a spiritual transformation can take place. At ...

Read the related story.

Thousands of priests and catechists from the Diocese of Rome met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. They told him of the troubles they deal with in their parishes. In response, the Pope focused on a danger families and society face today: living in a hurry. POPE FRANCIS "When I hear the confession of young couples and they start talking about their children, I always ask them the same question: do you make time to play with your children? The fathers usually say: 'But Father, when I go to work in the morning they are sleeping, and when I'm back home they're also in bed.' This is no way to live.” Not only parents, but especially children pay for this lack of time and attention, the Pope went on, because they might grow up as 'orphans,' who don't get support from neither their family, parish nor society. POPE FRANCIS "This is a society of orphans. Let's think about this, eh? It's important. Dad is tired, mom is tired, they go to sle...

"The lack of health, and disability are not good reasons to exclude, or worse, do away with a person.” That is the message the Pope sent members of the Pontifical Academy for Life, which gathered in Rome in February for its 20th anniversary. Dozens of experts talked about aging and disabilities. Pope Francis reminded them that "the tyranny of an economic logic” turns many people into victims, "starting with the elderly.” MONICA LOPEZ BARAHONA Academic Director, Centro de Estudios Biosanitarios (Spain) "The new idea in this case is to take back the culture of love, of love towards the elderly. To reclaim the value that old age has when it comes to experience gained, and experience that can be passed on.” In the more developed countries, populations are aging fast. In an effort to tackle the "throw-away culture,” experts said the key is in engaging, not excluding family members who cannot fend for themselves. ENCARNACION PEREZ BRET Hospital Centro d...

Neither the cold, or the distance could keep this family from traveling all the way from Argentina to St. Peter's Square. They made it a point to come bright and early to the Pope's general audience to catch a glimpse of their former archbishop. "Yeah, we came all the way from Buenos Aires in Argentina. It was a 13 hour flight to get here. We arrived two days ago and we're leaving tomorrow. So, we specifically came for this.” They were happy to see the Pope, but they were hoping for a little something extra. They wanted the Pope to greet their baby boy Gonzalo... and as luck would have it, he did... The boy's father says it was both exciting and unforgettable. "I really wanted Pope Francis to kiss my son, but I didn't really know how to go about it. I tried to talk to the guards beforehand. They didn't seem too sure about the whole thing, but in the end, it happened.” They we're thinking of what they could do, to get the Pope to notice t...

In a setting unlike any other, Pope Francis Baptized 32 babies in the Sistine Chapel. names stand up....... He described the Sacrament as an unbroken chain of faith that links generation to generation. POPE FRANCIS "I want to highlight one thing. You are transmitters of faith. You have the responsibility of passing on the faith to your children.” As a Vatican employee, Massimo Cara and his wife Cristina, saw their 4 month-old baby girl,  Baptized by Pope Francis, precisely on the date when the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. MASSIMO CARA Gendarmeria Vaticana "When you think about it, our faith is the most important inheritance you can give your children.” He says the homily was short, but direct and the message really hit home. MASSIMO CARA Gendarmeria Vaticana "When you have the gift of faith, everything else, especially materialism, is just in the background.” For six years, Paolo de Angelis has worked at the Vatican. Eve...

For about three hours, Pope Francis visited the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital in Rome. It was a his way of wishing the young patients a Merry Christmas. Some waited for the Pope right at the entrance and others in their hospital rooms. "You're all great..." The Pope thanked the doctors and all the caregivers at the hospital. He said their work is much more than just work. Above all else, he said, it represents hope. Then came the moment to directly greet the children and their families. The Pope went by himself, without his team and without photographers. Then these two patients decided to take the lead of the tour. They took Pope Francis by the hand, to the hospital's chapel. POPE FRANCIS "Thank you for [sharing] your dreams and your prayers [with me] in this basket. Thank you very much! Together, we will give this to Jesus. He knows what's deep in your heart. Especially with you children, Jesus has a special bond: He is always close to ...

"Thank you.” With joy and much enthusiasm, children belonging to Italy's Catholic Action group welcomed Pope Francis. Their meeting was noticeable because the Pope excelled in this environment. He asked the children to become "living rocks, united to Christ.” He also told them that "the birth of Jesus is not a fairytale.” The Pope greeted each child individually. They all gave the Pope a gift. He listened closely to their explanations as they sang along Christmas carols. A young girl from the Piedmont region, where the Pope's parents were born, took him several traditional foods. "We're from Piedmont, close to your grandparents' house. This is a small gift.” "No, this is a big gift!” Some of the children even used this time to give him a Christmas and a birthday present. Pope Francis turned 77 on December 17. The kids gave the Pope a new pair of shoes. They also gave him pasta, but they told him it was a work of art. The Pope th...

Pope Francis arrived at the Vatican's Pediatric Dispensary of Santa Marta, a small children's clinic, but with a big mission. -Good morning. -Good morning. -Here I am! The hospital offers treatment and services to some of the poorest families in Rome and the world. It's run by volunteer doctors, as well as the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. Following in the footsteps of Benedict XVI, Pope Francis visited the dispensary, and witnessed first hand how they are changing lives. He then welcomed the patients' families and the clinic volunteers at Paul VI Hall. The children at the dispensary lost no time in wishing Pope Francis a happy birthday. First, they gave him a cube picture frame, as Michael Jackson's "Heal the World” played in the background. Then they sang "Happy Birthday” and gave him a white and yellow cake, the Vatican colors. One, two, and three! Everyone! The children's last gift was a white dove, which everyon...

Vatican City, 13 November 2013 (VIS) – After today's catechesis, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for an end to the tragedy in Syria and also mentioned the Philippine people currently suffering the consequences of the super-typhoon Haiyan. “It is with great sadness that I have learned of the mortar attack two days ago in Damascus in which several children were killed on the way home from school, along with the driver of their bus. Other children were injured. Please, let us pray with all our strength that these tragedies may never again happen! In these days we are praying and uniting our strength to help our brothers and sisters in the Philippines, struck by the typhoon. These are the real battles that must be fought. For life, never for death!”

(Vatican Radio) Parents who feed their children on “unclean bread”, earned through bribes and corruption, are starving their children of dignity, because dishonest work robs us of our dignity. These were the words of Pope Francis during his homily at Mass on Friday morning in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. Pope Francis focused his homily on the parable of the dishonest steward, in order to talk about the dangers “of worldliness, of mundane affairs”. Jesus “prayed to the Father that his disciples might not fall into the trap of worldliness”, which is “the enemy”. “When we think of our enemies, we really think of the devil first, because it’s the devil that harms us. The devil enjoys the atmosphere, the lifestyle of worldliness. And this steward is an example of worldliness. Some of you might say: “But this man only did what everyone does!”. But no, not everyone! Some company administrators, some public administrators, some government administrators… perhaps there are not even ve...

October 25, 2013. (Romereports.com) Pope Francis proposed approaching “with respect and courage the families facing difficult situations,” as well as “marriages in crisis or those who are separated.” In the last gathering of the Pontifical Council for the Family, the Pope urged Christians to use their everyday life to show the “beauty of marriage and the Christian family.”   POPE FRANCIS “The family is where one learns to love, the natural center of human life. The family is made of faces, of people that love, that talk, that sacrifice for each other, and protect life, specially the most fragile, the weakest.” The Pope also asked parents to “waste time” with their children, so that they can realize that love is always free. The president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Archbishop Vicenzo Paglia, gave Pope Francis this icon where the Holy Family appears along with with two old men. “This icon represents the relationship between generations.” Pope Francis was ...

September 26, 2013. (Romereports.com) Back in 1983, Pope John Paul II authorized the Vatican to prepare a document that addressed the role of the family in modern society. After months of work, they came up with the Charter of the Rights of the Family.   Three decades later, the Pontifical Council for the Family is getting ready to mark the Charter's 30th anniversary, with a special presentation on how the document impacts women today. DR. HELEN ALVARÉ Professor of Family, Religion and Law (USA) “The Church has a credible witness in our charity, a credible witness in our words and a real balance between what women are actually demanding, between what they actually want, and between what women, children and the poor actually need.” The charter addresses individual rights like the freedom for a man and women to have a family through marriage, and to have children. But it also calls on societies to respect certain rights, like the protection of life from conception to natur...

Father of all mercies We ask that you would bless the youngest and littlest of learners, the most helpless and powerless of persons, with Your infinite and loving mercy, granting them the strength to learn, concentrate, and act appropriately towards their teachers and fellow students. We also ask that You would watch over them, at home and at school and grant them proper direction so that they may learn of Your wonderful virtues. We ask this in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen ~ by David Bennett Via Nick at Catholic School Chronicle (News, Resources and Discussion for Catholic Teachers and Catechists)

This coming Sunday, almost 500 disadvantaged children will arrive at the Vatican on a special red train, where they will be greeted by Pope Francis as part of their “Journey of Beauty.” The project focuses on children, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi explained, “because I think that therein lies the root from which we must build a generation of young persons who still have ... the beauty of creativity – that doesn't seem old at the start – who aren't already discouraged the way we are but who are ready to live more the future that awaits them.” The “Children’s Train: A Journey of Beauty” was unveiled during a June 18 press conference at the Vatican’s press office by Cardinal Ravasi, head of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and other organizers. Read the full story.

Reverend Bill Owens “Gay activists are wrong to claim the mantle of the civil rights movement in their push to redefine marriage for all – the most important civil right related to marriage is the right of every child to a mother and father." ~  Civil Rights activist Reverend Bill Owens, who has joined with the National Organization for Marriage to promote and lead the March for Marriage occurring in Washington, D.C. next month.

For more information on the Holy Father's trip to the Czech Republic, see Apostolic Journey to the Czech Republic (September 26-28, 2009)