Catholic Fire

1. I love food, but need to consistently eat healthy food. Once in awhile, I sneak in some sweets, which puts weight on. Above are two dishes I made for supper tonight: my favorite tossed salad with Italian chicken vegetable soup. I used mostly organic or non-GMO ingredients in everything. My husband loved it! If you would like the recipes, just email me with "Recipes" in the subject line at jean.heimann@gmail.com and I will be happy to share them with you.  2. With winter in full force, I have been drinking more tea lately: Roobois, Ginger, and Cinnamon.  Here are some ideas for healthy hot, delicious drinks to warm you up.  3. What did you do for fun over the holidays? I celebrated with family at Christmas and several friends at a New Year's Eve Party. I also went to see  Star Wars: The Force Awakens . Who can resist a new episode of Star Wars ? I don't understand all the fuss about Carrie Fisher's appearance. Of course she no long...

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix released for the first time ever in its history a documentary-style short film that seeks to create awareness of a crisis in masculinity found in today’s society. This is an amazing, powerful, and uplifting short film! This film, titled “A Call to Battle,” is available for viewing in English with Spanish subtitles at http://www.IntoTheBreach.net. Released only a few weeks after the promulgation of Bishop Olmsted’s apostolic exhortation “Into the Breach,” the new short film shows the urgency of the Diocese of Phoenix to confront head on today’s crisis in masculinity. With regards to this crisis highlighted by the film, Michael Phelan, director of the Marriage and Respect Life Office said, “Historical circumstances have periodically devastated families, but we have never seen the disparagement of masculinity and fatherhood, or abandonment of men’s responsibilities that we are seeing now. It calls for an unprecedented response from the Church...

The Church remains faithful if she keeps her eyes fixed on Jesus, but she becomes lukewarm and mediocre if she seeks comfort in worldly things. That was Pope Francis’ message on Monday as he reflected on the Gospel reading at Mass in the Casa Santa Marta… Pope Francis noted that the reading from St Luke’s Gospel tells the story of the widow who puts her two coins in the temple treasury box, while other wealthy worshipers make a great show of the money they're putting in. Jesus says that “this poor widow put in more than all the rest” because the others were giving away money from their surplus wealth, while she, in her poverty, “has offered her whole livelihood”. In the Bible, Pope Francis said, the widow is the woman who is alone, who has no husband to look after her, who has to manage on her own, who survives on charity. The widow in this Gospel passage, he said, was “a widow who had placed her trust only in the Lord”. I like to look at the widows in the Gospel, he said, as...

By Jean M. Heimann July 29 is the feast of St. Martha, virgin (who died in France around 80). Martha was born into an aristocratic and affluent family, but she is most well-known for her gift of hospitality in serving Jesus. Martha was the sister of Mary and Lazarus. They were close friends of Jesus, for whom he had great affection, and he often came to visit them in their home in Bethany. In fact, the Gospel tells us: "Jesus loved Martha and her sister Mary and Lazarus" (John 11:5). It was Martha who lovingly served the Lord when he visited them. One day, when she was preparing a meal for Jesus and his disciples, she realized that the task would be easier if her sister would help. She watched Mary sitting quietly at Jesus' feet, listening to him. She asked Jesus to persuade Mary to help her. Jesus was pleased with Martha's loving service. However, he wanted her to know that listening to God's Word and praying is even more important. So he said gently, ...

The saint of the day for April 9 is St. Casilda of Toledo. Saint Casilda, the daughter of a Muslim king, was born in Toledo, Spain in the 11th century. Raised Muslim, she embraced her faith, but showed much kindness to Christian prisoners. Against her father's wishes, Casilda often visited the prisoners, smuggling in food for them in the folds of her dress. On one occasion, she was stopped by prison guards, who demanded she disclose what she was hiding in her clothing. When she opened the folds of her skirt, the bread she carried miraculously turned into roses. Thus, St. Casilda is frequently depicted in religious art as carrying a basket or a bunch of roses. As a young woman, she became ill, most likely from a hemorrhagic fever, common at the time, for which there was no cure. She refused the help of Muslim physicians, but instead, journeyed to northern Spain to the shrine of San Vicenzo de Briviesca, which was renowned for its healing waters and miraculous cures. There, ...

The saints of the day for March 7 are Sts. Perpetua and Felicity. Perpetua was a convert to Christianity who was born to a noble pagan family. She was martyred along with her maid and friend, Felicity, in Carthage in 203 A.D. The two women were arrested and imprisoned, along with three other Christians. Perpetua was 22-years-old, with a son a few months old; Felicity was pregnant at the time of the arrest. Their only crime was converting to Christianity. The account of their martyrdom and courage, The Suffering of Perpetua and Felicity, is one of the earliest historical accounts of Christianity. It is one of the great treasures of martyr literature, an authentic document preserved for us in the actual words of the martyrs and their friends. Perpetua wrote a vivid account of what happened. "While I was still with my companions, and my father in his affection for me was trying to turn me from my purpose by arguments and so weaken my faith, 'Father,' said I, 'd...

During his daily Mass at the Vatican, Pope Francis focused about the Word of God, which leads to Salvation. The Pope talked about how Jesus cured the daughter of a pagan woman, because she was not ashamed about having faith in Him. POPE FRANCIS "Welcome the Word of God with docility. The Word that has been planted in you can bring you to Salvation. Take the path of the Canaanite woman, of that pagan woman, who accepted the Word of God, which has been planted in us and that will lead us to salvation. Let the powerful Word of God guide our path, so that we do not end up in corruption, which leads us to idolatry.” The Pope also warned that believers, like Solomon, are at risk of losing their faith from "passion and vanity.” And that knowing how to recite the Creed is not enough, if they lack faith. SUMMARY OF POPE'S CATECHESIS Source: Vatican Radio Believers can lose their faith because of passion and vanity, while a pagan can become a believer through his or he...

Mornings in Rome are quite chilly in the winter, but even so, about 35,000 people came to see Pope Francis. Despite the cold weather, families brought their children so they could get a glimpse of the Pope. As usual, he made sure the kids were warm, and he even tried to comfort a little girl, who wasn't too happy. During his catechesis, he focused on Baptism. He said whoever receives the Sacrament is called to be a missionary and disciple at all stages in life- and that includes even bishops and the Pope himself. POPE FRANCIS "It's for everyone: The youngest person is considered a missionary as is the oldest one. Some of you may ask, 'But Father, bishops aren't missionaries, they know everything and so does the Pope, they aren't disciples.' Well yes they are. Even Bishops and the Pope should be disciples, because if they're not, they're not doing good. If they are not missionaries, they are not transmitting the faith.” He explained that be...

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...

January 10, 2014  During his daily morning Mass, Pope Francis said it saddens him to see so called part time Christians...those who memorize prayers, but don't feel connected to the words. POPE FRANCIS "There are so many Christians with a watered down faith, a faith that's not strong. Their hope is weak. Why? Why don't they have the strength and courage to trust the Lord?” Pope Francis explained that part of trusting God comes with understanding one's personal weaknesses.  Just like the sick did with Jesus. They understood that they could only be healed by Him. SUMMARY OF POPE'S MASS (Source: Vatican Radio)  "Faith makes all things possible,” but we must place our trust completely in God. This was the central focus of Pope Francis’ remarks following the readings of the day at Mass on Friday morning in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican. Pope Francis concentrated especially on the 1st Letter of St John, in which he speaks of t...

Vatican City, 6 November 2013 (VIS) – The communion of holy persons who grow through participation in spiritual goods, and above all the Sacraments, the charisms and charity, was the theme of Pope Francis' catechesis during today's general audience. In the Sacraments, each one of us is “incorporated in Christ and united with the entire community of believers. Therefore, if one the one hand there is the Church who 'makes' the Sacraments, on the other there are the Sacraments which 'make' the Church, edifying her, generating new sons, and joining them to the holy people of God”. Furthermore, “the Sacraments offer us the impetus to become missionaries, and the apostolic commitment to taking the faith to all places, even the most hostile, is the most authentic fruit of a steadfast sacramental life, inasmuch as it constitutes participation in God's salvific plan, which aims at bringing salvation to all”. The second aspect of communion in holy things is the...

Italian journalist Marina Ricci (center) moderates the Vatican event on Oct. 19, 2013. Credit: Kerri Lenartowick/CNA. Vatican City, Oct 22, 2013 / 04:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Just down the road from St. Peter's Basilica, a crowd of almost 200 packed into an audience hall to hear a panel discussion on the witness of modern women in the Church. The occasion for this event was the publication of a book in Italian, “Tenacious Women,” which profiles 12 very different modern women throughout the world who have chosen to live their lives as a daily testimony to their faith. Italian journalist Marina Ricci, who moderated the panel, opened the event by explaining that “we begin with experience for this reason: we live in a world and in a society in which rarely does someone see him or her self beginning from reality.” The stories in the book range from that of a 28-year-old mother who died from a malignant tumor while postponing treatment because she was pregnant with her third ch...

(Vatican Radio) If a Christian “becomes a disciple of the ideology, he has lost the faith.” This was the theme of Pope Francis’ homily during his Thursday morning Mass at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. During his homily, the Pope warned Christians against behaving as though the “key is in [their] pocket, and the door closed.” He reiterated that without prayer, one abandons the faith and descends into ideology and moralism. “Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge!” (Luke 11: 52)Pope Francis referred back to this passage from Thursday’s Gospel in his homily, moving from Jesus’ warning. He warned: “When we are on the street and find ourselves in front of a closed Church,” he said, “we feel that something is strange.” Sometimes, he said, “they give us reasons” as to why they are closed: They give “excuses, justifications, but the fact remains that the Church is closed and the people who pass by cannot enter.” And, even worse, the Lord cannot be close to...

A record number of viewers tuned in to watch the fourth season premier of Duck Dynasty, a politically incorrect hit reality show that preaches faith, good morals, and family values. LiveActionNews.com is reporting that the A&E reality show focuses on the lives of the Robertson family who run a business that makes products for duck hunters. Instead of glamorizing adulterous housewives and the antics of drunken youth at the Jersey Shore, Duck Dynasty features a refreshing line-up of solid characters and healthy American living. Read more.

August 18, 2013. (Romereports.com) During Sunday's Angelus at St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis renewed his calls for peace in Egypt, where violent clashes between the army and supporters of deposed president Mohammed Morsi continue to drive up the death toll among its citizens. POPE FRANCIS “We continue to pray for peace in Egypt together, Mary Queen of Peace pray for us.” During his Angelus remarks, Pope Francis spoke on the Gospel reading for the day, which, coincidentally, dealt with peace, and how violence is incompatible with faith. He said the Gospel's message explained that Jesus set the criteria for which to live by peacefully: live for God or live for oneself, to serve or be served. But he added that living in peace, does not mean being neutral. POPE FRANCIS “Jesus does not portray neutrality. This peace is not a compromise at all costs. To follow Jesus, means to renounce all evil and egoism, to do good, and choose truth and justice.” However, the Po...

July 8, 2013 (Romereports.com) During his Sunday Angelus prayer and following his special Mass with seminarians and novices,  Pope Francis reflected upon the role of ordained ministers as successors of the disciples, whom Jesus sent to the world as missionaries and witnesses to this message. POPE FRANCIS “He forms immediately a community of disciples, which is a missionary community. Right from the start, He trains them for the mission, to go on a mission. Beware, however! The purpose is not to socialize, to spend time together – no, the purpose is to proclaim the Kingdom of God, and this is urgent! There is no time to waste in small talk, no need to wait for the consent of all – there is need only of going out and proclaim. After the prayer to Our Lady, Pope Francis also gave a little insight on the genesis of his recently published first encyclical, 'Lumen Fidei.' POPE FRANCIS “As you know, two days ago the encyclical letter on the subject of faith, entitled Lumen ...

Chad Vella (Boston, MA) asks about the relationship between the beauty of our faith and the joy that we feel as a result. Via Matthew Warner .

January 28, 2013. (Romereports.com) Benedict XVI met with the members of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, the highest appellate court for the Catholic Church. During his speech, he addressed the Year of Faith by talking about the relationship between faith and marriage. The Pope explained that the strength of a family is very closely tied to faith.   BENEDICT XVI “The current crisis of faith that affects various areas of the world, bearing with it a crisis of conjugal society, with all the suffering and discomfort that this bring upon the children.” The Pope explained that the lack of faith does not prevent a marriage from becoming valid, because the Church only requires that the union between husband and wife meets the traits of a “natural marriage.” Those traits are that it lasts for a lifetime, that it be open to life, and that they the good in each other. However, he also talked about the risks of having those traits of natural marriage severed by what he described as ...

Prayer For the Safety of Soldiers Almighty and eternal God, those who take refuge in you will be glad and forever will shout for joy. Protect these soldiers as they discharge their duties. Protect them with the shield of your strength and keep them safe from all evil and harm. May the power of your love enable them to return home in safety, that with all who love them, they may ever praise you for your loving care. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Prayers for our Military Men & Women -- from the Franciscans