Catholic Fire

By Jean M. Heimann August 10 is the feast of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr. Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of the Church of Rome. In 258, he was martyred along with Pope Sixtus II and other deacons. St. Lawrence was in charge of caring for the poor and had a great love for the destitute and the needy. He was the distributor of alms and “keeper of the treasures of the Church” during a time when Christianity was proclaimed illegal. The Prefect of Rome, a greedy pagan, thought the Church had a great fortune hidden away. So he ordered Lawrence to bring the Church's treasure to him. Lawrence distributed the material wealth of the Church before the Roman authorities could steal it. He gave it to the poor. When he returned in three days, he was accompanied by all the poor and sick people who were being maintained by the Church. He showed them to the Prefect, announcing: "This is the Church's treasure!" In great fury, the Prefect condemned Lawrence to a sl...

St. Lawrence Crowned by Baby Jesus -  Claude de Jongh Today is the feast of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr.Lawrence was one of the seven deacons of the Church of Rome, who along with Pope Sixtus II and other deacons, was executed in 258 under the Emperor Valerian. St. Lawrence Distributing the Treasures of the Church - Bernardo Strozzi  St. Lawrence was in charge of the poor and had a great love for the poor and needy. The Prefect of Rome, a greedy pagan, thought the Church had a great fortune hidden away. So he ordered Lawrence to bring the Church's treasure to him. The saint said he would, in three days. Then he went through the city and gathered together all the poor and sick people supported by the Church. When he showed them to the Prefect, he said: "This is the Church's treasure!" The Martyrdom of St. Lawrence --Tintoretto  In great anger, the Prefect condemned Lawrence to a slow, cruel death. Lawrence was tied on top of an iron grill ove...

Today is the feast of St. Martha, Virgin (who died in France around 80). Mary and Martha lived with their brother Lazarus at Bethany, a village not far from Jerusalem. They are mentioned in several episodes in the Gospels. On one occasion, when Jesus and His disciples were their guests (Luke 10:38-42), Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to Him while her sister Martha busied herself with preparing food and waiting on the guests, and when Martha complained, Jesus said that Mary had chosen the better part. When Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, had died, Jesus came to Bethany. Martha, upon being told that He was approaching, went out to meet Him, while Mary sat still in the house until He sent for her. It was to Martha that Jesus said: "I am the Resurrection and the Life." (John 11:1-44) Again, about a week before the crucifixion, as Jesus reclined at table, Mary poured a flask of expensive perfume over Jesus' feet. Mary was criticized for wasting wha...

The saint of the day for June 4th is St. Francis Caracciolo, (1563-1608), confessor, and founder of the Minor Clerks Regular. He was born of a royal family in the Kingdom of Naples. At the age of 22, he contracted leprosy, and nearly died from it. In this trial he heard the Lord’s call and was ready to dedicate his life completely in the service of God and neighbor if he would recover. After his miraculous cure, faithful to his promise, he renounced all his properties and noble titles. He left his palace and went to Naples to prepare himself to priesthood. He was ordained priest and joined the Confraternity of the White Servants of Justice, a confraternity that looked after the spiritual welfare of prisoners and those condemned to death. He spent every possible moment in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. His thought was that it was for men that Our Lord came to us in the Eucharist, and while the angels throng Catholic churches to worship God there, men desert Him....

The saint of the day for May 17th is St. Paschal Baylon. Born in a small village in between Castille and Aragon in Spain, on Pentecost in 1540, he was christened Pascua (meaning "the pasch of the Holy Ghost") in honor of the feast. As a young man, until he was twenty-four years old, he worked as a shepherd for his poor, but pious family. During this time, he lived a life of penance and showed great devotion for the Holy Eucharist. One day Paschal heard the bells of a convent announce the approaching consecration at Mass. Such an ardent longing for God overcame him that, prompted by yearning and love, he involuntarily cried out: "O God, most worthy of all adoration, please let me see You!" Hardly had he uttered the prayer when a glowing star appeared in the sky. As he watched, the heavens opened; the star disappeared and was replaced by a chalice with the Host, flanked by two adoring angels. Christian art has selected this vision to show his chief virtue -- lo...