Catholic Fire

Bishop Barron's powerful talk at the 2016 World Youth Day "Night of Mercy" event, hosted by the Knights of Columbus, on July 27, 2016. Over 25,000 young people were present at the Tauron Arena in Kraków, Poland.

Someone recently  asked me, "How do I avoid purgatory ?" I had a few suggestions, but here are ten specific ways to avoid it: 1. In every prayer you say, every Mass you hear, every Communion you receive, every good work you perform, have the express intention of imploring God to grant you a holy and happy death and no Purgatory. Surely God will hear a prayer said with such confidence and perseverance. 2. Always wish to do God's will. It is in every sense the best for you. When you do or seek anything that is not God's will, you are sure to suffer. Say fervently, therefore, each time you recite the Our Father: "Thy will be done" 3. Accept all the sufferings, sorrows, pains and disappointments of life, be they great or small: ill health, loss of goods, the death of your dear ones, heat or cold, rain or sunshine, as coming from God. Bear them calmly and patiently for love of Him and in penance for your sins. Of course one may use all his efforts to w...

During his daily morning Mass, Pope Francis talked about Christianity. He said that Christians must always remember that Jesus died on the Cross out of love. POPE FRANCIS "Christianity is not a philosophical doctrine, it’s not a program for life survival or education, or for peacemaking. These are consequences of it. Christianity is a person, a person raised on the Cross, a person who annihilated Himself to save us, who became human, [with]sin.” The Pope added that the Cross isn't a prop for altars and churches, but rather "it's the mystery of the love of God,”  where all sins are forgiven. EXCERPT OF THE POPE'S HOMILY Source: Vatican Radio The relationship between Christianity and the Cross and our own sins was the focus of Pope Francis’s reflections at his Mass on Tuesday in the Santa Marta residence. In his homily, the Pope said Christianity does not exist without the Cross and stressed that we are unable to free ourselves from our sins on our ow...

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1. By counsel ("You should get an abortion") 2. By command ("You must get an abortion") 3. By consent ("You are getting an abortion? Good idea!") 4. By provocation ("He will get angry if I keep bugging him") 5. By praise or flattery ("Way to cheat on your wife buddy!") 6. By concealment ("I'll cover-up your crime") 7. By partaking ("We can rob this business together") 8. By silence ("I know you stole it, but I won't tell") 9. By defense of the sinful action ("His car was unlocked; it deserved to be stolen")

In his Thursday morning Mass, Pope Francis talked about the mystery of death. He explained that despite our sins, dying in the heart of the Church, is a gift. POPE FRANCIS "It's a gift from God and we must pray for it. To say, 'Lord, grant me the gift of dying at my spiritual home, in the heart of the Church.' We are sinners! All of us are. But we're not traitors. No! We are not corrupt. No! We stay on the inside! The Church, our Mother loves us so, despite our sins, the Church cleanses us. She's our Mother.” The Pope then added that every Christian should make an effort to leave a Christian legacy behind, once they pass away. SUMMARY OF POPE'S HOMILY (Source: Vatican Radio) Speaking at Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday, Pope Francis reflected on the mystery of death, inviting us to ask God for the grace to die in hope, in the heart of the Church and in the knowledge that we have left a legacy of Christian witness behind us. Pope Francis...

Next to the ocean of God's mercy, your sin is a pebble. He died to free you from it. Let him.

LifeSiteNews Managing Director Steve Jalsevac interviews Dr. Peter Kreeft. This interview took place June 8, 2013 while Dr. Kreeft was in Toronto on a speaking engagement for Catholic Chapter House.

Monsignor Eric Barr, Episcopal Vicar for Clergy and Religious for the Diocese of Rockford, IL, responds to the frequently asked question - "If someone has had an abortion and regrets it, is there any chance God will forgive them?"

This is a beautiful video on the Prodigal Son, based on a homily by Pope Benedict to a group of youth in a juvenile detention center in Rome on March 18, 2007. It is narrated and set to music with classic religious art.

Fr. Ignatius outlines in detail, citing authoritative Church documents, how it is a sin to vote for a pro-abortion politician.

There is a little of everything in this Catholic Carnival - from great information about Saints and Cardinals to incisive looks at our political culture today. Be sure to check it out at Living Catholicism hosted by Jay. A few of my favorite posts there include: 1. What is Wrong with Porn? at Aggie Catholics , which explores pornography addiction. This is becoming a huge problem, particularly in the US, and this post does a great job of exploring ways to resist as well as why it is a problem. 2. Holiness and Culture at HMS Blog reflects on the Mass Readings for last Sunday and how they relate to the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade on January 22. 3. Did You Hear a Pro-Life Homily Today? at Catholic Matriarch in My Domestic Church did hear a pro-life sermon. And it was more courageous (in our day and time) than we usually hear. Be sure to support your priests when they speak out in defense of the Truth. 4. Is Barack Obama the Angel of Death at Deo Omnis Gloria . This is another YouTube...

Many people think that sinners get more, not less. One imagines that the thief, for example, receives more when he steals. But the thief in fact loses the the good of a determined social order without which human life falls apart. Another supposes that the more sexual pleasure a person procures, the more he will experience personal happiness. But the truth is that the unchaste person gets less of the good that sexual pleasure is meant to promote, that is, wedded friendship, the only sanctifiable context within which sexual pleasure unites man and woman. Still another argues that the destruction of inconvenient human life results in acquiring more liberty for individuals and society. But the reality is that the killing of the innocent forfeits a respect for the Creator that no creature can afford to live without. So Jesus admonishes us: "Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin" (John 8:34). The only remedy for sin is developing a strong filial rela...