Catholic Fire

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul , which gives us occasion to reflect on our own faith journey and our own conversion experiences. How do we relate to Paul’s conversion story? St. Paul's Conversion Paul was the most ferocious enemy of the Church, who as a zealous Jew and Pharisee was persecuting Christians during the first century. Paul rooted out Christians in the synagogues, taking them into Jerusalem in chains to have them persecuted. In fact, he even assisted in the stoning of St. Stephen, the first martyr. Then, suddenly, without warning, as he is traveling on the road to Damascus, he hears the voice of God speaking to Him, is blinded by a bright light, and is knocked off his horse. While Paul was an intellectual, a learned Rabbi, a great theologian, his conversion experience was hardly an intellectual one. He was not converted by reason, by an acceptance of Christian ideas, nor was he swayed over by Christian apologetics, but his was...

Famed Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke, who was at the Sarajevo Film Festival last week, told a Bosnian newspaper that he thanks God and his Catholic faith for giving him a “second chance” in life to overcome his addictions, which almost led him to commit suicide. Read the full story here.

Priests for Life, in partnership with Anglicans for Life, coordinates the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, the largest mobilization of women and men who have lost children to abortion. Hear their stirring testimonies of pain and hope. ~ Via FrFrankPavone .