Catholic Fire

"Holiness does not demand anything great, beyond the ability of the person. It depends on God's Love; every daily act can be transformed into an act of love. " ~ Saint Ursula Julia Ledochowska (1865-1939)

Thursday of the Fourth Week of Easter Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Journey to the United States - 2008 The Holy Father's Schedule Today: 10:00 a.m. - The pope will offer Mass at the new Nationals Park in Washington. 5 p.m. - Pope Benedict XVI will give an address on the importance of Catholic education on the campus of The Catholic University of America. 6:30 p.m. - Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Jews and representatives of other religions will meet the Holy Father at the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, next door to Catholic University. For complete information see: Christ Our Hope and USCCB’s Papal Visit Blog . Today's Mass Readings Saint of the Day: St. Stephen Harding , Abbott Gospel Meditation of the Day : Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (1873-1897), Carmelite, Doctor of the Church Manuscript B, 2vo-3vo "Whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." To be your Spouse, O Jesus, to be a Carmelite, and b...

Please pray for my niece, Carol, a young wife and mother, who has just been diagnosed with cervical cancer. Please pray also for her family.

Following their private meeting in the Oval Office today, a joint communique was released by President Bush and Pope Benedict. Full text: His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and President George W. Bush met today in the Oval Office of the White House. President Bush, on behalf of all Americans, welcomed the Holy Father, wished him a happy birthday, and thanked him for the spiritual and moral guidance, which he offers to the whole human family. The President wished the Pope every success in his Apostolic Journey and in his address at the United Nations, and expressed appreciation for the Pope’s upcoming visit to “Ground Zero” in New York. During their meeting, the Holy Father and the President discussed a number of topics of common interest to the Holy See and the United States of America, including moral and religious considerations to which both parties are committed: the respect of the dignity of the human person; the defense and promotion of life, matrimony and the family; the education ...

PAPAL ADRESS WELCOME CEREMONY THE WHITE HOUSE, SOUTH LAWN WASHINGTON, DC April 16, 2008 Mr. President, Thank you for your gracious words of welcome on behalf of the people of the United States of America. I deeply appreciate your invitation to visit this great country. My visit coincides with an important moment in the life of the Catholic community in America: the celebration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the elevation of the country’s first Diocese -- Baltimore -- to a metropolitan Archdiocese, and the establishment of the Sees of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Louisville. Yet I am happy to be here as a guest of all Americans. I come as a friend, a preacher of the Gospel and one with great respect for this vast pluralistic society. America’s Catholics have made, and continue to make, an excellent contribution to the life of their country. As I begin my visit, I trust that my presence will be a source of renewal and hope for the Church in the United States, and strengthen th...

Happy Birthday, dear Holy Father! From The National Catholic Register : The Pope has received a number of birthday greetings. Yesterday, a group sang "Happy Birthday" to him. Today, at the White House, a group of the guests spontaneously launched into "Happy Birthday." Then, at the conclusion of his White House speech, the official singer sang "Happy Birthday" to him before he walked into the White House with the President. I'm sure he'll be receiving many more throughout the day. Stay tuned...we're trying to find out what the President's official gift for the Pope is. Pope Greets Thousands On His Birthday Crowds Scream, Sing 'Happy Birthday' To Pontiff Pope's Birthday At The White House - Deal Hudson, Inside Catholic Today's Papal Events 10:30 a.m. - The Holy Father meets with President Bush and the First Lady on the south lawn of the White House. 5:30 p.m. - Private prayer service and meeting with the 350 bishops of the...

Happy Birthday, dear Papa! We are praying for you for special blessings on your birthday. We love you! Image via Esther.

"Whatever trials the Lord sends you, whatever sacrifices He asks of you, whatever duties He imposes on you, always have this response of love and faithfulness on your lips and in your heart: 'Hear is your servant, O my God, ready to undertake all, to give all, to sacrifice all, as long as Your will may be accomplished in me and on all the the earth'." ~ From the private notes of St. Bernadette of Lourdes, A Holy Life, by Patricia A. McEachern, Ph.D.

There have been lots of welcomes to the Holy Father, today. Here are just a few of my favorite posts on the Holy Father's arrival in the USA today: Whsipers in the Loggia: At the Pope's Mission, Might Ain't Right and From the Plane. American Papist: Day 1: Pictures of Pope Benedict's Arrival The Curt Jester: Welcome to America Holy Father Christopher Blosser's blog: Arrival of Benedict XVI at Andrews Air Force Base My thanks to Esther for creating the beautiful image of the Holy Father above.

The Holy Father has arrived! The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is in the United States. He arrived at 3: 58PM EST today on his first papal journey to the U.S. He was greeted off the plane by President Bush, first lady Laura Bush and their daughter, Jenna. The Holy Father walked briskly down the stairs (in his red Prada shoes) waving, as he came off the plane and shook hands with President Bush and his family. The Holy Father also greeted Mary Ann Glendon, US ambassador to the Vatican, and other state and church dignitaries. There were 5,000 military families assembled on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force base awaiting his arrival who cheered him as he waved to them. Both the Holy Father and Bush were grinning and seemed delighted to be in one another's company as they walked together. As the Holy Father walked toward his limousine, the young people sang "Happy Birthday". (Tomorrow is his 81st birthday.) He appeared to be both touched and pleased. This is the first time in...

It's been suggested that parishes welcome the Holy Father by ringing the church bells at 4PM when he arrives in our country! It's not too late to call your parish and ask them to welcome our Holy Father. Via MONIALES OP ~ Dominican Nuns.

Michael Hichborn, ALL’s media director, said his group is the largest anti-abortion advocacy organization in the U.S. “What we expect is that there will be pro-abortion Catholics who are going to try to receive Communion when the pope holds Mass,” he said. “We’re also hoping that his advisers have fully briefed him on those politicians who may attempt to receive Communion. I don’t know how well-prepared he’ll be.” American Life League's full-page message to Pope Benedict XVI can be viewed online at: http://www.all.org/db_file/1066.pdf

While enroute to the US, the Holy Father spoke Pope Benedict XVI took the opportunity to respond to the clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. Here is what he had to say via CNA: "It is a great suffering for the Church in the United States and for the Church in general and for me personally that this could happen," Benedict said. "It is difficult for me to understand how it was possible that priests betray in this way their mission ... to these children." "I am deeply ashamed and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future," the pope said. Benedict XVI also said he was determined to prevent pedophiles from becoming priests in the Roman Catholic Church. "We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," Benedict said in English. "It is more important to have good priests than many priests. We will do everything possible to heal this wound." Pedophilia is "absolutely incompatible...

Prayer for an Apostolic Visit for the Holy Father Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give your shepherd, Pope Benedict, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build Your Church into a sacrament of unity, love, and peace for all the world. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter Today's Mass Readings "I have told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name are my witness; but you do not believe, because you are no sheep of mine. The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and not one will ever steal them from me. The Father who gave them to me is greater than anyone, and no one can steal from the Father. The Father and I are one (John 10:25-30)." Reflection The Work of the Holy Spirit Meditation for April 15, Angels of the Agony Via †Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam† Saint of the Day St. Paturnus On This Day in Catholic History 2008 -- Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the USA for his apostolic visit. Historical Birthday 1452 - Leonardo da Vinci , Italian Renaissance polymath: a scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor, architect, botanist, musician and writer (d. 1519) Today's...

It's Catholic Carnival time at the Pillars and Ebeth is showing her excitement and enthusiasm over The Holy Father's upcoming visit to the US tomorrow by posting some great shots of our "dear Papa" like the one above. I encourage you to stop by and read the interesting posts there. A few of my favorites include: Elena's How to have a Domestic Church , Heidi's post, "Mary Prayer: When you need sleep" from, Behold Your Mother: A Bouquet of Love from Mary to her Children, and Steven's post on The Mad Celtic Warrior Poet Priest , but be sure to check out all the posts while you're there.

American Life League reveals American Idol's agenda behind the 'Idol Gives Back' fundraising telethon. By the close of the telethon, the campaign raised $60 million for Children's Defense Fund, Children's Health Fund, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, Make it Right, Malaria No More, and Save the Children. "'Idol Gives Back,' on the surface, seems to be motivated by good intentions," said Erik Whittington, director for American Life League's youth program. "But, the reality is that American Idol is funding non-profits, such as Save the Children and The Children's Defense Fund, that promote immorality and abortion on demand." MORE at Fox News. My comments: It pays to investigate a charity before you donate money to it. Yes, it certainly sounded like it was well - intentioned, but how many people would donate to this cause if they knew what their money was really being used for?

At CNN's Faith in Public Life's Compassion Forum at Messiah College 13 April Obama was asked when life begins. You would think he would at least attempt to come up with some kind of intelligent answer rather than evade the question, but that's exactly what he did. He was trapped. If he admitted the simple medical fact that life begins at conception that would reveal the obvious -- that abortion is killing an innocent human life. And, if he admits that, then everything he stands for is a lie. Transcript: QUESTION: Senator, do you personally believe that life begins at conception? And if not, when does it begin? OBAMA: This is something that I have not, I think, come to a firm resolution on. I think it’s very hard to know what that means, when life begins. Is it when a cell separates? Is it when the soul stirs? So I don’t presume to know the answer to that question. What I know, as I’ve said before, is that there is something extraordinarily powerful about potential life and...

Are you ready for the Holy Father’s visit? In this post, I hope to provide all that you need to get the most out of the Holy Father’s visit to the U.S.A. to enable it to be a memorable and spiritually enriching experience for you and for all Americans. Christ our Hope “The one who has hope lives differently, the one who has hope has been granted the gift of a new life.” ~ Pope Benedict, Spe Salvi, 2 The Need for Prayer This past Sunday, April 13, in Rome, the Holy Father asked for prayers for "spiritual renewal" that would result from his upcoming apostolic journey to the United States. He said: "This Tuesday I leave Rome for my visit to the United Nations and the United States of America. With the various groups I shall meet, my intention is to share our Lord's word of life." "In Christ is our hope! Christ is the foundation of our hope for peace, for justice, and for the freedom that flows from God's law fulfilled in his commandment to love one anot...

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter Today's Mass Readings "I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd." (John 10: 14 - 16) Today's Saints: Sts. Tiburtius, Valerian and Maximus, Martyrs On This Day in Catholic History 1191 - Giacinto Bobo became Pope Coelestinus III. 1434 - The foundation stone of Cathedral St. Peter and St. Paul in Nantes, France was laid. Famous Birthday 1866 - Anne Sullivan Macy , Helen Keller 's teacher (d. 1936)