Catholic Fire

On January 16, from the Franciscan calendar, we celebrate the feast of St. Berard and companions. Six Franciscan friars accepted from St. Francis of Assisi an assignment to go to Morocco. They were to announce Christianity to the Muslims. Friars Berard, Peter, Adjutus, Accursio and Odo traveled by ship in 1219. Morocco is in the northwest corner of Africa and the journey was long and dangerous. The group arrived at Seville, Spain. They started preaching immediately, on streets and in public squares. People treated them as if they were crazy and had them arrested. To save themselves from being sent back home, the friars declared they wanted to see the sultan. So the governor of Seville sent them to Morocco. The sultan received the friars and gave them freedom to preach in the city. But some of the people did not like this. They complained to the authorities. The sultan tried to save the friars by sending them to live in Marrakech, on the west coast of Morocco. A Christian prince...

Listen to Dr. Peter Kreeft like you've never heard him...with a jazz infused, hip-hop accompaniment . This mash-up borrows from an address Dr. Kreeft gave at Acton University in 2014. His topic was "Good, True, and Beautiful: CS Lewis," but it was so much more. H/T: Brandon Voght

After St. Brigid, St. Ita, who was named Deirdre, is the most famous woman saint in Ireland. Her birth of noble Christian parents, Kennfoelad, a Déisí tribe chieftain and Necta his princess wife, is said to have taken place around 470 in Drum, County Waterford, Ireland. From her baptism on, Deirdre was filled with the Holy Spirit. All marveled at her childhood purity and Christian virtues. She was prudent, generous, kind toward everyone, and gentle. As she grew, it  became apparent that she wished to devote her life to God. At the age of 16, Deirdre refused an offer of marriage, as she desired to consecrate her virginity to God. Her father refused to let her do this, until an angel reassured him that she would become an advocate for souls. With her father's approval, Deirdre went to an elderly priest she had known from childhood and publicly professed her religious vows. She took the name Ita at this time. Ita then left her father’s house and set out with companions to a pl...

On the second day of Pope Francis’ Apostolic visit to Sri Lanka, Vatican Radio’s envoys on the trip with the Holy Father, say that authorities have told them that over 500,000 people attended the Wednesday Canonization of Sri Lanka’s first saint, Joseph Vaz.  Catholics in Sri Lanka account for only 6 percent of the 20 million strong population. The majority of the people are Buddhist. Speaking in English, Pope Francis told the canonization crowd that followed him attentively that St. Joseph Vaz was an example of religious tolerance who is still relevant to Sri Lanka and to the world. "Saint Joseph shows us the importance of transcending religious divisions in the service of peace," he said in his homily.  “Saint Joseph Vaz was first, an exemplary priest.  Here today with us are many priests and religious, both men and women, who, like Joseph Vaz, are consecrated to the service of God and neighbour. I encourage each of you to look to Saint Joseph as a sure guide...

The saint of the day for January 14th is St. Macrina the Elder, a learned woman gifted with wisdom and counsel. Our knowledge of her life is limited and comes mainly from the testimony of the great Cappadocian fathers of the Church as well as from her  grandchildren and the panegyric of St. Gregory of Nazianzus and St. Basil. This lady was the grandmother of saints, the most notable being the brothers Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa. It was Macrina and her husband who founded the faith of the family and passed it on as a splendid treasure to her children and grandchildren. That faith was born of suffering and persecution. St. Macrina the elder was a native of Cappadocia, in what is now eastern Turkey. It was here that the great apostle of Cappadocia, St. Gregory the Wonderworker, established the faith around the year 250. When he arrived in the territory, it was said, there were only seventeen Christians in the town of Neo-Caesarea; when he died in 268, there were on...

One of the highlights of Pope Francis' trip to Sri Lanka will be the canonization of Joseph Vaz, the country's first Saint. He was born in India in 1651. After being ordained a priest, he traveled to Sri Lanka. During the XVII and XVIII century,  the Dutch controlled the island and imposed their confession, which was Calvinism. Under those circumstances, Vaz helped preached to Catholics who were actively being persecuted. FR. PRASAD HARSHAN Sri Lankan Priest "He was a wonderful sign of reconciliation, a sign of love, a sign of peace. God is going to give him back to us, as our first Saint. At this junction. Pope Francis is going to give that gift to us in our own land. I have no words to express the joy.” Blessed Joseph Vaz learned the native languages of the island and had a very good relationship with the country's spiritual leaders. He is seen as an example of reconciliation in the country, severely divided by a 25 year long civil war.

Today is the optional memorial of St. Hilary, bishop of Poitiers in the 4th century. Pope Pius IX declared him a "Doctor of the Church," because of his heroic defense of the the Faith against Arians and other heretics. He strongly defended the divinity of Christ, and despite the fact that he was a kind and gentle man, he was viewed as an agitator, a disturber of the peace. Hillary was born in Poitiers in France in 315 and raised as a pagan. Reading the Bible led to his conversion. He also converted his wife and daughter who enthusiastically embraced the faith. Because celibacy was not a requirement at that time for the clergy, at the age of 35, Hillary was elected as the new Bishop of Poitier. He devoted his tongue and pen to fighting the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity of Jesus Christ, and was exiled for four years in the East for his fidelity to the faith. His writings drew many converts to the faith. Hillary died in 368 A.D. Hilary is sometimes called "th...

Today is the feast of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, the founder of the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame, who were my teachers in both elementary and high school. I remember viewing a film on her life and praying for her canonization when I was in grade school. She sailed from France to Canada about the same time my French ancestors did, so I feel as if I share a special bond with her. St. Marguerite Bourgeoys has been described as a woman of dreams and action, despite her frail health. She was a woman of grace and fortitude, known for her obedience to God and for her perseverance in carrying out His desires despite the many obstacles and hardships she faced. Born in Troyes, France in 1620 to devout parents, Marguerite was the sixth of twelve children. Her mother died when Marguerite was just 19 and she became the surrogate mother to her siblings. The following year, through the inspiration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, she consecrated her life to God and became a member of t...

  It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee  and was baptized in the Jordan by John.  On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open  and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens,  “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” -- Mark 1: 9-11 Jesus joins the people who are going out to John the Baptist, not because he needs to repent because he has not sinned and has no sin in him. He voluntarily submits himself to the Baptism of St. John, intended for sinners, in order to "fulfill all righteousness." Though pure, innocent, and without sin, Our Lord allows John to baptize Him, not because He needs it, but because sinners need it. He is not purified through baptism, but He purifies the waters of baptism. By surrendering to the Father, he serves as a model for us. He invites us to share in the relationship he has with the Father, which is announced...

1. January seems to be a popular month for catching a cold and it's my favorite month for cooking good old-fashioned homemade chicken soup. Here's my new stockpot for cooking soup. I just can't resist cooking when I get a new pot or pan. Here I made Lemon-Chicken Orzo Soup , but there was no orzo anywhere! What's a girl to do? I simply replaced it with brown rice pasta shells. 2. The aroma of the chicken broth / lemon mixture by itself is enough to clear out the sinuses and titillate the tastebuds, but we won't stop there. 3. We're not done until we've added the chicken, the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, pasta, and the baby spinach. Voilà! This is not only a cure for the common cold, but a nutritious and sumptuous meal! Fra Angelico's "Last Judgment" : "dancing with the saints" 4. Of course you have heard of the TV show Dancing with the Stars , but wouldn't you much rather be "dancing with the saint...

The new biopic “A Theory of Everything” does indeed engage in a fair amount of Hawking-hagiography, but it is also, curiously, a God-haunted movie.

An inspiring video from Chris Stefanick :

The Saint of the day for January 8th is St. Adela of Messines (1009-1071), Princess of France, Countess of Flanders, and later Benedictine Abbess of Messines. Born a princess, St. Adela was the second daughter of King Robert the Pious of France and Constance of Arles. She married Count Baldwin IV in her childhood, and was taken by his father, Baldwin IV, to Flanders, to be brought up in his own family. The town of Corbio was her dowry. Baldwin and Adela built the Benedictine monastery of Messines.  They rebuilt the monastery of Einham, or Iham, on the Scald, and gave it to the Benedictines in 1063. Baldwin made the Fosse neuf, a great canal between Flanders and Artois.  After Baldwin's death in 1036, Adela entered the monastery of Messines,  that she might spend the remainder of her life in silent prayer. She traveled to Rome to receive the veil and the blessing of Pope Alexander II. She then returned to the monastery of  Messines. and remained there until h...

I just finished reading Lisa M. Hendey’s book, The Grace of Yes: Eight Virtues for Generous Living. This book is truly amazing. I have to admit that I have not read Lisa’s previous books, but do read her posts on Patheos and New Evangelizers, which I consistently find very appealing. Hendey is a wonderful writer. She writes clearly, articulately, honestly, with much encouragement and optimism. I met Lisa at a conference and was impressed by how friendly, natural, and open she was, unconcerned about making an impression, but very confident in her own skin. After reading this book, I understand why – she is a woman of faith and humility. In The Grace of Yes , Lisa discusses eight virtues each one of us needs to acquire in order to say "Yes!" to God and His will in our life. I am not exactly sure of the origin of each of these virtues, as some appear to be more psychological than theological. The virtues consist of: belief (faith), generativity, creativity, integrity, ...

January 7 is the optional memorial of St. Raymond of Peñafort, the third Master-General (Superior) of the Dominican Order. A contemporary of Saint Thomas Aquinas, he inspired the theologian to write the “Summa Contra Gentiles” for the conversion of non-Catholics. At least 10,000 Muslims reportedly converted as a result of St. Raymond’s evangelistic efforts. Raymond was born in Spain in 1175 and died there on January 6, 1275 at the age of 99. He was the gifted son of the count of Peñafort in Catalonia, Spain. Due to his status and wealth, he was well educated and at the age of 20, was already a professor of philosophy. He earned his doctorate in both cannon and civil law at the age 41. He taught cannon law in Bologna, Italy, and it was here that he first met the Dominicans. He was attracted to the Dominican Order by the preaching of Blessed Reginald of Bologna and received the Dominican habit at the age of 47. Raymond had a strong devotion to Our Blessed Mother, and it was this ...

Today is the memorial of St Andre Bessette, who struggled with illness for much of his life, humbly devoted his life to prayer, and served the Lord by comforting the sick and afflicted. Through his intercessory prayers to St. Joseph, many received God’s healing graces. Saint Andre was born on August 9, 1845, near Montreal, Canada as Alfred Bessette. The son of a woodcutter, her was the eighth of twelve children. His father died in a work-related accident and his mother died of tuberculosis. He was adopted at age 12 by a farmer who insisted that he work to pay for his keep. After working as a farmhand, he labored at various trades: shoemaker, baker, blacksmith -- all failures. He was a factory worker during the Civil War. At age 25, he applied to join the Congregation of the Holy Cross, but was initially refused due to his poor health. He latter gained the support of Bishop Bourget, and was finally accepted. Alfred entered the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1870, taking the name ...

At the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Francis announced the names of fifteen Archbishops and Bishops whom he will raise to the dignity of the Cardinalate on February 14, 2015. In addition, the Holy Father announced that five retired Archbishops and Bishops “distinguished for their pastoral charity in the service of the Holy See and of the Church” would also be made Cardinals. Below, please find the complete text of the Pope’s announcement, with the names of all those set to be elevated to the Cardinalate: “As was already announced, on February 14 next I will have the joy of holding a Concistory, during which I will name 15 new Cardinals who, coming from 14 countries from every continent, manifest the indissoluble links between the Church of Rome and the particular Churches present in the world. “On Sunday February 15 I will preside at a solemn concelebration with the new Cardinals, while on February 12 and 13 I will hold a Consistory with all the Cardinals to reflect on the orientat...

Today is the memorial of St. John Neumann, Bishop (USA). St. John Neumann was born in 1811 in Bohemia to Philip Neumann, who was German and owned a stocking factory, and Agnes Neumann who was Czech. John was a small and quiet boy with four sisters and a brother, and was named after Saint John Nepomucene . An excellent student, John early felt drawn to religious life. As a seminarian at Budweis, Bohemia, he studied astronomy and botany in addition to theology. He futhered his studies in theology at Charles Ferdinand University at Prague in 1833. John Neumann's ordination was delayed by the Austrian government so he began work with the North American mission in New York in 1836. He was ordained as a diocesan priest in June of 1836 by Bishop John Dubois at old St. Patrick's Cathedral on Mott Street, New York City. The following week, he was pastor of the whole Niagara Frontier, some hundred square miles of swampy primeval forest. Many German immigrants had settled this sec...

A new behind-the-scenes video from the filming of "CATHOLICISM: The Pivotal Players" (http://PivotalPlayers.com). Let's keep Fr. Barron in our prayers while he is on his filming trip.