A Catholic View

St. John Bosco

2012-01-31T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 31 is St. John Bosco.

John Bosco was born near Castelnuovo in the archdiocese of Turin, Italy, in 1815. His father died when John was only two years old and it was his mother Margaret who provided him with a good humanistic and Christian education. His early years were financially difficult but at the age of twenty he entered the major seminary, thanks to the financial help received from Louis Guala, founder and rector of the ecclesiastical residence St. Francis of Assisi in Turin. John Bosco was ordained a priest on June 5, 1846, and with the help of John Borel he founded the oratory of St. Francis de Sales.

At this time the city of Turin was on the threshold of the industrial revolution and as a result there were many challenges and problems, especially for young men. Gifted as he was as an educator and a leader, Don Bosco formulated a system of education based on "reason, religion and kindness." In spite of the criticism and violent attacks of the anti-clericals, he conducted workshops for the tradesmen and manual laborers, schools of arts and sciences for young workers, and schools of the liberal arts for those preparing for the priesthood. In 1868 there were 800 students involved in this educational system. To ensure the continuation of his work, Don Bosco founded the Society of St. Francis de Sales (Salesians), which was approved in 1869. Also, with the help of Sister Mary Dominic Mazzarello, he founded the Institute of the Daughters of Mary Auxiliatrix.

In 1875 a wave of emigration to Latin America began, and this prompted the inauguration of the Salesian missionary apostolate. Don Bosco became a traveller throughout Europe, seeking funds for the missions. Some of the reports referred to him as "the new St. Vincent de Paul." He also found time to write popular catechetical pamphlets, which were distributed throughout Italy, as was his Salesian Bulletin. This great apostle of youth died on January 31, 1888, and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1934. Pope John Paul II named him "teacher and father to the young."

— Excerpted from Saints of the Roman Calendar by Enzo Lodi

Indy Catholic church plans to evangelize Super Bowl Village

2012-01-30T18:02:00.000-05:00

KUDO's to Fr. Nagel!

Indianapolis’ St. John the Evangelist Church is located in the heart of the Super Bowl Village, and the historic Catholic church intends to open its doors to everyone.

“I think it’s a gift that our city is hosting the Super Bowl and that we can be in the heart of it with our Catholic presence,” parish administrator Fr. Rick Nagel told CNA on Jan. 27.

The church is three blocks from Lucas Oil Stadium, the site of the Feb. 5 NFL championship game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

The Super Bowl Village features four 800-foot zip-lines, the longest temporary lines yet built.

Those zip-lines end right outside St. John the Evangelist, where the church has posted a sign that reads: “If you think the zip-line was a thrill, come on in to meet Jesus.”

The church has incorporated the hugely popular sports event into its “Open Wide the Doors” outreach program, which was set up to minister to visitors to the area.

“We’re opening our doors to evangelize, particularly in a city that’s hosting a major world event,” Fr. Nagel explained.

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Catholic News Roundup 01-30

2012-01-30T16:46:00.000-05:00

Birth control mandate meant to squeeze churches out of healthcare, says Congressman

2012-01-30T11:07:00.001-05:00

Representative Smith is correct. Obama lied when he said Obamacare would include a conscience clause. I never believed that Barry meant it. He is making it nearly impossible to provide Catholic healthcare.

Two U.S. Congressmen, one Democrat and one Republican, have urged conservatives in strong terms to immediately fight the Obama mandate forcing religious institutions to provide free abortifacient birth control, calling it a “very, very real” threat to religious freedom. One of the congressmen call the mandate an attempt to push the church out of healthcare.

U.S. Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL) told pro-life leaders this week not to underestimate the magnitude of the announcement by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius last week that religious organizations like hospitals and universities have one year until they must comply with the order to provide the drugs free of copay.

Congressman Chris Smith

Smith said that the order is in line with the Obama administration’s attack on conscience rights to pave way for a future where “abortion will be construed as preventive health care,” and “religious hospitals will be squeezed out.”

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Bishops Refuse to Comply With Obamacare Birth Control Mandate

St. Hyacintha

2012-01-30T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 30 is St. Hyacintha.

Born of a noble family near Viterbo (Italy,) Hyacintha entered a local convent of sisters who followed the Third Order Rule. However, she supplied herself with enough food, clothing and other goods to live a very comfortable life amid these sisters who had pledged to mortification.

At one point in her time there, a serious illness required that Hyacintha’s confessor bring Holy Communion to her room. Upon entering, he was scandalized to see how soft of a life she had provided for herself, so he advised her to live more humbly. After hearing this, Hyacintha then disposed of her fine clothes and special foods. She eventually became very penitential in food and clothing, and was ready to do the most humble work in the convent. She developed a special devotion to the sufferings of Christ and by her penances became an inspiration to the sisters in her convent. She was canonized in 1807.

Proud mother of a cardinal

2012-01-29T19:10:00.004-05:00

Archbishop Timothy Dolan's mother Shirley Dolan talks about how proud she is of her son who is scheduled to be elevated to a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI on February 18, 2012.

Santorum Cancels Campaign Events to Be With Sick Daughter

2012-01-29T19:06:00.000-05:00

Please keep Rick's family in your prayers.

Rick Santorum has canceled some of his Florida campaign events to be with his sick daughter, Bella, who has Edwards Syndrome or Trisomy 18, a chromosomal condition which results in stillbirth 50 percent of the time.

Bella Santorum was admitted to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Saturday night because she has pneumonia in both of her lungs, according to campaign aides. The little girl is not on a ventilator. The family has medical equipment they use for their daughter and normally try to keep her out of the hospital if possible due to potential infections.

Although Bella was frequently hospitalized during the first year of her life, her family has been able to care for her at home apart from needed surgeries and she has not spent any significant time in the hospital until late last night.

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Tragedy at the Clinic

2012-01-28T13:32:00.001-05:00

Today we were praying as usual in front of the abortion clinic when we witnessed a tragic event. A young man tried to stop his girlfriend from killing their baby and when she went into the clinic anyway, he went completely nuts and tried to kill himself. First, he banged his head very hard against a couple of cars, then he swallowed some pills and washed them down with liquor (looked like vodka), then he tried to run into traffic. The clinic is on a busy street, but fortunately one of the pro-life volunteers tacked him before he could do it. The cops and an ambulance were called. First, the cops restrained him.

Then he was placed in an ambulance while the cops looked for whatever pills he dropped when he was tackled.

Not only does abortion kill babies, but it destroys the lives of those touched by it. The only possible positive out of this horror is that 4 police cars and an ambulance completely blocked the entrance to the clinic for a couple of hours on their busiest day :)

St. Thomas Aquinas

2012-01-28T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 28 is St. Thomas Aquinas.

St. Thomas ranks among the greatest writers and theologians of all time. His most important work, the Summa Theologiae, an explanation and summary of the entire body of Catholic teaching, has been standard for centuries, even to our own day. At the Council of Trent it was consulted after the Bible.

To a deeply speculative mind, he joined a remarkable life of prayer, a precious memento of which has been left to us in the Office of Corpus Christi. Reputed as great already in life, he nevertheless remained modest, a perfect model of childlike simplicity and goodness. He was mild in word and kind in deed. He believed everyone was as innocent as he himself was. When someone sinned through weakness, Thomas bemoaned the sin as if it were his own. The goodness of his heart shone in his face, no one could look upon him and remain disconsolate. How he suffered with the poor and the needy was most inspiring. Whatever clothing or other items he could give away, he gladly did. He kept nothing superfluous in his efforts to alleviate the needs of others.

After he died his lifelong companion and confessor testified, "I have always known him to be as innocent as a five-year-old child. Never did a carnal temptation soil his soul, never did he consent to a mortal sin." He cherished a most tender devotion to St. Agnes, constantly carrying relics of this virgin martyr on his person. He died in 1274, at the age of fifty, in the abbey of Fossa Nuova. He is the patron saint of schools and of sacred theology.

— Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Catholic News Roundup 01-26

2012-01-26T21:47:00.001-05:00

Minnesota governor rejects plan for stadium near basilica

2012-01-26T21:44:00.000-05:00

I hope the Vikings get their new stadium, but I'm glad the basilica is safe.

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton does not want the Vikings' new football stadium to be built near the Basilica of Saint Mary, where it was seen as a potentially serious threat to parish life.

“We are grateful that Governor Dayton considered our concerns and valued the work we do in making a decision to remove the Linden Avenue and Farmers Market sites from the list of potential sites for the Vikings Stadium,” officials at the basilica said in an online statement.

Church representatives said they “support the Vikings staying in Minnesota” but had “very serious concerns about the impacts of building a stadium and event center so close to the basilica.”

“I understood their concerns, and they were very valid,” Gov. Dayton told the Associated Press on Jan. 25, following his two recent meetings with the basilica's rector Father John Bauer.

The priest reportedly told the governor that the basilica would consider legal action against plans for a stadium in its vicinity, due to concerns over impacts on ministries, parking, and other effects on the historic church.

Dayton now says a new stadium at the location of the Vikings' existing Metrodome is “the only viable option,” if the team is to receive public funding for the project in the 2012 legislative session.

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Catholic News Roundup 01-25

2012-01-25T14:19:00.001-05:00

Project Runway's Tim Gunn Discusses His Celibacy

2012-01-25T13:05:00.001-05:00

Tim doesn't cite any moral or spiritual reasons for his celibacy, but his frank discussion of the topic does show that it is possible to have a celibate and fulfilling life.

For nearly three decades, Tim Gunn has been celibate.

During an appearance on ABC's The Revolution Tuesday, the 58-year-old Project Runway mentor revealed that he hasn't "had sex in 29 years."

Gunn, an openly gay man, said he doesn't feel like "less of a person" because of his non-existent sex life. "I'm a perfectly fulfilled person," Gunn explained. "But it's very physiological."

The Lifetime star, who is also an expert on The Revolution, fought back tears as he explained that his former partner of six years "was impatient with my sexual performance," prompting him to become abstinent.

Gunn added that he doesn't believe sex is the most important factor in a relationship. "I'm happy to be healthy and alive, frankly," he said.

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Planned Parenthood Purchases New $35M National HQ in NYC....Bloomberg Funds Renovation

2012-01-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

Planned Parenthood has been whining and complaining about what a tough year 2011 was for them...so how did they afford this? With help from New York's pro-abort Mayor Bloomberg.

The nation’s biggest abortion business has purchased a new building in New York City that will become its national headquarters. New city records reveal Planned Parenthood purchased a commercial condo unit at 424 West 33rd Street for $34.8 million.

According to The Real Deal, a New York City real estate news web site, Planned Parenthood originally signed a 20-year lease for 104,000 square feet of the 200,000-square-foot former industrial building that was converted into an office and condo building in 2002. The building had rented at about $35 per square foot until the abortion business purchased the commercial condo from Vectra Management Group, a real estate firm that had owned the building since 2000.

The web site indicates Planned Parenthood had been considering purchasing the building since it began leasing the space, because an option in its rental contract gave it the option to purchase, legal documents filed with the city show.

“The two parties had originally agreed to draft a sale contract shortly after the lease was signed, but their inability to come to an agreement on the terms of the deal led to seven years of negotiations, followed by legal proceedings, the legal documents said,” according to TRD. “Planned Parenthood left its longtime home at 810 Seventh Avenue, between 52nd and 53rd streets, to relocate to West 33rd Street about 10 years ago.”

Now that planned Parenthood owns the building, it becomes the landlord for other firms located in the complex, including Nestle Waters, technology firm F5 Networks and the John Robert Powers modeling school.

Meanwhile, the city of New York, currently run by aggressively pro-abortion Mayor Michael Bloomberg, provided $15,000,000 in bond funding for Planned Parenthood to renovate the building.

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The Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle

2012-01-25T04:30:00.000-05:00

January 25 is the Feast of The Conversion of St. Paul.

St. Paul was born at Tarsus, Cilicia, of Jewish parents who were descended from the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Roman citizen from birth. As he was "a young man" at the stoning of Stephen and "an old man" when writing to Philemon, about the year 63, he was probably born around the beginning of the Christian era.

To complete his schooling, St. Paul was sent to Jerusalem, where he sat at the feet of the learned Gamaliel and was educated in the strict observance of the ancestral Law. Here he also acquired a good knowledge of exegesis and was trained in the practice of disputation. As a convinced and zealous Pharisee, he returned to Tarsus before the public life of Christ opened in Palestine.

Some time after the death of Our Lord, St. Paul returned to Palestine. His profound conviction made his zeal develop to a religious fanaticism against the infant Church. He took part in the stoning of the first martyr, St. Stephen, and in the fierce persecution of the Christians that followed.

Entrusted with a formal mission from the high priest, he departed for Damascus to arrest the Christians there and bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he was nearing Damascus, about noon, a light from heaven suddenly blazed round him. Jesus with His glorified body appeared to him and addressed him, turning him away from his apparently successful career.

An immediate transformation was wrought in the soul of St. Paul. He was suddenly converted to the Christian Faith. He was baptized, changed his name from Saul to Paul, and began travelling and preaching the Faith. He was martyred as an Apostle in Rome around 65 AD.

— Excerpted from Lives of the Saints

Catholic News Roundup 01-24

2012-01-24T14:54:00.001-05:00

Pope calls journalists to reflect on the power of silence... and Twitter

2012-01-24T14:53:00.002-05:00

video: The March

2012-01-24T14:24:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, a half million people marched in the March for Life in Washington D.C., but you'd never know that by the "mainstream" media.

The secular media goes out of its way to make the hundreds of thousands of people attending the March for Life seem like a small group of overzealous demonstrators.

Movie Review: A Mile in His Shoes - PG

2012-01-24T11:43:00.000-05:00

Based on a true story.

Arthur Murphy, "Murph" (Dean Cain) is the coach of the River Rats, a minor league baseball team. He discovers a great pitcher in Mickey Tussler. Mickey has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. Murph convinces Mickey's parents to let him join the team and he really takes Mickey under his wing.

Most of the team is very supportive of Mickey. He also contributes to the team, both in terms of winning and by raising the team spirit and motivation.

A very entertaining, heartwarming and inspirational story. The whole family will enjoy this.

Feds: Religious employers must cover the pill

2012-01-24T10:27:00.003-05:00

Amazing...In a country where we are supposed to have freedom of religion, we are now in a position where we have to challenge Barry's administration to defend those rights. I am encouraged to see our Bishops leading the battle.

Many church-affiliated institutions will have to cover free birth control for employees, the Obama administration announced Friday in an election-year move that outraged religious groups, fueling a national debate about the reach of government.

In a concession, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said nonprofit institutions such as church-affiliated hospitals, colleges and social service agencies will have one additional year to comply with the requirement, issued in regulations under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

"I believe this proposal strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services," Sebelius said in a statement.

Yet the concession was unlikely to stop a determined effort by opponents to block or overturn the rule. If they fail, some predicted that religious employers would simply drop coverage for their workers, opting instead to pay fines to the federal government under the health care law.

"Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience," said New York Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. "This shouldn't happen in a land where free exercise of religion ranks first in the Bill of Rights."

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Pro-abortion ‘Occupy’ group disrupts March for Life Youth Rally

2012-01-24T10:12:00.001-05:00

These 'occupy' nuts are pathetic. The sign that one of them is holding says "abortion is a human right". What the....? How can someone defending the killing of babies have the nerve to define human rights? The primary human right is the right to life!

They obviously had NO impact on the March for Life, as I heard this morning that estimates are there were half a million people participating in the March!

The first-ever official March for Life Youth Rally launched with 1,200 attendees last night, featuring many of the most familiar names and faces in the pro-life movement, including March for Life founder Nellie Gray.

Early in the program around 15-20 pro-abortion protestors situated in threes throughout the auditorium stood and began shouting pro-abortion chants, drowning out the speaker at the mic.

Amidst chants of “occupy anti-choice” and “pro-life, that’s a lie, you don’t care if women die,” organizers instructed the youth not to react but to pray as security was called. A couple of angry young men shouted repeatedly “as long as you harass women you will be harassed.”

Click “like” if you want to end abortion!

As the shouting continued and security was delayed, organizers chose to begin the first set of music. The cheers of the massive crowd at the suggestion drowned out the protestors, who were unheard from that point until they were escorted out by security.

Several of the pro-life teens in the room were visibly upset by the disruption.

Speaker after speaker referenced the disruption, calling the pro-life youth to love and pray for the protestors and their conversion. Organizer Jim Nolan told LifeSiteNews that the incident was “a good start to go forward.” He observed that there were well over 1,000 pro-life young people in attendance and only 20 protestors. “That’s what it is in the culture and the movements, they are positive signs,” he said. “Get used to it, this country is pro-life.”

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St. Francis de Sales

2012-01-24T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 24 is St. Francis de Sales.

Francis was born on August 21, 1567, and ordained to the priesthood in 1593. From 1594 to 1598 he labored at the difficult and dangerous task of preaching to the Protestants of Chablais and effected the return of some 70,000 souls to the Catholic faith. In 1602 he became bishop of Genf. His zeal for souls is attested in 21,000 extant letters and 4,000 sermons which exemplify how he applied St. Paul's words: "I have become all things to all men." You may epitomize his character in two words, kindliness and lovableness — virtues that were the secret of his success. His writings reflect his kindheartedness and sweet disposition.

Most widely known is the saint's Introduction to the Devout Life, which, with the Imitation of Christ, is rightly considered the finest outline of Christian perfection. Francis' Introduction proves to the world that true piety makes persons amiable, lovable and happy. A renowned and holy friendship existed between him and St. Frances de Chantal. In cooperation with her he founded the Visitation Nuns in 1610. Out of love for his own poor diocese, he refused opportunities for advancement, including the cardinalate. In recognition of the Introduction and his other writings, Francis has been declared a doctor of the Church.

How Francis developed a gentle and amiable disposition is a story in itself; he was not born a saint. By nature his temperament was choleric, fiery; little was needed to throw him into a state of violent anger. It took years before he mastered his impatience, his unruly temper. Even after he became bishop, there were slips, as for instance, when someone rang a bell before he had finished preaching. The important point, of course, is that by constant perseverance he did in time attain perfect self-mastery. Wherein lies a lesson.

Catholic News Roundup 01-23

2012-01-23T14:44:00.000-05:00

Boehner to March for Life: Pro-Life Not Just a Label for Me

2012-01-23T14:41:00.002-05:00

KUDO's to John Boehner for not only attending the March for Life, but addressing the March.

House Speaker John Boehner, a pro-life Republican from Ohio, today delivered opening remarks at the 39th March for Life. Boehner is frequently praised for pro-life groups for pushing several pieces of key pro-life legislation and paving the way for the first major votes late year to attempt to de-fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business.

Although Boehner got the Republican-led House to approve various bills and revoke taxpayer funding for the nation’s biggest abortion business, President Barack Obama threatened vetoes and Democrats in the Senate defeated the effort.

Boehner's address to the March

video: We Told You So!

2012-01-23T13:15:00.003-05:00

If Catholics vote according to Catholic teachings in 2012, hopefully we can avoid a repeat of 2008 and get a more pro-life president.

Dissenting and indifferent Catholics in the voting booth have significantly contributed to putting the most anti-life president ever to occupy the Oval Office into power.

March for Life 2012

2012-01-23T10:07:00.001-05:00

Thousands of people are expected to march on our nation's capital today to protest the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion.

But...you won't see much coverage of this in the mainstream media, because the last thing the liberal media wants you to see is how pro-life Americans really are. There will be young, old, white, black, men and women...all demographic groups will be represented.

If you'd like to listen to or watch all-day coverage of the March, you can do so on EWTN. If you don't have EWTN on your cable or satellite, you can watch or listen online at http://www.ewtn.com/

http://www.marchforlife.org/

And while these thousands of people march through Washington, here's Barry, the most pro-abort president in history:

Obama Celebrates Roe vs. Wade Decision, 54 Million Abortions

St. Ildephonsus

2012-01-23T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 23 is St. Ildephonsus.

St. Ildephonsus was the Archbishop of Toledo, and died 23 January, 667. He was born of a distinguished family and was the nephew of St. Eugenius, his predecessor in the See of Toledo. At an early age, despite the determined opposition of his father, he embraced the monastic life in the monastery of Agli, near Toledo. He was ordained a deacon, around the year 630. He was called by King Reccesvinth, near the end of 657 to fill the archiepiscopal throne of Toledo, where he governed the Church of Toledo for just over nine years and was buried in the Basilica of Saint Leocadia.

Ildephonsus had a strong devotion to the Blessd Mother, and it is said that one day he was praying before the relics of Saint Leocadia, when the martyr arose from her tomb and thanked the saint for the devotion he showed towards the Mother of God. It was also related that on another occasion the Blessed Virgin appeared to him in person and presented him with a priestly vestment, to reward him for his zeal in honoring her.

The literary work of Ildephonsus is more widely known than the details of his life, and merits for him a distinguished place in the role of Spanish writers.

Newt Gingrich Captures Overwhelming South Carolina Victory

2012-01-22T10:09:00.000-05:00

Go Newt!

The Republican primary election now sees three different winners in three different states as pro-life former Speaker Newt Gingrich captured an overwhelming victory Saturday night in South Carolina.

Returns from 95 percent of the state’s precincts showed Gingrich with 41 percent of the vote to 27 percent for Romney. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum came in third with 17 percent, Texas Rep. Ron Paul came in fourth with 13 percent.

Obama is “the most effective food stamp president in history,” Gingrich said in his victory speech. “I would like to be the best paycheck president in American history.”

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St. Agnes

2012-01-21T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 21 is St. Agnes.

Agnes is one of the most glorious saints in the calendar of the Roman Church. The greatest Church Fathers vie with one another in sounding her praise and glory. St. Jerome writes: "All nations, especially their Christian communities, praise in word and writing the life of St. Agnes. She triumphed over her tender age as well as over the merciless tyrant. To the crown of spotless innocence she added the glory of martyrdom."

Our saint's name should be traced to the Greek hagne - the pure, rather than to the Latin agna - lamb. But the Latin derivation prevailed in the early Church. The reason may have been that eight days after her death Agnes appeared to her parents with a train of virgins, and a lamb at her side. St. Augustine knew both derivations. "Agnes", he writes, "means 'lamb' in Latin, but in Greek it denotes 'the pure one'". The Latin interpretation occasioned the yearly blessing of the St. Agnes lambs; it takes place on this day in the Church of which she is patron, and the wool is used in weaving the palliums worn by archbishops and, through privilege, by some bishops. In the church built by the Emperor Constantine over the saint's grave, Pope Gregory the Great preached a number of homilies. Reliable details concerning the life of St. Agnes are very few. The oldest material occurs in St. Ambrose's De Virginibus, parts of which are read today at Matins. The value of the later (definitely unauthentic) "Passion" of the saint is enhanced by the fact that various antiphons and responsories in the Office are derived from it.

From such liturgical sources we may construct the following "life of St. Agnes". One day when Agnes, then thirteen years old, was returning home from school, she happened to meet Symphronius, a son of the city prefect. At once he became passionately attracted to her and tried to win her by precious gifts. Agnes repelled him, saying: "Away from me, food of death, for I have already found another lover" (r. Ant.). "With His ring my Lord Jesus Christ has betrothed me, and He has adorned me with the bridal crown" (3. Ant., Lauds). "My right hand and my neck He has encircled with precious stones, and has given me earrings with priceless pearls; He has decked me with lovely, glittering gems" (2. Ant.). "The Lord has clothed me with a robe of gold, He has adorned me with priceless jewels" (4. Ant.). "Honey and milk have I received from His mouth, and His blood has reddened my cheeks" (5. Ant.). "I love Christ, into whose chamber I shall enter, whose Mother is a virgin, whose Father knows not woman, whose music and melody are sweet to my ears. When I love Him, I remain chaste; when I touch Him, I remain pure; when I possess Him, I remain a virgin" (2. Resp.). "I am betrothed to Him whom the angels serve, whose beauty the sun and moon admire" (9. Ant.). "For Him alone I keep my troth, to Him I surrender with all my heart" (6. Ant.).

Incensed by her rebuff, Symphronius denounced Agnes to his father, the city prefect. When he threatened her with commitment to a house of ill fame, Agnes replied: "At my side I have a protector of my body, an angel of the Lord" (2. Ant., Lauds). "When Agnes entered the house of shame, she found an angel of the Lord ready to protect her" (1. Ant., Lauds). A light enveloped her and blinded all who tried to approach. Then another judge condemned her to the stake because the pagan priests accused her of sorcery.

Surrounded by flames she prayed with outstretched arms: "I beseech You, Father almighty, most worthy of awe and adoration. Through Your most holy Son I escaped the threats of the impious tyrant and passed through Satan's filth with feet unsullied. Behold, I now come to You, whom I have loved, whom I have sought, whom I have always desired." She gave thanks as follows: "O You, the almighty One, who must be adored, worshipped, feared - I praise You because through Your only begotten Son I have escaped the threats of wicked men and have walked through the filth of sin with feet unsullied. I extol You with my lips, and I desire You with all my heart and strength."

After the flames died out, she continued: "I praise You, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, because by Your Son the fire around me was extinguished" (4. Ant., Lauds). And now she longed for union with Christ: "Behold, what I yearned for, I already see; what I hoped for, I already hold in embrace; with Him I am united in heaven whom on earth I loved with all my heart" (Ben. Ant.). Her wish was granted; the judge ordered her beheaded. —The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Catholic News Roundup 01-20

2012-01-20T15:12:00.002-05:00

Powerful New Video Features Survivors of Abortion

2012-01-20T14:59:00.003-05:00

http://www.turnthetide2012.com/

Obama administration refuses to change contraception mandate

2012-01-20T14:53:00.002-05:00

This is only one reason we need to make sure Barry is a one termer.

The Obama administration announced Jan. 20 that it will not expand an exemption for religious groups that object to its requirement that health insurance plans cover sterilization and contraception -- including abortion-causing drugs -- free of charge.

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a Jan. 20 statement that religious employers who object to providing the coverage will be required to comply with the new law by Aug. 1, 2013, one year later than the initial deadline.

Sebelius noted that “important concerns” had been “raised about religious liberty.”

Those speaking out against the mandate included many Catholic organizations, such as schools, hospitals and social agencies, which serve all people in need, regardless of their religious affiliation.

During the comment period that followed the announcement of the rule, the administration received an outpouring of criticism from believers of various religious backgrounds.

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Unborn Babies Learn Amazing Things in the Womb

2012-01-20T10:31:00.003-05:00

Hey Planned Parenthood...

Who would have thought a "blob of tissue" could learn?

Because human life starts well before birth, it is no surprise that human learning starts well before birth. Science is showing us that the 9 months spent inside our mother’s womb is a time we take cues from our mother and her environment. Some of these cues will stay with us for our entire lives.

So if food is abundant in the womb then we fine tune our metabolism for a life of abundance. If food is scarce, we prepare for a life of famine. If life for mom is stressful, then we develop a sensitivity to stress preparing for a stress filled life. Culture is not something that we learn only outside the womb, but inside as well. From the melodies of language to the spices in our mother’s food, the place we are gestated matters.

Which makes me wonder about the confusion of a baby who was carried not by its own mother, but by a surrogate. The baby will certainly prefer the surrogate’s voice no matter how much her genetic mother spoke to her from the outside. And that voice will suddenly disappear.

And what about children who are frozen as embryos and shipped overseas to be carried by a woman half a world away with a strange language and a totally different diet? How much stress and confusion do they feel after birth when suddenly the culture they knew is no longer there.

For babies who are adopted this is the norm of course. But adoption is making the best of a situation that is not ideal. With surrogacy, parents choose to put their child in what must be a very confusing situation.

story

Sts. Fabian and Sebastian

2012-01-20T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saints of the Day for January 20 are Sts. Fabian and Sebastian.

St. Fabian

St. Fabian, a Roman, was as energetic as he was admired and respected. He was able to accomplish a great deal during his long pontificate. Escaping the persecution of Emperor Maximus Thrax, who had been assassinated, Fabian enjoyed peace in the Church under the reigns of succeeding emperors.

One of St. Fabian's first acts was to reorganize the clergy of Rome to better serve the increasing flock. He is also credited with beautifying and enlarging the cemeteries. He ordered paintings to adorn the vaults, and he erected a church above the cemetery of Calixtus.

The Church flourished under St. Fabian as a succession of emperors left the Christians to themselves. This peaceful time came to an abrupt end with the ascension of Emperor Decius. He was a cruel enemy and he decreed that all Christians were to deny Christ by openly worshipping pagan idols. The Church was to lose many followers, but more stood firm to suffer torture and even death. Certainly, one of the first was Pope Fabian. Arrested, he was thrown in prison and died at the hands of his brutal captors. He is buried in the cemetery of Calixtus.

St. Sebastian

The name of Sebastian is enveloped in a wreath of legends. The oldest historical account of the saint is found in a commentary on the psalms by St. Ambrose; the passage reads: "Allow me to propose to you the example of the holy martyr Sebastian. By birth he was a Milanese. Perhaps the persecutor of Christians had left Milan, or had not yet arrived, or had become momentarily more tolerant. Sebastian believed that here there was no opportunity for combat, or that it had already passed. So he went to Rome, the scene of bitter opposition arising from the Christians' zeal for the faith. There he suffered, there he gained the crown."

St. Sebastian was widely venerated during the Middle Ages, particularly as a protector against the plague. Paul the Deacon relates that in 670 a great pestilence at Rome ceased when an altar was dedicated in his honor. The Breviary account of the saint is highly legendary; in part it reads: "Diocletian tried by every means to turn Sebastian from the faith of Christ. After all efforts had proven fruitless, he ordered him tied to a post and pierced with arrows. When everyone thought him dead, a devout woman named Irene arranged for his burial during the night; finding him still alive, she cared for him in her own house. After his recovery he appeared again before Diocletian and boldly rebuked him for his wickedness. Enraged by the saint's sharp words, the emperor ordered him scourged until he expired. His body was thrown into a sewer."

Catholic News Roundup 01-19

2012-01-19T16:36:00.000-05:00

Pope warns of 'grave threat' to religious freedom in US

2012-01-19T16:35:00.000-05:00

It's surprising to realize, but the Pope is correct.

Pope Benedict XVI warned today of a “grave threat” to religious liberty in the United States that requires American Catholics to respond with intelligence and courage.

“It is imperative that the entire Catholic community in the United States come to realize the grave threats to the Church’s public moral witness presented by a radical secularism which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural spheres,” he said Jan. 19 in an address to a group of American bishops visiting the Vatican.

The Pope said he was particularly concerned with “certain attempts being made to limit that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion.”

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Rick Perry Leaves GOP Prez Race, Endorses Newt Gingrich

2012-01-19T12:19:00.000-05:00

Good news for Newt :)

Texas governor Rick Perry is suspending his campaign for the Republican nomination for president today after a disappointing campaign that saw him move from early frontrunner to second-tier status.

Perry brought a lengthy pro-life record to the race to replace pro-abortion President Barack Obama but poor debate performances took their toll and made it so Perry dropped from leading the GOP race to a fifth place finish in Iowa and a dead last finish in New Hampshire. Perry appeared to consider getting out of the race after the new Hampshire primary but suddenly jumped back in and said he would fight to regroup in South Carolina, which votes Saturday as the third state in the primary election process.

“I ran for president because I love America, I love our people, and our freedom,” Perry said at a press conference today. “”Our objective is to defeat Obama and replace him with a conservative who will bring about real change.”

Perry indicated he would support Newt Gingrich’s presidential campaign as the former House speaker attempts to become the primary alternative to leading candidate Mitt Romney, who revised vote counts show came in a narrow second place finish to Rick Santorum in Iowa and who won the New Hampshire primary handily.

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Saint Canutus

2012-01-19T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 19 is Saint Canutus.

Saint Canutus, King of Denmark, succeeded his elder brother Harold on the throne of Denmark in the year 1080. He began his reign by a successful war against the enemies of the state, and by planting the faith in the conquered provinces. Amid the glory of his victories he humbly prostrated himself at the foot of the crucifix, laying there his diadem, and offering himself and his kingdom to the King of kings. After having provided for the peace and safety of his country, he married Eltha, daughter of Robert, Earl of Flanders, who proved herself a spouse worthy of him.

The justice of Saint Canutus as sovereign was well known. He applied himself to the reform of all internal abuses. For this purpose he enacted severe but necessary laws for the strict administration of justice, the repression of violence and tyranny by the powerful, without respect to persons. He favored and honored holy men, and granted many privileges and immunities to the clergy. His charity and tenderness towards his subjects made him study all possible ways to make them a happy people.

During a rebellion in his kingdom, the king was surprised at church by the rebels. He confessed his sins and received Holy Communion. Stretching out his arms before the altar, he was struck down on his knees by the enemies of his Christian reign.

Baby "Tebowing" on Ultrasound

2012-01-18T18:01:00.001-05:00

Mark Wahlberg on Faith, Family, Hard Work, and What He Prays For

2012-01-18T16:26:00.002-05:00

Catholic News Roundup 01-18

2012-01-18T16:12:00.002-05:00

Book Review: "Kill Alex Cross" by James Patterson

2012-01-18T14:30:00.000-05:00

Washington's water supply has been contaminated, and the President's son and daughter have been kidnapped. Despite the fact that some pretty influential people want to exclude him, Alex Cross finds himself involved in both investigations.

The question is, are theses two events related? Regardless, time is running out for both. Alex must try to find the President's children, while preventing another attack in the nation's capital.

Two stories are told simultaneously, resulting in a "can't put it down" thriller. One of Patterson's better Alex Cross stories.

Say no to Girl Scout cookies

2012-01-18T11:21:00.003-05:00

Cathy Ruse tells us why it's not a good idea to support the Girl Scouts.

When our sweet little neighbor in her brown camp uniform came knocking on our door this year, we had to say no. I told her mother that I didn’t want to hurt Katie’s feelings, but I couldn’t support the Girl Scout cookie sale anymore because I’d learned too much about the organizers’ agenda, primarily their support for abortion and partnership with Planned Parenthood.

I worried that my “political” stand would cause uneasiness between us, but her response put me at ease: “Well,” she said, “they do use unpaid child labor to make their sales, and the troop only gets 10 percent of the revenues anyway.”

True. According to the Girl Scouts’ website, the lion’s share of the money goes not to the troop but to bureaucrats up the chain of command in multicounty councils. The national office gets a piece of the pie, too, in the form of royalties based on gross annual sales volume - about 200 million boxes per year.

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St. Charles Of Sezze

2012-01-18T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 18 is St. Charles Of Sezze

Saint Charles was born John Charles Marchioni in Sezze, Italy on October 19, 1613. His family was extremely pious. They lived in a rural area and as a child Saint Charles worked as a shepherd. Due to his lack of education, it is said he learned only the basics and could barely read and write. He joined the Franciscans as a lay brother in Naziano, where he served as a cook, porter, and gardener.

Saint Charles was known for his holiness, simplicity, and charity. He was generous to travellers and sought out spiritual advice. In 1656 he worked tirelessly with victims of the plague. He also wrote several mystical works including his autobiography entitled "The Grandeurs of the Mercies of God". Tradition states he was called to the bedside of the dying Pope Clement IX for a blessing.

Saint Charles died on January 6, 1670 in Rome of natural causes, and he is buried in Rome in the Church of Saint Francis. He was Canonized by Pope John XXIII on April 12, 1959.

Police thwart 'Occupy' protest in St. Peter's Square

2012-01-17T16:01:00.002-05:00

This occupy nonsense is getting sooo old.

Protesters trying to set up tents in St. Peter's Square clashed with police at the Vatican on January 14.

About 50 protesters were eventually removed by police as they tried to set up tents in St. Peter's Square, apparently envisioning a lasting protest similar to the "Occupy Wall Street" demonstrations. Vatican officials said that they had no hesitation about calling in police since the protesters--including Spanish, Italian, and French members of a group known as the indignados were planning an "inappropriate" display.

One demonstrator was arrested as he began to climb the Christmas tree that still remains in St. Peter's Square.

story

Catholic News Roundup 01-17

2012-01-17T15:22:00.002-05:00

Unborn baby saves father’s life with early morning kick

2012-01-17T12:29:00.003-05:00

A great story :)

Sara McDonald is 7 ½ months pregnant, but says that her unborn child has already saved his father’s life.

In the early morning hours on Saturday, January 7, McDonald woke up after receiving a strong kick from her unborn baby. What followed was what she described to CBS Atlanta as “one of the scariest moments anyone could go through,” when she discovered that her husband wasn’t breathing and had no pulse.

Sara McDonald

Thanks to the timely wakeup call, she was able to begin giving her husband CPR, and to call 911. Though her own efforts at CPR were unsuccessful, two policemen who arrived were able to revive McDonald’s husband.

Sgt. Mike Hales said that at first, “He appeared deceased. We didn’t have a pulse. He wasn’t breathing.”

However, after several dozen compressions, he began to breathe again.

This story has a happy ending for this young family, but it probably wouldn’t have turned out so well if the family’s newest member hadn’t placed his fortuitous kick.

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Patron of Animals is celebrated by the Vatican with small "zoo"

2012-01-17T12:25:00.000-05:00

Entire Catholic College Student Body Will March for Life

2012-01-17T12:19:00.000-05:00

With so many "supposed to be Catholic" Colleges ignoring Church teachings, it is very heartening to se a Catholic College living the faith!

For the fourth time in its 34 year history, Christendom College has been selected to lead the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., carrying the main March for Life banner and flags. And, as has become an annual tradition, the entire student body will attend the pro-life event.

“This is a great honor for us as a college,” says Admissions Director Tom McFadden. “We have been canceling classes on the day of the March every year since our founding in 1977, and traveling as an entire college community to witness to life on this tragic day.”

McFadden says that the college is thankful to Miss Nellie Gray and to the entire March for Life organization for selecting them to lead the hundreds of thousands of pro-lifers down the streets of D.C. on January 23.

“We are happy to be of service,” he says.

Christendom students led the March for Life in 1984, 1998, and 2009, as well.

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St. Anthony, abbot

2012-01-17T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 17 is St. Anthony, abbot.

Anthony "the Great", the "Father of Monks", ranks with those saints whose life exercised a profound influence upon succeeding generations. He was born in Middle Egypt (about 250) of distinguished parents. After their untimely deaths, he dedicated himself wholly to acts of mortification.

One day while in church he heard the words of the Gospel: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give it to the poor" (Matt. 19:21). It seemed as if Christ had spoken to him personally, giving a command he must obey. Without delay he sold his property, gave the proceeds to the poor, and went into the desert (about 270). When overcome by fatigue, his bed was the hard ground. He fasted rigorously, ate only bread and salt, and drank only water. Nor would he take food before sundown; at times he passed two days without any nourishment. Often, too, he spent whole nights in prayer.

The saint suffered repeatedly from diabolical attacks, but these merely made him more steadfast in virtue. He would encourage his disciples in their struggle with the devil with such words: "Believe me; the devil fears the vigils of pious souls, and their fastings, their voluntary poverty, their loving compassion, their humility, but most of all their ardent love of Christ our Lord. As soon as he sees the sign of the Cross, he flees in terror." He died in 356 on Mount Kolzin by the Red Sea, 105 years old. A year later his friend, the fearless bishop and confessor St. Athanasius, wrote his biography, which for centuries became the classic handbook of ascetics. As seen by St. Anthony, the purpose of asceticism is not to destroy the body but to bring it into subjection, re-establishing man's original harmonious integrity, his true God-given nature.

St. Anthony lived in solitude for about twenty years. "His was a perfectly purified soul. No pain could annoy him, no pleasure bind him. In him was neither laughter nor sadness. The sight of the crowd did not trouble him, and the warm greetings of so many men did not move him. In a word, he was thoroughly immune to the vanities of the world, like a man unswervingly governed by reason, established in inner peace and harmony."

Here are a few of his famous sayings to monks. "Let it be your supreme and common purpose not to grow weary in the work you have begun, and in time of trial and affliction not to lose courage and say: Oh, how long already have we been mortifying ourselves! Rather, we should daily begin anew and constantly increase our fervor. For man's whole life is short when measured against the time to come, so short, in fact, that it is as nothing in comparison with eternity. . . . Therefore, my children, let us persevere in our acts of asceticism. And that we may not become weary and disheartened, it is good to meditate on the words of the apostle: 'I die daily.' If we live with the picture of death always before our eyes, we will not sin. The apostle's words tell us that we should so awaken in the morning as though we would not live to evening, and so fall asleep as if there were to be no awakening. For our life is by nature uncertain and is daily meted out to us by Providence. If we are convinced of this and live each day as the apostle suggests, then we will not fall into sin; no desire will enslave us, no anger move us, no treasure bind us to earth; we will await death with unfettered hearts."

— Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

atron: Amputees; animals; baske

Catholic News Roundup 01-16

2012-01-16T21:40:00.001-05:00

Gingrich Defends Marriage As 'Core' of Civilization, Says Bigotry 'Goes Both Ways'

2012-01-16T12:30:00.001-05:00

Top 10 Reasons Why God Let Tim Tebow Lose

2012-01-16T12:00:00.002-05:00

10. Because he didn’t want Christians to downgrade him from “Lord of the Universe” to “Best Assistant Coach in the NFL.”

9. Because Rob Gronkowski’s Polish grandmother said five Rosaries for the Patriots.

8. Because God is really good at bringing good out of suffering.

7. Because God didn’t want kids who admire Tom Brady to think he’s out to get their hero.

6. Because once 30 million people saw the Focus on the Family ad, the game was won from God’s perspective.

5. When Tebow threw 316 yards to win against the Steelers, God wanted us to read John 3:16. Yesterday, he threw 136 yards. John 1:36 is part of today’s Gospel– “As he watched Jesus walk by, he said ‘Behold the Lamb of God.’”

4. Because God wants kids to learn to work hard and wait for good things, not just pray and get them now.

3. Because when God became man, he “lost” in the world’s eyes, too.

2. Because Tom Brady’s performance better reflected God’s glory … because it was awesome, not awkward.

1. To remind us that almost everything in our lives is more important than football.

h/t catholicvote

St. Marcellus

2012-01-16T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 16 is St. Marcellus.

Diocletian's terrible persecution had taken its toll. It was reported that within a period of thirty days, sixteen thousand Christians were martyred. The Church in Rome was left scattered and disorganized, and the Holy See remained vacant for over two years. It wasn't until the ascension of Emperor Maxentius and his policy of toleration that a pope could be chosen. Marcellus, a Roman priest during the reign of Marcellinus, was elected.

The new pope was confronted with enormous problems. His first challenge was to reorganize the badly shaken Church. He is said to have accomplished this by dividing Rome into twenty-five parishes, each with its own priest. The next task was more challenging. Once again a pope was faced with the problem of what to do with the many brethren who had compromised their faith during the reign of Diocletian. Marcellus upheld the doctrine of required penance before absolution. The apostates keenly desired readmission to communion, but they violently opposed the harshness of the penance demanded by the rigorist, Marcellus. Riots broke out throughout the city, and even bloodshed, to the point that Emperor Maxentius intervened. He believed that the pontiff was the root of the problem, and in the interest of peace, he banished Marcellus; the pope died a short time later. Apart from persecution, this was the first time that the secular government was known to have interfered with the Church. There is some confusion whether his body was brought back to Rome or whether he was allowed to return to the Holy See before his death. There is no doubt, however, that he was buried in the cemetery of Priscilla on the Via Salaria.

St. Sava

2012-01-14T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 14 is St. Sava.

Originally Prince Rastko Nemanjic, he was the first Patriarch of Serbia (1219-1233) and is an important Saint in the Serbian Orthodox Church.

In his youth (around 1192) St. Sava escaped from home to join the Orthodox monastic colony on Mount Athos and was given the name Sava. He first traveled to a Russian monastery and then moved to a Greek monastery, Vatoped. At the end of 1197 his father, King Stefan Nemanja, joined him.

In 1198 the former prince and king restored the abandoned monastery Hilandar, which was at that time the center of Serbian Christian monastic life.

St. Sava's father took the monastic vows under the name Simeon, and died in Hilandar on February 13, 1200. He is also canonized, as Saint Simeon.

After his father's death, Sava retreated to an ascetic monastery in Kareya which he built himself in 1199. He also wrote the Kareya typicon both for Hilandar and for the monastery of ascetism.

St. Sava managed to persuade the Patriarch of the Greek/Byzantine Orthodox Church to elevate him to the position of the first Serbian archbishop, thereby establishing the independence of the archbishopic of the serbian church in the year of 1219.

Saint Sava is celebrated as the founder of the independent Serbian Orthodox Church and as the patron saint of education and medicine among Serbs. Since the 1830s, Saint Sava has become the patron Saint of Serbian schools and students.

After participating in a ceremony called "blessing of the waters" he developed a cough that progressed into pneumonia. He died from pneumonia in the evening between Saturday and Sunday, January 14, 1235. He was buried at the Cathedral of the Holy Forty Martyrs in Trnovo. He remained in Trnovo until May 6, 1237, when his sacred bones were moved to the monastery Mileseva in southern Serbia. Three-hundred and sixy years later the Ottoman Turks dug out his bones and burnt them on the main square in Belgrade.

The temple of Saint Sava in Belgrade, whose construction was planned in 1939 and began in 1985 is built on the place where his holy bones were burned.

Catholic News Roundup 01-13

2012-01-13T14:46:00.001-05:00

Planned Parenthood Kicked Out of School Classes in New York

2012-01-13T14:44:00.000-05:00

Some good news about education. Planned Parenthood has no business indoctrinating kids in school.

The Shenendehowa school district of New York has decided that enough is enough. As the Times Union reports, they’ve kicked Planned Parenthood out of their classrooms. Naturally, the article calls Planned Parenthood’s classes by a very nice name: “interactive lessons in health education classes in the high school and middle school.”

A group of parents got fed up with Planned Parenthood’s “health classes” when they learned from their kids that the abortion giant was promoting a skewed view of sex and sexual health. According to the students, they were taught that “abstinence allowed for oral sex”. They were not accurately taught about how sexually transmitted diseases could be transmitted. They were given condom displays in class. Some parents had an additional problem because they were not told in time how to opt their kids out of this program.

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video: Immigration, Politics, Bishops

2012-01-13T11:55:00.001-05:00

So how are you to vote if you are a Catholic? That depends on who you ask - the bishops or Catholic voters!

Poll Finds 43 Percent Of People Believe God Helps Tebow Win

2012-01-13T11:04:00.000-05:00

Tebow is the man!

According to a national telephone survey conducted by Poll Position, 43 percent of people believe that “divine intervention” is responsible for his success compared to 42 percent of people surveyed who think that God has nothing to do with Tebow winning.

Breaking it down into demographics, the Poll Position survey shows that 52 percent of people in the 18- to 29-year-old age range believe that supernatural powers help Tebow, while about 48 percent of people aged between 45-64 believe the same.

Hispanic fans also feel that a holy power is helping the Broncos quarterback as 81 percent of those polled believe God is behind Tebow, compared to 59.5 percent among blacks and 38 percent among whites.

Among party affiliation, 54 percent of Republicans polled believe God is helping Tebow while 48 percent of Democrats think there is no divine intervention going on.

The poll surveyed 1,076 people.

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Dolly Parton: America losing its morals, principles

2012-01-13T09:33:00.001-05:00

Dolly is right on this.

In an era of fading values and morals, people in America are looking for a way to connect with God again, said country singer legend Dolly Parton.

Parton was commenting to Fox411’s Pop Tarts column at the Hollywood premiere of her new movie, “Joyful Noise,” a Gospel music-themed flick whose message she hopes a hurting nation may respond to.

Dolly Parton

“Everybody’s been feeling a little scared and a little down, and the economy has been bad and people don’t know what to think. We just seem to have lost all our morals and principles and values these days,” Parton told FOX Monday night. “People are looking for something a little more stable; people are feeling like they need to get closer to God.”

Parton, the fourth of 12 children, has been married to the same man since she was 20 years old. They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary this year.

The Steel Magnolias star also told FOX she hoped that, although “we’re all just a bunch of sinners,” her work would be a way for God to touch the world.

“I always ask God to work through me, and let me be a light of some kind and help in this world, so I always pray for that and I always want to do good,” she said. “We’re all just a bunch of sinners, but we do the best we can. He works through people in His own way, and I always ask him to let me be a blessing to people.”

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Brand new ‘guidelines’ pushing radical, explicit sex ed agenda on schools nationwide

2012-01-13T09:25:00.000-05:00

I hope many parents are reading this or hearing about it. It is inconceivable how these radicals are pushing kids into being sexually active as soon as possible.

A group of progressive education organizations in league with the family planning and homosexual lobby have released a new set of sex education “guidelines” that they are pushing on schools nationwide.

The guidelines, published Monday in the Journal of School Health, were authored by the American Association of Health Education, the American School Health Association, the National Education Association – Health Information Network, the Society of State Leaders of Health and Physical Education, Advocates for Youth, Answer, and the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.

The document is being touted as “the first-ever national standards for sexuality education in schools,” and as an answer to what it calls “the inconsistent implementation of sexuality education nationwide.”

“Forty individuals from the fields of health education, sexuality education, public health, public policy, philanthropy and advocacy convened for a two-day meeting in December 2008 to create a strategic plan for sexuality education policy and implementation,” reads the introduction. “A key strategic priority that emerged from this work was the creation of a national sexuality education standards to advance the implementation of sexuality education in US public schools.”

The recommendations begin with a kindergarten to second grade curriculum. They suggest that, by the end of second grade, children should be using “proper names for body parts, including male and female anatomy,” be familiar with “different kinds of family structures,” and be able to “describe differences and similarities in how boys and girls may be expected to act, and provide examples of how friends, family, media, society and culture influence ways in which boys and girls think they should act.”

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St. Hilary of Poitiers

2012-01-13T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 13 is St. Hilary of Poitiers.

St. Hilary was one of those great Christian heroes who poured out their lives laboring and suffering in defense of Christ's divinity. Scarcely had the days of bloody persecution ended (313), when there arose, now within the Church, a most dangerous enemy of another sort, Arianism. The heresy of Arianism denied the divinity of Christ; it was, in fact, hardly more than a form of paganism masquerading as the Christian Gospel. The smoldering strife soon flared into a mighty conflict endangering the whole Church; and its spread was all the more rapid and powerful because emperors, who called themselves Christian, proved its best supporters. Once again countless martyrs sealed in blood their belief in Christ's divinity; and orthodox bishops who voiced opposition were forced into exile amid extreme privations.

Among the foremost defenders of the true faith stood Hilary. He belonged to a distinguished family and had received an excellent education. Though a married man, he was made bishop of Poitiers by reason of his exemplary life. It was not long before his valiant defense of the faith precipitated his exile to Phrygia. Here he composed his great work on the Blessed Trinity (in twelve books). It is a vigorous defense of the faith, which, he said, "triumphs when attacked." Finally, after four years he was permitted to return to his native land. He continued his efforts, and through prudence and mildness succeeded in ridding Gaul of Arianism. Because of his edifying and illustrious writings on behalf of the true religion, the Church honors him as one of her doctors.

Here is an example of Hilary's vigorous style: "Now it is time to speak, the time for silence is past. We must expect Christ's return, for the reign of Antichrist has begun. The shepherds must give the warning signals because the hirelings have fled. Let us lay down our lives for the sheep, for brigands have entered the fold and the roaring lion is rampaging about. Be ready for martyrdom! Satan himself is clothed as an angel of light." A favorite motto of St. Hilary was, Ministros veritatis decet vera proferre, "Servants of the truth ought speak the truth."

— From Pius Parsch, The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch

Catholic News Roundup 01-12

2012-01-12T15:32:00.001-05:00

Pope links economic crisis with individualism, urges reform

2012-01-12T15:30:00.000-05:00

Pope Benedict said Jan. 12 that the economic crisis hitting much of the West is the result of self-centeredness but that it also presents an opportunity to reshape society.

“The present crisis can, then, be an opportunity for the entire community to verify whether the values upon which social life is founded have generated a society that is just, fair and united,” the Pope said Jan. 12 at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.

The Pope, as Bishop of Rome, was addressing the political authorities of the City of Rome, the Region of Lazio, and the Province of Rome during their traditional annual exchange of New Years greetings.

Pope Benedict told them that it is necessary at this present time to “undertake a profound rethink in order to rediscover values which are the basis of a true renewal of society.” This means not only promoting economic recovery but also “promoting the integral good of human beings.”

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Planned Parenthood: Pre-Abortion Ultrasounds “Abhorrent”

2012-01-12T13:31:00.002-05:00

What hypocrisy. Planned Parenthood supports the right of women to choose, but doesn't want to give women the information to make an informed choice.

Planned Parenthood has a response to the federal appeals court decision allowing Texas women a chance to see an ultrasound of their baby before an abortion. They call it “abhorrent.”

Writing for the court, Chief Judge Edith Jones was frank about the other side’s failure “to demonstrate constitutional flaws with the law,” which requires women to have a sonogram 24 hours before an abortion. Judge Jones said the state has “legitimate interests in protecting the potential life within her.”

“Denying her up-to-date medical information,” Jones wrote, “is more of an abuse to her ability to decide than providing the information.”

Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement that the Fifth Circuit ruling “sets an abhorrent precedent” as other states prepared to consider similar laws to help women receive factual information about their baby and his or her development before making a life or death decision to have an abortion.

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New Vikings stadium could be ‘disastrous’ for Catholic basilica

2012-01-12T09:14:00.004-05:00

I can certainly appreciate a new stadium, and I hope they get it (my cousin is a HUGE Vikings fan), but I hope they can find someplace further from the Basilica to build it.

Two proposed new stadium sites for the Minnesota Vikings professional football team, especially one only 300 feet from the Catholic Basilica of St. Mary, have the church’s rector “very concerned.”

“I can't imagine how our thousands of Sunday worshippers would be able to compete with the more than 60,000 people who attend a Vikings game – there simply isn't that much room in this area and the traffic, congestion, tailgating and parking issues alone could be disastrous for our Sunday worship schedule,” Fr. John Bauer said at a Jan. 10 press conference.

In a Jan. 9 letter to members and friends of the basilica community, the rector said that the congregation of 6,300 households comes from throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area for weekend Masses and weekday programs. Thousands of visitors also attend liturgies, concerts, outreach support, lectures, classes and other events.

Parking for present events is already challenging, he said, and traffic for the construction and operation of the stadium and event center would adversely affect the basilica’s ability to continue its programs.

Gov. Mark Dayton and city officials are collecting feedback and proposals for stadium sites for a 48-hour period ending Jan. 12, the archdiocesan newspaper The Catholic Spirit reports.

A proposed site on Linden Avenue is two blocks from the basilica, while a site at the Farmer’s Market is also a concern to the rector.

The stadium site could also affect the historic buildings of the basilica and its school, which are sites on the National Historic Register.

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St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

2012-01-12T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 12 is St. Marguerite Bourgeoys.

Marguerite Bourgeoys was born in Troyes, France in 1620 and died in Montreal in 1700. As one of the older girls of a Christian, middle-class family, Marguerite had to assume the responsibility for the household when her mother died. At the age of twenty, she had a conversion experience during a religious procession that profoundly influenced her future mission and focused her values. She felt singled out by the Blessed Virgin. In response, she joined a local group of women who gathered to do charitable work as an extension of a cloister in Troyes. Marguerite served as leader of this extern group and, as her service, taught the children in the poor section of town. In 1653 Paul de Maisonneuve, founder of Montreal, passed through Troyes and invited Marguerite to join him in Ville Marie as a lay teacher to instruct the children of the colonists and the Native Americans. In June 1653, she sailed from Nantes on a three-month voyage to the New World.

Marguerite's humanitarian and Christian work in Canada was principally as educator and founder. The wilderness was so hard on the colonists that she had to wait for five years before children survived until school age. In the interim, she instructed the Indian children. In 1658 she opened her first school in a stone stable given her by the town leaders. Marguerite had a broad concept of education. She saw the school as a vehicle of religious and social development. Unique to her time, she provided education for all, giving special attention to girls, the poor and the natives. Education in Marguerite's schools consisted in the basics of literacy, religious instruction, home economics, and the arts.

Beyond the classroom, she worked with families, assisted in faith formation in the parish, and addressed the social service needs of the colonists. Noteworthy among her contributions to the colony is the special vocational schools she established to provide the domestic skills a young woman would need to run a home in the wilderness.

She became the official guardian to the "filles du roi", young orphan girls sent by the monarch to establish new families. She lodged them in her own home, served as a matchmaker, and prepared them for their new life as pioneers. Her signature appears as a witness on many of the early marriage contracts in Montreal. As a result of these activities she was affectionately referred to as "the Mother of the Colony". Marguerite made three trips back to France to recruit other women to join her in her work of education and to obtain civil approbation from the king.

Marguerite's apostolic spirituality was a special gift to the Church. She was a woman of action inserted into her time as is attested to by the mark she left on the history of Montreal and education in Canada. She was a woman of faith, deeply committed to the service of the Gospels. She was personally motivated by the missionary journeying of Mary in service to her cousin, Elizabeth, and desired to form a group of uncloistered women who would imitate Mary in this mystery of the Visitation.

Marguerite had an exceptional and practical love of God and neighbor. She had a great desire to serve the Church in its most local form, the parish. She exhorted her extern congregation of educators to be "daughters of the parish" - to worship with the people and use the local church as a source of spiritual nourishment.

Her Congregation received Church approbation in 1698 and at that time pronounced vows as uncloistered religious. Today the Congregation de Notre Dame numbers 2600 sisters in North America, Japan, Latin America, and the Cameroons in service to the people of God in the spirit of the Visitation.

On November 12, 1950 Pope Pius XII beatified Marguerite Bourgeoys. Canonizing her October 31, 1982, Pope John Paul II gave the Canadian Church its first woman saint.

Supreme Court unanimously rejects government oversight of churches

2012-01-11T18:53:00.000-05:00

Barry gets a smackdown from SCOTUS :)

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled on Jan. 11 to uphold the “ministerial exception” that allows religious organizations to hire and fire ministers without interference from the government.

The decision marks a “big rejection of this administration’s treatment of religious liberty,” said Mark Rienzi, an attorney for the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which helped represent Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church in the case.

Rienzi told CNA on Jan. 11 that the Hosanna-Tabor case is “easily the most important religious freedom case in the last 20 years.”

In Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC, teacher Cheryl Perich claimed that she was illegally fired by Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School of Redford, Mich.

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Catholic News Roundup 01-11

2012-01-11T15:53:00.001-05:00

Pro-Lifer to Run Graphic Abortion Ads During Super Bowl

2012-01-11T12:50:00.000-05:00

Very clever idea by Terry. It's interesting to notice that any ads which portray the reality of abortion are automatically labelled "graphic".

There's no way to sugar-coat killing babies.

Pro-life activist Randall Terry, last year, launched a bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. He did so to qualify as a federal candidate in order to air graphic abortion ads on television under a law requiring stations to air them.

Terry is moving ahead with his plan now and, according to pro-life blogger Jill Stanek, will purchase time on local television stations to air graphic abortion commercials during the Super Bowl.

“Terry is in the process of buying ad time in 35 NBC metropolitan media markets and is working on more (having secured two to date),” Stanek says. “Ads run in all these media markets would reach 16 million homes, well over 35 million Americans. Due to federal law, stations are forced to run ads by federal candidates uncensored.”

Most Americans will not see the ads, because they will not air on the NBC network itself as the highly-watched football game airs. But Stanek says residents in many states will see them as they will air in the following cities:

Arkansas: Fort Smith/Rogers

Colorado: Denver, Colorado Springs/Pueblo, Grand Junction

Hawaii: Hilo, Honolulu, Wailuku

Illinois: Quincy

Indiana: Fort Wayne

Maine: Bangor, Portland

Minnesota: Minneapolis

Missouri: Kansas City, Joplin, Ottumwa, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Springfield

Nevada: Elko

North Dakota: Fargo

Ohio: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Lima, Steubenville, Toledo, Youngstown, Zanesville

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa

South Dakota: Sioux Falls

Texas: Amarillo, Wichita Falls

Utah: Salt Lake City

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Pope "meets" Cuban reptile during general audience

2012-01-11T10:42:00.001-05:00

Circus Act performed for the Pope

2012-01-11T10:30:00.000-05:00

Nuns clown around with a circus entertainer after Pope Benedict XVI's general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican Jan. 11. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Mitt Romney Wins New Hampshire Republican Primary

2012-01-11T10:00:00.000-05:00

Go Mitt!

Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, has won the New Hampshire GOP primary presidential election vote, as expected, with the support of more than one-third of Republican voters who cast ballots today for multiple candidates.

With 95% of the results tallied, Romney finished with the backing of 40 percent of Republicans in the Granite State, the first to cast ballots in the race to replace pro-abortion President Barack Obama. His primary election victory in the traditional second state comes one week after he eked out a narrow 8-vote victory in the Iowa caucuses last Tuesday.

The victory makes Romney the first Republican since 1976 to win both the Iowa and New Hampshire contests and he is the fist non-incumbent Republican to do so.

“Thank you, new Hampshire, tonight we made history,” Romney said in a speech after the race had been called. “Tonight we celebrate but tomorrow we go back to work.”

“Today we’re faced with the disappointing record of a failed president,” Romney said. “This president wakes up every morning, looks across America, and is proud to say, ‘it could be worse’” Anyone but Barry... :)

“This president has run out of ideas, now he’s running out of excuses,” he added. “This president puts his faith in government, we put our faith in the American people. He [Obama] passed Obamacare, I’ll repeal it.”

Five former Vatican ambassadors endorse Romney

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St. Theodosius

2012-01-11T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 11 is St. Theodosius.

St. Theodosius was so inspired by Abraham's example of leaving his loved ones and homeland for God that he left his homeland of Cappadocia to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. There St. Theodosius took as his guide the holy man Longinus, who placed him in charge of a church near Bethlehem. Theodosius did not stay there long, however, but he went to live in a cave on a nearby mountain. He was known for his holiness, and many desired to dedicate their lives to God as monks under Theodosius. He built a monastery at Cathismus, as well as three hospices: for the sick, the elderly and the mentally i ll. When Emperor Anastasius was persecuting Christians who did not accept the Eutychian heresy, which states that Christ has only one nature, St. Theodosius preached orthodoxy throughout Palestine, even stating from the pulpit in Jerusalem: "If anyone receives not the four general councils as the four gospels, let him be anathema." The Saint renewed the courage of those in whom the Emperor's edicts had instilled fear. Anastasius banished Theodosius, though he was later recalled by Anastasius' successor. Theodosius died at the age of 105; many miracles occurred at his funeral.

Catholic News Roundup 01-10

2012-01-10T20:04:00.000-05:00

video: It's a Free Country

2012-01-10T20:02:00.000-05:00

Voris defends Rick Santorum against the ADL.

St. Gregory of Nyssa

2012-01-10T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 10 is St. Gregory of Nyssa.

Gregory of Nyssa was born of a deeply religious family. His mother Emmelia was a martyr's daughter; two of his brothers, Basil of Cæsarea and Peter of Sebaste, became bishops like himself; his eldest sister, Macrina, became a model of piety and is honored as a saint. It would seem that the young man married: there exists a letter addressed to him by Gregory of Nazianzus condoling with him on the loss of one Theosebeia, who must have been his wife.

According to Gregory of Nazianzus it was Basil who performed the episcopal consecration of his brother around 371.

On arriving in his see Gregory had to face great difficulties. Demosthenes, Governor of Pontus, ordered the Bishop of Nyssa to be seized and brought before him. A Synod of Nyssa (376) deposed him, and he was reduced to wander from town to town, until the death of Emperor Valens in 378. The new emperor, Gratian, published an edict of tolerance, and Gregory returned to his see, where he was received with joy. In 379 he assisted at the Council of Antioch, which had been summoned because of the Meletian schism. He also asserted the faith of Nicea, and tried to put an end to Aryanism and Pneumatism in the East.

It is very probable that Gregory was present at another Council of Constantinople in 383. Between 385 and 386 he disappears from history, not without leaving a significant number of theological writings.

Catholic News Roundup 01--09

2012-01-09T18:16:00.001-05:00

Baptism of the Lord

2012-01-09T04:30:00.000-05:00

January 9 is the Baptism of the Lord.

The mystery of Christ’s baptism in the Jordan by St John, the Precursor, proposes the contemplation of an already adult Jesus. This mystery is infinitely linked to the Solemnities of the Lord’s birth and the Epiphany that we have just celebrated, as in some ways it takes up and represents their significance to us.

At Christmas we have contemplated the human birth of the Word incarnate by the Virgin Mary. In the 4th century, the Fathers of the Church deepened the understanding of the faith with regard to the Christmas mystery in the light of Jesus’ Humanity. They spoke of the Incarnation of the Word already working like the ‘Christification’ of that humanity that he had assumed from His mother. Or put in simpler terms: Jesus is the Christ from the first instant of conception in Mary’s spotless womb because He Himself, with His Divine Power, consecrated, anointed and ‘Christified’ that human nature with which He became incarnate.

In the mystery of the Epiphany, we then meditated on Christ’s manifestation to all nations that was represented by the Magi, the wise men from the East, who came to adore the Child.

Now, in the mystery of Christ’s Baptism in the Jordan River, we again encounter and represent the truth of the Lord’s incarnation and His manifestation as the Christ. Jesus’ Baptism is in fact His definitive manifestation as the Messiah or Christ to Israel, and as the Son of the Father to the entire world. Here we find the dimension of the Epiphany which was His manifestation to all nations. The Father’s voice from heaven shows that Jesus of Nazareth is the eternal Son and the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove shows the Trinitarian nature of the Christian God. The true and unique God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, shows Himself in Christ, through Him, with Him and in Him.

The Baptism in the Jordan returns to the great Christmas theme of ‘Christification’, Jesus of Nazareth’s spiritual anointing, His presentation as the Anointed One per excellence, the Messiah or the One sent by the Father for the salvation of mankind. The Spirit that descended on Jesus shows and seals in an incontrovertible way the ‘Christification’ of Jesus’ humanity that the Word had already fulfilled from the first moment of His miraculous conception by Mary. Jesus, from the very beginning, was always the Lord’s Christ, He was always God. Yet, His one, true humanity, that which is perfect in every way, as the Gospel records, constantly grew in natural and supernatural perfection. ‘And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and with men’ (Lk2:52). In Israel at 30 years of age, one reached full maturity and therefore could become a master. Jesus came of age and the Spirit, descending and remaining on Him, definitively consecrated His whole being as the Christ.

The same Spirit, that descended on the water of the River Jordan wafted over the waters during the first creation. (Gen 1:2) Therefore, the Baptism in the Jordan presents yet another truth: that Jesus has started a new creation. He is the second man (1 Cor 15:47) or the last Adam (1 Cor 15:45), that comes to repair the first Adam’s guilt. He does this as the Lamb of God that takes away our sins. ‘Looking at the events in light of the Cross and Resurrection, the Christian people realised what happened: Jesus loaded the burden of all mankind’s guilt upon His shoulders; he bore it down into the depths of the Jordan. He inaugurated his public activity by stepping into the place of sinners.’ (J Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth, Bloomsbury 2007, p18)

St. Raymond of Penafort

2012-01-07T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 7 is St. Raymond of Penafort.

The blessed Raymond was born at Barcelona, of the noble family of Penafort. Having been imbued with the rudiments of the Christian faith, the admirable gifts he had received, both of mind and body, were such that even when quite a boy he seemed to promise great things in his later life.

Whilst still young, he taught humanities in Barcelona. Later on, he went to Bologna, where he applied himself with much diligence to the exercises of a virtuous life, and to the study of canon and civil law. He there received the Doctor's cap, and interpreted the sacred canons so ably that he was the admiration of his hearers. The holiness of his life becoming known far and wide, Berengarius, the Bishop of Barcelona, when returning to his diocese from Rome, visited Bologna in order to see him; and after most earnest entreaties, induced Raymond to accompany him to Barcelona. He was shortly after made Canon and Provost of that Church, and became a model to the clergy and people by his uprightness, modesty, learning and meekness. His tender devotion to the Holy Mother of God was extraordinary, and he never neglected an opportunity of zealously promoting the devotion and honor which are due to her.

When he was about forty-five years of age, he made his solemn profession in the Order of the Friars Preachers. He then, as a soldier but just entered into service, devoted himself to the exercise of every virtue, but above all to charity to the poor, and this mainly to the captives who had been taken by the infidels. It was by his exhortation that St Peter Nolasco (who was his penitent) was induced to devote all his riches to this work of most meritorious charity. The Blessed Virgin appeared to Peter, as also to blessed Raymond and to James the First, King of Aragon, telling them that it would be exceedingly pleasing to herself and her divine Child, if an Order of Religious men were instituted whose mission it should be to deliver captives from the tyranny of infidels. Whereupon, after deliberating together, they founded the Order of our Lady of Mercy for the Ransom of Captives; and blessed Raymond drew up certain rules of life, which were admirably adapted to the spirit and vocation of the said Order. Some years after, he obtained their approbation from Gregory the Ninth, and made St Peter Nolasco, to whom he gave the habit with his own hands, first General of the Order.

Raymond was called to Rome by the same Pope, who appointed him to be his Chaplain, Penitentiary, and Confessor. It was by Gregory's order that he collected together, in the volume called the Decretals, the Decrees of the Roman Pontiffs, which were to be found separately in the various Councils and Letters. He was most resolute in refusing the Archbishopric of Tarragona, which the same Pontiff offered to him, and, of his own accord resigned the Generalship of the Dominican Order, which office he had discharged in a most holy manner for the space of two years. He persuaded James the King of Aragon to establish in his dominions the Holy Office of the Inquisition. He worked many miracles; among which is that most celebrated one of his having, when returning to Barcelona from the island of Majorca, spread his cloak upon the sea, and sailed upon it, in the space of six hours, the distance of a hundred and sixty miles, and having reached his convent, entered it through the closed doors. At length, when he had almost reached the hundredth year of his age, and was full of virtue and merit, he slept in the Lord, in the year of the Incarnation 1275. He was canonized by Pope Clement the Eighth.

Santorum’s Catholicism Attacked

2012-01-06T12:53:00.001-05:00

Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on recent attacks on presidential candidate Rick Santorum’s religion:

Rick Santorum is deserving of closer scrutiny now that he is a top contender for the Republican nomination, but this does not justify either misrepresenting, or attacking, his faith.

John Gehring of Faith in Public Life fails to distinguish between the official teachings of the Catholic Church and the expressed opinions of some Church leaders, thus allowing him to paint Santorum as out of step with his religion. How interesting. Gehring works for an organization that receives approximately a quarter of its money from George Soros. Need I say more? So discount this guy.

Santorum has also been attacked by Steve Kornacki at Salon for his “Catholic-infused opposition to abortion.” It may come as a shock to Kornacki that the late Christopher Hitchens was also pro-life, and that Nat Hentoff is proudly pro-life today. Their atheism hardly accounts for their understanding of Biology 101.

The blogsite Huffpost Hill says, “Santorum thinks the Catholic Church isn’t conservative enough, which is kind of like thinking Megadeth doesn’t thrash hard enough.” Guess that means Santorum is a very Catholic kind of guy (Megadeth is a heavy metal band—I had to look it up). Should Santorum therefore be disqualified? Irin Carmon at Salon no doubt thinks so: “Rick Santorum is coming for your contraception.” Probably around midnight.

Linda Hirshman, also at Salon, is having a stroke: “That an advocate of legislating strict Roman Catholic sexual doctrine came within eight votes of winning…warrants attention.” Yeah, if this Catholic makes it to the White House, he’ll seek stimulus money for mandatory chastity belts.

Let’s face it, the left want a religious test for president—they want to exclude all religious candidates. Which explains their love affair with Obama.

Pope names 22 new cardinals, including two Americans

2012-01-06T10:09:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to one of my favorite bishops...Archbishop Dolan!

Pope Benedict XVI named 22 new cardinals, including two from the United States, and announced a consistory for their formal induction on Feb. 18.

Among those named were Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York; Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, a former archbishop of Baltimore who now serves as grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem; and Archbishop Thomas C. Collins of Toronto.

The pope's nominations included 10 Roman Curia officials and 16 Europeans, confirming a trend in his cardinal appointments since his election in 2005.

With the latest appointments, Pope Benedict has named more than 50 percent of the current cardinals under the age of 80, who are eligible to vote in a conclave.

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St. Andre Bessette

2012-01-06T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 6 is St. Andre Bessette.

Brother Andre expressed a saint's faith by a lifelong devotion to Saint Joseph.

Sickness and weakness dogged André from birth. He was the eighth of twelve children born to a French Canadian couple near Montreal. Adopted at twelve, when both parents had died, he became a farmhand. Various trades followed: shoemaker, baker, blacksmith-all failures. He was a factory worker in the United States during the boom times of the Civil War.

At twenty-five, he applied for entrance into the Congregation of the Holy Cross. After a year's novitiate, he was not admitted because of his weak health. But with an extension and the urging of Bishop Bourget (see Marie-Rose Durocher, October 6), he was finally received. He was given the humble job of doorkeeper at Notre Dame College in Montreal, with additional duties as sacristan, laundry worker and messenger. "When I joined this community, the superiors showed me the door, and I remained forty years."

In his little room near the door, he spent much of the night on his knees. On his windowsill, facing Mount Royal, was a small statue of Saint Joseph, to whom he had been devoted since childhood. When asked about it he said, "Some day, Saint Joseph is going to be honored in a very special way on Mount Royal!"

When he heard someone was ill, he visited to bring cheer and to pray with the sick person. He would rub the sick person lightly with oil taken from a lamp burning in the college chapel. Word of healing powers began to spread.

When an epidemic broke out at a nearby college, André volunteered to nurse. Not one person died. The trickle of sick people to his door became a flood. His superiors were uneasy; diocesan authorities were suspicious; doctors called him a quack. "I do not cure," he said again and again. "Saint Joseph cures." In the end he needed four secretaries to handle the eighty thousand letters he received each year.

For many years the Holy Cross authorities had tried to buy land on Mount Royal. Brother André and others climbed the steep hill and planted medals of Saint Joseph. Suddenly, the owners yielded. André collected two hundred dollars to build a small chapel and began receiving visitors there-smiling through long hours of listening, applying Saint Joseph's oil. Some were cured, some not. The pile of crutches, canes and braces grew.

The chapel also grew. By 1931 there were gleaming walls, but money ran out. "Put a statue of Saint Joseph in the middle. If he wants a roof over his head, he'll get it." The magnificent Oratory on Mount Royal took fifty years to build. The sickly boy who could not hold a job died at ninety.

He is buried at the Oratory and was beatified in 1982. On December 19, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI promulgated a decree recognizing a second miracle at Blessed André’s intercession and on October 17, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI formally declared sainthood for Blessed André. — Saint of the Day, Leonard Foley, O.F.M.

Santorum Iowa Bump: New GOP Poll: Romney 29%, Santorum 21%

2012-01-05T15:28:00.000-05:00

A new national Republican poll has pro-life Republican presidential candidate Santorum gaining enough ground following his surprise second place finish in Iowa that he now comes in second nationally with all GOP voters.

Santorum, after trailing Mitt Romney by merely 8 votes in the Tuesday Iowa caucus vote, is now in second place among Republican voters in the race for the party’s 2012 presidential nomination, according to a new Rasmussen poll.

“The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey, taken the night after the caucuses, shows Romney again in first place with support from 29% of Likely Republican Primary Voters, followed by Santorum with 21%,” Rasmussen noted today. “Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who led the pack in late November with 38% of the vote, now runs third with 16%.”

Texas Congressman Ron Paul, the third place finisher in Iowa, picks up 12% of the vote, up from eight percent (8%) in the previous survey Rasmussen conducted. Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman both pick up the support of four percent of voters.

Although Santorum picks up a sizable percentage of support, pollster Scott Rasmussen says Romney’s level of support has returned to previous higher levels.

Santorum thanks God as he defies odds in Iowa

Santorum Captures Endorsement From Catholic Pro-Life Group

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50 Questions about the life of Jesus: 2 million people find answers

2012-01-05T15:13:00.001-05:00

Tough questions like, was Jesus married? who were the Apostles? and what is the Holy Grail? are being answered online by a group of historians and theologians.

St. John Neumann

2012-01-05T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 5 is St. John Neumann.

John Nepomucene Neumann was born on March 28, 1811, the third of six children of a stocking knitter and his wife in the village of Prachatitz in Bohemia. From his mother he acquired the spirit of piety and through her encouragement entered the Seminary at Budweis.

During his seminary years, he yearned to be a foreign missionary in America. He left his native land and was ordained in June, 1836 by Bishop John Dubois in New York. He spent four years in Buffalo and the surrounding area building churches and establishing schools.

In 1840, he joined the Redemptorists. Eight years later he became a United States citizen. By order of Pope Pius IX in 1852 he was consecrated fourth Bishop of Philadelphia. His mastery of eight languages proved extremely helpful in his quest for souls. He was a pioneer promoter of the Parochial School System in America.

One of the highlights of Saint John Neumann's life was his participation, in Rome, in the Proclamation of the Dogma of our Blessed Mother's Immaculate Conception. Through his efforts, the Forty Hours Devotion was introduced in the Philadelphia Diocese. He founded the first church in America for Italian-speaking people. He also founded the Glen Riddle group of the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis.

At 48 years of age, completely exhausted from all his apostolic endeavors, he collapsed in the street on January 5, 1860. He is buried beneath the altar of the lower Church in St. Peter's Church in Philadelphia.

Michele Bachmann Suspends Republican Presidential Campaign

2012-01-04T12:17:00.002-05:00

Too bad...Michele (or any of the Republican candidates) would be a better president than Barry.

Congresswoman Michele Bachman announced today that she is suspending her campaign for the Republican presidential nomination to take on pro-abortion President Barack Obama. Her decision follows a disappointing sixth place finish in the Iowa caucuses on Tuesday night.

In a speech announcing she was leaving the race, Bachmann said we have a responsibility to promote freedom and justice in America and said repealing Obamacare served as the inspiration for her run for president, saying it “endangered the very survival of the United States of America” and calling it “left-wing social engineering.” She also condemned taxpayer funded abortion.

“2012 is our last chance and only chance to repeal Obamcare and Dodd-Frank,” she said, adding that she wants to elect a Republican Senate that will overturn Obamacare. “I will fight to protect life from conception to natural death” in “whatever way God allows me to.”

“I have decided to stand aside,” she said, adding that Republicans must be “united” to repeal Obamacare. Bachmann did not make an endorsement but expressed support for eventual GOP nominee.

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Pope Benedict's Prayer Intentions for January

2012-01-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

Victims of Natural Disasters.

Dedication to Peace.

Facebook Removes, Restores Illegal Self-Abortion Instructions

2012-01-04T10:44:00.000-05:00

What the....?

If someone posted instructions on how to build a bomb or a chemical weapon, would they leave that up too?

Misusing pills to cause an abortion is most certainly going to injure women.

The pro-abortion movement is riled up today about an image an international activist posted on her Facebook account instructing women how to dangerously misuse a pill meant for stomach ulcers to induce self-abortions in nations where abortions are illegal.

Rebecca Gomperts of Women on Waves, which ran the abortion boat that once floated outside several pro-life nations offering abortions and the abortion drug, posted the following image on her Facebook page: (I will not post it here on this blog).

Facebook temporarily removed the profile picture and Gomperts said she was shocked when she received an email from Facebook informing her that her profile photo had been removed because it violated the website’s terms of use known as the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. You mean the responsibility to NOT cause harm to others? Because that's what abortion does...it kills babies and harms women.

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Romney Wins Iowa Caucus, Santorum “Wins” Iowa Caucus

2012-01-04T09:53:00.003-05:00

Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney essentially tied tonight in the Iowa caucuses with a showing that will elevate their standing in the race for the Republican nomination to replace pro-abortion President Barack Obama.

Together they may now represent the upper echelon of candidates after bouncing back and forth for the lead much of the night.

The final vote count is expected, according to media reports, to show Romney will have won Iowa by 8 votes once the final precinct is officially counted, though both the Romney and Santorum campaigns agree on the unofficial vote tally.

Romney and Santorum both captured 25% of the vote of the more than 120,000 Republicans who gathered across the first presidential battleground state to cast their ballots for their favorite candidate to take the GOP against Obama in November. Ron Paul placed third with 21%.

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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

2012-01-04T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for January 4 is St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

This wife, mother and foundress of a religious congregation was born Elizabeth Ann Bayley on August 28, 1774 in New York City, the daughter of an eminent physician and professor at what is now Columbia University. Brought up as an Episcopalian, she received an excellent education, and from her early years she manifested an unusual concern for the poor.

In 1794 Elizabeth married William Seton, with whom she had five children. The loss of their fortune so affected William's health that in 1803 Elizabeth and William went to stay with Catholic friends at Livorno, Italy. William died six weeks after their arrival, and when Elizabeth returned to New York City some six months later, she was already a convinced Catholic. She met with stern opposition from her Episcopalian friends but was received into full communion with the Catholic Church on March 4, 1805.

Abandoned by her friends and relatives, Elizabeth was invited by the superior of the Sulpicians in Baltimore to found a school for girls in that city. The school prospered, and eventually the Sulpician superior, with the approval of Bishop Carroll, gave Elizabeth and her assistants a rule of life. They were also permitted to make religious profession and to wear a religious habit.

In 1809 Elizabeth moved her young community to Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she adopted as a rule of life an adaptation of the rule observed by the Sisters of Charity, founded by St. Vincent de Paul. Although she did not neglect the ministry to the poor, and especially to Negroes, she actually laid the foundation for what became the American parochial school system. She trained teachers and prepared textbooks for use in the schools; she also opened orphanages in Philadelphia and New York City.

She died at Emmitsburg on January 4, 1821, was beatified by Pope John XXIII in 1963, and was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975.

Excerpted from Saints of the Roman Calendar by Enzo Lodi

"Arguments" is launching a virtual catechesis for kids

2012-01-03T11:56:00.000-05:00

Notorious abortionists charged with murder, jailed

2012-01-03T11:41:00.000-05:00

I hope we see a lot more of this, because that's exactly what abortion is.

Operation Rescue has learned that abortionists Steven Chase Brigham and Nicola Irene Riley have been charged with murder related to the deaths of viable babies at an illegal secret abortion clinic that the pair operated in Elkton, Maryland.

Brigham is currently in the custody at the Camden County Jail in New Jersey and Riley was arrested and Riley is currently in the custody of the Salt Lake County Jail in Utah. Both are awaiting extradition to Maryland.

Brigham was charged with five counts of first-degree murder and five counts of second-degree murder. Riley was charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of second-degree murder. The charges are the result of a Grand Jury investigation. (UPDATE: in addition, Brigham and Riley were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder.)

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Pro-family advocates defend Romney’s record on life, marriage

2012-01-03T08:35:00.000-05:00

As often happens in campaigns, Mitt's opponents are distorting his record to discourage his supporters.

A group of nine individuals from pro-family organizations in Massachusetts have written an open letter defending Mitt Romney’s record of protecting marriage, promoting a culture of life and supporting religious freedom during his time as governor of the state.

The Dec. 30 letter attempts to “set the record straight” after Romney’s commitment to life and marriage was questioned in media reports.

Among the signatories were Raymond L. Flynn and Mary Ann Glendon, both former U.S. Ambassadors to the Holy See, as well as former executive director of the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, Gerald D. D’Avolio.

They argued that as governor, Romney “staunchly defended traditional marriage” and worked to overturn same-sex “marriage” in the state.

Governor Romney not only denounced the 2003 court decision that legalized same-sex “marriage” in Massachusetts, but he also took concrete action against it, working to enforce “a little-known 1913 law” to prohibit local clerks from issuing marriage licenses to out-of-state couples, the signatories said.

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Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus

2012-01-03T04:30:00.000-05:00

January 3 is the Feast of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

This feast marks no progress in the development of the Church year. It merely embellishes the occasion just observed when the Child received the Name Jesus as had been foretold by the angel. The feast is meant to impress on us Christians the dignity of the Holy Name. It is a relatively new feast, stemming out of devotional piety. Nevertheless, it is not difficult to find in it some liturgical or ancient Christian dogma. What did a name signify originally? The name should express the nature of a thing. Thus Adam in paradise gave the animals names in accordance with their being. Among the Jews God's name expressed His essence, Yahweh, i.e., I (alone) am who am (and cause all else to be). The Jews had the highest respect for the name of God, a reverence that finds continuation in the Our Father: "Hallowed be Thy Name."

Persons who played prominent roles in the history of salvation often received their names from God Himself. Adam — man of the earth; Eve — mother of all the living; Abraham — father of many nations; Peter — the rock. The Savior's precursor was given the name God assigned him. According to divine precedent, then, the name of the Redeemer should not be accidental, of human choosing, but given by God Himself. For His name should express His mission. We read in Sacred Scripture how the angel Gabriel revealed that name to Mary: "You shall call His name Jesus." And to St. Joseph the angel not merely revealed the name but explained its meaning: "You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins." The Messiah should not only be the savior, but should be called Savior. With Jesus, therefore, the name actually tells the purpose of His existence. This is why we must esteem His name as sacred. Whenever we pronounce it, we ought to bow our heads; for the very name reminds us of the greatest favor we have ever received, salvation.

Anglicans in the U.S welcomed to join the Catholic Church under a "Personal Ordinariate"

2012-01-02T14:17:00.004-05:00

Pope Benedict XVI has established a U.S. ordinariate for former Anglicans who wish to become Catholics and named a married former Episcopal bishop to head it.

The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter -- functionally equivalent to a diocese, but national in scope -- will be based at a parish in Houston. It will be led by Father Jeffrey N. Steenson, the former Episcopal bishop of the Rio Grande who was ordained a Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, N.M., in February 2009.

The establishment of the ordinariate and the naming of its first leader were announced by the Vatican Jan. 1.

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St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen

2012-01-02T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saints of the Day for January 2 are St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory Nazianzen.

St. Basil

St. Basil was born about 330, the oldest of four sons; three of his brothers became bishops, one of whom was St. Gregory of Nyssa. His pious grandmother Macrina exercised a great influence upon his religious education: "Never shall I forget the deep impression that the words and example of this venerable woman made upon my soul." Between St. Basil and St. Gregory of Nazianzen an intimate friendship existed from youth to old age. Of Western monasticism St. Benedict was the father and founder, of Eastern monasticism, St. Basil.

As bishop, Basil was a courageous and heroic champion of the Catholic faith against the Arian heresy. In 372 Emperor Valens sent Modestus, the prefect, to Cappadocia to introduce Arianism as the state religion. Modestus approached the holy bishop, upbraided him for his teaching, and threatened despoliation, exile, martyrdom, and death. To these words of the Byzantine despot, Basil replied with the peace of divine faith: "Is that all? Nothing of what you mentioned touches me. We possess nothing, we can be robbed of nothing. Exile will be impossible, since everywhere on God's earth I am at home. Torments cannot afflict me, for I have no body. And death is welcome, for it will bring me more quickly to God. To a great extent I am already dead; for a long time I have been hastening to the grave." Astonished, the prefect remarked: "Till today no one has ever spoken to me so courageously." "Perhaps," rejoined Basil, "you have never before met a bishop." Modestus hastened back to Valens. "Emperor," he said, "we are bested by this leader of the Church. He is too strong for threats, too firm for words, too clever for persuasion."

Basil was a strong character, a burning lamp during his time. But as the fire from this lamp illumined and warmed the world, it consumed itself; as the saint's spiritual stature grew, his body wasted away, and at the early age of forty-nine his appearance was that of an old man. In every phase of ecclesiastical activity he showed superior talent and zeal. He was a great theologian, a powerful preacher, a gifted writer, the author of two rules for monastic life, a reformer of the Oriental liturgy. He died in 379, hardly forty-nine years old, yet so emaciated that only skin and bones remained, as though he had stayed alive in soul alone.

St. Gregory Nazianzen

Gregory, surnamed the "Theologian" by the Greeks, was born at Nazianz in Cappadocia in 339. He was one of the "Three Lights of the Church from Cappadocia." To his mother, St. Nonna, is due the foundation for his saintly life as an adult. He was educated at the most famous schools of his time - Caesarea, Alexandria, Athens. At Athens he formed that storied bond of friendship with St. Basil which was still flaming with all the fervor of youthful enthusiasm when he delivered the funeral oration at the grave of his friend in 381.

Gregory was baptized in 360, and for a while lived the quiet life of a hermit. In 372 he was consecrated bishop by St. Basil. At the urgent wish of Gregory, his father and bishop of Nazianz, he assisted him in the care of souls. In 381 he accepted the see of Constantinople, but grieved by the constant controversies retired again to the quiet life he cherished so highly and dedicated himself entirely to contemplation.

During his life span the pendulum was continually swinging back and forth between contemplation and the active ministry. He longed for solitude, but the exigencies of the times called him repeatedly to do pastoral work and to participate in the ecclesiastical movements of the day. He was unquestionably one of the greatest orators of Christian antiquity; his many and great accomplishments were due in great measure to his exceptional eloquence. His writings have merited for him the title of "Doctor of the Church."

2011-12-31T21:20:00.001-05:00

Movie Review: The Adventures of Tintin (2011) - PG

2011-12-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

Young reporter Tintin obtains a model ship which contains part of the secret to the location of a sunken treasure. On this search, he is accompanied by his dog snowy, and Captain Haddock. They are helped by the bumbling detectives Thompson and Thomson, and pursued by Ivan Ivanovitch.

The search takes them halfway around the world, and there is a lot more adventure than you'd expect in an animated film.

The animation is superb, and it's easy to forget the characters are not real people.

The story is more complex than expected, but not too much so for kids to enjoy. My nephews, ages 11-14. really enjoyed it.

A very good, enjoyable family film.

St. Sylvester I, pope

2011-12-31T04:30:00.000-05:00

The Saint of the Day for December 31 is St. Sylvester.

St. Sylvester, a native Roman, was chosen by God to govern His holy Church during the first years of Her temporal prosperity and triumph over Her persecuting enemies. Pope Melchiades died in January, 314. St. Sylvester was chosen as his successor. He governed the Church for more than twenty-one years, ably organizing the discipline of the Roman Church, and taking part in the negotiations concerning Arianism and the Council of Nicaea. He also sent Legates to the first Ecumenical Council.

During his Pontificate were built the great churches founded at Rome by Constantine — the Basilica and baptistery of the Lateran, the Basilica of the Sessorian palace (Santa Croce), the Church of St. Peter in the Vatican, and several cemeterial churches over the graves of martyrs. No doubt St. Sylvester helped towards the construction of these churches. He was a friend of Emperor Constantine, confirmed the first General Council of Nicaea (325), and gave the Church a new discipline for the new era of peace. He might be called the first "peace Pope" after centuries of bloody persecution. He also established the Roman school of singing. On the Via Salaria he built a cemeterial church over the Catacomb of St. Priscilla, and it was in this church that he was buried when he died on December 31, 335.

Numerous legends dramatize his life and work, e.g., how he freed Constantine from leprosy by baptism; how he killed a ferocious dragon that was contaminating the air with his poisonous breath. Such legends were meant to portray the effects of baptism and Christianity's triumph over idolatry. For a long time the feast of St. Sylvester was a holyday of obligation. The Divine Office notes: He called the weekdays feria, because for the Christian every day is a "free day" (the term is still in use; thus Monday is feria secunda.).