BIG C CATHOLICS

The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated under this title following apparitions to three shepherd children, Lúcia, Jacinta and Francisco, in Portugal in 1917. The message of Fatima includes a call to conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through her immaculate heart. This optional memorial is new to the United States' liturgical calendar and occurs on May 13. The appearance of our Lady to the children at Fatima is an event of great consequence. Our Lady's warnings are those of a mother spoken out of love for her children. In these visitations, Mary urges humanity to reject sin and to pray unceasingly. Our Lady extolled the power of the daily Rosary for conversion and repentance. She told Lúcia, Jacinta and Francisco that many people go to Hell because they have no one to pray or make sacrifices on their behalf. She then showed the children a glimpse of Hell which Sr. Lúcia describes in her book, Memoirs : [Mary] ope

May 12, 2019 Motherhood is a special embodiment of God's unfailing compassion and enduring love. May all mothers everywhere recognize their divine calling as models of love and selflessness within their families and the world. Mary our mother, pray for us. _____________________________________________ Prayer for Mothers Loving God, as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children, so you watch over your Church. Bless these women abundantly, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of due admiration and profound respect. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen. A blessed Mother's Day to all mothers!

This feast (also known as The Franciscan Crown Rosary) is August 27th. The Franciscan Crown Rosary, properly known as "The Franciscan Crown of Our Lady's Joys" dates back to approximately the year 1422. According to tradition, as related by the famous Franciscan historian Father Luke Wadding, a very pious young man who had been admitted to the Franciscan Order in that year was saddened and had decided to return to the world and quit the cloister. Before his entry into the Order, it was his custom to adorn a statue of the Blessed Virgin with a wreath of fresh and beautiful flowers. Now, he was unable to continue his act of piety and devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Our Lady appeared to him and prevented him from taking such a step as he had planned. "Do not be sad and cast down, my son," she said, "because you are no longer permitted to place wreaths of flowers on my statue. I shall teach you to change this pious practice into one that will be far mor

Feast - August 26th The image of Our Lady of Częstochowa, also known as the Black Madonna, was traditionally believed to have been painted by Saint Luke the Evangelist on a cypress wood panel from a table used by the Holy Family in Nazareth. It was said to have been brought from Jerusalem by Saint Helen and was enshrined in Constantinople for 500 years. It was given to a Greek princess married to a Ruthenian nobleman and it was housed in the royal palace at Belz in the Ukraine for the next 600 years. Art historians believe it is a Byzantine icon of the Hodigitria type dating from the 6th - 9th Century. The image was brought to Poland in 1382 by Ladislaus of Opole who rescued the painting from Belz while escaping an attack by the Tartars who had damaged the painting with an arrow. On his way to Silesia, Ladislaus stopped to rest in the town of Częstochowa near the church on Jasna Góra (Bright Hill). He believed that it was Our Lady’s desire for her image to remain in Częstochow

May 14, 2017 Motherhood is a special embodiment of God's unfailing compassion and enduring love. May all mothers everywhere recognize their divine calling as models of love and selflessness within their families and the world. Mary our mother, pray for us. ___________________________________________________ Prayer for Mothers Loving God, as a mother gives life and nourishment to her children, so you watch over your Church. Bless these women abundantly, that they may be strengthened as Christian mothers. Let the example of their faith and love shine forth. Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of due admiration and profound respect. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen. A blessed Mother's Day to all mothers!

The Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, is celebrated on June 27th by the universal Church. The devotion to this Marian icon centers around the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, written on wood, with a background of gold. It is Byzantine in style and is purported to have been written in the thirteenth century. It represents the Mother of God holding the Divine Child with the Archangels Michael (left) and Gabriel (right) presenting Him the instruments of His Passion. Over the figures in the picture are some Greek letters which form the abbreviated words Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel respectively. Symbolism of the Icon the face of Our Lady appears full of sorrow, yet supremely dignified in her contemplation of the sufferings of her Son. His passion is represented by angels holding instruments of His passion, most often the cross, the lance, the sponge, and the nails. The Our Mother of Pe

Every person born has been stained with original sin, except for Mary, the Mother of God, and John the Baptist, the cousin and Forerunner of Christ. From the first moment of her existence, Our Lady was free from original sin by virtue of her Immaculate Conception. John was cleansed of original sin in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth, at the Visitation as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. The Solemnities of the Immaculate Conception and the birth of John the Baptist are the only occasions in the Church calendar where a saint's feast is his nativity. Usually, the date of a saint's death is observed as his feast since that is the day he is born into eternal life. The justification for today's feast is explained by St. Augustine in the Divine Office: Apart from the most holy solemnity commemorating our Savior's birth, the Church keeps the birthday of no other person except that of John the Baptist. (The feasts of the Immaculate Conception and of the Nativity of the Ble

For those familiar with monarchy like those in Europe, the idea that Mary is Queen of Heaven and Earth might seem odd. In Western monarchies, the king and queen are typically husband and wife. By this standard, Mary the Mother of God would have no claim to such a designation. That Catholics accord to her the title "Queen" has even prompted Protestant accusations that Catholics divinize the Mother of Christ. In ancient Middle Eastern monarchies, kings had numerous wives as well as concubines. The greatest kings of the Davidic Kingdom were no exception. The Bible names eight wives of King David and acknowledges many more – although the exact number is not known. 1st Kings 11:1-3 indicates King Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. Amid such rampant polygamy, to bestow upon a wife the honor of being queen would doubtless cause envy, disappointment and recrimination among those in the royal harem not chosen. Israel's kings had many wives, but only one mother. It was

Given the rise in popularity of the occult and satanic worship, the following is intended as a cautionary illustration of the inherent danger in opening a pathway for evil to enter the world. The individuals mentioned are not responsible for the actions of the Third Reich. Kristallnacht, the Holocaust and World War II had numerous antecedents. Nonetheless, did a séance the day of Kristallnacht make Nazi atrocities even worse? In the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation we renounce Satan and all his works, and profess our faith in Christ and in the Church. Sacred Scripture speaks of God’s protection and power over Satan. The first letter of John testifies that as children of God, in whom the Holy Spirit dwells, the evil one cannot touch us. But it also states that "the whole world is under the power of the evil one" (1 John 5:18-20). Chapter 12 in the Book of Revelation tells how the angel Lucifer rebelled against God. In the ensuing battle, one third of the angels in

The Immaculate Heart of Mary The attention of Christians was early attracted by the love and virtues of the Heart of Mary. The Gospel itself invited this attention with exquisite discretion and delicacy. What was first excited was compassion for the Virgin Mother. It was, so to speak, at the foot of the Cross that the Christian heart first made the acquaintance of the Heart of Mary. Simeon's prophecy paved the way and furnished the devotion with one of its favourite formulae and most popular representations: the heart pierced with a sword. But Mary was not merely passive at the foot of the Cross; "she cooperated through charity", as St. Augustine says, "in the work of our redemption". It is only in the twelfth, or towards the end of the eleventh century, that slight indications of a regular devotion are perceived in a sermon by St. Bernard (De duodecim stellis). Stronger evidences are discernible in the pious meditations on the Ave Maria and the

Father Ed Broom, OMV, wrote " 10 Beautiful Things About the Visitation " for the Feast of the Visitation, (Catholic Exchange, 2012) in which he makes the following insight: Both of these women in the modern society could be candidates for abortion. Why? One was very young, Mary; whereas, the other was very old, Elizabeth. However, both had an infinite trust in God’s Divine Providence and gave birth to the greatest:  St. John the Baptist and JESUS, THE SON OF GOD! At all times, by our meditation on the mystery of the Visitation, may we be staunch defenders of human life, from the moment of conception until natural death.  God is the author and origin of life and only He has the right to take life to Himself! To read the article in full go here .

Strengthened by the presence of Christ [cf. Mt. 28:20], the Church journeys through time towards the consummation of the ages and goes to meet the Lord who comes. But on this journey- and I wish to make this point straightaway-she proceeds along the path already trodden by the Virgin Mary, who "advanced in her pilgrimage of faith, and loyally persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross." St. John Paul II from the encyclical Redemptoris Mater , [On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the Pilgrim Church] in which he quotes Vatican II's Lumen Gentium , Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. According to the Catechism , Mary is the model of perfect faithfulness to God found in the New Testament. [Abraham is the example of perfect faithfulness in the Old Testament.] [ CCC 2674 ] "Mary gave her consent in faith at the Annunciation and maintained it without hesitation at the foot of the Cross."

The Blessed Virgin Mary is venerated under this title following apparitions to three shepherd children, Lúcia, Jacinta and Francisco, in Portugal in 1917. The message of Fatima includes a call to conversion of heart, repentance from sin and a dedication to the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially through her immaculate heart. This optional memorial is new to the United States' liturgical calendar and occurs on May 13. The appearance of our Lady to the children at Fatima is an event of great consequence. Our Lady's warnings are those of a mother spoken out of love for her children. In these visitations, Mary urges humanity to reject sin and to pray unceasingly. Our Lady extolled the power of the daily Rosary for conversion and repentance. She told Lúcia, Jacinta and Francisco that many people go to Hell because they have no one to pray or make sacrifices on their behalf. She then showed the children a glimpse of Hell which Sr. Lúcia describes in her book, Memoirs : [Mary] open

The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology , in honor of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, is making all twelve lessons of it's series The Bible and the Virgin Mary available to watch online from Wednesday, May 11th to Friday, May 13th. [See video below for the trailer.] While portions of this series are accessible on YouTube, this is a chance to view it in its entire original, unedited, presentation. From the series' website : 1. What is The Bible and the Virgin Mary ? Part of the St. Paul Center’s Journey Through Scripture program, The Bible and the Virgin Mary is a dynamic, beautifully shot, digital Bible study comprised of 12 different lessons, each roughly 25 minutes in length. Based upon the work of theologian Dr. Scott Hahn, this study is presented by speaker and author Matthew Leonard. It teaches Catholics how Marian doctrine and devotion are firmly rooted in Scripture and answers common objections from non-Catholics. The Bible and the Virgin Mary is based up

Icons represent and make present spiritual realities that are beyond us. Motherhood is a special icon of God's love. May mothers everywhere recognize their divine calling as models of love and selflessness within their families and to the world.  A blessed Mother's Day to all mothers!

Saint Louis-Marie Grignion de Montfort was born January 31, 1673 in Montfort-sur-Meu, France. At 12, he entered the Jesuit College of St Thomas Becket where he began his study of philosophy and theology. In 1693, thanks to a generous benefactor, Louis went to Paris to complete his priestly formation at the renowned Seminary of Saint-Sulpice. Upon arrival, he discovered his benefactor had not paid the tuition in full. As a result, Luis lodged in boarding houses, living among the poor, while attending lectures in theology at Sorbonne University. His seminary studies were interrupted by a two-year bout with illness, during which he nearly died. These experiences profoundly shaped Louis' spirituality and priesthood. Luis was ordained a priest in 1700. He is one of the earliest writers in the field of Mariology. His works include, The Love of Eternal Wisdom , The Secret of the Rosary , The Secret of Mary , and True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin . Luis spread devotion to the rosary

We all have "knots" in our lives, difficult circumstances or seemingly insurmountable problems, and Mary can untie them. The devotion to Mary, Undoer of Knots has become more popular ever since Pope Francis encouraged the devotion in Argentina, and then spoke about it during his first year as pontiff. The theology of the devotion actually goes back to the second century. Saint Irenaeus wrote that, "The knot of Eve’s disobedience was untied by the obedience of Mary; what the virgin Eve bound by her unbelief, the Virgin Mary loosened by her faith." Mary’s faith unties the knot of sin. We will pray that the Blessed Virgin Mary will intercede for us all, to untie the knots of sin in our lives – so that we may be purified and ever closer to God. This novena begins April 22nd. Click for daily reminders to pray this novena sent to your inbox . The Mary, Undoer of Knots Novena Daily Prayers Day 1 : Dearest Holy Mother, Most Holy Mary, you undo the kno

Via the World Apostolate of Fatima USA . The International Pilgrim Virgin Statue (IPVS) of Fatima was sculpted in 1947 by famous sculptor José Thedim. The image reflects the precise instructions of Sister Lucia (the surviving seer at Fatima). Her desire was that the pilgrim image represent Our Lady’s position when she revealed herself as the Immaculate Heart to the Shepherds in 1917. So many miracles and signal graces have been reported wherever the statue has traveled that, in 1951, Pope Pius XII remarked: " In 1946, we crowned Our Lady of Fatima as Queen of the World and the next year, through Her Pilgrim Statue, She set forth as though to claim Her dominion, and the favors She performs along the way are such that we can hardly believe what we are seeing with our eyes ." The tour begins during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. The Fatima message and Our Lady’s warnings of great evils that marked the 20th Century — WWII, famine, persecution of the Church, much suffering

Today, February 17, the Church in some dioceses remembers the seven noble Florentines who in the thirteenth century, at a time when Florence and all Italy was plunged in civil strife, joined together to found the Order of Servites of the Blessed Virgin Mary. These holy and devout young men; Bonfilius, Bonajuncta, Amideus, Hugh, Manettus, Soseneus, and Alexius, did so in the year 1240 after repeated apparitions from our Lady. The Servites are especially dedicated to penance and meditation on the sorrows of Mary in relation to the passion of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The order was approved by the Holy See in 1304. The first of the seven founders to be born into eternal life was Alexis Falconieri, who died on this date in 1310. Members of the Servite Order came to the United States in 1852 and established houses in New York and Philadelphia. The Servites combined monastic life and active ministry. In the monastery, their lives consisted of prayer, work and silence. Their men

This Sunday’s Gospel about the wedding feast at Cana was the subject of a thoughtful commentary by Venerable Bishop Fulton J. Sheen in his book The World’s First Love . The Venerable Bishop’s remarks cannot be improved upon. Rather, the following observations underscore Mary’s indispensable role in leading humanity to Christ, and Christ’s incomparable benevolence in showing us the way to the Father. 1. Jesus' first recorded miracle is at a wedding feast.  Sacred Scripture begins with a marriage, [the primordial marriage of Adam and Eve] and ends with the marriage supper of the Lamb in Revelation [where Christ (the Lamb) is eternally united with his Bride (the Church) in Heaven]. It is no accident that Christ's first recorded miracle happens amid a wedding celebration. Indeed, Christ’s actions prefigure the ultimate end of human history and the singular goal of Salvation History – namely the joining of God and man in the Beatific Vision. Moreover, Jesus’ miracle demonst