BIG C CATHOLICS

David Mills, a convert to Catholicism, takes readers on a systematic, faith filled journey to discover Mary, the mother of God, as found in Sacred Scripture, tradition, and Church teaching. Delving into the Gospels, Mills examines Mary in the life of Jesus, as a mother, a wife, a devout Jew, and a follower of Christ. Mills continues, looking at the development of Marianology and Marian doctrine as seen in the life of the Church. This book is perfect for those who are skeptical of Catholic devotion to Mary. The author admits to sharing this skepticism before discovering and understanding the reasons behind this devotion. Readers are taken on a step by step approach, looking at Mary from different vantage points, to see the “new Eve” in all her theological significance. Discovering Mary is written in a scholarly but straight-forward way. I highly recommend it. To purchase this book go here or visit the Catholic Company for similar items.

I want to draw your attention to a new feature on this blog. On the left side beneath the picture of Mother Teresa is the "bookshelf." Every time I review a new book of interest to Catholics I'll add it to the bookshelf. Just click on a book to read a review. I typically review 1-2 books a month so look for new reviews every 2 to 3 weeks. Also, to see all reviews I've written go to the search box beneath the archives section, type the word "review" and hit return. All reviews will be displayed. To purchase any book visit the Catholic Company .

LET US PRAY This prayer is originally from a longer prayer of the 15th century and was popularized in the 17th century by Fr. Claude Bernard, who is said to have learned it from his father. Memorare Remember, O Most Gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help or sought Thy intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother; to Thee do I come, before thee I kneel, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in Thy clemency, hear and answer me Amen.

Many people have commented lately on a growing lack of civility in our public discourse. Is it true and what are we to make of it? Lack of charity is nothing new. It has been with us from the beginning. This doesn’t excuse sin, in all its various incarnations – including intemperance, selfishness, and incivility - are impermissible. It does suggest, however, that the dearth in social graces and the coarsening of our culture is being accelerated by a number of forces. These include communication technology, the twenty-four hour news cycle, cults of celebrity that exonerate bad behavior, and a creeping permissiveness that desensitizes us to acts of inhumanity and rudeness – including our own. The internet, blackberries, instant messaging, camera phones and more were unimaginable a generation ago. We now have the ability to receive and respond to information immediately. In our professional relationships, to take one example, if we waited days before responding to an email it might be con

Dear Readers, If you or a loved one are in need of prayers for any reason click the feedback button on the left sidebar. Enter "Prayer Request" in the subject line then type your request. Prayers will be offered for your intention. Yours in Christ, Dumb Ox

Francis Arinze became the youngest Roman Catholic bishop in the world when he was ordained to the episcopate on 29 August 1965, at the age of 32. He was appointed titular bishop of Fissiana, and named coadjutor to the Archbishop of Onitsha, Nigeria. He attended the final session of the Second Vatican Council in that same year along with the 45 year old Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II. Following the death of the Archbishop of Onitsha in February 1967, Arinze was appointed to the position a few months later, on 26 June 1967. He was the first native African to head his diocese, succeeding Archbishop Charles Heery, an Irish missionary. On 8 April 1985, Arinze resigned from his post in Onitsha, and the Pope named him a Cardinal Deacon, with the title of S. Giovanni della Pigna, little more than a month later in the consistory held on 25 May 1985; he was raised to the rank of Cardinal Priest in 1996. Two days following his elevation to Cardinal Deaco

Besides Jesus, there may be no better model for priests than St. John Vianney, who is the patron of parish priests. Only a handful of parish priests have been canonized. Most are religious priests, missionaries, bishops, cardinals and popes. Vianney lived from 1786 to 1859. For forty-one years, he was the Cure (pastor) of the French town of Ars. He is known for his prayerfulness and piety. People would travel for miles to attend his Masses, hear him preach, and go to confession. As a result, the small town of Ars became a center of virtue and faithfulness. There is an excellent novena in honor of Saint John Vianney here .

Fr. Phillip Neri Powell The following is an excerpt from the article “Advice from Fr. Philip Neri’s Confessional,” by Fr. Philip Neri Powell, O.P., Ph.D. It's quite long but well worth the read. Visit his website here . Go here for the previous post in this series. III. Resisting Temptation 9. Temptation : Temptation is the pressure we feel when our disordered desires rise up and urge us to indulge them against God’s will for us. Entertaining a temptation is not a sin. Merely thinking about lying is not the sin of lying. However, if you decide to lie and do so “in your heart,” then you have lied whether you actually give voice to the lie or not. 10. Resistance : When you resist temptation on your own you are rejecting God’s grace and denying the victory of the Cross. There is no reason to resist temptation. You are perfectly free not to sin. Rather than steel yourself against temptation and fight like mad to resist the sin, turn and face the temptation square on. Name it. Hand it

Matthew Coffin Previously, we talked about how Adam, after naming all the animals did not find a partner suitable for him. Let us review the relevant passages of scripture immediately following the creation of man: The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it. The LORD God gave man this order: "You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die." The LORD God said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him. So the LORD God formed out of the ground various wild animals and various birds of the air, and he brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each of them would be its name. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of the air, and all the wild animals; but none proved to be the s

Much has been written about Senator Edward M. Kennedy in the aftermath of his death last month. I reflected on his life and legacy here . Much of the press and remembrances were laudatory. Some commentators did not indulge in hero worship, however, in offering more sober assessments. One of them even took the diocese of Boston to task. Colleen Carroll Campbell, a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, has written that not all Catholics mourn the death of "Camelot." Go here to read her article. Rev. Michael P. Orsi, a priest, teaches law at Ave Maria School of Law. He writes that granting Edward Kennedy an elaborate funeral was an occasion of scandal for the Church. See his article here . On Sunday the American Thinker published an article entitled " Senator Kennedy's Final Attempt at Salvation ."

Matthew Coffin Last time, we discussed the first creation account in Genesis as creation from God’s point of view. Today we will examine the second creation account found in Genesis 2 and 3. The second creation account is older than the first. God creates man out of the dust of the ground and breathes His spirit or life into Adam. Adam at this point, while he has a body and is therefore an “embodied” person, is neither male nor female. God presents Adam with all the animals of the garden for Adam to name. This is significant on several levels. First of all, for the ancient Hebrews, to name something or someone was to be responsible for it. God gave important figures in the Old Testament new names to signify the transformative relationship when we encounter the Divine. Parents name their children – signaling in part a responsibility to nurture their offspring. In the New Testament, Simon becomes Peter after his encounter with Christ. So Adam naming the animals signifies he has stewardsh

Thought of the Day It is easier to look wise than to talk wisely. -- St Ambrose of Milan

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- No one would ever mistake St. Peter's Square for Giants Stadium. But for centuries, the Vatican has hosted countless competitions and dozens of high-caliber athletes -- most of them lay employees, some of them monsignors and popes. Because so few people know about the sporty side of the Vatican and because much of it is oral history that needs to be preserved, one Vatican employee has decided to publish his research. Roberto Calvigioni, department head of sound engineering at Vatican Radio, spoke with the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, this summer about the soccer champs, black belts, tennis aces and cycling stars who will appear in his book, which, he explained, is still in the works. Pope John Paul II obviously stands out as the most athletic pope in memory: He was an avid skier, soccer player, swimmer and hiker. Pope Pius XI loved mountaineering. He was the first to summit Switzerland's highest mountain, Monte Rosa, from the eastern slope.

Matthew Coffin The book of Genesis features two accounts of creation. Detractors of Christianity, and even some Christians, claim these stories contradict each other by telling different versions of the same event – namely, when God created the world. The two creation accounts also pose a challenge to fundamentalists who hold a literal interpretation of the Bible. Pope John Paul II showed how the two creation stories in Genesis are complimentary and not contradictory. The first creation account (Genesis 1:1-2:9) is called the Elohist account since the term used for God is “Elohim.” It is chronologically newer than the second creation account starting at Genesis 2:10. The second creation account is called the Yawhist account since the name used for God in that story is “Yahweh.” The Elohist account or first creation story is creation from God’s point of view. God separates the light from the darkness, divides the waters, creates the sun, moon, and stars, land, vegetation, the birds of

Ever been at a loss when someone attacks your faith and beliefs? The Essential Catholic Survival Guide is a good resource to combat questions, challenges, and misconceptions about Catholicism and the Catholic Church’ Indexed according to topic in a “question and answer” format, it allows the reader to find the right answer to any question quickly. Topics covered include the following: · The Church and the papacy · Scripture and Tradition · Mary and the saints · The sacraments · Salvation · Last things · Morality and science · Anti-Catholicism · Non-Catholic churches and movements · Practical apologetics Many of the answers provided in this book are in-depth and technical. I found it profitable nonetheless – especially as a reference tool. To purchase this book go here or visit the Catholic Company for similar items.

Thought of the Day You ask me a method of attaining perfection. I know of love - and only love. Love can do all things -- St Therese of Lisieux

Fr. Phillip Neri Powell The following is an excerpt from the article “Advice from Fr. Philip Neri’s Confessional,” by Fr. Philip Neri Powell, O.P., Ph.D. It's quite long but well worth the read. Visit his website here . Go here for the previous post in this series. 6. Gossip : What sin does gossip pervert? Gossip tends to pervert the gift of Truth, or in other words, gossip distorts our view of objective reality in favor of the illusions generated by lust, envy, jealousy, etc. Depending on the subject of the gossip, gossip is exciting b/c there is the great potential there for making oneself look good or better in front of friends. It is important to us that we appear to be “hooked in,” so we gossip. Gossip, in its worse form, is also a form of tearing people down—lying exaggerating, etc. all build up a false picture that then gets used to make rash judgments. Advice: St. Philip Neri once took a penitent to the top of his church. He handed the woman a feather pillow and told her t

Fr. Rene Butler In Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Miranda, who has never set eyes on another human being but her father and, only recently, Fernando, suddenly finds herself among a group of men, and exclaims: “How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world, That has such people in it!” [Note: “brave” here means “fine, beautiful.”] Isaiah 35:5-6 presents a wonderful vision of a brave new world: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing.” We see this fulfilled in Jesus healings, which lead us to hope for a better world. If you could change just one thing about the world, what evil would you eliminate? Sickness and disease, even death? We can imagine people living a healthy life and then, when the time comes, just passing peacefully to the next life in their sleep. This would mean eliminating hunger, the cause of so much sickness and disease in

A new movie is being planned about Our Lady of Guadalupe, so-named for an appearance of the Virgin Mary near Mexico City in 1531 that’s credited with converting nine million indigenous Mexicans to Christianity. The film, still untitled, will be produced by Mpower Pictures, the company that was launched with the pro-life movie "Bella" in 2006 and founded by "The Passion of the Christ" producer Steve McEveety. For more on Our Lady of Guadalupe go here .

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI decried the absurdity of war and called on people to embrace forgiveness, peace and reconciliation. Speaking in Polish to pilgrims attending his Sept. 2 general audience, the German-born pope recalled that Sept. 1 marked the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II. "The human tragedies and the absurdity of war remain in people's memories," he said. The pope was 12 years old and lived in Bavaria when the war began. "Let us ask God that the spirit of forgiveness, peace and reconciliation pervades the hearts of all people," he added. He said, "Europe and the world today need a spirit of communion," which should be built upon Christ, his Gospel, charity and truth. Read full article ...

Thought of the Day The good Shepherd lays down his life, says the Lord, that is, his physical life, for His sheep; this he does because of his authority and love. Both in fact, are required: that they should be ruled by him, and that he should love them. The first without the second is not enough. Christ stands out for us as the example of this teaching: if Christ laid down his life for us, so we also ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. -- St. Thomas Aquinas

IV Concluding Rite Immediately after the Communion Rite, should there be any announcements, these are made, but should be kept brief. Then just as the people were greeted at the beginning of the Mass, so now the presider greets the people again and blesses them in one of three forms, the simple one, or at his discretion a more solemn Blessing, particularly at various seasons or on specific feast days, or a Prayers over the people. Includes the following: Blessing and Dismissal The Priest says again "The Lord be with you." The ritual phrase now serves as a farewell, followed by a blessing. The blessing prays that the grace God has given us in this part of our lives will benefit us because this is what we sacrificed with Christ in the Eucharist to the Father through the Holy Spirit.

Staten Island, NY – Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, commented today on the pending Montana Supreme Court case that could establish a so called state constitutional right to assisted suicide. “Assisted suicide is an act that violates the victim’s dignity,” said Fr. Pavone. “It is a declaration that a person’s life is worthless and devoid of respect. If the Montana constitution states that the dignity of every human is inviolable, then there can be no room in that constitution for the protection of a fabricated ‘right’ that threatens the very existence of the disabled and medically vulnerable.” Priests for Life is the nation's largest Catholic pro-life organization dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia. For more information, visit http://www.priestsforlife.org/

The Visitation, Luke 1:39-56 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice saying, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Prayer for the Unborn in Danger of Abortion Prayer for the unborn baby by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen to our Lady of Guadalupe Intercessor for the Unborn Jesus Mary and Joseph; I love you very much, I beg you to spare the life of the unborn bady that I have spiritually adopted; who is in danger of abortion - Amen Say this prayer each day for one year and a child in danger of abortion will be saved.

I want to draw your attention to an icon on the left side bar beneath the feedback button. It contains a link to the virtual rosary website. The virtual rosary is downloadable software that enables you to say all twenty mysteries of the holy rosary as well as the divine mercy chaplet. I have used it myself for years and find it a very helpful prayer aid. Other features allow you to say the rosary in a host of languages. Additionally, you may log on to the site and make prayer requests that are entered into a world wide prayer cast so that others will see and pray for your intentions. I encourage you to download the program and let others know about it as well. Go here for more information and to download the virtual rosary.

Fr. Anthony Percy From The Theology of the Body Made Simple by Fr. Anthony Percy: "...Adam awakes from the divine sleep to find that God has been at work fashioning Eve. Adam sees her and is really delighted. "At last," he says, "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." Adam notices two things about this new creature. She is the same, but different. She is a woman. She is human, to be sure, but she looks different. Adam is immediately attracted to her. We are told that henceforth man will leave father and mother and cleave to his wife. The man and woman, we are told, become one flesh. ...All this enables us to see the deep connection between Original Solitude and Original Unity. On the one hand, Adam experiences that he is unique in creation: he is alone with God like no other creature is. On the other hand, his experience tells him that something is lacking in his life... He feels alone. With the help of God he searches for this other. In fact, the biblical t