BIG C CATHOLICS

This film is now on youtube: effectively highlighting the link between the eugenics movement and abortion. In short, the eugenics movement morphed into what today is now known as Planned Parenthood. Truly horrifying, this film is an eye opener. Being well read on the topic, some of this stuff is news to me. From the Discover Happiness Blog

There fared a mother driven forth Out of an inn to roam; In the place where she was homeless All men are at home. The crazy stable close at hand, With shaking timber and shifting sand, Grew a stronger thing to abide and stand Than the square stones of Rome. For men are homesick in their homes, And strangers under the sun, And they lay on their heads in a foreign land Whenever the day is done. Here we have battle and blazing eyes, And chance and honour and high surprise, But our homes are under miraculous skies Where the yule tale was begun. A Child in a foul stable, Where the beasts feed and foam; Only where He was homeless Are you and I at home; We have hands that fashion and heads that know, But our hearts we lost - how long ago! In a place no chart nor ship can show Under the sky's dome. This world is wild as an old wives' tale, And strange the plain things are, The earth is enough and the air is enough For our w...

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, longing to love Jesus as He had never been loved before, you gave yourself entirely to Him, refusing Him nothing. In union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, you accepted His call to satiate His infinite thirst for love and souls and become a carrier of His love to the poorest of the poor. With loving trust and total surrender you fulfilled His will, witnessing to the joy of belonging totally to Him. You became so intimately united to Jesus your crucified Spouse that He deigned to share with you the agony of His Heart as He hung upon the Cross.

Can you imagine what it would be like to be out walking one day and suddenly see a woman of perfect demeanor, her clothes shining like the sun? Well, this is pretty much what happened in 1531. Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a recent native convert, on Tepeyac Hill, in what is not Mexico City. She asked that Juan go to his bishop and ask that a church be built there, a “house for her son.” When the bishop asked for a sign, the woman told Juan to fill his cloak with flowers that appeared miraculously on the hill. Returning to the bishop, Juan opened his cloak to find not only the flowers but also an image of Mary, “clothed with the sun with the moon at her feet,” on his cloak. On Tepeyac Hill, Mary identified herself as Our Lady of Guadalupe, and she appeared at a time when human sacrifice was part of the native Aztec culture. It has been estimated that one out of every five children was sacrificed to the Aztecs’ gods. The image on Juan Diego’s cloak conveyed an important message to t...

Check out this inspiring video about pro-life Chile. H/T That the Bones You Have Crushed May Thrill

In the early Church, four different "comings" or manifestations of the Lord were celebrated all as one feast on January 6th. The birth of the Lord, the visit of the magi, his baptism, and his miracle at Cana. The feast was named "Epiphany" - a Greek word meaning "showing, manifestation." Epiphany became, along with Easter, a traditional date for baptism. Just as the baptisms at Easter were prepared for by a time of fasting and penance (Lent) so the baptisms at Epiphany were prepared for by a time of fasting and penance called "Advent" (from a Latin word meaning "coming"). Gradually, in many places, Christ's birth was given its own feast day on December 25th and the season of Advent shifted to a time of preparation for this feast. Over the years, Advent became less and less a carbon copy of Lent (fasting and penance) and more a time of prayer and reflection to appreciate the meaning of Christ's coming at Bethlehem, and his co...

Today (Dec. 8th) is the fest of the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception is, according to Roman Catholic Dogma, the conception of the Virgin Mary without any stain (macula in Latin) of original sin. The dogma states that, from the first moment of her existence, she was preserved by God from the lack of sanctifying grace that afflicts mankind, and that she was instead filled with divine grace. It is further believed by Catholics that she lived a life completely free from sin. Her immaculate conception in the womb of her mother, through sexual intercourse, may be contrasted with the doctrine of the virginal conception of her son Jesus, known as the Annunciation, and followed by the Virgin Birth. The dogma is based upon the following text from Luke; The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said,“Hail, full of grace! The Lo...

By George Weigel Here is what the New York Times reported to its readers on November 21: "Pope Benedict XVI has said that condom use can be justified in some cases to help stop the spread of AIDS . . . ." No, the pope did not say that in his new book, Light of the World, to which I had the honor of contributing a foreword. Here is what the pope actually wrote, answering two questions from German journalist Peter Seewald: Seewald : On the occasion of your trip to Africa in March 2009, the Vatican's policy on Aids once again became the target of media criticism. Twenty-five percent of all Aids victims around the world today are treated in Catholic facilities. In some countries, such as Lesotho, for example, the statistic is 40 percent. In Africa you stated that the Church's traditional teaching has proven to be the only sure way to stop the spread of HIV. Critics, including critics from the Church's own ranks, object that it is madness to forbid a high-ris...

Scholars tell us that Luke probably wrote his gospel some 55 years after the Resurrection. Therefore, it is unlikely he witnessed the ministry of Jesus. But he assures us in the early verses of his Gospel that he has examined things "from the beginning," and has gone over "everything," and made sure to do so "accurately." The Church teaches that Luke and the other biblical authors were "inspired." This doesn't mean God dictated word for word, but rather the Holy Spirit gave special guidance to the authors so that they (each with their own style and limitations), ultimately taught what God wanted taught. We also believe that this same Spirit is active in us when we read Scripture

The news of the universal prayer for Nascent life on the evening of 27th November was unprecendented in the Church's history. Pope Benedict has asked all dioceses to organise local prayer vigils around the world. How exciting a development this is. This excellent website allows people to write a letter of thanks to Pope Benedict for organising such a great initiative. It states that without God's help you cannot win this battle and highlights the great need for this initiative. How true, that the author of life will guide us towards victory in defending our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. H/T Love Undefiled

From "Mary the Ark of the New Covenant by Steve Ray (Editor's note: As explained below, the Ark of the Covenant contained the Ten Commandments the sign of the Covenant God made with Moses. The Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been compared to a new Ark of the Covenant in carrying Christ in her womb. Just as the Ark of the Covenant bore the Ten Commandments; Mary bears Christ within her. Parallels between the Ark of the Covenant and Mary are found throughout Scripture. Any first century Jew would recognize the similarities.) God loved his people and wanted to be close to them. He chose to do so in a very special way. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "The prayer of the people of God flourished in the shadow of the dwelling place of God’s presence on earth, the ark of the covenant and the temple, under the guidance of their shepherds, especially King David, and of the prophets" (CCC 2594). God instructed Moses to build a tabernacle surrounded by heav...

The Ark of the Covenant is a container described in the Bible as containing the tablets of stone on which were inscribed the Ten Commandments as well as Aaron’s rod and manna. According to the Pentateuch, the Ark was built at the command of God in accord with Moses’' prophetic vision on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 25: 10-16). God communicated with Moses "from between the two cherubim on the Ark's cover (Exodus 25:22). The Ark and its sanctuary were "the beauty of Israel" (Lamentations 2:1). The Biblical account relates that during the exodus of the Israelites, the Ark was carried by the priests (Numbers 35:5; Joshua 4:5) in advance of the people and their army or host (Num. 4:5-6; 10:33-36; Psalms 68:1; 132:8). When the Ark was borne by priests into the bed of the Jordan, the river was separated, opening a pathway for the whole of the host to pass over (Josh. 3:15-16; 4:7-18). The Ark was borne in a seven-day procession around the wall of Jericho by seven priests sou...

Thought of the Day If we have any natural defect, either in mind or body, let us not grieve and feel sorry for ourselves. Who can tell whether, if we had been given a larger share of ability or stronger health, or greater wealth, we would have possessed them to the destruction of our soul! -- St. Alphonsus Liguori

St.   Damien of Molokai Joseph de Veuster was a Belgian missionary priest working among the islanders of Honolulu. His bishop had trouble finding a priest to work in the leper settlement of Molokai. Joseph, better known as Father Damien, volunteered to go and work in the “living graveyard that was Molokai.” His solidarity with the lepers was so complete that he contracted the disease himself and died at the age of forty-nine in service to the poorest and most abandoned. Some of his contemporaries accused him of imprudence and foolhardiness. Today, however, he is recognized worldwide as a hero of the faith: Damien the Leper. Father Damien made a total life commitment to the poor long before the church recognized the preferential option for the poor as a pillar of the church”s social teaching. The Gospels teach us that as Christians we should give priority to the poor in the way we administer and dispense our resources. This is what we see in today’s gospel reading. Some...

All SOULS DAY REFLECTION If you were to collect all the passages about death and the afterlife in the Bible, you would still not have a clear picture about what the experience of death is like or what we can expect life to be like after we have died. Obviously God has had no intention of revealing very much about these two basic experiences, even though humans have speculated and written much about them. Death is an impenetrable wall or abyss that exists between us and the afterlife, at least as our knowledge is concerned. We are, however, asked to reflect on what precedes and what follows the experience of death itself. With regard to what precedes death, we are encouraged to reflect on God's mercy and goodness, not on our failures, torments, and trials of the past. The prophet Jeremiah rejects the thoughts that bring despair, regret, and depression; instead he fills his heart with the positive qualities of God: "His mercies are not spent; they are...

Reading:  Saint Paul's Letter to the Galatians 5:18-25 Brothers and sisters: If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Now the works of the flesh are obvious: impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness,  dissensions, factions, occasions of envy,  drinking bouts, orgies, and the like.  I warn you, as I warned you before,  that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,  faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh  with its passions and desires.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit. Reflection: The final selection from Paul’s letter to the Galatian Christians softens the tone of the earlier chapters. ...

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life, And for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, Yet I rejoice that you have conquered death by the Resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part in ending abortion. Today I commit myself Never to be silent, Never to be passive, Never to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, And never to stop defending life Until all my brothers and sisters are protected, And our nation once again becomes A nation with liberty and justice Not just for some, but for all, Through Christ our Lord. Amen!

St. Athanasius Thought of the Day Devils take great delight in fullness, and drunkeness, and bodily comfort. Fasting possesses great power and it works glorious things. To fast is to banquet with angels. -- St. Athanasius.

BISHOP FULTON J. SHEEN Christian love bears evil, but it does not tolerate it. It does penance for the sins of others, but it is not broadminded about sin. The cry for tolerance never induces it to quench its hatred of the evil philosophies that have entered into contest with the Truth. It forgives the sinner, and it hates the sin; it is unmerciful to the error in his mind. The sinner it will always take back into the bosom of the Mystical Body; but his lie will never be taken into the treasury of His Wisdom. Real love involves real hatred: whoever has lost the power of moral indignation and the urge to drive the buyers and sellers from the temples has also lost a living, fervent love of Truth. Charity, then, is not a mild philosophy of "live and let live"; it is not a species of sloppy sentiment. Charity is the infusion of the Spirit of God, which makes us love the beautiful and hate the morally ugly. H/T Catholic Education: www.catholiceduction....

By Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori The practice of recommending to God the souls in Purgatory, that He might mitigate the great pains which they suffer, and that He may soon bring them to His glory, is most pleasing to the Lord and most profitable to us. For these blessed souls are His eternal spouses, and most grateful are they to those who obtain their deliverance from prison, or even a mitigation of their torments. When, therefore, they arrive in Heaven, they will be sure to remember all who have prayed for them. It is a pious belief that God manifests to them our prayers in their behalf, that they may also pray for us. It is true that these blessed souls are not in a state to pray for themselves, because they are atoning for their faults. However, because they are very dear to God, they can pray for us, and obtain for us the divine graces. Saint Catherine of Bologna, when she wished to obtain any grace, had recourse to the souls in Purgatory, and her prayers were heard immediate...

Most people know that St. Elizabeth Ann Seton was the first American-born person to be declared a saint (she was canonized on September 14, 1975) and that she is regarded as being one of the driving forces behind the rise of parochial education in the United States. They are also aware that she was the foundress of the American Sisters of Charity, which was the first order of sisters native to the U.S. What many may not realize, however, is that her road to sainthood was paved with difficulties that sound quite modern in their familiarity. Born the second daughter of a prominent Anglican family in New York in 1774, she suffered the death of her mother in 1777, most likely as a result of childbirth. The woman that her father married in 1778, Charlotte Barclay, never accepted the children from her husband’s first marriage. That marriage eventually ended in a separation due to irreconcilable conflicts. Elizabeth suffered greatly as a result of all this, to the point of being ...

SCRIPTURE: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, “Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.” Luke 16:19-24 (NIV) TRANSITION: As a means to bring home a lesson from this scripture I would like to ask a couple of questions. Do you use or have used an alarm clock to wake you up in the morning? A lot of alarm clocks have a button on them called a snooze alarm. When your alarm goes off, you can hit that button and go back to sleep. In ...

A great doctor of the Church, St. Anselm, declares that a single Mass offered for oneself during life may be worth more than a thousand celebrated for the same intention after death. St. Leonard of Port Maurice supports this statement by saying that one Mass before death may be more profitable than many after it. "When we receive Holy Communion, we experience something extraordinary - a joy, a fragrance, a well being that thrills the whole body and causes it to exalt." ~ Saint Jean Vianney~ "The celebration of Holy Mass is as valuable as the death of Jesus on the cross." ~Saint Thomas Aquinas~ "If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy." ~ Saint Jean Vianney~ "There is nothing so great as the Eucharist. If God had something more precious, He would have given it to us." ~ Saint Jean Vianney~ "It would be easier for the world to survive without the sun than to do without Holy Mass. " ~St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Pa...

From Sue Cifelli: At the hour of death the Holy Masses you have heard devoutly will be your greatest consolation. Every Mass will go with you to Judgement and will plead for pardon for you. By every Mass you can diminish the temporal punishment due to your sins, more or less, according to your fervour. By devoutly assisting at Holy Mass you render the greatest homage possible to the Sacred Humanity of Our Lord. Through the Holy Sacrifice, Our Lord Jesus Christ supplies for many of your negligences an omissions. He forgives you all the venial sins which you are determined to avoid. He forgives you all your unknown sins which you never confessed. The power of Satan over you is diminished. By piously hearing Holy Mass you afford the Souls in Purgatory the greatest possible relief. Through Holy Mass you are preserved from many dangers and misfortunes which would otherwise have befallen you. You shorten your Purgatory by every Mass. Through the Holy Mass you are blessed i...

The Seven Dolors of Mary are... 1. The Prophecy of Simeon. 2. The Flight into Egypt. 3. The Loss of the Child Jesus 4. The Meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross. 5. The Crucifixion 6. Jesus' body Struck by a Lance, Taken Down from the Cross 7. The Burial of Jesus.

The tradition of the Oplatki originated in Poland during Early Christian times. This Christmas Custom began with a simple white wafer, baked from flour and water. The wafers are wonderfully designed to display Christmas images, such as the Nativity. The Oplatki are enjoyed by families, typically right before the Christmas Eve meal. The entire family will gather around the table with the Oplatek. Generally the eldest member of the family will begin the ritual by breaking off a piece of the wafer and passing it to another family member with a blessing. This blessing can simply consist of what you desire for your loved one in the upcoming year – whether it be good health, success, or happiness. The purpose of this act is primarily to express ones unconditional love and forgiveness for each member of his or her family. The significance of the Oplatki Christmas wafer is in that it shadows the Eucharistic meal that Catholics participate in at each Mass. Just as we share in the Eucharist as...

This is a compelling documentary about abortion. Warning graphic images.

EDINBURGH, Scotland (CNS) -- Arriving in Scotland on the first leg of a four-day visit to Great Britain, Pope Benedict XVI appealed for preservation of the country's long Christian tradition and warned against "aggressive" forms of secularism and atheism. "Your forefathers' respect for truth and justice, for mercy and charity come to you from a faith that remains a mighty force for good in your kingdom, to the great benefit of Christians and non-Christians alike," the pope said Sept. 16 at a reception with Queen Elizabeth II and more than 400 distinguished guests at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital. The pope evoked the moral heroism of a long line of British figures, from Florence Nightingale to Cardinal John Henry Newman, whom the pope was to beatify during the visit. Christian witness was also evident during World War II against a "Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God from society," he said. "As we reflect on the sobe...

O God, we acknowledge you today as Lord, Not only of individuals, but of nations and governments. We thank you for the privilege Of being able to organize ourselves politically And of knowing that political loyalty Does not have to mean disloyalty to you. We thank you for your law, Which our Founding Fathers acknowledged And recognized as higher than any human law. We thank you for the opportunity that this election year puts before us, To exercise our solemn duty not only to vote, But to influence countless others to vote, And to vote correctly. Lord, we pray that your people may be awakened. Let them realize that while politics is not their salvation, Their response to you requires that they be politically active. Awaken your people to know that they are not called to be a sect fleeing the world But rather a community of faith renewing the world. Awaken them that the same hands lifted up to you in prayer Are the hands that pull the lever in the voting booth; That the same eyes ...

Excellent clip from the film Abortion Matrix which discusses abortion from a biblical world view.

Thought of the Day Believe me, the writing of pious books, the composing of the sublimest poetry; all that does not equal the smallest act of self-denial -- St Therese of Lisieux

As Pope Benedict prepares to visit England later this September, we offer this prayer for his pontificate: Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as successor to the Apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love, and peace for all the world. Amen V/ Let us pray for Benedict, the pope. R/ May the Lord preserve him, give him a long life, made him blessed upon the earth, and not hand him over to the power of his enemies. V/ May your hand be upon your holy servant. R/ And upon your son, whom you have anointed.

This is a humorous video showing how even children know the unborn child is a living breathing human being and not merely a blob of cells.

Fr. Rene Butler Jesus says we cannot be his disciples unless we “hate” our father, mother, sister, brother. This is an excellent illustration of how different our culture today is from that of the ancient Middle East. It is hard enough for us to understand the Middle East today. One of my cousins is married to a woman of Lebanese descent. She dislikes funerals the way they are celebrated in our culture. She told me, “When my husband dies, I’ll be wailing and screaming and throwing myself on the coffin.” It’s the only way of grieving that makes sense to her. “What makes sense, what is obvious and natural,” is an important distinctive element of every culture. Now go back 2000 years. No wonder the Bible is so hard for us to understand at times. It reflects a different world, a different time, a different culture. The French have no word that means “home” in the complete sense, with all the emotional components the English word implies. Some words are truly untranslatable in any exac...

Seeking Spiritual Stability in the Lord. Philippians 4:1-7 The Apostle Paul was a great ambassador for the Christian faith. Paul’s desire was never to elevate himself, but only to encourage others to seek and know the Lord Jesus Christ in their daily lives. In Philippians 4:1-7 Paul encouraged 4 attitudes that would lead to spiritual stability in the Lord. They are: 1. Unity in the Lord 4:1-3 2. Joyfulness in the Lord 4:4 3. Gentleness in the Lord 4:5 4. Prayerfulness in the Lord 4:6-7 The means by which we can stand fast in the Lord is being united, joyful, gentle, and prayerful. May God challenge each of us in these areas today. Finding Contentment in the Lord. Philippians 4:10-23 Have any of you ever heard of Fanny Crosby? She was a great writer of gospel songs who was blinded when only 6 week old by a country doctor who thought he was treating her with eye drops. Yet her indomitable, unyielding attitude soon manifested itself. At age 8 she wrote this poem: “Oh what a h...