BIG C CATHOLICS

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...

For those interested in answering charges that the Catholic Church did little or nothing in response to child sex abuse scandals involving priests, Pope Benedict XVI and the Sexual Abuse Crisis by Gregory Erlandson and Matthew Bunson, is essential reading. Erlandson and Bunson take an unbiased look at the problem and objectively portray the Church's efforts to reform and to heal during the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI. The book makes seven essential points: The Church has always been confronted by the problem of sexual sin and failings among its clergy, and while the number of abusers has never been large, the Church has labored over the centuries to curb such abuses. Although modern Church leaders have made grievous mistakes, and the criminal acts of certain clergy have been overlooked or unaddressed in the past in too many dioceses, the Church is dedicated to redressing these wrongs and making sure that every safeguard is in place to protect children and families. Cardina...