BIG C CATHOLICS

In honor of Saint John Bosco's feast day, here are twenty-five quotations from the priest and gifted teacher who was a father to the fatherless. Without confidence and love, there can be no true education. If you want to be loved…you must love yourselves, and make your children feel that you love them. *** My life experience has been that only the practice of religion can assure concord in families and the happiness of those who live in this valley of tears. ***  The school was not the end; it was rather the instrumental means for improving the way of life. ***  Be brave and try to detach your heart from worldly things. Do your utmost to banish darkness from your mind and come to understand what true, selfless piety is. Through confession, endeavor to purify your heart of anything which may still taint it. Enliven your faith, which is essential to understand and achieve piety. ***  If one is to do good, he must have a little courage, be ready for sac...

Today’s feast of Saint John Bosco is superseded by the Sunday liturgy. We present his biography in homage to the courageous life and lasting legacy of this popular saint. "In his life the supernatural became the natural and the extraordinary the ordinary." So spoke Pope Pius XI of the beloved Don Bosco, renowned for his educational pioneering and his affectionate care for the fatherless. Born Giovanni Melchior Bosco in 1815, the future saint was the youngest son of a peasant farmer in the hamlet of Becchi, in the Piedmont district of north Italy. He lost his father at the age of two and was brought up by a devoted and industrious mother, Margaret Bosco, who had a hard struggle maintaining the home and the three children, all of them boys. A dream that little Giovanni had at the age of nine revealed to him his vocation. He seemed to be surrounded by a mob of fighting and swearing children whom he tried in vain to pacify, at first by arguments and then by hitting them. Su...

Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) We have strong feelings when we discover that someone has lied to us or deceived us. We want the truth, even the unpleasant and painful truth. You want your doctor to tell you that you have cancer. How would you feel if you had terminal cancer and your doctor did not tell you? It’s far better to be told the truth than to be consoled with a pleasant lie. If your child’s teacher calls you and tells you that your child is failing in school you would, of course, be upset. But if your child were failing how would you feel if the teacher simply allowed you to feel good without knowing the truth? Now, while we agree with that in principle, there are facts we don’t want to hear. We don’t even want to discuss them. We would rather that they were buried, or that somehow they would go away where we didn’t have to pay attention to them. It brings to mind the phrase we’ve all heard: “My mind is...

Please remember the Holy Father Pope Francis' intentions in prayer through the month of February: General Intention : That we may take good care of creation – a gift freely given–cultivating and protecting it for future generations. ***  Missionary Intention : That opportunities may increase for dialogue and encounter between the Christian faith and the peoples of Asia.

Grant, O Lord my God, that I may never fall away in success or in failure; that I may not be prideful in prosperity nor dejected in adversity. Let me rejoice only in what unites us and sorrow only in what separates us. May I strive to please no one or fear to displease anyone except Yourself. May I see always the things that are eternal and never those that are only temporal. May I shun any joy that is without You and never seek any that is beside You. O Lord, may I delight in any work I do for You and tire of any rest that is apart from You. My God, let me direct my heart towards You, and in my failings, always repent with a purpose of amendment. Amen. — St. Thomas Aquinas 

St. Thomas Aquinas, the universal teacher and one of the most brilliant minds to ever contemplate the ways of God, dispensed wisdom and common sense. In honor of his feast day, here are twenty-five quotes from the Angelic Doctor. To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.  *** The soul is like an uninhabited world that comes to life only when God lays His head against us.  *** There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.  *** Fear is such a powerful emotion for humans that when we allow it to take us over, it drives compassion right out of our hearts.  *** Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious. *** Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracin...

Saint Thomas Aquinas [1225-1274] was born in 1225 at the castle of Roccasecca, in Italy. He dedicated his life to creating a complete synthesis of Catholic philosophy and theology. Although humble and quiet, Aquinas possessed one of the most intellectually curious minds in history. He is regarded as the Catholic Church's greatest theologian, philosopher and jurist. In 1244, Aquinas joined the nascent Dominican Order. Nick named the "Dumb Ox" by classmates, in undeserved derision, one of his lecturers, St.Albertus Magnus, exclaimed in reply: "You call him the dumb ox, but in his teaching he will one day produce such a bellowing that it will be heard throughout the world." Aquinas' greatest work, the  Summa Theologica is the definitive text for those studying to be priests. It is a work universally revered and consulted by adherents of multiple faiths, as well as those who profess none. Aquinas is the pride of the Dominican Orders. In addition to his inte...

Saint Angela Merici was born in northern Italy in the year 1474. At age 15, she and her older sister were left orphans. A short time later, her sister would die without receiving Last Rites. Angela was most alarmed by this and prayed fervently for her sister’s soul. By God’s grace, Angela received a vision confirming her sister was indeed in heaven among the saints. Angela dedicated her life to Christ; spending countless hours educating and tending to the needs of poor women and girls. In Crete, on a trip to the Holy Land, she was struck blind [praying in front of a crucifix]. Friends urged her to return home but Angela continued the pilgrimage with as much devotion as if she could see. Upon her return, Angela’s sight was restored while praying in front of a crucifix at the same place where she was struck blind. At age 57, she founded the first teaching order of religious sisters in the Church as well as the first “secular institute” of religious women. The Life of St. Angela Mer...

Saint Timothy was born in Galatia in Asia Minor, [present day Turkey] the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. He was later baptized and ordained to the priesthood by Saint Paul, his mentor and advisor. Timothy replaced Barnabas as Paul's missionary companion and in time became his most beloved spiritual son. He accompanied Paul on numerous missionary journeys and according to tradition was the bishop of Ephesus. St. Timothy was stoned to death for denouncing the worship of the goddess Diana during the festival of Katagogian in the year 96. Saint Titus was a convert from paganism who worked with St. Paul on many apostolic missions. He served as bishop of Crete, a challenging ministry because of the nature of the inhabitants and the spread of erroneous doctrines there. St. Paul's writings show that St. Titus rejoiced in seeing the good in others and inspired great admiration for his compassionate teaching and affectionate sympathy. The Life of St. Timothy Timothy ...

One of the most brilliant minds in the history of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas was born in 1225 at the castle of Roccasecca, in the present day Lazio region of Italy, the youngest of nine children. Thomas’ father was a man of means and nobility. Thomas's mother would try to prevent Thomas from joining the Dominican Order. His family expected him to enter the Benedictine Abbey where his uncle was the abbot. Thomas Aquinas dedicated his life to creating a complete synthesis of Catholic philosophy and theology. In honor of his feast day, [January 28] here are ten things every Catholic should know about the Angelic Doctor. 1. Before Aquinas was born, a holy hermit told his mother that her son would be a great learner and achieve unrivaled sanctity. From, " Saint Thomas Aquinas of the Order of Preachers ," by Fr. Placid Conway, OP, comes this account of the holy hermit’s prediction concerning the unborn Aquinas’ future life and accomplishments: The future holiness o...

Saint Paul [named Saul prior to his conversion] was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, born in Tarsus, the capitol of Cilicia. Saul was a Roman citizen and devout Jew who strictly followed the precepts of his faith. He grew to became a violent persecutor of Christians. While traveling to Damascus Saul beheld a miraculous apparition of Our Lord. By virtue of his encounter with Christ, Saul, now Paul, went from persecutor to Apostle. Divine Providence ordained him Apostle of the Gentiles. Paul made three missionary journeys to Asia Minor and southern Europe where he won many converts for the faith. The New Testament contains fourteen of his Epistles. In the year 66, Paul was beheaded in Rome and received the crown of martyrdom. His remains are kept in the Basilica of St. Paul near the Ostian Way. The effect of his evangelization cannot be exaggerated. The Life of St. Paul St. Paul was born at Tarsus of Jewish parents who were descended from the tribe of Benjamin. He was a Roman citiz...

January's blog of note is Catholic Gentleman’s Guide . The site features numerous articles about authentic manliness in the imitation of Christ. Site creator, Matthew, a husband, father of three and lifelong Catholic, realized that: "Our modern world can be a challenging place in which to live as a Catholic Man." He created Catholic Gentleman’s Guide to: "provide a source of encouragement and Faith formation for Catholic Men in all walks of life as we persevere on our paths of manly holiness!" The Catholic Gentleman’s Guide is a clarion call to Catholic men to fulfill their duties as sons, brothers, fathers, husbands, mentors, and disciples of our Lord. From the site's about page: Catholic Gentleman’s Guide ’s mission is to be everything Catholic and everything Man. Its mission is to provide a source of encouragement and Faith formation for Catholic Men who want to make the most of their Manhood for Christ. We can become Men of God, by building up hab...

Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) All of us are quite familiar with inaugural addresses, especially when presidents of our country take office and begin their elected terms. Some of these addresses are, of course, more memorable than others. Unfortunately much of the content of these inaugural addresses bear little relationship to the actions of these presidents subsequent to their addresses. John F. Kennedy’s memorable inaugural address might be an exception. I have a framed copy of it because it’s such a classic. Jesus Christ gave an inaugural address shortly after He returned from spending forty days and forty nights in the desert preparing for His public ministry. He returned to His own hometown of Nazareth to begin His public ministry. His inaugural address is what you just heard reported in today’s Gospel account: He came to Nazareth where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the S...

January 22 is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. It is the day established by the Church of penance for abortion, having been formally named as the "Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children." On this day, many churches celebrate the Mass for Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life. This Mass, found in the newly-translated Missal, may now be used to celebrate the dignity of human life. All Human Beings are Made in the Image and Likeness of God Love is not merely a feeling, but is rather the desire for the best possible good for those whom we love. Through our natural intelligence and through Divine Revelation we become aware of the value of this most basic of all gifts which is life. Mere reason leads us to comprehend that it is better to be alive than never to have had been in existence. The knowledge of the value of life that comes through revelation leads us to understand better this gift and to appreciate it: as a result, we worship and love mo...

Today is the ninth day of the Novena of Reparation for Roe vs. Wade and to end the wanton destruction of innocent human life that is the tragic result of the abortion holocaust. Prayer of Reparation [ Click here for Spanish – En Español ] God and Father of Life, You have created every human person, And have opened the way for each to have eternal life.  We live in the shadow of death. Tens of millions of your children have been killed because of the Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion.  Father, have mercy on us. Heal our land And accept our offering of prayer and penance. In your love for us, Turn back the scourge of abortion. May each of us exult in hearts full of hope And hands full of mercy And work together to build a culture of life.  We pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Most non-Catholics see the Catholic Church’s teaching on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist as something of a nonessential liturgical oddity. Today, unfortunately, many self-described Catholics share this view. The Church solemnly professes that the Eucharist, as the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, is the source and summit of the faith. Because of this, some accuse the Church of idolatry – i.e., worshiping something which is not God with the adoration due to Him alone. That the Real Presence is not reverenced, but misunderstood and even maligned, is a scandal of the greatest magnitude. For the first 1,500 years of Christendom, the Real Presence was universal and unquestioned. With the Reformation, that unanimity was broken. In the five centuries since, various erroneous interpretations have emerged. There are four views predominate among Christians concerning the Eucharist. The first three are those advanced by various denominations of our separated brethre...

Saint Agnes is numbered among the most famous martyrs of Rome. When the Diocletian persecution was at its height, Agnes, a girl of twelve, freely chose to die for God. When commanded to offer incense to false gods, she raised her hand to Christ and made the Sign of the Cross. When her persecutors threatened to bind her hand and foot, Agnes hastened to the place of torture as a bride to her wedding feast. Pain had no terror for her. The bystanders who watched the brutal punishment inflicted on Agnes were moved to tears. Once, the son of the Roman prefect offered to marry her. She replied: "The one to whom I am betrothed is Christ Whom the angels serve." When the executioner, who was to behead her, hesitated, she encouraged him with the words: "Strike, without fear, for the bride does her Spouse an injury if she makes Him wait." The name Agnes means "lamb-life". Hence the lamb is the symbol of the modesty and innocence of the virgin-martyr. The Life of...