BIG C CATHOLICS

St. Justin was born in Flavia Neapolis, a city of Samaria, modern day Nablus, about 110 A.D. His father and grandfather were of Roman origin. After converting to Christianity, Justin went go on to be one of the most important Christian writers of the second century. He himself tells how his study of all the schools of thought led him to Christianity, and how he dedicated his life to the defense of the Christian faith as "the one certain and profitable philosophy." St. Justin is particularly celebrated for the two Apologies which he was courageous enough to address in succession to the persecuting emperors Antoninus and Marcus Aurelius. One of them contains a description of the rites of baptism and the ceremonies of Mass, thus constituting the most valuable evidence that we possess on the Roman liturgy of his day. He was beheaded in Rome in 165. Justin is also referred to as "the Philosopher." The Life of St. Justin Justin, the son of Priscus, was a Greek by ...

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." The feast of the Visitation recalls to us the following great truths and events: The visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation; the cleansing of John the Baptist from original sin in the womb of his mother at the words of Our Lady's greeting; Elizabeth's proclaiming of Mary — under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost — as Mother of God and "blessed among women"; Mary's singing of the sublime hymn, Magnificat ("My soul doth magnify the Lord") which has become a part of the daily official prayer of the Church. The Visitation is frequently depicted in art, and was the central mystery of St. Francis de Sales' devotions. The Mass of today salu...

May 31, 2016 is Day 7 of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Let us pray that we may have more pure hearts like Christ. As disciples of Jesus and the children of God, such an aspiration is fitting. Let's pray that we may see and treat others with love while putting all judgement and malice aside. Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Prayers, Day 7 O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary,...

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 .

May 30, 2016 is Day 6 of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Let us pray for more peace-filled hearts so as to be like Christ in welcoming the peace of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. May we approach all the trials in life with the peace that only Christ can give. Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Prayers, Day 6 O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinn...

Please remember the Holy Father Pope Francis' intentions in prayer through the month of June: General Intention : Human Solidarity That the aged, marginalized, and those who have no one may find – even within the huge cities of the world – opportunities for encounter and solidarity. Evangelization: Seminarians and Novices That seminarians and men and women entering religious life may have mentors who live the joy of the Gospel and prepare them wisely for their mission.

Since April 2009, the blog, Shameless Popery , has provided inquiring Catholics faithful, thoughtful articles about their faith . These include theological commentary, apologetics, scriptural exegesis and more. With writing that is clear and concise, Joe Heschmeyer, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, tackles questions of interest from the controversial to the sublime. Recent post titles include "It’s Time to Re-Re-Evangelize the World", "The Incomprehensible Love of the Holy Trinity", "The Catholic Church Doesn’t Look Like the Early Church? Good." and "Why I’m a Theist, a Christian, a Catholic, and a Seminarian". The later, a 35 minute video, is worth watching. High school students especially would benefit from Heschmeyer's testimony. The Catholic blogosphere hosts thousands of websites. Shameless Popery is among those that present Catholicism's rich intellectual heritage alongside contemporary analysis ...

While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many." [Mt: 26: 26-28] Collect Prayer O God, who in this wonderful Sacrament has left us a memorial of your Passion, grant us, we pray, so to revere the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may always experience in ourselves the fruits of your redemption. Who live and reign with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

May 29, 2016 is Day 5 of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Let us pray for more joyful hearts so that we may show the joy that Jesus provides, and in so doing, approach even our crosses with joy. Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Prayers, Day 5 O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Glory be to the Father, to ...

Fr. Thomas J. Lane S.T.D. Associate Professor of Sacred Scripture Mt. St. Mary's Seminary Emmitsburg, MD ( Click here for today’s readings ) Is Jesus in the Eucharist the center of your life? We divide time into BC and AD; BC before Christ and AD, Anno Domini - in the year of Our Lord - since the birth of Jesus. This is our way of showing that Jesus is the center of history, Jesus is the most important event in history. Everything in history pales into insignificance compared to Jesus. It is the same in our lives. Jesus is or should be the center of our lives. Jesus is or should be the center of our week. Because Jesus is the center of our lives we come here to celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday and afterwards we go in peace to love and serve the Lord whom we encountered here in the Eucharist. Just as we divide time into BC and AD, before Christ and after his birth, the Sacred Scriptures do the same and so we have the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the Old ...

From ChurchPOP comes this: From guadalupehousehi.blogspot.com / Paolo C., Flickr / via miraclesofthechurch.com. Catholics believe that Jesus Christ is really, truly, and substantially present in the Eucharist. There are many stories of miracles throughout Church history that seem to confirm this important teaching. It’s important to note that no Catholic is required to believe any of these stories. Even if they have been investigated and approved by the Church, the Church does not give any absolute guarantee to their authenticity. Nor does the Catholic dogma of transubstantiation depend on the validity of these stories (it is based on Scripture and Tradition). To read the article in full go to ChurchPOP .

May 28, 2016 is Day 4 of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Let us pray for more generous hearts — that we may be like Christ in giving everything of ourselves to God and his people. That we may give to others not judging their worthiness, but instead, recognizing them as brothers and sisters in Christ. Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Prayers, Day 4 O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Hol...

Heavenly Father, On this Memorial Day, we pray for those who courageously laid down their lives for the cause of freedom.   May the examples of their sacrifice inspire in us the selfless love of Your Son,  our Lord Jesus Christ. Bless the families of our fallen troops.  Fill their homes and their lives with Your strength and peace. In union with people of goodwill of every nation,  embolden us to answer the call to work for peace and justice,  and thus, seek an end to violence and conflict around the globe. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Truly, this was the Son of God . — St. Longinus St. Longinus was a Roman soldier at Christ's crucifixion. To learn more go here  or see below. *** A centurion was a professional officer of the Roman Imperial Army. Most centurions commanded groups of centuries of around 80-100 men. Senior centurions commanded cohorts (the basic tactical unit of a...

May 27, 2016 is Day 3 of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Let us pray that we may have more humble hearts in conformity with Christ's in humbling ourselves before others and before God. Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Prayers, Day 3 O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Glory be to the Father, to the Son,...

Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Apostle of the English, was sent into England by blessed Gregory, and came thither in the year 597. At that time King Ethelbert held the chief power in Kent, and his sway reached even to the Humber. When this King had heard for what reason the holy man was come, he received him kindly, and bade him and his companions, who were all monks, to come to his own capital city of Canterbury ; being struck with astonishment the perfect blamelessness of their lives, and the power of the heavenly doctrine which they preached, and which God confirmed with signs following. They drew nigh to the city in solemn procession, singing the Litany, and bearing before them for their standard a silver cross and a picture of the Lord our Saviour painted on a panel. Hard by the city, upon the east side, there was a church builded of old time in honour of Saint Martin, and wherein the Queen, who was a Christian, was used to pray. There they first began...

May 26, 2016 is Day 2 of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Let us pray that we may have more faithful hearts; that we may be like Christ in remaining faithful to our Father in Heaven in our commitments, relationships and vocations. Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Prayers, Day 2 O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our de...

As we celebrate this month dedicated to Our Lady, let us remember that Mary, the Mother of God, has received fully that perfection won by Christ and that she prefigures our own eternal destiny if we persevere in love. In the hierarchy of holiness it is precisely the 'woman', Mary of Nazareth, who is the 'figure' of the Church. She 'precedes' everyone on the path to holiness; in her person 'the Church has already reached that perfection whereby she exists without spot or wrinkle' — St. John Paul II from Mulieris Dignitatem

Born: July 22, 1515 in Florence, Italy Died: May 26, 1595 in Rome Beatified: 1615 by Pope Paul V Canonized: 1622 by Pope Gregory XV Patron: Rome; United States Army Special Forces. Symbols: Rosary; lily; angel holding a book. Also known as: Philip Romolo Neri; Apostle of Rome; Amabile Santo, the Apostle of Joy The Life of St. Philip Neri Though he was related to Italian nobility, Philip came from a poor family. His father, Francisco Neri, worked as a notary. Philip's brother died in childhood, but his two sisters, Caterina and Elisabetta survived. He was a pious youth, taught humanities by the Dominicans. He moved to San Germano in 1533 to help some family with their business, and while there would escape to a local Dominican chapel in the mountains. He received word in a vision that he had an apostolate in Rome. Philip cut himself off from his family, and went there. Befriended by Galeotto Caccia who took Philip in, and paid him to tutor his two sons. He wrot...

May 25, 2016 is Day 1 of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Today, we pray that we might have hearts that are conformed to Jesus'. Let us pray that we may have more forgiving hearts and that we may be like Christ in showing unlimited mercy to others. This version of the novena comes from Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque who is most commonly associated with the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sacred Heart of Jesus Novena Prayers, Day 1 O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of… (Mention your Intention Here) Our Father, Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the L...

Saint Bede was born in Wearmouth-Jarrow, England in 735 AD. He was sent to St. Peter and St. Paul Benedictine monastery when he was three and educated by Abbots Benedict Biscop and Ceolfrid. He became a monk, was ordained at thirty, and except for a few brief visits elsewhere, spent his entire life at the monastery, devoting himself to the study of Scripture and to teaching and writing. Bede was one of the most learned men of his time whose influence on English literature continues today. His enduring work, The Ecclesiastical History of the English People garnered him the title "The Father of English History". His writings were so revered for their sound doctrine that he was called "Venerable" while still alive. In 1899, St. Bede was made a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII; he is the only native of Great Britain to be so designated. As a skilled linguist and translator, Bede's work made the Latin and Greek writings of the Church Fathers much more acces...

Pope Benedict XVI speaking of the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus said: "In biblical language, 'heart' indicates the centre of the person where his sentiments and intentions dwell. In the Heart of the Redeemer we adore God's love for humanity, his will for universal salvation, his infinite mercy. Practising devotion to the Sacred Heart of Christ therefore means adoring that Heart which, after having loved us to the end, was pierced by a spear and from high on the Cross poured out blood and water, an inexhaustible source of new life" (Benedict XVI, Angelus, June 5, 2005). Christ's heart longs for us to know how much he loves us, and the extent of his endless care for his children who, blinded by selfishness and sin, are oblivious to the boundless love of their Creator. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the source of Divine Mercy through the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. Jesus made 12 promises to those who would honor His Sacred Heart: ...

The Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was originated and made popular by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque. She was inspired by visions of Jesus who instructed her to spread this devotion to the world. It has been a favorite devotion of many saints ever since, including Saint Padre Pio who prayed it every day. The Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is all about uniting our hearts with Christ's and devoting ourselves to Him. By conforming ourselves to Christ's will we can live more perfectly in the imitation of our Lord. When we say this novena together, we pray to transform ourselves to love as Jesus Christ does. In the words of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque wrote, "Since love makes lovers one in likeness, if we love, let us model our lives on His." The goal in praying this novena is to unite ourselves with Christ in all that we do — referring everything to His glory, and accepting all sufferings and difficulties as something to bring us even closer to the love He...

Plenary indulgences are available to the faithful on the Feast of Corpus Christi. An indulgence remits our temporal punishment in purgatory due to our sins. It may be either partial or plenary. It is partial if it pardons part of the temporal punishment due to sin, and plenary if it pardons all punishment. Only one plenary indulgence per day can be earned. The following acts will merit a plenary indulgence — provided the conditions for a plenary indulgence are met. (See below.) Down in adoration falling ( Tantum ergo ) Down in adoration falling, Lo! the sacred Host we hail; Lo! o'er ancient forms departing, Newer rites of grace prevail; Faith for all defects supplying, Where the feeble senses fail. To the everlasting Father, And the Son who reigns on high, With the Holy Spirit proceeding Forth from each eternally, Be salvation, honor, blessing, Might and endless majesty. Amen. V. You have given them bread from heaven, R. Having all sweetness within it. Let u...

Collect Prayer for Trinity Sunday Heavenly Father, You sent your Word to bring us truth and your Spirit to make us holy. Through them we come to know the mystery of your life. Help us to worship You, one God in three Persons, by proclaiming and living our faith in You. We ask You this, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, true and living, for ever and ever. Amen.

Fr. Thomas J. Lane S.T.D. Associate Professor of Sacred Scripture Mt. St. Mary's Seminary Emmitsburg, MD ( Click here for today’s readings ) "O Father who sought me O Son who bought me O Holy Spirit who taught me." That beautiful prayer to the Trinity is quoted in a book on Celtic prayer ( The Celtic Way of Prayer: The Recovery of the Religious Imagination page 43 by Esther de Waal). It expresses beautifully the different qualities of the three persons of the Holy Trinity. The Father sought us. That reminds me of Psalm 139, a beautiful Psalm about God seeking us and being present with us at all times. O Lord you search me and you know me, You know my resting and my rising, You discern my purpose from afar. You mark when I walk or lie down, All my ways lie open to you. Before ever a word is on my tongue You know it, O Lord through and through. Behind and before you besiege me, Your hand ever laid upon me. Too wonderful for me, this knowledge, To...