BIG C CATHOLICS

The Portiuncula indulgence can be gained on August 2nd, or in remote areas of the world where Mission Chapels are not open during the week, the first Sunday of August. We owe this indulgence to the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi. In the year 513, four hermits came to Italy and built a small chapel in the vicinity of Assisi. The Benedictines named it the Portiuncula Church and administered it until the 13th century. St. Francis beseeched the Benedictine Abbot to let his Order have the church. Over time, the Portiuncula Church was enlarged and beautified. The miraculous origin of the Portiuncula indulgence is as follows. Jesus, Mary and a host of angels appeared to St. Francis. Jesus said to him, "Francis you are very zealous for the good of souls. Ask me what you want for their salvation." Francis replied "Lord, I a miserable sinner beg You to concede an indulgence to all those who enter this church, who are truly contrite and have confessed their sins. And I beg ...

Saint Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists, brought the Gospel to the destitute. As a priest, he worked himself to the point of exhaustion caring for the poor. Witnessing to the Good News in both words and deeds wherever his journey took him was the hallmark of his calling. Below are twenty-five quotations from this beloved saint, bishop and Doctor of the Church: Your God is ever beside you. Indeed, He is even within you. *** The more a person loves God, the more reason he has to hope in Him. This hope produces in the Saints an unutterable peace, which they preserve even in adversity, because as they love God, and know how beautiful He is to those who love Him, they place all their confidence and find all their repose in Him alone. ***  If you pray, you are positive of saving your soul. If you do not pray, you are just as positive of losing your soul. ***  Acquire the habit of speaking to God as if you were alone with Him, familiarly and with conf...

August 1st is the Memorial of St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori. He was born in 1696 near Naples, Italy, the son of a captain in the Royal Navy and a devoted mother from a noble family. His parents provided him with an exceptional education in philosophy, literature, and the arts. He was 16 when he was awarded doctorates of civil and canon law. When he was 18, like many nobles, he joined the Confraternity of Our Lady of Mercy with whom he cared for the sick at the hospital for "incurables," washing afflicted bodies, feeding the helpless, changing bedclothes and devoting himself to works of mercy. Following his father's will he became a lawyer and before he was 20, he was regarded as one of the most gifted lawyers working in the kingdom of Naples. Christ's claim on Alphonsus' heart was absolute. Alphonsus left the law to enter the priesthood, much to the disappointment of his father. He was ordained in 1726. His charity and apostolic spirit led him to found the Co...

Assumption of the Virgin , Francesco Botticini, 1475-1476. Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) What awaits us in our future? Today’s scripture readings put that question to us. What does the future hold in store for us? What awaits us when we die? Is what is awaiting us when we die determined by what we did or didn’t do in this life? These are the big questions we face today and in all of the days of our lives. Jesus talked with His disciples (and we are His disciples) about the future, telling them they were to face it not with fear but with hope and in a spirit of positive expectancy. He spoke to them in terms of making investments, investments in their future. “Sell what you have,” He told them, and buy into the sort of retirement plan I am offering you, a never-failing treasure with my Father and with me in heaven.  “Wherever your treasure lies,” Jesus told us, “there you heart will be.” Stated the other way ar...

In today's world, it's hard, and even dangerous in some situations , to be a follower of Jesus. In many ways, it's even harder to be a faithful priest. The demands on our priests' time and the hostilities they face while preaching the Good News are numerous. The Novena to St. John Vianney begins Thursday, August 4th. Consider praying this novena on behalf of the priesthood or for a specific priest. St. John Vianney is known for his intercessory prayers for priests, miracles and other impossible situations. Our priests need our prayers. Think of the priests in your life; those who have brought you closer to Christ, those who are struggling in some way, or those you happen to know. Pray this novena for them, and for all ordained pastors of souls serving Christ's Bride, the Church. St. John Baptist Mary Vianney is known for overcoming many obstacles to become a priest and serve God and his parishioners. He did so selflessly, displaying heroic virtue. He is t...

Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. Provincial Superior, La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for today’s readings ) I think Ecclesiastes had a favorite song. It was the ancient Hebrew equivalent of “I’m forever blowing bubbles.” The refrain was: “Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!” Is life worth living? Of course it is. Then what makes it worth living? All we are really told in today’s readings is what doesn’t make life worth living. It is clearly not the accumulation of things. Greed is mentioned twice in today’s readings as the opposite of what we should seek in life. Jesus suggests that there are other ways, good ways of being rich, “Rich in what matters to God.” We can intuit what that might mean. St. Paul, with another one of his lists, helps us to understand, again in a negative way, what Jesus does not mean. But earlier in the same text he writes, “Seek what is above.” And later he says we have “put on a new self.” In the Old Testamen...

He who wants to laugh with the devil cannot rejoice with Christ. — St. Peter Chrysologus

July's blog of note, Speak the Truth in Love , originates in  Alberta, Canada, and began publication in May, 2010. It features articles on a wide range of topics of interest to Catholics regarding the Church, and current issues within society that enervate the culture. Blog author, Randy, a convert from a reformed protestant tradition, who is "trying to understand Catholicism and help others understand it," offers original, thought-provoking commentary. This husband and father of six knows the joys and challenges of raising a Catholic family amid the increasingly hostile secular mentality. His most recent post: " The Stoning of Soraya M " discussing the film of the same name about an Iranian women who is stoned to death after being falsely accused of adultery; contains this insight that is worth pondering: What happens when moral principles lose out to sentimental stories? Morality goes backwards a few thousand years. Really with the 10 commandments and a f...

Saint Peter Chrysologus (whose name means "the man of golden speech" in Greek) was named a Doctor of the Church for his prolific work in homiletics. He is called the "Doctor of Homilies" for the concise, but theologically profound insights he made during his tenure as Ravenna’s bishop. Over the course of his ministry, he authored hundreds of homilies, of which, 176 survive. They eloquently testify to the Church's teachings about Mary's perpetual virginity, the penitential value of Lent, Christ's Eucharistic presence, and the primacy of St. Peter and the papacy. He was born in the Italian town of Imola around 406 AD. He was ordained to the diaconate by Imola's bishop, Cornelius. From him Peter learned the importance of humility and self-denial. He aspired to live as a monastic, and did so for a time until the death of Archbishop John of Ravenna in 430. A successor was chosen and Cornelius was asked to obtain papal approval for the selection from P...

Our Lord said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" Martha said to him: Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world. — St. Martha (John 11:25-27)

Tradition holds that Martha’s brother Lazarus fled Jerusalem amid Christian persecution following the martyrdom of St. Stephen. His sisters, Mary and Martha, left Judea to assist him in proclaiming the Gospel in various lands. The three went to Cyprus, where Lazarus became the first Bishop of Kition (modern day Larnaca, a port city on the south coast of Cyprus). All three died in Cyprus. Medieval popular piety presents a fuller picture of the saint. The story of Martha and the dragon comes from the  Golden Legend of Blessed Jacobus de Voragine. According to this legend, Martha and her sister, Mary Magdalene, traveled to Marseilles, France, after the Ascension of Christ. In the town of Tarascon, Martha encountered a dragon referred to as the "Tarasque" in French ( Tarascurus in Latin). The Golden Legend portrays it as a beast from Galicia; a great dragon, half beast and half fish, greater than an ox, longer than an horse, possessing teeth sharp as a sword. Holding a cr...

July 29th the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Martha of Bethany. Scripture records the special relationship Jesus had with Martha, her sister, Mary and her brother, Lazarus. Martha lived with her siblings in Bethany, a small village two miles outside of Jerusalem in the province of Judea. Our Lord visited them often. We read of three such visits in Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-53, and John 12:1-9. The most famous of these is from the Gospel of Luke: "As they continued their journey he entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.' The Lord said to her in reply, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it w...

Please remember the Holy Father Pope Francis' intentions in prayer through the month of August: General Intention :  Sports That sports may be an opportunity for friendly encounters between peoples and may contribute to peace in the world. Evangelization: Living the Gospel That Christians may live the Gospel, giving witness to faith, honesty, and love of neighbor.

Saint Thomas, the Apostle who at first did not believe, has become for the Church one of the first and most compelling witnesses to the Resurrection of Christ. His initial skepticism mirrors that of many. May his profession of faith upon touching Our Savior's wounds, "My Lord and my God!", redound through the ages to convince and confirm others that Christ's Incarnation, ministry, and victory over sin and death are empirically and existentially real. Jesus' reply to Thomas, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?" Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed," is less a condemnation of Thomas and more a confirmation of the demands of faith. Among the Apostles, Thomas does not stand out. His knowledge of Jewish scripture and well-formed conscience enabled him to recognize Christ as the Messiah foretold by the Prophets and to follow him as soon as he was called. When Christ traveled the road to Jerusalem to offer himself as a ...

Speaking to reporters aboard a plane in route to Krakow, Poland for World Youth Day , Pope Francis said, "The word that is being repeated often is insecurity, but the real word is war," the Holy Father continued, "Let's recognize it. The world is in a state of war in bits and pieces," explaining that the attacks could be seen as another world war. In his remarks, Francis clarified that he was not referring to a war of religion, "Now there is this one war. It is perhaps not organic but it is organized and it is war," he said. "We should not be afraid to speak this truth. The world is at war because it has lost peace." Pope Francis decried the martyrdom of Fr. Jacques Hamel, the French priest murdered by Islamist militants on Tuesday, calling him, "a saintly priest". He added that Fr. Hamel was one of many innocent victims. "This holy priest who died precisely in the moment in which he offered prayers for the entire Church ...

This morning in Normandy, France, Father Jacques Hamel was killed while saying Mass. Interrupting the liturgy, two ISIS terrorists took Fr. Hamel, an 84-year-old priest, two nuns, and two parishioners hostage inside a Catholic church. Police arrived quickly to the scene and a hostage situation began. During the standoff Fr. Hamel's throat was slit by the terrorists. One of the other hostages, a nun, is in serious condition; the other three were left unharmed. Fr. Jacques Hamel, a revered and devoted priest, is a martyr for the faith. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him! May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen. Prayer for the Persecuted Church O great cloud of witnesses. O host of Angels and Saints worshiping God for all eternity! O holy ones in heaven above, Pray for us. You who were once part of the Church on earth, you who were faithful servants of the Church Militant, you who suffere...

While touring his kingdom at the close of the 8th century, Charlemagne found himself in the town of Apt in the south of France. He was there for the dedication of the church on Easter Sunday. Charlemagne had his notary record the events of that day in a letter which still exists, addressed to Pope Saint Leo III. The church had been built on the site of an ancient chapel Besides Charlemagne and his party there was a huge crowd of nobleman, clergy and people from surrounding villages. This included a 14-year-old boy, the son of a local nobleman, who had been deaf, blind and mute since birth.  In the middle of the ceremony, the young boy suddenly walked onto the alter and began banging over and over again on an alter step. This commotion caused great embarrassment, especially on so solemn an occasion. Despite being led away and admonished by onlookers, he did this twice more during the Mass. Charlemagne pondered the young boy’s actions. After Mass, he commanded that the step the...

We know and are convinced that our good mother St. Anne helps in all needs, dangers, and tribulations, for our Lord wishes to show us that He will do in Heaven what she asks of Him for us.  — St. Teresa of Avila Mary herself once said that those who honor her mother "will obtain great aid in every need, especially at the hour of death."

Saints Joachim and Anne where the parents of the most holy Virgin Mary. Sacred Scripture does not mentioned them. Much of what we know of them comes from pious tradition. Among holy parents Joachim and Anne are unique. By God's divine grace their daughter was born the Immaculately Conception. From them Mary received her training to be the Mother of God. Devotion to Ann and Joachim is an extension of the honor accorded our Blessed Mother. They serve as the consummate role models for parents. As the grandparents of Jesus, they have a direct bloodline to Christ Incarnate. In their devotion to God and Our Lady, they should be revered and emulated. By virtue of their intimacy with the Holy Family, Sts. Joaquin and Anne are the most powerful of intercessors. (See homily below.) The Lives of Sts. Joachim and Anne Who does not know about the great shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre in Canada, where miracles abound, where cured cripples leave their crutches, and where people come from th...

July 25, 2016 Day 9 - St. Anne Novena Most holy mother of the Virgin Mary, glorious Saint Anne, I, a miserable sinner, confiding in your kindness, choose you today as my special advocate. I offer all my interests to your care and maternal solicitude. O my very good mother and advocate, deign to accept me and to adopt me as your child. O glorious Saint Anne, I beg you, by the passion of my most loving Jesus, the Son of Mary, your most holy daughter, to assist me in all the necessities both of my body and my soul. Venerable Mother, I beg you to obtain for me the favor I seek in this novena… (State your intention here.) …and the grace of leading a life perfectly conformable in all things to the Divine Will. I place my soul in your hands and in those of your kind daughter. I ask for your favor in order that, appearing under your patronage before the Supreme Judge, He may find me worthy of enjoying His Divine Presence in your holy companionship in Heaven. Amen. Pray for us,...

July 25th marks the 48 year anniversary of the publication of Pope Paul VI's landmark encyclical Humanae vitae (Of Human Life: On the Regulation of Birth). It reaffirmed the Church's teaching on the immorality of artificial birth control, the meaning/purpose of conjugal love between husband and wife and the sanctity of marriage. The encyclical was greeted with criticism in many circles, but was applauded by others, including St. Padre Pio, who days before his death conveyed his support in a letter to Paul VI . Pope Paul VI’s seventh and last encyclical, in addition to affirming the Church’s long held prohibition against artificial contraception, articulates a vision of marriage and responsible parenthood that underscores the immense dignity and divine calling of husband and wife. Paul VI spoke of marriage as "the wise institution of the Creator to realize in mankind His design of love" (HV 8). Marriage properly understood, is the conjugal union of a man and wo...

July 25th is the Feast of Saint James, son of Zebedee, also known as James the Greater, an Apostle of Jesus, and the first Apostle to be martyred. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome, the brother of St. John the Apostle. It was Jesus who called St. James and his brother St. John, "sons of thunder". James (with Peter and John) had the privilege of witnessing the Transfiguration, the raising to life of Jairus’ daughter and Our Lord’s agony in the garden of Gethsemane. James was a fisherman by trade when Jesus called him to be a disciple. He preached the Gospel in Iberia (the present day country of Georgia), Spain and the Holy Land. Tradition holds that Mary appeared to St. James before her Assumption . He was beheaded in Jerusalem in 44 AD at the order of Herod Agrippa. The Roman officer who guarded James watched amazed as James defended his faith at his trial. Later, the officer walked beside James to the place of execution. Overcome by conviction, he declared his new faith...

Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) "Vain" is one of those words that has multiple meanings and can be used in several different ways. We use it when talking about someone who is arrogant and self-centered. One thinks of Hollywood movies stars or perhaps of some TV talk show hosts who are hollow and conceited.. Home furnishings called “vanity tables” are built for the purpose of holding mirrors and various beauty aids. “Vain” can be used when describing our efforts that end up being worthless. Folks that are constantly letting you know about their accomplishments are vain and conceited. When we strive for something that is hollow or worthless we eventually realize that all of our efforts were spent in vain. In today’s first reading taken from the Book of Wisdom the word vanity is applied to everything that is not directed toward God, everything that is directed toward the things of this world. Vanity of vanities,...

July 24, 2016 Day 8 - St. Anne Novena Remember, O Saint Anne, you whose name signifies grace and mercy, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, and sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto you, good, and kind mother; I take refuge at your feet, burdened with the weight of my sins. O holy mother of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, despise not my petition… (State your intention here.) But hear me and grant my prayer. Amen. Pray for us, Saint Anne, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. O Lord, God of our Fathers, who bestowed on Saints Joachim and Anne this grace, that of them should be born the Mother of your incarnate Son, grant, through the prayers of both, that we may attain the salvation you have promised to your people. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. For more o...

Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for today’s readings ) About 30 years ago I worked at a seminary. We had a librarian named Sr. Frances. Whenever she would remind me of something I had promised to do, I would answer, “In due time.” To which she always replied with a paraphrase of Luke 16:22: “In due time the beggar died.” Most of us know the type. They ask for something. They remind us the next day. And the next, and the next... Until we do it, convenient or not, just to make it stop! Today’s story of Abraham has a brief prologue that is not included in the lectionary.  “With Abraham walking with them to see them on their way, the men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom. The LORD considered: Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, now that he is to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth are to find blessing in him? So the LORD said”—and here begins our text,...

July 23, 2016 Day 7 - St. Anne Novena O Good Saint Anne, so justly called the mother of the infirm, the cure for those who suffer from disease, look kindly upon the sick for whom I pray. Alleviate their sufferings; cause them to sanctify their sufferings by patience and complete submission to the Divine Will; finally deign to obtain health for them and with it the firm resolution to honor Jesus, Mary, and yourself by the faithful performance of duties. But, merciful Saint Anne, I ask you above all for the salvation of my soul, rather than bodily health, for I am convinced that this fleeting life is given us solely to assure us a better one. I cannot obtain that better life without the help of God\’s graces. I earnestly beg them of you for the sick and for myself, especially the petition for which I am making in this novena… (State your intention here.) Through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the intercession of His Immaculate Mother, and through your effic...

Saint Bridget is best known for the Revelations, the divinely inspired messages she received from God the Father, Jesus, the Virgin Mary and numerous saints over a period of 30 years. Although the Revelations consist of several hundred pages and discuss a wide variety of subjects, throughout the work are messages which are of utmost importance for today. In one revelation, Christ told Saint Bridget that she was to be His spiritual bride. He refers to her as such below in describing the malevolent deceit of the Devil. "The Bridegroom of the kingdom of Heaven, Jesus, spoke to his bride in a parable presenting the example of a frog and said: “Once there was a sorcerer who had the most shining gold. A simple and mild man came to him and wanted to buy this gold from him. The sorcerer said to the simple man: ‘You will not receive this gold, unless you give me better gold and in larger quantity.’ The man said: ‘I have such a great desire for your gold that I will give you what y...