BIG C CATHOLICS

Jesus at Herod's Court , Duccio, c. 1310. November 1, 2016 Novena Prayer for the 2016 Election:  Day 3 Saint Thomas More, martyred for your uncompromising faith, join us in praying for this election and these intentions: [State your intentions here.] Prayer for the Faithful Witness of Catholics in the United States (By Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke) O Lord Jesus Christ, You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Your Church You show us the Way, You teach us the Truth, and You give us Your Life. Grant, we humbly beg You, that, always and in all things, we may be faithful to You in Your Holy Church, and to Your Vicar on Earth, the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis. Grant also, we beg You, that, in these times of decision, all who profess to be Catholic and who are entrusted with the sacred duty to participate in public life, may, by the strength of Your grace, unwaveringly follow Your Way and faithfully adhere to Your Truth, living in You with all their mind...

Here is Bishop Robert Barron's beautiful commentary on the Solemnity of All Saints. If you have ten minutes to spare, His Excellency's cogent insights are worth your time. Explaining that the greatest tragedy in life is not becoming a saint, Bishop Barron urges us to seek out Christ's friendship. He states in part: "At the very beginning of the 20th century, there were two young Parisian students, intellectuals. One was called Jacques Maritain, and his girlfriend was called Raïssa. Raïssa was a poet. Jacques Maritain was a student of philosophy. They were agnostics, more or less, and they decided that life was meaningless. One day in the Luxembourg Garden in Paris, they made a vow, and they said unless we can discover by the end of the school year the meaning of life we will commit suicide. [W]hile they were waiting for the school year to come to an end, Jacques Maritain read a statement by Léon Bloy, who was a French spiritual writer. Léon Bloy said, 'Th...

In honor of the Solemnity of All Saints, here is a very brief survey of the Church Triumphant. The list is by no means definitive. It is impossible to give an exact number of saints. The majority are known only to God. The Virgin Mary has been omitted out of respect. The Mother of the Savior has a significant place in the divine economy of salvation. Contrary to popular imagination, the saints lived lives remarkably similar to our own. Living ordinary lives in extraordinary ways they were able to achieve heroic virtue. Such a life is possible for us today, with grace, unrelenting prayer, the sacraments and the saints as our guides. The number next to each saint is not intended as a rank. We have tried to include individuals who reflect the scope of a universal Church that spans two millennia. (For more information about a saint, click on the saint's name.) 1. St. Peter - first pope, apostle, martyr 2. St. Paul of Tarsus -  missionary, author of scripture, martyr 3. S...

ChurchPOP discusses a little known fact: "Most of the time when people think of exorcisms, they think of dramatic situations like those depicted in movies like The Rite or The Exorcist . But did you know that an exorcism is performed with something as common as the rite of baptism? There are two kinds of exorcisms: major exorcisms and minor exorcisms. A major exorcism is a solemn ritual performed by a priest when a person is believed to be possessed by a demon. They are rare and are only performed by authorized exorcists. A minor exorcism, on the other hand, is a more general exorcism performed even if the recipient is not believed to be possessed and is included in the baptismal rite." More Thoughts on Baptism from the Catechism "Since the time of early Christianity, Baptism has been the rite of initiation into the Christian community of the Church. In Baptism, the 'one Spirit' makes us members of the Body of Christ and of 'one another.'...

Jesus at Herod's Court , Duccio, c. 1310. October 31, 2016 Novena Prayer for the 2016 Election:  Day 2 Saint Frances Cabrini, you who tirelessly built the Kingdom of God in America, join us in praying for this election and these intentions: [State your intentions.] Prayer for the Faithful Witness of Catholics in the United States (By Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke) O Lord Jesus Christ, You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Your Church You show us the Way, You teach us the Truth, and You give us Your Life. Grant, we humbly beg You, that, always and in all things, we may be faithful to You in Your Holy Church, and to Your Vicar on Earth, the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis. Grant also, we beg You, that, in these times of decision, all who profess to be Catholic and who are entrusted with the sacred duty to participate in public life, may, by the strength of Your grace, unwaveringly follow Your Way and faithfully adhere to Your Truth, living in You with...

Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) The basic message of today’s gospel account is that Jesus went into Zacchaeus’ house and Zacchaeus ended up going into God’s house. The message in all three of today’s scripture readings is all about receiving God’s life-changing love, about receiving and accepting the presence, power, and love of God, which is why He has invited us here today into His house. Let’s take a deeper look into what I am talking about. Last week we heard Jesus telling us of the tax collector sitting in the back of the Temple and the self-congratulating Pharisee sitting up in the front. You remember them, I’m sure. The Pharisee was in the front of the Temple justifying himself and claiming to be better than the tax collector who was huddled in the back of the Temple asking only for God’s mercy. Today we have another tax collector, a chief tax collector named Zacchaeus, whom Jesus encountered in real life. Not...

Jesus at Herod's Court , Duccio, c. 1310. October 30, 2016 Novena Prayer for the 2016 Election:  Day 1 Saint Jude, Patron of Impossible Causes, join us in praying for this election and these intentions: [State your intentions here.] Prayer for the Faithful Witness of Catholics in the United States (By Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke) O Lord Jesus Christ, You alone are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In Your Church You show us the Way, You teach us the Truth, and You give us Your Life. Grant, we humbly beg You, that, always and in all things, we may be faithful to You in Your Holy Church, and to Your Vicar on Earth, the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis. Grant also, we beg You, that, in these times of decision, all who profess to be Catholic and who are entrusted with the sacred duty to participate in public life, may, by the strength of Your grace, unwaveringly follow Your Way and faithfully adhere to Your Truth, living in You with all their mind and heart, for Y...

The 2016 election is almost here. Since the outcome will very profoundly affect religious liberty in the United States, as well as the protection of the vulnerable in our society; the unborn, the ill and disabled, and the elderly, we should pray that God's will be done, and that those who are voting will do so with a well-formed conscience. To that end, Phil Lawler asks a timely question about Progressives and the apparent inability of some to acknowledge God . For examples, (including one referenced by Mr. Lawler ,) go here , here , here and here . Saint Thomas More, Patron of Religious Freedom, Pray for us.

A plenary indulgence, applicable only to the souls in Purgatory is granted to the faithful who devoutly visit a church or oratory on All Souls Day (November 2nd). Requirements for Obtaining a Plenary Indulgence on All Souls Day: ◗ Visit a church and pray for souls in Purgatory. ◗ Say one "Our Father" and the "Apostles Creed" in the visit to the church. ◗ Say one "Our Father" and one "Hail Mary" for the Holy Father’s intentions (see  Pope Francis' prayer intentions for November 2016 ). ◗ Worthily receive Holy Communion (ideally on the same day). ◗ Make a sacramental confession within 20 days of All Souls Day. ◗ For a plenary indulgence, be free from all attachment to sin, even venial sin (or the indulgence is partial, not plenary). You may gain one plenary indulgence a day. These partial indulgences are applicable only to the souls in Purgatory: ◗ A partial indulgence can be obtained by devoutly visiting a cemetery and prayi...

Pope Francis, in a shocking and unprecedented move, has replaced all 27 members of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship , the body that oversees liturgical matters. Typically, the pope appoints to the congregation a few new members to replace those who have served for several years. The overhaul stunned vatican-watchers. The appointments are a blow to Cardinal Robert Sarah's efforts to achieve a "reform of the reform" as a proponent of more reverent liturgy. The new members of the congregation include: Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, Cardinal Beniamino Stella, the prefect of the Congregation for Clergy, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, the president of the Pontifical Council for Culture and Archbishop Piero Marini, who clashed with liturgical conservatives while serving as master of ceremonies for Saint John Paul II. The liberal bent of the congregation is marked. The conservative prelates who were removed include: Cardinals Raymond Burke, Angelo...

Saint Jude Thaddeus, by those sublime privileges with which you were adorned in your lifetime, namely, your relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh, and your vocation to be an Apostle, and by that glory which now is yours in Heaven as the reward of your apostolic labors and your martyrdom, obtain for me from the Giver of every good and perfect gift all the graces of which I stand in need: (Mention your request here) May I treasure up in my heart the divinely inspired doctrines that you have given us in your Epistle: to build my edifice of holiness upon our most holy faith, by praying for the grace of the Holy Spirit- to keep myself in the love of God, looking for the mercy of Jesus Christ unto eternal fife; to strive by all means to help those who go astray. May I thus praise the glory and majesty, the dominion and power of Him Who is able to keep me without sin and to present me spotless with great joy at the coming of our Divine Savior,...

Please remember the Holy Father Pope Francis' intentions in prayer through the month of November: Universal: Countries Receiving Refugees That the countries which take in a great number of displaced persons and refugees may find support for their efforts which show solidarity. Evangelization: Collaboration of Priests and Laity That within parishes, priests and lay people may collaborate in service to the community without giving in to the temptation of discouragement.

Saints Simon the Zealot and Jude (Thaddeus) October 28th is the feast of Saint Simon the Zealot and Saint Jude Thaddeus, two of the twelve Apostles named by Jesus. They share a common feast day because, according to later tradition, they ministered in Persia where they received the crown of martyrdom on the same day in c. 65 AD. In Matthew and Mark, Simon is referred to as the Cananean. Luke calls him the Zealot, perhaps due to his zeal in upholding the Law, or perhaps he was a member of the radical Jewish sect so named. This designation helped to distinguish him from fellow Apostle, Simon Peter. After Christs' Ascension and the Council of Jerusalem, Simon preached the Gospel in Egypt, Carthage, Spain and possibly Britain, before going to Jerusalem. There, he joined Jude on missionary journeys to Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia. Popular piety attests that he was sawed in half and devoured by lions. Simon is most often depicted in art with a saw, the instrument of his martyrdom. ...

October 27, 2016 Most holy St. Jude – apostle, martyr and friend of Jesus, today I ask that you pray for me and my intentions! (State your intentions here) You are the patron of the impossible. Pray for me and my intentions! O St. Jude, pray that God’s grace and mercy will cover my intentions. Pray for the impossible if it is God’s will. Pray that I may have the grace to accept God’s holy will even if it is painful and difficult for me. St. Jude, pray that I may have your zeal to preach the Gospel. O St. Jude, pray for me that I may grow in faith, hope and love and in the grace of Jesus Christ. Pray for these intentions, but most of all pray that I may join you in heaven with God for all eternity. Amen.

Orthodox priest, Father Josiah Trenham, interviews His Excellency, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, Prefect of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco. Although this was recorded prior to the Supreme Court's Obergefell decision legalizing ‘gay marriage’, Archbishop Cordileone powerfully illustrates why redefining marriage is destructive to the health and well-being of marriage and society. The following are Archbishop Cordileone's concluding remarks. Beginning at 32:35 Fr. Trenham: "Your Excellency… your speaking has been very educational for us. I'm wondering if you could speak directly to us, how can we assume our responsibility also, as an Orthodox community, what can we contribute, how can we co-labor in this?" Abp. Cordileone: "One sort of side benefit I see to what's going on in the culture is God, in His own way, is bringing His people together. The ecumenical cooperation has been very heartening, and I think we see where we nee...

October 26, 2016 Most holy St. Jude – apostle, martyr and friend of Jesus, today I ask that you pray for me and my intentions! (State your intentions here) You are the patron of the impossible. Pray for me and my intentions! O St. Jude, pray that God’s grace and mercy will cover my intentions. Pray for the impossible if it is God’s will. Pray that I may have the grace to accept God’s holy will even if it is painful and difficult for me. St. Jude, pray that I may have your zeal to preach the Gospel. O St. Jude, pray for me that I may grow in faith, hope and love and in the grace of Jesus Christ. Pray for these intentions, but most of all pray that I may join you in heaven with God for all eternity. Amen.

Matthew Coffin Editor's note: Each Tuesday we will feature posts discussing Saint John Paul the Great's Theology of the Body; his reflection on our nature and life as persons made in the image and likeness of God, conjugal love, the meaning of celibacy, and the eternal beatitude to which every human being is called. Here is Matthew Coffin's updated summary. ___________________________ In his Theology of the Body, Saint John Paul II seeks to establish an adequate anthropology in which the human person, in both his spiritual and physical dimensions, reveals truths about God. George Weigel has called it, "one of the boldest reconfigurations of Catholic theology in centuries." Part 1 examines the philosophical developments that preceded it. Major schools of thought have been greatly oversimplified in order to show how St. John Paul II’s contribution is necessary, transformative, and faithful. Augustinianism Prior to the thirteenth century, the dominant...