BIG C CATHOLICS

Saint Edmund Campion was the most famous of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. who lost their lives in Queen Elizabeth I's campaign to abolish Catholicism from England. Arrested for preaching the Catholic faith, Edmund was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. Dragged through the muddy streets of London to the place of execution, Edmund forgave those who condemned him, saying: I am a Catholic man and a priest. In that faith have I lived and in that faith do I intend to die, and if you esteem my religion treason, then I am guilty. As for any other treason, I never committed. I stand condemned for nothing but the saying of Mass, hearing confessions, preaching and such like duties and functions of priesthood. Seconds later, the cart he was standing on was driven from under him, and he fell from the scaffold to receive the crown of martyrdom. St. Edmund Campion pray that we may remain faithful in the face of persecution just as you were.

December 1st, is the feast of Saint Edmund Campion, S.J., (1540-1581) the 16th century English priest and martyr, also called "the Pope's Champion", who was one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales. The most renowned of the English martyrs, Campion abandoned a promising career at Oxford, and an invitation to serve in the court of Queen Elizabeth, to enter the Catholic priesthood. He displayed heroic virtue in ministering to his fellow Catholics, despite great personal danger and widespread oppression. During the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, the Catholic Church was displaced by the Church of England. English monasteries were dissolved and Catholics were brutally persecuted and killed. Campion was born in London, the son of a bookseller near St Paul's Cathedral. He was first educated at Christ's Hospital school. In August 1553, at age 13, he was selected to make the complimentary speech for the visit of Queen Mary. He attended St John's College...

Beloved, now is the acceptable time spoken of by the Spirit, the day of salvation, peace and reconciliation: the great season of Advent... The Church asks us to understand that Christ, who came once in the flesh, is prepared to come again. When we remove all obstacles to his presence he will come, at any hour and moment, to dwell spiritually in our hearts, bringing with him the riches of his peace. — St. Charles Borromeo

A baby born to a virgin, it’s one of the most familiar stories in the world. But how well do you really know the Gospels’ accounts of Jesus’ birth? Take this quiz and find out. Below is a selection of the questions asked. Remember, a number of our understandings about the Nativity come from popular piety, not Sacred Scripture. Q1. Which archangel announced Jesus’ birth to Mary? 1. Michael 2. Gabriel 3. Raphael 4. Uriel Q2. After Mary became pregnant with Jesus, her first action was to: 1. Explain to her parents what had happened 2. Explain to Joseph what had happened 3. Visit her cousin Elizabeth, who was also pregnant 4. Go into seclusion so as not to be an object of shame Q3. According to the Gospels, where was Jesus born? 1. In Bethlehem 2. In Nazareth 3. In Heaven 4. In Jerusalem Q4. During the reign of which Roman emperor was Jesus born? 1. Augustus 2. Tiberius 4. Nero Q5. Why was Jesus born in a manger? 1. In order to fulfill a prophecy 2. Becau...

November 30, 2016 Today we pray for the universal Church. To thee, O Virgin Mother, who was never touched by any spot of original or actual sin, we commend and entrust the purity of our hearts. Also, may we never take anything, or anyone, for granted. Day 2 - Immaculate Conception Novena  O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation. I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will. Hail Mary, full of Grace...

The Church of Saint Andrew in Patros, Greece, is home to a book written in Greek that records Saint Andrew's martyrdom, in which it is written: "Aigeatis who was the governor of Patros became enraged at Andrew for his preaching and ordered him to stand before the tribunal in his attempt to do away with the Christian Faith. When Andrew resisted the tribunal, the governor ordered him crucified." When Andrew was led to the place of crucifixion, upon beholding the cross he exclaimed: "Hail, O Cross, inaugurated by the Body of Christ and adorned with his limbs as though they were precious pearls. Before the Lord mounted you, you inspired an earthly fear. Now, instead, endowed with heavenly love, you are accepted as a gift. Believers know of the great joy that you possess, and of the multitude of gifts you have prepared. I come to you, therefore, confident and joyful, so that you too may receive me exultant as a disciple of the One who was hung upon you... O blessed C...

The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew , Caravaggio, c. 1603–1606. Feast of Saint Andrew, November 30, 2016 By Msgr. Bernard Bourgeois Romans 10:9-18; Psalm 19; Matthew 4:18-22 “ Come after me . .... ” (Mt 4:19) The calling of Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, all fishermen, fascinates today’s Christians. Could it really be true that Jesus could just walk along and expect these four men to abandon their families and careers? From all that is found in the Gospels, it seems so. They were overwhelmed by the aura and power of Christ. They had no choice but to follow Him; they knew it in the depths of their hearts and souls. Following Jesus wholeheartedly was not unique to these four apostles; you and I are called in much the same way. Leaving everything behind and following Christ unencumbered by worldly concerns is the journey of every Christian. So what specifically needs to be left behind? And what does it mean to follow Christ? Let’s begin with the later questi...

November 29, 2016 Today we pray for all those who suffer material poverty and go unnoticed and uncared for, that God will provide for them through us. Also, may we not take anything, or anyone, for granted in our lives. Day 1 - Immaculate Conception Novena  O most pure Virgin Mary conceived without sin, from the very first instant, you were entirely immaculate. O glorious Mary full of grace, you are the mother of my God – the Queen of Angels and of men. I humbly venerate you as the chosen mother of my Savior, Jesus Christ. The Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords chose you for the singular grace and honor of being His beloved mother. By the power of His Cross, He preserved you from all sin. Therefore, by His power and love, I have hope and bold confidence in your prayers for my holiness and salvation. I pray that your prayers will bring me to imitate your holiness and submission to Jesus and the Divine Will. Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed ...

"The phrase admirabile commercium , current in the theology and spirituality of the Nativity, is used to describe this ‘admirable exchange between the divine and the human... The first act of that exchange comes about in Christ’s own humanity. The Word assumed our humanity and, in exchange, human nature was raised to divine dignity. The second act of the exchange consists in our real and intimate involvement in the divine nature of the Word... Thus Christmas is the feast in which God comes so close to man as to share the very act of being born, showing men and women their most profound dignity: that of being children of God. Humanity’s dream which began in the Garden of Eden – we want to be like God – is realized in an unexpected way, not through the greatness of man, who cannot make himself God, but through the humility of God Who came down among us in His humility, raising us to the true greatness of His being.'" — Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, January 4, 2...

Below are eight saints whose commemorations occur during the liturgical season of Advent — the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, St. Francis Xavier, St. John Damascene, St. Nicholas, St. Ambrose, St. Juan Diego, St. Lucy and St. John of the Cross. During this time of expectation, we remember their heroic witness. THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY We call the Blessed Virgin the " Theotokos ," ["Mother of God" or "God-bearer"] to reaffirm the central truth of what occurred in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Our Lady's Fiat, her "Yes" to God exhibits her total trust and devotion to the Father's Will. We must live our lives for God by emulating Mary's example. Two Marian feasts occur during this season of Advent: the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception [Dec. 8] and the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe [Dec. 12]. From Mary we learn: love, humility, justice, openness to God's grace, trust in divine Providence, and the willingness to ...

The solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is an important day to reflect on Mary’s life and selfless devotion. It is essential for us to strive to imitate the Blessed Virgin as the ideal example of Christian discipleship. This novena is an opportunity to petition Mary for the grace to emulate her deep love for God. "Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:  The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. " ( Catechism of the Catholic Church , no. 492) Invocation to be Said Every Day of the Novena: Thou art all fair, O Mary, The Original Stain is not in thee. Th...

Fr. Philip N. Powell OP, PhD The Nativity of Christ, or Christmas ("Christ Mass"), celebrates one of the most important events of the Church:  the incarnation of the Son of God.  Like the Trinity, the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, etc., the Incarnation is one of those rock-bottom Christian beliefs that most Christians assent to but probably don't really understand.  Though Catholics all over the world affirm their belief in the incarnation every Sunday by reciting the Creed, how many could explain this tenet of the faith in the simplest terms? Let's start with a story... The archangel Gabriel appears to Mary and announces to her that God has chosen her to be the mother of the Christ Child, His Son.  Mary says, "Your will be done" and the Holy Spirit descends on Mary, giving her the child.  Nine months later the Christ is born in Bethlehem. Simple enough story, right?  If we left the incarnation there, we would still have the basic truth of Chri...

Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) In today’s first reading we hear the prophet Isaiah calling us to climb to the top of the mountain and look for the Lord’s advent, the Lord’s coming into our lives. At the end of today’s first reading when we hear Isaiah cry out, “ O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord! ” We need to understand that Isaiah isn’t simply talking about nature’s daylight nighttime’s darkness, he is talking about what we see with our minds and hearts. He’s calling us to rise above our daily worries, concerns and anxieties in order to take a look over the whole of our lives with all of their peaks and valleys. As Christians we do that in the vision of Christ, the Light of the World, God’s gift to us. The problem you and I face comes not from the fact that we are unconcerned or apathetic or lazy. The problem you and I have is that we’re far too concerned about so many other things. Often the...

Please remember the Holy Father Pope Francis' intentions in prayer through the month of December: Universal: End to Child-Soldiers That the scandal of child-soldiers may be eliminated the world over. Evangelization: Europe That the peoples of Europe may rediscover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Gospel which gives joy and hope to life.

We received the following from praymorenovenas.com about their online Advent retreat. A modest donation is requested to offset the cost of their ministry. If you are financially unable — or wish to delay doing so, you are welcome to participate for free. For additional information and to register, see the links below.  ______________________________________________  The Pray More Advent Retreat will be available on Monday! The Pray More Retreat is an online retreat to help you spend more time in prayer this Advent to prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. If you sign up for the retreat, you will receive: + 20 Video & Audio Presentations with Transcripts, and + 20 Reflective Study Guides - one for each talk We know how busy you are. That's why the retreat is self-paced; that means you can watch, listen or read the presentations whenever you have the time to do it. We hope the Pray More Retreat will help you intentionally work ...

The Crushed Bones has a thoughtful article "To Conscience First" , that is well worth your time. With all the concern over Pope Francis' propensity to "make a mess" (see here and here ), it should be remembered that no pontiff can unilaterally overturn Church doctrine. Some timely insights from the post: "It is frighteningly easy for priests, bishops, cardinals and Popes to misuse their authority in many and varied ways, but in particular regard to the Papacy, cause for anxiety is very well-founded because the Pope oversees not simply a parish or a Diocese, but is Supreme Pontiff for the whole Universal Church. If the Shepherd goes astray, the multitude of sheep who follow him will likely go astray too. ... 'Tu es Petrus, et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam .' 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.' One cannot help but feel that the omission of the clause 'et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam...

From the tenth century onwards veneration for St. Catherine of Alexandria has been widespread in the Church of the East, and from the time of the Crusades this saint has been popular in the West, where many churches have been dedicated to her and her feast day kept with great solemnity, sometimes as a holy-day of obligation. She is listed as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers of mankind among the saints in Heaven; she is the patroness of young women, philosophers, preachers, theologians, wheelwrights, millers, and other workingmen. She was said to have appeared with Our Lady to St. Dominic and to Blessed Reginald of Orleans; the Dominicans adopted her as their special protectress. Hers was one of the heavenly voices heard by St. Joan of Arc. Artists have painted her with her chief emblem, the wheel, on which by tradition she was tortured; other emblems are a lamb and a sword. Her name continues to be cherished today by the young unmarried women of Paris. She is the patron saint of a...

Thanksgiving Day Table Blessing By Rev. Msgr. Bernard W. Bourgeois God our Father, on this Thanksgiving Day, we as family and friends pause from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives to give thanks to you for the blessings you have bestowed upon us. We thank you for the gifts of life, family, friendship and love. We thank you for the opportunities of life in which we find fulfillment, purpose and peace. Most of all, we thank you for the people sitting around this Thanksgiving table. We remember those loved ones unable to be with us here today, most especially those who are now seated at the banquet of eternal life with you. On this Thanksgiving Day, we pledge our love and support for one another, and dedicate ourselves to serve our neighbors in need. We ask you to bless this food, those who prepared it, and keep us ever mindful of those who are without love or food today. All of this we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

If man applies the virtues planted in his soul to the right purpose, he will be like God. The image we depict must not be that of one who is unlike God; for one who is harsh and irascible and proud would display the image of a despot. Let us not imprint on ourselves the image of a despot, but let Christ paint his image in us. — St. Columban

Blessed Father Pro praying for his executioners before his martyrdom. José Ramón Miguel Agustín Pro Juárez, also known as Blessed Miguel Pro, the eldest son of Miguel Pro and Josefa Juarez, was born in Guadalupe, Mexico, on January 12, 1891, into a wealthy family. His father was a mining executive in the state of Zacatecas. As a young boy, he was distinguished for his great sense of humor and personal piety. He wrote comics, played the guitar and was especially attuned to the poor. These qualities would help him immensely throughout his priestly ministry. Miguel was particularly close to his older sister, who joined a cloistered convent. This prompted him to discern his own calling to religious life. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in El Llano, Michoacan at the age of 20, during the Mexican Revolution. Due to growing anti-Catholic sentiment, he fled to Belgium where, in 1925, he was ordained a priest. Father Pro suffered repeated bouts of acute stomach irritation and wh...

November 23rd, is the optional memorial of Saint Columban. This great missionary abbot founded monasteries in France, Switzerland, and Italy that became centers of spirituality, evangelization and learning. He was a monk of the monastery of Bangor in north Ireland, founded by Saint Comgall, one of the first and most notable monastic figures of Ireland. At Bangor, St. Columban became a teacher in the monastic school where sanctity and scholarship were prized. He was born in West Leinster, sometime between 540 and 550, and decided when he was a youth, to dedicate himself to God despite his mother's opposition. He lived for a time on Cluain Iris, an island in Lough Erne, with a monk named Sinell, before becoming a monk at Bangor. After thirty years there, he received Comgall's permission to spread the Gospel on the continent of Europe, and taking twelve companions with him, he settled in Gaul where the devastation of the barbarian invasions had completely disrupted civil and...

Pope St. Clement Adoring the Trinity November 23rd, is the optional memorial of Pope Saint Clement I, also known as Clement of Rome, the 1st century pontiff and martyr who was converted by Saint Peter [possibly along with Saint Paul] and ordained by the same. A seminal figure in early Christianity, he served as the forth Bishop of Rome and is considered the first Apostolic Father of the Church. Saint Clement of Alexandria called him an apostle; and Rufinus, (the monastic theologian and translator) almost an apostle. He accompanied St. Paul to Philippi and was a companion of the latter, with Sts. Luke and Timothy, in many of his missionary journeys. St. Paul ranks him among those whose names are inscribed in the book of life. St. Clement's letter to the Corinthians is a precious treasure from the apostolic period. In his letter ( 1 Clement ) dated around 95 AD to the Christian community in the Greek city of Corinth, St. Clement responds to a dispute in which presbyters of the ...

November 22nd, is the memorial of Saint Cecilia. The 3rd century virgin and martyr is one of the most famous of the Roman martyrs. Little is certain of her life apart from her martyrdom. A woman of great piety, she was attributed with the habit of daily singing the psalms, and as a gifted musician, for which she was named the patron saint of church music, musicians and composers. The daughter of patrician Roman Christians, she was given in marriage to a rich young nobleman, Valerian of Trastevere, despite desiring to remain a virgin. By the designs of Providence, her innocence was preserved. The Divine Office records how Cecilia told her husband that she had taken a vow of virginity and was under the protection of an angel: "Cecilia led a life of prayer and meditation and had vowed lifelong virginity, but a youth by the name of Valerian, relying upon the approval of her parents, hoped to marry her. When the wedding night arrived, she confided to Valerian, 'There is a sec...

Presentation of the Virgin , Giotto, Scrovegni Chapel, c. 1305. November 21st, is the memorial of the Presentation of Mary or the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple (as it is called in the East). Sacred Scripture is silent regarding this event. The Protoevangelium of James records that the Blessed Virgin’s mother Anne promised her daughter to God. Shortly after her birth, Mary was admitted into the sacred precincts. Popular piety attest that, when she was 3, her parents, Joachim and Anne brought her to the Temple to be consecrated to the Lord. There she was raised in holiness and received her nourishment from the Archangel Gabriel. Our Mother’s rigorous formation was owed to her singular place in the divine economy of salvation. In conceiving Jesus, Mary herself became a living temple of God; cherishing Him in her heart, loving Christ ardently, and faithfully keeping his word. In accordance with Scripture, God the Son and God the Father made their home with...

Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for Sunday’s readings ) I once met a woman who was descended from the first man executed in the American colonies. It was a curious fact, but it did not reflect negatively on herself. There are people, however, who live with inherited guilt. The descendants of famous Nazis such as Himmler, Goering and others have distanced themselves as much as possible from their cruel history. Descendants of Hitler’s nephews have changed their name and live a secluded life. There is also guilt by association, as expressed by sayings about “birds of a feather” or “you are the company you keep.” Even the British royal family, in 1917, because of strong anti-German sentiment during World War I, changed its name from the German “Saxe-Coburg and Gotha” to “The House of Windsor.” And yet, Matthew in the very first chapter of his Gospel seems to go out of his way to remind us that Jesus’ ancestry ...