BIG C CATHOLICS

February 3rd Little is known about the life of Saint Blaise. He was a physician and a Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia. He lived in a cave on Mount Argeus and was a healer of men and animals. According to legend, sick animals would come to him on their own for help, but would never disturb him at prayer. Before Saint Francis of Assisi, he was the saint most frequently associated with animals and the natural world. Agricola, governor of Cappadocia, came to Sebaste to persecute Christians. His huntsmen went into the forests of Argeus to find wild animals for the arena games, and found many waiting outside Blaise's cave. Discovered in prayer, Blaise was arrested, and Agricola tried to get him to recant his faith. While in prison, Blaise ministered to and healed fellow prisoners, including saving a child choking on a fish bone, which led to the blessing of throats on Blaise's feast day. Thrown into a lake to drown, Blaise stood on the surface and calmly invited his persecutors

Saint Francis wrote very little. The two sources attributed to him, St. Francis of Assisi: Omnibus of Sources and Francis and Clare: The Complete Works are succinct one-volume works. One thing is clear; St. Francis lived the Gospel to the letter, and loved God above all. Here is his most excellent prayer summarizing the mission and end of Christian life in imitation of Christ: Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is error, the truth; Where there is doubt, the faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, Grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled, as to console; To be understood, as to understand; To be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned; And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

August 11th, is the Memorial of Saint Clare of Assisi (1191-1253). The founder of the Order of Poor Ladies, St. Clare was one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Born into a world of wealth and privilege enjoyed by the Italian nobility, she was the eldest daughter of Favorino Sciffi, Count of Sasso-Rosso and his wife Blessed Ortolana. From her mother she received her deep faith and sense of religious devotion. Her selfless virtue was evident to all. Forsaking her opulent surroundings, Clare dedicated herself to God, living a life of piety and poverty. Her commitment to the poor was so complete, she would forgo meals to give the food to the needy. Even as a young child, Clare made sacrifices and practiced mortification. When she was 18, Clare listened to Saint Francis of Assisi preach during a Lenten service in the church of San Giorgio. Afterward, she asked him to help her live more perfectly as a disciple of Christ, according to the Gospel. Francis agreed. They de

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

On July 15th, the Church commemorates the Feast of Saint Bonaventure. The Seraphic Doctor was born at Tuscany, Italy in 1221. At 22, he joined the Franciscan Order and went to Paris where he excelled in his theological studies. Fifteen years later, he was made General of his Order restoring calm at a time of enormous turmoil and internal dissent. Bonaventure is credited with the Franciscan's resurgence for his work consolidating an institution that was as yet ill defined in nature. Under his guidance, the Franciscans became the most prominent order in the Catholic Church until the coming of the Jesuits. Bonaventure was renowned for the force of his preaching, writing and scholarship. His Life of St. Francis was one of the most popular works of the Middle Ages. He died at Lyons in 1274 while assisting at the Second Council of Lyons, to reunite the Eastern church with the West. Bonaventure was so revered that Dante had already included him among the inhabitants of his literary &

Adoration of the Magi , Giotto di Bondone, c. 1312.  1. Our Savior wasn’t born in 1 A.D. Scripture gives clues as to Christ’s year of birth based on references to rulers at the time. Matthew’s Gospel states that Jesus was born during the reign of King Herod [Matthew 2:1-2]. We know Herod died in 4 B.C. It was Herod who ordered all boys two years old and younger in the vicinity of Bethlehem to be killed in an attempt to destroy the Messiah. Jesus could have been as old as two before Herod’s death. Luke 3:23 asserts that: "Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age." Jesus commenced His ministry during the time John the Baptist preached in the wilderness. John’s ministry began “in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of A

LET US PRAY Saint Francis of Assisi (pictured above) was born into a wealthy Italian family in c 1182. He is the founder of the Franciscans. Francis is the patron saint of animals, the environment, and Italy. Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair hope; where there is darkness light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen Additional information on the life of St. Francis may be found here .