BIG C CATHOLICS

When a cause of sainthood is opened to determine whether a person is worthy of the approbation "Saint", an exhaustive examination of their lives ensues. Should they be found to have led a life of "heroic virtue" (along with the prerequisite miracle attributed to their intercession) they are thereafter beatified and called "Blessed" (the penultimate step toward canonization). To many, the notion of living a life of heroic virtue seems a daunting if not impossible task. Indeed, we are all called to be saints, or as the Baltimore Catechism succinctly states: Q: Who made you? A: God Q: Why did He make you? A: God made me to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him in this life, so as to live with Him forever in the next. Fortunately, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the 19th century French cloistered Carmelite nun shows us that sainthood is possible for everyone. Six years after entering the cloister, determined to become a saint, Thérèse saw the limita

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 on your pr

Marie Thérèse Martin was born January 2, 1873, the youngest of five daughters, to a deeply devout Catholic family. At 15, she entered the Carmel of Lisieux where she would spend the rest of her life. Like other saints and teachers of faith, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face experienced profound spiritual insights attained in prayer. Little things done out of love are those that charm the Heart of Christ... On the contrary, the most brilliant deeds, when done without love, are but nothingness. *** We must do all that lies in our power; we must give without counting the cost; we must constantly renounce ourselves. In one word, we must prove our love by all the good works we can perform; but, since all that we can do is very little, it is of the greatest importance that we put our confidence in Him who alone sanctifies those works and that we recognize that we are indeed useless servants, hoping that the good Lord will give us through grace all that we desire.

You ask me a method of attaining perfection. I know of love — and only love. Love can do all things. — St Thérèse of Lisieux October 1st, is the feast day of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, more popularly known as St Thérèse of Lisieux, "the Little Flower." Although just an obscure cloistered Carmelite nun, she has achieved universal appeal since her death in 1897. This beloved saint is the patron of foreign missions, missionaries, against tuberculosis, AIDS sufferers, illness and loss of parents. Her perfect trust in God, deep faith and patient suffering is an example for us to follow. Saint Pius X called St. Thérèse the "greatest saint of modern times." Marie Thérèse Martin was born at Alençon, France on January 2, 1873, the youngest of five daughters. Her father, Louis Martin, was a watchmaker, and her mother, Zélie Martin, who died of breast cancer when Thérèse was four, was a lace maker. (On October 18, 2015, Pope Francis canonized

September 30, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day Nine Loving God, St. Therese never doubted that her life had meaning. Help me to see how I can bless and love everyone in my life. Especially… I love your people, Lord. Help me to love them more! I reflect you to

September 29, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day Eight Loving God, You loved St. Therese with a powerful love and made her a source of strength to those who had lost faith in You. Help me to pray with confidence for those in my life who do not believe they can be

September 28, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day Seven Loving God, St. Therese offered to You her weakness. Help me to see in my weakness an opportunity to rely completely on you. I rely on you, Lord. Help me to rely on you more! I accept your will, Lord. Help

September 27, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day Six Loving God, St. Therese experienced every day as a gift from You. She saw it as a time to love You through other people. May I, too, see every day as an opportunity to say yes to You. I accept your will, Lord.

September 26, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day Five Loving God, You gave St. Therese the gift of forgiving others even when she felt hurt and betrayed. Help me to be able to forgive others who have wounded me, especially… I try to forgive, Lord. Help me to for

September 25, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day Four Loving God, You taught St. Therese how to find You through the "little way" of humility and simplicity. Grant that I may never miss the grace hidden in humble service to others. I am humble, Lord.

September 24, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day Three Loving God, you gave St. Therese the ability to see You in the ordinary routine of each day. Help me to be aware of your presence in the everyday events of my life. I see you, Lord. Help me to see you more!

September 23, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day Two Loving God, you loved St. Therese’s complete trust in your care. Help me to rely on your providential care in each circumstance of my life, especially the most difficult and stressful. I trust you, Lord. Help

September 22, 2016 Saint Therese of Lisieux, you said that you would spend your time in heaven doing good on earth. Your trust in God was complete. Pray that He may increase my trust in His goodness and mercy as I ask for the following petitions… (State your intentions) Pray for me that I, like you, may have great and innocent confidence in the loving promises of our God. Pray that I may live my life in union with God’s plan for me, and one day see the Face of God whom you loved so deeply. Saint Therese, you were faithful to God even unto the moment of your death. Pray for me that I may be faithful to our loving God. May my life bring peace and love to the world through faithful endurance in love for God our savior. Amen. St. Thérèse of Lisieux Novena Day One Loving God, you blessed St. Therese with a capacity for a great love. Help me to believe in your unconditional love for each of your children, especially for me. I love you, Lord. Help me to love you more! O

September 22nd is the first day of the novena to Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, more popularly known as St. Thérèse of Lisieux, "the Little Flower." This beloved saint is the patron of foreign missions, missionaries, against tuberculosis, AIDS sufferers, illness and loss of parents. Her perfect trust in God, deep faith and patient suffering is an example for us to follow. Saint Pius X called St. Thérèse the "greatest saint of modern times." She is a powerful intercessor whose help is sought by many. Join thousands of others around the world in praying the novena to St. Thérèse of Lisieux. O God, who opened your Kingdom to those who are humble and to little ones, lead us to follow trustingly in the little way of St. Thérèse, so that through her intercession we may see your eternal glory revealed and spend eternity with you in heaven. Click for more about this novena and daily email reminders sent to your inbox .

Learning to Love With the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir , (published 2016, by Mercy Press, Wichita, KS, 122 pages) the second book from writer, speaker, psychologist and blogger, Jean Heimann, M. A., is an intimate account of her life’s search for authentic love. Coming of age at a time of social upheaval, widespread religious questioning, and great personal difficulties, she looked everywhere but the Church to find it. Professional success did nothing to quell her heart’s deepest longing for purpose and meaning. For fifteen years she followed the zeitgeist , not the Gospel, distinguishing, but not fulfilling herself. Slowly, through divine serendipity and the Sacred Heart of Christ, she would reaffirm her faith in God and the Church. Along the way, the saints she had venerated in her childhood reemerged to remind her of God’s boundless love. Like her blog, Catholic Fire , her spiritual biography features men and women of heroic virtue who speak to us today. Learning to Love With the

Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin & family On October 18, Pope Francis canonized four individuals, including, the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. Louis Martin and Marie Zélie Guerin Martin had nine children; four died in infancy and five daughters entered religious life. During their 19-year marriage, the couple was known to attend Mass daily, pray and fast, respect the Sabbath, visit the elderly and the sick, and welcome the poor into their home. (See Father James Martin's article " His Wife's a Saint, So Is Her Husband ", for more.) Father Mark A. Pilon says the single most important event that will occur during the 2015 Synod on Marriage and the Family is the canonization of Louis and Zélie Martin. In an article for The Catholic Thing he writes: The Church has always pointed to the lives of saints to teach us the great truths of our faith. In this case, the example is not only the fidelity of this holy couple, nor their obviously great conjugal love, n

St. Thérèse composed, and recited daily, the following prayers for priests: O Almighty Eternal God, Look upon the face of Thy Christ, and for the love of Him, Who is the Eternal High Priest, have pity on Thy priests. Remember, O most compassionate God, that they are but weak and frail human beings. Stir up in them the grace of their vocation which is in them by the imposition of the Bishop’s hands. Keep them close to Thee, lest the enemy prevail against them, so that they may never do anything in the slightest degree unworthy of their sublime vocation. O Jesus, I pray to Thee, for Thy faithful and fervent priests; for Thy unfaithful and tepid priests; for Thy priests laboring at home or abroad in distant mission fields; for Thy tempted priests, for Thy lonely and desolate priests; for Thy young priests; for Thy aged priests; for Thy sick priests; for Thy dying priests; for the souls of Thy priests in purgatory. But above all, I commend to Thee the priests dearest to me: the pries

Despite being acutely aware of her own inadequacy, St. Thérèse of Lisieux was determined to be a saint. Her life of prayer, simplicity and humility shows us that sainthood is possible for everyone. The following quotations of St. Thérèse, illustrate her devotion to love in imitation of Christ. A word or a smile is often enough to put fresh life in a despondent soul. +++  May you be content knowing you are a child of God.         +++ The splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of it’s scent nor the daisy of its simple charm. If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness.  +++  Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love. +++  For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy. 

Today is the feast day of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face, more popularly known as "the Little Flower." Although just an obscure cloistered Carmelite nun, she has had universal appeal since her death in 1897. You ask me a method of attaining perfection. I know of love - and only love. Love can do all things.       — St Thérèse of Lisieux Marie Thérèse Martin was born at Alençon, France on January 2, 1873, the youngest of five daughters. Her father, Louis, was a watchmaker, and her mother, Zelie, who died of breast cancer when Thérèse was four, was a lace maker. She was brought up in a model Christian home. While still a child she felt the attraction of the cloister, and at fifteen obtained permission to enter the Carmel of Lisieux. For the next nine years she lived a very ordinary religious life. There are no miracles, exploits or austerities recorded of her. She attained a very high degree of holiness by carrying out her ordinary daily duties w

I want to call your attention, once again, to a most noble ministry. As mentioned previously , The Imagine Sisters are a congregation promoting the religious life . They conduct an annual outreach called the One Rose Invitation . (See video at end of post.) From their website: The One Rose Invitation is an annual initiative to invite young women to consider the call to consecrated life as a religious sister. It was inspired by St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the patron saint of Imagine Sisters, who said, "After my death I will let fall a shower of roses." Do you know a young woman you think would make a great sister? Let her know by giving her a single red rose on October 1st. The rose is a symbol of the invitation to consider religious life, and an affirmation of the beauty of that young woman’s soul. Tell her that you respect her as a Catholic woman and that you think she would make a great sister if God called her. Encourage her, just don’t pressure her –because no matter