BIG C CATHOLICS

The legalization of the termination of pregnancy is none other than the authorization given to an adult, with the approval of an established law, to take the lives of children yet unborn and thus incapable of defending themselves. It is difficult to imagine a more unjust situation, and it is very difficult to speak of obsession in a matter such as this, where we are dealing with a fundamental imperative of every good conscience — the defense of the right to life of an innocent and defenseless human being. — St. John Paul II ____________________________________________________ Prayer to God the Father of all Life Eternal God, You have revealed Yourself as the Father of all Life. We praise You for the Fatherly care which You extend to all creation, and especially to us, made in Your image and likeness. Father, extend Your hand of protection to all those threatened by abortion, and save them from its destructive power. Strengthen all fathers so that they never give in to

Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. Provincial Superior, La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for today’s readings )  The Gospel has always been counter-cultural, from the time of Jesus to our own day. In no place is this more obvious than today’s Gospel text. Turn the other cheek? Never, no way, no how. The same applies to giving up more than your adversary demands, or doubling troublesome obligations. And yet, Jesus tell us that this is the way to be perfect! The first reading uses the term “holy,” but somehow the meaning seems to be the same. So, if that’s what it takes, do we really want to be perfect, do we really want to be holy? And even if we could bring ourselves to do these things, how could we avoid resentment at the humiliation and loss of face? How would we be able to deal with it? There is plenty of resentment out there, around us and within us. There is plenty of frustration and anger behind it. These affect almost eve

Tradition holds that the medieval saint Thomas Aquinas levitated and had visions of our Lord. He was greatly concerned with explaining the mind of God, and he continues to matter because he helps us with a problem which still confounds us today; how we can reconcile religion with science and faith with reason. Aquinas’ monumental contribution was to teach Western civilization that any person could have access to great truths whenever they made use of God's gift of reason. Aquinas broke a log jam in Christian thinking over the question of how non-Christians could have both wisdom and at the same time no interest in or even knowledge of Jesus. Aquinas universalized intelligence. He opened the Christian mind to the insights of all of humanity from across the ages and the continents. The modern world insofar as it insists that good ideas can come from any quarter regardless of creed or background remains hugely in Aquinas’ debt. As a young seminarian, Aquinas went to study at th

The following seven saints Buonfiglio dei Monaldi (Bonfilius), Alexis Falconieri, John Bonagiunta, Benedict dell'Antella, Bartholomew Amidei, Gerard Sostegni, and Ricoverus Uguccione were the founders of the Servite Order, a religious community dedicated explicitly to helping foster the practice of reparation and contemplating the Passion of our Lord and the Blessed Mother's Seven Sorrows. The Servites accomplishments are not widely known, due to the spirit of humility cherished by its members. Their work in home missions promoting reverence for Christ’s suffering on Calvary and inspiring devotion to the Mother of Sorrows has benefited innumerable souls. Their divine ministry began in a period of turmoil. When Florence and all Italy was beset by civil strife, during the 13th century, God called seven men from the nobility of Florence. In 1233, they met together and prayed for guidance. The Blessed Mother appeared to each of them individually and extolled them to pursue liv

Marriage properly understood, is the conjugal union of a man and woman for life, of exclusive and mutual fidelity, for the procreation and education of children. The dual purpose of sexual union is unitive: the bonding of spouses in greater love and intimacy, and, procreative: to collaborate freely and responsibly with God in the transmission of human life so as to be open to the blessing of children. Pope Paul VI’s seventh and last encyclical, Humanae Vitae affirms the Church’s long held prohibition against artificial contraception. Therefore, "any action which, either in anticipation of the conjugal act or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" ( Humanae Vitae 14) is a sin against "the wise institution of the Creator to realize in mankind His design of love." Here is an excellent explanation of the Church's teaching on Contraception. Annie D

February 15th is the feast of St. Claude de la Colombiere (1641-1682), the 17th century Jesuit priest, preacher and missionary to England. He is best known as the confessor and spiritual advisor to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque to whom our Lord revealed the treasures of his Sacred Heart. In the course of Christ’s appearances to her, Margaret Mary was overcome with anguish and uncertainty. Jesus promised her "my faithful servant and perfect friend" to assist her in carrying out her divine mission. That "faithful servant" would arrive a short time later in the person of Father Colombiere. He would reassure Margaret Mary as to the vision’s authenticity. Due to his support, Margaret Mary’s superior came to believe, and devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was soon promulgated throughout France. Claude de la Colombière was born the third child of Bertrand and Margaret de la Colombière in in St. Symphorien d'Ozon, France. His family was pious and of high standin

The Rebuke of Adam and Eve , Domenichino, 1626. 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. ____________________________________________________ Those in the teaching profession are most certainly familiar with the concept of "natural consequences." The same idea is found in Sacred Scripture. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command to not eat of the forbidden fruit, all hell broke loose, quite literally. In " Why Satan Hates the Ascension of Christ " we wrote: "Satan’s lie in the garden condemned humanity to lives of sin, drudgery and inexorable physical death. Prior to the Fall, the created world and everything in it functioned precisely as God intended. It was in short, Paradise. W