BIG C CATHOLICS

October 25, 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.

The 2016 Election is nearly upon us. It is crucial that we, as Catholics speak with a unified voice because of the reality that certain laws directly contradict Church teaching, the natural law and the good of society. Catholics should carefully consider the role that judges play in deciding issues like abortion, marriage and religious freedom. Judges and other unelected officials all too often take these debates out of the democratic process and decide them for themselves leaving concerned citizens with no recourse. Since this election will affect religious freedom in the United States, as well as the protection of the most vulnerable in our society; the unborn, the ill and disabled, and the elderly, we should pray that God's will be done in the election, and that those who are voting will do so with a well-formed conscience. The novena for the election starts October 30th. Remember that our prayers and petitions, when offered to God sincerely, are always efficacious. Click

Love is the most necessary of all virtues. Love in the person who preaches the word of God is like fire in a musket. If a person were to throw a bullet with his hands, he would hardly make a dent in anything; but if the person takes the same bullet and ignites some gunpowder behind it, it can kill. It is much the same with the word of God. If it is spoken by someone who is filled with the fire of charity –the fire of love of God and neighbor – it will work wonders. — Saint Anthony Claret, Autobiography #438-439

October 24, 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.

October 24th, is the optional memorial of Saint Anthony Claret, (1807-1870) the 19th century Spanish bishop, missionary and social reformer, who founded the Order of the Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, known as the Claretians. His consequential ministry saw him spread the Good News of Christ throughout the world from Europe to Cuba, the Canary Islands and the First Vatican Council, where he was a stanch defender of papal infallibility. He was born Antonio Maria Claret, in Salent in the Diocese of Vich in Catalonia, Spain, the fifth of eleven children to Juan and Josefa Claret. As a youth, he learned his father’s trade of weaving as well as printing and Latin. Although he seemed destined to a life of manual labor, Anthony answered the Lord’s call. He dreamed of becoming a Carthusian monk, but poor health prevented him. In 1829, on the feast of Saint Anthony of Padua, he entered the diocesan seminary at Vich. In 1835, he was ordained to the priesthood and named pasto

October 23, 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.

Fr. Charles Irvin Senior Priest Diocese of Lansing ( Click here for today’s readings ) The gospel account we just heard is famous, one with which we are all familiar. It tells the well-known story of the sinner who sat in the back of the Temple beating his breast while seeking mercy and the Pharisee who sat up in front reminding God what a laudable and holy person he is. The “holier than thou” argument is often used as an excuse by those who don’t go to church in order to criticize those of us who do, calling us hypocrites. But the story goes much deeper than the comparisons people make between themselves and others. The parable deals with our perception of who we are in the eyes of God. This parable reaches to the core of our relationship with God. We need to understand that the basis of that relationship is the fact that God chooses us. He establishes the relationship. We haven’t won this relationship with our prayers, or our actions. God has chosen us. This has not been e