BIG C CATHOLICS

On May 20th, the Church celebrates the optional memorial of Saint Bernardine of Siena. If Bernardine were alive today, there is no doubt that he would be a media sensation. Renowned as one of the most influential preachers of his time, he was even compared to St. Paul by Pope Pius II for both his zeal and the charismatic nature of his words. Though not without his detractors, who would themselves be silenced by Pope Martin V, Bernardine became known as the "Apostle of Italy." Bernardine was born in the region of Siena, Italy, in 1380, and was orphaned at an early age. He was raised by pious aunts and, by all accounts, led a blameless youth. In 1400, when Bernardine was 20, the plague was at its most terrible in Siena, carrying off almost two dozen people a day. Rather than flee from the contagion, Bernardine and some of his friends instead offered to tend to the sick and dying at the hospital of Santa Maria della Scala. The young man threw himself heart and soul into the

Via the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops This summer, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will be convening an unprecedented gathering of leaders from dioceses and Catholic organizations from all across the country in order to assess the challenges and opportunities of our time, particularly in the context of the Church in the United States. This has been an ongoing initiative of the Bishops' Working Group on the Life and Dignity of the Human Person. The gathering will assemble Catholic leaders for a strategic conversation, under the leadership of the bishops, on forming missionary disciples to animate the Church and to engage the culture. The Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America will be held in Orlando, Florida, from Saturday, July 1, to Tuesday, July 4, 2017. Inspired by Evangelii Gaudium , the Convocation will form leaders who will be equipped and re-energized to share the Gospel as missionary disciples, while offering fresh

Echoing the words of his predecessor, Blessed Pope Paul VI , about the nature of Christ and the Church He founded: "it comes as no surprise to the Church that she, no less than her divine Founder, is destined to be a 'sign of contradiction,'" Pope Francis said Wednesday that Jesus "was not one to adapt to the world," but came rather to transform it. Breitbart News has more on Pope Francis' remarks: "The gospel of Jesus Christ is an ongoing challenge to the world rather than a mirror of society, Francis suggested in his weekly General Audience before a crowd of tens of thousands gathered in Saint Peter’s Square. 'Jesus is not one to adapt to the world, tolerating that death, sadness, hatred and the moral destruction of the person should endure in it... Our God is not inert, but dreams of the transformation of the world, and He brought it about in the mystery of the Resurrection,' he said. [ ... ] As the 'world' embraces sam

We have been promised something we do not yet possess, and because the promise was made by one who keeps his word, we trust him and are glad; but insofar as possession is delayed, we can only long and yearn for it. It is good for us to persevere in longing until we receive what was promised, and yearning is over; then praise alone will remain.  — St. Augustine of Hippo ______________________________________________ Prayer to Jesus Christ Our Savior and Redeemer Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, our Savior and Redeemer You are the resurrection and the life. No one else can give eternal life. Make our faith in You strong. Help us to remember that You defeated sin and death, and that we will also defeat death because we belong to You. We pray this in Your most holy name. Amen.

Optional Memorial - May 18, 2017 Arianism originated during the fourth century in the Eastern half of the Roman Empire before spreading to the West. By the sixth century, the Arian heresy had weakened in the East, but was not dead. The Byzantine Emperor Justin I ordered Arian clergy to surrender their churches into orthodox Catholic hands. Meanwhile, in the West, Theodoric (King of the Ostrogoths and ruler of Italy), enraged by the emperor’s actions, attempted to coopt the Pope’s authority for his own ends. This placed Pope John in an untenable position. Despite the Pope’s orthodoxy, the Arian King Theodoric expected him to intercede with Emperor Justin on behalf of the heretics. John’s refusal to do so would eventually lead to his holy martyrdom. _________________________________________________ The Heroic Papacy and Martyrdom of St. John I (470 – 526) This Tuscan was destined to be glorified not only during his lifetime but after his death as well. Although peace with

Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. Provincial Superior, La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for today’s readings ) All of us, at one time or another, have experienced deep disappointment. In this context, today’s words of St. Peter take on a special meaning: “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” When I started my theology studies, that was the very first text quoted in my very first class. Forty-five years later, these words have not lost their resonance. The explanation we give for our hope will, ideally, be personal.  It really isn’t enough to say, “That’s what I was taught.”  Yes, of course there are reasons common to all believers, but we have our own reasons, too.  At some point, the hope we were taught became our own hope, probably at the moment when we realized that we really did believe in the Jesus Christ we profess in the creed.  Can you remember when that was? Maybe it

Detail,  Saint Paschal Baylon's vision of the Eucharist , Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, c. 1767, London. Saint Paschal Baylon (1540 – 1592) was active during what is known as the Golden Age of the Church in Spain. Some of his contemporaries included Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint Francis Xavier, and Saint Teresa of Avila, however it is doubtful that Paschal would have considered himself their equal. One of his most notable qualities was humility, which he lived in a manner that was exemplary, even in the Franciscan community to which he belonged. Great was his devotion. Born in 1540 to poor Spanish parents, the future saint spent the first third of his life tending his father’s sheep, an occupation which gave him ample time to dedicate to prayer and meditation. In 1564, he would join the Friars Minor and, although encouraged to study for the priesthood, preferred instead to act as the community’s cook, gardener and doorkeeper. As the later, he was so generous to the poor in ne