BIG C CATHOLICS

The Martyr’s Oath: Living for the Jesus They’re Willing to Die For , (published 2017, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, Carol Stream, Illinois, 240 pages) by Christian (Evangelical) pastor, author, speaker, media personality, communications executive, and humanitarian Rev. Johnnie Moore, examines the escalating genocide against those who profess belief in Jesus Christ. From the publisher’s website: "We are witnessing an astonishing escalation in Christian persecution like we have rarely seen since the first century. Some estimate that every five minutes, a Christian is martyred for his or her faith. Countries like Egypt have experienced more Christian persecution in the last five years than in the previous six hundred years combined. And who could have missed the atrocities of ISIS in Syria, Boko Haram in Nigeria, and the continued persecution of Christians in North Korea? Johnnie Moore, like many American Christians, didn’t fully appreciate the extent of what was going on—until

Optional Memorial - October 20th Saint Paul of the Cross, (1694-1775) was the 18th century priest and mystic, best known for his special devotion to the Passion of Christ, who founded the Passionist Order. Born Paolo Francesco Danei, in the town of Ovada, Genoa, (present day Italy) he was the oldest of sixteen children, eleven of whom would die in infancy or early in age. His parents, Luke Danei and Ann Marie Massari, were devout, but poor. (Of noble lineage, his family were merchant traders.) From the very beginning it was clear that Paul possessed immense preternatural spiritually abilities. From his mother, he received an intense reverence for the sufferings of Jesus crucified. Whenever he whined or complained, she would show him a crucifix to remind him that our Savior had endured far worse. From his father, Paul received his first catechesis in learning about the lives of the saints and their courageous sacrifices and great devotion serving in imitation of Christ. At 15,

Historically October 20th is the feast of Saint Irene, the legendary 7th century Portuguese nun martyred in defense of her chastity in 653. Her shrine called the "Santarem," (Portuguese for "Saint Irene") has played a key role for the great quality and beauty of the Catholic Faith that the Portuguese people have lived. Irene, a most beautiful and chaste girl, was murdered before she reached the age of 20. Her noble and God-fearing parents, wishing to prepare her both spiritually and intellectually to assume her rightful position in society, sent her to a convent school and then arranged for a monk to tutor her privately at home. An assiduous pupil and devout believer, the only times Irene left the safety of her house was to attend mass or to pray in the sanctuary dedicated to Saint Peter on his feast-day. On one of these occasions, a young nobleman named Britald happened to see her and fell desperately in love with her. Every time she went out he waited to ca

St. John de Brebeuf was brutally tortured by his Iroquois captors including being baptized in boiling water and bodily mutilated before his martyrdom. May we suffer the attacks on our Faith with the same fortitude that St. John de Brebeuf showed in imitation of Christ. Here is an entry from the former's spiritual journal. Jesus, my Lord and savior, what can I give you in return for all the favors you have first conferred on me? I will take from your hand the cup of your sufferings and call on your name…I bind myself in this way so that for the rest of my life I will have neither permission nor freedom to refuse opportunities of dying and shedding my blood for you, unless at a particular juncture I should consider it more suitable for your glory to act otherwise at that time. Further, I bind myself to this so that, on receiving the blow of death, I shall accept it from your hands with the fullest delight and joy of spirit. —  St. John de Brebeuf  ___________________________

October 19, 2017 This novena is dedicated to impossible causes or difficult situation which seem hopeless or extremely gave, as Saint Jude is the patron saint of desperate and lost causes. Today we pray for our personal intentions confident that all things are possible for God. St. Jude, help us to be steadfast in our faith as you were. Saint Jude Novena - Day 1 Most holy St. Jude, apostle, martyr and friend of Jesus, pray for me and my intentions. Intercede for me before the throne of God and plead for His favor. (State your intentions here) You are the patron of the impossible. Pray for my intentions St. Jude, that God’s grace and mercy will answer them. 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 difficult. St. Jude, you loved our Lord, help me to love Him more. 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 mo

Fr. René J. Butler, M.S. Provincial Superior, La Salette Missionaries of North America Hartford, Connecticut ( Click here for today’s readings ) At this point in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus has already passed two “tests”— spot quizzes, if you like —concocted by his adversaries. Apparently they haven’t learned their lesson. In their malice they have come back, only to be confounded once again. The issue wasn’t just whether one ought to pay taxes. It had to do with the Imperial Tax, the tribute levied on peoples subject to the Roman empire. The moneys raised were not for services provided, but to keep the people in subjection and enrich the empire. It was certainly perceived as an unjust tax, an unlawful tax. We can relate to that. In our own experience, the law is everywhere. It is intended to guarantee our rights and protect our freedom. But we like some laws better than others, depending on the extent to which they affect our property and our freedom. Here is an inter

Memorial - October 19th It has been said that the Catholic Church in North America sprang from the blood of martyrs, and the story of Saint Isaac Jogues and his companions is certainly proof of that. Jogues was born in France in 1607, and missionary zeal soon led the young priest to the New World in 1636, where he worked with the Huron natives under the direction of Fr. John de Brebeuf his fellow Jesuit and mentor. The Huron Indians, however, were not the only native peoples he encountered. The Iroquois were traditional enemies of the Huron and sworn enemies of the French. Consequently, when the Iroquois captured and held Father Jogues and his companions for thirteen months, they were imprisoned and tortured cruelly. Their fingers were cut, chewed, and burned off, and they were forced to watch the mutilation and killing of their Christian converts as a violent punishment. Father Jogues, with the help of the Dutch, was finally able to escape and return to France. He was grant