CATHOLIC CHURCH
APPROVED APPARITIONS OF OUR LADY

With the increasing number of claimed heavenly apparitions, which ones have received the official recognition of the Holy Catholic Church during the past few centuries? A list is provided here of some of those apparitions that you can read about with the assurance that these have been recognized.

While the list of those who were blessed with heavenly manifestation begins after year 1,000 A.D, there are many more who's lives are worthwhile r...

O how unspeakable is this sacrament which sets the affections ablaze with the fire of charity and sprinkles our home's lintel, on both doorposts [lips], with the immaculate Lamb's blood! What wholesome provision for our dangerous journey we receive in this food! What strengthening manna enriches the traveller! It invigorates the weak, brings back health to the sick; it increases virtue, makes grace abound, purges away vices, refreshes the soul, renews life in the languid, binds toge...

Mass Readings: March 31

THE MYTH OF NEUTRALITY

The man "who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters." –Luke 11:23

When some people accused Jesus of casting out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, Jesus said: "He who is not with Me is against Me." In the context of spiritual warfare, we are enemies of Jesus if we aren't on His side. There is no neu...

Throughout time, prayer and Carmel have been synonymous and the Carmelites have contributed greatly to the spiritual life and holiness of the Church. Tradition tells us that in 1251, Our Lady appeared to the Prior General of the Carmelite Order, St. Simon Stock at Aylesford, England. In this apparition, Our Lady gave him what we call the brown Scapular... a garment that has become the symbol of the bond between Our Lady and the Order of Carmel. The Carmelites have always been her de...

By TITO EDWARDS | Why Math Cannot Predict the Extinction of Religion, or Rainfall for that Matter - Stacy Trasancos, Accepting Abundance Bomb Thrown At Pro-Life Prayer Vigil - Lisa Graas Life and Death on the Gridiron - Doctor Donald DeMarco, The Integrated Catholic Life™ These Holy Hands - Father Dwight Longenecker, Standing on my Head What If We Just Said …

I remember how, in the days of my youth, when I read and re-read the words of St. Paul, "By the grace of God, I am what I am," I thought what a gloriously bold and upright man he was, and how courageous. For I placed all of the emphasis on the words, "I am what I am,'" much in the spirit of Henley's "I am the captain of my soul, I am the master of my fate." I did not emphasize, as I should have, the words "by the grace of God." It is these words that I now emphasize. I give thanks to...

Mass Readings: March 30

JESUS' IMPOSSIBLE DEMANDS

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets." –Matthew 5:17

In the Old Testament, the Lord told us to obey 612 commandments. In the New Testament, Jesus did not abolish even the smallest part of any of the letters of these commandments (Mt 5:18). In fact, Jesus added several hundred other commandmen...

The Lord’s prayer is perhaps the most well known and oft-repeated prayer of the New Testament, and is given a central position in Christian life. Yet the importance of this prayer is often both under appreciated and misunderstood. While biblical scholars acknowledge the redactions to the Bible and the problems involved in source materials, there is great acceptance among scholars that these words were likely the actual ones spoken by Jesus and were saved by oral tradition, entering the la...

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People often pray for new beginnings, to be lightened of a burden, to be given another opportunity to learn or to grow.  Looking at the first of the two creation stories in Genesis (whose translation is “beginnings”) by itself reveals a tremendously simple and beautiful description of the creation of the earth and the beauty in it.  The words are unspeakably profound, for they are as well a description of the process of creation within each of us as we give birth to new ideas, new insigh...

Healing is a complex subject, and depending upon the meanings ascribed to the word "healing", can range from physical to spiritual refreshment and relief to the enlightenment of the entire planet. The word "healing" is related linguistically to the word "wholing", and carries with it the connotation of making something fragmented into something complete. Beginning perhaps with a physical impulse, healing (and "wholing") becomes a spiritual experience meant to reunite us with the inmost...

"Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society"

--Saint Francis

One of the most famous and enduring, if not endearing saints of the West was born the son of a wealthy silk merchant in the southern Italian town of Assisi.  Peter and Pica Bernadone became parents while Peter was away in France on business.  The newborn was baptized and christened with the name of John (Giovanni), but upon his father’s return from a successful business trip to France, he was renamed Francesco, or as w...

Our Lord is in the Blessed Sacrament to receive from men the same homage he received from those who had the happiness of coming close to him during his mortal life. He is there to give everybody the opportunity of offering a personal homage to his sacred humanity. Were this the only reason for the Eucharist it should make us very happy; for the Eucharist enables us as Christians to pay our respects to our Lord in person. This presence is the justification of public worship as well a...

Mass Readings: March 29

QUESTIONS ON FORGIVENESS?

"Peter came up and asked Him, 'Lord, when my brother wrongs me, how often must I forgive him? Seven times?' " –Matthew 18:21

Most of us are like Peter. We have many questions about forgiveness.

1. "How often must I forgive?" Seven times, that is, indefinitely, or, as Jesus emphatically states, seventy times seven times, that is, indefinitely...

Rv 1  —  HAPPY HOUR

"Happy is the man who reads this prophetic message, and happy are those who hear it and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near!" —1:3

The book of Revelation is addressed to slaves of Jesus Christ. It was written to make us happy. It focuses on Jesus. If we're not happy when we read Revelation, we're not getting the message. This is either because we're not totally committed to Christ, or we don't have our eyes fixed on Him.

Prayer: Jesu...

Jude   —  HATING THE SIN AND LOVING THE CHURCH

"I was already fully intent on writing you, beloved, about the salvation we share. But now I feel obliged to write and encourage you to fight hard for the faith delivered once for all to the saints." —Jude 3

"Certain individuals have recently wormed their way into your midst" (4). "They pervert the gracious gift of our God to sexual excess and deny Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord" (4). "These men are blotches on your Christian...

3 Jn  —  FIGHTING IN CHURCH

"Therefore, if I come I will speak publicly of what he is doing in spreading evil nonsense about us." —10

John wrote to Diotrephes, the leader of a local church, to ask the church to provide hospitality for missionaries from John's community. Diotrephes not only refused to welcome the brothers himself; he even hindered those who wished to do so and expelled them from the church (10). So John told Gaius to defy Diotrephes and provide for the missionarie...

2 Jn  —  SPEAK THE TRUTH IN LOVE (Eph 4:15)

"In truth I love each of you — and not only I but also all those who have come to know the truth." —1

Love is not the permissiveness of letting everyone do their own thing. "Love is based on the truth" (2). True love is "tough love." We should love people enough to tell them the truth, and even to break off fellowship with them if they do not "remain rooted in the teaching of Christ" (9).

Prayer: Father, may I accept the suffering, s...

1 Jn 1  —  DO YOU KNOW HIM OR JUST ABOUT HIM?

"God is Light; in Him there is no darkness." —1:5

Some members of John's community did not have a deep personal relationship with Jesus. This left them open to all sorts of confusion and deception from the evil one. Some maintained they had fellowship with Jesus, were free of the guilt of sin, and even that they had never sinned. However, they were liars or self-deceived because they did not know Jesus personally.

Prayer: Jesus, ma...

2 Pt 1  —  FOR SURE

"It was not by way of cleverly concocted myths that we taught you about the coming in power of our Lord Jesus Christ, for we were eyewitnesses of His sovereign majesty." —2 Peter 1:16-17
"Besides, we possess the prophetic message as something altogether reliable." —2 Peter 1:19

Jesus promised He would come back a second time. Seventy years later, He still hadn't returned and many people wondered whether His promise was true. Many people today are also doubtf...

1 Pt 1  —  OBEDIENCE SCHOOL

"By obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves for a genuine love of your brothers." —1 Peter 1:22

Peter described the Christian life as "a life of obedience to Jesus Christ and purification with His blood" (1:2). The church of Peter's time was being made holy through purification and obedience in the midst of suffering.

Prayer: Father, may I express my faith and love by obeying Your commands that I most resist.
Promise: "Praised be the Go...

Jas 1  —  LONG DIVISION

"A man's anger does not fulfill God's justice. Strip away all that is filthy, every vicious excess." —James 1:20-21

James' church, like ours, was divided. The worldliness of the church promoted selfishness and division. James lists various steps toward unity:

1. We should rejoice even in bad circumstances because when our faith is tested this makes for endurance and maturity.
2. We must ask for God's wisdom to deal with disunity.
3. "Let the brother in humble circums...

Heb 1  —  "ALWAYS ABLE"

"When He had cleansed us from our sins, He took His seat at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, as far superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is superior to theirs." —Hebrews 1:3-4

The book of Hebrews was written to encourage Christians who were suffering persecution (13:22). The encouragement given in this book is not superficial but based on the ultimate realities. We have reason to be encouraged because the Son of God has become man, ...

Phlm   —  THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

"Perhaps he was separated from you for a while for this reason: that you might possess him forever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially dear to me; and how much more to you, since now you will know him both as a man and in the Lord." —Philemon 15-16

The early church changed social structures through evangelization. Paul led Philemon, a slave owner, to the Lord. Later he led Onesimus, Philemon's runaway s...

Ti 1  —  BLESS THIS MESS

"In his teaching he must hold fast to the authentic message, so that he will be able both to encourage men to follow sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it." —Titus 1:9

The church of Crete was a mess. Paul said: "There are many irresponsible teachers, especially from among the Jewish converts — men who are empty talkers and deceivers" (1:10). "They are upsetting whole families by teaching things they have no right to teach — and all for...

2 Tm 1  —  STIR-FRIED

"I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God bestowed when my hands were laid on you. The Spirit God has given us is no cowardly Spirit, but rather One that makes us strong, loving, and wise." —2 Timothy 1:6-7

When Timothy told Paul he was thinking of quitting his ministry in Ephesus, Paul refused to accept Timothy's resignation. He told Timothy to stir up the Holy Spirit in his life and bear his "share of the hardship which the gospel entails" (1:8).

1 Tm 1  —  CHANGES

"I have a solemn charge to give you, Timothy, my child. This charge is in accordance with the prophecies made in your regard, and I give it to you so that under the inspiration of these prophecies you may fight the good fight and hold fast to faith and a good conscience." —1 Timothy 1:18-19

Paul told Timothy "to stay on in Ephesus in order to warn certain people there against teaching false doctrines" (1:3). The situation was bad but the Lord could change any...

2 Thes 1  —  "BLESSED ASSURANCE"

"In God's communities we can boast of your constancy and your faith in persecution and trial." —2 Thessalonians 1:4

Paul wrote to the Thessalonians again because they were suffering more persecution and confusion. He assured them: "You endure these as an expression of God's just judgment, in order to be found worthy of His kingdom — it is for His kingdom you suffer" (1:4-5). The Lord "will provide relief to you who are sorely tried, as well as t...

1 Thes 1  —  BEAUTIFUL BABY CHRISTIANS

"Our preaching of the gospel proved not a mere matter of words for you but one of power; it was carried on in the Holy Spirit and out of complete conviction." — 1 Thessalonians 1:5

The Thessalonians were baby-Christians when Paul wrote to them. Paul was praying for them constantly, and they became models "for all the believers of Macedonia and Achaia" (1:7). He wrote: "Throughout every region your faith in God is celebrated" (1:8). The peop...

Col 1  —  FULL-FILLED

"It pleased God to make absolute fullness reside in Him and, by means of Him, to reconcile everything in His person, both on earth and in the heavens, making peace through the blood of His cross." —Colossians 1:19-20

In Christ is absolute fullness. In Him, we can attain:

1. "full knowledge" of God's will (1:9),
2. full sufferings (1:24),
3. "His word in its fullness" (1:25),
4. "the full measure of wisdom" (1:28), and
5. "full assurance" (2:2).

Prayer: Jesus, may I be "compl...

Phil 1  —  JOY ON DEATH ROW

"I long to be freed from this life and to be with Christ, for that is the far better thing; yet it is more urgent that I remain alive for your sakes." —Philippians 1:23-24

Philippians seems to be a collection of letters for the purpose of encouragement. Paul tells the Philippians that he thinks of them all the time. He thanks God for them and the way they "have all continually helped promote the gospel from the very first day" (1:5). He loves them "w...

Eph 1  —  WHO AM I?

"Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who has bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavens!" —Ephesians 1:3

Who are you in Christ? You are a saint and a believer who is chosen to be blameless and full of love. You are an adopted child of God, forgiven of sin, and redeemed through Jesus' blood. You are predestined to praise the Father's glory and to carry out His plan, "namely, to bring all things in the heavens and on e...

Gal 1  —  CONFUSION OR COMMITMENT?

"Some who wish to alter the gospel of Christ must have confused you." —Galatians 1:7

Paul exclaimed: "Even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel not in accord with the one we delivered to you, let a curse be upon him!" (1:8) Paul emphasized that the gospel he proclaimed was "no mere human invention" but "came by revelation from Jesus Christ" (1:11, 12). If we have first-hand experience of Jesus, we will not be unstable i...

2 Cor 1  —  MAKING MATTERS WORSE

"If we are afflicted it is for your encouragement and salvation, and when we are consoled it is for your consolation, so that you may endure." —2 Corinthians 1:6

Once again, the Corinthians have Paul beside himself. He writes more to them than to anyone else. They drive him to write his most personal letter. In Asia, Paul was crushed beyond his "strength, even to the point of despairing of life" (1:8). The Corinthians only made matters worse by ...

1 Cor 1  —  CROSS PURPOSES

"The message of the cross is complete absurdity to those who are headed for ruin, but to us who are experiencing salvation it is the power of God." — 1 Corinthians 1:18

Of all the churches in the Bible, Corinth may have been the most similar to the churches of today. Corinth was sharply divided, bound by sexual sin, and crazy about sports. In His mercy, the Lord richly endowed them "with every gift of speech and knowledge" (1:5). However, they were in...

Rm 1  —  ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

"I am not ashamed of the gospel. It is the power of God leading everyone who believes in it to salvation, the Jew first, then the Greek." —Romans 1:16

Paul planned to make Rome an evangelistic base for his mission to Spain (15:24). He wrote to the Roman Christians to prepare them for this by promoting unity between the Jewish and Gentile Christians. In the course of expressing the basis of this unity, Paul revealed in depth the fallen condition o...

Acts 1  —  THE UPPER ROOM

"You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes down on you; then you are to be My witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, yes, even to the ends of the earth." —1:8

In an upper room, Jesus gave us His body and blood in Holy Communion at the Last Supper. In an upper room, Jesus baptized His disciples with the Holy Spirit. The upper room was a place of prayer. For nine days, "together they devoted themselves to constant prayer" (1:14).

T...

Jn 1  —  CREATION AND RE-CREATION

"In the beginning was the Word; the Word was in God's presence, and the Word was God." —1:1

God created the world in seven days. Likewise, in seven days (see 1:29, 35, 43; 2:1), Jesus, God's Son, began the re-creation of the world by calling His first disciples and changing the water into wine (2:1ff).

Prayer: Jesus, may I be a new creation and be baptized "with the Holy Spirit" (1:33).
Promise: " 'Rabbi,' said Nathanael, 'You are the Son of G...

Mt 1  —  VIRGIN BIRTH

"A family record of Jesus Christ, Son of David, Son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers." —Matthew 1:1-2

Our heavenly Father has the nerve to begin the New Testament, the greatest revelation of all times, with what appears to be a page from the phone book. His ways are certainly not our ways (Is 55:8). God's meaning here is that all Israelite history leads to the miraculou...

The Lord concludes the Old Testament with a special message from the prophet "Malachi," a name which means "My messenger." Malachi warns us to prepare for the Messiah's coming by faithfulness in worship, priesthood, marriage, tithing, and family. If we are serving the Lord in these basic areas of life, we are ready for His final coming. Amen.

This book announces a series of dramatic, overwhelming visions. It is a basis for the book of Revelation and prophesies aspects of Jesus' Passion. Zechariah leaves us breathless as he leads us into the depths of God's mysterious plan of salvation. To begin to experience the unique prophetic vocation of Zechariah, ask the Holy Spirit to teach you about these five prophecies of Jesus' Passion (see 9:9; 11:12-13; 12:10; 13:7; 14:3-4). You will experience the fear of the Lord which is t...

Many of the Jews had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem eighteen years before Haggai's prophecies but still had not started to rebuild the temple. Instead, they had remodeled their own homes. Haggai prophesied that the people would be discontent and plagued by tragedies until they made rebuilding the Temple their top priority. So the people began to rebuild the Temple. From the day on which the foundation was laid, God blessed the people. Although the new Temple seemed like nothing ...

Zephaniah prophesied during the years 640-630 B.C. He was one of the few prophets who was immediately successful. His prophecies were part of the great reform of King Josiah of Judah. Zephaniah prophesied the day of destruction for Judah and the nations because of their idolatry. However, a remnant of Judah would be spared. The Lord will rejoice over this remnant and even sing joyfully because of it. Eventually, even the nations will join the remnant in adoring the Lord.

When Habakkuk saw Judah about to be destroyed, he asked God the perennial question: "Why?" The Lord explained the situation, but Habakkuk had to live by faith. He finally decided to do that and promised God that he would rejoice and exalt in Him no matter what.

Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, was nicknamed "the bloody city." It had slaughtered, enslaved, and mutilated its victims by the thousands. Nahum was happy to prophesy its destruction. Reading this book together with the book of Jonah helps us understand why Jonah did not want the Ninevites to repent and be spared.

Micah, a country boy, prophesied especially against the capital cities of the Northern and Southern kingdoms. He recognized the complicity between political and religious leaders who created a system that manipulated and oppressed the poor through real estate and banking. Despite the gross injustices, Micah had hope; he prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem and lift up the remnant to restore His people after the nation was destroyed.

Jonah ran away from God's call because of his unforgiveness toward the Ninevites, who were brutal enemies of the Israelites. The Lord sent a large fish and a little worm to teach Jonah a lesson. The worm may have been more successful than the whale. In the midst of God's jokes, He leaves us with the question: "Is our unwillingness to evangelize rooted in unforgiveness?"

Following Amos and preceding Jonah, Obadiah continues the condemnations from Amos and precedes the vengeance of Jonah by putting forth twenty-one verses of venom. He prophesied that Edom would be destroyed for taking advantage of Judah and oppressing it after the Babylonian exile. This vengeful attitude is in stark contrast with the mercy and forgiveness of the crucified Christ.

Amos warned the Northern kingdom of its imminent destruction. It was oppressing the poor and defiling its worship due to its pleasure-seeking life-style. Amos prophesied that almost all of the nation would be destroyed for its sins, although a remnant would be spared.

Joel considered the natural disaster of a locust plague to be a call to repentance and a preview of the end of the world. If we repent, the Holy Spirit will be poured out on us to prepare us for victory as the world ends.

The Old Testament concludes with the twelve minor prophets. It's best to read them all together, like twelve chapters of one book.

The book of Hosea compares God's love for His people to marrying a harlot. We commit adultery by compromising with the world. The Lord will take us back, if we only repent.

The book of Daniel was written during the bitter persecution of the chosen people by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the Seleucid king. The book assured God's people of victory by the Lord's sovereign power. We are to obey the Lord, not compromise with the world. We are to keep our eyes fixed on God's throne and not man's brutality. "In all this we are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us" (Rm 8:37).

After a dramatic experience of God's glory (chapter 1), Ezekiel prophesied that the Lord would give His people a new heart and a new spirit (chapter 36) in creating a new Jerusalem (chapter 48). Ezekiel's prophecies could make dry bones rattle and rise from the dead (chapter 37). He prophesied about the end of the world (chapters 38-39) and the wonderful heavenly stream (chapter 47). Ezekiel's visions of God and his prophecies are a main source for much of the last book of the Bible...

The prophet Baruch wrote hundreds of years after the Babylonian exile. Zerubbabel, Joshua, Ezra, and Nehemiah had attempted to restore the temple, walls, and people of Jerusalem. But the renewal needed renewal. The message is: "Back to the basics"—confessing our sins, living God's word, prophesying to the dry bones (Ez 37), and not compromising with the idols of the world.

In five laments the author tries to express the utter horror of the fall of Jerusalem. As painful as it is, it's good to relive suffering, pain, and death. When we face the reality of our sins and their devastating effects, we may also discover the reality of Jesus, the Savior.

Jeremiah prophesied for over forty years. The nation seemed to listen to him at first, but later they refused to repent and therefore died in their sins (see Jn 8:21). Jeremiah's message was primarily "violence and outrage" (20:8). He became extremely unpopular and according to tradition was killed by his own people. By worldly standards, he lived and died a failure. By God's standards, Jeremiah was victorious because he was faithful. The Lord still uses Jeremiah to change the heart...

The first part of Isaiah (chapters 1-39) is a call to repentance. Only through repentance can we stand in the presence of the all-holy God. This call was not heard, and as a result, the Israelites were destroyed as a nation and sent into exile in Babylon. The second part of the book (40-66) is a prophecy of restoration. Yet how can a dead nation come to life? How can a scattered and defeated nation be restored? How can sin be atoned for? How can God be just without destroying us? Th...

This book is the ultimate expression of Wisdom literature. It takes secular wisdom and puts it in the context of the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of true wisdom. When we fear the Lord, we can discern the good and bad of secular wisdom. However, without the fear of the Lord, theology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and other disciplines become mere exercises in futility and confusion. Nothing makes sense or is truly helpful to us, unless we are centered on the Lord.

The secular humanism of our day is undermining the Christian faith. In the last century before Christ, many Jewish people were also losing their faith because of the influence of secular humanism. The writer of Wisdom answers the secularists' objections against Judaism and Biblical revelation. Secularists are hung up on death and tragedy. Wisdom shows how these things are not contradictory to the idea of a loving God. God created a world of justice and harmony, but Satan, by using o...

The Christian life is a relationship with the Lord, a total commitment of unconditional love. It is analogous to marriage but much greater. Our relationship with the Lord is the deepest personal relationship possible for a human being.

Qoheleth, the writer of Ecclesiastes, convincingly argues that all human activity is meaningless. This book is ultra-depressing, but accurate and realistic, considering it was written before Christ. Life is worth living only because of Jesus' love poured out in His death and resurrection.

This book is an attempt to benefit from secular wisdom by seeing it in the perspective of the fear of the Lord. This book reveals how to live a life pleasing to the Lord, it does not tell us how to receive the power to do it. Only in Christ are we able to live the Proverbs and thereby live a life pleasing to the Lord (see Rm 7:21-25).

The book of Psalms contains some of the greatest words ever written, sung, and prayed. Unlike other books of the Bible, this book is to be read every day of our lives. It is the prayer book of the Church.

The psalms are often lyrics of songs for worship or outlines of liturgical services. When you read the Psalms, try to imagine the movement of the people at worship in the Temple. Also, remember that the Psalms are poetry. Therefore, they are more to be proclaimed than explained. Fi...

Job suffered several catastrophes in one day. His ten children were killed and his fortune lost. Later, he himself was afflicted with severe boils. Job prayed to die. Job's three friends and later, a young man named Elihu, tried to make sense out of Job's sudden destruction. Finally, the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. God's presence overshadowed even Job's terrible sufferings, and Job was rendered speechless. This book does not explain the meaning of suffering; rather, it point...

This book recounts many of the same events as 1 Maccabees narrates, but the perspective is different. In 2 Maccabees, there is much greater emphasis on God's intervention than on man's works (see 3:24-30; 10:29-30; 11:8; 15:12-16). Prayer is seen as the major weapon in warfare and not as a supplement to physical force. Because of the resurrection of the dead, the martyrs have a greater victory than the military men. This book is invaluable in helping us understand and practice what ...

The Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, gradually introduced and then mandated a secular way of life for the Jewish people. He did this by building a gymnasium and instituting anti-religious laws. Throughout history, secular entertainment and politics have often been used to undermine Christianity. The Maccabees resisted to the point of abandoning their possessions, shedding their blood (see Heb 12:4), and giving up their lives.

This book gives the origins of the Jewish feast of Purim. The word "pur" means "lot," referring to the lot cast by Haman to determine the time for the extermination of the Jews. Haman's plan was dramatically reversed. The Jews were able to destroy their enemies instead of being destroyed. This reversal was due to the fasting, courage, and wisdom of Queen Esther. This supernatural reversal of a plan for destruction into overwhelming victory is celebrated in the feast of Purim and pre...

Because the Israelites did not join the Assyrian alliance, the Assyrians attempted to force them to die of thirst. However, the beautiful widow Judith saved the nation by beheading the drunk Holofernes, the commander of the Assyrian army. This again is the Exodus theme. God's people are victorious even in impossible circumstances for the sole reason that they are God's people.

Tobit was a faithful Jewish believer in exile. He would often make the trip alone to Jerusalem to worship in the only true Temple. In addition to the loneliness of exile, Tobit suffered when he became a fugitive and all his property was confiscated. He later was blinded and impoverished. Nevertheless, Tobit was faithful to the Lord despite the isolation, loneliness, and suffering.

Tobit prayed that the Lord would kill him and put him out of his misery. Sarah, his future daughter-in-...

The walls of Jerusalem were in ruins for over 140 years. Nehemiah fasted, prayed, and obeyed, and the Lord used him to accomplish the monumental task of rebuilding the walls despite constant opposition and harassment. This was all done to make it possible for the Jewish people to engage in the Temple worship and live the holy Law. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Chronicler knew that the chosen people would be restored in power if only they worshipped the Lord in Spirit and truth (Jn 4:23). ...

By His sovereign power, the Lord used King Cyrus of Persia to provide for the restoration of the altar and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Even after opposition halted the work, the Lord used King Darius of Persia to complete the work.

Although exterior restoration of the Temple was eventually completed, the people were not restored interiorly. A symptom of this was mixed marriages with pagans. The Lord again used a Persian king, Artaxerxes, to send Ezra to Jerusalem. Ezr...

This book concludes that the only hope for the chosen people is Temple worship. Therefore, Solomon's construction and dedication of the Temple is emphasized. However, when the Temple worship was defiled by idol-worship, the nation split, deteriorated, and finally the Northern kingdom was destroyed. There was hope through the renewal of Temple worship under Hezekiah and Josiah. However, both of these kings died tragically. Temple worship was the answer, but who could purify the Templ...

In the late 400s B.C., it was very obvious that the chosen people were weak, scattered, and defeated. The Chronicler exhorted the people to praise the Lord by focusing their attention on the promises God made concerning the Davidic kingship and the Temple worship.

Christianity today is also weak, scattered, and often defeated. Like David, we must bow down and worship the Lord in the power of the Spirit. We will praise our way out of bondage and prison (see Acts 16:25-26).

1 Kings ends on a happy note with the power of God manifested through Elijah. 2 Kings begins with Elijah and Elisha continuing to work wonders. Then we see the unfaithfulness, sin, and idolatry of king after king from both Israel and Judah. Every Israelite king is condemned, and of the kings of Judah only Hezekiah and Josiah are praised without reservation. Eventually, Israel is destroyed by the Assyrians, and Judah by the Babylonians. 2 Kings illustrates one Scriptural promise in a...

This book begins with the glory of Solomon and ends with the glorious works of Elijah. In the middle of this glory, there is a civil war, resulting in the split between the Northern and Southern kingdoms, and the beginning of the end for both kingdoms of the Israelite nation.

The destruction of Solomon's great empire was due to sin. Because of sexual lust (see Sir 47:19), Solomon was unfaithful to the Lord. Later, Jeroboam, the king of the Northern kingdom, committed the almost unp...

We obey Yahweh not only by obeying the letter of the law but also by expressing awe, reverence, and fear before the Lord. David showed this in 1 Samuel when he spared his bitter enemy, Saul, because Saul was the Lord's anointed (12:1 ff; 26:1 ff). Out of respect for the Lord, David executed the man who assisted Saul in suicide (1:14-16), commended the men of Jabesh-gilead for burying Saul (2:4-5), mourned over Abner, Saul's general (3:31), executed the murderers of Saul's son, Ishba...

This book, as do all the Deuteronomic writings, illustrates the absolute necessity of obedience. If we truly believe in the Lord, we will obey Him. If we truly love Him, we will obey Him (Jn 15:10). Obedience is better than sacrifice (15:22). Through perfect obedience, the one Man, Jesus, saved the whole world and made atonement for all the sins that ever have or will be committed (Rm 5:19). The Christian life is simply "a life of obedience to Jesus Christ" (1 Pt 1:2). Because of di...

Ruth's husband and father-in-law died. When Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law, planned to return to Bethlehem, she told Ruth to remain in Moab. Ruth's best chance of survival was to stay in her country where she could have a better opportunity to marry or receive some help. However, Ruth remained loyal to Naomi, although this could have been social and financial suicide. Ruth's faithfulness resulted in her becoming the great-grandmother of King David, from whose family came Jesus, the Mes...

The judges were twelve military leaders whom the Lord raised up in times of crisis. The Israelites were repeatedly in crisis because of their disobedience. They were blessed or cursed in direct relationship to their obedience or disobedience.

Therefore, repent. The Lord has called us to attack the gates of hell (Mt 16:18) and not merely endure a series of crises. You are a conqueror and not just a survivor. Repent! "Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of Hime Who has...

The name "Joshua" is the same name as "Jesus." Jesus is our Way into the promised land and the land of promises. The Lord's promises are true despite adverse circumstances and delays. "For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late" (Hab 2:3). To inherit the promises, "keep this book of the law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may observe carefully all tha...

Think of collecting excerpts from the greatest sermons of Bishop Sheen, Billy Graham, and Pope John Paul II. What a powerful book that would be! Deuteronomy has collected some of the greatest sermons over hundreds of years so as to motivate God's people to obey Him and thereby enter the promised land. These great exhortations were put in the context of the eve of Moses' death. The great Moses, the liberator of the people from Egypt, was dying at the age of 120. These were his dying ...

The word "genesis" means "beginning." In this first book of the Bible, the Lord reveals the beginnings of creation, the sabbath, humanity, marriage, sexuality, sin, suffering, murder, and alienation. These beginnings are treated in the first ten chapters. The next forty chapters are concerned with the beginning of the chosen people. After the devastation of the Babylonian exile, the people are going back to their roots to see if they are really the chosen people. If your life has fa...

There was a worker from Belgium with a piece of bone missing in his leg, so that his ankle and foot dangled, suspended only by flesh and tendons, able to be turned a hundred and eighty degrees. When the Eucharist was raised over him in blessing, that missing bone was instantly created in his leg. The doctors had before-and-after x-rays. When the man died, an autopsy showed where the new bone had come to unite with the separated bone. The full documentation and x-rays can be seen at ...

Mass Readings: March 28

PROSPERITY GOSPEL?

"Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments." –2 Kings 5:5

Naaman, the army commander of Aram, was a leper. He brought a great treasury of wealth (2 Kgs 5:5) to the prophet Elijah, hoping to obtain a cure for his leprosy. Elijah sent his servant Gehazi to tell Naaman to wash seven times in...

After Holy Communion, the child had a vision in which she assisted at the Sacred Mysteries in the Catacombs in company with St. Cecilia.

"I knelt," she said, "in a subterranean hall which seemed to be cut out in a mountain. Many people were kneeling around on the bare ground. Flambeaux were fastened to the wall, and there were two upon the stone altar which had a tabernacle, likewise of stone, and a door. A priest was saying Mass, all the people answering. At the end of it he took a...

Mass Readings: March 27

DRINK AND TELL

"The woman then left her water jar and went off into the town." –John 4:28

A Samaritan woman brought her water jar to the town well to fill it with water (Jn 4:7). Jesus, sitting by the well, offered her living water instead (Jn 4:10). Jesus told her: "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never be thirsty; no, the water I gi...

"And there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night, and said to Him:  Rabbi, we know that Thou are come a teacher from God; for no man can do these signs which Thou dost, unless God be with him.  Jesus answered, and said to him:  Amen, amen I say to thee, unless a man be born again, He cannot see the kingdom of God.  Nicodemus saith to Him:  How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, ...

"Therefore I say to you, be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on.  Is not the life more than the meat:  and the body more than the raiment?  Behold the birds of the air, for they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather into barns:  and your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are not you of much more value than they?  And which of you by taking thought, can add to his stature one cubi...

"Jesus saith to them:  But whom do you say that I am?  Simon Peter answered and said:  Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answering, said to him:  Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:  because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but My Father Who is in Heaven.  And I say to thee:  That thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.  And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of Heaven.  And wha...

"And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors, for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ; that henceforth we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the wickednes...

"Whom do you say that I am?  Simon Peter answered and said:  Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answering, said to him:  Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona:  because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father Who is in Heaven.  And I say to thee:  Thou art Peter; and upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it."  (Matthew 16:16-18)

"And Jesus coming, spoke to them,...

"Again the high priest asked Him, and said to Him:  Art Thou the Christ the Son of the blessed God?  And Jesus said to him:  I am.  And you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming with the clouds of Heaven.  Then the high priest rending his garments, saith:  What need we any further witnesses?  You have heard the blasphemy.  What think you?  Who all condemned Him to be guilty of death."  (Mark 14:61-64)

1. Who is Jesus Christ?
      Jesus Christ is t...

"For God so loved the world, as to give His only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in Him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.  For God sent not His Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by Him."  (John 3:16-17)

1. Did God abandon the human race after Adam's sin?
      No, He promised to send a savior into the world and to open again the gates of Heaven.

   "I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed:  She shall cr...

"Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned...  For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made just."  (Romans 5:12, 19)

Read the first three chapters of Genesis.

1. What is Original Sin?
       The sin committed by Adam, the father of the human race.  By Original Sin, Adam lost Sanctifying Grace.
   
   
2. Who were Adam and Eve?
       The first man and w...

"And the day following Judas [Machabeus] came with his company, to take away the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen, in the sepulchres of their fathers.  And they found under the coats of the slain some of the donaries of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbiddeth to the Jews:  So that all plainly saw, that for this cause they were slain.  Then they all blessed the just judgment of the Lord, who had discovered the things that were hidden.  And so betaki...

"The Son of Man shall send His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity.  And shall cast them into the furnace of fire:  there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  (Matthew 13:41-42)

1. What is Hell?
       The place in the next world where the souls of the damned are condemned to suffer forever with the devils.

   "If any one abide not in Me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him int...

"Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted by God.  For God is not a tempter of evils, and he tempteth no man.  But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being drawn away and allured.  Then when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin.  But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death."  (James 1:13-15)

1. What is sin?
       Sin is any thought, word, desire, action, or neglect (omission) prohibited (forbidden) by the law of God.
   
   
2. When are you guilty of sin?
      ...

"Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called, and should be the sons of God.  Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not Him.  Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God; and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be.  We know, that, when He shall appear, we shall be like to Him:  Because we shall see Him as He is."  (1 John 3:1-2)

1. What is Heaven?
       The place of perfect happiness in the next world.

   "Eye hath not seen, nor ear he...

"And Jesus addressed them, and spoke to them again in parables, saying,  "The kingdom of Heaven is likened to a king, who made a marriage for his son...  And the marriage was filled with guests.  And the king went in to see the guests:  And he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment.  And he saith to him:  Friend, how camest thou in hither not having on a wedding garment?  But he was silent.  Then the king said to the waiters:  Bind his hands and feet and cast him into the exter...

"Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth:  where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through and steal.  But lay up to yourselves treasures in Heaven:  Where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.  For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also."   (Matthew 6:19-21)

1. What is a human being?
       A creature who has a body and soul.

   "Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory an...

Father Leloir was interned at Buchenwald, where at 6 p.m. each day the prisoners and deportees were lined up for inspection by the S.S. troops. On the evening of August 23, 1944, Father Leloir had carefully concealed on his person a small white envelope containing six consecrated Hosts, which he intended to distribute secretly among his comrades. The presence of the Blessed Sacrament on the person of the priest was known to several fellow-prisoners.

Consternation filled all when the s...

Mass Readings: March 26

ROBED IN MERCY

"Quick! bring out the finest robe and put it on him." –Luke 15:22

Did you ever notice the similarity between this story of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11ff) and Old Testament stories? When Jesus said, "A man had two sons" (Lk 15:11), His Jewish listeners would have latched onto that right away. Adam had two sons, Cain and Abel (Gn 4:1-2). Abra...

"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures, and the ancients;  and the number of them was thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:  The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and benediction."   (Apocalypse 5:11-12)

1. What is an angel?
       An angel is a spirit, that is, a creature who does not have a body.
2. Is an angel a real per...

Note:  As a creature of God, you are bound to pray to Him, not only as an individual, but also as a member of society.  The chief form of public worship in the Catholic Church is the Mass, which is explained in this lesson.  A fuller explanation will be given in Lesson 25.

1. What happens at Mass?
       The priest changes bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and offers them to God the Father.
2. Who said the first Mass?
       Jesus Christ, right after the Last Supper on the nig...

"Ask, and it shall be given you:  seek, and you shall find:  knock, and it shall be opened to you.  For every one that asketh, receiveth:  and he that seeketh, findeth:  and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.  Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone?  Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent?  If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children:  how much more will your Father who is in Heave...

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God!  How incomprehensible are His judgments and how unsearchable His ways!  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been His counsellor?  Or who hath first given to Him, and recompense shall be made Him?  For of Him and by Him and in Him, are all things; to Him be glory forever.  Amen."  (Romans 11:33-36)

1. Who is God?
       God is the Supreme Being, the Creator, "who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all th...

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all in these days hath spoken to us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the world."  (Hebrews 1:1)

1. What is the Bible?
       A collection of writings which were inspired by God.

   "All scripture, inspired of God, is profitable to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice, that the man of God may be perfect, furnished to every good wor...

1. What is the purpose of these lessons?
       To fill in what is missing in the lives of so many people - the knowledge and practice of true religion.

       "The heart of the wise seeketh instruction:  and the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness."    (Proverbs 15:14).

2. Why is religion the most important study?
       Because God expects you to know what He has taught and what He wants you to do in this life.

       "Let no man deceive himself:   if any man among you seem to be wise in this world, le...

O my daughter! Would that the believers in the holy Catholic faith opened their hardened and stony hearts in order to attain to a true understanding of the sacred and mysterious blessing of the holy Eucharist! If they would only detach themselves, root out and reject their earthly inclinations, and, restraining their passions, apply themselves with living faith to study by the divine light their great happiness in thus possessing their eternal God in the holy Sacrament and in being abl...

Mass Readings: March 25

HO-HUM?

"How can this be?" –Luke 1:34

So many astonishing things occurred at the Incarnation:

• A virgin conceived without having sexual relations (Lk 1:35).
• Almighty God has loved sinful humanity so much that He decided to become fully human, and took residence in the womb of a human mother.
• The Baby conceived by Mary is Emmanuel, God-with-us, Who would save us from our...

In 1984, just before retiring at a venerable age, the diocesan Bishop of Niigata, Bishop John Shojiro Ito, in consultation with the Holy See, wrote a pastoral letter in which he recognized as being authentically of the Mother of God, the extraordinary series of events that had taken place from 1973 to 1981 in a little lay convent within his diocese, at Akita, Japan. Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedi...

One day, having a little more leisure... I was praying before the Blessed Sacrament, when I felt myself wholly penetrated with that Divine Presence, but to such a degree that I lost all thought of myself and of the place where I was, and abandoned myself to this Divine Spirit, yielding up my heart to the power of His love. He made me repose for a long time upon His Sacred Breast, where He disclosed to me the marvels of His love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart, which ...

Mass Readings: March 24

HEART ATTACK

"More tortuous than all else is the human heart." –Jeremiah 17:9

More tortuous, twisted, and deceitful than all else is the human heart. The human heart is so tortuous that it will repeatedly murder millions of babies in the wombs of their mothers. The human heart is so self-deceived that it will call apathy "innocence," as we let the worst holocaust i...

Sacrifice is necessary in our lives if we want to realize the tenderness of God's love. Sacrifice is his love in action. God sent Jesus to teach us this love. And you will find out in your own life. Have you ever experienced the joy of loving? Have you ever shared something with the sick, with the lonely, together making something beautiful for God. This is something that has to come from within us. That is why Jesus made himself the Bread of Life–to create that in our life. If it is...

Mass Readings: March 23

CRUCIFYING SELFISHNESS

"It cannot be like that with you." –Matthew 20:26

There is an attitude, a way of reasoning, which comes natural to us. This attitude is steeped in selfishness and is very displeasing to the Lord. It is expressed in the words of Jeremiah's persecutors. They thought this way: "Let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean t...

St. Paul exhorted the young Church to pray always. And over the course of centuries, the Church introduced the Rosary, a simple yet profound prayer for praising God and meditating on the holy mysteries of Christ and His Blessed Mother. Now there is a way to pray the Rosary "around the clock," whereby a decade, with its own special theme, may be prayed for each of the twenty-four hours of the day.

Whether for Eucharistic Ad...

Tell-it-like-it-is radio host, Dr. Ray Guarendi – the popular clinical psychologist and host of “The Doctor Is In” radio show heard daily around the world – says the secret to successful parenting isn’t about knowing what to do. It’s about doing what parents already know.

            Say what?

            In his new easy-to-read primer which guides parents in five critical areas for raising good kids, Gua...

Authority
(uh-THOR-ih-tee)

An authority is one who holds a position of superiority to others with respect to some field or realm. This authority may be one of competence or expertise, or one of power and right. Thus a specialist in some field of knowledge is acknowledged to possess an authority with respect to this field. A person with the right and power of governance in a realm (e.g., the family, the State, the Church, an institution) is said to possess executive authority.

Copyrig...

One of the beautiful paintings that adorn the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi, is a scene (see right) showing Mary and the Christ-child at the foot of the Cross with Saint John and Saint Francis. The Child inquires of His Mother whom she prefers between the two. Mary points to Francis. This is a Fresco "Madonna with St Francis and St John the Evangelist" by Pietro Lorenzetti (c. 1320) which ...

As above, when Secular Franciscans were still using the Rule of Saint Francis of Pope Leo XIII, Father Marion Habig, OFM, in 1972 published his "New Catechism of the Third Order" published by Franciscan Herald Press. This catechism has some very practical advice under the chapter title: A Life of Prayer. We would like to present here some portions of that chapter for educational purposes.

"Prayer means speaking lovingly with God, either by word or mouth or in the silent language of t...

When Secular Franciscans were still using the Rule of Saint Francis of Pope Leo XIII, Father Marion Habig, OFM, in 1972 published his "New Catechism of the Third Order" published by Franciscan Herald Press. As you remember, the current Rule was issued, somewhat revised, by Pope Paul VI, several years later. The catechism in question has some very practical advice under the chapter title: The Golden Mean. We would like to present here some portions of that chapter for educational purp...

Identity and Affiliation

By Fr. Michael Higgins, TOR

From: Koinonia, 2002, N. 3

(Koinonia is a publication of the Conference of General Spiritual Assistants of the S.F.O., and is published in Rome)

Introduction

The Church provides a means to visibly and vigorously participate in Christ's mission to invite every man and women into a deep and personal relationship with God. In a real and practical sense it is to be the leaven of faith for people, the salt of the earth, the light a...

The Franciscan symbol of the "crossed arms" depicts the arms of Jesus and Francis crossed over the Tau, both bearing the imprint of the Crucifixion nails. Francis' arm is enclosed in the sleeve of his habit. It is a celebration of that remarkable gift of grace which St. Francis received on Mt. Alverna, September 17th - the Stigmata ... the bearing in his own body of the marks of his crucified Lord.

Just before he died on October 3rd, Francis stretched out his arms over his brothers in ...

• Franciscans strive to live the gospel, in the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi.
• Franciscans come from all walks of life...Laborers, Professionals, Housewives, Executives, Workers, Ordinary Citizens, Managers, Career people, Retirees, etc.
• Franciscans come together monthly to replenish themselves spiritually and study God's way through Saint Francis
• Franciscans improve their pray...

Introduction

There are many people in this world who lead a boring life. That is to say, they have nothing going for themselves. They have few if any interests outside of going to work and coming home and slouching in front of the television all night. They love to eat, and to gratify their senses in one form or another. Some will say that's plenty, but usually that formula isn't strong in including Our Lord.

People who love God and those who want to love Him. Or to...

We all know that vocal prayer is communication with God, either privately or in community (at Holy Mass, praying the Rosary, or parts thereof; praying the "Liturgy of the Hours," out loud.) "Vocal prayer differs from mental prayer precisely in this that mental prayer is not possible without attention to the thoughts that are conceived and expressed whether internally or externally. Neither is it possible to pray without attending to thought and words when we at...

Hope is in a religious context, carries a connotation of being aware of what Christians see as spiritual "truth." In Christian theology, hope is one of the three theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity), which are spiritual gifts of God. In contrast to the above, it is not a physical emotion but a spiritual grace. Hope is distinct from positive thinking, which refers to a therapeutic or systematic process used in psychology for reversing pessimism. The term false hop...

A prayer of Reparation is a prayer or devotion with the intent to repair the "sins of others" as well as our own sins, e.g. for the repair of the sin of blasphemy, the sufferings of Jesus Christ or as Acts of Reparation to the Virgin Mary. These prayers do not usually involve a petition for a living or deceased beneficiary, but aim to repair sins. Before asking any favor, be it for yourself or for someone else, it is proper to ask for forgiveness of sins.

A person havi...

We can pray anywhere we want, but generally, if we want to sit down with the Liturgy of the Hours or the Rosary, the television and all other distraction needs to be shut off. Some will pray the Rosary from a recorded tape of the Rosary, and while this helps the elderly or homebound sick people, the Rosary is best prayed by saying the whole prayer, or at least the bottom half. Ideally, another person in your home can participate, and then it becomes a family pr...

Prayer is indeed indispensable. It is simple communication with God; none of us can be without God. We speak to Him, and He speaks to us. But sometimes the pressures of life can be so daunting that we get distracted from prayer. That is really OK. We need to work through these conditions in life, and Our Lord, with His supreme love guides us through these phases.

The best prayer is always that of the Holy Mass. If you are Catholic, the Mass is it. The pi...

The Immaculate Conception

The Catholic Church bases her teaching upon one source: The word of God. This divine revelation is transmitted in two ways: through Scripture and apostolic tradition. Many assume that only the writings of the apostles are the word of God. However, their oral transmission of the faith is also considered the word of God (1 Thess. 2:13). Few Protestant groups today accept the validity, let alone the authority, of tradition. In fact, many believe that Scripture is the only definitive source ...

People often ask, "How should I begin to train myself to defend my faith? How do I prepare for the inevitable knock on the door? I don’t want to have to stand there open-mouthed." The best place to start your homework is the Bible. Almost every American home has one. It’s either a well-worn, well-used book (if that’s how it is in your home, you may skip the next several paragraphs), or it’s the book with the thickest layer of dust.

Step 1. Blow off the dust.

The process of becoming a professed Secular Franciscan is a journey that involves three separate stages and culminates in a lifelong commitment to live the gospel following the example of St. Francis of Assisi. This formation process unfolds in regularly scheduled formation sessions during which the home study material is thoroughly discussed.

The first stage, Orientation, provides time for dialogue and developing relationships in fraternity. During Orientation you will be intr...

Prologue

Exhortation of Saint Francis to the Brothers and Sisters in Penance

In the name of the Lord!

Chapter 1

Concerning Those Wh...