[ad_1] April 24, 2020 St. Fidelis (1577-1622) was born in the German town of Sigmaringen as Mark Rey. He became a lawyer as a young man, and dedicated himself to upholding the rights of the poor and oppressed; in fact, he was nicknamed “the poor man’s lawyer.” Mark became disgusted by the widespread corruption he observed. His brother George was a Franciscan friar of the Capuchin Order, and Mark decided… Read More »St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen
[ad_1] This week’s poem in the Catholic Poetry Room is by David Russell Mosley. The Light of Christ His precious blood poured down with water and light.The Light of all the world for us was snuffed out.Just as a candle standing in the nightIs finally hushed, leaving darkness and doubt,So he too was hushed, uttering his finalCry. But Death’s domain could not containHim. He swallowed death which tried to swallowHim.… Read More »The Light of Christ — Integrated Catholic Life™
[ad_1] The greatest prayer we can make is the “prayer of offering.” A prayer of offering is a sacrifice offered to the Father in union with the One Sacrificial Offering of Christ on the Cross. We do not offer ourselves, by ourselves. We offer ourselves in union with Christ Jesus. Specifically, we must offer our prayers, fasting, mortification and daily work to God. Pray prayers every day. Mortify your fleshly… Read More »Reflection 113: An Offering to the Everlasting Father
[ad_1] April 21, 2020 Daily Reading from the USCCB: John 3:7b-15 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SW_041310_II.mp3 Nicodemus doesn’t understand what Jesus is talking about. What does Jesus mean when He speaks about being born again in the Spirit? Jesus says, “I know what I’m talking about. I come to you from the presence of the Father. In due time I will be lifted up, glorified, a source of salvation for all those who… Read More »Sharing the Word for April 21, 2020
[ad_1] April 20, 2020 When only a small child in Montepulciano in Tuscany, Agnes would spend hours reciting the Our Father and the Hail Mary on her knees. Her parents realized that she was a very special child, totally dedicated to God, so when she was nine years old they placed her in a Franciscan convent known as Sackins, so called because their habits or scapulars were made of sackcloth.… Read More »St. Agnes of Montepulciano
[ad_1] “In this darkness, Our Lord has already given you what you need.” One of my favorite parts of the Easter season liturgy is in the preface before the Eucharistic Prayer, when the priest prays, “therefore, overcome with paschal joy…” It’s a reminder to me, every day of Easter, that we are in this season of joy and are called to celebrate the resurrection with all people and the choirs… Read More »Graces for Later — Integrated Catholic Life™
[ad_1] When a child is frightened or gets hurt, the natural place of comfort is the arms of a parent. This is the first thing a crying child looks for. So it must be with us. The arms of our Father in Heaven, and Jesus our Savior, are what we must run to in our need. We should not hesitate to turn to God in all things, especially when tempted… Read More »Reflection 109: The Arms of God
[ad_1] April 17, 2020 Daily Reading from the USCCB: John 21:1-14 https://www.franciscanmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SW_040910_II.mp3 At the beginning of His ministry Jesus turns water into wine at Cana–lots of wine. Later He feeds 5000 with a few loaves, and has 12 baskets of fragments left over. In today’s reading we see Jesus filling the nets of his disciples with 153 large fish. Jesus deals in abundance. He never provides just enough. There’s… Read More »Sharing the Word for April 17, 2020
[ad_1] April 16, 2020 Bernadette Soubirous was born in 1844, the first child of an extremely poor miller in the town of Lourdes in southern France. The family was living in the basement of a dilapidated building when on February 11,1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette in a cave above the banks of the Gave River near Lourdes. Bernadette, 14 years old, was known as a virtuous girl… Read More »St. Bernadette
[ad_1] This week’s poem in the Catholic Poetry Room is by Marjorie Maddox. To the God-daughter, who forgave you for missing her life, “See,”she says, “I… Read More »To the God-daughter, who forgave you — Integrated Catholic Life™