St. Arnulf of Metz

A statesman and bishop under the Merovingians, St. Arnulf was born in 580 and died in 640. His parents belonged to a distinguished Frankish family, and lived in Austrasia in the eastern section of the kingdom founded by Clovis. IIn the school where Arnulf was placed as a boy, he excelled through his talent and his good behaviour. According to the custom of the age, he was sent in due time to the court of Theodebert II, King of Austrasia (595-612), to be initiated in the various branches of the government. Under the guidance of Gundulf, the Mayor of the …read more

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Papal summer: Benedict heads for hilltop villa, Francis trims schedule

Pope Francis’ visits to Cuba, US to highlight families, charity, tolerance

Pope’s USA itinerary released

The First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

These “proto-martyrsâ€� of Rome were the first Christians persecuted en masse by the Emperor Nero in the year 64, before the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul.Nero was widely believed to have caused the fire that burned down much of Rome in the same year. He blamed the fire on the Christians and put them to death, many by crucifixion, being feeding to the wild animals in the circus, or by being tied to posts and lit up as human torches.These martyrs were called the “Disciples of the Apostlesâ€� and their firmness in the face of their gruesome deaths …read more

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St. Therese’s parents to be first married couple canonized together

On Faith: “Faith is this, to touch him and expect to draw from Him his saving grace”

By Theresa Norris

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today’s Gospel presents the story of the resurrection of a twelve-year-old daughter of one of the heads of the synagogue, who fell at the feet of Jesus and begged him: “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” (Mark 5:23). In this prayer, we feel the concern of every father for the life and for the sake of his children. But we also feel the great faith that this man has in Jesus. And when the news that the girl is …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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Letter #29, 2015: Thaw in Russia?

By Theresa Norris

June 28, 2015, Sunday — Pope-Patriarch Meeting “On Agenda,” Hilarion Says

Are Rome and Moscow growing closer, despite US-led Western efforts to isolate Russia with recently renewed economic sanctions?

A new interview published this morning in Italy suggests strongly that the answer is “Yes.”

Following a lightning visit three weeks ago (June 10) of Russian president Vladimir Putin to Rome to huddle with Pope Francis for nearly an hour, it seems clear that Rome and Moscow are engaged in a delicate diplomatic ballet.

Rome and Russia seem to be increasingly reaching out toward one another as the Western world turns ever-more “post-Christian” and so …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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Letter #28, 2015: Invalid and Null

By Robert Moynihan

June 28, 2015, Sunday — It Begins: Martin Luther King’s Niece Says She Will Not Obey or Acknowledge Supreme Court Marriage Dictate

Civil Rights Leader Speaks Out on Marriage Ruling

Alveda King: “I Must Obey God’s Law”

Sunday, June 28, 2015

Dr. Alveda King, 64, a long-time pro-life activist and niece of the slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, has grown accustomed to her life as “the other King” so it should come as no surprise that she holds a view of marriage that conflicts with the official statements coming out of the NAACP and the King Center.

The author of King Rules: …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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Pope to archbishops: Live what you preach, give authentic witness

Sts. Peter and Paul

On June 29 the Church celebrates the feast day of Sts.
Peter & Paul. As early as the year 258, there is evidence of an
already lengthy tradition of celebrating the solemnities of both Saint
Peter and Saint Paul on the same day. Together, the two saints are the
founders of the See of Rome, through their preaching, ministry and
martyrdom there. Peter, who was named Simon, was a fisherman of
Galilee and was introduced to the Lord Jesus by his brother Andrew, also
a fisherman. Jesus gave him the name Cephas (Petrus in Latin), which
means ‘Rock,’ because he …read more

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The Immaculate Heart of Mary

Just as devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is only a form of devotion to the adorable Person of Jesus, so also is devotion to the Holy Heart of Mary, but a special form of devotion to Mary. In order that, properly speaking, there may be devotion to the Heart of Mary, the attention and the homage of the faithful must be directed to the physical heart itself. However, this in itself is not sufficient; the faithful must read therein all that the human heart of Mary suggests, all of which it is the expressive symbol and the …read more

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Francis creates Secretariat to elevate, consolidate Vatican communications

The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

The heart has always been seen as the “center” or essence a person (“the heart of the matter,” “you are my heart,” “take it to heart,” etc.) and the wellspring of our emotional lives and love (“you break my heart,” “my heart sings,” etc.) Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is devotion to Jesus Christ Himself, but in the particular ways of meditating on his interior life and on His threefold love — His divine love, His burning love that fed His human will, and His sensible love that affects His interior life. Pope Pius XII of blessed memory …read more

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A readers’ guide to ‘Laudato Si”

Vatican signs first treaty with ‘the State of Palestine’

By Inna Lazareva

The accord, which acknowledges the need for a two-state solution, drew immediate anger from Israel

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Vatican signs treaty with ‘State of Palestine,’ calls for two-state solution

St. Pelagius

St. Pelagius was a thirteen year old Christian who was martyred for refusing to denounce his faith and convert to Islam in Cordoba, Spain in 925.10th century Cordoba was the most powerful and glorious time in the world for the muslim caliphates and they boasted the largest mosque outside of the Caaba in Mecca.Pelagius, as a ten year old boy, was taken hostage by the Moors of Cordoba during a rampage in a Christian town. He was in captivity for three years and nobody had made any attempt to ransom him.The Emir of Cordoba offered him his freedom if he …read more

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Letter #25, 2015: Medjugorge

By Theresa Norris

June 25, 2015, Thursday — Negative Judgment on the Apparitions in Medjugorge?

An Italian journalist is claiming that a Vatican office yesterday rejected the authenticity of the Medjugorge apparitions of the Virgin Mary (link).

Italian Vaticanist Gianluca Barile’s report cites no named sources.

No official statement has been made by the Vatican.

However, this report is already being circulated by email on the internet.

And this is causing concern and confusion to many around the world who believed that what was taking place at Medjugorge was good and was bearing good spiritual fruit. Millions of pilgrims have visited Medjugorge since the apparitions began …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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Chaput: Gay families are welcome at World Meeting of Families, but ‘lobbying’ isn’t

Letter #24, 2015: The Pope’s Traumatic Childhood Experience

By Theresa Norris

June 25, 2015, Thursday — What Pope Francis Suffered as a Child

“But do we still know what a wound to the soul is? Do we feel the weight of the mountain that crushes the soul of a child, in families in which the members treat each other badly?” —Pope Francis, yesterday in St. Peter’s Square during his remarks at his Wednesday General Audience

How the Pope’s Own Childhood Affected Him Deeply

The words above are the same as in my letter of yesterday.

But today comes news that helps explain the Pope’s reason for focusing so much of his attention on the …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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St. William of Vercelli

William was born in 11th-century Italy to a noble family. He was orphaned as an infant and raised by relatives. At the young age of 14, he made a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, and decided to devote his life to God as a hermit.He returned to Italy and lived as a hermit for two years at Monte Solicoli, where he was credited with healing a blind man. At Monte Vergiliano, his reputation for holiness attracted many disciples, and in 1119, he established a monastery with a Rule based on the Benedictines.Five other houses were formed during his …read more

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Pope says it can be ‘morally necessary’ for couples to split

By Nick Squires

Pope Francis says it may be “morally necessary” for some families to split up, marking a change of tone in the Catholic Church’s attitude to troubled marriages

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Letter #23, 2015: Wounds in the Family

By Robert Moynihan

June 24, 2015, Wednesday — Pope Francis on the Wounds in Families

“But do we still know what a wound to the soul is? Do we feel the weight of the mountain that crushes the soul of a child, in families in which the members treat each other badly?” —Pope Francis, today in St. Peter’s Square during his remarks at his General Audience

The Pope’s General Audience Address Today in St. Peter’s Square

“The wounds of the family”

Following his recent catechesis on external threats to the family, such as poverty and illness, during today’s general audience the Pope spoke …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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Reflections on the Family: Family Wounds: “Do we feel the weight of the mountain that crushes the soul of a child”

By Inside the Vatican Staff

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Good morning! In the last catecheses we spoke about the family that lives the frailties of the human condition: poverty, sickness, death. Today, instead, we reflect on the wounds that are opened in fact within the family’s coexistence. When, that is, harm is done in the family itself — a most awful thing!

We are well aware that no moments are lacking in any family history in which the intimacy of dearest affections is offended by the behavior of its members. Words and actions (and omissions!) that, instead of expressing love, subtract or, even worse still, mortify it. …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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St. John the Baptist

John the Baptist spent his adult life preparing the way for Jesus, and proclaiming that “the Kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.â€�. He was born to Zachary and Elizabeth, an elderly married couple. The Angel Gabriel had visited Zachary and told him that his wife would bear a child, even though she was already past the child-bearing age.Elizabeth was Mary’s cousin and Zachary was a priest of the Temple in Jerusalem. As a baby in the womb, John recognized Jesus’ presence in Mary’s womb when Mary visited Elizabeth soon after the Annunciation. Both women were pregnant at the same …read more

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New family synod document mixture of welcome, condemnation of modern life

Blessed Basil Hopko

Blessed Basil Hopko is considered one of the many priests and religious martyred by Communism. He was born in Slovakia to poor parents. His father died when he was a year old and his mother left for the United States when he was four in seach of work.He remained in Europe and was an excellent student. He wanted to join his mother in the United States and pursue his vocation to the priesthood there, but his poor health did not permit him to travel.He was ordained in 1929 and served as a parish priest in Prague, with a spcial mission …read more

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This Carmelite Brother escaped Islamic militants by singing about Jesus

By Mary Rezac

As a tall, lanky redhead born and raised in Colorado, 34 year-old Brother David Johnson definitely sticks out in Syria, the Middle Eastern country where he serves with the St. James the Persian Carmelite Monastery in Qara.

He originally came as a student to study the language, but decided to stay after he fell in love with the country and felt God’s call to the religious life there.

That love for language and for God would one day save Brother Johnson’s life. At a recent prayer breakfast in Denver, Brother Johnson recalled the story of Easter Monday, three years ago. He was …read more

Source:: Catholic News

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The Angelus before the Shroud of Turin

By Inside the Vatican Staff

Before Angelus:

At the end of this celebration, our thoughts turn to the Virgin Mary, loving mother and caring towards all her children whom Jesus entrusted to Her on the Cross, while He offered Himself in the act of greatest love. The icon of this love is the Shroud, which also, this time, has attracted so many people here to Turin. The Shroud draws [one’s attention] towards the face and the broken body of Jesus and at the same time, it pushes toward the face of every suffering and unjustly persecuted person. It pushes in the direction of the gift of …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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Francis movingly asks forgiveness for Waldensian persecutions, killings

St. Paulinus of Nola

On June 22, the Catholic Church remembers Saint Paulinus of Nola, who gave up his life in politics to become a monk, a bishop, and a revered Christian poet of the 5th century. In a December 2007 general audience on St. Paulinus, Pope Benedict XVI remarked on the saint’s artistic gifts, which inspired “songs of faith and love in which the daily history of small and great events is seen as a history of salvation, a history of God with us.â€�The poet-bishop’s ministry, Pope Benedict said, was also “distinguished by special attention to the poorâ€� – confirming his legacy as “a …read more

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Pope to young: Go against current, live chastely, don’t trust governments

Francis again rejects women as heads of Vatican offices

Francis in Turin: Do not blame migrants for work troubles

St. Aloysius Gonzaga

As a young boy, St. Aloysius always had a great desire to know and serve God, but his family life was not always supportive of this desire. He was born into a noble Italian family, and his father was a compulsive gambler. He grew up in a castle and was trained from a very young age to be a soldier and courtier, and despite the opposition of his family, he taught catechism to poor boys.He encountered many holy people in his lifetime; he received his first Communion from St. Charles Borromeo and studied under St. Robert Bellarmine. As a teen, …read more

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St. Alban

St. Alban was the first Christian martyr in Britain during the early 4th century. He is the patron saint of converts and torture victims. Although he was not a man of faith, St. Alban was very hospitable and compassionate. As a soldier, he sheltered a persecuted priest, Amphibalus, during a time when Christians were being put to death in Britain. The priest’s faith and piety struck St. Alban, as well as his dedication to prayer.Alban soon converted to Christianity.In an effort to help the priest escape, he switched clothes with him. But Alban was caught and ordered to renounce his …read more

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10 things you may have missed in ‘Laudato Si’

By Michelle Bauman

Via Unsplash.

You’ve heard about the Pope’s new encyclical, and you’ve probably heard that it talks about climate change. That’s true, and it’s a significant point, but there are lots of other points that it brings up as well. Don’t miss out on these other key ideas in “Laudato Si”:

1) St. Francis is a star player in the encyclical, which proposes a spirituality of “human ecology,” building on the work of Pope Benedict XVI.

2) The Pope suggests making concrete, practical changes, such as turning down the heat, avoiding the use of plastic and paper, reducing water consumption, car-pooling, and …read more

Source:: Catholic News

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St. Romuald

Saint Romuald, who founded the Camaldolese monastic order during the
early eleventh century, has his liturgical memorial on June 19.

Working within the Western Church’s Benedictine tradition, he revived
the primitive monastic practice of hermit life, allowing for greater
solitude in a communal setting.

Born into an aristocratic family during the middle of the tenth century,
Romuald grew up in a luxurious and worldly environment, where he
learned little in the way of self-restraint or religious devotion. Yet
he also felt an unusual attraction toward the simplicity of monastic
life, prompted by the beauty of nature and the experience of solitude .

It …read more

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Why Pope Francis’ encyclical matters

Top 5 eco-lifestyle changes Pope Francis wants you to make

By Mary Rezac

Pope Francis’ highly-anticipated environmental encyclical, “Laudato Si” (Praised Be to You) is hot off the press!

In case you haven’t had the chance to read all 184 pages of the new encyclical yet, here are five key lifestyle changes the Pope has asked us to make in order to better care for one another and “our common home.”

I invite everyone to receive this new document with an open heart…” – Pope Francis to his Wednesday General Audience on June 17, 2015. Photo Credit: Bohumil Petrik

1. Pray for a conversion of heart.

Not surprisingly, our appreciation of and care for the environment …read more

Source:: Catholic News

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Pope Francis and the parable of the plankton

By John Bingham

The papal encyclical on the environment goes far beyond climate change – from saints who talk to plants to the plight of plankton and sponges and the beauty of skyscrapers

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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‘Climate change mainly man-made’ declares Pope – live

By Jessica Winch

Pope Francis says rich countries must help poor meet challenge of climate change in eagerly anticipated Papal encyclical – a modern-day epistle – on the environment

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Pope Francis on climate change: 10 things we’ve learnt

By Alice Philipson

Encyclical published on Thursday shows Pope thinks most global warming is man-made problem that poses particularly grave threat to world’s poor

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Pope Francis: planet facing ‘unprecedented destruction’

By Telegraph Staff

Landmark papal encyclical mobilises worlds 1.2 billion Catholics in battle against climate change

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Francis’ encyclical an urgent call to prevent world of ‘debris, desolation and filth’

St. Osanna Andreasi

St. Osanna was a Dominican tertiary, who spent her adult life serving the poor and the sick and offering spiritual direction to many. However, she was also a mystic and a visionary, eventually bearing the pain and red marks of the stigmata, though not the bleeding.She was born in 1449 to a noble Italian family. Her visions, first of angels and of the Trinity, began at the young age of five. She felt a call to religious life and became a tertiary at 17, having already rejected a marriage arranged by her father.Her visions continued into her adult life, and …read more

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Reflections on the Family: Death: “Death does not have the last word”

By Inside the Vatican Staff

Dear Brothers and Sisters, good morning!

In the course of catecheses on the family, today we take direct inspiration from the episode narrated by the Evangelist Luke, which we have just heard (cf. Luke 7:11-15). It is a very moving scene, which shows us Jesus’ compassion for one who suffers — in this case a widow who has lost her only son — and it shows us also Jesus’ power over death.

Death is an experience that concerns all families, without any exception. It is a part of life and yet, when it touches family affections, death never seems to appear to …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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The Pope has put Catholic climate sceptics on notice

By Rupert Myers

Pope Francis’ leaked broadside against man-made climate change will be difficult reading for devout politicians who deny mankind’s involvement, says Rupert Myers

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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St. Albert Chmielowski

Founder of the Albertine Brothers and Sisters, and one of the saints who inspired the vocation of the young Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II.

Saint Albert was born on August 20, 1845 in Igolomia, Poland (near Kraków) as Adam Hilary Bernard Chmielowski. Born into a wealthy and aristocratic family, Adam was the oldest of four children.

Actively involved in politics from his youth, Adam lost a leg fighting in an insurrection against Czar Alexander III at age 18. In Krakow, he became a popular artist and his talent in the subject led him to study …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Leaked encyclical text puts climate change on humans

St. Lutgardis

St. Lutgardis is the patron saint of the blind and physically disabled. Born in the 12th century, she came to her vocation in part due to her father’s bad business sense. Her father lost her dowry in a failed business venture and sent her to a Benedictine convent at the age of 12.A few years later, she received a vision of Christ showing her his wounds, and at age 20 she became a Benedictine nun. Her visions continued and she is said to have levitated and dripped blood from her head when meditating on the Passion.Seeking a stricter life, she …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Vatican to try former archbishop Jozef Wesolowski on child sex abuse charges

By Alice Philipson

In an unprecedented case, the former papal ambassador to the Dominican Republic will appear before a new Vatican tribunal on July 11

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Children need heterosexual parents, Pope Francis says after gay pride march

Archbishop Nienstedt resigns, week after diocese charged with failing children

Pope Francis to intervene in climate change debate

By Nick Squires

Pope Francis to publish a papal letter on Thursday in which he is expected to blame global warming on human activities

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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St. Germaine Cousin

June 15 is the feast day of St. Germaine Cousin, a simple
and pious young girl who lived in Pibrac, France in the late 1500s.
Germaine was born in 1579 to poor parents. Her father was a farmer, and
her mother died when she was still an infant. She was born with a
deformed right arm and hand, as well as the disease of scrofula, a
tubercular condition.Her father remarried soon after the death of
her mother, but his new wife was filled with disgust by Germaine’s
condition. She tormented and neglected Germaine, and taught her siblings
to do so …read more

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St. Methodius of Constantinople

St. Methodius worked for unity and reconciliation in the Eastern Church and, served as the Patriarch of Constantinople the last five years of his life.Born in Syracuse, he first felt the call to enter religious life while in Constantinople, where he had gone to seek a position at court. He left for the island of Chinos, where he built a monastery and started a monastic community.However, his time at the monastery was short-lived since he was summoned by the Patriarch of Constantinople to help govern the diocese and create unity after a debate broke out on the use of icons …read more

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St. Anthony of Padua

On June 13, Catholics honor the memory of the Franciscan priest St. Anthony of Padua. Although he is popularly invoked today by those who have trouble finding lost objects, he was known in his own day as the “Hammer of Hereticsâ€� due to the powerful witness of his life and preaching.The saint known to the Church as Anthony of Padua was not born in the Italian city of Padua, nor was he originally named Anthony. He was born as Ferdinand in Lisbon, Portugal during 1195, the son of an army officer named Martin and a virtuous woman named Mary. They …read more

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5 More Ways Birth Control Has Changed America

By Mary Rezac

It’s contraception’s 50th anniversary – on June 7, 1965, the Supreme Court ruled in the Griswold v. Connecticut case that contraception was legal.

Rolling Stone published an article celebrating the news, listing the five ways birth control has “changed America for the better”.

Birth control has certainly changed America! Let’s look at five MORE ways birth control has contributed to the betterment of America.

Credit Sarah C via Flickr (CC BY-ND 2.0)

1. America gained a new class 1 carcinogen.

The World Health Organization classifies the estrogen-progesterone form of hormonal contraception – most commonly known as the Pill – as a class 1 carcinogen, …read more

Source:: Catholic News

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St. Gaspar Bertoni

St. Gaspar was a well known preacher and spiritual director. He was born to a rich family in Verona, Italy, in 1777. At his first Communion, he received a vision and message that he was to enter the priesthood. He entered the seminary in 1796, when French troops began a 20-year occupation of northern Italy. Gaspar volunteered to help those who were wounded, ill or displaced.After his ordination in 1800, he helped to establish free schools for the poor. He also helped to organize a European movement to offer prayers for Pope Pius VII, who was imprisoned by Napolean Bonaparte.In …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Pope Francis to open 30-bed homeless shelter a few steps from Vatican walls

St. Barnabas, apostle

Catholics will celebrate the memory of St. Barnabas on June 11. The apostle and missionary was among Christ’s earliest followers and was responsible for welcoming St. Paul into the Church. Though not one of the 12 apostles chosen by the Lord, Jesus, he is traditionally regarded as one of the 72 disciples of Christ and most respected man in the first century Church after the Apostles themselves.
St. Barnabas was born to wealthy Jewish parents on the Greek-speaking island of Cyprus, probably around the time of Christ’s own birth. Traditional accounts hold that his parents sent him to study in Jerusalem, …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Pope Francis tells Vladimir Putin: ‘Sincere’ peace efforts needed for Ukraine

By Telegraph Video Pope Francis urges Russian President Vladimir Putin to commit himself to a “sincere and great effort” to achieve peace in Ukraine, the Vatican says

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Francis meets a tardy Putin, as U.S. official calls for tougher talk

Pope Francis creates Vatican tribunal to judge bishops accused of covering up sex abuse

By Nick Squires

Survivors of clerical abuse have questioned whether the move will lead to prosecutions, suggesting it is instead mere window-dressing

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Pope Francis creates Vatican tribunal to hear priest sex abuse cases

By Reuters

The unprecedented move was a key demand of victims’ groups. Bishops could also be judged for failing to adequately protect children.

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Francis approves process of accountability for bishops on sexual abuse

Vatican, US sign first governmental agreement to report tax evasion

Vladimir Putin to meet Pope Francis

By Roland Oliphant and Nick Squires

Russian leader and head of the Catholic Church will discuss the Ukraine crisis

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Blessed Edward Poppe

Blessed Edward Poppe is a contemporary saint. He died at the young age of 33. He was one of 11 children born to a modest, pious family in Belgium. One of his brothers had become a priest, and five of his sisters became nuns. He felt a call to the priesthood at a young age, but he only entered the seminary on his mother’s insistence. His father had died when he was 16 years old and Edward thought he should take on the family business.He was drafted to the military in 1910 and served as a battlefield nurse during World …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Video: Polish president-elect rescues runaway host at outdoor Mass

By Michelle Bauman

At a recent Mass in Warsaw, Poland, president-elect Andrzej Sebastian Duda noticed a host that had fallen – possibly knocked by a gust of wind? – and was rolling along the ground. Without hesitating, he rushed over to rescue it, and returned it to the celebrant.

What a beautiful show of reverence and devotion from a public official!

See the video here:

…read more

Source:: Catholic News

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Letter #21, 2015: A Special Invitation

By Robert Moynihan

A Personal Invitation from Dr. Robert Moynihan:

Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has asked to be received in audience by Pope Francis in two days, on Wednesday, June 10, and Pope Francis has agreed to the meeting.

What is the purpose of this unexpected encounter?

No information has yet been made public, but we know that it comes at a time of great tension between Russia and the West.

Here is one hypothesis: Putin, perhaps, would like to find a way to break through the heavy financial sanctions that have been imposed on Russia, and he may be reaching out to Pope Francis as the …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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St. Columba of Iona

On June 9 the Catholic Church commemorates the sixth-century Irish monk
and missionary Saint Columba of Iona, also known as St. Columcille.

One of Ireland’s three patron saints (together with Saint Patrick and
Saint Brigid), he is also sometimes called the “Apostle of the Picts�
for his evangelization of Scotland.

He should not be confused with St. Columbanus (or Columban), a different
Irish monk and missionary who lived slightly later and ended up in
Italy.

Columba was born during 521, descended from royalty through his father.
He was taught and mentored by the priest who baptized him, and later
attended a monastic school …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Pope Francis warns parents against the dangers of TVs in children’s bedrooms

By Nick Squires

The pontiff’s comments come after he said he had not watched television since 1990

…read more

Source:: Vatican News

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Sunday Angelus: “Jesus never imposes. Jesus is humble. Jesus extends invitations”

By Theresa Norris

Dear brothers and sisters,
This Sunday’s Gospel (Lk 9:51-62) shows a very important step in the life of Christ: the moment in which, as St Luke writes, “[Jesus] steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. (9:51 )” Jerusalem is the final destination, where Jesus, in his last Passover, must die and rise again, and so to fulfill His mission of salvation.
From that time, forth, after the steadfast decision, Jesus aims straight for the finish line, and even to the people he meets and who ask to [be allowed to] follow Him, He says clearly what are the conditions: not having …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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St. Medard, bishop

St. Medard was born around 456 in Salency, France. His father Nectard was a noble Frenchman, and his mother, Protogia, descended from a Roman family that settled in Gaul.His mother instilled into St. Medard a very keen compassion for the poor. His practice of Christian virtue was obvious as a young boy and his commitment to the poor was so evident that he had difficulty in walking by a poor man in the street and not giving him what he had, either his cloak or shoes, and one time even his horse.When he looked after the cattle in his father’s …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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St. Anthony Mary Gianelli

Anthony grew up in a poor but pious family in a small farming village near Genoa, Italy. The owner of his family farm paid for Anthony’s seminary education because he was such a promising student. He was very young for ordination and required a special dispensation, however he was ordained in 1812 and served as a parish priest, and eventually founded several religious communities, some of them short-lived.In 1827, he founded the Missionaries of St. Alphonsus, which lasted until 1848. He also founded the Oblates of Saint Alphonsus in 1828, which lasted only 20 years. The Sisters of Our Lady …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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In postwar Sarajevo, Francis calls on all to make peace proactively

St. Norbert

On June 6 the Catholic Church honors Saint Norbert of Xanten – who
started out as a frivolous and worldly cleric, but was changed by God’s
grace into a powerful preacher and an important reformer of the Church
during the early 12th century.

He is the founder of the Norbertine order.

Born around the year 1080 in the German town of Xanten, Norbert belonged
to a high-ranking family with ties to the imperial court. As a young
man he showed a high degree of intelligence and sophistication – which
marked him out as a contender for offices within the Church, the state, …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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South Korean SUV joins elite popemobile fleet

Pope Francis names auditor general for Vatican

St. Boniface

St. Boniface was very bold in his faith, and was well known for being very good at using the local customs and culture of the day to bring people to Christ. He was born in Devonshire, England, in the seventh century. He was educated at a Benedictine monastery and became a monk, and was sent as a missionary to Germany in 719.There, he destroyed idols and pagan temples, and built churches on the sites. He was eventually made archbishop of Mainz, where he reformed churches and built religious houses on those sites.He was martyred on June 5, 754 while on …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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5 things to know about the Pope’s trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina this weekend

By Mary Rezac

Pope Francis will be traveling to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on Saturday June 6 for a one-day visit. Here are some quick facts about the country and the trip!

1. Where is Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Just across the Pond from Rome!

The region known as Bosnia occupies the northern 4/5ths of the country (roughly) while the region known as Herzegovina is in the remaining southern, bottom left part of the country. It’s a largely mountainous country, similar in size to the state of West Virginia.

2. Why the two names? Were Bosnia and Herzegovina ever two separate countries?

According …read more

Source:: Catholic News

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Celebrating Corpus Christi feast, Pope Francis honors persecuted Christians

Pope Francis helps homeless, poor in Rome make pilgrimage to Shroud of Turin

Editorial: The pilgrim church revived under Pope Francis

Does Pope Francis have a master’s degree in chemistry?

Editorial: The pilgrim church revived

St. Francis Caracciolo

“Zeal for Thy house has consumed me!â€�Born in Villa Santa Maria, Italy on October 13, 1563, Francis Caracciolo was given the name Ascanio at his baptism. His mother was a relative of St. Thomas Aquinas. He lived a virtuous life as a youth and seemed inclined towards a religious vocation. When he was 22 he contracted a form of leprosy which he begged God to cure him of. He promised to follow what seemed clear to him as his calling to the priesthood immediately upon being cured.He was cured instantly upon making the promise, and left immediately for …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Does Pope Francis have a MA in chemistry?

Reflections on the Family: Poverty: “The Church, as a mother, can never be blind to the sufferings of her children”

By Theresa Norris

Dear Brothers and Sisters: Today we consider one of the conditions which afflict too many families, namely, poverty. And yet, in the worst of circumstances, even in war torn areas, how often these families persevere with dignity, entrusting themselves to the goodness of God. It is a miracle that even in extreme situations families continue to be formed and sustained. Sadly, our modern economies often promote individual wellbeing at the expense of the family. As Christians, however, we must always look for ways to strengthen and support families, especially poorer ones. The Church, as a mother, can never be blind …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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St. Charles Lwanga and Companions, Martyrs of Uganda

St. Charles and many other martyrs for the faith died between November 15, 1885 – January 27, 1887 in Namugongo, Uganda. St. Charles and his companions were beatified in 1920 and canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1964.In 1879 Catholicism began spreading in Uganda when the White Fathers, a congregation of priests founded by Cardinal Lavigerie were peacefully received by King Mutesa of Uganda.The priests soon began preparing catechumens for baptism and before long a number of the young pages in the king’s court had become Catholics.However, on the death of Mutesa, his son Mwanga, a corrupt man who ritually …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Pope Francis heads to Bosnia as ‘brother messenger of peace’

Sts. Marcellinus and Peter

On June 2, the Catholic Church remembers two fourth-century martyrs, Saints Marcellinus and Peter, who were highly venerated after the discovery of their tomb and the conversion of their executioner.Although the biographical details of the two martyrs are largely unknown, it is known that they lived and died during the reign of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. In 302, the ruler changed his tolerant stance and pursued a policy intended to eliminate the Church from the empire.Diocletian and his subordinate ordered the burning of Catholic churches and their sacred texts, as well as the imprisonment and torture of clergy and laypersons. …read more

Source:: Saint of the Day

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Pope Francis meets sick children and children of Italian inmates

Vatican downplays commission member’s remarks about Cardinal Pell

“That history, which begins with a dream of love and continues with a history of failures, ends in the victory of love”

By Theresa Norris

God always gives life to a “love story” with each one of us. And despite the seeming “failures”, both great and small, the “dream of love” wins in the end. At Mass at Santa Marta on Monday morning, 1 June, Francis reflected on this, our journey down a “difficult path”, with a God who saves by what is rejected.

The day’s reading from the Gospel according to Mark (12:1-12) presented the the parable of the farmers and the master of the vineyard. According to the Pope, it “summarizes the history of salvation which Jesus delivers — as we heard — to …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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Letter #20, 2015: Ireland

By Robert Moynihan

May 31, 2015, Sunday, Feast of the Most Holy Trinity — The Glory of God Before All Else

There is a Benedictine community in Ireland called Silverstream Priory in County Meath.

The Prior today sent out a reflection on his country and the Catholic faith which seemed worth sharing.. . (link)

Restoring Ireland to Christ

Sunday, 31 May 2015

In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity, from Whom is all authority and to Whom, as our final end, all actions both of men and States must be referred . . . .

Thus begins the Constitution of Ireland. It is fitting that we …read more

Source:: Vatican News 2

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Vatican downplays commission member’s remarks about Cardinal Pell