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Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Father Damien on his deathbed, resting on his side | photo presumably by Dr. Sydney B. SwiftSaint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i Saint of the Day for May 10 (January 3, 1840 – April 15, 1889)  Saint Damien de Veuster of Moloka’i’s Story When Joseph de Veuster was born in Tremelo, Belgium, in 1840, few people in Europe had any firsthand knowledge of leprosy, Hansen’s disease. By the time he died at the age of 49, people all over the world knew about this disease because of him. They knew that human compassion could...

Monument of the Guardian Angel of Portugal apparition to the three little shepherd children of Fatima. Credit: Daniel Ibanez / CNA. Fatima, Portugal, May 12, 2017 / 07:41 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Tomorrow, on the 100th anniversary of Mary’s first appearance at Fatima, Pope Francis will canonize Jacinta and Francisco Marto, two of the three shepherd children who witnessed the Marian apparitions.A press conference preceding the Pope’s arrival highlighted the miracle that paved the way for their canonization. The miracle involved a Brazilian boy named Lucas, who was miraculously healed through the intercession of the shepherd children.Jacinta and Francisco both died...

For a while now, I have been looking for information about the miracle approved for the canonization of the two Fatima seerers, Francesco and Jacinta.  The other day in Rome I even went to the Congregation for Saints to talk to a friend of mine there about the miracle.  I learned that it was a Brazilian boy who received the miracle, but my friend didn’t know exact details.  I got the information for the postulator, but received no response.Strange.  What’s with the secrecy?  If I am not mistaken, there was one cause for a miracle which did not obtain approval....

Three Reasons That Argumentation Is So Difficult Today Msgr. Charles Pope • May 11, 2017 • The discussion and debate of issues is problematic today for many reasons, among them the use of flawed logic, the tendency to engage in identity politics, and the widespread rejection of natural law. I would like to highlight three issues in particular that commonly interfere with discourse on the Internet, including the “Comments” section of blogs such as this one. I. The internet is “tone-deaf.” Any discussion that occurs in writing misses such personal elements as tone of voice, facial expression, and body...

The warnings of Our Lady proved prophetic in 1917. They continue to resonate today. Sunday, May 13, 1917 would prove to be an auspicious day, both for the Catholic Church and for the whole tumultuous course of the 20th century. In the Sistine Chapel, Pope Benedict XV consecrated Eugenio Pacelli as archbishop, prior to sending him off to be nuncio to Bavaria. Thus one pope, an indefatigable voice for peace throughout a war then engulfing the world, sent off another on his path – as the future Pope Pius XII – to play a pivotal role in the next.As unlikely...

World War III need not happen...if only we as a nation return again to God...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Portrait of Juan de Ávila | El Greco Saint John of Avila Saint of the Day for May 9 (c. 1500 – May 10, 1569)  Saint John of Avila’s Story Born in the Castile region of Spain, John was sent at the age of 14 to the University of Salamanca to study law. He later moved to Alcala, where he studied philosophy and theology before his ordination as a diocesan priest.After John’s parents died and left him as their sole heir to a considerable fortune, he distributed his money to the poor. In 1527,...

"Today, we say that the death penalty is inadmissible," Pope Francis said during his morning Mass at Domus Sanctae Marthae where he lives. Slavery "is a mortal sin; today we say this. Back then, some would say that this could be done because these people did not have a soul!" ROME — Faith is a journey guided by the Holy Spirit, who helps the church grow in understanding the sinful nature of once-accepted practices like slavery and the death penalty, Pope Francis said.While people once even used religious reasons to justify practices such as slavery, the death penalty and “wars...

Our Blessed Mother’s Urgent Call Msgr. Charles Pope • May 9, 2017 • Continuing with the theme of urgency from yesterday’s post, we do well to consider Mary’s fervent requests at Fatima for prayer, conversion, and consecration. This Saturday will mark the 100th anniversary of Mary’s first appearance at Fatima.It was a critical time in human history. The First World War had claimed more than 17 million lives. Mary urged prayer to end this catastrophe: Say the Rosary every day to bring peace to the world and an end of the war (June 13, 1917).Continue to pray the Rosary...

Some Reasons God Leaves Things Unresolved Msgr. Charles Pope • May 10, 2017 • One of the great mysteries of God’s providence is that He often leaves things unresolved or unattended to for a very long time. Despite our fervent prayers, He often doesn’t rush to fix everything and He has His reasons for this.Perhaps it is that we often grow through struggles. We discover strengths that we did not know we had.Suffering sometimes brings wisdom; we can learn more by living with our questions for a while rather than getting quick answers.Suffering can spur creativity. Many movies, works...

Fatima, Portugal, May 9, 2017 / 03:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- This is part two of a two-part series. Part one covered the historical context, contents of the apparitions, and Miracle of the Sun.  The secrets of FatimaWhile Mary revealed what came to be known as The Great Secret of Fatima during her third apparition to the shepherd children, it was kept from the public for quite some time, according to instructions from Mary. Sr. Lucia revealed the first two secrets in a memoir in 1941, which had been written at the request of the local bishop at the time....

For archaeologists, Mary Magdalene’s hometown is the gift that keeps on giving. About a year ago, archaeologists announced the discovery of what was called the “Magdala Stone”: a stone bench that was part of a first century synagogue, one of the only seven that existed during the Second Temple period, and the first one ever found in Galilee. Considering some local coins dated from the year 29 were also found in that very same synagogue, it is likely that Jesus might have walked in and taught there as part of his ministry. As Zoe Romanowsky explained in this article,...

You never know what you’ll find in an old book. Tom Murphy VII/CC BY-SA 3.0Pages from one of the first books ever printed in England have been discovered after being hidden away for decades in the pages of a different text.According to The Independent, librarians at the University of Reading recently found two pages from a priest’s handbook called Sarum Ordinal or Sarum Pye, which had been pasted inside of another book to reinforce its spine. A librarian working to restore that book noticed and pulled out the pages from the priest’s handbook; they date to between 1476 and 1477.The...

Our Blessed Mother’s Urgent Call Msgr. Charles Pope • May 9, 2017 • Continuing with the theme of urgency from yesterday’s post, we do well to consider Mary’s fervent requests at Fatima for prayer, conversion, and consecration. This Saturday will mark the 100th anniversary of Mary’s first appearance at Fatima.It was a critical time in human history. The First World War had claimed more than 17 million lives. Mary urged prayer to end this catastrophe: Say the Rosary every day to bring peace to the world and an end of the war (June 13, 1917).Continue to pray the Rosary...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Papal Bull of Pope Alexander III establishing the Abbey de Fontenay | photo by Ji-ElleSaint Peter of Tarentaise Saint of the Day for May 8 (1102 – 1175)  Saint Peter of Tarentaise’s Story There are two men named Saint Peter of Tarentaise who lived one century apart. The man we honor today is the younger Peter, born in France in the early part of the 12th century. The other man with the same name became Pope Innocent the Fifth.The Peter we’re focusing on today became a Cistercian monk and eventually served as abbot. In...

Fr. Don Miller, OFM Image: Saint Rose Venerini (when she was a Blessed) | UnknownSaint Rose Venerini Saint of the Day for May 7 (February 9, 1656 – May 7, 1728)  Saint Rose Venerini’s Story Rose was born at Viterbo in Italy, the daughter of a doctor. Following the death of her fiancé she entered a convent, but soon returned home to care for her newly widowed mother. Meanwhile, Rose invited the women of the neighborhood to recite the rosary in her home, forming a sort of sodality with them.As she looked to her future under the spiritual guidance...

The apparitions of Our Lady at Fatima, between May 13 and October 13, 1917 were a time and place chosen by God. That very same year, 1917, the Russian Revolution began on March 8, triggered by Karl Marx’s ideas on communism. It was the first communist revolution in history and led to killing on a scale never seen before—over 9 million. However, God responded at the other end of Europe. The Fatima apparitions began on May 13, 1917, during World War I (1914-1918).

Friday, May 12th, is the first of several major milestones this year.  This day marks exactly 70 prophetic years since the rebirth of Israel on May 14th, 1948.  In the Bible, prophetic "days" or "times" appear to consist of 360 days each (e.g. Daniel 7:25, 9:24-27, 12:7, Revelation 11:2-3, 12:6, 12:14, 13:5).  In addition, this Sunday Israel celebrates its 69th anniversary, which means that Monday begins the 70th regular solar year since Israel became a nation.  Psalm 90:10 tells us that a generation is 70 or 80 years long. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its...

Fatima, Portugal, May 8, 2017 / 03:01 am (CNA/EWTN News).- It’s the most popular and well-known Marian apparition in the recent history of the Church.One hundred years ago, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children in a field in Fatima, Portugal. She brought with her requests for the recitation of the rosary, for sacrifices on behalf of sinners, and a secret regarding the fate of the world.Every local bishop since has approved the apparitions and deemed them worthy of belief, the highest recognition a Marian apparition can receive from the Church.Miracle researcher Michael O’Neill told CNA that...

More Parish Closings Nationwide - What Are We to Learn and Do? Msgr. Charles Pope • May 8, 2017 • It was recently announced that a substantial number of Catholic parishes will be closing in Connecticut. This is just the latest in a national trend that is likely to affect the diocese where you live, especially in the north. I’d like to offer some rather quick thoughts and then ponder what I think is the root cause for our decline. Bishops don’t close parishes, people do. While it may be juridically true that bishops formally certify or give recognition...