| St. Ignatius of Antioch | ||
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 Do you ever wonder who was the first person to call the community Jesus established the “Catholic Church”? It was Saint Ignatius of Antioch. It was his way of explaining that the Church was open to anyone who wanted to be a follower of Jesus.Because Ignatius lived so long ago, we know very little about his early life. Tradition tells us that he was born around the year 50 and died sometime around the year 108. He was a disciple of Saint John the Evangelist, who was the Bishop of Antioch, in Syria. Ignatius succeeded him as bishop. Ignatius was like a shepherd, gently leading his people to understand the teachings of the Apostles and to put those beliefs into practice correctly. In the year 107, the cruel Emperor Trajan demanded that Bishop Ignatius publicly speak out against our faith. Ignatius refused to deny his belief in Jesus Christ. Trajan sentenced him to die by being killed by lions in the Colosseum in Rome, far from Antioch. He wanted to make an example of this holy man. Ten soldiers were assigned to guard him on the long trip. Bishop Ignatius used the time to write seven letters. The letters reminded the members of the Church to be faithful to the Lord and to follow the teachings of their bishop. They encourage the Christian community to serve the poor and needy—their brothers and sisters. Ignatius’ letters have been preserved down through the ages. They still guide our Church today. As Ignatius and his guards journeyed to Rome, they were met at different places by the local bishop and many members of the Christian community who came to honor him. It is said that he blessed everyone and told them he would pray for them. Ignatius was not afraid to die. He said that his death would be his birth—into the new life made possible by Jesus’ Resurrection: “I am writing to all the churches to let it be known that I will gladly die for God if only you do not stand in my way. I plead with you: show me no untimely kindness. Let me be food for the wild beasts, for they are my way to God.” The Church honors Ignatius of Antioch as a saint. We can pray to Saint Ignatius and ask him to help us grow in the faith that has been handed down to us from the Apostles. |
I have been thinking a great deal about my experience at Reconciliation this past Saturday. I felt an intense and unexplainable urge to go and confess my sins when I woke up that morning. I try to go every six weeks or so, but this was no routine visit to the priest for me. I needed to unburden myself of the numerous venial sins I had committed since I last participated in this Sacrament.
Purest Gold: God's Refining Fire in our Lives »
After salvation, many young Christians wonder if there's anything more to their newfound faith than just the security blanket of "being a Christian." Time and time again, God shows himself as a "refiner," and our lives are as gold. God started leading me in this study to understand what He was doing in my life, as well as in the lives of others.
Picking up my pen to write this column, I couldn’t imagine how time flies. Since the last publication of this column I have gone through a lot, especially the loss of my dear mother to whom I dedicate this article. Not only her, but seems I lost a whole generation of my close family.
How to Achieve Business Excellence »
“Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before Kings; He will not stand before unknown men.” Proverbs 22:29
Spiritual Development for our Youth »
Most of us youth in today's fast moving world are easily thrown off by difficulties and worries.
The theme of conversion is a thread that runs all through Lent, but conversion takes on different aspects throughout the phases of Lent. The first two and a half weeks focused on the interior turning of hearts; the liturgy urges the faithful to reflect and examine consciences thoroughly.
Saint Josephine Bakhita »
Feast Day: February 8
Patron Saint Of: Sudan
Saint Josephine Margaret Bakhita was born around 1869 in the village of Olgossa in the Darfur region of Sudan. She was a member of the Daju people and her uncle was a tribal chief. Due to her family lineage, she grew up happy and relatively prosperous, saying that as a child, she did not know suffering.
Catholics Must Fast More Intensely This Lent»
The Norbertine Canons of St. Michael's Abbey have created this digital Lenten retreat so that you can journey through this holy season alongside them. If you want to have one of your best Lenten seasons yet, join us in our Lenten Program "The Great Fast" - https://theabbotscircle.com/the-great-fast-join
When Your Faith Is Put to the Test - Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon»
Friends, we come now to the Second Sunday of Lent, and we’re on both dangerous and very holy ground with the first reading from the twenty-second chapter of Genesis. The ancient Israelites referred to it as the “Akedah,” which means the “binding”: Abraham binds and is ready to sacrifice Isaac at God’s command.
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