Behind the Catholic Counter

Saint Irenaeus was a disciple of St. Polycarp of Smyrna. At a time when Gnostic sects threatened to undermine Christianity by a perversion of Christian thought, he vigorously denounced all heresies and safeguarded unity of belief. He succeeded the martyred St. Pothinus as Bishop of Lyons. During this “Fortnight of Freedom”, we have yet another holy example of love and …

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Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Succour) or Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary, associated with the Byzantine icon of the same name, said to be from the 13th or 14th century, but perhaps 15th century, which has been in Rome since at least the late 15th century. The image is very popular among Catholics throughout the world, and has been much copied and reproduced. In the Byzantine Church this iconography is known as the Theotokos of the Passion.

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Saint Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei and patron saint of diabetes, highlighted a humble path to holiness in the Catholic Church, teaching that people can become holy by performing their work and daily duties with a Christian spirit. He is the patron saint of diabetes because he himself suffered from type 1 Diabetes.   From the Opus Dei …

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John the Baptist could be considered Jesus' first evangelist. Mary went to visit Elizabeth because the angel Gabriel told her that Elizabeth was expecting. When Mary arrived at Elizabeth's home, Saint John leaped in her womb at Mary's greeting. "And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy." RSV Lk 1:43-44 Let's consider five ways that we can follow Jesus like Saint John the Baptist did and improve our evanglism in the process.

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   Saint Thomas More was born in London and was Chancellor of King Henry VIII. As a family man, a public servant, and writer, he displayed a rare combination of human warmth, Christian wisdom, and sense of humor. His most famous quote, fitting for today, was when he declared himself to be “the King's good servant — but God's first” …

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June 21 is the feast day of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, patron of teens and young people, an extremely devout young Jesuit novice who died at the age of 23. The first born child to the Marquis of Castiglione in 1568, Aloysius was born an Italian noble, and as such he grew up in a castle, trained from the age of …

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"St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most beloved saints in the Church and one of the most well-known early disciples of St. Francis of Assisi. He was a renowned preacher and worker of miracles during his lifetime, and throughout the eight hundred years since his death he has so generously come to the assistance of the faithful who invoke him, that he is known throughout the world. We celebrate his feast day on June 13.

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Sure, you know about the Sacred Heart. But do you know where the devotion came from or how long it took to be accepted? Nine things to share about the Sacred Heart.

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You know those spontaneous class clown type kids who always acted first and then asked questions later, either in the principal’s office, the school nurse’s office or even the emergency room? Well, Saint Philip Neri may well have been one of those kids had he not been meant for more saintly things in later life.

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