Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church

This week’s poem in the Catholic Poetry Room is by Mark D. Bennion. Malefactor’s Prayer Since I dwell in the same condemnation, justly, within the cross of my reward, languishing near what I used to shun, I now praise the body torn and broken, this beauty fraying worse than any cord. Hours of suspended condemnation. […]

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A Daily Quote to Inspire Your Catholic Faith “Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each […]

The post Daily Quote — Pope Benedict XVI appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

About forty-five years ago, my mother took my sister Molly, age five, and my brother Matt, aged three, into Little Folks clothes store at the mall in Quincy, IL.  When they went to the fitting room, all three of them couldn’t fit in it because it was little—Little Folks.   So, Matt sat at a small […]

St. Teresa of Avila, the Doctor of the Church most known for her writings on prayer, so much so that she is named The Doctor of Prayer, encourages all to have recourse to the great St. Joseph, whom she names The Master of the Interior Life. This title bears great weight, as the only other […]

ENCOUNTERING THE WORD — YOUR DAILY BIBLE VERSES “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” – Romans 15:13 Please help spread the Gospel. Share this Scripture with family and friends on Facebook and other […]

The post Your Daily Bible Verses — Romans 15:13 appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

ACI Prensa Staff, Mar 18, 2025 / 17:10 pm (CNA).

Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of Holy Family Parish in Gaza, reported that following the breakdown of the truce between Israel and Hamas, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have launched new attacks very close to his parish.

The priest told Vatican News the bombings occurred just 300 or 400 meters (about 985 to 1,300 feet) from the church, awakening the faithful and causing a growing sense of insecurity throughout the community.

“The bombings woke us up; they were very close. Fortunately, no shrapnel [hit us] and we’re fine, but throughout the Strip there is already talk of more than 350 dead and more than a thousand injured,” Romanelli said. 

At the outset of the war the parish building, the only Catholic church in the Gaza Strip, was converted into an improvised shelter where 500 people now live. Most are Orthodox Christians, Protestants, and Catholics, but it also serves as a shelter for more than 50 Muslim children with disabilities and their families.

The priest of the Institute of the Incarnate Word emphasized that, given the continued uncertainty, some of the families who had returned to their homes after the ceasefire was declared have decided to return to the parish, feeling safer “with Jesus,” despite the fact that no place in the region is completely safe.

“Here we are together with Mother Teresa’s sisters, the male religious of my congregation of the Incarnate Word, the sisters of the same congregation, the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará. We all try to do good, to serve; we pray, we assist the elderly, the children; we also have children with special needs, and we try to make sure they don’t suffer, because children are sponges — they realize if adults are anxious,” he added.

Romanelli also referenced the support they are receiving from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, especially in channeling the humanitarian aid that has been able to enter in recent days thanks to the truce in Gaza and the West Bank.

“We continue to pray to convince everyone that peace is possible, that we must work for peace, for the works of justice, hoping that the Lord will grant this part of the Holy Land a period of peace for everyone, Palestinians and Israelis,” he concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

CNA Staff, Mar 18, 2025 / 15:10 pm (CNA).

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament kicks off March 18 and this year’s tournament includes eight Catholic universities competing for the championship title. They are: Creighton University, Gonzaga University, Marquette University, Xavier University, St. John’s University, Saint Mary’s College, Saint Francis University, and Mount St. Mary’s University.

Several of these Catholic institutions are making history with their participation in the tournament this year. 

The Red Flash from Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, clinched their spot in the big dance when they beat the top team in their conference, Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), 46-43 on March 11. This victory earned them their first NCAA Tournament in 34 years.

During a crucial moment in the final seconds of the conference title game, Red Flash coach Rob Krimmel turned to his faith. 

According to CBS Sports, Krimmel had written on his play card three phrases: “audience of one,” “surrender,” and “thy will be done.” So, when CCSU tied the game with 17 seconds left, instead of calling for a timeout, Krimmel reminded himself of the phrases on his play card, encouraging his team to go make the plays they needed to make.

The Saint Francis Red Flash will be playing their first game of the tournament against the Alabama State Red Hornets on March 18.

Another team making history with their participation in March Madness is St. John’s University from New York. St. John’s Red Storm won the Big East Tournament title on March 15 for the first time in 25 years when the team beat Creighton University 82-66. 

Their first game in the tournament will be against the University of Nebraska-Omaha on March 20.

The Marquette Golden Eagles received their fourth consecutive invite to the big dance during the NCAA’s Selection Sunday on March 16. Senior guard Stevie Mitchell, who is preparing to play in his fourth March Madness, sees basketball as a tool to inspire the next generation and leave a lasting impact. Last summer, Mitchell hosted a free youth basketball camp at his high school in Pennsylvania. 

“To see how grateful they are for us, it really puts life into perspective. They don’t care how the game went,” he told the NCAA. “The kids who look up to us, they obviously want us to win, but they don’t really care how the game goes, they just see inspiration in us. And as long as we can live up to that night in and night out, we’ll be proud of whatever we do, whatever outcome may be, because it’s so much bigger than basketball.”

He continued: “The more time we spend in the community, the more we realize that and the more we’re just able to help give back and just make the place around us a better place. I think that’s the greatest thing you can do as a basketball player, or anybody really, is just make the world around you a better place,” he added. 

Marquette will face the University of New Mexico in their first-round game on March 21. 

The games for the other Catholic universities competing are: Creighton University will face the University of Louisville on March 20; Gongzaga will play the University of Georgia Bulldogs on March 20; the Xavier Musketeers will face off against the University of Texas Longhorns on March 19; Mount St. Mary’s will face American University on March 19; and the Saint Mary’s Gaels will compete against Vanderbilt on March 21.  

CNA Staff, Mar 18, 2025 / 15:10 pm (CNA).

The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament kicks off March 18 and this year’s tournament includes eight Catholic universities competing for the championship title. They are: Creighton University, Gonzaga University, Marquette University, Xavier University, St. John’s University, Saint Mary’s College, Saint Francis University, and Mount St. Mary’s University.

Several of these Catholic institutions are making history with their participation in the tournament this year. 

The Red Flash from Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, clinched their spot in the big dance when they beat the top team in their conference, Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), 46-43 on March 11. This victory earned them their first NCAA Tournament in 34 years.

During a crucial moment in the final seconds of the conference title game, Red Flash coach Rob Krimmel turned to his faith. 

According to CBS Sports, Krimmel had written on his play card three phrases: “audience of one,” “surrender,” and “thy will be done.” So, when CCSU tied the game with 17 seconds left, instead of calling for a timeout, Krimmel reminded himself of the phrases on his play card, encouraging his team to go make the plays they needed to make.

The Saint Francis Red Flash will be playing their first game of the tournament against the Alabama State Red Hornets on March 18.

Another team making history with their participation in March Madness is St. John’s University from New York. St. John’s Red Storm won the Big East Tournament title on March 15 for the first time in 25 years when the team beat Creighton University 82-66. 

Their first game in the tournament will be against the University of Nebraska-Omaha on March 20.

The Marquette Golden Eagles received their fourth consecutive invite to the big dance during the NCAA’s Selection Sunday on March 16. Senior guard Stevie Mitchell, who is preparing to play in his fourth March Madness, sees basketball as a tool to inspire the next generation and leave a lasting impact. Last summer, Mitchell hosted a free youth basketball camp at his high school in Pennsylvania. 

“To see how grateful they are for us, it really puts life into perspective. They don’t care how the game went,” he told the NCAA. “The kids who look up to us, they obviously want us to win, but they don’t really care how the game goes, they just see inspiration in us. And as long as we can live up to that night in and night out, we’ll be proud of whatever we do, whatever outcome may be, because it’s so much bigger than basketball.”

He continued: “The more time we spend in the community, the more we realize that and the more we’re just able to help give back and just make the place around us a better place. I think that’s the greatest thing you can do as a basketball player, or anybody really, is just make the world around you a better place,” he added. 

Marquette will face the University of New Mexico in their first-round game on March 21. 

The games for the other Catholic universities competing are: Creighton University will face the University of Louisville on March 20; Gongzaga will play the University of Georgia Bulldogs on March 20; the Xavier Musketeers will face off against the University of Texas Longhorns on March 19; Mount St. Mary’s will face American University on March 19; and the Saint Mary’s Gaels will compete against Vanderbilt on March 21.  

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 18, 2025 / 14:40 pm (CNA).

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is urging the Trump administration to reverse the cancellation of USAID’s “lifesaving and life-giving assistance” following the official announcement that the majority of its programs have been cut. 

In a March 10 statement posted to X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported the completion of the International Humanitarian Assistance evaluation. “After a six-week review we are officially canceling 83% of the programs at USAID,” he said.

“The 5,200 contracts that are now canceled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve (and in some cases even harmed) the core national interests of the United States,” he continued.

“In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping (approximately 1,000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department,” Rubio concluded.

In response, CRS in a March 17 press release stated: “As part of the Catholic Church, Catholic Relief Services believes that human life is a precious gift from God that must be protected and nurtured.”

The nongovernmental organization, which carries out the commitment of the U.S. bishops to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas, explained that during the six-week review, it had to halt its “U.S. government-supported work due to the lack of payments.”

The CRS statement said that “food in warehouses could not be distributed to the hungry and women and children could not get vital health and nutrition services.”

“In addition,” the statement said, “last week’s termination of dozens of CRS’ lifesaving projects will permanently cut off critical aid to more than 20 million people worldwide. Eleven of these terminated projects had received humanitarian waivers.”

“These programs do more than save lives. They help lift communities and countries out of poverty. They support local faith-based and church partners that provide services and stability to their communities and to their countries.”

“In the holy season of Lent in this special jubilee year, Pope Francis invites Catholics and all people to become artisans of hope by building communities rooted in solidarity.”

The statement highlighted that the United States has a responsibility to global aid.

“CRS programs attend to the needs of very poor communities. As the most powerful and wealthy country in the world, our government also has a moral responsibility to assist the most vulnerable. As Pope Paul VI said in his encyclical Populorum Progressio: ‘It is a very important duty of the advanced nations to help the developing nations.’”

“By ending these lifesaving programs, our government is not only neglecting our nation’s responsibility but also weakening the very foundations of peace, stability, and prosperity.”

“We urge the administration to reverse these terminations and issue prompt payments to continue this lifesaving and life-giving assistance,” CRS concluded.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 18, 2025 / 14:40 pm (CNA).

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is urging the Trump administration to reverse the cancellation of USAID’s “lifesaving and life-giving assistance” following the official announcement that the majority of its programs have been cut. 

In a March 10 statement posted to X, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported the completion of the International Humanitarian Assistance evaluation. “After a six-week review we are officially canceling 83% of the programs at USAID,” he said.

“The 5,200 contracts that are now canceled spent tens of billions of dollars in ways that did not serve (and in some cases even harmed) the core national interests of the United States,” he continued.

“In consultation with Congress, we intend for the remaining 18% of programs we are keeping (approximately 1,000) to now be administered more effectively under the State Department,” Rubio concluded.

In response, CRS in a March 17 press release stated: “As part of the Catholic Church, Catholic Relief Services believes that human life is a precious gift from God that must be protected and nurtured.”

The nongovernmental organization, which carries out the commitment of the U.S. bishops to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas, explained that during the six-week review, it had to halt its “U.S. government-supported work due to the lack of payments.”

The CRS statement said that “food in warehouses could not be distributed to the hungry and women and children could not get vital health and nutrition services.”

“In addition,” the statement said, “last week’s termination of dozens of CRS’ lifesaving projects will permanently cut off critical aid to more than 20 million people worldwide. Eleven of these terminated projects had received humanitarian waivers.”

“These programs do more than save lives. They help lift communities and countries out of poverty. They support local faith-based and church partners that provide services and stability to their communities and to their countries.”

“In the holy season of Lent in this special jubilee year, Pope Francis invites Catholics and all people to become artisans of hope by building communities rooted in solidarity.”

The statement highlighted that the United States has a responsibility to global aid.

“CRS programs attend to the needs of very poor communities. As the most powerful and wealthy country in the world, our government also has a moral responsibility to assist the most vulnerable. As Pope Paul VI said in his encyclical Populorum Progressio: ‘It is a very important duty of the advanced nations to help the developing nations.’”

“By ending these lifesaving programs, our government is not only neglecting our nation’s responsibility but also weakening the very foundations of peace, stability, and prosperity.”

“We urge the administration to reverse these terminations and issue prompt payments to continue this lifesaving and life-giving assistance,” CRS concluded.