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Saint of the Day — daily inspiration in your inbox

Our most popular Web feature since 1997 is now available free by e-mail! Learn about the lives of the saints one at at time, and be linked always to other saints resources, including a calendar and a list of patron saints. Even better, listen to a 90-second version of Saint of the Day from our own Franciscan Media Productions. It's all in your inbox every day.
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Catholic Greetings Premiere — new, free Catholic e-cards

Once a month, and on special occasions, Catholic Greetings Premiere comes to your inbox with links to new Catholic e-greetings from www.CatholicGreetings.org to send greetings for Sacraments, birthdays, holidays, celebrations and timely reminders of upcoming Catholic events.
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Minute Meditations — a quiet spot in your busy day

Peaceful, spiritual reflection that comes to your inbox at no cost. Drawing upon short, inspired thoughts from the popular books and periodicals of Franciscan Media, the online edition of Minute Meditations brings directly to you a chance to take a moment from the daily hurry and worry to focus on the place of God in your life. Subscribe now!

Friar Jack's E-spirations

Each bimonthly free issue contains information and inspiration, and the latest happenings at AmericanCatholic.org "Friar Jack's Musings," on the message of St. Francis for today; and "Friar Jack's Catechism Quiz," a lively refresher course on Catholic basics.
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Catholic SAMPler — view free samples online!

Find out what's brand-new in the world of Catholic books, videos and audiotapes from Franciscan Media. Here's a new way to sample books, audios and videos, by simply clicking to view sample chapters and tables of contents, or listen to streaming media. We bring you new products, gift ideas for the season and resources to help you enrich your faith.
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Franciscan Media Productions

Keep up-to-date with Franciscan Media’s new and established electronic products, including long form and interstitial radio features, audiobooks, and the Catholic Update on Demand video subscription service. This free bi-weekly e-newsletter highlights content from the two upcoming American Catholic Radio programs, while alerting listeners and broadcasters to future projects. Heard around the country on Catholic radio stations and The Catholic Channel on Sirius/XM, ACR is produced through a grant from the U.S. Bishops’ Catholic Communication Campaign, and also can be found at Productions.FranciscanMedia.org.
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(New!) AmericanCatholic Connections

The AmericanCatholic Connections e-newsletter keeps you up-to-date on AmericanCatholic.org, the website for Franciscan Media. AmericanCatholic.org brings you news and feature stories, saints and sacraments, movie reviews, seasonal features and more for your Catholic faith. Every other week, this new e-newsletter is sent directly to your inbox.
Subscribe now! Free E-Newsletters for Catechetical and Web Ministries

Faith Formation Update (for Catechetical leaders)

Help plan your religious-education and RCIA classes with our monthly free e-newsletter aimed at religious educators. Timed to work within the liturgical calendar, this newsletter will bring you ideas gleaned from experienced teachers.
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Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi: Mystical ecstasy is the elevation of the spirit to God in such a way that the person is aware of this union with God while both internal and external senses are detached from the sensible world. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi was so generously given this special gift of God that she is called the "ecstatic saint."
<p>She was born into a noble family in Florence in 1566. The normal course would have been for Catherine de' Pazzi to have married wealth and enjoyed comfort, but she chose to follow her own path. At nine she learned to meditate from the family confessor. She made her first Communion at the then-early age of 10 and made a vow of virginity one month later. When 16, she entered the Carmelite convent in Florence because she could receive Communion daily there. </p><p>Catherine had taken the name Mary Magdalene and had been a novice for a year when she became critically ill. Death seemed near so her superiors let her make her profession of vows from a cot in the chapel in a private ceremony. Immediately after, she fell into an ecstasy that lasted about two hours. This was repeated after Communion on the following 40 mornings. These ecstasies were rich experiences of union with God and contained marvelous insights into divine truths. </p><p>As a safeguard against deception and to preserve the revelations, her confessor asked Mary Magdalene to dictate her experiences to sister secretaries. Over the next six years, five large volumes were filled. The first three books record ecstasies from May of 1584 through Pentecost week the following year. This week was a preparation for a severe five-year trial. The fourth book records that trial and the fifth is a collection of letters concerning reform and renewal. Another book, <i>Admonitions</i>, is a collection of her sayings arising from her experiences in the formation of women religious. </p><p>The extraordinary was ordinary for this saint. She read the thoughts of others and predicted future events. During her lifetime, she appeared to several persons in distant places and cured a number of sick people. </p><p>It would be easy to dwell on the ecstasies and pretend that Mary Magdalene only had spiritual highs. This is far from true. It seems that God permitted her this special closeness to prepare her for the five years of desolation that followed when she experienced spiritual dryness. She was plunged into a state of darkness in which she saw nothing but what was horrible in herself and all around her. She had violent temptations and endured great physical suffering. She died in 1607 at 41, and was canonized in 1669.</p>

Sisters pray a lot. They work at working together. They try their hardest to live simply – sometimes without much choice, due to real poverty. All of them embrace simplicity as a radical commitment to Gospel values, and offer that faithful witness to the rest of us.

PICKS OF THE WEEK

	The Month of Mary
	Discover daily insight into truths about the Mother of God.

	Sober Intoxication of the Spirit
	Learn about how the first Pentecost affected Jesus's followers.

	When the Spirit Comes in Power
	Catholic evangelist Peter Herbeck describes the work of the Holy Spirit in the personal lives of Christians.

	In the Footprints of Francis and the Sultan
	In 1219 during the Fifth Crusade, Francis took it upon himself to cross battle lines and reach out to Muslims.

	For Mothers (and Fathers!)
	Author Curtis shares personal stories and advice for helping your children find God's voice amid the messages that target them.

CATHOLIC GREETINGS

	Friendship
	Catholic Greetings e-cards help you connect with long-distance friends.

	Sympathy
	Our faith reminds us that those who believe in the Lord will never die.

	Graduation
	If you’re not able to attend the graduation in person, send an e-card expressing your affection and pride.

	Ordination Anniversary
	Use Catholic Greetings to acknowledge your pastor’s ordination or pastoral anniversary.

	Happy Birthday
	Make the most of God’s graces and blessings throughout the coming year.

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