 |
MONDAY April 10, 2000 vol. 11, no. 71 SECTION THREESee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
e-mail: webmaster@dailycatholic.org |
|
| ||||
|
| ||
|
WORLDWIDE NEWS & VIEWS with a Catholic slant continued:
| ||
In his nearly 21 year pontificate as Vicar of Christ Pope John Paul II has raised more than 1,000 blessed to the altar of the Church. Yesterday, he beatified five more representing five different countries on three continents. On May 13 he will beatify two more - the shepherd visionaries of Fatima Jacinta and Francisco. continued inside.
VATICAN CITY, APR 7 (ZENIT.org).- On Sunday, April 9, the Pope
proclaimed the beatification of five persons representing 5 countries. The
group includes a Colombian, a German, a Swede, an Italian, and an
Indian.
In his close to 21 years as Pontiff, John Paul II has proclaimed 987
Blessed. To these must be added the two little shepherds of the Fatima
apparitions, who will be raised to the glory of the altars on May 13 of
this year. Before the end of 2000, the Holy Father will surpass the
1,000 mark in terms of beatifications.
Sunday's beatifications highlight the universality of sanctity.
"Padre Marianito" Euse Hoyos (1845-1926) will be the first Colombian
Blessed. As a diocesan priest, he dedicated his life to the rural
workers of his country (Cf. ZE00040402).
Francis Xavier Seelos (1818-1867) of Bavaria, was a missionary for U.S.
immigrants in Connecticut, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Louisiana
(See article below).
Maria Elisabeth Hesselblad (1870-1957) was a Swedish Lutheran who
converted to Catholicism. With her life and work she gave great impetus
to the ecumenical dialogue. While in Rome, during the Second World War,
she worked tirelessly to rescue Jews from Nazi persecution, in keeping
with Pope Pius XII's express request (Cf. ZE00040607).
Anna Rosa Gattorno (1831-1900) was the mother of a family of the high
bourgeoisie of Genoa. The family fell into misfortune and she was
widowed. She educated her children in most difficult circumstances. Once
they were grown up, she entered the Congregation of the Daughters of St.
Anne, which she herself had founded to help the poor and sick (See
article below).
Mariam Thresia Mankidiyan (1876-1926) was born in a city of Kerala,
India. She had mystical experiences and founded the Congregation of the
Holy Family, dedicated to the service of the poorest families,
especially the children's education (See article below).
ZE00040703
Perplexed over having to leave her children and elderly parents to follow her vocation, she regained her peace of mind after hearing Pope Pius IX's encouraging words: "Like the flight of doves, this institute will spread rapidly to all parts of the world. God will look after your children; think only of God in your work." The Institute's rule was approved in 1892; 12 years after its foundation, 16 women left to establish houses in Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Eritrea. The founder was distinguished by her maternal affection for her young Sisters; they felt understood and safely guided. The work included total dedication to the poor and the sick, to the abandoned and elderly, and to young people "at risk." Numerous hostels, schools and kindergartens were opened. The Institute also collaborated with Bishop Scalabrini of Piacenza, who was engaged in an apostolate for the deaf and dumb.
Mother Anna Rosa Gattorno died of influenza at the motherhouse in Rome on May 6, 1900. When she died, her Congregation had established 368 houses and included 3,500 Sisters. Today, her charism is followed by the lay association "Movement of Hope," a Secular Institute, the Contemplative Order of the Daughters of St. Anne (perpetual adoration) and the Sons of St. Anne. ZE00040720
Mariam Thresia was born on April 26, 1876, in a provincial village of Trichur, in the state of Kerala, India. She grew up in a difficult family situation. Unable to cope with sudden poverty, her father and elder brother turned to alcohol. Mariam Thresia, instead, turned to prayer. From her earliest years, she had an intense desire to love God. Anticipating Mother Teresa of Calcutta's work by half a century, she worked with the very poor. Together with three friends, she formed a prayer group, and engaged in apostolic work on the streets, with the neediest families of the village.
In 1903 Mariam Thresia requested permission from her Bishop to build a house of prayer and retreat, but Apostolic Vicar Mar John Menachery of Trichur decided to put her vocation to the test. Over this period, Mariam Thresia entered several Congregations; finally, in 1913 the Bishop granted the longed for permission to build the home. Here Mariam Thresia and her friends led a life of prayer and penance, while continuing to visit the poor, the sick, and the untouchables in Indian society.
Just over a decade after Mariam Thresia's request to her Bishop, he realized that the work she and her friends carried out was the beginning of a new religious order. On May 14, 1914, the Congregation of the Holy Family was canonically established. By 1926, Mariam Thresia and her companions had set up 3 new convents, 2 day schools, 2 boarding schools, a study home, and an orphanage. Mariam Thresia died on June 8, of that year.
Today the Congregation of the Holy Family operates in Kerala and northern India, as well as Germany, Italy and Ghana, with a total of 1,854 professed nuns and 119 novices in 176 homes in 7 provinces. ZE00040722
His confessional was always open to everyone. He heard confessions in German, English, and French, from anyone, regardless of race. As a priest, he was distinguished for his "simple lifestyle and language," so much so that his sermons were heard and understood even by the most ignorant. Of all the souls entrusted to his care, the ones he was especially fond of were the children. He considered the catechesis of children "fundamental for the Christian growth of the parish community."
In 1860, when Bishop Michael O'Connor of Pittsburgh was leaving the diocese, he "nominated" Seelos as his most reliable successor. But Francis Xavier wrote Pope Pius IX, begging him to free him "from this act of God." When the Civil War broke out in the United States new laws were passed in regard to military service. In 1863 all men were obliged to be available for active duty. At the time, Seelos was Superior of the Redemptorist Seminary.
He went to Washington to meet President Abraham Lincoln and was successful in releasing the Seminary students from being sent to the front. Seelos lost his position as Prefect of Students shortly thereafter, for being "too lenient" with youth. As a result, from 1863 to 1866 Francis Xavier Seelos devoted himself to itinerant missionary work, preaching in English and German in many parts of the United States. He died at 48 of yellow fever, spending several weeks "patiently and light-heartedly tolerating the illness." ZE00040721
Expressing sympathy over the death of Cardinal Bernardino Echeverria Ruiz, OFM, the Holy Father recalled his generous pastoral work in the service of the Church. The cardinal passed away last week on Friday at the age of 84. The Pope recounted how during the cardinal's lifetime he helped build more than 100 rural parishes in Ecuador and the number of parish churches rose from 61 to 189. He gave credit to the Franciscans, saying the work of Cardinal Echeverria Ruiz mirrored the work of Saint Francis of Assisi. continued inside.
VATICAN CITY, APR 7 (ZENIT.org).- In a telegram of sympathy, John Paul
II emphasized the generous pastoral work and dispositions of Cardinal
Bernardino Echeverria Ruiz, Bishop Emeritus of Guayaquil, in the service
of the Church. The Cardinal died in Ecuador yesterday at 84, after
suffering a protracted case of hepatitis.
In recalling the Cardinal's apostolic dynamism, first as Bishop of
Ambato, later as Metropolitan of Guayaquil, and finally as Apostolic
Administrator of Ibarra, the Holy Father expressed his spiritual
closeness to all the faithful who knew and loved him, and to the Order
of Minor Franciscans to which he belonged. Because of his merits, John
Paul II appointed Echeverria Cardinal in 1994.
Born in 1912, Cardinal Echeverria took the habit of a Franciscan in
1928. He was ordained a priest in 1937, after finishing his studies in
Rome. When he returned to Ecuador, he founded the work of Communion of
the Sick, the Jodoko Ricke publishing house, and the magazine "Paz y
Bien." He was secretary of the Ecuadorian Institute of Amazonian Studies
and member of the International Academy of Franciscan History. In
addition, he authored "Quito's Hymn" and "Hymn of the Secular
Franciscans of Ecuador." Appointed Bishop of Ambato on October 23, 1949
and Archbishop of Guayaquil on April 10, 1969, he resigned this last
post in 1989. In 1985 he welcomed the Pope on his visit to Ecuador.
During his pastoral work, 100 churches were built in rural settings and,
in the Archdiocese, the number of parish churches grew from 61 to 189.
With the death of Cardinal Echeverria Ruiz, the only Ecuadorian
Cardinal, the Sacred College now has 150 Cardinals from 60 countries, of
which 102 are electors and 48 non-electors.
ZE00040707
L'Osservatore Romano has printed a strong rebuttal aimed at gay-rights activits who have argued that Pope John Paul II did not ask God's pardon for the Church's attitude toward gay and lesbian segments of society. The article notes quite clearly that the Church's position on gay and lesbian lifestyle has always remained the same, noting that all people must be respected, but that the sin of the person(s) cannot nor will not be condoned. The gay-lesbian factions seem to forget that rights before the law of man are one thing, but the moral law of God cannot be fashioned to their liking. continued inside.
VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- The official Vatican newspaper has published a
strong rebuttal to the gay-rights activists who have complained that Pope
John Paul II did not ask God's pardon for the Church's attitude toward
homosexuals during the Day of Pardon ceremony on March 12.
L'Osservatore Romano noted in an April 7 article that the Church has always
upheld the principle of "respect for every person," but that this principle
does not imply "acceptance or compromise with deviations in ethics or in
behavior." Father Gino Concetti, the theologian for the Vatican paper, argued
that this attitude has been applied consistently by the Church.
Citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Father Concetti wrote that
homosexuality is "intrinsically disordered" and "contrary to natural law."
Homosexual acts, he continued, still quoting the Catechism, "do not proceed
from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no
circumstances can they be approved."
At the same time, the L'Osservatore Romano article points out, the Catechism
goes on to say that homosexuals must always been treated with "respect,
compassion, and sensitivity." The Catechism teaches: "Every sign of unjust
discrimination in their regard should be avoided."
Father Concetti recalled the public stateme
For more headlines and articles, we suggest you go to the Catholic World News site at the CWN home page and Church News at Noticias Eclesiales and the Dossiers, features and Daily Dispatches from ZENIT International News Agency CWN, NE and ZENIT are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC, but provide this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.
