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FRI-SAT-SUN February 11-13, 2000 vol. 11, no. 30 SECTION TWOSee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
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We conclude this special series introducing you to the Princes of the Church this weekend with our one-hundred-fifty-seventh red-hat we feature, in alphabetical order. He is Cardinal Paul Zoungrana the 82 year-old White Father priest and former Archbishop of Ouagadougou, the capital of the African republic of Burkino-Faso, formerly Upper Volta. After serving as shepherd there for 35 years he resigned on June 10, 1995. He was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope Paul VI during his first Consistory of February 22, 1965. For more on Cardinal Zoungrana, see COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION
Five years later John's successor Pope Paul VI named him in his first Consistory of February 22, 1965 bestowing on him the red-hat and the titular church of St. Camillus de Lellis. He thus became the first cardinal ever from Burkina-Faso. He was also deeded curial membership in the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life and the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers.
After thirty-five years as Archbishop of Ouagadougou, he resigned his post on June 10, 1995 as he was nearing 78 years of age. He retired in his home city of Ouagadougou residing at Archeveche 01 B.P. 1472, Ouagadougou 01, Burkina-Faso. His country was first evangelized by the White Fathers in 1900 and 1901 with the White Sisters following ten years later. Their presence influenced Cardinal Zoungrana greatly. The missionaries' influence has contributed to the Catholic population growing considerably to over one million or ten percent of the total population which is largely pagan and Muslim.
On Saturday 951 years ago in 1049 Pope Saint Leo IX became the 152nd successor of Peter. Though he was the man who enlisted the saintly monk Hildebrand who would not only go on to counsel several Popes, but also become Pope Saint Gregory VII, he will always be remembered for excommunicating the Eastern Patriarch Michael Cerularius who was responsible for the Great Schism of the Greek Church from the Latin Church. Leo's holiness was evident from the beginning for he entered Rome barefoot as a pilgrim to signify his great humility as the "Servant of the servants." For other time capsule events that happened in Church history on this date, see MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES
350 A.D.
Death of Saint Lucius, Bishop of Adrianople who, despite persecution, stood fast against the Arian bishops even though he was condemned at Sardica. But he remained loyal to Our Lord and His Vicar on earth Pope Saint Julius I. He was executed along with his companions by the Arian emperor Constantius.
507 A.D.
Death of Saint Severinus, a renowned abbot from Burgundy who traveled from his abbey of Saint Maurice in Agaunum in Switzerland to pray over the monarch of the Franks, King Clovis and heal him of the fever caused by a plague.
670 A.D.
Death of Saint Caedmon, who, though he could not sing, converted the Scriptures and Psalms from Latin and Greek into beautiful melodies in the English language as a lay-brother in the Whitby Abbey of Ireland. He is considered the "Father of English Sacred Poetry."
731 A.D.
Death of Pope Saint Gregory II, 89th successor of Peter, whose pontificate lasted 16 years in which , in answer to the edict of Constantinople at forbade the cult of images and the destruction of sacred objects, he rallied the Italian provinces against the army of Leo III and the iconoclastic sect was rejected by all of Italy and strengthened Rome's stance against iconoclasm.
821 A.D.
Death of Saint Benedict of Ariane, a soldier who had served as cup-bearer to Charlemagne and Pipin, forsook his military career for a life as a Benedictine monk. A very learned man, he wrote and promoted many of the monastic regulations that still exist today and is considered the "Father of the Restoration of Western Monasticism." Some even call him the "Second Benedict."
867 A.D.
Death of Saint Theodora, Empress of Constantinople and wife of Theophilus the uncompromising emperor who pushed iconoclasm. She could see the error of his ways and, after the death of her husband, did all in her power to convince her son Michael to disavow iconoclasm and restore the sacred icons. With the help of Saint John Damascene Theodora declared the feast of Orthodoxy in 842, thus ending iconoclasm. She died on this date as a religious in a convent, making amends for the wrongs the royal court had made over the years.
1535 A.D.
Birth of Cardinal Niccolo Sfondrati in Somma, outside Milan, Italy. He would go on to become a priest and lawyer and play a significant role in enforcing the reform decrees of Trent. He would not only form a close friendship with Saint Charles Borromeo but also be elected on December 5, 1590 as the 229th successor of Peter, becoming Pope Gregory XIV.
1858 A.D.
The Mother of God first appears to Saint Bernadette of Soubirous on this date at the Grotto in Lourdes on the River Gave. For more, see DAILY LITURGY
1906 A.D.
Pope Saint Pius X issues his sixth encyclical Vehementer Nos on the French Law of Separation.
901 A.D.
Death of Saint Antony Kauleas, Patriarch of Constantinople who presided over the Fourth Ecumenical Council at Constantinople which condemned Photius. He was also an abbot prior to being appointed Patriarch. He tried to reunite the East and the West.
1049 A.D.
The election of Pope Saint Leo IX, 152nd successor of Peter who would rule the Church for eight years. He would be freely elected by the clergy and people of Rome and would enter bare-foot as a sign of humility. It would be Leo who would have no choice but to excommunicate Eastern emperor Michael Cerularius, the man held responsible for the schism of the Greek Church from the Latin Church which still exists today.
259 A.D.
Death of Saint Polyeuctus, martyr of Melitene who laid down his weapons and despite the fact he was wealthy, gave it all to the poor and converted to Christianity. His officers ordered him to return and renounce Christianity, but when he wouldn't they tortured him along with intimidating his family. Despite these tactics, Polyeuctus remained loyal to Christ and for this he was beheaded. Even after his head was severed the countenance of joy and peace on his face shocked his executioners and encouraged the faithful who witnessed it, including his family.
512 A.D.
Death of Saint Stephen of Lyons, Bishop of Lyons who played a major role in the conversion of the Arian Burgundians.
550 A.D.
Death of Saint Domnoc O'Neil, an Irish monk who had an affinity to insects much in the same manner as Saint Francis of Assisi had to animals. The story is told that a humongous swarm of bees were always around him and never harmed him even though those around him were always in fear. In fact, he brought the bees back to Ireland from Wales after they buzzed him constantly, refusing to let him leave without them. Despite this, Saint Ambrose is considered the Patron Saint of Beekeepers, not Domnoc even though the church where he is buried near Bremore in County Dublin is called "the Church of the Beekeeper."
1130 A.D.
Death of Pope Honorius II, 163rd successor of Peter, whose pontificate lasted 6 years. He renewed friendly relations with nearly all the European courts in view of the fight against the Saracens. During his papacy the famous factions of the Guelphs (for the Pope) and the Ghibellines (for the Emperor) came into being.
1663 A.D.
Galileo Galilei arrives in Rome to be tried by the Roman Inquisition for his beliefs in the science that the earth revolves around the sun. The Inquisition, fearing the spread of rationalism, would condemn Galileo's theories which would remain that way for centuries until proof was submitted that he was right and he was exonerated.
Historical Events in Church Annals for February 11:
304 A.D.
Death of the Guardians of the Holy Word, African martyrs who were martyred during the reign of Diocletian because they refused to burn numerous Scripture scrolls they had accrued over time, hence the name "Guardians of Sacred Scripture." Leading this group was Saint Saturninus along with 49 others, including women and children who willfully gave their life for Christ. and Saint Julian, Caesarean Christians in Palestine who were crucified after being discovered visiting prisons where many Christians had been incarcerated.
Historical Events in Church Annals for February 12:
381 A.D.
Death of the Saint Melitius of Antioch, Bishop of Sebastea who was forced to flee because of the Arian persecution. During his bishophric he was accused of siding with the Arians for they had elected him Archbishop of Antioch. But he was exonerated by Pope Damasus through the support of Saint Basil. He was honored at his death by Saint Gregory of Nyssa who delivered his eulogy.
Historical Events in Church Annals for February 13:
250 A.D.
Death of the martyrs Saint Fusca and her nurse Saint Maura who both had a sword jammed through their heart during the terrible persecution of the Roman emperor Decius in Ravenna.
This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and World Day of Prayer for the Sick on Friday, Ordinary Time on Saturday along with the Observance of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday and the SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME. For the readings, liturgies, meditations, and vignettes on these feasts, see DAILY LITURGY.
For the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time:
"And Jesus having compassion on him [the leper], stretched forth His hand and touched him, and said to him, 'I will; be thou made clean.' And when He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean."
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the words of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen have been known to launch a thousand images in one's mind, one of the ways this late luminary did so much to evangelize the faith. Because of the urgency of the times and because few there are today who possess the wisdom, simplicity and insight than the late Archbishop who touched millions, we are bringing you daily gems from his writings. The good bishop makes it so simple that we have dubbed this daily series: "SIMPLY SHEEN".
"The vocation of a doctor may have been very much underrated. His ideal is not just to cure a patient of neuralgia or phobias, but also to be at one and the same time an educator, a politician, a man of God, a philosopher and a theologian, not in the sense that he takes over completely any of these functions, but rather that he recognizes that every sick person in the world has, to some extent, a combination of three disorders: physical, psychic and spiritual."
NOTE: We respectfully recognize and accept the final authority regarding apparitions, locutions and prophecies presently being reported around the world rests with the Holy See of Rome and the Magisterium of Holy Mother Church to whose judjment we humbly and obediently submit.
"Dear children! I call you, little children, to pray without ceasing. If you pray, you
are closer to God and He will lead you on the way of peace and salvation. That is why I call you today to give
peace to others. Only in God is there true peace. Open your hearts and become those who give a gift of peace
and others will discover peace in you and through you and in this way you will witness God's peace and love
which He gives you. Thank you for having responded to my call."
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