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FRI-SAT-SUN March 17-19, 2000 vol. 11, no. 55 SECTION FOURSee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
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For the Second Sunday of Lent:
"Elias is to come first and will restore all things. But how then is it written of the Son of Man, that He should suffer many things and be despised? But I say to you that Elias has come, and they did to him whatever they wished, as it is written of him."
Special Prayer for Friday in the First Week of Lent
O Lord, be gracious to Thy people; and as Thou makest them devoted to Thee, in Thy mercy cherish them by Thy kind assistance. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.
Special Prayer for Saturday in the First Week of Lent
Look down graciously upon Thy people, we beseech Thee, O Lord: and mercifully turn away from them the scourges of Thy wrath. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.
Special Prayer for the Second Sunday of Lent
O God, Who seest that we are wholly destitute of strength, keep us within and without: that we may be defended in body from all adversity: and cleansed in mind from evil thought. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, One God forever and ever. Amen.
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".
"A Father gave his little son a cut-up puzzle of the world and asked him to put it together. The boy finished the picture in an amazingly short time. When the astonished father asked him how he did it, the boy answered: 'There was a picture of a man on the other side; when I put the man together, the world came out all right.' Such is the key to the understanding of all the political and economic problems of our day. Nothing ever happens to the world which does not first happen inside man."
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! Wake up from the sleep of unbelief and sin, because this is a
time of grace which God gives you. Use this time and seek the grace of healing of your heart from God, so that
you may see God and man with the heart. Pray in a special way for those who have not come to know God's
love, and witness with your life so that they also can come to know God and His immeasurable love. Thank you
for having responded to my call."
Through the stewardship of Catholic Journalism you can help us reach more souls by sending whatever you can to help keep the DailyCATHOLIC going strong since as the only daily publication of its kind for Catholics anywhere promoting the truths of the Church.
The German Evangelical Church greeted the Holy Father's words of reconciliation last Sunday with the greatest respect, calling the Pope's comments "words worthy of the greatest respect and gratitude." Yet, the religious head of the EKD was interviewed regarding this historical ceremony and his comments, while allowing for "hope" for the future, do not go far enough in expressing the willingness of the Evangelical Church to understand the full truth and to open meaningful dialogue with the Vatican.
continued inside
BERLIN, MAR 15 (ZENIT-AVVENIRE).- "Words worthy of the greatest respect
and gratitude," was the reaction of the German Evangelical Church (EKD)
to John Paul II's "mea culpa" last Sunday. The EKD represents 28 million
German Protestants and, at the international level, is one of the most
important manifestations of the Reformation. Rev. Manfred Kock, its
leader, had a substantially positive reaction to the act.
ZENIT-AVVENIRE: Reverend Kock, this is the first time a Pope had pronounced such a
broad admission of guilt. What is your first impression?
Manfred Kock: The Roman Catholic Church and John Paul II deserve
gratitude and respect for the way in which they have addressed the
faults of the past. The gesture is important because, up until now, many
of us had the impression that the Catholic Church had problems
recognizing its past errors.
Z-A: John Paul II explicitly mentions the "sins against the unity of the
body of Christ." Do you think the Pope's words make the unity among
Christians easier?
Manfred Kock: Certainly, without a doubt it can be said that unity
can be favored by his words. But in order to make rapid progress, from
our point of view it will also be necessary that the Pope' words have
concrete effects on the affirmations pronounced by the Catholic Church
over the centuries in relation to us, and that, in our view, do not help
on the road to unity.
Z-A: In recent statements you stated that the German Evangelical Church
might recognize the Pope in the future as "a unitary figure symbolic of
Christianity." Do you see this recognition as being closer?
Manfred Kock: In order to take this step, time must go by. The
differences that affect the respective ecclesial conceptions and the
differences over the Pope's infallibility, differences that I already
mentioned at the time, have not been overcome yet.
Z-A: The impression is given, however, that the "mea culpa" pronounced by
the Pope not only affects Catholics, but the whole of Christianity. In
this connection, John Paul II would already have carried out on this
occasion the function of "symbolic unitary figure." What is your
opinion?
Manfred Kock: I think that above all the Pope spoke for Catholics In
any event, it is true that, until the advent of the Reformation, we had
a common history. Because of this, at least up until that time, the
Protestant Churches are also involved in the admission of fault made by
John Paul II. However, I do not believe that one can see in this a first
action of the Pontiff as symbolic unitary figure.
Z-A: Do you think the Protestant Church will pronounce a similar admission
of faults?
Manfred Kock: In past decades, the German Protestant Church already
acknowledged its own fault with reference to particular historical
events: the errors of Protestant Christians in relation to racism; its
relation with Jews; and past faults with Czechs and Poles. Once this is
clarified, we must acknowledge that these admissions are not, in fact,
the end of our examination of the past.
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Meeting in Vienna, Austria, the highest leaders of European Judaism have given high marks to the Holy Father's appeal for forgiveness on March 12. The president of the Conference for European Rabbis stated, "It is not necessary to say everything in words," suggesting that in the Pope's appeal for forgiveness, he certainly implied the Holocaust on behalf of the entire Catholic Church,as well as all peoples persecuted during the reign of the terrible Third Reich. continued inside.
VIENNA, MAR 15 (ZENIT.org).- The highest leaders of European Judaism
meeting in Vienna, expressed their appreciation for John Paul II's
petition last Sunday, in which he acknowledged the sins committed by the
children of the Church. "It is very important to ask for forgiveness,"
Frenchman Joseph Sitruk, president of the Conference of European Rabbis,
said. "It is not necessary to say everything in words," he commented, in
reference to the Pope's not explicitly mentioning the Holocaust, which
has been criticized by some Jewish groups.
Rabbi Jonathan Sachs of the United Kingdom said that the Pope's gesture
was a "courageous" step, and explained that it is a "beginning." "We
acknowledge the Pope's serious intention," Sachs said, explaining that
in life there are only two ways: either one of lies, or one of truth and
forgiveness.
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The Vatican, in an effort to underscore the spiritual nature of the Holy Father's "Jubilee Journey" to the Holy Land, will hold an exposition of the most important symbols and meanings in the Jewish faith. The intent is to foster mutual understanding between these two great monotheistic religions, fostering fraternal charity which is the bridge between cultures and varying beliefs. After all, there is only one God, the Father of all. continued inside.
ROME, MAR 15 (ZENIT.org).- On the eve of John Paul II's trip to the Holy
Land, the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome inaugurated an
exposition that offers some of the most important symbols of the Jewish
religion. Entitled "From the Temple of Jerusalem to the Synagogue: The
Feasts of Pilgrimage and the Western Wall," the initiative was organized
by the St. Andrew of the Quirinale Association of Roman citizens,
established for the Jubilee, along with the Gregorian University, the
Jewish Community of Rome, and the Israeli Embassies to the Vatican and
Italy.
This is the first stage of a series of expositions and other cultural
initiatives dedicated to Christianity and Islam, in addition to Judaism.
The purpose is to foster mutual understanding among believers in the one
God.
More than an exposition, this is a communications event that facilitates
exposure to a different reality. According to Fr. Giovanni Notari,
president of the St. Andrew Association, this "meeting" is important,
"as Jews and Christians contemplate together a long passage of the
history of salvation." Because of this, it is expected that the
exposition "will help us to intensify an increasingly significant
relation."
Fr. Notari recalled what John Paul II said during an audience in April
of last year: "the dialogue between Christians and Jews must look to the
future. The memory of sad and tragic events from the past can open the
road to a new sense of fraternity and commitment, so that the infected
seeds of anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism will never take root in the
heart of man."
"This is the purpose of the endeavor we are carrying out: to establish a
real dialogue. Dialogue is an exchange between two, it is 'dia-logos,'
the space of novelty that opens up when each one forgets himself to
become a gift and meeting; a dialogue made in truth, justice and love,
terms that have served as methodology in the conception of this
exposition." Fr. Notari clarified, "We are not the ones who speak about
our interlocutor; it is the Hebrew community that speaks about itself."
Judaism is defined as a religion of the temple; the community's life is
organized around dates, celebrations and fasts, which help the believer
to live fundamental principles on which existence is based. As a result,
the exposition speaks about Hebrews through the representation of three
important feasts: "Sukkoth," the feast of bells; "Pesach," Passover;
"Shavuoth," feast of first fruits. All are linked by the common element
of pilgrimage to the Temple.
A second room of the exposition is dedicated to 25 pictures of the
Western Wall of Jerusalem, known as the Wailing Wall, by photographer
Michal Ronnen Safdie.
Antonella Catani, who designed the exposition, has captured the most
important moments in the life of the believing Jew with objects loaned
by the Hebrew Museum in Rome. With these, the visitor can submerge
himself in Jewish atmosphere and contemplate, for example, the
"parokhat," ancient silver objects, or the "talled," worn by the Rabbi.
It should be noted that the Jewish community in Rome is the oldest of
the Diaspora; consequently, it has objects that are of incalculable
historical value.
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With the Holy Father's pilgrimage set to begin Monday, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, Prefect of the Committee for the Jubilee, has reiterated the Latin Patriarch's words yesterday that the Pope's pilgrimage should be seen in a spiritual light in the light of Salvation history. Any government or group who expect the Holy Father to get embroiled in politics, political correct demands such as radical Jews' insistence that he apologize for the Holocaust specifically, or trying to lure him into on-going peace negotiations by pitting him against one side or the other, are sadly mistaken.continued inside.
VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the head of the
Vatican committee coordinating the Jubilee celebration, has warned against a
tendency to see the visit by Pope John Paul II to the Holy Land exclusively
in political terms-- and, in particular, in terms of Christian-Jewish relations.
Cardinal Etchegaray stressed that the Pope's plan was to make a spiritual
pilgrimage. He pointed out that the trip had been scheduled to coincide with
the feast of the Annunciation-- March 25-- because the Holy Father had
been particularly anxious to celebrate that feast in Nazareth.
While conceding that the Pope's meeting with Jewish leaders and his visit to
the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem would be "particularly impressive," he
emphasized that the highlights of the trip would be the visits to the sites
connected with the history of salvation. As for the political affairs of the
region, the cardinal warned that "those who expect John Paul II to become
involved in the details of the peace process are deceiving themselves."
Friday Cardinal Jose Sanchez, native of the Philippines and Prefect-emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy celebrates his 80th birthday which means he is now unable to vote in papal elections. This leaves the number of cardinals eligible to vote at 103. In all things the Holy Spirit leads, and all should count on the inspiration of the Sanctifier in the unlikely event a conclave would need to be held before His Holiness John Paul II calls his next Consistory. We join all Catholics in saying "viva le Papa!" continued inside.
VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Cardinal Jose Sanchez, the native of the
Philippines and former prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, will
celebrate his 80th birthday on March 17, and therefore become ineligible to
vote in a papal election.
As Cardinal Sanchez passes the maximum age for cardinal electors, there will
be 103 cardinals eligible to vote in a conclave. Of there 46 are from Europe,
18 from Latin America, 12 from North America, 12 from Africa, 11 from
Asia, and 4 from Australia and Oceania.
For our profile on Cardinal Sanchez, see
Cardinal Jose T. Sanchez in our COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION.
As biotechnology continues to dismiss God as Creator of all, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, warned against this trend, saying that such technology presents the danger of the destruction of the image of God by reducing the role of fatherhood to a mere biological phenomenon. Again, the Holy See, guided by the Holy Spirit, warns all peoples to beware that science is becoming its own god. The cardinal made his remarks in preparation for the Feast of Saint Joseph on Monday, the greatest human example of paternal purity. continued inside.
PALERMO, MAR 15 (ZENIT.org).- Yesterday, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
warned some 1,500 persons against what might well be the gravest danger
facing humanity at present: the destruction of the image of God, by
reducing fatherhood to a merely biological phenomenon. The Bavarian
Cardinal addressed a congregation gathered in the Cathedral of Palermo,
as well as students of the Theology Faculty of Sicily, during the
inauguration of the Third Diocesan Week of Faith.
Cardinal Ratzinger, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith, who was invited for the occasion by Cardinal Salvatore De Giorgi
of Palermo, said that God himself "willed to manifest and describe
himself as Father." "Human fatherhood gives us an anticipation of what
He is. But when this fatherhood does not exist, when it is experienced
only as a biological phenomenon, without its human and spiritual
dimension, all statements about God the Father are empty. The crisis of
fatherhood we are living today is an element, perhaps the most
important, threatening man in his humanity. The dissolution of
fatherhood and motherhood is linked to the dissolution of our being sons
and daughters."
However, there are examples, like Maximilian Kolbe and Mother Teresa of
Calcutta, who demonstrate how it is possible to live fatherhood and
motherhood in the most real and profound sense, even without the
biological aspect. The risk the Cardinal is concerned about, is
intimately linked with our technological era. "At present, man has power
over the world and its laws. He is able to dismantle this world and
reassemble it."
Cardinal Ratzinger spent some time reflecting on the "name of God." "The
Apocalypse speaks about God's antagonist, the beast. This animal does
not have a name, but a number."
In order to understand what this means, he recalled the dramatic
experience of the concentration camps. "In their horror, they cancel
faces and history, transforming man into a number, reducing him to a cog
in an enormous machine. Man is no more than a function."
This is a risk being repeated today. "In our days, we should not forget
that they prefigured the destiny of a world that runs the risk of
adopting the same structure of the concentration camps, if the universal
law of the machine is accepted. The machines that have been constructed
impose the same law. According to this logic, man must be interpreted by
a computer and this is only possible if translated into numbers. The
beast is a number and transforms into numbers. God, however, has a name
and calls by name. He is a person and looks for the person."
To have a name means to have the possibility of being called, it means
communion. If through biotechnology man becomes a laboratory product,
along with the biological he will lose the human and spiritual relation
with his father and mother. Then the threat mentioned by Cardinal
Ratzinger will become a dramatic reality.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: Next week, during the major portion of his "Jubilee Journey," we will provide comprehensive coverage in this section of Pope John Paul II historic pilgrimage in Salvation History as the Vicar of Christ walks in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. 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.
