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FRI-SAT-SUN March 31 - April 2, 2000 vol. 11, no. 65 SECTION ONESee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
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In this weekend's editorial, we can't help but catch the spring fever; not only because everything is blooming (wreaking havoc with allergies) but also because the national past-time is here again! While we're excited about baseball on the diamond, we're more excited about the Diamond that shined so brightly in the Holy Land last week: Pope John Paul II for this holy Pontiff and servant of servants is truly a valuable and smooth, and yes, rare "diamond in the rough." For this weekend's editorial The Pope is a shoe-in for the Hallowed Hall of Fame. And we're not talking Cooperstown! , see CATHOLIC PewPOINT
At the same time older Catholic churches in many of these same cities are victims of changing times. Many are being forced to close their doors. Consequently beautiful statues, paintings, architecture, icons and sacramentals are being discarded as useless junk. How sad that few realize these traditions, considered junk by the "neo-Catholic rationalization," are truly treasures to all loyal Catholics. It brings to mind the meaning of Sunday's first reading from 2 Chronicles (Paralipomenon) 36: 14, 19 "...and they defiled the house of the Lord, which He had sanctified to Himself in Jerusalem...And the enemies set fire to the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burnt all the towers, and whatsoever was precious they destroyed."
And it is the loyal Catholic contingent that realizes the gravity of the new architectural gurus who are turning our Catholic churches into stark, soul-less edifices that more resemble new age temples and gymnasiums than houses of God. Some of the new ballparks have more reverence than the modern churches! Contrast this to the beautiful old basilicas the Holy Father visited last week. Loyal Catholics everywhere had to have taken the greatest joy from the past week's events. After the euphoria of last week with the Holy Father's historic and memorable Papal Pilgrimage to the Holy Land as the main leg of his "Jubilee Journey" in search of Salvation History and retracing the footsteps of Jesus, we return to the reality of Lent and the need for penance and sacrifice. Loyal Catholics recognize the need for this and willingly comply as Jesus says in Matthew 9: 15, "But the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they will fast." It is time to get back to the business of fasting in order to prepare for the feast of the Easter Triduum leading up to the Glorious Resurrection.
Christ's Vicar on Earth John Paul II reemphasized this Mystery and the importance of the Savior in everyone's lives, not being afraid to bring up Our Lord in talks with the Jews and Muslims who do not recognized Jesus as the Son of God but merely a prophet. The Holy Father's words and actions echo the second reading this Sunday - Laetare Sunday - from Ephesians 2: 4-7, "But God Who is rich in mercy, by reason of His very great love where with He has loved us even when we were dead by reason of our sins, brought us to life together with Christ (by grace we have been saved), and raised us up together and seated us together in Heaven in Christ Jesus, that He might show in the ages to come the overflowing riches of His grace in kindness towards us in Christ Jesus." John Paul personified Christ everywhere he went. He opened the eyes of those Jews who were blind as Sunday's Gospel clearly affirms, "If this man were not from God, He could do nothing" (John 9: 33) and John 9: 40-41, "And some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard this, and they said to Him, 'Are we also blind?' Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, 'We see,' your sin remains.'"
Consider that, the very day after the Pope left the Holy Land, many Jews realized the Bishop of Rome was truly the man of God. They did 'see' for the first time. This was brought home in an incident Monday in which an Orthodox rabbi preached from the pulpit vitriolic insults against a political rival within the Jewish hierarchy. This only served to reinforce the stereotype of the Scribes and Pharisees and certainly caused many children of the Covenant to consider the stark contrast between the gentle, meek Sovereign Pontiff who preached what Jesus Christ had conveyed nearly two millenniums ago - the New Covenant theme of brotherhood and mercy, forgiveness and repentance - and the harshness of the Old Covenant toughness that brought visages of an angry God Who was vengeful. Don't think the stark contrast was not lost on many, many Jews for the difference is John Paul II practices what he preaches. No exceptions! He is the servant of servants and carries that out just as Another did 2000 years ago! Thomas a Kempis wrote the inspiring work "Imitation of Christ." Pope John Paul II, the 264th successor of Peter and leader of the Roman Catholic Church for nearly the past 22 years is the Imitation of Christ!
We all realize that, like Jesus trudging slowly up Calvary, the Holy Father is in his twilight years. In just over six weeks he will turn 80 years old, a time that, were he still Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, he would no longer be eligible to vote in the Sacred Conclave. Perhaps his stamina, his devotion, his dedication, his clear thinking might cause the Holy See's Canonical Lawyers to rethink the 80 year-old rule for cardinals. Consider Cardinal John J. O'Connor who turned 80 a few months ago on January 15th. Despite recent brain surgery, his thinking and actions very clearly and cohesively show he is still very competent even though physically he suffers. Consider the Archbishop of Washington Cardinal James Hickey who also will turn 80 on October 11th. He has shown no signs of slowing down. He has been a God-send to the See in the nation's capitol and good for the Church as well. Why should he be put out to pasture? Consider Cardinal Eugenio de Araujo Sales, Archbishop of the sprawling Ardiocese of Rio de Janeiro, who masterminded the successful "alternative carnival observance" this year which brought thousands together to pray rather than to prey on others in lustful, slothful fashion. He turns 80 on November 8th. Believe us, he is not over the hill but very much active in the Church and would seemingly have many miles left.
While the Pope is expected to call a Consistory sometime later this year to appoint new cardinals to bring the quota up, we're sure he has considered encouraging a provision in Canon Law that would allow those prelates of sound mind and spirituality to be allowed to continue their active membership in the College of Cardinals. After all, their minds and hearts are sound; if they are a bit slow in getting around, well, that's why they have wheel chairs. In this age of high-tech inventions, Rome could use these innovations to its advantage and preserve the spiritual mind-set of many sound minds whose bodies are deteriorating but not their hearts and minds or determination to do what's right for Holy Mother Church. We understand the Sistine Chapel is already equipped for handicapped ramps and, with the newest wheeled vehicle for the Pope unveiled late last year, which speeds him up the long aisles of St. Peter's and Paul VI Hall, wheels would seem to be the natural answer to longevity for Popes and Cardinals. It's a thought to roll over in your mind! They say invention is the mother of necessity and the invention of wheeled chariots for older citizens has added to their lifespan and mobility. In this time of spring, when the Holy Father is in the autumn of his years, he has once again managed to melt the cold winter of apathy and resistance in the troubled territory known as the Holy Land. Because of that we can look forward to warmer relations in the summer of brotherhood and understanding because of the seeds planted by the Sovereign Pontiff. Truly, Pope John Paul II is a man for all seasons!
Like the annual sentiments of every major league baseball team breaking camp in spring training and the pennant dreams of every fan cheering for their favorite team, hope springs eternal this time of year. But Hope, the threshold of which the Holy Father has invited all to cross with him in this new millennium, has never been higher chiefly because of the many, many fruits manifested by this Holy Pontiff over the years. He won't be in any major league lineup on opening day, but there's no one we'd rather have as a pinch hitter anytime in the game of life. After twenty-one and a half years of tenure as the Vicar of Christ, and forty-two as a prelate, and fifty four in the profession of the priesthood, the Pope is a shoe-in for the Hallowed Hall of Fame. And we're not talking Cooperstown!
We continue today, thanks to ZENIT News Organization, the spiritual exercises that Retreat Master Archbishop François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân preached to the Holy Father and Curia the week just before the Pope's "Jubilee Journey" to the Holy Land. Because of the wonders of the internet, all readers can now share in the inspiration that touched the Vicar of Christ and give all readers the opportunity to make a Lenten On-Line Retreat, so to speak, by contemplating on what the Archbishop presents, then going in silent prayer and meditation as John Paul II and his staff did to gain a greater peace and spirituality. The ideal way is to be able to go before the Blessed Sacrament and attend Daily Mass, but if this is not possible, then quiet time with Our Lord in meditation and prayer is the best scenario. Because of this special feature, there will be no column today by Michael Vincent Boyer until next Friday. For today's Third Spiritual Exercise, Secret of Sanctity: Live each day as though it is the last , click on LENTEN ON-LINE RETREAT
Today's Introduction:
Today, continuing with his preaching of the Spiritual Exercises to John Paul II and his collaborators in the Roman Curia, Archbishop François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân spoke about "The Adventure of Hope."
As he has done during the first two days of the retreat, the Archbishop
continued to base his reflections on his experience of 13 years of
incarceration by the communist regime. "After they arrested me in August of
1975, two policemen took me by night from Saigon to Nhatrang, a 280-mile trip.
So began my life as a prisoner, without timetables, without nights or days. In
our country there is a motto, which says: 'A day in prison is worth a thousand
autumns of freedom.' I myself experienced this. While in prison, everyone
waits for freedom, every day, every minute. My mind was full of confused
feelings: sadness, fear, tension. My heart felt lacerated by the remoteness of
my people. In the darkness of the night, in the midst of that ocean of anxiety,
of nightmare, little by little I began to awaken: 'I must face reality. I am in prison.
Isn't this, perhaps, the best time to do something great? How many times in my
life will I have such an opportunity again? The only sure thing in life is death.
Therefore, I must take advantage of the occasions that come my way each
day to carry out ordinary actions in an extraordinary way.' "
"During the long nights of pressure, I convinced myself that to live the present
moment is the simplest and surest way to reach sanctity. This conviction
inspired a prayer: 'Jesus, I will not wait, I want to live this present moment
filling it with love. The straight line is made up of millions of little points joined to
one another. My life is also made up of millions of seconds and minutes joined
among themselves. If I live each second the line will be straight. If I live each
minute perfectly, life will be saintly. The road of hope is paved with many small
moments of hope. The life of hope is made up of brief minutes of hope. As
you, Jesus, who have always done what pleases your Father. In each minute
I want to say to you: Jesus, I love you, my truth is always a new and eternal
alliance with you. Every minute I want to sing with the whole Church: Glory be
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit..." the Vietnamese
Archbishop prayed.
The Archbishop continued his story, "'I am not going to wait,' I said to myself. 'I will live in the present moment, filling it with love. But how?' One night I understood: 'François, it is very simple, do what St. Paul did when he was in prison: write letters to the communities.' The next day, it was October of 1975, with a gesture I was able to call a 5-year old boy named Quang, who was a Christian. 'Tell your mother to buy me old calendars.' That same day, at night, in the dark, Quang brought me the calendars and every night in October and November of 1975, I wrote my people my message from captivity. Every morning, the child came to collect the pages and took them home. His brothers and sisters copied the messages. This was how the book 'The Way of Hope' was written, which has now been published in 11 languages."
Although Archbishop Nguyên Van Thuân did not mention it, his reflections were passed around by hand among the Vietnamese people; these pieces of paper left the country with the "Boat People" fleeing from the communist dictatorship.
Monday: "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"
Archbishop Nguyên Van Thuân Contemplates the Mystery of the Cross
In her column this week, Sister Mary Lucy Astuto, after a two-week hiatus, shares with all her memorable trip to the Holy Land which she shares with all. We are pleased to welcome Sister back from her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She points out the significance of many of the sites Pope John Paul II visited last week which remain fresh in our memories from the poignant pictures and videos of the Holy Father retracing the footsteps of Jesus. Sister reminds all of the opportunities many can partake in this year and the indulgences available in this special Jubilee 2000 Year, encouraging all to consider taking a pilgrimage either near or far depending on one's budget and time parameters. Whatever one does, a pilgrimage is also a great spiritual adventure For her column, Pray! Pray! Pray! see GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER
Our first stop was the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem. Our guide informed us that this site has a 99.9 degree of reliablility that this was the birthplace of Jesus. It is a cave of stone. One must stoop down to enter, as well we all should to humble ourselves to enter such a holy place.
Bethlehem is about 5 miles south of Jerusalem, so the next day we walked the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem and visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This site is where Jesus was crucified, was buried and where He rose from the dead. To be at the place where Jesus shed all of His Blood to redeem us, where He made the supreme sacrifice of love for us was awesome! After kissing the place where the cross of Jesus had stood, I sat behind the crowd and wept for my sins and the sins of the world. I do not know how anyone could not be affected by this holy site. What a privilege to scan time and be present on Calvary! What a powerful grace to be present there! I could have stayed and wept longer!
We saw Shepherd's Field where the angels sang "Glory to God in the Highest!" We visited St. Ann's Church which rests over the dwelling of St. Ann and St. Joachim and where Our Blessed Mother was born. We visited the Church of the Visitation where Our Lady greeted her cousin Elizabeth and sang her "Magnificat." We visited the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth; we visited Jericho, the Dead Sea, and rode a boat on the Sea of Galilee. We rode a cable car to the top of the Mount of Temptation, attended Mass on the Mount of the Beatitudes (the day after the Holy Father was there). We could have attended the Holy Father's Mass in Nazareth, but an upper respiratory virus had caught up with my Sister-roommate and me and prudence seemed the better part of valor for that day. So we watched the Holy Father by television.
Words cannot describe how wonderful this pilgrimagle was! Its memory will stay with me always. This being the Jubilee Year, all Catholics are invited to make a pilgrimage and gain a plenary indulgence. Certainly, one does not need to go all the way to the Holy Land to make a pilgrimage, but one should plan some type of holy trip before this year is over.
If, as yet, you do not have such plans, I encourage you to begin thinking about them. Many Catholic parishes around the country are planning bus trips on their own to holy sites in their area. Make note of those that are written in your parish bulletins or Catholic newspaper.
A pilgrimage can make us more grateful for our Faith! God bless you!
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! Pray and make good use of this time, because this is a time of grace. I am with you and I intercede for each one of you before God, for your heart to open to God and to God's love. Little children, pray without ceasing, until prayer becomes a joy for you. Thank you for having responded to my call."
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