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Events that happened Today in Church History
  
Today is the anniversary of the death of three Popes. The oldest is Pope Saint Martin I, 74th successor of Peter in 655. His reign lasted six years and ended with him being forced to suffer at the hands of the Byzantine Emperor on the remote island of Cherson. He began the tradition of celebrating the feast of Mary, the Immaculate Virgin. Today is also the 1,173rd anniversary of the 100th successor of Peter Pope Valentine's passing. This kind and well-beloved Pontiff's papacy lasted only two weeks. Finally, the Church commemorates the 913th anniversary of the death of Blessed Pope Victor III who reigned for a year and a half. After a year's vacancy following the death of his predecessor Pope Gregory VII and with Rome in turmoil with a series of antipopes, it seemed a volatile atmosphere for this Benedictine Abbot Desiderius to cope with. Overwhelmed by his election on May 24, 1086 and, not feeling worthy, Victor retreated to his Abbey of Montecassino in order to return to a more contemplative life. But the people clamored for him to serve and, against his will, carried him back to Rome where he was consecrated the 158th Vicar of Christ. He took up residency on a fortified island on the Tiber River after excommunicating the antipope Clement III who occupied Rome. For other time capsule events that happened Today in Church history, see MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES
 How Hospitality has become Inhospitable
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the words of Bishop 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".
"Hospitality has not passed out of the world today, but to a large extent it has become corporate or organized. Institutions are set up to care for the traveler or the needy, as the care becomes less personal and the responsibility less individual. A few decades ago no one in a horse and buggy along a country road would refuse to stop and pick up someone walking. Today few automobiles stop to give lifts to those on the hightway, mostly because too many hitchhikers have made hospitality impossible by their inhospital conduct. Despite this, it is wrong to think the world is not fit to be trusted and that everyone is a rogue until he promes himself to be otherwise."
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