 
Why America brushed off "Humanae Vitae"
Instead of complying with the architect of "Humanae Vitae", Americans altered the blueprint of life, seeking to cut corners to accommodate ease, laziness and selfishness. Thus the beautiful and priceless tableau he presented was smeared by the taggers of American Graffiti.
After introducing this special series on the weekend of the special Jubilee of Families held October 13-14 in Rome, we continue today with the seventeenth lesson Putting the "Vitae" back in "Humanae Vitae", part five, in which we trace the trends in America from after World War II up until July 1968 when Pope Paul VI released his excellent encyclical "Humanae Vitae" as a blueprint for all to follow in building sacred marriages and holy families. Yet so many American Catholics soundly rejected his words, rationalizing and questioning everything. Why? Our review of the culture and the causes and effects of that quest for the easier life contributed greatly to this rebellion, so prevalent in the sixties. Because it was not cut off at the roots, it has been allowed to grow into a suffocating vine of "anything-goes" today. We have only ourselves to blame. He was truly a luminary that the world and many Catholics tried to snuff by ignoring and demeaning. Their efforts have resulted in barren fruit and thorns of misery as satan has gained a solid foothold for the culture of death just as Paul VI confirmed before his death. Only by heeding the Pope's words can we turn things around and begin to reestablish the Sanctity of Life. For the seventeenth lesson of this series by Michael and Cyndi Cain, see AT ONE WITH GOD series on Conjugal Love
Combination of Liturgies Today
Today, besides being a Weekday in Ordinary Time, it is also the Feast of the Seven Servite Founders, and Observance of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday. Tomorrow is the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. For more on these liturgies, see Daily LITURGY
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Green or White vestments
SATURDAY February 17:
Weekday and
Feast of the Seven Servite Founders and
Observance of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday
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First Reading: Hebrews 11: 1-7
Psalms: Psalm 145: 2-5, 10-11
Gospel Reading: Mark 9: 2-13
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"And there appeared to them Elias with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter addressed Jesus, saying, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. And let us set up three thents, one for Thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.' For he did not know what to say, for they were struck with fear. And there came a cloud overshadowing them, and there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, 'This is My beloved Son; hear Him.' And suddenly looking round, they no longer saw anyone with them but only Jesus." Mark 9: 4-7
Feast of the Seven Servite Founders
We also share a special prayer of the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order from My Daily Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, Who, to honor the memory of Thy Most Holy Mother's Sorrow's, didst beget within Thy Church, by means of Seven Blessed Fathers, a new family of her servants, mercifuly grant that we may so full share their sorrows that we may have a part in their joys. Who livest and reigns with The Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.
  
Inside The Vatican Reporter introduces new book defending Pius XII against libelous slurs of critics and Cornwall
The Church has launched a counter volley over the Pope Pius XII furor raised by the radicals with the announcement in Rome of the book "The Jews Saved by Pope Pius XII," expertly written by the highly regarded Italian journalist and INSIDE THE VATICAN reporter Antonio Gaspari. In attendance at the introduction was the chief Rabbi of Rome in support of the book. It will be interesting to see the secular media's reaction to this book which debunks the garbage spread by John Cornwell in his spiteful book "Hitler's Pope." Our bet is that they'll give it very little play because it does not conform to the leftist code, but rather to the truth. For more, see News from ROME
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Blasphemy in Brooklyn!
Catholics are being served up garbage and sacrilege in offensive and obscene public art in Brooklyn; Mayor and citizens outraged over photo exhibit that blasphemes Christ
A one-woman Catholic-bashing crusade is picking up momentum with the liberal media and leftists with the opening Friday of a photo exhibit, funded by taxpayers, at the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Renee Cox, an admitted bitter ex-Catholic who is seeking to degrade and demean the Church and Christianity as a whole and inject a vitrolic race card and militant feminist agenda, is being promoted for her "artistic" photo mural of the Last Supper in which, like satan, she mocks this sacred scene made famous by many painters, specifically Leonardo DeVinci. However her portrayal, with Cox exposing herself in full frontal nudity at the head of the table where would be Our Lord, belongs in Penthouse Magazine...which is another way of saying it belongs in the outhouse! For more, see USA News
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Of the nuns who spoke out against Clinton's speaking at a Catholic Hospital? None!
How can you expect lay Catholics to understand that abortion is wrong and that condoning someone who flaunts sins against the Ten Commandments is also wrong when the professional staff at a Catholic Hospital and the nuns, who should be the conscience of Catholics, seek to please the people more than God? This lack of accountability and failure to uphold Catholic teaching was exposed when reporters uncovered the fact that nuns gave permission for Bill Clinton to speak at a huge fundraiser on May 2. Rather than standing up for their Faith they cowered, afraid to speak out because all the tickets had been sold. We wonder how God feels about that. Shame on their bishop; shame on their mother superior of the Sisters of Jt. Joseph. For more, see Pro Life News
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Obedience is Paramount
The Winning Formula won't be part of an anti-nuclear protest in Scotland
Cardinal Thomas Winning, Scotland's staunch Pro Life leader, has made it clear he will not partake in a blockade at a nuclear base, not because he is for nuclear power, but because he respects national law and will not take part in anything that borders on civil disobedience. He reiterated the Church's stance on nuclear weapons as destructive, and the need to spend more on bread and health services rather than bullets and bombs. For more, see Universal News
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For more Daily News, we recommend sources we rely on. For these news agencies, see News Sources
Anniversary of the Founding of Another Order today: the Oblates of Mary Immaculate
On this day 175 years ago in 1826 Pope Leo XII gave papal approval to the Missionary Order of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate founded by Saint Eugene de Mazenod, who was beatified by Pope Paul VI on Mission Sunday in 1975 and canonized by Pope John Paul II on December 3, 1995 and his feast day set for May 21st in the Church Liturgy. Saint Eugene was much like Saint Francis of Assisi in that he was born wealthy but gave it all up to minister to the poor and downtrodden and bring the Gospel to all God's children. For other Time Capsule events that happened Today in Church history, see Daily TIME CAPSULES in Church History
The dignity of man should shine in the light of reason
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".
"In these days of propaganda, superstition, denial of intellect, the exaltation of sentiment, and the domination of instinct, it is well to remind ourselves of our dignity, as Shakespeare did in saying, 'What a piece of work is man! How noble in reason! how infinite in faculty!...in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god!' (Hamlet, Act II, Scene ii, Line 317). Every person in the world is illumined with the light of reason, which is a reflection of the Divine Wisdom."
Monthly Medjugorje Message for January 2001
For Our Lady's January 25th message for 2001 and more on Medjugorje, see MEDJUGORJE AND MORE
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February 17, 2001 volume 12, no. 48
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