Updated January 16, 2001 8:00 am PST
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Why the Three Magi were called Wise Men
In her inspirational column today, Cyndi Cain follows up her words last week on spending more time with Our Lord present Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. She reminds us that, like the Magi, we need to keep the eyes of our soul on that shining Star. Allow it to illuminate our hearts and souls, filling us with graces and love. Unlike the Wise Men, we fail to put out the effort, we fail to want to expend the energy to block out all other distractions and focus on the shining Star that is Our Lord, the Son of God. We fail to heed the warnings God gives us in Sacred Scripture, in the teachings of His Holy Church and in the realm of our hearts and souls that all else is futile if we do not fully commit to following Him. Unlike the Magi, we disregard the warnings of the Holy Spirit's whispers and risk the slaughter of our soul and others as the Herods of the world seek the ruin of souls. For her column Continue to follow the Star , see SYMPHONY OF SUFFERING
Dean of Cardinals celebrates 50th Anniversary of his priesthood at St. Peter's
With 30 other cardinals participating, Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, Dean of the Sacred Conclave, celebrated the 50th anniversary of his priesthood Saturday in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Now 79, the leading African prelate is the former Prefect of the Congregation of Bishops. Though he is slowing down some, he still remains as a special envoy for the Pope and is still the one who must summon his fellow cardinals in the College in the event of a papal conclave. We pray Cardinal Gantin will never have to do that and that the Holy Father will keep surprising all by his tremendous vitality and purpose and outlive us all!
For more, see News from the Holy See
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Helms intends to scrap pro-abortion US foreign aid agency
The senior-ranking Senator
Jesse Helms of North Carolina has proposed that the
strongly pro-abortion US foreign aid agency, USAID be
scrapped and that religious and private groups take over
its mandate. Helms, the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee,
decried the "cold, heartless bureaucratic thinking" of
USAID and said, "The time has, I think, come to reject what
(President-elect) Bush correctly labels the 'failed
compassion of towering, distant bureaucracies' and instead
empower private and faith-based groups who care most about
those in need." Helms remarks came last Thursday in a
speech to the American Enterprise Institute. For more, see USA News
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Pope could be facing uphill battle in successfully visiting the Ukraine early this summer
The Russian Patriarch Aleksei II is known to voice opposition to the Pope John Paul II's anticipated papal visit to the Ukraine this coming June and is mounting a strong campaign to dissuade the Pope from coming. This despite the loyal Catholics of this persecuted country of the Ukraine who are counting the days until the Vicar of Christ sets foot on Ukranian soil, the first Sovereign Pontiff to do so.
For more, see Universal News
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For More Daily News, we recommend the following available news sources:
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All the above News Agencies are not affiliated with the DAILY CATHOLIC, but the DAILY CATHOLIC provides this service to keep our readers up-to-date with what's truly happening in our world, especially considering all the misinformation the secular media circulates.
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Weekday in Ordinary Time
Today we observe Ordinary Time while tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of Saint Antony of Egypt, Hermit and Abbot. For the Liturgy today and tomorrow, see Daily LITURGY
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First Reading: Hebrews 6: 10-20
Psalms: Psalm 111: 1-2, 4-5, 9-10
Gospel Reading: Mark 2: 23-28
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Mark 1: 23-36
"Now in their synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, 'What have we to do with theee, Jesus of Nazareth? Hast Thou come to destroy us? I know Who Thou art, the Holy One of God.' And Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Hold thy peace, and go out of the man.' And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, went out of him."
 Inaugural Novena Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven. You are all-around us, keeping us, everyone we know, and the universe itself in its very existence by your Holy Will.
Your Son Jesus taught us to keep our prayers simple and humble, and so we
ask of You for the United States three things:"
"First, we ask you to protect the lives and health of Mr. Bush and Mr.
Cheney, even if miraculous means are necessary, as they prepare and take
office in the coming days and years. Those whom You protect cannot be
injured! May Your Holy Angels protect them always."
"Second, we ask You to infuse these men and the elected and appointed
officials with whom they work with a hyper-abundance of supernatural
power and grace to make and execute only decisions which are in accord
with Your Holy Will, especially regarding the protection and sanctity of
human life from conception to a natural death. We beg you to perfect
their imperfections in Your perfection."
"Finally, we ask you to inflame in a mighty way the hearts of the
citizens these leaders serve. Never allow us to forget that all authority
comes from You and You Alone, and that Your Son is King of Kings, and
that You are always ready to answer our prayers for peace, prosperity,
and justice--if we but only pray! We commit ourselves to daily prayer for
all our elected leaders, regardless of party or principle, from this day
forward, from time into eternity, Amen."
This Novena Prayer is provided by Bud Macfarlane, Jr. of CatholiCity and is followed by the powerful Prayer to St. Michael and the following invocation of saints: "Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, pray for us.
Saint Katharine Drexel and Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, pray for us.
Saint Frances Cabrini and Saint John Neumann, pray for us.
Saint Thomas More, Patron of Politicians, pray for us.
Saint Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, pray for us.
Immaculate Mary, Patroness of the United States, crush the serpent's
head! Amen."
 
The Pardoning Pope who helped pave the way for Constantine the Great
Today we remember the 1,692nd anniversary of the death of Pope Saint Marcellus I, 30th successor of Peter in 309. His pontificate began on May 27th, 308 after the throne had been vacant for four years. Because of this He had to deal with the difficult problem of pardoning those who had adjured during the persecutions. His pardoning manner impressed a rising young man within the Roman ranks - Constantine the Great who would issue his decree of tolerance for the Christian Faith less than a decade later. St. Marcellus decreed that a Council could not be held without the authorization of the Pope, thereby assuring the Sovereignty of the Vicar of Christ in all ecclesial matters. For other Time Capsule events that happened Today in Church history, see Daily TIME CAPSULES in Church History
Respect for the map helps man keep his bearings
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 other ages, though men lost virtue, they still admired it; though they ran from the battlefield at the first need of courage, they still admired the hero who fought and suffered; though they threw away the map of the roadway of life, they never denied the need of a map. But, in our generation, men look for shadow in the radiance of every virtue."
Monthly Medjugorje Message for December 2000
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.
For more Our Lady's Christmas message for December and more on Medjugorje, see MEDJUGORJE AND MORE
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January 16, 2001 volume 12, no. 16
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