 
Pope pulls a fast one! Holy Father surprises all at his Angelus. After naming two in pectore cardinals, he adds seven new bishops to receive red hat next month!
Pope John Paul II has 'em all guessing! Little did anyone realize he was going to spring another surprise during his Angelus address today. But he did, not only naming the two cardinals from the Soviet Union who had been proclaimed in secret ('in pectore') for their protection, but shocked all by elevating seven more bishops to receive the prestigious scarlet biretta on February 21. He named another from Latin America (Bolivia), the new leader of the Ukraine Catholic Church, two from Germany, which had been shut out last week, and one from South Africa. It brings the total to 44 who will be elevated to the cardinalate and gives a good indication that the College, now at the 120 limit, will have its ceiling lifted to possibly 150.
For more, see News from the Holy See
ALSO:
Pope points out that
"to point out Hope is a fundamental duty of the Church."
That was the heart of Pope John Paul II's General Papal Audience this past Wednesday in Paul VI Hall as reported by the ZENIT News Agency. The Holy Father reminded all that we need to remember Christ's assuring words in John 10: 10, "I came that they may have life, and have it more abundantly." The Pope affirmed, furthermore, that we are called to "eliminate
fear of the future" which "often entraps young generations,
leading them to react with indifference, with resignation in the face of life's commitments, with self- degradation through drugs, violence, and apathy." "We must not fear the future," the
Pope said in closing. "With the help of the grace of God, we can
construct ... a civilization worthy of the human person, a true
culture of freedom. We can and must do so!" A day later the Blessed Mother conveyed in her message at Medjugorje the same theme, " the one who prays is not afraid of the future and the one who fasts is not afraid of evil."
For his message and the contents of his congratulatory telegram to President George W. Bush, see THE VICAR OF CHRIST SPEAKS
Legislation being prepared to ban Partial-Birth Abortions once and for all!
Now that there
is a president in office who will sign a law banning
partial-birth abortions, congressional leaders have said
they are beginning to craft new legislation to put on the
president's desk. Senator Rick Santorum, R-Pennsylvania, said composing the
legislation will be a challenge because of a US Supreme
Court decision last year that overturned several state laws
banning the procedure. Former President Bill Clinton twice,
in 1996 and 1997, vetoed bills passed by Congress that
would have banned the procedure. However, President George
W. Bush said several times during his election campaign
that he would have signed those bills. For more, see Pro Life News
ALSO:
  
Cardinal-elect McCarrick and retired Cardinal Hickey host President Bush and First Lady to discuss Faith-based programs
President George
W. Bush had dinner with a group of bishops in Washington on
Thursday to discuss his plans to work with the religious
community to implement faith-based solutions to some of
America's social problems. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush dined at the residence of
Cardinal-designate Theodore McCarrick of Washington, along
with retired Cardinal James Hickey, papal nuncio Archbishop
Gabriel Montalvo, and Bishop William Lori, recently elevated
from auxiliary bishop to bishop of Bridgeport, Connecticut.
The Bush administration said the dinner was in part to get
acquainted, but also part of Bush's effort to reach out to
leaders from various religions before he launches a plan to
boost the role of religious-based organizations and
charities in tackling the toughest social problems. For more, see USA News
ALSO:
 
Uganda's Cardinal Wamala calls for citizens to elect a moral leader who cares
It would seem the head of the Catholic Church in Uganda is under the same gag rule when it comes to endorsing a political candidate as American bishops are. Cardinal
Emmanuel Wamala told a press conference that the Church will not
back any candidate in the March 6 presidential elections.
The cardinal however advised Ugandans to vote for a
candidate with a high moral character and record, who is
God-fearing and prepared to listen and work with others. He
said that though some candidates, including the incumbent
president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had met with him, the
Church will remain impartial.
For more, see Universal News
ALSO:
For More Daily News, we recommend the following available news sources:
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.
The Forgotten Saint?
Fourth Sunday supersedes Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas this year
This year one of the forgotten saints of the Church is Saint Thomas Aquinas. That is because the Sunday Liturgy supersedes the Feast of this Angelic Doctor of the Church whose feast day is traditionally January 28th since Vatican II. Prior to that it was celebrated by the Church on March 7th. Nevertheless, we honor him today with a special prayer below as we observe the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time today and Weekday in Ordinary Time tomorrow. For more on today's and tomorrow's Liturgy, see Daily LITURGY
|
|
|
Green vestments
SUNDAY January 28:
FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
|
First Reading: Jeremiah 1: 4-5, 17-19
Psalms: Psalm 71: 1-6, 15, 17
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12: 31; 13: 4-13
Gospel Reading: Mark 4: 21-30
|
Mark 4: 24-25
"Take heed what you hear. With what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you, and more shall be given to you. For to him who has shall be given; and from who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken away."
 Prayer honoring Saint Thomas Aquinas
O God, Who, by the wonderful learning of Thy Blessed Confessor Thomas, givest glory to Thy Church, and by his holy deeds makest her to be fruitful, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may both see with the understanding that which he taught, and follow with the will the example of what he practiced. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.
From My Daily Prayer for the Feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas.
Death of Charlemagne the Great
Today we commemorate the death of a man who began the long reign of the Holy Roman Empire - Blessed Charlemagne, son of Pipin who fostered the Faith in France. By saving Rome from the tyranny of Barbarossa and the antipopes, Charlemagne was able to restore Christianity not only in Italy but throughout Europe. For his valor, Pope Leo III crowned him Emperor on Christmas day in 800 A.D. He was 71 when he died. For other Time Capsule events that happened Today in Church history, see Daily TIME CAPSULES in Church History
The effect of no cause causes results with no substance
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".
"The reform of outward conduct and environment is essential, and it is to this that much civil law is ordained. But it really only deals with the effects and not with the causes; social reformation is only superficial, it is like cutting off the tops of the weeds while the roots are left in the ground."
Monthly Medjugorje Message for January 2001
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 Our Lady's January 25th message for 2001 and more on Medjugorje, see MEDJUGORJE AND MORE
|
 
January 28, 2001 volume 12, no. 28
|
|