Events Today in Church History

      On this date sixty years ago Pope Pius XI passed on to his eternal reward. It was this 259th successor of Peter who signed the Concordat with Italy's Benito Mussolini assuring Vatican City of its sovereignty. He also is the founder of Vatican Radio, which has been powerful force for the Faith throughout Europe for over half a century. His pontificate lasted seventeen years. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for February 10:

• 304 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Soteris of Rome, Virgin and Martyr who was so beautiful that when she spurned Roman offers of marriage, her suitors set out to persecute her. Undaunted, she donned rags dissing the way of vanity. Yet even in the garments of the poor she was a radiant beauty and this infuriated her captors who scarred her face terribly. Still she would not relent and expressed more joy. Finally she was beheaded during the persecution of Roman emperor Diocletian.

• 547 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Scholastica, Virgin and Founder of the Benedictine Nuns, and brother of Saint Benedict. For more, see DAILY LITURGY

• 580 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Baldegundis, Benedictine Abbess of one of the oldest convents in France.

• 830 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Erluph, Bishop of Werden. This Scotch-born missionary evangelized in Germany and received his martyrdom at the hands of the pagan Vandals.

• 1157 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint William of Malval, a hermit who could not operate within the parameters of community life. His exemplification of holiness attracted many to join him in an austere life of fasting and penance and thus began the Hermits of St. William, also called the Gulielmites which evolved some seventy years later into the Order of Bare-Footed Friars and, over the centuries consolidated into the group known as the Augustinian Hermits.

• 1939 A.D.
  
• Death of Pope Pius XI, 259th successor of Peter, whose pontificate lasted 17 years between World War I and World War II. On February 11, 1929 he concluded with Benito Mussolini a Concordat between the Church and the Italian State. He also celebrated the Holy Year on the 19th Centenary of the Redemption in 1933. It was Pius who commissioned Marconi to construct Vatican Radio.

      In today's Time Capsules we feature the death of Pope Pius XI who established it in 1931 in the ninth year of his pontificate. It was designed by the famous Guglielmo Marconi, the same Italian who invented the first trans-Atlantic transmission in 1901 and developed radio as a means of communication, personally overseeing the Vatican Radio station until his death in 1937. Pius declared that the purpose for inaugurating Vatican Radio was " that the voice of the Supreme Pastor may be heard throughout the world by means of the ether waves, for the glory of Christ and the salvation of souls." Today Vatican Radio operates on a frequency of 6095, 7305, 9600 kilohertz and can be accessed via satellite on INTELSAT 325.5 degrees EAst (Atlantic) at 3097.75 Mhz - LCHP polarization. For further information you can check www.vatican.va or www.wrn.org/vatican-radio. Vatican Radio broadcasts in 27 different languages as the communication voice for the Holy See throughout the world, conveying all Rome needs to impart globally. With the advent of the internet, Vatican Radio has taken a backseat to this more advanced form of instant communications . Nevertheless they continue to air 400 hours a week. The staff consists of 445 broadcasters and technicians, including 30 Jesuit priests. (source: 1999 Catholic Almanac, Our Sunday Visitor)

SIMPLY SHEEN: The poor we will have with us always, so let's help them!

      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".

"Egotism makes the self the center; altruism and charity make the neighbor the center. Only on the principle of giving can the inequalities of the human race be adjusted, can the strong help the weak, and social peace reign among men."

Archbishop Foley urges all to help the media by monitoring morals so the masses may be edified and educated

      Complementing the Holy Father's message of the media serving as a companion in our journey of finding God the Father in his 33rd World Communications Day pronouncement, Archbishop John Patrick Foley, Prefect of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, called on a renewed effort by the faithful to help the media weed out the static of junk and immorality by closely monitoring what they produce and turning their backs on that which is not productive to mankind in their quest for God's truths. Only by speaking in great numbers will the media sit up and take notice. For more, click on Monitoring the media.

      VATICAN, 9 (NE) The President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Archbishop John Patrick Foley, manifested that in view of the "clutter" of information and the amount of distraction "that it is difficult to focus on what is meaningful," being "selective is of the utmost importance regarding the media today, not only for audiences but also for media workers." In an interview published by the Vatican agency Fides, Archbishop Foley responded to a series of queries under the light of Pope John Paul II's recent Message for the 33rd World Communications Day, which has as its theme: "Mass media: a friendly companion for those in search of the Father".

      The Vatican Archbishop also pointed out the imperious need of urging people to ask themselves questions such as: "Which programs to watch, why is news broadcast in certain ways, what is behind the drama of a film and play?" Archbishop added that, "in this way we will advance towards making the media a 'a friendly companion' on man's journey to eternal life."

      Also, in view of the question on "How can the media communicate hope, even in tragic situations?", Archbishop Foley pointed out that "Christians are people of the resurrection" and with the Lord Jesus "we can help people see tragedy and pain in a new light."

Looks more and more like Pope will visit the Ukraine, but Romanian papal trip still not determined

      With an extensive two-week trip back to the Pope's native Poland already set for mid-June, the Holy See is now hoping they can iron out plans for a papal trip to both Romania and the Ukraine. While the former continues to drag its feet over the Eastern Orthodox Church's refusal to extend an invitation, the Ukraine is hoping to be the first Orthodox country the Holy Father will visit by extending an informal invitation from Kiev for him to come sometime later this year. For more, click on Papal Trip to Orthodox countries.

      KIEV, Ukraine (CWNews.com) - The chairman of Ukraine's religious affairs committee said on Monday that he expects Pope John Paul II to visit the country in late 1999. Depending on the timing of a proposed visit to Romania, the trip could be the Holy Father's first visit to a predominantly Orthodox country.

      Viktor Bondarenko, chairman of the State Committee for Religious Affairs, told reporters that the Holy Father is expected to visit the country in either November or December, after presidential elections. He said the visit would probably not take place any later because the Holy Father will remain in the Vatican for celebrations of the Jubilee Year in 2000.

      Ukraine is home to millions of Eastern-rite Catholics, although the Orthodox churches hold a majority in the country. As in Romania, Catholics and Orthodox in the former Communist country have suffered conflicts over the status of properties confiscated by the former Communist regime from the outlawed Catholic Church and given to the Orthodox Church.

      In a related story, the Vatican press office cautioned against premature speculation about a possible trip by Pope John Paul II to Romania later this year.

      "We have not yet received any written invitation from the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate," the Vatican statement read.

      For the moment, then, no definite plans for a papal visit have been made, and no dates have been set-- although more and more factors suggest that such a historic trip is likely to occur, probably before June 1999.

      Pope John Paul II has indicated his desire that any papal visit should serve to improve relations between Catholics--especially those of the Byzantine-rite Romanian Catholic Church--and the Orthodox who constitute the majority of Romania's people. Thus the Vatican has given unusually high importance to the views of the Orthodox leadership, and awaits a formal invitation from the Patriarchate.

      Pending an announcement about Romania, the only papal voyage for which plans have now been confirmed is a visit to Poland. Although the dates for that trip have not been confirmed, it is generally believed that John Paul will visit his homeland in June. The Polish episcopal conference has suggested the dates June 5-17, and Vatican sources expect that to work on that schedule. The Vatican usually releases the schedule for a papal trip just two months before it occurs.

Cardinal Ratzinger heads for the Golden Gates while admonishing Catholic Theologians to adhere always to Catholic doctrine

      Before winging his way half way around the world to San Francisco where he will preside over the four-day conference for the Doctrinal Commission to determine issues that might be considered sticky-wickets, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith and the Pope's right-hand man, issued a warning to all theologians who teach in Catholic universities to swallow their pride and put on the cloak of humility by submitting to the Magisterium of the Church in extolling the truths of the Church. For more, click on Cardinal Ratzinger.

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- "Theologians who teach in Catholic universities need a measure of humility, and in particular the great patience to remain faithful to what the magisterium of the Church recognizes as assuredly true." With those words, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger left Rome, heading for a meeting in San Francisco with representatives of the bishops' conferences of North America and Oceania.

      In San Francisco, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith will lead a discussion of certain controversial aspects of Catholic doctrine. He will be accompanied by Bishop Tarcisio Bertone, the secretary of the Congregation, and by three members of the Congregation's staff. Also participating in the discussions will be members of the doctrinal committees from the episcopal conferences of North America and Oceania.

      (Vatican sources explained that the bishops of Oceania had joined in the meeting with North American bishops because the membership of their own episcopal conferences is not large enough to warrant a separate meeting, and in San Francisco they will be able to conduct their discussions in English.)

      The San Francisco meeting is designed to stimulate cooperation among the bishops, and to formulate better responses to challenges on controversial topics. The specific items on the agenda for the meeting, which will take place February 9-12, include homosexuality, feminism, and the role of theologians at Catholic universities.

      In remarks to reporters in Rome before his departure, Cardinal Ratzinger mentioned the importance of implementing the motu proprio Ad Tuendam Fidem, which was promulgated in June 1998. That document inserted two new requirements into the Code of Canon Law, mandating that theologians teaching on Catholic faculties must make an oath of fidelity to the teachings of the Church.

Bishop John Myers extolls fruits of Pope's visit to the Americas and encourages all to embrace the Holy Father's great message of evangelization

      Following up the lessons left by Pope John Paul II during his recent papal visit to the Americas, specifically St. Louis which is roughly 175 miles northeast of the Gateway City, the head of the Peoria Diocese Bishop John Myers has just released a Pastoral Letter encouraging his flock to take up the Pope's challenge to embrace the great message of evangelization that will springboard us into the new millennium. For more, see SITE OF THE DAY below and click on Bishop John Myers

      PEORIA, 9 (NE) Bishop John Myers of Peoria expressed this week the importance of putting into practice the teachings the Holy Father has given during his last pastoral visit to America. The bishop considered the Pope's pilgrimage to the United States as "a big thrust as we move toward the millennium."

      Bishop Myers encouraged Catholics of the diocese to fan the "spark of renovation" contained in the Pope's message, by becoming familiar with it and putting it into practice. "The example the Holy Father gave us can only help us as we try to live more fully in Christ," he said. The Bishop of Peoria highlighted as well the great message of evangelization that the appearance alone of Pope John Paul II delivered during his visit.

For more headlines and articles, we suggest you go to the Catholic World News site at the CWN home page and Church News at Noticias Eclesiales. Both CWN and NE are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provides this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.

      In a follow-up to today's news article, we highly recommend the Pastoral Letters of Bishop John Myers, the loyal and orthodox prelate of Peoria, Illinois who, along with Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap. and Bishop Fabian Bruskewitz represent the welcome new wave of loyal, conservative shepherds in the United States. The site can be found at BISHOP JOHN MYER'S PASTORAL LETTERS and hopefully his latest Pastoral Letter will be available.

Click here to return to SECTION ONE or click here to return to the graphics front page of this issue.

February 10, 1999 volume 10, no. 28   DAILY CATHOLIC