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      Friday is both the Second Friday in Ordinary Time and the Feast of Saint Vincent, deacon and martyr; Saturday we observe the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday. Sunday is the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time which is a misnomer for the following week is anything but ordinary with four consecutive feasts beginning Monday with the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul. For the readings, liturgy, meditations and vignettes on these feasts, click on LITURGY FOR THE DAY.

Friday January 22:
Second Friday in Ordinary Time and
Feast of Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr

Green or Red vestments

First Reading: Hebrews 8: 6-13
Psalms: Psalm 85: 8, 10-14
Gospel Reading: Mark 3: 13-19

Feast of Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr

      Like the saints whose feasts preceded him in January, St. Vincent, not to be confused with St. Vincent de Paul, was born in Spain in the 3rd Century. and became archdeacon in Saragoza where Our Lady first appeared in 40 AD. He was a great orator and did more than his share of preaching since his bishop, Valerian had a speech impediment. The Romans caught wind of his evangelizing and reported to Diocletian who ordered Dacian the president of that region to silence the saint. Dacian chose the horrendous torture tactic of the rack, stretching Vincent's body asunder. Yet no form of torture could steal Vincent's joy at suffering for Christ. When the rack failed, Dacian tore his flesh with hooks then bound him to a seat of burning iron. When that failed, lard and salt were rubbed into his open wounds. Yet through it all he kept his eyes focused joyfully toward Heaven. Finally, in desperation, Dacian had him thrown into a dungeon locking his feet in a tight stock. But again God intervened, sending His angels to unloose the shackle and inform this brave saint that his reward would be great. Dacian never had the satisfaction of torturing Vincent again for this persevering saint died peacefully before being sentenced again. His bravery and the wonders of his stamina effected many conversions after his death. Upon his death, faithful carried away pieces of his cloths soaked with his blood. His relics are preserved today in an Augustinian monastery in Lisbon. It's a reminder to us all that no matter the opposition, if we keep our eyes and heart focused on the same Goal Vincent strove for, nothing can harm our soul. It is also important to realize the importance of relics which, sadly has been relegated to minor importance today. We should remember that they can intercede for us in Heaven for they are linked to us through the Communion of Saints.

Saturday January 23:
Second Saturday in Ordinary Time and
Observance of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday

Green or White vestments

First Reading: Hebrews 9: 2-3, 11-14
Psalms: Psalm 47: 2-3, 6-9
Gospel Reading: Mark 3: 20-21

      Honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary is a custom first promoted by the Benedictine Monk Saint Alcuin back in the days of Charlemagne (see archives December 23, no. 25 issue, volume 7). He composed different formulas for Votive Masses for each day of the week, with two set aside to honor Our Lady on Saturday. This practice caught on with great enthusiasm and eventually the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday became the Common of the Blessed Virgin. This Mass was a favorite with retired priests and those whose sight was failing for most had memorized this Mass and were able to say it by heart without having to read the Lectionary or Sacramentary. One reason Saturday was dedicated to Mary was that Saturday held a special meaning in Mariology. First of all, as Genesis accounts for, God rested on the seventh day. In the Old Testament, the Sabbath was Saturday. Jesus, Son of God rested in the womb and then, when He became incarnate, in the loving arms of Mary from birth until she held His lifeless body at the foot of the Cross. Thus the God-head rested in Mary. It was also on Saturday after Good Friday that Jesus gave His Mother a special gift and reward for keeping her faith in His Divinity intact by making an exceptional appearance to her. Thus, because of these reasons, the devotion spread by St. Alcuin and other liturgies that evolved within the Church, Saturday took on a special Marian significance. Saturday took on even more significance in honoring Mary when Our Lady imparted to visionary Lucia in her third apparition at Fatima on July 13, 1917, "Our Lord wishes that devotion to my Immaculate Heart be established in the world. If what I tell you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace; the war will end...I ask the consecration of the world to my Immaculate Heart and Communion of reparation on the First Saturday of each month...If my requests are granted, Russia will be converted and there will be peace...In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph, and an era of peace will be conceded to humanity." As we draw nearer to that wonderful event, it is more important than ever to honor Mary's request on the First Saturday as well as each Saturday that her feast is commemorated in the Church calendar, not to mention responding to her call daily with the Rosary and attending Daily Mass, nourished by her Divine Son present body and blood, soul and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament. It is in the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary where she remains in the background in the liturgy of the Word so that her Divine Son's words and His Presence take the spotlight as He should while Mary remains the chief intercessor before the Holy Trinity as she should and serves as the ideal for all Catholics to strive for, as we should. The Dictionary of Mary states quite succinctly, "Through these liturgical acts, (honoring Mary on Saturday) Christians exalt the person of Mary in the action that renews the sacrifice of Christ and in the action that prolongs His prayer."

SUNDAY January 24:
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Green vestments

First Reading: Isaiah 8: 23; 9: 1-3
Psalms: Psalm 27: 1, 4, 13-14
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1: 10-13, 17
Gospel Reading: Matthew 4: 12-23

Today's feast of Saint Francis de Sales is superseded by the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Nevertheless, January 24th is the traditional feast of this Bishop, Religious Founder and Doctor of the Church.

Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop, Religious Founder and Doctor of the Church

      Born in Savoy, France on August 21, 1567, nearly 50 years after the Protestant Reformation, Saint Francis de Sales would go on to play a major role in beginning the swing of the pendulum back to Holy Mother Church. Spurning the luxury of a barrister, this learned graduate of the University of Padua opted to become a priest where, guided by the Holy Spirit, his words and actions helped convert over 70,000 Calvinists back to the One, True Faith. He was so successful Pope Clement VIII elevated him to the See of the Bishopric of Geneva in 1602 at the age of 35. Accused by some of being too gentle, he offered the rationalization, "I would rather account to God for too great gentleness than for too great severity." This gentleness helped convince the widow of the Baron of Chantal, none other than Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, to whom Francis was Spiritual Director, to help him found the Order of Visitation Nuns (the Visitandines) in 1610. The fruits of their labors in this holy endeavor soon spread throughout Europe and eventually the world. Vowed to poverty, Francis refused all provisions and honors, including politely declining the See of Paris to remain head of the Geneva Diocese. He devoted much to writing including his two brilliant works Introduction to the Devout Life which he penned in 1609 as a guide for the nuns to-be, and seven years later wrote Treatise on the Love of God which simply points out that sanctity is achievable in everyone's life. Both books have gone on to become spiritual must-reading for religious and laity alike. Francis fell ill in the winter of 1622 in Lyons, France and passed on to his Heavenly reward three days after Christmas on December 28, 1622 at the age of 55. Later the next year he was the first person to be beatified in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. He was canonized 43 years later by Pope Alexander VII and declared a "Doctor of the Church" by Pope Pius IX in 1877. St. Francis de Sales holds a special place in the hearts of all editors, journalists, writers and authors as their patron saint which was made official on January 24, 1923 when Pope Pius XI proclaimed him the designated patron saint of the Catholic press.

Monday January 25:
Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle

White vestments

First Reading: Acts 22: 3-16
Psalms: Psalm 117: 1-2 and Mark 16: 15
Gospel Reading: Mark 16: 15-18

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul

     So important was the Conversion of the Apostle Paul in the development of the Church that she has set aside a special day to honor this miraculous conversion. Detailed in Acts 9: 1-30 and retold from Paul's point of view in Acts 22:1-21, the story of the Christian persecutor Saul to the zealous and holy instrument of evangelization Paul shows the strength of God's power in our lives and how He canchange anything. One thing Paul always was was sincere. Though a Roman citizen by privilege, he was first and foremost a Jew. Even as a Jew he sincerely felt his cause on behalf of the Jewish Law was just in persecuting Christians. He believed God belonged only to the Jews. The first martyr Saint Stephen was slain at Saul's command. His power and zealousness to put this Christian "fad" down drove him to more frenzied heights. It was his personal mission to round up all the Jews in Damascus who professed their belief in the man Who had been crucified. God works in strange and mystical ways. On Saul's journey to Damascus he was struck by a bolt from Heaven as he heard Our Lord say, "Saul, Saul, why doest thou persecute Me?" Because Saul was an honest and sincere man, though misguided in his zeal, God saw in him a tremendous instrument for all that He wanted to accomplish. Once Saul realized the error of his ways, his admission opened the floodgates for powerful interior graces and an infusion of the Holy Spirit which, as we know, Paul used wisely in his mission to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and play a vital role in bringing the "baby" Church from its weaning period into infancy and ultimately the conversion of the world. The lesson here is to remember how important the grace of God is in our lives and that we should cherish this gift always...never taking it for granted, and striving to nourish it daily through using the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit to strengthen grace in our souls.

Holy Father takes term "Tell it to the judge" literally as he challenges Church jurists on moral law

      The Holy Father pulled no punches when he addressed a private audience of Church jurists who sit on the Marriage Tribunal dealing with annulments. He spoke directly to them about the growing acceptance of same-sex unions and cautioned them to beware of this growing cancer. regarding the controversy over same-sex unions. "It's wrong. End of discussion!" is basically what he said in strongly condemning what he termed these "deviations from natural law" which is "an obstacle of human dignity." For more, click on No gay unions

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- As he received a group of Church jurists in a private audience on Thursday, Pope John Paul II spoke out in opposition to the legalization of homosexual "marriage."

      "It is an incongruous claim to attribute the conjugal reality to a union between persons of the same sex," the Holy Father said. He was speaking January 21 to the judges who serve on the Roman Rota, the body whose primary duty is to weigh annulment petitions.

      "Some insistent public campaigns seek to confer the dignity of conjugal relations" on same-sex unions, the Pope observed. But since such unions are "deviations from natural law," he continued, they cannot be justified on the grounds of human freedom. Rather, the Pontiff argued, the invocation of freedom is a "pretext," because the reality of homosexual unions is "an obstacle to human dignity." In fact, he said, real freedom entails "adapting one's personal choices and will to God, and thus becoming ever more like one's Creator."

      Remarking on the "objective impossibility" of making homosexual activities fruitful in transmitting human life, the Pope added that such unions also lack the "interpersonal complementarity" that is present in unions between a man and woman-- unions which are based on psychological as well as biological realities.

      The Pope recognized a general "deterioration of the natural and religious sense of marriage," but cautioned that this trend should not lead to discouragement or resignation. Instead, he called on Catholics and "all those people dedicated to true human progress" to promote energetically the understanding of "the authentic concept of conjugal love between two persons who are equal in dignity but distinct and complementary in their sexuality." Such love, he said, includes a sincere desire for the other's welfare, and a "concrete commitment to bring it about," which is manifest in acts of the will. Marital love, he said, cannot be seen as a "vague sentiment" or even "a strong psychological or physical attraction." Such feelings, he said, are subject to "the instability of the human soul," and therefore "subject to ready, if not fatal, weakness."

      Noting that marriage is sometimes "identified or at least confused" with "the formal rite and exterior that accompanies it," the Pope emphasized that marriage consists "essentially, necessarily, and uniquely in the mutual consent expressed by those who marry each other." That consent assumes that the couple will make their commitment in a juridical act, and express their loving commitment in a mutual gift of self, he said. In order to prepare couples of that marital commitment, the Pope said that the Church has a "grave responsibility" to help young couples understand their obligations, and to ensure that the partners have "the necessary psychological maturity" to make an intelligent commitment.

Investigation turns up nothing despite constant barrage of miracles surrounding victim soul Audrey Santo

      One has to wonder what the investigators were looking at concerning the investigation surrounding the phenomena of young teen Audrey Santo who has been in a coma for several years and who, with her Mom, offers everything to God. We say this because the bishop of Worcester issued a non-statement by saying what we hear all too often: though they can find nothing wrong, there is no proof of anything supernatural so everything remains in Limbo so to speak as far as the Church doing any further investigating. We wonder if they examined the countless souls who have been healed or spiritually converted because of Audrey. For more, click on Audrey Santo.

      WORCESTER, Massachusetts (CWNews.com) - The bishop of Worcester, Massachusetts, issued the report on Wednesday of a commission he had asked to investigate claims of supernatural activity related to a severely impaired teenage girl.

      Bishop Daniel P. Reilly, in introducing the report, said that the commission had found nothing that would negatively impact the Catholic faithful, but cautioned that further investigations must be performed. "The most striking evidence of the presence of God in the Santo home is seen in the dedication of the family to Audrey," he said. "Their constant respect for her dignity as a child of God is a poignant reminder that God touches our lives through the love and devotion of others."

      The report, which followed a year-long study, said that the mysterious manifestations of oils and other substances in the home are in and of themselves not evidence of the legitimacy of claims that Audrey is a miraculous intercessor with God. And the investigators cautioned against the faithful praying "to" Audrey rather than praying "for" her. "Our faith teaches us to pray to God and to pray for the intercession of the saints," the report said. "Therefore, the distribution of a 'Prayer to Audrey' should cease immediately."

      The commission said additional study of the matter is needed, including study of the composition of the oils, as well as determining Audrey's ability to recognize and respond to stimuli. "In the case of Audrey herself, more study is needed from medical and other professionals regarding her level of awareness and her ability to communicate with the people around her," Bishop Reilly said. "This is critical to the basis of the claim of her ability to intercede with God."

      Audrey has been bed-ridden and unable to speak or care for herself since nearly drowning when she was 5-years-old eleven years ago. Miraculous occurrences in her home, including religious statues and icons weeping oil and consecrated hosts bleeding, prompted people to begin asking her to pray for them in order to effect miraculous cures and other events.

Pope and porn don't mix; Judge shuts down St. Louis pornographer

      The Archdiocese of St. Louis scored a major victory for the side of decency and right when a US District Judge agreed with their contention that promoting the Pope's visit on a porn site was not only in the best interest but violated the Archdiocese's domain name rights which they had smartly registered to bar just this kind of thing from cropping up. The Judge has ordered the site shut down and they are forbidden to use any domains referring to the Holy Father's visit. For more, click on Sleeze shot down.

      ST. LOUIS (CWNews.com) - A federal judge on Wednesday made a temporary restraining order permanent and prohibited an online pornographer from setting up a web site that provides news coverage of next week's papal visit to St. Louis along with pornographic material.

      US District Judge Stephen Limbaugh ruled that Internet Entertainment Group had violated the trademark held by the Archdiocese of St. Louis when it registered a domain name for the site that included a reference to Pope John Paul II's January 26-27 visit. The sites, as originally posted earlier this month before being removed at a court order, included links to papal speeches, a biography, and an event list as well as a history of alleged sexual scandals and dirty jokes.

      The archdiocese had maintained that the sites violated their trademark on references to the visit and could have been confusing to the public. Limbaugh ruled today the archdiocese owns the trademarks to the pope's visit and barred Internet Entertainment Group from using any variation of "Papal Visit 1999," "Pastoral Visit," "1999 Papal Visit Commemorative Official Commemorative Items" or "Papal Visit 1999, St. Louis." He also ordered the company's papal web site domain names canceled.

Speculation over canonization of Mother Drexel increases with Pope's visit to her vineyard of souls - St. Louis

     Having cleared the hurdle of scrutiny by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints the way has been paved for the possibility that Pope John Paul II will announce the pending canonization of Blessed Mother Catherine Drexel, a Philadelphia woman who labored long and hard in the heartland, giving of her time, talents and treasures. She would be the second American-born saint to be canonized, something long overdue according to many because of America's standing as the third ranked nation in the world with the most Catholics, behind Brazil and Mexico. For more, click on Saint Drexel?.

      ROME, 21 (NE) In the upcoming visit of Pope John Paul II to the city of Saint Louis, Missouri, he will probably announce the canonization of the blessed Catherine Drexel, founder of the Sisters of the Holy Sacrament. Mother Drexel founded the Sacramentines toward the end of the XIX century, having evangelization, education and human promotion of afro-american and native North Americans as its charisma. Mother Drexel would be the second American canonized Saint born in the United States, a nation that counts more than sixty million Catholics.

      The Holy See's recognition of a miracle attributed to Mother Drexel has leveled the road to the her canonization. In 1974 a 14 year old teenager named Robert Gutherman had lost his hearing in the right ear due to a strange and serious infection that caused bone degenerating of his auditory system. Even the most powerful antibiotics were powerless against the illness. The doctors were not able to sooth Robert's pain either. Some sacramentine nuns, friends of the Gutherman family, encouraged Robert's parents to pray to Mother Drexel for her to intercede before God for the sick boy. On that night, in spite of his pain, the youngster joined his family in prayer. On the next morning the pain had disappeared and Robert had recovered his hearing. The doctor that assisted him examined Roberts ear with incredulity. "I cannot believe what I am seeing. The body is curing itself. Is this possible?," wrote the doctor later.

      The cause of Mother Caterina was introduced in 1964, nine years after her death. Pope John Paul II beatified her in 1988. But a new miracle was required for canonization. After a long process, in which the medical staff of the Vatican Congregation examined the case, Robert's recuperation was declared to be a miracle.

      Probably the most notable miracle was Catherine Drexel's life. She was born in 1858, in the heart of one of the richest and most notable families of Philadelphia. Catherine ever since she was little girl helped the poor, especially blacks recently liberated from slavery. Her testimony was a constant and uncomfortable testimony for the people of the frivolous society of Philadelphia. The premature death of her parents had left her with an immense fortune, that added up to what would be about 250 million dollars at the present time. Catherine soon understood that charity should always be accompanied by a Christian formation and human promotion.

      Her opportunity to contribute in a more concrete task came when two missionaries among the Indians of Dakota requested the financing of schools for the natives. Catherine lent her help and committed herself to going to Rome in search for missionaries. In an interview with Pope Leo XIII the young Drexel requested for the Holy Father's help. The wise Pontiff, that had perceived Catherine's spiritual longing, answered: "Well, my daughter, why don't you become a missionary?"

      Pope Leo XIII's words were engraved in Catherine's heart. In 1889, with 30 years of age, Catherine Drexel decided to enter into the religious life. Her decision constituted a "scandal" among the high society of the main cities of the eastern coast, attached to their vertiginous material growth, but indifferent to the wide sectors of needy people that were formed on the periphery of the cities. When she made her profession, Catherine added a private vote: "being mother and handmaid of colored people and Indians."

      In 1891 she founded a new congregation, the nuns of the Sacred Sacrament, in order to serve her "poorer children." A skillful employment of the money of her inheritance allowed the building of eleven schools for Indians in rural regions. But her greatest commitment was her work with Americans of African origin. She inaugurated 100 schools in the country and ghettos of the southern cities. Mother Drexel founded Xavier University in New Orleans, the first catholic university for colored people in the United States.

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.

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January 22-24, 1999 volume 10, no. 15   DAILY CATHOLIC