Monday thru Friday at www.DailyCatholic.org See why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!" e-mail: DailyCatholic@dailycatholic.org

Three Days until we debut the countdown of the Top 100 Catholics of the 20th Century

      Readers can see the fruits of their voting efforts beginning this Friday when we debut our countdown with vignettes on the person chosen, beginning with number 100, then number 99 next Monday and so on daily leading up to the top ten Catholics who will be revealed in December. By the way, each of the top ten received at least 500 votes, with the top five receiving over a thousand. We had well over 23,000 total votes with nearly 730 different persons nominated.

Catholic PewPoint helps put things in perspective and clear up the tunnels of confusion!

      This summer we present all the editorials to date from 1999 for you to review. Take a ride on the twists and turns of humanity in past installments of Catholic PewPoint. In this wild ride of life, through the tunnels of doubt we need to cling to the rails of hope and trust that God will guide us safely over the whirls and swirls, dips and blips, highs and lows that affect us daily in this rollercoaster called life. These commentaries help keep things on a more even keel, slowing the turns so that all can better navigate the dangerous curves and stay on track in heading towards the light at the end of the tunnel. During the summer we will present this archive feature on Tuesdays and a new commentary every Friday. To read any of the forty-six installments presently available for 1999, click on the Archives of CATHOLIC PewPOINT.

Retroactive articles on Church history available from 1150 to 1515 A.D. for summer review

      This summer we present a review of the period from the time of Charlemagne and Pope Saint Stephen IV, the 97th successor of Peter in the early ninth century to the time of the Reformation and Pope Leo X, the 217th in the Petrus line early in the sixteenth century. These are installments 25 through 106. We will resume our original series in September with installment 107 on Pope Hadrian VI. To read any of the eighty-one installments presently available in this long on-going series, click on the Archives of THE HISTORY OF THE MASS AND HOLY MOTHER CHURCH.

      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".

"Fellow creatures generally do not want our cares, for they have enough of their own. Only God is left to be solicitous of our cares. Throwing them upon Him is done in two ways: by prayers and by faith."

      Those words from Our Lord were imparted to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart on February 24, 1995 at the beginning of Lent in which Jesus reminds us that Lent is for making sacrifice and accepting suffering for His Name's sake. By being conditioned to freely accepting our crosses, we will better be able to walk Calvary and withstand the slings and arrows that will be launched on those faithful to Him. His Blessed Mother prepares us in her message three days earlier that we need to dedicate our time of Lent and our entire lives to resolving to return to her Divine Son and bestow all reverence on Him, specifically His Presence in the Holy Eucharist and to be obedient to His teachings and His Church in order to increase our faith and asks us to pray for those whose hearts have become hardened. For Messages #593 and #594 from Mary and Jesus, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

Message Five-Hundred-ninety-three, February 21, 1995

(Imparted to the Hidden Flower by the Immaculate Heart of Mary)

      Beloved Hidden Flower of my Immaculate Heart, I love and bless you.

      To all of my little ones everywhere I beseech you to make good use of this Lenten Season, so that by drawing closer to my Divine Son's Cross you may grow stronger in the True Faith.

      Your world suffers its great crisis - of all morality, virtue, faith and love. Daily hope is trampled underfoot by rationalism, and the light of faith dims.

      Behold, I solemnly tell you that so many of my little children have become even harder of heart in these days. They no longer hear my words, nor do they live my messages. This is because their heart is closed to the Holy Spirit, and they are deprived of True Light in their soul.

      Those of my little ones who, by God's grace working in their open and willing hearts, suffer terribly because the time of great persecution increases. Commanded by God to spread the Heavenly Messages given unto you, they are met by deaf ears, blind eyes, and cold, proud, disbelieving hearts. But I do solemnly tell you God's chosen messengers shall fulfill their mission, for their mission is to give to you hope in all Heavenly help that you may persevere in these end times.

      O! Children of my Immaculate Heart, I beseech you to pray very much. Seek one way to make sacrifice, and to mortify yourselves in this Lenten Season. Pray for the graces of enlightenment and discernment, and walk the way of the Cross with my Divine Son.

      Seek in your prayers to totally surrender yourself to Almighty God, and beseech Him to give you full, deep trust. Does not Sacred Scripture tell you that to him who trusts all things are made possible? Therefore, be humble, little, obedient and trusting children of God, and in this time of preparation your eyes shall see, your ears shall hear, and faith will blossom anew in your soul that all that Sacred Scripture contains is true, and all that has been foretold shall be fulfilled.

      The luminous signs of my Divine Son's presence, power and victory has come to you, but you did not notice because you were not open. Therefore, hasten to the foot of my Divine Son's Cross and cling to Him, for He is Mercy and His Love is Infinite. If you would believe, trust, love and persevere then you must keep your eyes focused on my Divine Son's Cross, upon His True Presence in the Blessed Sacrament and upon His Most Sacred Heart, your sure Refuge.

      I love you. I give to you my Motherly blessing. Pray with me, your Sorrowful Mother, at this time, and I will intercede for you that obtaining my Divine Son's Peace, you shall not falter as you also reach Calvary.

      Thank you for responding to my Call!

Message Five-Hundred-ninety-four, February 24, 1995

(Imparted to the Hidden Flower by the Sacred Heart of Jesus)

      Beloved Hidden Flower of My Mother's Immaculate Heart, I love and bless you.

      Today I invite all of My children who truly seek Me to take up their cross and follow Me, particular during this Season of Lent.

      I solemnly tell all the world: Now is your Calvary; now is your suffering for My Name's sake. Therefore, follow Me, for I will be your strength in all adversity, and My Mercy shall be upon you and upon all the world.

      Be mindful of My Sacred and Sorrowful Passion at every moment. Read Sacred Scripture. Come to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Receive the Sacraments. Through ceaseless prayer be My humble, obedient children, and you shall persevere in these end times. The mark of My Cross is now and shall be for you True Light in the Spiritual Darkness.

      Heed My words. Prepare well. I solemnly tell you: I come!

Finally the long-awaited book "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." is NOW available!

      The much-anticipated 224-page book of ALL the messages to the world imparted to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary over five years is finally here! You can finally acquire your own handsome, coffee-table top copy of "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." containing all 632 messages. To find out how, click on Book

      Today is the Sixteenth Tuesday in Ordinary Time with tomorrow being the Sixteenth Wednesday in Ordinary Time as well as the Feast of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Religious Priest and Doctor of the Church. For the readings, liturgies, meditations and vignette on St. Lawrence, click on DAILY LITURGY.

Tuesday July 20:
Sixteenth Tuesday in Ordinary Time

Green vestments

First Reading: Exodus 14: 21-31; 15: 1
Psalms: Exodus 15: 1, 8-10, 12, 17
Gospel Reading: Matthew 12: 46-50

Wednesday July 21:
Sixteenth Wednesday in Ordinary Time and
Feast of Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Religious priest and Doctor of the Church

Green or white vestments

First Reading: Exodus 16: 1-5, 9-15
Psalms: Psalm 78: 18-19, 23-28
Gospel Reading: Matthew 13: 1-9

      Born in Brindisi in the Kingdom of Naples shortly after the Protestant Reformation in 1559, Saint Lawrence of Brindisi was born as Caesare de Rossi. He is one of the few saints who was born and died on the same day - July 22nd. He was educated by the Conventual Franciscans in Naples and also sent for further studies under his uncle at St. Mark's in Venice. At 16 he joined the Capuchin order in Verona and was given the name Lawrence. His keen mind and tremendous zeal earned him the honor of studying at the University of Padua where he mastered several languages from Latin and Greek to Hebrew and Aramaic, not to mention French and German. After his ordination as a Capuchin priest, he became known far and wide as an astute preacher. However his administrative prowess led to his election as Provincial for the Order in Genoa, Tuscany and Venice, in addition to Switzerland where the Reformation had dug in deeply. At the turn of the seventeenth century Lawrence was sent to the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II to seek his military support for Naples and join the Catholic League against the Turks. He was successful and joined the troops on the front line as head chaplain with only the Crucifix as his weapon. It was enough as he led the men valiantly into battle at Szekesfehervar where they were victorious for the cause of Christ. A year later he returned to Naples where he was unanimously elected Superior General of the Capuchins. While holding this position of Vicar General he not only established the Order in Austria, Moravia and Tyrol but traveled into the heart of Germany to counter the fall-out effects of Luther's campaign. Rudolph was so impressed with Lawrence that he solicited the saint to recruit the various German rulers to join the Catholic League in their on-going battles with the Turks. In 1605 the Capuchins overwhelmingly chose Lawrence to serve another term but he gratefully declined, to concentrate more on evangelization to other countries. One of these countries included Spain where he convinced the Spanish King Philip III to join the Catholic League and received imperial permission to found a Capuchin house in Madrid. His success prompted the Holy Father Pope Paul V to appoint Lawrence Papal Nuncio. In 1618 he resigned his position and retreated to his beloved homeland of Brindisi in Naples to live out the rest of his life, but God had other plans. At the persistence of the Neapolitan rulers, he was sent to Spain to seek military support against the duke of Osuna, a Spanish subject. Again his mission was successful and the duke was recalled to Spain for a harsh chastising by the king. However, the trip took its toll on Lawrence who had struggled with the sweltering summer heat and became seriously dehydrated. Shortly after his mission had been accomplished he fell into a coma and died in Lisbon on his sixtieth birthday - July 22, 1619. Two hundred and sixty two years later Pope Leo XIII canonized Lawrence and that was topped by Pope John XXIII on July 21, 1959 when he proclaimed Lawrence of Brindisi the distinguished title of Doctor of the Church.

    Dear children! Today I thank you for living and witnessing my messages with your life. Little children, be strong and pray so that prayer may give you strength and joy. Only in this way will each of you be mine and I will lead you on the way of salvation. Little children, pray and with your life witness my presence here. May each day be a joyful witness for you of God's love. Thank you for having responded to my call.
For more on Medjugorje, click on MEDJUGORJE AND MORE

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

July 20, 1999 volume 10, no. 134   DAILY CATHOLIC