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Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross 
| TUESDAY vol. 10, no. 174 September 14, 1999 |
Click on your choice of articles below
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Today we bring you the 63rd person selected out of the TOP 100 CATHOLICS OF THE CENTURY. The voters chose John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States whose three year term gave hope to so many, but on November 22, 1963 greatly dampened that hope with assassin bullets in Dallas. His shocking death in 1963 ended the days the media dubbed "Camelot" and opened the floodgates of humanism and the seven deadly sins. While many voted for him purely because he was the first Catholic President ever, the true person who should have been considered for this honor was his mother Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, a modern Saint Monica. For more on the 63rd selection, click on |
For additional news from other Catholic wire services, see HEADLINES immediately below on the left |
 WORLDWIDENEWS & VIEWS  
As expected, East Timor's spiritual leader Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo traveled from Rome to Castel Gondolfo today to discuss the grave situation in East Timor with the Holy Father over lunch. The news from the international community has been more encouraging with Indonesian President B.J. Habibie admitting he's lost control and allowing UN troops in, but precious time has still been lost at a time when it's a matter of life and death - the death of thousands of innocent Catholics. For more, click on East Timor Summit at Castel Gondolfo
Bishop of Baucau and UN ambassadors confirm what was suspected, East Timor in ruins and tens of thousands feared dead or starving in the mountains  
Bishop Basilio do Nascimento of Baucau, himself bearing deep wounds from a machete cut that he miraculously escaped from further harm, met with five UN ambassadors and confirmed to them that it will take a long, long time to rebuild. Shocking accounts of mass mountains of bodies piled high by pro-Indonesian militia spiraling out of control with the Indonesian army either looking the other way or assisting the marauders have been documented by various eye witnesses, making this one of the most gruesome mass genocides since Auschwitz. From all reports, it is even worse in East Timor than it ever was in Kosovo or parts of Africa where turmoil has tormented so many. For more, click on East Timor in ruins.
The Church on trial in Rwanda framed Archbishop Misago asserts  
"I'm innocent, but through me, the Rwandan government is targeting the Catholic Church" asserted Archbishop Augustin Misago, prelate of Rwanda who is on trial for genocide charges by the Rwandan government who is doing all it can to discredit the Church to stop the phenomenal spread of Catholicism in Africa's most Catholic country. Like in East Timor, Rwanda fears the power and influence of the Church and feels if they can discredit the Church, then the people will abandon her in droves. They're guessing wrong. Just look at history. For more, click on Kangaroo Court in Kigali .
Cardinal John O'Connor in great spirits during first public appearance since surgery for a brain tumor   With one-liners that rivaled Henny Youngman, the Archbishop of New York Cardinal John O'Connor quipped with the congregation at St. Patrick's Cathedral for a special anniversary Mass commemorating Catholic Workers who had died. It was more like a wake than a funeral, for the Cardinal joked about how his illness prompted the increase in flowers purchased in the city to be sent to him. He also revealed that the Pope had written him and he wrote back, enclosing various articles that included speculation on various successors to the Archbishop. Our pick: Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Conv. who is definitely cardinal material. For more, click on Cardinal O'Connor.
108 and counting, Wednesday:
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Forgiveness begins through the cross and ends in the heart 
In today's editorial, we refer to the scriptural readings from the past two Sundays and how well they tie in with the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross today and tomorrow's commemoration of Our Lady of Sorrows. They also are very, very applicable to the situation in the Church and the world today and we must all imitate Jesus and obey His Vicar on earth who asks all to forgive and seek forgiveness in preparation for cleansing ourselves as we enter the new millennium which begins in just over one hundred days. For the editorial, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do", click on 
Retroactive articles on Church history from 33 to 1515 A.D. for review 
The mirror will always reflect the truth!
Today is the death of two Popes, one Pope Stephen V 1,108 years ago and the other Pope Hadrian VI, the 218th in the line of Peter who died in 1523 at the height of the Protestant reformation. The former felt unworthy of being Supreme Pontiff, but the people insisted, breaking down his doors where he knelt in prayer and carrying him to the Lateran where he was crowned the 110th successor of Peter. The latter was thrust into the fray from the Netherlands and only served a little over a year. This Dutch Pontiff was the last non-Italian Pope until Pope John Paul II was elected on October 16, 1978. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on 
Today is the Feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross while tomorrow is the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. For the readings, liturgies, meditations, and vignettes on these two memorable feasts, click on 
Dear children! Also today I call you to give glory to God the Creator in the colors of nature. He speaks to you also through the smallest flower about His beauty and the depth of love with which He has created you. Little children, may prayer flow from your hearts like fresh water from a spring. May the wheat fields speak to you about the mercy of God towards every creature. That is why, renew prayer of
thanksgiving for everything He gives you. Thank you for having responded to my call.
