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     For events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on TIME CAPSULES: MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for September 24:

366 A.D.


Death of Pope Saint Liberius, 36th successor of Saint Peter who ruled for 14 years. Liberius was faced with the polemics with the Arians which led to the election of the antipope Felix II. It was Liberius who laid the foundations for the Basilica of St. Mary Major by tracing out the perimter after a miraculous snowfall on August 15th.

717 A.D.


Death of Saint Rupert, first bishop of Salzburg in Austria. He reconverted the pagan temples into Christian churches and established the salt-mining industry in that region, hence the etimology of the name of the city - Salzburg.

1046 A.D.


Death of Saint Gerard of Csanad who was martyred at Venice. He is often called the "Apostle of Hungary" for bringing the gospel to that region.

1143 A.D.


Death of Pope Innocent II, 164th successor of Peter whose papacy lasted 13 years. He had hardly been elected when he was forced to flee from Rome. Lothario of Saxony brought him back to Rome, kissed his feet in obedience and personally held his mule's bridle during the procession, in exchange for his own coronation. Innocent convened the 10th Ecumenical Council or Lateran II which brought to an end the Papal schism and enacted reforms in 1139.

1218 A.D.


Establishment of the feast of Our Lady of Mercy also called Our Lady of Ransom. It was Saint Peter Nolasco who founded an order under the Blessed Mother's protection with the title of Our Lady of Mercy or Ransom with the specific purpose of ransoming Christian prisoners and slaves from the Moors and infidels during the Crusade years. The trend of invoking Our Lady has continued for nearly 800 years of imploring the Mother of Mercy's help in all difficulties.

1912 A.D.


Pope Saint Pius X issues his last encyclical - his sixteenth - Singulari quadam on labor organizations.

Senate once again betrays Culture of Life as parental rights bill fails on floor

     It's time to drum out those senators who consistently promote the culture of death as once again a bill, that would have given the innocent children somewhat of a break, failed to muster enough votes on the Senate floor. This time three Republicans voted against the bill that would have mandated notifying parents of a teen's attempt to get an abortion. While 13 Democrats voted to overturn the veto on Partial Birth Abortion Ban, only two voted for it this time, thus dealing the death blow to the bill for this year and quite possibly the death knell for countless innocent children who will never have a chance. For more, click on Aborted bill on abortion.

      WASHINGTON, DC (CWNews.com) - The US Senate, for the second time in two weeks, failed to pass a law protecting the right-to-life by letting a bill protecting pregnant teens from being exploited for abortions be stalled for the year.

      The bill would have made it illegal to avoid state parental notification or consent laws by taking a pregnant girl to another state for an abortion. Supporters of the bill said it would was need to protect parents' rights and protect girls from being exploited by older men who get them pregnant. The Senate voted 54-45 to end debate and proceed to consider the bill, but 60 votes were required. Three Republicans joined 42 Democrats in voting to block further consideration of the bill. Two Democrats and 52 Republicans voted to proceed. One senator was absent.

      The sponsor, Sen. Spencer Abraham, R-Michigan, said the bill was dead for the year. "The likelihood that we will be able to continue with respect to this legislation during this Senate session seems very unlikely," he said. The House voted 276-150 in July for a similar bill.

While U.S. Senate doesn't have a clue, Spanish Parliament gets it right: Votes down abortion!

     By one vote yesterday in Spain's Parliament legislators upheld pro-life in this Catholic country by defeating a bill that would have legalized abortion. No doubt the intercession of millions of Catholics who implored Saint Thomas of Villanova on his feast day played a providential role in the results. For more, click on Spanish pro-life victory.

      MADRID (CWNews.com) - The Spanish parliament, by a narrow margin, defeated a proposed law to legalize abortion on demand for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy on Tuesday.

      The law, defeated 173-172, would have allowed an abortion if it created a personal, social, or family conflict for the mother. Current law only allows abortion if the unborn child is deformed, the pregnancy is the result of rape, or the mother's psychological or physical health is threatened.

      The bill, proposed by the main opposition Socialist Party, has already been blocked twice by conservative Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's Popular Party since it took office in 1996. Socialist presidential candidate Jose Borrell said his party would not present it again before the next general elections, the national news agency EFE reported. Two other proposals, with even more liberal allowances for abortion, were also defeated on Tuesday.

Holy Father refers to Signs of the Times in his Wednesday Audience

      Tying in with the theme of "Signs of the times" in today's issue of the DAILY CATHOLIC the Holy Father spoke of the the evidence of the signs that God places before us and which we can discern through events in our times by the aid of the Holy Spirit. The Pope pointed out that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega and we can better understand our place in the Divine plan better by recognizing the signs that come from God and by relying on the Sanctifier to strengthen our resolve to fulfill God's Will. For more, click on Wednesday Audience.

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- In his weekly catechetical audience today, Pope John Paul II explained that the Holy Spirit helps believers to understand human events, showing the "signs of the times" that aid discernment.

      "The Spirit allows us to understand the plan of salvation established by God the Father, and to perceive the progress of the kingdom of God in the world," the Pope said. "He helps us to recognize that Jesus Christ, according to the words of the Second Vatican Council, is 'the key, the center, and the end of all human history,' the 'joy of every day and the answer to all our desires.'"

      The Holy Father reflected that while we do not know the time when Christ will come again to bring an end to human history, the Holy Spirit "strengthens us to bear witness to the kingdom of God, even to the ends of the earth."

Bishop of one diocese differs with priest from another over sustaining life of patient

      The case of Hugh Finn, a 44 year old Catholic who has been in a coma since an auto wreck turned him into a virtual vegetable in 1994, is the subject of a feud between the head of the diocese of Louisville, Kentucky Bishop Thomas Cajetan Kelly a Dominican and the associate pastor from Finn's parish in Manassas, Virginia - All Saints where his wife Michele has struggled with pulling the life support system. Relatives disagree with her and side with the Bishop while Father Daniel Gee agrees with Mrs. Finn and therein the battle lines are drawn as to the right thing to do. There has been no appointment of a new bishop yet in Finn's diocese of Arlington since the death this year of Bishop John Keating in Rome. For more, click on Life Support dilemna.

      SPRINGFIELD, Virginia (CWNews.com) - Bishop Thomas Kelly of Louisville, Kentucky has backed a Virginia woman's fight to have the feeding tubes removed from her comatose husband to cause his death.

      Michele Finn was granted permission by a court order on Monday to have the tubes keeping her husband, Hugh, 44, alive removed because doctors have said he is in a "persistent vegetative state." Hugh Finn entered a coma 3 1/2 years ago after a car accident ruptured his aorta and deprived his brain of oxygen. His parents and other relatives oppose letting him die, and the judge set September 30 as a deadline for them to challenge his ruling.

      Bishop Kelly said on Tuesday that removing food and water from someone diagnosed in a persistent vegetative state is still a gray area in Catholic teaching. "The spiritual side of this is that everything inside of Hugh Finn calls for him to be reunited with God. While he remains in this state, it's like suspending that union. If Hugh goes to the Lord, then that's a gift to everyone," he said.

      Meanwhile, All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas is financially supporting the lawsuit filed by Finn's family to prevent the removal of the feeding tubes. Father Daniel Gee, associate pastor of the parish, said Finn's right to live must be respected. "Until he's declared dead, he still has brain activity. His soul still does reside in his body," Father Gee said.

For more headlines and articles, we suggest you go to the Catholic World News site. CWN is not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provides this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.

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September 24, 1998 volume 9, no. 187   DAILY CATHOLIC