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Much of what we have been covering in our daily editorials as well as our own on-going mega series on the Church today WHERE IS HOLY MOTHER CHURCH HEADING AS WE NEAR THE MILLENNIUM? regarding loyalty to the Church and Magisterium and exposing the factions that seek to undermine Holy Mother Church are detailed at this site with specific examples and actual cases. The writers of this site are totally loyal to the Magisterium and are not afraid to expose the enemies of the Church, outside and within. They feature excellent articles of short length on numerous subjects, that are both intelligent, revealing and easy to read. They present articles on Communion in the Hand and how it evolved into being accepted with no formal document ever being produced, or taking on controversial documents like "Always our Children" on the gay issue and "Common Ground." Like their namesake who fought to reform her order through obedience and strict adherence to the Holy Rules they vowed to obey, St. Catherine's Review drives a steady course of traditional, orthodox Catholicism that is in alignment with the Holy Father. Plus, it is guaranteed to cause one to think and pray when one discovers what is happening to our Church by these manipulators - "fifth columnists" of our precious faith. There are over 20 excellent features on-line, taken from the print issues, that will broaden your appreciation for our faith and alert us to the dangers out there. They are not afraid to tackle controversial issues and take on topics such as the gay agenda, sex education, liberalism, etc. as well as confronting bishops who are not conforming with the Holy See. On many pages are some beautiful classic paintings that load quite quickly. It is a very easy read and you will come away with a new respect for all St. Catherine did and what the folks at St. Catherine's Review are presently doing. Because of the excellent editorial content, not found on most other sites, we award St. Catherine's Review Site the "GOLDEN CHALICE AWARD" and confer SEVEN Hail Mary's to this staunch defender of the faith in America, not just specifically in the greater Cincinnati area where they are headquartered, but all of America as well.
But that's to be expected in these times which Our Lady has said would grow severe as we near the pivotal third millennium. Just as early in the first millennium many Christians suffered persecution for Christ's sake, so also during the latter days of the second millennium Catholics are being persecuted as we document in another CWN story out of Rome today which verifies that sixty-eight were martyred for the faith in 1997 with already ten slain in 1998. Add to this the persecutions in mainland China where the "patriotic" Catholic Church is being promoted by the Communist government which is trying to coerce Chinese Catholics to break with the Vatican. Missionaries and clergy in Africa have had their share of problems as we point out in another CWN story today about the Archbishop of Sudan who has been imprisoned as the government there grows more brash in their attempts to outright confront the Catholic Church. South and Central America have had their problems as we all know, especially in Chiapas, Mexico. Then there is the situation in the region known as the former Yugoslavia and Kosovo specifically where Catholics are being persecuted. In western Europe, Australia and America the persecution is not physical but mental and subliminal as the Catholic bashing continues in the media.
It's been a tough twelve months for Catholics in the courts. Last summer a jury handed down a whopping 19.6 million dollar verdict against the Diocese of Dallas resulting from abuse by former priest Rudy Kos. That trial was ballyhooed in the press as placing the Roman Catholic Church on trial. The secular media relished the verdict and did not hesitate to publicize all the lurid details. Yet they shirk at placing an ad that shows an aborted fetus on the same page or in the same program that shows violence and sex ad nauseum! But the former would be too gruesome, while the latter is accepted because it's "politically corrrect!" Speaking of the pc police, the most recent decision in Chicago which determined that pro-lifers, intent on saving lives, were "racketeering" - you figure it out - has brought out the taunts of "I told you so" being spewed by members of N.O.W. and other leftist groups intent on fostering the culture of death no matter the consequences. If the Church had not been intricately involved before, she will be embroiled the second time around for Cardinal Francis George, OMI, no shrinking violet when it comes to facing controversy, has pledged the Archdiocese's full-hearted support in making an appeal; that, coupled with the clout of Human Life International, the leading pro-life organization headed by Father Richard Welch, promises to be an interesting scenario. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, in Rome the third-world countries are gaining influence as the Asian Synod has begun with the bishops from throughout the Orient convening to address the problems of abortion and persecution, as well as poverty. It all portends toward the final year of this millennium which will kick off in January with Pope John Paul II trekking to Mexico City for the close of the American Synod in which he will give his apostolic exhortation from the shrine where Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to the Indian peasant Juan Diego at a time in history when the Church was under tremendous persecution and evacuation by thousands in Europe. The reason for her coming at that time was to stop human sacrifice. Today, in an age when persecution is also intensifying throughout the world, the miraculous traveling Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was accrued through the dauntless efforts of Maryknoll missionary Father Walter Winrich, has been traveling around the United States and Canada for the express purpose of putting an end to the atrocious sin of abortion and the sacrifice of human lives - namely the unborn babies. As many Catholics threaten to bolt like their protestant cohorts of the sixteenth century, there are the faithful remnant that remains loyal to the Pope and all the teachings of Holy Mother Church. Like another faithful servant who produced great fruits in those times of peril - Saint Catherine of Siena, we must remain faithful to the cause and be prepared to take the brickbats that are hurled at us for standing strong for Christ. It is just one of the crosses Jesus has asked us to carry if we are to share in His victory. If we can understand this, we'll be well on our way to accepting the crosses Our Lord asks us to carry for His sake! Christ and His Blessed Mother have conveyed to us so often how important suffering is, and it was the playwright William Faulkner who wrote, "the Salvation of the world is in man's suffering." That was borne out through the suffering of one Man Who took the weight of the world on His shouldiers and died for our sins. It is through His Death and Resurrection that we are saved. With that kind of gift we should be willing to reciprocate by standing up for Him when He and His Holy Church are maligned. It's a small price to pay for all He has given us!
I’m talking about the mother of Our Lady, the Grandmother of Jesus and OUR Grandmother, St. Anne. I now have a devotion to St. Anne which I did not have a week ago. I want to encourage you to give her a special place in your life, as well. This is how it has come about for me.
This last week, here in Omaha, we had four visitors from Canada. They were: Colette Coulombe, her husband, Vincent, Patricia Simoneau and her husband, Ray. They all drove to Omaha from Canada in two separate cars. Their visit here in four local Catholic churches has left a lasting mark on many in our area. Patricia and Ray acted as interpreters, for Colette speaks only French.
Reportedly (and there is not sufficient time to tell the whole story), Colette has had locutions and visions of St. Anne, Jesus and Our Blessed Mother. Actually, this all began when Colette was 13 years old. She is now 67 years of age.
If we take the words of Jesus seriously that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit and that a bad tree cannot bear good fruit, we would, after careful observation, conclude that heaven has been using Colette, for sure.
We must believe that it is only God Who works miracles, but He often does so through the intercession of His saints. Many physical and spiritual healings (as many as 850) have occurred with people when Colette prays for them, imploring the intercession of St. Anne and blessing them with oil. These conversions and healings have been witnessed to by all concerned.
Colette told us that St. Anne was 58 years old when she conceived and gave birth to Our Blessed Mother. She said that Our Lady resembled her father, Joachim and therefore, Jesus resembled Joachim, as well.
But more than the seeming non-importance of these ideas, Colette stressed that our world is in such a bad way today, that we can use two MOTHERS, Mary, Our Blessed Mother and St. Anne, our Grandmother. She said that Jesus loves His Grandmother so much that He grants her every wish. Colette said that St. Anne wants to help her daughter, Mary, save souls. St. Anne wants to be very active in today’s world. We can be sure that St. Anne is very powerful in interceding for us. St. Anne wants to help us, wants us to call on her for help whether our needs are for physical or spiritual healings for ourselves or others.
I am witness to the power of St. Anne this past week. The length of this article does not permit me to share all. But from now on, I shall call on my Grandmama every day.
I would encourage you to do the same. God bless you!
858 A.D.
Pope Saint Nicholas I is elected as the 105th successor of Peter. With the Emperor Louis II, he launched an army against the Saracen threat. He is also the Pope who proclaimed August 15th as the permanent date of the Feast of the Assumption.
1519 A.D.
Representatives of the Aztec chief Montezuma II attend the first Easter Mass to be held in Central America.
1576 A.D.
Birth of Saint Vincent de Paul in Gascony, France to a poor family. He would go on to become a priest and found the Vincentians.
1585 A.D.
Pope Sixtus V is elected by the College of Cardinals, becoming the 227th successor of Peter. Sixtus is credited with finishing the dome of St. Peter's Basilica and constructing the obelisk in the center of St. Peter's Square.
912 A.D.
The City of Venice is founded and the square named after Saint Mark to honor his feast day and the day of the establishment of this great northern Italian city which would become a strong bastion of Catholicism.
1142 A.D.
Death of Saint William of Vercelli, hermit and religious founder.
1214 A.D.
Birth of Saint Louis IX to King Louis VIII and his holy mother Blanche. Young Louis would become the King of France at the age of 12 and rule for 44 years, going down as one of the greatest monarchs ever. He played a key role in the affairs of Holy Mother Church during the turbulent thirteenth century.
1342 A.D.
Death of Pope Benedict XII, the 197th successor of Peter, who reformed the Benedictine, Franciscan and Dominican orders and was third pontiff to reside in France during the Avignon Captivity.
1228 A.D.
Birth of Conrad IV to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. Like his father, Conrad was a ward of the Vatican and would go on to become a real thorn in the side of Holy Mother Church as king of Germany. Thanks to Saint Louis IX King of France, Conrad was unable to gain total control.
1478 A.D.
A plot to murder one of the most powerful Roman family heads Lorenzo de Medici is foiled but some family members are felled including Guillano de Medici.
1564 A.D.
Famous bard William Shakespeare is baptized at Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-on-the-Avon.
