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      On this date in 741, Pope Saint Zachary was elected the 91st successor of Peter. His eleven year pontificate was most noted for consecrating Pipin the Short as King of the Franks. It was the first investiture of a king by a Pope and would set a precedence over succeeding centuries. For other events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for December 3:

(Feast of Saint Francis Xavier)

• 741 A.D.
  
• Pope Saint Zachary becomes the 91st successor of Peter. Born in Calabria, his pontificate would last eleven years during which time he would strongly oppose Rachis, Duke of Friuli, whose desire was to occupy all of Italy. But through Zachary's example and prayers, Rachis converted and became a repentant monk. Zachary is most famous for consecrating Pipin the Short as King of the Franks, which would be the first investiture of a sovereign by a Roman pontiff. St. Zachary would die on March 22, 752.

• 1154 A.D.
  
• Death of Pope Anastasius IV, 168th successor of Peter, whose papacy lasted one year and who had, as counselor, Cardinal Nicholas Breakspeare who would become his successor Pope Adrian IV. By Anasatasius' gentleness of character he succeeded in bringing about the pacification of the temporal domains of the Church.

• 1347 A.D.
  
• Pope Clement VI, the fourth Avignon Pope, excommunicates members of the Roman tribunal and its representative Cola di Rienzo for their disregard of the hierarchy of the Church and especially di Rienzo's plans to become supreme ruler of Italy.

• 1381 A.D.
  
• Death of Blessed Jan van Ruysbroeck, a Belgian mystic who wrote his works in Flemish rather than Latin in order to reach the people of that land.

Vatican hails permanent restoration of Christmas in Cuba

      The Holy See reacted enthusiastically to the Cuban communist regime's decision to reinstate Christmas as a national holiday and holy day on this island which has done without this special feast for nearly thirty years, save for last year when Fidel Castro announced it would be a one-time exemption because of the Holy Father's pending visit last January. However, due to the coaxing of Pope John Paul II during his papal visit and afterwards, and the prayers of the people, Castro and his cronies have finally seen the light and have heeded the will of the populace, granting recognition of Christmas from now on. For more, click on Cuban Christmas.

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- The Vatican welcomed the news that Christmas will once again be celebrated as a holiday in Cuba on a permanent basis.

      The Cuban government yesterday announced the re-establishment of the Christmas holiday. Last year the Christmas holiday was observed as a goodwill gesture, just prior to the January 1998 visit by Pope John Paul II. Before that, no Christmas celebrations had been allowed in Cuba since 1969.

      In an official response to the Cuban decision, papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said that the Holy See had received the news "with satisfaction." He added that the official recognition of Christmas was "a response to a precise desire of the people and the Cuban Church, and I think it will not pass unnoticed by the international community."

      The Cuban government, for its part, issued a statement claiming that the suspension of Christmas observances in 1970 "was not motivated by anti-religious sentiments, but solely by the economic necessities" of the island, which made it essential to keep businesses open in order to maintain adequate productivity.

      In another positive gesture, the Cuban government yesterday announced the release of Jesus Chamber Ramirez, a political dissident who had spent the last six years in prison, often in solitary confinement. His name was on a list of prisoners for whom Pope John Paul had sought clemency last year.

Missouri Supreme Court courting controversy by changing capital punishment conflict

     By their recent actions, the Missouri Supreme Court has brought more attention on capital punishment and it could blow up even more so in their face. Originally Darrell Mease was to be executed for multiple murders on January 27, 1999 but someone noticed that is the same date the Holy Father, who has expressed the Church's position against capital punishment, will touch down in the gateway city of St. Louis. Rather than risk embarassment, they decided to delay the date two weeks, but we suspect even more embarassment will be forthcoming as politicians, state and city officials and national authorities from the president on down try to two-step around this sensitive time-bomb. You just know the Pope will take advantage of their backstepping to bring it to the attention of the world, especially the United States, as morally wrong. For more, click on gateway gaffe.

      ST. LOUIS, Missouri (CWNews.com) - The Missouri Supreme Court decided on Tuesday to change the planned date of execution for a convicted murderer that was originally set for the same time Pope John Paul II will be visiting the city.

      The court had originally set January 27 as the execution date for Darrell Mease, 42, who was convicted in the murder of his former drug-dealing partner, the man's wife, and their handicapped son in 1988. But the court later changed the date to February 10 without additional comment.

      Kent Gipson, a lawyer who has challenged many of Missouri's death sentences, said he thinks the court changed the date because of the potential embarrassment of carrying out the execution while the Holy Father is visiting the state. The Pope has been a vocal opponent of the death penalty, even directly lobbying US governors to grant clemency for death row inmates. "Somebody figured out they had set the date for the night the Pope was in town and didn't want any undue attention called upon the death-penalty machine," Gipson said.

      The Holy Father is scheduled to arrive in St. Louis on January 26 and leave the next day after attending a youth rally.

Freak fire claims chancery property of Louisiana Diocese

      A mysterious fire roared through the chancery of the Diocese of Alexandria in central Louisiana Monday night, destroying most of the building which housed the administrative branch. No one was hurt of which Bishop Sam Jacobs gave thanks as he watched firemen try to douse the flames in the early evening after all had gone home. He expressed dismay but hope that most of the archived sacramental records were still intact since they were in vaults. The extent of the damage has yet to be determined and how the fire started is also still under question. The idea of arson has not been ruled out for the Klu Klux Klan is quite active in this region and known to be anti-Catholic. For more, click on Diocesan fire .

      ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana (CWNews.com) - The Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana suffered serious losses on Monday when the chancery building was gutted by a mysterious fire.

      No one was seriously injured, although a firefighter was treated for smoke inhalation at the scene, but nearly all of the secretarial and departmental offices were gutted. Sacramental records, including baptism and marriage records, and financial records may have survived because they were stored in vaults, but there condition could not be determined until the scene had been investigated.

      Fire department spokesmen said the fire at the St. Joseph Catholic Center began around 6:15 pm and was under control 45 minutes later, although the fire was still burning. Bishop Sam Jacobs was on the scene was firefighters battled the blaze and later said he was thankful no one was seriously injured. "We don't know what caused it," Bishop Jacobs said. "It looks like most of the secretarial and departmental offices in the back are burned and gutted. It's hard to tell from the outside. "Right now, I have no idea what this means for the diocese," he added. "We just have to see the damage once the fire's out."

Pope stresses role of Holy Spirit while decrying another missionary murder

     The Holy Father continued to emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit at his weekly Wednesday audiences as has been his signature during this year of the Holy Spirit in preparation for Jubilee 2000. He reiterated the importance of the Sanctifier in evangelizing the Gospel and forging a better world through the centuries and today. One of the fallouts of evangelizing is the opposition by those who don't want to hear the Gospel or follow it. Such was the tragic news of the death of yet another Catholic missionary, this time a Canadian Christian Brother who was hacked to death by machete in Haiti in what the official Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano called "barbaric." For more, click on Wednesday audience .

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Pope John Paul II today delivered his 27th address in a series of catechetical talks on the work of the Holy Spirit.

      At his weekly public audience, the Pope said that the Holy Spirit is the source of "Christian involvement in transforming the world through the light of the Gospel."

      The Holy Father observed that the Christian's determination to change the world is linked to "hope for the certain arrival of the Kingdom of God." Since the Holy Spirit is the source of both these impulses, it is wrong to suggest-- as some Marxists analysts have-- that there is a conflict between them.

      "Christian spirituality is not a spirituality of escape, or of rejection of the world," the Pope continued; "and it cannot be reduced simply to temporal activity." Believing Christians are called to "give witness to the Resurrection of Christ" and at the same time-- and for the same reason-- to "work together as builders of a new society."

      While working toward, and hoping for, the Kingdom of God, Christians are sustained by the Eucharist, the Holy Father said. The sacraments provide the power through which the faithful "live in the hope of Christ," and "not conformed to the mentality of the present world."

      Meanwhile, the official Vatican newspaper today lamented the "barbaric" killing of a Canadian missionary in Haiti.

      Christian Brother Bernardin Hudon died last Thursday after being hacked with a machete at his home in La Valle. Police have not been able to determine the motive of the crime, or to name a suspect. However, they do suspect that the killer had been hidden inside the building, since there was no sign of forced entry.

      "The only sad certainty," reported L'Osservatore Romano, "is that a new name has been added to the contemporary list of martyrs for the Church." In 1997 there were 68 Catholic priests, religious, and seminarians killed; to date this year there have been at least 15 such killings. Pope John Paul II has said that during the Jubilee Year, the Church will honor the many martyrs of the 20th century.

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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December 3, 1998 volume 9, no. 235   DAILY CATHOLIC