Reconciliation must first be achieved through the Sacrament of Reconciliation

      In today's installment on the Apparitions at Betania, Venezuela, we bring you why the Blessed Virgin Mary places such an emphasis on her beloved priest-sons whom she cherishes so for only through these consecrated ones can we reach true Reconciliation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the merciful gift endowed to us as members of the Mystical Body of Christ from her Divine Son Jesus. Mary is the "Reconciler" as deigned by the Father and she reminds us at Betania that we must respect and preserve our priests who are so precious for the salvation of our souls and the hub of Reconciliation. For the chapter, Come to the Mountain and seek Reconciliation, click on THE AGE OF MARIAN APPARITIONS.

December Decorations that can illuminate our hearts with nourishment from prayer to treats - all pleasing to the Almighty

     We've all seen the holy cards and statuettes of "The Praying Hands" but how many really realize what they mean? We give you a glimpse in a special story today along with an ice-cream treat here in December, one that you will remember every time you take a bit into that frozen gelate. For the vignettes, The Praying Hands and Thawing out cold hearts!, click on DECEMBER DECORATIONS THAT ENHANCE FOOD FOR THOUGHT APPETEASERS

" All you do to surrender your will to the Divine Will shall hasten the Triumph of my Immaculate Heart."

     Those assuring words come from the Blessed Virgin Mary on March 20, 1993 in a message to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart which followed her urgent plea to return family values and the importance of family to the moral fibre of our country, calling upon the example of her chaste spouse Saint Joseph, her protector on his feast day in Message #308. She laments how modern contraptions such as television, radio, movies and blatant advertising have torn families apart, making them total strangers within the close-knit unit God created. This makes us easy prey for satan's master plan and only by turning back to morality can this world avoid the terrible chastisement soon to come which will claim many to lose their eternal souls for all eternity. For Messages #308 and 309, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

United States to have new Apostolic Nuncio as Holy Father selects a veteran from Columbia after encouraging all to seek truth through the proper use of reason

      The United States will have a new apostolic nuncio. That was the news from the Vatican Monday when the Pope chose veteran nuncio Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo to replace Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan who is being reassigned duties in Rome. Montalvo is a sixty-two year-old Columbian who has been the rector of the Holy See's diplomatic training corps. Since 1967 he has served as nuncio in Argentina, Bolivia, El Salvador, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Belarus and Yugoslavia. Besides his diplomatic duties, he will ordain bishops and represent the Vatican on social issues such as capital punishment which should be interesting this January in St. Louis. Meanwhile, the day before in Rome the Holy Father emphasized the importance of his most recent encyclical Fides et Ratio by informing all that he would make that the topic of his upcoming Sunday Audiences. He reminded those attending that we must all strive to "recover the love for wisdom" - the root of philosophy and therein, by using reason we will come to the deduction of truth - the truths set down by God. For more, click on Papal Activities.

Latest twist in Guatamalan bishop's murder investigation: Framed priest hospitalized.

      Just a few days after the prosecutor for the Guatamalan government resigned in the murder investigation of slain human rights leader Auxiliary Bishop Juan Gerardi Conendra last April, the scapegoat priest Father Manuel Orantes, who has been unfairly held, came down with pneumonia and was whisked from his jail cell to a hospital to be treated. Besides investigations of a cover-up by the government and military over the Bishop's murder, now come allegations of mistreatment of the prisoner - an innocent priest accused because he lived in the same house as the Bishop. There has been no other evidence, yet he remained in prison for months where he has contracted the lung disease, an ulcer and stress. Unfair imprisonment will do that to you! For more, click on priest sick in sick investigation

Chile's Cardinal Oviedo dies of heart attack on Monday in Santiago

      A heart attack claimed the life of Chile's leading prelate Cardinal Carlos Cavada Oviedo, former head of the Archdiocese of Santiago and the same city where he died after a week's hospitalization. Efforts to revive him failed. The Cardinal was the first professor and director of the theology faculty at the Pontifical Catholic University in Chile. He was named titular Bishop and Auxiliary to the Archbishop of Concepcion by Pope Paul VI in 1964 and presented the red hat by Pope John Paul II at the Consistory on November 26, 1994. He played a key role in Chile's redevelopment after the Pinochet regime ended. For more, click on Cardinal Oviedo

Crucial Medieval Fort defended by Knights deeded to the same Order nine hundred years later

     The medieval Fort Sant'Angelo on the island of Malta, guarded and defended by the ancestors of the first crusaders was given to the very Order which defended it when the Maltese prime minister handed over the deed to the Hospitaller Order of the Knights of Malta of St. John of Jerusalem. It was a fitting gift to this great Order which kept the Turks from advancing into Europe. They were celebrating the 900th anniversary of the founding of this noble band of men dedicated to defending the faith and protecting pilgrims to the Holy Land. For more, click on Malta.

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.

     Today is the Second Wednesday of Advent as well as being the Feast of Blessed Juan Diego, hermit and visionary of Guadalupe. It may be the last year we celebrate his feast as a beatified one for there are strong signs the Holy Father will canonize him this January during his visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe near Mexico City. Tomorrow is the Second Thursday of Advent. For the readings, liturgies, meditations and story of Juan Diego, click on LITURGY

To review past articles in textonly format, click on Archives.