Be Reconciled in the Refuge of Reconciliation!

     After just finishing our multi-part series on Lourdes, we begin today a similar multi-part series on the "New Lourdes" which is, of course, the Apparitions in Betania to visionary Maria Esperanza de Bianchini on a small farm south of Caracas, Venezuela where the Mother of God has come to announce to the world that this is truly her "land of grace" and that she wants all her children to become "Ambassadors of Reconciliation." For the first part on The New Lourdes: Betania - Refuge of Reconciliation , click on THE AGE OF MARIAN APPARITIONS.

Turn off the TV's, put down the newspapers and magazines for they mislead

      Those are not our words but rather from the Blessed Mother Mary who warns us how clever satan is and how his time is so short in her messages to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart. Our Lady also points out that the schism within the Church is coming and that from it her Divine Son Jesus' Church will emerge victorious as those who espouse heresy and apostasy will be weeded out and thrashed. She reminds us the only way to stay loyal to God is through prayer and dismissing the trappings and temptations of the world. For messages number 220 and 221, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

Contrasts that we've contracted!

     Fittingly, on this Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary we bring you some serious appeteasers that will make one even more dedicated to praying the Rosary for we need a victory over vice and immorality more than ever. The special morsels of meditation we present today are truly food for thought about the "Answers in Antitheses" in which the real question is: Are we praying enough? Once you've read these contrasting situations you'll agree the answer is: No! But it's not too late to begin and what better way to make the Holy Rosary a daily habit than on Our Lady's special feast? For Answers in Antitheses, click on OKTOBERFEST FOOD FOR THOUGHT APPETEASERS.

Holy See cancels meeting between Pope and Lutheran Bishop because of latter's actions

      All those having an audience with the Holy Father raise your hand. Not so fast, Archbishop K. G. Hammar. You see he is the Lutheran archbishop who was scheduled meet with the Pope on Saturday but the Vatican canceled it after Swedish Catholics petitioned Rome to do just that for Hammar, head of the Lutheran Church in Sweden, is an outspoken and unrepentant proponent of homosexual marriages. Hammar has also shown an obvious disregard for decency, defending things that are sacriligeous such as an art exhibit in his own cathedral which blasphemes Jesus and His Apostles. For more, click on Leud Lutheran.

Supreme Court decision brings end to controversy over closure of six Catholic churches in Pittsburgh

     The Diocese of Pittsburgh's plans to close six churches in order to consolidate has been held up for ten years because of a group of parishioners who protested, taking it all the way to the Vatican which sided with Bishop Donald L. Wuerhl. Thus, like so many Catholics who too often decide what's best rather than following the wise counsel of the Church, they took it to secular courts all the way to the United States Supreme Court which ruled exactly as the Diocese and the Vatican had. For more, click on pitted in Pittsburgh.

Two priests imprisoned and tortured in Khartoum

      Word out of the Vatican's news agency FIDES reports that two priests Father Hilary Boma and Father Lino Sebit have been inhumanly tortured physically and mentally in a Khartoum prison in the Sudan, accused of crimes against the state which they are totally innocent of. The Sudan government is trying to hold up two Catholic priests as the ringleaders of a rebel group who have perpetrated numerous bombing attacks on government facilities and threats on government officials. They have also arrested 20 others, 18 of which are Christians. Getting a just trial seems a very remote possibility considering the government's mindset. Just another example of the on-going persecution of Catholic religious in Africa. For more, click on Suffering in Sudan.

China gives in to UN demands but Russia remains stubborn regarding Kosovo

     Whether the Beijing government is sincere in their pledge to uphold human rights remains to be seen, especially in regards the Roman Catholic Church which is presently underground in China, but China bowed to pressure from the UN and agreed to sign the UN's Human Rights Pledge. Meanwhile, Russia remained a stumbling block to the unanimous approval of committing airstrikes on Serbian strongholds to free Kosovo by NATO forces. Despite their own financial woes and internal turmoil, President Boris Yeltzin sent a stern warning that Russia would veto any action and that any kind of retaliation against Serbia would be met with resistance on his part. For more, click on Asian tension.

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 Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Tomorrow we return to the regular liturgy with the 27th Thursday in Ordinary Time. For the readings, liturgies and meditations, and story on today's great feast, click on LITURGY

      Today's Preface of the Mass is taken from the Dominican Missal in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary:

On this feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary we praise, bless and proclaim your name. Consenting to the Divine Word, Mary became the Mother of God; embracing Your saving will, she became the handmaid of the Lord; devoting herself to the life and work of Your Son. Mary cooperated in the mystery of redemption. Because of this she stands before us, Mother and model of the Church.

      For other special prayers and devotions for this day, click on Prayers and Devotions regarding the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

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