As part of "retro summer" we continue to bring you the early chapters of our on-going series to allow readers to catch up with what they haven't read. Today we follow-up our four part segment on LaSalette with a prophetic painting that depicts just what Our Lady conveyed to LaSalette visionary Melanie Matthieu Calvat on how low man would sink in turning their back on her Divine Son Jesus. In today's feature we detail the meaning behind the impressive and meaningful painting by 18th century artist Sigismund Goetze that coincides with what the Apostle Saint Paul also talked of. For the fourteenth installment, on The Aftermath of LaSalette, click on THE AGE OF MARIAN APPARITIONS.

     Today we bring back our mid-week humor page bringing you humorous gems sent to us by readers that we can share with all to lighten everyone's week. Today we bring you two microshort stories and three vignettes of three sets of people who wish they could start over as you'll see. Anyway, enjoy the laughs and if you have some humorous tid-bits that are clean and worthy of this publication, we'd love to hear from you at editor. For today's laugh track, click on MID-WEEK HUMOR

    Dear children! Today I invite you to come still closer to me through prayer. Little children, I am your mother, I love you and I desire that each of you be saved and thus be with me in Heaven. That is why, little children, pray, pray, pray until your life becomes prayer. Thank you for having responded to my call.

For more on Medjugorje, click on Medjugorje

Pope would be welcome in Romania Orthodox Patriarch asserts

      Despite a property dispute stemming from the Communist occupation of Romania and the fued between Romanian Orthodox and a minority of Eastern-rite Catholics of Romanian descent, the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church has extended the olive branch a year after the Romanian government first invited the Holy Father to visit Romania. Patriarch Teoctist made this first known at the 12th ecumenical meeting that took place in his country, consulting with various Roman Catholic cardinals before making the announcement. It would be John Paul II first visit to Romania as Supreme Pontiff of the Western Church. For more, click on Romanian invite

President of Poland tries to assuage Jewish concerns over cross controversy at Auschwitz

     The Catholic Bishops of Poland have asked Catholic zealots to remove the 150-plus crosses they have planted and now the President of Poland is trying to assure Jewish authorities in Jerusalem that all will be solved soon and the site returned to its original status with the temporary crosses removed but not the one erected in honor of the Pope's visit. Jewish interests have been against the papal cross, claiming it detracts from the memory of the Jews who died at Auschwitz which also prompted grassroots Catholic groups to respond to that claim by placing all the temporary crosses in the same spot in a statement that Jews do not have monopoly on the suffering at this Nazi death camp, citing Saint Maximilian Kolbe and Blessed Edith Stein as just two of the thousands who died for their faith there. For more, click on Auschwitz crosses

Brazil is in big trouble as a myriad of problems are brought to light

     Down Rio way there is trouble in Brazil as three separate stories attest to in which a Brazilian congressman was exposed for sterilizing women to garner votes and the latest rage is a blasphemy on the beach with the image of Christ on the buttocks of mens skimpy swim suits. Catholic bishops abhor both and have taken legal measures to stop the sale of the swimsuits while seeking further investigation into tubal ligations being performed throughout the country. In addition, a group of Italian priests have asked the government to put a stop to any development in the depleted rain forests as a special preservation project leading to Jubilee 2000 in respect for God's creations. For more, click on Brazil.

Saint of the Gutters to be honored Saturday at the Vatican in honor of the one year anniversary of her death

     The Vatican announced that a special Mass and tribute will be held at St. Peter's on Saturday evening commemorating the one-year anniversary of Mother Teresa's death. The ceremonies will be broadcast live on satellite and on the Vatican's website at www.vatican.va. For more, click on Mother Teresa.

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.

     While his feast is superceded by Ordinary Time, today is the feast of Saint Laurence Justinian, Bishop and Confessor. Below is a prayer in his honor:

Grant, we beseech Thee, almighty God, that the sacred festival of Blessed Laurence, Thy Confessor and Bishop, may increase our devotion and likewise set forward our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.