The voters chose as the 78th TOP CATHOLIC OF THE CENTURY one of the modern crusaders for freedom - Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, the 51 year-old recipient of the 1996 Nobel Peace Prize and shepherd for all of East Timor as Bishop of Dili. All his life he has sought a peaceful settlement to the tragic conditions in East Timor which was unfavorably and suddenly annexed by Muslim Indonesia in the mid-seventies. For more on the 78th selection, click on BISHOP CARLOS BELO

Catholic PewPoint helps put things in perspective and clear up the tunnels of confusion!

      This summer we present all the editorials to date from 1999 for you to review. Take a ride on the twists and turns of humanity in past installments of Catholic PewPoint. In this wild ride of life, through the tunnels of doubt we need to cling to the rails of hope and trust that God will guide us safely over the whirls and swirls, dips and blips, highs and lows that affect us daily in this rollercoaster called life. These commentaries help keep things on a more even keel, slowing the turns so that all can better navigate the dangerous curves and stay on track in heading towards the light at the end of the tunnel. During the summer we will present this archive feature on Tuesdays and a new commentary every Friday. To read any of the fifty installments presently available for 1999, click on the Archives of CATHOLIC PewPOINT.

Retroactive articles on Church history available from 33 to 1515 A.D. for summer review

      This summer we present a review of the period from the time of Christ when He founded the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church to the time of the Reformation and Pope Leo X, the 217th in the Petrus line early in the sixteenth century. These are installments 1 through 106. We will resume our original series in September with installment 107 on Pope Hadrian VI. To read any of the 105 installments presently available in this long on-going series, click on the Archives of THE HISTORY OF THE MASS AND HOLY MOTHER CHURCH.

      They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the words of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen have been known to launch a thousand images in one's mind, one of the ways this late luminary did so much to evangelize the faith. Because of the urgency of the times and because few there are today who possess the wisdom, simplicity and insight than the late Archbishop who touched millions, we are bringing you daily gems from his writings. The good bishop makes it so simple that we have dubbed this daily series: "SIMPLY SHEEN".

"The wisest of men reads out of a philosophy of life, as he eats out of a philosophy of health. Mental garbage is as scrupulously avoided by the eyes in reading, as another kind of garbage is avoided by the lips."

     Today is the Feast of the Apostle Saint Bartholomew while tomorrow we observe Ordinary Time and celebrate the Feasts of Saint Louis of France and Saint Joseph Calasanz, priest, religious founder and educator. For the readings, liturgies, meditations, and vignette on these saints, click on DAILY LITURGY.

PRAYER & DEVOTIONS

    In honor of the Feast of Saint Bartholomew we present the Opening Prayer for the Mass in his honor:

Lord, sustain within us the faith which made Saint Bartholomew ever loyal to Christ. Let Your Church be the sign of salvation for all nations of the world.

Church's interest in East Timor's Independence is not temporal Bishop Belo affirms

      Bishop Carlos Belo, who we feature in today's TOP 100 CATHOLICS OF THE CENTURY, has reassured officials and the media that the Church has no intention of seizing power after the elections in which East Timorese people, the majority of who are Catholic, go to the polls next Sunday in casting their vote for independence. The Bishop, a Nobel Prize Laureate, has long been an outspoken advocate for nonviolent settlements in all issues and is seeking a peaceful end to the current violence spurred on by military and political factions. For more, click on East Timor Independence.

Belgium celebrates 50th Anniversary of Banneux Apparitions Approval with special letter from Pope

      On the occasion Sunday of the 50th Anniversary of the Aprroval of the Apparitions at Banneux in Belgium by the Bishop of Liege, the Holy Father sent a letter to the current Bishop of the Diocese of Liege along with the Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops Cardinal Jan Schotte who celebrated the anniversary Mass commemorating the golden jubilee of approval of the apparitions that occurred in 1933 to the visionary Mariette. The Blessed Virgin Mary was proclaimed Patroness of the Poor in 1942 by the Holy See and seven years later the apparitions were given full approval at the local level worthy of belief. For more, click on Banneux .

Mexican Bishops united behind Pope on episcopal succession

      Showing solidarity behind the Pope and, with the Papal Nuncio present, the Mexican Bishops announced that only the Pope has the authority to appoint and demote bishops. The formal reaffirmation was necessary in light of the fact that the bishop of San Cristobal de las Casas has taken it upon himself to determine who is qualified or not qualified to be a bishop in direct disobedience to Rome. The said bishop is also known to embrace liberation theology which the Pope has condemned. For more, click on Mexico.

Rome assured by International Court that Seal of Confession will be honored

      Fears of the seal of Confession not being honored by the new International Criminal Court, largely spawned by Canada's proposal for such, have been alleviated with the announcement that the Preparatory Committee for the International Criminal Court will not consider Canada's rash suggestions, honoring the time-honored tradition of the sacramental nature of the seal of the confessional in the Roman Catholic Church. The innovation of the Court is to eradicate genocide, ethnic cleansing and other serious crimes against humanity. For more, click on International Court

For more headlines and articles, we suggest you go to the Catholic World News site at the CWN home page and Church News at Noticias Eclesiales and the features, dossiers and Daily Dispatches at ZENIT International News Agency. CWN, NE and ZENIT are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provide this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.