DAILY CATHOLIC for 

December 21, 1999
  • The significance of the Holy Door for the Jubilee Year 2000
  • Saint Faustina and Blessed John XXIII in 2000?
  • Appreciation of the Psalms through Wisdom
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December 21, 1999
vol. 10, no. 242

TUESDAY
Tuesday in Late Advent
Optional Feast of
Saint Peter Canisius, Priest, Religious and Doctor of the Church
See DAILY LITURGY

WORLDWIDE NEWS & VIEWS with a Catholic slant

HEADLINES:

Blessed Faustina to become Saint Faustina in 2000 along with beatification of Popes Pius IX and John XXIII in addition to others, including Spanish Martyrs

    Revealing the list of those to be declared venerable, blessed and saint, the Prefect for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints read off the official list with the Pope present yesterday. The Holy Father had to be pleased that Blessed Faustina will be canonized next year for it was this Polish Pope who advanced her cause from the beginning while Archbishop of Krakow. Numerous others were mentioned, including over one hundred martyrs of the Spanish Civil War. The most notable beatification will be September 3, 2000 on the Feast of Pope Saint Gregory the Great when two Supreme Pontiffs will be recognized as blessed in a joint ceremony honoring both Pope Pius IX and Pope John XXIII. For more, click on Causes of Saints

Cardinal Dezza, second oldest cardinal and personal confessor of Pope Paul VI, succumbs at 98

    Just shy a week after celebrating his 98th birthday, Cardinal Paolo Dezza, S.J. passed on to his Heavenly reward this past Friday at the Jesuit General House. Besides being the second oldest cardinal and a priest for 70 years, he was also revered as the personal confessor of Pope Paul VI and a professor who impressed Father Karol Wojtyla when he first studied in Rome. Cardinal Dezza served as Assistant General of the Jesuits in 1965 and again in 1981 as Superior General locum tenans. He was truly a giant within the Society of Jesus. To honor him, the Pope made him a cardinal in the Consistory of June 28, 1991. His death drops the number of cardinals to 153 with 106 eligible to vote in Sacred Conclave. For more, click on Cardinal Dezza


Grizzly task of uncovering bodies in East Timor continues as tales of horror mount

   It has been nearly three months since the terrible massacres in East Timor when pro-Indonesia militas wreaked havoc on the innocent, defenseless people of this Catholic country after an overwhelming referendum was won for independence. But for many their only independence is now with God for they were senselessly slaughtered by these marauders. Each day Australian peacekeepers are uncovering more bodies and survivors tell of terrible tales of horror that border on the inhuman. East Timor's spiritual leader Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo has called for accountability by Indonesia for these inhumane acts that have left his country desolate. For more, click on East Timor horrors.

Evangelist Billy Graham touting John Paul II as Man of the Century

    One of the greatest evangelists of this century knows quality when he sees it and Billy Graham is serious when he touts Pope John Paul II as the man of the century for all he has accomplished, more than any other Roman Pontiff in the last two centuries. He also cited the Holy Father's tremendous grasp on the human heart, ecumenism and the Gospel. The 81 year-old evangelist pointed out that no matter how advanced society becomes technology-wise, it will not improve man's heart for he is unwilling to change even though man is intent on changing God to suit their way rather than His Divine Will. For more, click on Man of the Century.
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.

Coming Tomorrow

  • The seventy-sixth installment in our daily series on the treasures of the great Deposit of Faith in APPRECIATING THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH.

  • The thirty-first installment of our weekly abridged series on the 2000 YEAR VOYAGE ON THE BARQUE OF PETER

  • Biography on Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, the 138th Prince of the Church we feature in COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION

  • Time Capsules in Church History with MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES focusing on December 22nd.

  • More words of wisdom from Bishop Fulton J. Sheen in SIMPLY SHEEN

  • DAILY LITURGY for the Final Wednesday and Thursday of Late Advent plus Thursday's optional feast of Saint John of Kanty, priest.

  • ...and more in our 243rd issue for 1999!
  • Open wide the Holy Door to, for and of Christ!

        In today's editorial, we preview the great event to take place this Friday evening when the Holy Father officially ushers in the grand Jubilee Year 2000 by passing the threshold of the Holy Door, located in the Moderno Atrium of St. Peter's Basilica. He will open the massive aperture with three raps of his hand and gently the huge iron doors will swing open and he, along with the universal Church, will carry our pilgrimage - begun three years ago - into this highly significant Jubilee year. As the pilgrim of pilgrims the Vicar of Christ will fulfill a promise he made to lead us all into the new millennium. In our commentary we give the background to the ritual and the meaning of the Holy Door and all that it represents as well as the pilgrimage this "Pilgrim Pope" will undertake in walking in Our Lord's footsteps in March. For the editorial, "Knock, and it shall be opened to you" see CATHOLIC PewPOINT

    Appreciation of the Bible and the Old Testament Books of Psalms through Wisdom

        Today we continue our search to uncover the wonderful treasures of the Church contained in the great Deposit of Faith with our series on the Bible and Sacred Scripture, presenting an overview of each of the Old Testament books, featuring today the Books of Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticle of Canticles or Song of Songs, and Wisdom. For the seventy-fifth installment, click on APPRECIATING THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH

    DAILY LITURGY

        Today is the observance of the final Tuesday of Late Advent with the optional feast of Saint Peter Canisius, Priest, Religious and Doctor of the Church. Tomorrow we observe the final Wednesday of Late Advent. For the readings, liturgy, meditations and profile on St. Peter Canisius, click on DAILY LITURGY

    Events Today in Church History

       Today is the anniversary 882 years ago when in 1117 Saint Thomas Becket was born in London, England to the sheriff of the city of Norman parents. After studying at the University of Paris he went on to become a deacon, then archdeacon of Canterbury and finally appointed Archbishop of the same see by Henry of Anjou who became Henry II as king of England. When Henry interferred in investiture matters and skirted Rome, Thomas stayed loyal to the Holy See and when he refused to obey the king over the Pope, Henry dispatched four knights to slay the archbishop in the cathedral on December 29, 1170. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

    SIMPLY SHEEN:
    Giving can heal the hurts of the lonely

          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".

    " Most people of the world are unloved. Some do not make themselves loveable because of their selfishness; others do not have enough Christian spirit to love those who do not love. The result is that the world is full of lonely hearts. Here we speak not of love in the romantic or carnal sense, but in the higher sense of generosity, forgiveness, kindness and sacrifice."


    The DAILY WORD

    "And it came to pass, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe in her womb leapt. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!' "

    Matthew 21: 28

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

       To allow all readers to catch up on our popular on-going series, 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. Until we are back to full strength we will continue the archives, giving readers the opportunity to catch up 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.

    November 25th Medjugorje Monthly Message

      Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. In this time of grace, may the cross be a sign-post of love and unity for you through which true peace comes. That is why, little children, pray especially at this time that little Jesus, the Creator of peace, may be born in your hearts. Only through prayer will you become my apostles of peace in this world without peace. That is why, pray until prayer becomes a joy for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.
    For more on Medjugorje, click on MEDJUGORJE AND MORE

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

    Finally the long-awaited books
    "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." and THE HIDDEN WAY
    are NOW available!

         With the messages completed, you can now order the book that contains ALL the messages. This much-anticipated 224-page book of ALL the messages to the world imparted to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary is a lasting gift that will inspire you in your faith, and all God asks of us. You can acquire your own handsome, coffee-table top copy of "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." containing all 632 messages or the THE HIDDEN WAY containing 100 inspirational Meditative Lessons from Our Lord and Our Lady on Church Doctrine by clicking on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..." or THE HIDDEN WAY or both books at BOOKS
    COUNTDOWN TO THE JUBILEE: 4 and counting, hoping and praying...

    December 21, 1999       volume 10, no. 242
    TEXT PAGE

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