WORLDWIDE
NEWS & VIEWS
with a Catholic slant
HEADLINES:
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem reports that the Holy Father insists on no political escorts while in Holy Land
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah confirmed yesterday that he has been informed the Holy Father, while accepting Israeli security forces to excort him, will not allow any Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Ehud Barak, to accompany him in order to emphasize that this special "Jubilee Journey," in which he will retrace the footsteps of Christ and the Apostles, is strictly spiritual and no political or national intent should be read into it for as the Vicar of Christ he represents all nations in this journey. For more, click on Jubilee Journey in the Holy Land.
Pope reminisces and looks ahead during Curia Christmas Party in Rome
Reaffirming his metaphor of the door, the Holy Father once again referred to crossing the threshold of the new millennium in recalling the contributions of his predecessors over the century from Pope Leo XIII to Pope John Paul I's brief 33 day pontificate. He assured the curia members that The Holy Father was grateful for their contributions to him and the universal Church and urged them to recommit to provide a greater platform for all the flock to benefit from their labors on behalf of the Church. He blessed them all and thanked them and asked them all to join him in continuing to prepare the Church for what lies ahead in the third millennium including cooperation with whoever comes after him. For more, click on Pope looks back and to the future while reflecting on present with presents.
Terrible natural disaster floods claim lives of thousands in Venezuela, leave hundreds of thousands homeless and a nation at the mercy of the whole world
What horror befell the poor people of Venezuela this week when devastating floods from the effects of La Nina rushed through the northern and coastal sections of this highly Catholic country, washing away homes, belongings, and most devastatingly - lives. The hardest hit were the poor whose hoveled shanties on the hillsides were washed into newly made rushing gorges that left the entire country devastated and the bishops of Venezuela calling for help in any way, any form for the damage has been one of the worst in the history of South America. The Pope has sent his condolences and, if you can help in any way to assist the charity foundations established to help these poor beleaguered people, please do so. For more, click on Tragedy in and around Caracas
What's in a name? In England it's the Gospel-truth according to John as most popular name for newborn boys
Following the example of Zachary when he announced his wife Elizabeth's son's name would be John, newborn boys named after the Apostles grew in popularity in Britain this past year according to the British Office of National Statistics with saints' names in the majority such as John, Thomas, and James as number one through three. Four and five represent two prophets from Old Testament times in Joshua and Daniel. Because there weren't as many women in Sacred Scripture, newborn girls did not reflect the same emulation for saints with only Sophie - after Saint Sophia being in the top five at number five preceded by Chloe, Emily, Megan, and Olivia. The name Mary, after the Blessed Mother of God, was the most popular a century ago followed by the biblical name Sarah. So much for women's lib. For more, click on His name will be John.
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:
- Seventy-seventh installment on our new daily feature APPRECIATING THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH
- Time Capsules in Church History with MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES focusing on December 23rd
- DAILY LITURGY for the Final Thursday and Friday of Late Advent, the Optional Feast of Saint John of Kanty on Thursday and the Christmas Vigil on Christmas Eve.
- Top Ten Movies of the Third Week of December in MOVIES AND MORALS
- Words of wisdom from Bishop Fulton J. Sheen in SIMPLY SHEEN
- ...and more in our 244th issue for 1999!
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Popes face multi-struggles with Saracens, Roman factions, and the Feudal System in expanding the Faith in the first half of the tenth century
We continue our on-going series of this abridged History of the Mass and Holy Mother Church over a 2000 year span called 2000 YEAR VOYAGE ON THE BARQUE OF PETER. Today we feature the thirteen Sovereign Pontiffs from the first half of the tenth century when the Saracen threat and the warring Roman families detracted from the main purpose of the papacy. Still more Popes were murdered by jealous clans trying to push their own candidate onto the throne, but there were Popes who tried to rise above it all and focus on the universal Church, evangelizing to the far regions. For Installment thirty-one The Rise of the Holy Roman Empire - part three: "The Apostolic Line of Peter during the first half of the tenth century" in the BARQUE OF PETER
Appreciation of the Bible and the Old Testament Books
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 Sirach, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations and Baruch. For the seventy-sixth installment, click on APPRECIATING THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH
Events Today in Church History
On this date 1,598 years ago in 401 Pope Saint Innocent I was elected as the 40th successor of Peter. His pontificate would last sixteen years, culminating with his death on March 12, 417. It was this holy Pope who established the observance of the Roman rite which we still observe today. He was also able to convince the Roman Emperor Honorius to cease gladiatorial contests in the circuses and arenas of the Roman Empire because of the barbarism involved. Speaking of barbarism, it was during his papacy that Alaric and his vicious Goths sacked Rome. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES
Ordained by Pope Paul VI, the Archbishop of Genoa Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi is one of the newest Italian cardinals
Our one-hundred-thirty-eight red-hat we feature, in alphabetical order is the 65 year-old Italian Archbishop of Genoa Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, who taught Theology to seminarians for thirty years before being pegged as Archbishop of Ancona in 1989 and then in 1995 to Genoa. Ordained in 1957 by Pope Paul VI, then archbishop of Milan, he was elevated to the cardinalate during Pope John Paul II's most recent Consistory of February 21, 1997. For more on Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, click on COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION
SIMPLY SHEEN: Misery loves company
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 first effect of not receiving love because one is generous and loving toward others is cynicism and even hostility. Never a good word can be said for anyone. Because one is unloved one tries to make everyone else unlovable. Characters are assassinated, the noblest motives reduced to the basest, and slanders believed and propagated. When others do show them kindness they look 'for the catch in it'; even gifts are viewed with suspicion and the sincerest of compliments acknowledged with a charge of insincerity. Because such egotists are so miserable they seek to make everyone else miserable. Never once do they see that they are the cause of their own unhappiness. Someone else is always to blame."
DAILY LITURGY
Today we observe the Final Wednesday of Late Advent and tomorrow the Final Thursday of Late Advent in addition to the optional feast of the Polish priest Saint John of Kanty, For the readings, liturgies, meditations, and vignette on St. John of Kanty, click on DAILY LITURGY.
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.
The DAILY WORD
"And Mary said, 'My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior; because he has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; for behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; because He Who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name; and His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.'"
Luke 1: 46-50
To review past articles in textonly format, click on Archives.
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