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El Escorial visionary Amparo Cuevas: Reaping the fruits of the messages

      We continue with the fourth installment of the apparitions of El Escorial, Spain which began during the same time frame as Betania and Medjugorje and has received little publicity. Yet, like Medjugorje and Betania, El Escorial is still going on and is as important as the others for Our Lady comes as Nuestra Senora de los Dolores - "Our Lady of Sorrows" to call all her children back to her Divine Son Jesus through Prayer, Penance and Sacrifice in atonement for our own sins and those of the entire world. God's chosen messenger to receive these and impart them to the world is a housewife and mother of seven Luz Amparo Cuevas a visionary who has suffered much producing plentiful fruits. For part four of The Apparitions at El Escorial, Spain - "By their fruits you shall know them.", click on THE AGE OF MARIAN APPARITIONS.

"By their fruits you shall know them.".

      The courage and heroism displayed by Luz Amparo Cuevas on that May day in 1983 have won for her the admiration and support of thousands of people who travel to El Escorial for the apparition every first Saturday of the month. Ever since she was first called by Our Lord in November and the ensuing countless apparitions of the Blessed Mother during the past 17 plus years Amparo believes that her function and mission (her Plan of Life, if you will) is to help Jesus save souls through prayer, sacrifices and penance. This has been frequently confirmed in the messages which she receives from Our Blessed Mother and which are published monthly in Spanish and disseminated. She prays and suffers very much, and yet when one sits down to interview her, she communicates humility, simplicity, love, peace, and a deep devotion to Our Blessed Mother and to her Suffering Savior.

      Jesus has given her another mission - one which is designed to put the theoretical aspects of the commandment to love one's neighbor into actual practice. She has begun to care for one of the most abandoned most neglected groups in our society: the elderly. There in El Escorial Amparo has established a Home for the Elderly which provides living facilities for up to twenty of the poorest of the destitute senior citizens (some of whom can hardly walk), so that they can live the rest of their lives with honor, dignity and love. She has also established another Home for the Elderly in Soria with more in the planning. One of the beautiful aspects of this project is that everyone who works at these Homes, and who come from every walk in life have totally volunteered their time and talents.

      In carrying out her twofold mission, saving souls and providing Homes for the Elderly, Amparo Cuevas understands the full significance of Our Lady's request: "I ask you for prayer, penance and sacrifice."

      We have covered who the messenger is in these first four segments on the Visions in El Escorial, Spain. Next installment we will begin to cover the messages imparted to Amparo and how they relate to the whole world in Our Lady's universal request to pray, do penance and sacrifice.

Next installment: Characteristics of the Messages .

The Papal Nuncio who became the Holy See's Chamberlain during his service to the Church

      Today we continue with this new series that we will bring you on a regular basis three times a week. Our eleventh red hat we feature, in alphabetical order, is the 91 year-old Cardinal Paolo Berti who, after nearly forty years of loyal nuncio service, took on the responsibility of Prefect of the Congregation for Causes of Saints, an office that kept him busy - some say overworked in investigating the countless causes for those who would be declared venerable, blessed and saint. On June 30, 1979 Pope John Paul II appointed him Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, a position that is explained in our CATHOLIC CANVAS section of this issue. For more on this red-hat appointed by John Paul II back in his first Consistory of June 30, 1979, click on COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION

11.   Cardinal Paolo Bertoli

      Ninety-one year-old Cardinal Paolo Bertoli is one of many aging Italian cardinals who have served Holy Mother Church well but the sands of time are running out on their lives. There are an alarming number of retired prelates from Italy that does not bode well for support of the next pontiff being an Italian. Of the thirty some cardinals, the median age is 83. Needless to say, eighty is the age when a cardinal is ineligible to vote in the Sacred Conclave.

      Cardinal Bertoli was born in Poggio Garfagnana, Italy on February 1, 1908 and was ordained a priest on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 1930. He was groomed for the curia from the very start, being assigned by Pope Pius XI to diplomatic service for the Holy See. His first full-time assignment was as Papal Nunciature to Yugoslavia, stationed in Belgrade. In 1938 he became Papal Nunciature to France, moving to Paris during World War II, then being assigned in the same role to Haiti and Switzerland respectively. On May 11, 1952 he was made titular Archbishop of Nicomedia and promoted to Apostolic Delegate to Turkey for a year, then Papal Nuncio to Colombia for six years, one year in Lebanon and back to France for nine more years before receiving the red-hat at Pope Paul VI's Consistory of April 28, 1969. At that time he was appointed Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in which he served faithfully until 1972. On June 30, 1979 he was named a cardinal bishop receiving the titular bishopric of Frascati. It was at this time Pope John Paul II promoted him to Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, a position he served without incidence - except for some fears on May 13,1981 when the Holy Father was shot in St. Peter's Square - until his retirement in 1985.

EDITOR'S NOTE: In an effort to list the cardinals alphabetically we skipped one of Cardinal Bertoli's Italian peers on Monday - Cardinal Corrado Bafile. Therefore, we will feature him in Friday's issue, before covering Philadelphia's Cardinal Anthony Joseph Bevilacqua the following Monday.

      In today's biography on Cardinal Paolo Bertoli we refer to him as being appointed "Chamberlain of Holy Roman Church." Also called a "Camerlengo" derived from the Italian Camer for "chamber" and lengo meaning "to oversee", the word evolved becomes "Chamberlain" in English. This office is always a cardinal and involves handling the financial matters of the College of Cardinals and the administration during the interim time between Popes. It is the Chamberlain who, in the event of the death of the Pope, makes the official announcement and closes the papal apartments. He then puts all documents and properties of the deceased pontiff under lock and key, "under seal" - so to speak. He is the one who heads up the interim administration. including calling together and overseeing the Sacred Conclave, and keeps record of all business conducted during Consistories. Once a new Vicar of Christ is selected he abdicates his authority to the rightful Authority of the Church - the new Pope. (source: 1999 Catholic Almanac, Our Sunday Visitor; The Catholic Encyclopedia, Thomas Nelson, Publishers)

January Gems that sparkle and provide sparkling Food for Thought Appeteasers

      Today, we wrap up our January Gems with two more short light-hearted, but thought-provoking vignettes on the truths of doing God's will in all things for when we stray we venture into dangerous territory that can blip us out for eternity or scratch out our eyes. For the two sparklers, Why worry about the Y2K bug when we have JC1*? and Hooked, line and sinker!, click on JANUARY GEMS OF VALUE FOR FOOD FOR THOUGHT APPETEASERS

      Both of today's food for thought vignettes come from NL via e-mail. The first is a very short, but pertinent gif gift that should put our fears of the Y2K bug for, as you'll see in "Why worry about the Y2K bug when we have JC1*?" that we worry too much and don't trust enough. The second, entitled "Hooked, line and sinker!" is a bit about a pirate's fate and why we need to be careful and appreciative of whatever God sends our way. If we misuse His gifts and blessings, we can be blinded to His true purpose for us.

Why worry about the Y2K bug when we have JC1*?

Jesus and satan are having a heated argument over the Y2K bug. The devil is trying to convince Our Lord that he is a better programmer. This goes on for hours as Saint Peter looks on with a new group of recruits at the pearly gates who have gathered to see what is all the commotion about. Finally, Jesus sets forth a compromise - the best programmer gets the souls. Satan is hesitant but his pride gets the best of him and he decides to the deal.

      They sit down at their respective computers and begin typing furiously, lines of code streaming up the screen for several hours straight. Seconds before the end of the competition the Y2K bug strikes and like a bolt of lightning, everything is shut down!

      Naturally, satan is furious. He begins to fume, sparks flying from his red epidermis as his horns boil in anger. All that work and he had nothing to show for it because of the crash. He turns to Jesus and says, "oh, well, neither one of us have anything to show for it so all we've really lost is time."

      Jesus looks back at him with a knowing smile that penetrates the devil's bones in sending shivers through the eternal bad angel as he hears St. Peter and the others murmuring in the background.

      Just then Our Lord enters a command and the screen comes to life in a colorful display with the voices of an angelic choir pouring forth in melodic harmony from the speakers.

      Satan is astonished and dumbfounded. He turns toward St. Peter, now chuckling along with the rest of the Heavenly choir, and asks God's gatekeeper in a stutter, "B-b-but how?! I lost everything, yet Jesus' program is intact! How did He do it?"

      St. Peter winks and replies, "You should have realized in the Garden of Eden, when you tempted Him on the mountain and on the Cross, when you spewed lies to all His children down through the centuries; you should have realized then something that almost everybody knows: Jesus saves!"

*JC1 = Jesus Christ One (Won!)

Hooked, line and sinker!

A new sailor signed on with the crew of a mighty brigantine ship of sea. His first day he came across a crusty old pirate who was missing a few things. Curious to find out why he only had one leg, one hand and one eye he set about finding out.

      The seaman finally got up the nerve and approached the pirate, asking, "So, how'd you end up with the peg leg?"

      The pirate replied, "Well, matey, we were in a storm at sea we were n' I was swept overboard right into a school of hungry sharks! Just as me men were pulling me back onto the ship, one of the sharks bit me leg off!"

      "Wow!" tallied the shocked seaman. "But what about your hook?"

      "Well," replied the pirate, "We were boarding an enemy ship we were and battling the other sailors with swords. Oh it was ferocious, and sure as I'm standin' here on one leg, one of the enemy sailors cut off me hand!"

      "Incredible!" blurted the seaman. "And might I be so bold to ask how you got the eyepatch?"

      The pirate winced, then responded, "A seagull dropping fell in me eye one day."

      Incredulously the sailor shot back, "You lost your eye to a seagull dropping?"

      "Yeah, matey," said the pirate, "it was me first day with the hook!"

      Have we ever reacted like this? God has it covered, sometimes it's the overall plan God helps us make and sometimes it's a unique plan God makes for us! The lesson here is to be patient, do the right thing and it will work out. So be careful not to get hooked on something we don't see at first. That seems to be satan's manifesto, get us hooked and drop doodoo on our plans and then relish watching us destroy ourselves because of our humanness. Thankfully, God is always there to straighten us out as we hobble along in blindness!

"I do solemnly tell you by your faithfulness you hasten my Immaculate Heart's Triumph."

      Those words from the Blessed Virgin Mary in Message #367 encompass the theme of most of her messages to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart and Our Lady's promise at Fatima that, "In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph." The Blessed Mother reinforces the need for prayer and reparation and alerts us that the persecutions and sufferings are increasing as are satan's efforts to wrestle souls to his camp and there will be many who cross over to the devil because of their neglect for her Divine Son Jesus and His laws. Our Lady alerts her faithful ones to pray for those who turn away from God and not to worry about physical pain or rebuke from the world for if we are rooted in all God wills, nothing in this world can harm our souls. For messages 367 and 368, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

Messages Three Hundred-Sixty-seven and Three Hundred-Sixty-eight

      Beloved Hidden Flower, I am with you. Say to all of my little ones: God's Love is Infinite and He calls you daily. He will care for all who love Him and seek His Will.

      But I solemnly tell you that the age of persecution is upon you. The evil one has imprisoned you in his lies, and thus by your own will your heart is hardened. All who are gathered beneath my Immaculate Mantle are apostles of the end times.

      Read Sacred Scripture that you might know that which all apostles, disciples and prophets must endure for Love of God. I do solemnly tell you by your faithfulness you hasten my Immaculate Heart's Triumph.

      I love you and bless you. Thank you for responding to my Call!

      Beloved Hidden Flower, I bless you. Yes, the sufferings grow more intense. Suffer for all who yet refuse my plea to return to my Divine Son.

      O! little children the heavens weep because you remain hardened. There is so little light left in your souls. You are but dying embers which shall be snatched away by satan's lies.

      Beloved little ones, all around you, if you look with the eyes of your souls, you see the fulfillment of many of my words. Of those things which I have warned you many are yet to come. I beseech you to be alert for they shall come quickly. The chalice of offenses against God already overflows, and your world suffers dreadfully. And yet you look to man for help and utter not one sincere prayer to God.

      Behold, the times shall worsen. Already many catastrophes have hit your country. You do not understand how far-reaching these are. Will you not open your hearts? Receive the Holy Spirit, and surrender your wills to the Divine Will. In all things seek God, and give Him all reverence. Beware the evil one who has infiltrated into the very sanctuary of my Divine Son's Church. Know that my faithful remnant, though scattered throughout the world, shall be fed by God and they shall win the victory.

      Watch. Pray! Wait with the faith in your souls alive and deeply rooted. I will help you, but you must truly seek God if I am to help.

      Therefore, Pray! Pray! Pray! I love and bless you. Thank you for responding to my Call!

Events Today in Church History

      On this date in 672 the 76th successor of Peter Pope Saint Vitalian passed on to his Heavenly reward. It would be a half a millennium later that Jesus would instruct Saint Francis of Assisi to "Rebuild My Church", but it was first performed by St. Vitalian who spent the majority of his three year pontificate rebuilding many of the magnificent churches of Rome that were sacked by the Saracens. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for January 27:

• 150 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Julian of Sora, martyr from Dalmatia who was imprisoned for his faith, scourged and then decapitated druing the reign of Roman Emperor Titus Antonio Pius.

• 672 A.D.
  
• Death of Pope Saint Vitalian, 76th successor of Peter. Born in Segni, Italy, he was elected on July 30, 657. During his fifteen year pontificate he sent Apostolic Nuncios to Gaul, Spain and England. He was the first Pope to regulate the liturgical use of organ music, using it during religious ceremonies. He played a significant role in the Lombards' conversion to Christianity.

• 720 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Gamelbert, priest of Michaelsbuch in Bavaria. Though he was born into a wealthy family, his father was wise and made him a shepherd guarding sheep at an early age so that Gamelbert would understand Christ's call to "Feed My sheep.". That's exactly what Gamelbert did, serving for 50 years as a humble, loving shepherd of a parish.

• 798 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Candida, Abbess of the monastery in Banoles in Spain who was the mother of Saint Emerius before becoming a religious once widowed.

• 847 A.D.
  
• Death of Pope Sergius II, 102nd successor of Peter. Immediately after his predecessor Pope Gregory IV died while the Saracens were at the gates of Rome, they laid seige to Rome and sacked the Basilica of St. Paul and other churches, leaving Sergius with a tremendous reconstruction project during his three year papacy. The infidels were finally defeated at Gaeta. Sergius reassembled the stairs of the Praetorium known as the "Holy Stairs."

• 1540 A.D.
  
• Death of Saint Angela Merici, Italian virgin, religious educator and foundress. For more on this saint, see DAILY LITURGY.

    Dear children! I again invite you to prayer. You have no excuse to work more because nature still lies in deep sleep. Open yourselves in prayer. Renew prayer in your families. Put Holy Scripture in a visible place in your families, read it, reflect on it and learn how God loves His people. His love shows itself also in present times because He sends me to call you upon the path of salvation. Thank you for having responded to my call.
For more on Medjugorje, click on MEDJUGORJE AND MORE

Click here to go to SECTION TWO or click here to return to the graphics front page of this issue.

January 27, 1999 volume 10, no. 18   DAILY CATHOLIC