Message to the Americas: Repent of your ways and take up the cause of human dignity and the Sanctity of Life

      Normally this weekly feature is brought to you on Mondays but because yesterday was part of the weekend holiday issue, we bring it to you today. Following up a year after the Bishops of North, Central and South America, along with the Caribbean contingent, met for the month-long Synod of the Americas in Rome at the end of 1997, Pope John Paul II officially closed the Synod with his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in America at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Mexico City in January 1999. Because of its significance for all Americans, we bring you this important document in several installments over the next few months. For those wanting to read the entire encyclical or check footnotes, go to Ecclesia in America For the nineteenth installment on Chapter Five: The Path to Solidarity - Social sins that cry to Heaven , click on THE VICAR OF CHRIST SPEAKS.

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 forty-six installments presently available for 1999, click on the Archives of CATHOLIC PewPOINT.

Retroactive articles on Church history available from 1150 to 1515 A.D. for summer review

      This summer we present the installments from Blessed Pope Eugene III, the 167th successor of Peter in the mid-twelfth century through Pope Leo X, the 217th in the Petrus line early in the sixteenth century. These are installments 46 through 106. We should soon have installments one through 45, which cover the first millennium, available to review on-line within a few weeks. We will resume our original series in September with installment 107 on Pope Hadrian VI. To read any of the sixty installments presently available in this long on-going series, click on the Archives of THE HISTORY OF THE MASS AND HOLY MOTHER CHURCH.

This retro summer we present the best of Pat Ludwa's VIEW FROM THE PEW

     This summer on Monday's we will present the opportunity to review any of Pat Ludwa's thirty-three columns for this year. Since Monday's issue was included with the weekend issue, we present this feature today. Original columns will run in Thursday's issues, but in Monday's issues we bring you these archives. For Pat's past columns, click on VIEW FROM THE PEW ARCHIVES

SIMPLY SHEEN:No matter what, God loves us!

      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".

"There may be times when our heart chides us that we have fallen far below our ideals, but with amendment one can always be sure of the Father's Love."

      Those words were imparted by the Blessed Virgin Mary in Message #584 on January 15, 1994 to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart in which Our Lady reaffirms the obvious that the Holy Father will eventually proclaim this "Fifth Dogma" ushering in the events that will bring about the Triumph of Mary's Immaculate Heart. In this message and the one preceding it on January 12th, she warns us of the evil one's intense fury and that he is pulling out all stops for his time is short and the signs point to this. That is why she is asking all her little ones to pray like we've never prayed before. For Messages #583 and #584, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

     Today is the Feast of modern martyr Saint Maria Goretti as well as the Fifteenth Tuesday in Ordinary Time while tomorrow we commemorate the Fifteenth Wednesday in Ordinary Time. For the readings, liturgies, meditations and vignette on St. Maria Goretti, click on DAILY LITURGY.

Holy Father blesses new church in Rome in fulfillment of a vow made 55 years ago

     It took three generations and fifty-five years later, but the Roman faithful led by Pope Pius XII, who made a vow to build a church in honor of Our Lady of Divine Love if God would spare their city from invasion during World War II, have finally made good on their promise and Pope John Paul II, along with 22 other bishops, was present to consecrate the new Sanctuary of Divine Love, bathed in a blue light created by stained glass, as His Holiness reminded the people of the other vows made in association with the construction of this edifice, that of helping others and repenting of their immoral conduct. For more, click on Fulfilling a promise

Rome proclaims fourteen more to be canonized in the near future

     The Pontifical Congregation for the Causes of Saints proclaimed, in the Holy Father's presence, the clearance for fourteen new saints to be proclaimed later this year and in the Jubilee year. Included in the group are various Spanish martyrs, two Italian priests who reformed their orders, and a Mexican nun who founded the Congregation of the Sacred Heart and will become Mexico's first female saint. For more, click on Modern saints .

Protestant marchers think better of marching through Catholic neighborhood in Northern Ireland

      Surprisingly, the Protestant Orange Order which has been fomenting so much opposition to the Irish Peace Pact and to the Roman Catholics, backed off and decided not to stir things up further by marching past Catholic homes in tension-villed Portadown, Northern Ireland. Many believe the pressure from the Ulster Unionists which is the strongest Protestant main-line group in the region, and promises from British Prime Minister Tony Blair who has both Protestant and Catholic blood-lines, helped quell further violent confrontations though there are minority factions within these groups on both sides who want to perpetuate the centuries-long bitter fued. For more, click on Irish tension.

Prefect of Justice and Peace Pontifical Council lays out Ten Commandments in business

     There is a saying, "Mr. Business went to church, never missed a Sunday; Mr. Business went to hell for what he did on Monday." Archbishop Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace wants to provide a guide for businessmen and women so they don't fall into that trap and will conduct business in a Christian manner as Jesus Christ intended. That is why he recently release ten guidelines, or the "Ten Commandments of Business" applicable to all. For more, click on It's everybody's business.

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.

    Dear children! Today I thank you for living and witnessing my messages with your life. Little children, be strong and pray so that prayer may give you strength and joy. Only in this way will each of you be mine and I will lead you on the way of salvation. Little children, pray and with your life witness my presence here. May each day be a joyful witness for you of God's love. Thank you for having responded to my call.
For more on Medjugorje, click on MEDJUGORJE AND MORE