In his column today, Pat Ludwa takes on the Gargans, the Battle Droids, Ewoks, emperor's forces and the Lucas lumenaries in asserting that there is only One Force and it isn't something dreamed up in a space yarn but rather documented in Sacred Scripture for all galaxies. The galaxies of the Star Wars legends haven't got a clue as to who is truly in charge as Pat points out that to know of God is not enough, we must truly know and love Him. For Pat's column May the Farce be with you , click on VIEW FROM THE PEW

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"Thou art a priest forever according to the Order of Melchisedech." The problem is priests don't live forever and they are dying off at an alarming rate.

      We continue our series on Prayer, something that is so misunderstood and complicated and really is so simple for it is merely "talking with God." We focus on the heart of prayer life - our priests who are so precious to us, especially in the necessity of celebrating the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in order that we might have Jesus, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity available to us. Without these consecrated priest-sons, the tabernacles are empty. For the second part of our series on Prayer today entitled, Time to seek Mercy, click on WHERE IS HOLY MOTHER CHURCH HEADING AS WE NEAR THE MILLENNIUM?

SIMPLY SHEEN: The disappointments of trusting in man

      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".

"Instead of this being a time of disaster, it is rather a period of humiliation. We are being left to ourselves, to our own devices, to our own conceits. Day by day we are learning that scriptural truth: 'Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who depend upon horses; who put their trust in chariots because of their number, and in horsemen because of their combined power, but look not to the Holy One of Israel nor seek the Lord' (Isaiah 31:1)."

      On this day in 1429 the "Maid of Orleans," better known as Saint Joan of Arc led her French troops into the beseiged city of Orleans to wrest it back from the Earl of Suffolk who had claimed the city for Britain. On June 18, 1429 it would fall with the French reclaiming the city thanks to the valiant efforts of Joan of Arc who would garner many enemies because of her brashness, both politically and hierarchically. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

"Let your prayer for peace come from your heart, so that in these end times you may help to renew Holy Mother Church in the time of great heresy and schism."

      Those words from the Blessed Virgin Mary were conveyed on the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi on October 4, 1994 to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart wherein Our Lady asked all her little ones to emulate the simplicity and obedience of Francis who strove for peace in all things, but never compromise. She calls for all her little ones to seek peace from our hearts and follows this up two days later with the message of Refuge in her Divine Son's Sacred Heart and her own Immaculate Heart. For Messages #549 and #550, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

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WORLDWIDE NEWS & VIEWS
with a Catholic slant

provided by
Catholic World News Service
and Noticias Eclesiales Church News and ZENIT International News Agency

HEADLINES:

Will the peace agreement in Kosovo last?

      In the eleventh hour of the peace process, both sides blinked and swallowed their pride. It was the only way an agreement could be reached in effecting a Serb withdrawal from Kosovo and stopping the NATO bombing, a point L'Osservatore Romano made as well as Belgrade's Roman Catholic Archbishop Franc Perko in separate articles yesterday. In the end it was only by doing what the Pope first suggested that progress was finally made. For more, click on Peace is possible.

Rebels reported to have kidnapped more hostages while word of rebel leader meeting at Vatican to apologize creates controversy

      Even while rebel guerrillas of the Cuban-backed National Liberation Army in Colombia kidnapped more hostages, word was received that one of the influential leaders of the rebel army code named "Gabino" traveled to the Holy See to seek forgiveness for the blatant act of abducting well over 100 churchgoers on Trinity Sunday in Cali. Critics surmise it was the Archbishop's excommunication edict that prompted Gabino to "go to the top." Yet in view of the fact all have not been released yet, the apology would seem hollow. For more, click on Rebels acting strangely

Advances made on the pro-life front as Congress and governors solidify legislation on behalf of unborn

      With all the setbacks the pro-life movement has been suffering with liberal, culture of death aficionados intent on wiping out the innocent unborns in any way they can, the unborns gained strong allies in the US House when Congress voted not to fund any kind of abortion pill which includes the controversial French RU-486 pill that induces abortion as a matter-of-fact murder. Also the Bush brothers, George W. Bush as governor of Texas and Jeb Bush gubernatorial head in Florida both passed pro-life measures; the former making it harder for a young girl to obtain an abortion without parental approval and the latter in signing into law pro-life license plates that can be purchased to display on their cars. For more, click on Pro-life proponents.

Coming in the new millennium: the Vatican set to set up shop at your local mall

      Can you imagine the Vatican at your nearest Mall? That's a possibility with the announcement that the Vatican will begin negotiations to open a "Vatican store" in the big apple, one of 400 planned internationally. The stores will stock items sold in stores inside Vatican City and throughout Rome in bringing Rome to the masses. Proceeds will go toward renovations of the Vatican Library. The Vatican boutiques will carry the Vatican architechtural theme with ceiling frescoes reminiscent of the masters' works, yet designers promise the shops will emit a sense of dignity and class and not the "McDonald's franchise look." For more, click on Vatican venue.

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 Daily Dispatches, Dossiers and Features from 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.

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