Why are so few taking advantage of the Confessional?

      In his column today, Pat Ludwa deals with forgiveness and asks the question why so few populate the confessionals. In fact, many of these confidential cubicles are more populated by spiders who spin their silk than penitents whose sins need forgiveness. Lent is the time to clear out those cobwebs both around the confessionals and around our hearts so that we can avoid condemnation. For his column titled Do it yourself confession?!?, click on VIEW FROM THE PEW

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A sure signal to the Americas: Be one in purpose!

      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. Because of its significance for all Americans, we begin today 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 first installment, click on THE VICAR OF CHRIST SPEAKS.

Cardinal Edward Clancy: The only active cardinal residing in Australia is a giant down-under as Archbishop of Sydney

     Our twenty-fifth red hat we feature, in alphabetical order is Cardinal Edward Bede Clancy current Archbishop of Sydney, Australia who was granted the cardinalate in the Consistory of June 28, 1988. For more on Cardinal Clancy, click on COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION

"Let the opinion of the world not touch you; rather, from your heart pray for the world."

      Those words from the Mother of God were imparted to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart in Message #414 on the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi. Our Lady reminds all her children of how to pray with and from the heart and to submit our wills totally to the Divine Will, using the gentle and humble Francis as an example. She prefaces this message three days earlier on the feast of Saint Therese the Little Flower imploring her little ones to follow the "little way" by immersing ourselves in the Refuge of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. For Messages #413 and #414 from Our Lady, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

SIMPLY SHEEN:

The fine line between saint and sinner

     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 reason why we are not better than we are is that we do not will to be better: the sinner and the saint are set apart only by a series of tiny decisions within our hearts."

From Refuge of the Lamb an apostle falls into the den of iniquity

      His apostles can sense it, Jesus has confirmed it - the time is drawing near when He will be handed over. But Jesus, in His Mercy, protects Judas Iscariot from their wrath as the Son of God allows man's free will to govern. In today's Meditative Lesson 3, as viewed interiorly by the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart, we further understand the mood just before passover, climaxing with quiet time between Our Lord and His Blessed Mother for Both knew what was to come and accepted it as the Will of the Father. For this second part of WITH THE APOSTLES ON THE EVE OF PASSOVER as we continue these inspiring lessons on the Passion throughout Lent, click on "IT IS CONSUMMATED!"

Abortion counseling crisis in Germany prompts bishops to turn to Pope for answers

      Frustrated over German laws that conflict with the German bishops' 250 counseling centers, the prelates are turning to the Holy Father for help, hoping he can reach a modicum of common sense in the madness that many German bishops are afraid is a political time bomb. Caught in the vice of being forced to give counsel on abortion, the majority realize this is in direct conflict with Catholic teaching and they refuse to do so. The consequences are that the German government will squeeze the Church out of counseling young women. It basically boils down to a real catch 22 and now the horns of the dilemna rest with the Solomon-like Polish Pontiff. For more, click on Appeal to the Pope .

Is the Vatican going the way of the Smart Card?

      That is the question many are asking with the announcement by the Vatican's Central Committee for Jubilee 2000 that they may plan on issuing over six million "Pilgrim Cards" for those pilgrims coming to Rome and Italy for the Jubilee year. While the new web site is up only in Italian, that does not require information, but the "smart cards" will and many are dubious if this is such a good idea in light of the dangers of the mark of the beast. For more, click on Pilgrim Card.

Archbishop Chaput to keynote Colorado Catholic Medical Association Convention

      Catholic Doctors in Denver have set a course for integrating Catholic beliefs into their practice where morals and ethics are involved. A Mass and homily by Denver's Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Conv. will highlight the Colorado Catholic Medical Association's annual meeting in which serious moral dilemnas such as abortion and euthanasia as well as business and counseling ethics will be discussed from a Catholic perspective. For more, click on Catholic Doctors.

Has the prodigal son film company come home?

      The Film Company Miramax has come a long way back after disgracing themselves, Hollywood and drawing the wrath of Catholics and Christians everywhere with the disgusting movies "Priests" and "Kids" a few years ago. We say this for the Catholic organization the Christophers presented their annual "Christopher Awards" to four films, three of which were distributed by Miramax, for portraying the highest values of the human spirit. The films were "Down in the Delta","Smoke Signals" and the Academy Award nominee in seven categories "Life is Beautiful" which we strongly recommended in our February 16th issue. For more, click on Be missionaries of the Word

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. Both CWN and NE are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provides this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.

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The CHRISTOPHER AWARDS

      Our final news story today highlights the Christopher Awards with this year's recipients including Stephen Spielberg for "Saving Private Ryan", Maya Angelou for "Down in the Delta", and Roberto Benigni for "Life is Beautiful!" to name a few. Though not officially a part of the structure of the Church, the Christophers is a Catholic media-watchdog organization founded over half a century ago which sets as its philosophy that "it's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness." It is one of the most visible and well respected in the media industry with their famous "Christopher Notes" and "Three Minutes a day" inspirations that we can remember being circulated in the fifties to all the Catholic schools. Today this New York City organization is headed by Father Tom McSweeney. For fifty years they have been publicly recognizing quality and media material in the entertainment field in movies, television, and books. Though not possessing the media hype of the Academy Awards or the Golden Globes or Emmies, the Christopher Awards carry a prestige and decency that says "job well done" to the directors, producers and writers who have portrayed to the audience ideas and ethics that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit." This year the Christophers will celebrate their Golden Anniversary of presenting these awards. Over the past fifty years these deserving recipients may not have received the overall recognition from the public, but they are recognized where it most counts in helping others, just as their namesake Saint Christopher did as the legend says in carrying the child Jesus across the river. (source: The Christophers Web Page at Christophers.org).

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