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SIMPLY SHEEN: Uncovering the mystery of suffering

      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".

"A mother gives a child bitter medicine; thought the child protests, he knows it comes from a loving hand and for his own good. Love cannot extinguish suffering, but it can diminish it, as love makes an all night vigil by her sick child seem less hard. "

      Today is the Second Wednesday of Lent and the optional feast of Blessed Katherine Drexel, Virgin and Religious Founder. Tomorrow we commemorate the Lenten Liturgy for the Second Thursday of Lent and the optional feast of Saint Casimir, Prince and Patron Saint of Poland. For the readings, liturgies, meditations and vignettes for these feasts, click on DAILY LITURGY.

Wednesday, March 3, 1999

Wednesday March 3:
Lenten Weekday and
Optional Feast of Blessed Katherine Drexel, Virgin and Religious Founder

Purple or violet vestments

First Reading: Jeremiah 18: 18-20
Psalms: Psalm 31: 5-6, 14-17
Gospel Reading: Matthew 20: 17-28

     The same year our Blessed Mother appeared at Lourdes in France Blessed Katherine Drexel was born across the sea in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After her mother died at childbirth, Katherine was well taken care of by her wealthy banking father who later remarried a loving stepmother who loved Katherine as well. Katherine was afforded the best education money could buy and traveled extensively. The Third Plenary Council of Baltimore solicited the rich to contribute to the missions serving the Indians and Blacks in America. Because of her family's wealth, Katherine became deeply involved in this ministry which took her all the way to the Vatican and a private audience with Pope Leo XIII who convinced her to become a missionary to these people herself. Spurred on by his encouragement she entered the Pittsburgh novitiate of the Sisters of Mercy and, after solemn profession, she founded her own religious congregation of nuns in 1891 - the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians and Colored People. That same year her family established the Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia. Katherine took notes and dedicated to educating the Blacks and Indians, founded Xavier University in New Orleans as an all-Black college in 1915. Katherine lived through six pontiffs from Pius IX to Pius XII and it is estimated that upon her death in 1955, she had donated over 12 million dollars toward the apostolate for Blacks and Indians. She was beatified in 1988 by Pope John Paul II who set her date for observance on March 3.

Thursday March 4:
Lenten Weekday and
Optional Feast of Saint Casimir, Prince and Patron Saint of Poland

Purple or violet vestments

First Reading: Jeremiah 17: 5-10
Psalms: Psalm 1: 1-4, 6; 40: 5
Gospel Reading: Luke 16: 19-31

      The patron saint of Poland was a saintly young prince named Saint Casimir. He was known for his virginal chastity and for truly living what he preached for the 26 years he lived on this earth. Born in 1458 into nobility, his mother Elizabeth of Austria raised him in the True Faith. At 13 he was elected King of Hungary in hopes of toppling the rival king Matthias Corvino. However, through Casimir's prayers, peace and compromise were reached and the Hungarians were reconciled with Corvino. This enabled Casimir to abdicate the throne and devote his life to prayer as he preferred over the life of royalty. Yet while his father was in Lithuania, Casimir was again promoted - this time to the office of regent in Poland. Though he preferred a more contemplative lifestyle, he accepted this office with dignity and despite his youth, showed wisdom beyond his years in administering with great prudence and virtue. Casimir nurtured a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, dedicating his life to her and turning down an offer of marriage to the daughter of the German Emperor Henry III. In 1843 Casimir was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Lithuania and shortly after that contracted the fatal disease of tuberculosis, passing on to his Heavenly reward on March 4, 1484 at the young age of 26 in the court of Grodno. Amid great grief and pomp the Polish people honored him, burying him under the altar in the Chapel of Our Lady in the castle of Vilna. He was canonized 37 years later in 1521 by Pope Leo X, but it wasn't until 1602 that the Poles and Lithuanians realized Casimir had been made a saint since the original bull never reached Poland since Leo's successor Pope Hadrian VI had assumed Leo X had sent it and therefore did not follow-up. As it were, Leo died before he could dispatch the original bull and it was lost in the shuffle. Once it was discovered, Pope Clement VIII took care of officially notifying the Polish people by reissuing the papal bull. Almost immediately the Polish King Sigismund III began erecting a chapel honoring Casimir in Vilna and it was completed by his successor King Wladislaus IV.

      Today's prayer is the Opening Prayer commemorating Blessed Katherine Drexel:

Ever-loving God, You called Blessed Katharine Drexel to teach the message of the gospel and to bring the life of the Eucharist to the African American and Native American peoples. By her prayers and example, enable us to work for justice among the poor and the oppressed, and keep us undivided in love in the eucharistic community of Your Church.

On the Way to Calvary

      For the Lenten Way of the Cross, click on either the graphics Daily Way of the Cross or the text-only Daily Way of the Cross or the Meditative Lessons on the Way to Calvary

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"The Justice of the Father shall come, and all evil shall be vanquished. Then shall the world be renewed."

      It was before the Eucharistic Miracle of Betania at Los Teques in Venezuela in October 1993 that Our Lord spoke those words to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart. In the 417th Message Jesus asks all to reverence Him, to spend time with Him in the Blessed Sacrament and warns those who turn from Him that they will be sorry. His Blessed Mother follows up Christ's words with Message #418 on the next day, echoing His warning and lamenting how the evil one lures so many away from her Divine Son and into the abyss of eternal damnation. For these two messages imparted before the Eucharistic Miracle, click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

Messages 417 and 418

      Beloved Hidden Flower of My Mother's Immaculate Heart, I truly Am with you. Tell all of My children how I long to be consoled in My Sacrament of Love.

      Here in this sacred place I have desired to call My people to deep love and absolute reverence, by the Sign of My Most Precious Blood upon My Sacred Flesh, the Host. The graces of receiving Me, your God and Savior with humble and contrite heart are beyond man's mind. Yet I solemnly tell you it is truly I, your God, Who comes to you.

      O! So few come in belief. So few come with reverence. So few believe I am truly present. This is why I have asked of you to spend extra time loving Me, and making atonement for the abuses given Me. This is My Sign that you are all Mine and I do not leave you!

      Tell all My children everywhere that this is My desire for all of My people. Yet I solemnly warn you, My children, that in these last days only My faithful remnant will preserve Me, their God. To those who preserve Me, I will be their Food and Drink. They shall have neither hunger or thirst.

      Tell My children to be awake; to convert their hearts. Tell everyone that I, their God, deserve all respect, reverence and adoration.

      To all I ask that you give this to Me, receiving Me upon bended knee. For all who heed My request the Triumph of My Mother's Heart shall come more swiftly. The Justice of the Father shall come, and all evil shall be vanquished. Then shall the world be renewed.

      Woe, triple woe to all who do not believe and lead my little ones away from Me, for they shall be swept from My sight. To all who persevere in the Truth, they shall know My Real Presence, and I shall allow them to behold with their eyes the splendor of My Presence in the Host. Go, tell all the world. I, your God come. The Hour is here!

      Beloved Hidden Flower, how generous is God, Who bestows His graces so beneficiently. But how few ever stop to thank Him from their heart. My little children, here in this land where I have come as Reconciler of Nations, I pour out immense graces for, as your Mother, I seek only to bring all my children to my Divine Son.

      Here my words spread. My graces go to all who truly seek them. Therefore, I beseech each of my children to be as a little child. I, your Mother, shall ceaselessly care for you as I bring you to my Son.

      No, my little ones, do not grow weary. Do not doubt. The time of Great Sorrow intensifies. O! How I weep for man does not hear my words, while satan leads so many to the abyss.

      Come to childhood and be reconciled through my Divine Son's Cross. Then shall you witness the Triumph of my Immaculate Heart. Then shall you understand, for the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier shall possess you.

      O! Pray! You do not know how close the moment is. I love and bless you. Thank you for responding to my Call!

Pope will beatify ten future saints Sunday at St. Peter's

      The Vatican released the names of some of the ten blessed who will be beatified by Pope John Paul II in ceremonies at St. Peter's this Sunday. Among the candidates are eight Spanish religious martyrs, one lay woman from Germany and the French priest who founded of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus. This latest contingent contribute to the record amount of blesseds the Holy Father has elevated during his twenty-year pontificate. For more, click on Beatifications.

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Pope John Paul II will preside at beatification ceremonies for 10 people on Sunday, March 7.

      Those to be beatified are:

- Vincente Soler and his 6 companions, members of the Augustinian order, who died as martyrs during the Spanish Civil War;
- Manuel Martin Sierra, another Spanish priest who died as a martyr in 1936;
- Nicolas Barre, a French priest of the 17th century and founder of the Sisters of the Infant Jesus; and
- Anna Schaeffer, a Germany lay woman who died in 1925.

      The Sunday ceremonies will bring the total number of people beatified by Pope John Paul II up to 819; of these, 603 have been proclaimed martyrs for the faith. Pope John Paul has also canonized 280 people, of whom 246 are martyrs.

Guatamalan Bishop reveals bribe by government to bury case against slain bishop last April

      In the continuing saga of the strange and suppressed investigation of the murder of Bishop Juan Gerardi Conendra, Guatamala's leading human rights advocate last April, the current head of the See of Guatamala City Bishop Mario Rios Montt revealed Monday that he had been bribed by unnamed sources to drop accusations against the Guatamala government and military in exchange for allowing the framed suspect Father Mario Orantes Najera to go free. The bishop did not give in and the judge, realizing there was no case against the scapegoat priest, released him two weeks ago. For more, click on Guile in Guatamala.

      GUATEMALA CITY (CWNews.com) - An auxiliary bishop of Guatemala City said on Monday that certain individuals offered to drop a murder charge against a Catholic priest in exchange for a public statement saying he did not believe the army and government were not involved.

      Father Mario Orantes Najera, who released from jail on February 17, had been held since last year in the murder of Auxiliary Bishop Juan Gerardi Conedera, two days after the bishop released a human rights report that was critical of the army's conduct during the country's 36-year civil war. Bishop Mario Rios Montt told a news conference that unnamed persons last November offered to arrange the release of Father Orantes if the bishop renounced claims by Church leaders and human rights groups that the army or its supporters were involved in the murder.

      The presiding judge in the investigation released Father Orantes last month after he determined there was not enough evidence to put him on trial, but the priest remains formally accused.

Vatican gives Calcutta See green light to proceed in Mother Terese's canonization process

      The Vatican released further clarification on Tuesday that the Holy See and Congregation for the Causes of Saints has given the green light to the Archbishop of Calcutta Henry Sebastian D'Souza to begin the process immediately. The Archbishop made the initial request to Rome to waive the time frame of five years after the death of a potential saint. To the surprise of many, the Holy Father granted his appeal. For more, click on Calcutta clearance .

      VATICAN CITY, 2 (NE) The Holy See released yesterday a press communique concerning the dispensing from the norm of the time to be waited before opening the beatification process of Mother Teresa, granted by Pope John Paul II in order to begin the process of beatification of the beloved nun.

      "The Holy Father," points out the communique, "has granted permission, upon the request of the Archbishop Henry Sebastian D'Souza, of Calcutta, and of numerous Bishops, for the diocesan process of beatification of Mother Teresa of Calcutta to be able to start, dispensing from the norm which states that five years must have elapsed from the death of the Servant of God before beginning the process."

      "Following this dispensation, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, on December 12, 1998, issued the rescript authorizing the Archbishop of Calcutta to begin the process of beatification of Mother Teresa." The communication ends pointing out that "it is now up to the Archbishop of Calcutta to carry out the preliminary proceedings and then to constitute the tribunal which will examine texts and will gather documentation relating to the life and virtues of the Servant of God."

Be wary of deterioration of values and morals being preached by the mass media Rio Archbishop warns

      Alarmed by the increasing sense of the media tearing down the fabric of society with anti-values and immorality, Archbishop Dom Carlos Albert Etchandy Gimeno Navarro warned that materialism and ideas that go against Christian belief are permeating every home through the mass-media, prompting more and more to dismiss goodness and morality as cumbersome and embrace the "good life" with no thought to the ultimate consequences of the soul. He said that this attitude has contributed to more and more corruption within governments and schools. For more, see Media mindcontrol

      NITEROI, 2 (NE) Dom Carlos Albert Etchandy Gimeno Navarro, Archbishop of Niteroi, Rio do Janeiro, designated as "fundamentally materialistic" and "contrary to the common sensibility of the Christian people" the "anti-values" that are imposed in our days through mass media.

      The Archbishop of Niteroi manifested as well his concern for the seriousness of some current problems, especially the "cultural globalization" process and its negative influences in today's men and women.

      He also pointed out some of the current challenges for the New Evangelization, such as "the phenomenon of urbanization" and its consequent cultural detachment, corruption in governments, as well as moral relativity and crisis of faith. Remembering the recent papal visit to Mexico, the Brazilian Archbishop concluded affirming that "all these problems claim for an encounter with Jesus Christ, so that conversion may be obtained, as well as communion and solidarity in Brazil and in America."

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.

      Tying in with our quote of Canon Law in CATHOLIC CANVAS today, it occurred to us that most do not have a copy of the Code of Canon Law in their homes, but now they can look up any article in the Canons by clicking on today's choice for SITE OF THE DAY - CODE OF CANON LAW - a home page maintained by Chicagoan Claudio J. Urbano who also provides other Catholic links and resources on his bookmarks page.

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

March 3, 1999 volume 10, no. 43   DAILY CATHOLIC