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      Today, in honor of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, we present a special prayer taken from My Daily Prayer book published by the Confraternity of the Precious Blood:

O God, Who didst vouchsafe to cause the light of the true Faith to shine upon the English people by the preaching and wonderful works of Blessed Augustine, Thy Confessor and Bishop, grant that through his intercession the hearts of those who have gone astray may return to the unity of Thy truth, that we all may be of one mind in the doing of Thy Will. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, world without end. Amen.

      Today we observe the Eighth Thursday in Ordinary Time and the Feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop and Religious Missionary while tomorrow is solely the Eighth Friday in Ordinary Time. For the readings, liturgies, meditations and vignette on St. Augustine, click on DAILY LITURGY.

Thursday, May 27:
Eighth Thursday of Ordinary Time and
Feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop, Religious and Missionary

Green or White vestments

First Reading: Sirach 42: 15-25
Psalms: Psalm 33: 2-9
Gospel Reading: Mark 10: 46-52

     Known as the "Apostle of England," Saint Augustine of Canterbury served as the prior at the Monastery of St. Andrew. Having been appointed by Saint Gregory the Great to lead his missionaries to England, Augustine was at first hesitant for he and his friars, like the first apostles, feared being killed by the barbarians, but Gregory encouraged them praying for the infusion of the Holy Spirit and reminding them that the greater their trials and hardships, the greater their crown in eternity. In obedience the band of missionaries, led by Augustine persevered. Their perseverance paid off as they converted the Britons' leader King Ethelbert in 596 and throughout the north and south of England the faith was spread. On the western shores the people balked, jealous and proud, they would not allow Augustine to enter their area. With enough to do in the rest of England, Augustine, the appointed Papal Legate to Britain, obediently continued to minister to these people, strengthening the Anglo-Saxon Church which he founded, becoming the Archbishop of Canterbury and leaving the rest of England to later missionaries as the Holy See would direct. He died in 604.

Friday, May 28:
Eighth Friday in Ordinary Time

Green vestments

First Reading: Sirach 44: 1, 9-13
Psalms: Psalm 149: 1-6, 9
Gospel Reading: Mark 11: 11-26

HEADLINES:

Pope reaffirms Our Lady's words about the End Times: we have nothing to fear if we are rooted in her Divine Son

      The Holy Father used his regular Wednesday Papal Audience to try to assuage fears about the "End Times" and the Y2K scare circulated by modern technology and media, assuring all that only God knows the time or the hour, but that we have nothing to fear if we follow all God has asked and adhere to the teachings of His Holy Church. Rather than trying to decipher when, the Pope urged all to use that time wisely to help bring more souls into the fold so they, too, can share in the ultimate glory when it does occur for each of us in the time God so deigns. For more, click on End Times.

      VATICAN CITY, MAY 26 (ZENIT).- This morning, during his usual Wednesday general audience, held under sunny skies in Saint Peter's Square, with some 15,000 pilgrims from all over the world, John Paul II addressed the question of the destiny and final goal of humanity.

      The Pope hoped to dispel the fears emerging at this time, as we prepare to cross the threshold of the new millennium, and to stimulate reflection in a society where "everything happens at incredible speed, be it because of scientific and technological discoveries, or because of the media's influence."

      The Pontiff's reply was clear and simple. "We do not have information on the date of this event." He came to this conclusion after a brief review of all the references in the Bible on the end of the world, beginning with the book of Exodus and ending with the vision of the Apocalypse, not ignoring the prophecies of Ezekiel.

      For this reason, "it is necessary to be patient in waiting for Jesus resurrected." A period of waiting which, as Christ himself said to his apostles, must be accompanied by "preaching and witnessing."

      "The tension about the final event must be lived in serene hope, committed to the present moment in the construction of the Kingdom which at the end will be given by Christ into the Father's hands," the Pope said.

      "Pilgrims in search of a lasting home, we must hope, as our fathers in the faith did, for a better homeland, in other words, for Heaven," the Holy Father concluded. ZE99052605

European Religious Leaders united in peace proposal for Kosovo

     Religious leaders of all Christian faiths are united in calling for peace in Kosovo and will make the peace plan presentation this week to Slobodan Milosevic and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in hopes of full implementation. The Holy Father has long been outspoken for peace and now all of the rest of the religious leaders of Europe as well as the American Cardinals and Bishops strongly recommend a cease bombing by NATO and a peaceful compromise for the sake of human dignity for all. For more, click on Peace proposal

      ROME, MAY 26 (ZENIT).- The European Christian Churches have made a joint commitment in favor of peace in Yugoslavia. Within the next few days, a document signed by Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants will be given to Yugoslavian president Slobodan Milosevic and U.N. secretary general, Kofi Annan which proposes a truce in military operations in order to return to negotiations.

      The initiative was launched in Vienna on May 18 by Metropolitan Kiril, in charge of foreign affairs for the Orthodox Patriarchy of Moscow, who invited all the Christian Churches to participate.

      The Vatican was represented by Msgrs. Celestino Migliore, and Ivan Jurkovic. The meeting was also attended by the secretary general of the Ecumenical Council of European Churches; Jurgen Godhe, president of the German Evangelical Diaconate; Pastor Stewart, president of the French Federation; Canon Richard Marsh, of the Anglican Church; and a representative from the Taize Community.

      The meeting, which began with prayer, was sponsored by the "Informal Christian Group for Peace." It was followed by an exchange of opinions on the situation, and a comparison of the different initiatives taken to date.

      During the debate, there was fundamental agreement on the general principles: an end to the bombing and ethnic cleansing, and great concern for the refugees and for Europe itself which, ten years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, runs the risk of seeing efforts toward rapprochement and integration between East and West vanish, with the ultimate danger of new tensions between the Churches.

      A decision was made to take a joint step in the preparation of a common document which a mixed delegation will take first to Belgrade and then to the United Nations in New York, to entrust Kofi Annan with the concrete diplomatic initiative.

      Through the Moscow Patriarchy, contacts are being made with Belgrade to determine the date of a meeting with Milosevic. It is possible such a meeting could take place at the end of this week or next week. No information has been given on the content of the document or the specific terms of the proposal, since all parties have maintained the strictest silence.

      It is the first time, since the conflict began, that the European Churches of all denominations meet by common initiative. A fact which continues the movement initiated by the Vatican with the mission in Belgrade of Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, a few days after the bombing began, and continued by the Moscow Patriarchy when Patriarch Alexey II himself went to Belgrade on a peace mission, after receiving a message of support from John Paul II. ZE99052601

Sudan Archbishop fears for the fate of his country after a grueling sixteen year famine and civil war

      Archbishop Gabriel Zubeir Wako, head of the Archdiocese of Khartoum in the Sudan, in a special interview with an Italian daily publication expressed great concern that his country was in dire straits because of the the increasing military clashes and the inadequate food supplies because of the dry famine that has lasted during this La Nina year. On top of this the Archbishop confirmed that the Sudan government is intent on driving out the Catholics and all other faiths in an attempt to make the entire country exclusively Islam. For more, click on Suffering in Sudan.

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- In an interview published by May 26 by the Italian daily Avvenire, the Archbishop of Khartoum has voiced his fears for the future of Sudan after 16 years of devastating famine and civil war.

      Archbishop Gabriel Zubeir Wako said that government military troops continue to assail towns in the south of Sudan, where the rebel forces are strongest. That fighting will mean "even more suffering for the civilian population," he predicted. He also expressed keen regret at the postponement of negotiations between the Khartoum government and rebel leaders. "If the fighting continues, the two parties can never come together to advance the peace talks," he said. "History is repeating itself."

      Along with the military clashes, the people of Sudan are endangered by famine, the archbishop pointed out. And this year, a lack of rain in May has compounded the problem, since the dry lands will not yield adequate crops to feed the hungry people.

      The Catholic Church-- which represents less than 10 percent of the country's population-- is "not much appreciated" by the government, Archbishop Wako said. The Khartoum regime has been engaged in an aggressive campaign to "Islamicize" the entire country, and Catholics are often seen as obstacles to the progress of that effort. However, he argued that the Church could offer a great deal to the nation, especially in the realms of education and health care.

      "Sometimes I feel as if I am crying out in the desert," the archbishop said, "when I speak to people who are discouraged, who are suffering a great deal, and who are not able to look toward the future. I ask them, nevertheless, to keep their heads up, to keep up their hope. I want to give them a reason for hope, a reason to live; that is the mission which the

Education and Catholicism are compatible and must be promoted as such contends founder of Domino's as he delves into funding Catholic institution

      Former owner and founder of the famous Pizza chain Domino's has sunk his teeth into something more important than food for the body - food for the mind and soul and he firmly believes this begins with a solid Catholic education. Tom Monaghan who is endeavoring to fund an ambitious project that will include a Pontifical University at Ave Maria Institute in Michigan, decries the state of Catholic education over the past thirty years and vows to do something about it. For more, click on The Domino effect.

      DETROIT, 26 (NE) "I feel that religious education, including Catholic education, in the last 30 or so years, has deviated away from religion," stated Tom Monaghan, founder of the "Domino's Pizza" restaurant chain, in recent declarations to the "Detroit News" daily.

      Monaghan, who recently sold the famous restaurant chain, has been using his fortune to finance and foster different projects at the service of the mission of the Church, especially in the educational area. Among these is the "Ave Maria School of Law," inspired in the teachings of the Catholic Church, that aims to offer students "a dialogue between faith and reason."

      "There is the feeling that if you have a religion flavor in a school, it lacks something intellectually," he said. "I feel the opposite is true. That is why I am investing in education," he added. He also expressed his wish to promote Catholic education at all levels, from pre-school to colleges and institutes.

      During the interview Monaghan also emphasized the need to defend matrimony and life from the moment of conception. "I hope that with education, the pro abortion people can no longer say life doesn't begin at conception," he declared.

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.

     Today, to promote a special day on Memorial Day for Prayer and Fasting for the sake of Peace, we present a site which has been urging this. With the crisis in the Balkans, Africa, Iraq, the Mideast, China, Indonesia, here in our own streets and high schools, we need to pray for an end to violence and hate in order to hasten the Triumph of Mary's Immaculate Heart. How we can do this on this upcoming Memorial Day this Monday can be found at MISSIONARY SERVANTS OF HOLY LOVE site.

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

May 27, 1999 volume 10, no. 103   DAILY CATHOLIC