WORLDWIDE
NEWS & VIEWS
with a Catholic slant
HEADLINES:
Bishops vote to dissolve NCCB and USCC, consolidate into US Conference of Catholic Bishops as call goes forth to return traditions
Say goodbye to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the United States Catholic Conference. Say hello to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops which replaces the two former bodies in a consolidation move to eliminate duplication and confusion and streamline the body of bishops. The biannual conference, which concluded in Washington D.C. Friday signals the final one for the millennium and gave rise for optimism for orthodoxism returning to the Church in America with a call for returning the Tabernacle as the focal point of the sanctuary and bringing back the statues and other sacred sacramentals that asserted and assured that "we are the Roman Catholic Church." For more, click on Bishops wrap up conference on positive note
Pope's prescription for pharmaceutical industry is not to put profit over human value and dignity
The Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Health Care Workers hosted an international conference at the Vatican this past weekend and the Holy Father called on governments and the pharmaceutical industry to consider all mankind, not just the wealthy in making available medicines for the sick. He reminded them they have a moral responsibility not to make a profit at the expense of countless men, women and children unable to receive these vital medicines and drugs because of costs which narrows it down to what only wealthy countries can afford, thus depriving others of these necessary prescriptions and medicines. For more, click on Prescription for all.
Holy Father canonizes 12 inside St. Peter's, including ten Spanish martyrs
The Sovereign Pontiff honored 22 Blesseds with sainthood Sunday in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome to complete the liturgical year. Heading the list were ten who were martyred during the persecutions during the Spanish Civil War and whom Pope John Paul II beatified in 1990. It was the final canonization of the old millennium with two set by the Holy See for the new liturgical year: May 21 and November 1, 2000. The former date gives rise to speculation Blessed Juan Diego will be canonized in May of 2000. For more, click on Canonizations.
After two year renovation, St. Francis Basilica will reopen its doors next Sunday
Two years and two months, forty million dollars later the magnificent Basilica of St. Francis will finally reopen in Assisi. To many it is a miracle after the devastation centered around the deaths and destruction from the Umbria earthquakes in September of 1997. The Holy Father, by special hookup from St. Peter's, will address those in attendance in Assisi for the rededication which just made it in time for the Jubilee Year celebrations. For more, click on Assisi Basilica to reopen.
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.
Coming
TUESDAY
Number 15 in our countdown of the TOP 100 CATHOLICS OF THE CENTURY
Fifty-eighth installment on the treasures of the great Deposit of Faith in APPRECIATING THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH
Time Capsules in Church History with MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES focusing on events that occurred on November 23rd
DAILY LITURGY for Ordinary Time and Tuesday's triple feast of the Martyred Pontiff Pope Saint Clement I, the Abbot and Missionary Saint Columban, and the Mexican Martyred Priest Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro.
More gems from Bishop Fulton J. Sheen in SIMPLY SHEEN
And more in our 222nd issue for 1999!
October 25th Medjugorje Monthly Message
Dear children! Do not forget: this is a time of grace; that is why, pray, pray,
pray! Thank you for having responded to my call.
To review past articles in textonly format, click on Archives.
TOP CATHOLIC OF THE CENTURY
Number 16:Cardinal John J. O'Connor Archbishop of New York and acknowledged leader of the conservative element for the Church in America whose efforts are paying great dividends for Christ and His Church
Today we bring you the 16th person selected out of the TOP 100 CATHOLICS OF THE CENTURY. The voters chose Cardinal John Joseph O'Connor, the beloved Archbishop of New York who has been an outspoken defender for the Sanctity of Life, the Holy Father and the Church's conservative force in America. As shepherd to nearly two and a half million Catholics for the past sixteen years, and respected by non-Catholics of every ethnicity as well, he has emulated the holiness of the man he succeeded - Cardinal Terence Cooke. For more on the 16th selection, click on CARDINAL JOHN J. O'CONNOR
At last the bishops are going to consider placing Jesus back where He belongs:
Front and Center!
In today's editorial, we rejoice over the news that the bishops are going to seriously consider returning Jesus to His proper place in the sanctuary. Finally, after thirty-plus years, they realize the ill-advised architectural experiment and denuding of the sanctuary was a big mistake. Now if they will just listen, we have more on our wish list that all loyal Catholics would like to see restored as well - from Gregorian Chant to Latin to less Eucharistic Ministers. After all, what's the rush? Didn't Jesus ask us in Matthew 24: 40, "Could you not, then, watch one hour with Me?" For today's commentary, In every Catholic church, let the Light of the world shine forth! see CATHOLIC PewPOINT
Pope reminisces on fruits of papal visit to India and Georgia
In his most recent regular weekly Wednesday Papal Audience, and first from St. Peter's in three weeks, Pope John Paul II paused to reflect on his recent trip East to India and to Georgia , extolling great hope for what is on the horizon for Asia, including India and Georgia. He pinpointed the enthusiasm and faith of the people who are at the crossroads on the eve of a new millennium. For the Pope's words on his talk, "Crossroads on the eve of the new millennium," click on THE VICAR OF CHRIST SPEAKS.
Cardinal Adrianus Johannes Simonis has been the Archbishop of Utrecht in the Netherlands for the past sixteen years
We continue with this special series introducing you to the Princes of the Church. Our one-hundred-twenty-sixth red-hat we feature, in alphabetical order is 68 year-old Cardinal Adrianus Johannes Simonis, who was appointed the Archbishop of Utrecht the same year Cardinal John J. O'Connor was elevated to the See of New York. Both were elevated to the cardinalate the same time: during the Consistory of May 25, 1985. For more on Cardinal Adriannus Johannes Simonis, click on COLLEGE OF CARDINALS COLLECTION
Appreciation of the Last Judgment
"We believe...in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting"
(7th and 12th Articles of the Apostles' Creed).
Today we continue with our new series in the search to uncover the wonderful treasures of the Church contained in the great Deposit of Faith. We begin today a short two-parter on the Last or General Judgment when the Almighty Judge Jesus Christ will mete out His Mercy and Justice for the final time and our bodies will be reunited with our souls either in Heavenly bliss or eternal damnation. The choice of where we spend eternity is totally up to us. For the fifty-seventh installment, click on APPRECIATING THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF OUR FAITH
Events Today in Church History
Today is the 36th anniversary of the death of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the first Catholic president of the United States, who was shot by snipers during his motorcade in Dallas on this date. Kennedy met with Monsignor Wolf of the Fort Worth Diocese during a prayer breakfast that same fateful morning hours before he was shot.
For more on Kennedy, see 63rd selection of the TOP 100 CATHOLICS OF THE CENTURY. For other time capsule events that happened in Church history on this date, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES
SIMPLY SHEEN:No material possession can replace the Infinite
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 more people own beyond the limit of things they can personalize and love, the more they will suffer boredom, ennui and satiety. Yet men and women are forever trying to add to their possessions far beyond the limit of enjoyment. This is because of their mistaken belief that their hunger for the Infinity can be satisfied by an infinity of material things: what they really wish for is the Infinity of Divine Love."
DAILY LITURGY
Today is the Feast of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr and acknowledged patron saint of musicians and singers. Tomorrow we commemorate the thirty-fourth and final Tuesday in Ordinary Time along with the triad feasts of Pope Saint Clement I and Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro, Martyrs, and Saint Columban, Abbot and Missionary. For the readings, liturgies, meditations, and vignette on these feasts, click on DAILY LITURGY.
The DAILY WORD
"Then Jesus stopped and commanded that he should be brought to Him. And when he drew near He asked him, saying, 'What wouldst thou have Me do for thee?' And he said, 'Lord, that I may see.' And Jesus said to him, 'Receive thy sight, thy faith has saved thee.' And at once he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people upon seeing it gave praise to God." Luke 17: 1-4
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