TUESDAY

November 18, 1997   vol 8, no.33

Front Page of Today's Issue - To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO.

     Today is the 69th anniversary (birthday) of Mickey Mouse, the brain-child of Walt Disney when he debuted "Steamboat Willie" in New York in 1928. Those were the days, and the five decades that followed, when Disney was synonymous with family values and all that was good in the world. Once Walt was six feet under the entire corporation plummeted in morals and are falling faster as the years, albeit months, even days go by. They tout their theme parks as the "happiest kingdoms on earth" but we know where the happiest kingdom on earth truly is: at every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass each and every day in every parish throughout the world where the greatest King comes to us Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. In the last twenty years or so in some parishes the sanctuary has resembled more of an ensemble a la Disney-like circus atmosphere as too many Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist parade around diminishing the role of the priest. The Vatican is out to restore the sacred to this holy time of the Mass and to this lay ministry which was not instituted for the reasons many think today. Therefore the Holy See released last Thursday a 37-page instruction on the Laity's role in assisting the priest to stem the abuse. We continue bringing this entire document to you in small installments each day with part two of the PREMISS. Click on THE VICAR OF CHRIST SPEAKS

     Both were English. Mary Poppins, a Disney by-product in the clean-cut days; and Pope Adrian IV the first and only British pope ever. He succeeded Pope Anastasius IV way back in 1154, clashing with the German Emperor in striving to maintain papal supremacy. The story of this 169th successor of Peter can be found in the forty ninth installment of our mega-series on THE HISTORY OF THE MASS AND HOLY MOTHER CHURCH. Click on Pope Adrian IV: a rose to the Church, a thorn to the German King .

     Maybe at Disneyland and Disney World, but not in God's heart as His Blessed Mother explains in describing her Divine Son's Infinite Divine Mercy which she imparts to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart in Lesson/Meditation #61 of THE HIDDEN WAY. Click on Living the Fifth Beatitude: DIVINE MERCY

     That is what our souls are when we are baptized into the Church and receive God's graces. Continuing with our capsules on the Sacraments with Baptism, we take a few more capsule paragraphs today from the new Catechism of the Catholic Church and the old, but still very applicable Baltimore Catechism so all can better digest what Holy Mother Church teaches concerning the great graces inherent in the Sacraments, a true mark of our faith. Click on Catechism Capsules for the second installment on Baptism.

     That phenomenal landmark Disney film of 1939 which was half a century ahead of its time has nothing on the all-time producer - God, and the wonderful special effects of miracles which Father John Hampsch, C.M.F. spins in his column KEYS TO LIVING GOD'S WILL with his account today of a personal healing experience that is truly amazing. His true story in the fourteenth installment of "Faith: Key to the Heart of God" will touch you deeply. Click on High Octane Healing: part three.

  &bnsp;   The above title is a stretch but it best describes not the sprawling commercialism of Disneyland and Disneyworld, but rather the everlasting spirituality of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul whose Dedication we celebrate today, for they are both magnificent structures of beauty in Rome and they house many sleeping saints. The story of these two edifices of edification is found in today's liturgy along with a vignette on Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne with the readings of the day and the readings for tomorrow's Holy Mass. Click on LITURGY OF THE DAY

     The prayer today is taken from the Opening Prayer of the Mass today:

HEADLINES:

Synod sets goals in first day of four-week session in Rome




      The bishops met yesterday in their first full working day of the Synod of America, the first time North, Central and South America has been united, with a full agenda to work out during their nearly month long synod at the Vatican. After encouragement by the Holy Father Sunday, the bishops got down to business Monday with the goal of developing a "new vision" for the Western Hemisphere. click on Synod to read more.

Can Castro be Converted?

      That's a tough question considering his track record, but lesser men have gone on to become saints. But there is hope according to Vatican Reports that the Communist dictator would attend the Holy Father's papal Mass in Havana two days after he meets with the supreme pontiff privately. It's another good sign in the easing of tensions between the Vatican and Cuban Communist officials. Click on Castro to read more.

Motor City archdiocese strongly refutes Dr. Death's claims

     On the heels of yet another assisted suicide, this one supposedly in a Catholic church in Detroit, the Archdiocese lambasted Jack Kevorkian's tactics and his story in refuting his claim that a priest from the Archdiocese of Detroit assisted him. Click on Detroit to read more.

Acknowledgment:

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PROVERB OF THE DAY

    Dear children: Also, today I am with you and I call all of you to renew yourselves by living my messages. Little children, may prayer be life for you and may you be an example to others. Little children, I desire for you to become carriers of Peace and of God's Joy to today's world without peace. That is why, little children, pray, pray, pray! I am with you and I bless you with my motherly peace. Thank you for having responded to my call!

For more on Medjugorje, Click on MEDJUGORJE

For all other standard features, articles and columns, click on Archives

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November 18, 1997 volume 8, no. 33         DAILY CATHOLIC