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WEDNESDAY February 23, 2000 vol. 11, no. 38 SECTION THREESee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
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Paul VI Hall will be alive with the spirit of the Patriarch Abraham today as Pope John Paul II walks in his footsteps in spirit as he kicks off his historic "Jubilee Journey." With holm oaks, a stone, frescos from the Roman Catacombs, mosaics, the Holy Father will lead his flock through the Old Testament call of God to the Hebrews. With a reverent liturgical celebration, the Pope will place himself in the footsteps of the "Father of Faith," inviting all to join him in spirit as the journey begins anew..continued inside
VATICAN CITY, FEB 21 (ZENIT).- Every effort is being made to create a
special ambience for the Pope's "spiritual pilgrimage" to Ur on Wednesday in Paul VI Hall. Holm oaks will recall the landscape of Mambre (Cf. Genesis
18,1) where Abraham lived; a stone will bring to mind the sacrifice of
Isaac; Rublev's icon of the Trinity will focus on this momentous event
in the life of the Father of faith, as will Chagall's ceramics.
The Vatican Press Office published a statement on this "singular
celebration," to be held in the Paul VI Audience Hall on the eve of the
Holy Father's trip to Mount Sinai. As the Pope himself announced last
Wednesday, he has decided to make a "spiritual pilgrimage" to Ur of the
Chaldeans, as he is unable to travel to Iraq, where he had hoped to go
to begin his pilgrimages to the places of Revelation. The Baghdad regime
sent a communication to the Vatican last December, explaining the
present circumstances -- the no-fly zone and U.S. bombings -- would
prevent Iraq from being able to guarantee the Holy Father's security.
John Paul II's spiritual pilgrimage will include moments for the
"appropriate proclamation of the word, intense meditation and prayer,"
and will be accompanied by signs and gestures, including a procession
with the Gospels and the incensing of the 15th century icon of the
Trinity.
After the readings and the Pope's homily, there will be time for
meditation with the "thought-provoking help" of images of Ur of the
Chaldeans and other places where Abraham lived. There are artistic
representations of the Patriarch's life in frescos of the Roman
Catacombs, in St. Vitus' mosaics in Genoa, and in Marc Chagall's
ceramics. During the ceremony texts of the Jewish and Islamic spiritual
traditions will also be used, since Abraham is seen as the father to all
three great monotheistic religions.
ZE00022107
In a special Jubilee celebration at the Vatican yesterday over 4,000 workers in the Roman Curia were inspired by the 264th Vicar of Christ in the line of Peter to reflect on Our Lord's call to Saint Peter, who despite his sinfulness and limitations, was chosen to become the visible head of the Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. This celebration bore even more significance since it was held on the Feast of the Chair of Peter.
continued inside.
VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- At a special Jubilee celebration for the Roman
Curia, Pope John Paul II reminded Vatican officials that "the ministry of
Peter is not founded on the capacities and energies of human beings."
The Holy Father made his remarks to 4,000 workers from the Roman Curia,
who were gathered in St. Peter's Basilica for their Jubilee observance. The
date of that observance had an obvious significance: February 22, the feast
of the Chair of St. Peter.
"The ministry of Peter is founded on the prayer of Christ, who asked the
Father that Simon's faith would not fail," the Pope said. Peter's ministry is
unique, he continued, because " in spite of his sinfulness and his limitations,
Christ chose him and called him to a very high role-- that of being the basis
of the visible unity of the Church, and of strengthening his brothers in the
faith." In a sense, the Pontiff said, "the experience of human weakness in
Peters is a great help to us," since it provides an example and a motivation
for "true interior purification."
The celebration in St. Peter's Basilica concluded the Jubilee observance for
the Curia. That Jubilee had begun on the preceding evening, with a
penitential service at which the Franciscan Father Raniero Cantalamessa
preached a meditation. Then in the morning the members of the Curia
formed a long procession in St. Peter's Square, entering the basilica through
the Holy Door for the Mass.
There are just over 4,000 people working in the Curia-- of whom 2,581 work
directly for the Holy See and another 1,477 for the Vatican city-state. Among
those reporting directly to the Holy See, lay people outnumber priests and
religious by a small margin: 1449- 1132. Among those who work for the
government of the Vatican, lay people predominate by 1403- 74.
The volatile social and political situation in Austria has the Holy See watching closely, and the Austrian bishops, headed by Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, the Church is leading Catholics of this historic country in prayer and dialogue in order to resolve dissent both within and outside the Church. Past history has taught current Church leaders that dissent, harsh words and action, can and do quickly deteriorate into war, as weas the case with a divided Austria in the time of Hitler. continued inside.
VIENNA, FEB 21 (ZENIT).- The Catholic Church is very concerned about the
political and social tensions Austria is experiencing at present.
Without entering directly in political affairs, Cardinal Christoph
Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna and his (indirect) predecessor, Cardinal
Franz König, who headed this Archdiocese for over 30 years, published a
joint declaration stating, "We experience the bitter consequences of
often irresponsible speech over the past months and years with deep
sorrow. Unprecedented political divisions have broken out."
"We appeal to our fellow countrymen, but also to our friends in Europe
and the world, to show signs of particular care at this time both in
words and deeds." The Cardinals agree that an excitation of spirits
could spell serious dangers. "The elderly especially know where discord
can lead and with what speed poisoned actions flow from poisoned words."
In the 30s, Austria was characterized by a tremendous confrontation
between the left and the right that almost started a civil war and
resulted in a divided country, easy prey to Hitler's power.
The Cardinals also referred to the sanctions that 14 countries of the
European Union have adopted against Vienna because of the new
government, which includes Jörg Haider's Freedom Party, which is accused
of xenophobia and racism. "We Austrians must take the concerns of our
friends, neighbors, and partners seriously -- knowing the bitter burden
of history that our country cannot and must not flee. Where bad things
occurred, the burden must be borne together. Where Austria's image
doesn't match up with reality, we must set it aright together. The
citizens of this country -- with the exception of a few fringe groups --
are neither racist nor xenophobic. Respect for human rights and
readiness to help people in need are deeply rooted in Austria," stated
the Cardinals' declaration, published by the "Kathpress" agency.
The Church is following events in Austria very closely. On February 4,
Cardinal Schönborn, president of the Bishops' Conference, celebrated a
Mass in the Viennese Cathedral of St. Stephen to pray for the country,
and exhorted Austrian parishes to do likewise. During his homily, which
was preceded by an international press conference, the Archbishop
appealed to all parts of the disputes to put aside harsh words and
resolve the situation through dialogue, which has given Austria long
years of prosperity and peace. In regard to Haider's participation in
the government, Schönborn said that the Church will follow the
government's actions closely, keeping in mind the need for respect of
human rights and social justice.
ZE00022103
As John Paul II prepares for his trip to the Holy Land next month, there's legal trouble on the horizon in light of the fact an environment group in Israel - the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) - has threathened a court injunction against the Israeli government. The problem: the government bulldozed a hill near the Sea of Galilee, near where the Sermon on the Mount site is and an area left untouched for years. SPNI claims that the natural beauty of the land has been spoiled forever by plans for an amphitheater for the Holy Father's outdoor Mass in March.
JERUSALEM (CWNews.com) - An Israeli environmentalist group
said on monday that the government was destroying pristine
areas near the Sea of Galilee as it prepared for Pope John
Paul II's trip to the region next month.
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI)
said bulldozers have torn up a hillside to prepare a
parking lot for pilgrims and a large amphitheater where the
Holy Father will celebrate Mass. The site, which is expected
to hold 100,000 people, overlooks the Sea of Galilee and is
near the location of Christ's Sermon on the Mount.
"They are cutting up the mountain," said Yohannan Bar-On,
an official of SPNI. "It was an area that was totally
untouched, quite beautiful and undeveloped," he said. "It
will be impossible to return it to the way it was." He
added that the government had not bothered to apply for
building permits, so that the group was not forewarned of
the damage. Bar-On said SPNI will seek a court injunction
if work is not halted.
Developers had been eyeing the untouched mountain for years
as a potential location for restaurants and a hotel, but
until now they had been thwarted by environmentalists,
Bar-On said.
The Holy Father, following Our Lord's example to forgive as Jesus did on the Cross, has pleaded with Texas Governor George W. Bush to grant clemency toward Odell Barnes who is slated for execution within the next two weeks. In this presidential election year and in light of the fallout in the Michigan primary yesterday from the false accusations against Bush that he is anti-Catholic, the governor's actions regarding the Pontiff's plea will weigh heavily with Christian voters over the next several weeks of primaries in major states. continued inside.
WASHINGTON, FEB 21 (ZENIT).- John Paul II has appealed to George W.
Bush, governor of Texas and a candidate for the Republican nomination in
the presidential elections, to exercise clemency toward Odell Barnes,
condemned to death for killing his girlfriend in 1991.
In a note sent to Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, Apostolic Nuncio in the
United States, the Holy Father requests that the death sentence be
commuted. Barnes has consistently denied he committed the crime he was
convicted of. In fact, some organizations that are opposed to the death
penalty say they have proof of his innocence. Barnes is slated for
execution within the next two weeks in the Huntsville Correctional
Facility.
ZE00022108
Bishops from the dioceses of Puerto Rico, as well as other religious and civic leaders, participated in a massive peaceful march in San Juan over the weekend to bring home the point that all Puerto Ricans seek and end to the bombing tests in the area of Vieques by the U.S. Navy. The entire march, with over 150,000 participants, demonstrated with prayer and reflection in an orderly manner to bring an amiable solution and send a message to Bill Clinton to end the testing now for it has negatively affected the people in the area. continued inside.
SAN JUAN, 22 (NE) Thousands of Puerto Ricans joined yesterday in
the March for peace for the people of Vieques, in what has been
considered the largest march ever held in Puerto Rico. Some
sources estimated in 150,000 the number of participants, who
thus expressed pacifically their opposition to the renewal of
bombing practices by the US navy in the area of Vieques.
Archbishop Roberto Gonzales Nieves of San Juan, Bishop Alvaro
Corrada del Rio of Caguas, and other religious, civil and
political leaders were present.
Archbishop Gonzalez presided
over a liturgy praying for a pacific solution to the situation
of the people in Vieques, who claim that military practices have
affected and contaminated the area. The Archbishop of San Juan
emphasized the pacific and not political character of the event.
The main aim of the march, as he stated in recent declarations,
was to "take a message of peace that goes beyond Vieques, this
is a march in favor of peace in Puerto Rico, the United States,
and the Navy."
In a document prepared after lengthy sessions, the long-awaited "Memory and Reconciliation" will be released at a special press conference at the Vatican next Thursday on March 2nd. This is but a prelude to March 12th which the Holy Father has earmarked as the "Day of Asking Pardon." This special document brings into focus the human errors made by Holy Mother Church over the course of centuries, but significantly focuses on the ever-continuous sinlessness of Jesus, Who alone nourishes His flock and has promised that "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." continued inside.
VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- The long-awaited Vatican document on "Memory
and Reconciliation: The Church and the Faults of the Past," will be introduced
at a press conference in Rome on March 2.
The 50-page statement, which is divided into 5 chapters, is the product of a
drafting committee working with the International Theological Commission,
chaired by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, under the editorial guidance of the
Bruno Forte.
At the same March 2 press conference, Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, the
president the of Committee for the Grand Jubilee, will also introduce the
program for the "Day of Asking Pardon," which will be held on March 12, the
first Sunday of Lent, with Pope John Paul II presiding.
Ordinarily the International Theological Commission publishes the results of
its plenary meetings one year after they occur, after a lengthy editorial
process. But after the meeting last November in which the Commission
discussed the theme of reconciliation and pardon, Cardinal Ratzinger called
for an accelerated publication schedule, so that the theological document
would be available in time to explain the meaning of the March 12 service.
The document itself, Memory and Reconciliation, is essentially a theological
work, although the text makes reference to some historical episodes in order
to illustrate certain points. The central thrust of the document is an
explanation of how the Church, as the Body of Christ, remains unblemished
despite the sins and errors of her members. The text also calls upon
Christians to learn from these past errors, so as to clarify and purify their
understanding of the faith and the mystery of the Church.
