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Pope cannot remain silent after gay debacle in Rome on Saturday just as the Church cannot silence truth
  
Pope John Paul II could not remain silent after the week of obnoxious celebrations, organized by homosexual groups in the Eternal City, ended yesterday with speakers in the Circus
Maximus. According to official figures given by the police, on
that very hot afternoon, 70,000 people paraded on the streets of
Rome, although it was anticipated that 200,000 would participate.
It was an essentially peaceful manifestation, of a carnival
nature, including transvestites dressed as brides and individuals
wearing bishops' miters, interspersed with vulgarities and
obscenities as usually happens during such events. continued inside.
Pilgrim attendance in Rome well ahead of projections at half way point of Jubilee
It looks like we're half-way to a record year for the Jubilee. From January to June, 34.6 million people came to Rome, 13 million of whom were Italians, and 21.6 million foreigners. There
was a 36% increase in the number of pilgrims -- 43% more Italians than usual, and 27% more foreigners.
The figures exceed the most optimistic forecast made by the Jubilee Agency, which estimated that 29.8 million people would visit the Eternal City during the first 6 months. The most visited period was achieved during Holy Week, which registered 2.8 million visitors. continued inside.
Canon 915 upheld as Pontifical Council for Interpretation of Legislative Texts clears confusion regarding divorced Catholics
Archbishop Julian Herranz, whose Council reaffirmed the teaching that divorced and remarried Catholics should not receive the Eucharist, told the Roman news agency I Media that the new statement was required because some Catholics had "badly interpreted" a particular article in Canon Law. He referred to Canon 915, which stipulates that Catholics "who obstinately persist in grave sin, should not be admitted to Holy Communion." Because of the widespread confusion over whether or not that law pertained to divorced and remarried Catholics, the archbishop explained, the Pontifical Council concluded that the proper interpretation of the law should be laid out "in juridical terms, according to our competence."
continued inside. For the full text, see MITERS THAT MATTER: ROME RESPONDS
Pope encourages U.S. evangelization to participants of Encuentro 2000 that took place in Los Angeles this past weekend
In a message sent to Bishop Joseph Fiorenza
of Galveston-Houston, President of the National Conference of
Catholic Bishops, Pope John Paul II recalled "the important
contribution which all Catholics together are urged to make to
the mission of the Church in the United States."
In his message, on occasion of "Encuentro 2000", the Pope
emphasizes that "at the dawn of the new Millennium, as the
Catholic community in America takes up the challenge of the new
evangelization, all are called to embody that fruitful unity
within diversity which has its origin in the communion of the
Blessed Trinity and is the dynamic source of the Church's
mission in the world." continued inside.
Morning dawns bright with hope for 900 prisoners in Rome as Pope celebrates Sunday Mass with them
The Pope arrived at Regina Coeli Prison at 9:15 on Sunday morning. He celebrated Mass, quoting the Gospel passage: "I was in prison and you visited Me."
"In my mind, I address all the places in the world where men and
women are in prison," he said in the midst of intense silence.
"In the name of Christ, who came to proclaim freedom to captives,
I ask the competent authorities for a sign of clemency in favor
of all prisoners on the occasion of the Jubilee." continued inside.
Pope asks for infusion of the Holy Spirit in Dialogue Talks between East and West in Maryland
  
During his Angelus Address Sunday the Holy Father expressed great hope for the Mixed International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church taking place this week in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Hosted by Baltimore's Archbishop Cardinal William H. Keeler the meeting's principals are Archbishop Sylianos for the Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate and Cardinal Edward Cassidy, President for the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Pope's chief ecumenical officer. The Holy Father, in his address, called on Jesus to infuse the Holy Spirit in all participants and inspire them with understanding to aspire to the "desired goal of full ecclesial communion."
continued inside.
Byzantine Rites convene in Jerusalem for Jubilee, but Syria and Lebanon representatives conspicuous by their absence because of the location
Meanwhile in Jerusalem the Eastern Rites in union with Rome were gathering for their own Jubilee. This is a significant event because no such meeting has taken place since
the fall of communism. It could have been a synod; Archbishop Lufti Laham, Melkite
Patriarchal Vicar of the Holy City and the instigator of the
meeting, had thought about this, but political conditions
continue to disallow it. The absence of Patriarch Maximo V Hakin
and the Bishops of Lebanon and Syria is conspicuous; these
countries still consider themselves to be in a state of war with
Israel, and do not permit visits to the Jewish State. continued inside.
Militia attack priest in attempt to rob mission in African village of Burundi
 Father Carlo Masseroni, 75,
an Italian missionary, was seriously wounded last Thursday in an
attack on the Burundi mission where he works. The bandits in military uniforms forced the group to lie down, and tied Fr. Masseroni to a chair, threatening him and demanding that he hand over the
mission's money. At that moment, a shot was fired that wounded
the missionary in the face. The detonation alerted the nuns of
the community who had the church bells rung. The people of the
village came running to the parish house and the attackers fled. continued inside.
China red-faced over immigrant abuses turns offensive against Holy See in stubborn stand
The Chinese are trying to strong-arm the Vatican while they are reeling worldwide from criticisms of intensive human rights abuses. Yet they continue hypocritically to deny it while proof is so obvious. Nevertheless they remain stubborn in their assertation that the Vatican will
never be given the opportunity to supplant Chinese bishops
appointed by the Communist government and there will not be
diplomatic relations until the Holy See rejects its formal
recognition of Taiwan. continued inside.
More proof surfaces that absolves Pope Pius XII from charges he did not help the Jews during World War II
Yet another expert has come forth to exonerate Pope Pius XII from the false charges that he was not sympathetic to the Jews and did not attempt to help them during World War II. "Hitler distrusted the Holy See because it hid Jews," stated Jewish historian Richard Breitman.
He has written 5 books, one of which is on the Holocaust, and
another on Nazism. Breitman confirms the role played by Pius XII
in defending and safeguarding the persecuted during the Nazi
regime. The professor at American University in Washington, is a
consultant for the working group for the restitution of Jewish
property, which group has obtained the declassification of the
OSS dossier. continued inside.
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