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MONDAY March 6, 2000 vol. 11, no. 46 SECTION THREESee why so many consider the Daily CATHOLIC as the "USA Today for CATHOLICS!"
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With the beatification yesterday of a number of missionary martyrs, the Holy Father has once again become the center of criticism for raising to the status of "Blessed" so many who will eventually be eligible for sainthood. Fielding the criticism is Father Paolo Molinari, General Postulator for the Causes of Saints, who explains the rationale behind the "blessed" title and calls upon the world to look up to these holy men and women so as to more fully understand the mission of the Church and Christ's life and message. continued inside.
VATICAN CITY, MAR 3 (ZENIT).- On March 5, a large and varied group of
martyrs were beatified. They are the first Blessed of the Jubilee
of the Year 2000. They represent very unusual cases; for geographical
and historical reasons, the life stories of some are very different from
classical hagiographies.
Among the candidates are the first martyr of Thailand, Fr. Nicholas
Bunkerd Kitbamrung; Andrew the Catechist of Vietnam; and the
Philippines' Peter Calungsod. The Holy Father will also recognize the
testimony of the first martyrs of Belarus, including 11 nuns killed by
the Nazis. Brazil will also have its first Blessed martyrs: Fathers
Andre de Soveral and Ambrosio Maria Fierro, and 28 companions who gave
their life in the evangelization of northern Brazil.
Some have criticized John Paul II, describing his pontificate as a
"factory of saints," given the record number of beatifications and
canonizations which have taken place over the past 21 years. Fr. Paolo
Molinari, General Postulator of the Causes of Saints promoted by the
Society of Jesus, has replied to the criticisms. In statements to ZENIT,
he explained that "the figures of the blessed, of saints and of martyrs
are revolutionary, signs of contradiction opposed to the mentality in
vogue, which at times is hypocritical. At the same time, they are
attractive examples, because goodness fascinates. These are normal
people who lived Christianity with total dedication and were inspired in
Jesus' example. The road to sanctity is nothing other than what Christ
did: 'I do everything that pleases the Father,' even in Gethsemani, when
in his humanity he felt all the instinctive physical and moral
repugnance in facing something terrible that was about to happen to him.
The attitude of the saints is the one we Christians should have: to
totally trust the Father and give the Lord what he asks."
Some skeptics think that only those with a kind of "lobby" within the
Church can be proclaimed saints. "It is not like that. On the contrary.
The saints are not selected in Rome. To begin a cause, the fundamental
point is a reputation for sanctity, that is, proof of veneration among a
number of people who have known the person. The Church follows God's
action with docility. When it recognizes certain signs, it understands
that through that specific person, God is trying to say something to
us," Fr. Molinari explained.
This is the reason why John Paul II proclaims the martyrdom and sanctity
of so many men and women. "The Church must try to accept, study and
admire them in order to understand the message God wills to communicate
to people, Christians and non-Christians, through the life of a person
who has embodied an evangelical quality in a sublime way."
ZE00030203
When Pope John Paul II made his "spiritual pilgrimage" to the land of Ur of the Chaldeans in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Vatican press office simply stated that the Iraqis didn't feel they could offer adequate security for the visit. In an article released in Avvenire a source now says that the government of Saddam Hussein did all in its power to cancel the trip as they did not think it would help lift the embargo and would embarass the regime before the world. Hussein feared the Pope would be too popular. continued inside.
VATICAN CITY, MAR 3 (ZENIT.org).- John Paul II's journey to the places
of Revelation, which he will continue in the Holy Land at the end of
March, was supposed to have started in Iraq. However, on the eve of his
trip to Egypt, the Holy Father made a "spiritual" pilgrimage (February
23) to Ur of the Chaldeans, Abraham's birthplace, as his trip to Iraq
was cancelled.
The official reasons for the cancellation were published by the Vatican
Press Office on December 10. Joaquín Navarro-Valls, Vatican spokesman,
explained that "the Iraqi authorities," considering "the conditions the
country is experiencing because of the embargo and the no-fly zone,"
feel unable to "organize adequately the Pope's visit to Ur of the
Chaldeans."
As is often the case, behind the official reasons, there were other
reasons that were not stated. A few days ago, "Avvenire," newspaper of
the Italian Episcopal Conference, disclosed that the failure of the
papal plan to go to Ur of the Chaldeans was due to the position taken by
the Baghdad government. This position compromised the purely spiritual
nature of the Pope's visit.
Contacts between the Vatican and Saddam Hussein's government in
connection with the papal trip began in early 1999. "Evidently, behind
all the dispositions of the Iraqi government there was a very specific
calculation. They thought that, in spite of the Pope's repeated
affirmations about the spiritual nature of this stage [of the
pilgrimage], it would not preclude the re-launching this country,
decimated by the embargo, on the international scene, and scoring a
political success," the article in "Avvenire" stated.
The Vatican considered the above conditions "unacceptable," and,
according to the Italian newspaper, this was the real reason for the
cancellation of the visit.
ZE000030308
The United States isn't the only country where its legislature passes moral measures only to have them vetoed by their less than moral president. Poland has the same problem. However, it would seem that soon-to-be Saint Faustina Kowalska is certainly lending an inspirational hand in Poland, for this country's parliament has passed a new, strict law banning all pornography in the Holy Father's native land. However, one major hurdle remains before Poland Catholics can truly celebrate this triumph of decency. That is the expected veto by Poland's President Aleksander Kwasniewki, a former communist who is a member of the more radical left-wing party. The measure passed in the parliament thanks to the Solidarity party intent on returning morals and family values to this land long a Catholic stronghold. continued inside.
WARSAW (CWNews.com) - Poland's parliament today passed a
new law banning the import, distribution, or sale of
pornography in the mainly Catholic country, but
ex-Communist President Aleksander Kwasniewski is expected
to veto it.
The bill passed the parliament's lower house, the Sejm,
210-197 with 19 abstaining. Supported by the governing
Solidarity party, the measure was opposed by left-wingers,
including Kwasniewski's party, and the Freedom Union,
Solidarity's junior coalition partner.
The measure would address the explosion in the pornography
and sex industries since the fall of Communism in 1989 by
imposing fines and prison terms for up to two years on
violators. Child pornography would garner five-year prison
terms.
Critics say the law limits free speech and is unenforceable
because it does not define pornography.
Still in exile, Congo Archbishop Emmanuel Kataliko has lifted the ban on Sunday Masses throughout the region, but has cautioned the priests and faithful of the area to keep their Masses as lowkey as possible so as not to draw attention from those military factions which are at war in a bitter conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie who oppose the government of the Congo's President Laurent Kabila. continued inside.
BUKAVU, Democratic Republic of Congo (CWNews.com/Fides) -
From his "exile" in Butemebo, Congo, Archbishop Emmanuel
Kataliko has ordered his priests to lift the "Mass strike"
in Bukavu archdiocese but make sure that all liturgical
celebrations are kept low-key.
The sacramental embargo began three weeks ago when rebel
forces in the region prevented the archbishop from
returning to his diocese. "Sunday Masses must be as simple
as possible, until the situation returns to normal" the
prelate told his people. No Masses were celebrated in the
archdiocese for three Sundays running in protest.
On February 12, the rebel Rassemblement Congolais pour la
Democratie (RCD-Goma), which opposes the government of
President Laurent Kabila and with the support of occupying
troops from Rwanda and Uganda, controls the eastern part of
Congo, stopped Archbishop Kataliko from returning to his
residence in Bukavu. Since that date the archbishop has
lived as the guest of the bishop of Butembo. The RCD said
the archbishop is a "persona non grata" because of his
positions in favour of the population, "suffering and
humiliated because of the fighting and foreign occupation."
Yesterday, the vicar general of Bukavu, Monsignor Joseph
Gwamhhanya, gave instructions as requested by the
archbishop, in view of the coming season of Lent. Starting
Sunday, March 5, Masses will be celebrated in all churches,
but only on Sundays. "There must be no church bells or
singing and prayer will be silent," the vicar general
ordered. "Everyone is asked to pray for the archbishop's
return. Weddings must also be low-key and baptisms will
resume only after Easter." The diocese's social centers
remain closed and the people are told to keep calm and not
react to provocation and incitement to revenge.
Bishop Macram Max Gassis of the Diocese of El Obeid in the Sudan has spoken to Church Officials and met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright over the planned genoiced against Christians in southern Sudan by the Islamic regime of Kartoum. Bishop Gassis has asked for prayers for all churches, Catholic and Protestant, and has asked the people of his region to pray to Blessed Bakhita from the Sudan who will be canonized later this year by the Holy Father. continued inside.
ROME, MAR 3 (ZENIT.org).- Exiled Bishop Macram Max Gassis of El Obeid,
Sudan, who visited the United States to receive an award for his work
and inform authorities, churches, and the humanitarian organization
"Sudan Relief & Rescue" about the situation in his country, said that
there is a genocide being planned against Christians in southern Sudan
by the Islamic regime of Khartoum.
As already reported, the last action against the southern Christian
population by the army of Khartoum was the bombing of a Catholic school
in Kauda, in which 21 children and their teachers died. The Bishop sent
a message to the people of the Nuba mountains, especially those of
Kauda, and to all his faithful, offering his prayers and support at this
difficult time. "Once again I have said to the world that the National
Islamic Front of Khartoum is carrying out a genocide against Christians,
and Africans who are not Arabs, with the objective of establishing a
radical Islamic state. These terrible, heartbreaking incidents, are
another example that this war is an ethnic and religious war, launched
by the Khartoum regime,in order to destroy my people. I cannot give you
back your 21 children, killed in Kauda by the regime. Today there are
many Rachels in Kauda who weep over the loss of their children. But we
must insist that the international community act before it is too late."
During his stay in the United States, Bishop Gassis met with Church
leaders to request their prayers for peace and justice in the country.
"I can assure you that in many churches of the United States, our
brothers in Christ -- Catholics and Protestants -- are praying for us,"
the Bishop said.
Bishop Gassis met with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright for an
hour, to discuss the situation in southern Sudan. "Let's hope that the
government of the United States can begin decisive action to halt aerial
bombings in the future," stated the Bishop.
"Never forget that God is with us. God hates injustice. God loves his
children, especially young innocents. God is saddened by the barbarous
attack against you. Return to Him and seek consolation in his loving
embrace," the Bishop said to his faithful.
Bishop Gassis thanked German doctors who have treated the wounded and
was grateful for the love and solidarity of the humanitarian
organization which assists them. "After your crucifixion in the Nuba
Mountains by the bombs of the Khartoum regime, you too will rise again.
God does not abandon us. God will resurrect us from death."
The Bishop also suggested they entrust themselves to Blessed Bakhita, a
Sudanese woman who was enslaved and whom John Paul II will canonize
later this year.
ZE00030304
Is there no justice? In San Salvador two soldiers, convicted in the 1980 rape and murder of four Catholic nuns from America serving in the region, have asked El Salvador's congress for amnesty. Because of overcrowding in the jails, three other soldiers convicted of the same crimes, were freed in 1998, but the two remaining prisoners have been detained due to their conduct while in prison. continued inside.
SAN SALVADOR (CWNews.com) - Two soldiers serving in prison
for the rape and murder of four US religious women in 1980
asked El Salvador's congress for amnesty on Thursday.
Five former soldiers were convicted of the December 1980
rape and murder of the three nuns and one novice, but three
of them were freed in 1998 under a law to ease prison
overcrowding. At the time, the freed men said they killed
the women on the orders of superior officers who were never
prosecuted.
The two remaining convicts were not released at the time
because of misconduct while in prison.
The families of the victims said they believe the women
were targeted because officials suspected they sympathized
with leftist guerrillas during the 12-year civil war that
started in 1979.
As Shrove Tuesday draws closer and the Carnival gains steam in Brazil, Cardinal Eugenio de Araujo Sales has pleaded with all state and munipal authorities to "respect Christian values." In continuing statements the cardinal made clear that the excesses of the Carnival celebration are not a singular event, but constitute a complete decadence that has invaded the country. He has already authorized confiscating religious symbols and icons that were to be used on parade floats, saying religion has no place in this pagan ceremony. continued inside.
RIO DE JANIERO, (NE) "The history of our land is deeply linked
to the Catholic Church and her influence in culture, in the way
our people lives," said Archbishop Cardinal Eugenio de Araujo
Sales of Rio de Janeiro, explaining the reason of the Church's
call to state and municipal authorities in Brazil to "respect
Christian values" during the Carnival. "Together with the
shamelessness there is a lack of respect to the feelings of
millions of Brazilians. The use of sacred objects and the
attempts to insert them in an environment of lustful
characteristics, hurt the idiosyncrasy of many Brazilians,"
stated the Archbishop.
Cardinal Araujo also noted that these excesses "don't constitute
an isolated case during the year. They are part of the breaking
apart, of the decadence of ways that afflicts our country. Not
only the Carnival has the fault, but also those who promote
drugs, violent dances, casino games, prostitution, the illusion
of contraceptives against the lethal HIV virus, lust… Each
citizen that behaves in this way, through words and attitudes,
promotes the destruction of the ethical structure of society."
In closing, the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro specially stressed
the responsibility of "those who act cowardly in the face of a
public opinion that condemns any moral restriction, under the
pretext of freedom."
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