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Events that happened Today in Church History
 
Today is the anniversary of the death of two Popes - Pope Stephen V in 891. He was the 110th elected and served a six year pontificate remembered for forbidding trial by fire and water as was the custom in the dark age court systems. He reluctantly accepted the papacy after the populace forcefully carried him to the throne of Peter. The other death we commemorate today is the 477th anniversary of the death of Pope Hadrian VI in 1523. This Dutch Pope, the 218th successor of Peter, was elected without his knowledge on August 31, 1522 while serving as the Bishop of Tortona. His pontificate was frought with fending off the growing legions of revolters who were bolting the Church during the Protestant Reformation. On top of this, he had to spread his Papal Troops thin by guarding against the Turks as well. His one year pontificate was the last by a non-Italian Pope until Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was elected on October 16, 1978 and chose the name Pope John Paul II. For other time capsule events that happened Today in Church history, see MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES
 Do we have the forgiving heart of St. Thomas More?
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".
"Few there are who can carry the sympathy of joy and sorrow to a point of forgiveness as Our Lord did from the Cross; as St. Thomas More, Chancellor of England, did when he gave a blessing to his persecutors. Just before being killed, he was asked if he had anything to say. His answer was, 'My lords, I have but to say that as the blessed Apostle St. Paul was present at the death of the martyr, Stephen, keeping the clothes of those who stoned him, and yet they be now saints in Heaven, and there shall continue to be friends forever, so I trust and shall, therefore, pray, that though your lordships have been on earth my judges, yet we may hereafter meet in Heaven together to our everlasting salvation: and God preserve you all, especially our sovereign lord, the king, and grant him faithful counsellors.'"
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