The Profound and the Profane!
The great reverence of the Consistory of Cardinals illustrates a stark contrast to the hyped hallucinations of the Grammy Awards and, therein is revealed the vast difference between the Culture of Life and the culture of death.
In our commentary today, we focus on the dichotomy of deportment carried out in two events this past Wednesday that greatly shows the variance in perceptions, the depths of devotion and direction in fulfilling God's purpose compared with the salience of shallowness and saccharine mindset of the celebrity shadows that cast a pall over man's dignity and hinder man's role in cooperating with God's plan for humanity. These events were Pope John Paul II's 8th Consistory of Cardinals, the first of the new millennium, broadcast worldwide from Rome where 44 Cardinals were elevated to the exclusive title of "Prince of the Church," and the Grammy Awards, broadcast internationally from the Staples Center in downtown LA where rage-rapper Eminem and his ilk were touted for their accomplishments and "talents." We show the great divide between the two ideologies of importance and ask if you, too, find greater hope in the Consistory or U2? For our editorial Eminence or Eminem!? see CATHOLIC PewPOINT
 
Besides the Ten Commandments, Catholics also have six more called the Precepts of the Church
Sister Mary Lucy Astuto adds an addendum to her eight-part series on a special Examination of Conscience she completed last week. Today she treats the Six Precepts of the Church in reminding all of their value and the severity of consequence if we do not heed each precept. Today little discipline and attention are placed on these very important precepts and she reminds all that we need to include these when making a thorough examination of conscience. For her column The Precepts of the Church, see GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER
The Holy Father began his "Jubilee Journey" one year ago today
 
On this day one year ago Paul VI Hall was alive with the spirit of the Patriarch Abraham as Pope John Paul II walked in his footsteps in spirit in kicking off his historic "Jubilee Journey." With holm oaks, a stone, frescos from the Roman Catacombs, mosaics, the Holy Father lead his flock through the Old Testament call of God to the Hebrews. With a reverent liturgical celebration, the Pope placed himself in the footsteps of the "Father of Faith," inviting all to join him in spirit as the journey began anew. Because of the dangers in Iraq, the Pope had to forego traveling to Ur, birthplace of Abraham and stage the first step in Rome. Chaldeans from Iraq and the Patriarch were in attendance. His Holiness still hopes to eventually visit Iraq.
  
Ring of Honor
Pope confers rings on new Cardinals to close Consistory, mourns death of Venezuela's Cardinal Lebrún
 Yesterday morning in Rome His Holiness Pope John Paul II closed his Eighth Consistory with the presentation of rings after his Homily during a Papal Mass on an overcast but delightful day in St. Peter's Square. All 44 received their rings, a symbol of unity, before the Offering of Gifts with Cardinal Francois Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, last year's Papal Retreat Master and former Vietnamese prisoner, among the first to receive his ring and Cardinal Avery Dulles the last as he hobbled painfully but happily to the Pope's chair. Shortly after Cardinal Ignacio Antonio Velasco Garcia, Archbishop of Caracas, Venezuela received his red-hat he received the news that his predecessor Cardinal José Ali Lebrún Moratinos had passed away in Rome at the age of 81. For more, see News from ROME
ALSO:
One of New York's Leading Rabbi's endorses Pope Pius XII's cause by suggesting he be given the highest award Israel can bestow
It will be interesting the reaction of the militant Jewish factions after one of New York's leading Rabbis has stated his total fidelity in the fact Pope Pius XII did all he could and more for the Jews during World War II. To recognize this Rabbi David Dalin has proposed that Pope Pius XII be proclaimed "Righteous Among the Nations," the highest award given by the state of Israel to persons who were outstanding in assisting persecuted Jews during World War II. He stated in an interview in the Weekly Standard that, "No other Pope had been so widely praised by Jews, and they were not mistaken. Their gratitude, as well as that of the entire generation of Holocaust survivors, testifies that Pius XII was, genuinely and profoundly, a righteous gentile." For more, see USA News
ALSO:
 
With the "morning-after" pill approved in Virginia, would-be citizens will never even get the chance to get a room in the womb!
Do Virginia legislators realize the damage they've done after passing legislation to allow women access to the "morning-after" pill without a doctor's permission? Some, in retrospect, have regrets but the way it was presented confused some and enabled the bill to slip through like a clever snake in the grass slithering for his prey. Misinformation by pro-abort groups duped lawmakers into approving it in both the State House and Senate. For more, see Pro Life News
ALSO:
Hispanic entertainers to come to the aid of El Salvador quake victims
With the blessings of Miami's Archbishop John Favalora, a dedicated group of Latino entertainers representing Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Honduras and the Dominican Republic will stage a special concert to raise money to help earthquake victims in El Salvador. All the funds collected from the musical event will be channeled through Caritas of the Archdiocese of Miami. For more, see Universal News
ALSO:
For more Daily News, we recommend sources we rely on. For these news agencies, see News Sources
Feast of Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr
Today is the Feast of the Bishop and Martyr Saint Polycarp. Tomorrow we return to Ordinary Time and the Observance of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday. For these liturgies, see Daily LITURGY
|
|
|
Red vestments
FRIDAY February 23:
Feast of Saint Polycarp
|
First Reading: Sirach 6: 5-17
Psalms: Psalm 119: 12, 16, 18, 27, 34-35
Gospel Reading: Mark 10: 1-12
|
"For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. Therefore now they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore, God has joined together, let no man put asunder." Mark 10: 7-9
Feast of Saint Polycarp
The Opening Prayer for today's Mass commemorating Saint Polycarp.
God of all creation, You gave Your bishop Polycarp the privilege of being counted among the saints who gave their lives in faithful witness to the Gospel. May his prayers give us the courage to share with him the cup of suffering and to rise to eternal glory.
Death of the Pope who convened the 17th Ecumenical Council
On this date 554 years ago in 1447 A.D. Pope Eugene IV passed on to his Heavenly reward after a sixteen year pontificate. He is best remembered for calling the 17th Ecumenical Council in 1431 during the first year of his pontificate. The council would last four years and be moved to three other venues for safety sake because of threats by conciliarists that an ecumenical council's decisions were superior to the Roman Pontiff. But the Council finally decreed that the Pope took preference over the council. This same Council began in Basle, moved to Ferrara and finished up in Florence. For other Time Capsule events that happened Today in Church history, see Daily TIME CAPSULES in Church History
No pain, no gain!
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".
"Pain and suffering seem to be closely linked up with the cosmos itself, as if by some great free decision on our part the peace and concord of life were disturbed."
Monthly Medjugorje Message for January 2001
For Our Lady's January 25th message for 2001 and more on Medjugorje, see MEDJUGORJE AND MORE
|
 
February 23, 2001 volume 12, no. 54
|
|