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Special IMMACULATE CONCEPTION issue WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY vol. 10, no. 233-234 December 8-9, 1999 |
Click on your choice of articles below
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For additional news from other Catholic wire services, see HEADLINES immediately below on the left |
 WORLDWIDENEWS & VIEWS 
It took four times as long to restore the paintings Michelangelo created on the ceilings and walls of the Sistine Chapel nearly a half a millennium ago. But the glories of the great masters are now complete and look better than ever, just in time for the hordes of pilgrims and tourists who will pour into the Sistine Chapel to see these wondrous paintings depicting creation, the Last Judgment and scenes from the Old and New Testament. For more, click on Completion of Sistine Chapel.
No coincidence the twelve stars in European Union flag reflect the twelve stars of Mary as is revealed by devout Catholic who designed flag 
We all know Our Lady has asked protection of all of Europe and most Catholic Europeans have called on her intercession, but now we learn that the European Union Flag designed in 1950 was inspired by the Blessed Virgin Mary at Rue de Bac for the twelve stars on a blue shield represent the Virgin Mary. It was designed by devout Catholic German artist named Arsene Heitz who recently revealed that his inspiration came from the visions at Rue de Bac and Catholic scriptural teachings. For more, click on Twelve Stars of Mary for Europe.
Congregation for the Causes of Saints will reveal on Monday, December 20th those to be beatified and canonized in the year 2000 
The long-awaited speculation will be over in two weeks when the Congregation for the Causes of Saints will reveal those candidates that have been confirmed for the title of blessed or saint by Pope John Paul II in the Jubilee Year. While some believe Pope John XXIII and Pope Pius IX will be beatified, most are relatively sure the Fatima children will be on the list and many also expect Blessed Juan Diego to be on the list for canonization. The jury is still out on whether Pope Pius XII and Pope Paul VI will make the list this time even though their process has been going on for some time. For more, click on 2000 Beatifications and Canonizations
Westminster Archdiocese launches door-to-door campaign to reach out to lapsed Catholics 
If the Jehovah Witnesses and Mormons can do it, why not the Catholics? That is the thinking in Britain where the Westminster Archdiocese is launching a door-to-door campaign for Catholic parishioners to team-up in an attempt to bring lapsed Catholics back into the Church. Many are doing it in honor of the late Cardinal Basil Hume whose brainchild this was. It is a natural since statistics show attendance slipping badly in England. For more, click on Knocking on England's doors.
 For additional religious and secular headlines from around the world, we refer you to our new up-to-the-minute NEWS ticker billboard by clicking on the ARROW
 17 - 16 and counting, hoping and praying... 
"Every love rests on a tripod. Every love has three bases or supports: goodness, knowledge and similarity."
Dear children! Also today I call you to prayer. In this time of grace, may the cross be a sign-post of love and unity for you through which true peace comes. That is why, little children, pray especially at this time that little Jesus, the Creator of peace, may be born in your hearts. Only through prayer will you become my apostles of peace in this world without peace. That is why, pray until prayer becomes a joy for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.
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In his column today, 
Appreciation of Divine Providence 
89 year-old Austrian Salesian Cardinal Alfons Stickler is now retired after serving in the Vatican Library and Archives as Prefect 
Our one-hundred-thirty-second red-hat we feature, in alphabetical order is the 79 year-old Austrian Prefect-emeritus of the Vatican Library and Archives Cardinal Alfons Stickler, S.D.B., who retired eleven years ago after teaching Canon Law for thirty years and serving in the Vatican Library for seventeen years. He was elevated to the cardinalate during Pope John Paul II's Consistory of May 25, 1985. For more on Cardinal Alfons Stickler, S.D.B., click on 
December 8th is popular for the two most recent Ecumenical Councils, Vatican I and Vatican II. Pope Pius IX opened the First Vatican Council in Rome on this date in 1869. After nearly a year in session, the bishops and Council Fathers adjourned. It has still not officially been closed. Pope John XXIII closed the First Session of the Second Vatican Council on this date in 1962 and his successor Pope Paul VI officially closed the 21st Ecumenical Council (Vatican II) after four sessions on this date in 1965. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on 
The clarion sounds as a wake-up call to Catholics as we provide a review of all past articles on the Church today in our series Where is Holy Mother Church heading as we near the millennium? 
Three legs of love 
November 25th Medjugorje Monthly Message 
