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      On this day in 676 Pope Deusdedit II passed away after a four year pontificate as the 77th successor of Peter. His accomplishments are significant today because it was he who converted the Maronites, a determined people of Armenian-Syrian origin and the Holy Father is set to travel tomorrow morning to Armenia in a continuing quest to totally reconcile the Armenian Apostolic Church with Rome. For other pertinent events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for June 17:

676 A.D.


Death of Pope Deusdedit II, 77th successor of Peter, who strove to convert the Maronites and was the first pope to use in his letter the formula "Health and Apostolic Benediction."

900 A.D.


Archbishop Fulk, prelate of Rheims, France, is killed in the cathedral and Pope Benedict IV moves quickly to formally excommunicate the murderers and urge the French bishops to fully back his decree.

1128 A.D.


Beginning of the Plantagenet Regime in England when Geoffrey V (Plantagenet) of Anjou wed Matilda, widow of Holy Roman Emperor Henry V and daughter of King Henry of England..

1191 A.D.


King Philip II of France fails in an attack on Acre as part of the ill-planned Third Crusade.

1567 A.D.


The Catholic Monarch Mary, Queen of the Scots, is imprisoned by the Protestants in Lochleven Castle.

HEADLINES:

Colombian rebels release some but not all of the hostages

      Though the Cuban-backed National Liberation Army guerrillas of Colombia announced they would finally release 77 hostages with Bucaramanga's Bishop Victor Lopez officiating the release in San Antonio, Colombia and various officials from foreign countries plus Colombia's president observing, they came up short, releasing all but twenty of the hostages, but they did release the pastor of the Catholic church in Cali Father Humberto Cadavid, who objected strongly to the rebels' posturing and grandstanding the release in circus fashion. For more, click on Hostage release.

      BOGOTA (CWNews.com) - Rebels of Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) on Tuesday released 33 hostages taken from a Catholic church 17 days ago, although 20 others still remain in custody.

      The hostages were marched with great fanfare into Cali and delivered to members of special commission on kidnapping in front of a live television audience. One of the released hostages, the parish priest Father Humberto Cadavid, decried the carnival atmosphere surrounding the release. "The Colombian state is being held hostage," said Father Cadavid. If the rebels can abduct an entire church full of people "where is the security, where is the tranquility in Colombia? We're living in fear."

      Rebel leaders repeated their demand that President Andres Pastrana effectively hand over four cities to their control before peace talks can begin, in a move similar to the government's ceding control over a Switzerland-sized area to the rebel group FARC. "It's clear to the National Liberation Army that this government is not interested in a political solution," a rebel commander, Liliana Becerra, said during the hand-over ceremony.

      In addition to the remaining Cali hostages, ELN also holds 24 people from the hijacking of an Avianca Airlines flight on April 12.

Russian Orthodox leader expresses fears to UN of possible retaliation by Albanians

      Despite the peace agreement, the Moscow Patriarch expressed grave concern that the situation in Kosovo could grow even worse claiming the ethnic Albanians would now have free reign to exact revenge on the Serbian Orthodox Church by raiding many of the monasteries, churches and shrines in Kosovo. Russian Patriarch Alexai II made his plea to the UN branch for Human Rights as aid to Russia's poor was also discussed. For more, click on Russia fears revenge will rush in

      MOSCOW (CWNews.com) - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church warned the international community on Wednesday that despite the end to NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and the exit of Yugoslav forces from Kosovo, the situation in the region could be worsening.

      Patriarch Aleksei II told reporters after a meeting with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson: "It is necessary to settle all issues related to the refugees before cold weather sets in: provide them with shelter and normal living conditions." He added that he is concerned at the safety of 1,887 Serbian Orthodox monasteries and shrines in Kosovo, which could be the object of revenge by ethnic Albanians.

      Robinson, in Moscow after visiting Macedonia and Montenegro last month, briefed the patriarch on the problems facing the Balkan region. It is important to ensure the rights of both the returning Albanians and the Serbs who have not left Kosovo, she said. The patriarch said he and Robinson had also discussed joint projects sponsored by the UN and the Moscow Patriarchate and aimed at providing help to Russia's poor, particularly children.

Baptists protest Clinton's appointment of Homosexual Hormel while Catholics remain strangely silent about the whole affair as Convention chastises Clinton

      At the annual convention of Southern Baptists the assembly sharply called one of their own congregationalists Bill Clinton on the carpet for condoning the homosexual lifestyle by proclaiming June Gay Pride month and pulled a fast one by appointing avowed homosexual and blatant anti-Catholic James Hormel to the ambassadorship of Luxumbourg, a 96% Roman Catholic country. It was akin to naming Howard Stern ambassador to the Vatican. While the convention made news, on the Catholic front opposition to the Hormel appointment has sadly been minimal to this point. For more, click on Clinton chastised.

      ATLANTA (CWNews.com) - The Southern Baptist Convention on Monday issued a public rebuke of President Bill Clinton, a Southern Baptist, after he proclaimed June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month and made other policy decisions.

      "We're not going to allow the president, especially since he is a Southern Baptist, to say that homosexuality is good," said the Rev. Wiley Drake of Buena Park, California. The resolution by the two-day annual convention also condemned Clinton's appointment of the country's first openly gay ambassador, James Hormel.

      The delegates also passed resolutions urging the UN, NATO, and Congress to take steps to halt ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, condemning the American Psychological Association's publication of a study saying adult-child sex may not be harmful to children, and calling on Congress to maintain a ban on the use of federal research that results in the production and destruction of human embryos.

Crusade underway to write-in Pope in Time Magazine's Man of the Century campaign

      While many punch in their favorite ballplayer for the All Star game in Boston next month, another vote is heating up fast and the good sisters of Saint Dominic are determined that someone worthy receive the honor of being named Time Magazine's "Man of the Century." They feel, and we quite agree, that no one is more deserving than Pope John Paul II for all he has accomplished in the last 20 years both in the world and in the Church. They're calling all to stuff the ballot box and why not! Votes can be placed at TIME MAN OF THE CENTURY. For more, click on Vote early and vote often.

      ROME, JUN 16 (ZENIT).- "Time" magazine is conducting a poll among its readers for the nomination of "Man of the Century." (Editor's decisions may override or modify the results of the web poll.) A group of Dominican nuns supporting John Paul II's nomination have started an email campaign to bring this about. Votes can be placed at TIME MAN OF THE CENTURY.

      The Sisters are very worried that the cover of the last issue of "Time" this millennium will carry the picture of a terrible historical figure like Hitler. At the time of this writing, the standings were: Elvis Presley (16.72%), Yitzhak Rabin (16.26%), Adolf Hitler (13.47%), Albert Einstein (12.29%), and John Paul II (9.00%). Mother Theresa lags far behind, with 0.96% of the vote. ZE99061603

For more headlines and articles, we suggest you go to the Catholic World News site at the CWN home page and Church News at Noticias Eclesiales and Daily Dispatches, Dossiers and Features from ZENIT International News Agency. CWN, NE and ZENIT are not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provide this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.

     We take a different approach today in building on our final news story above. We're not promoting the site per se, but rather making the reader aware of it so they will go to it and vote in the Pope's name as well as Mother Teresa. You can find this voting process at VOTE FOR JOHN PAUL II AND MOTHER TERESA Crusade by stuffing the ballot box at Time Magazine's web site. At the page you arrive at on Pope John Paul II, click on the Person of the Century Poll to enter the Holy Father's name. You can also enter his name by clicking on Time 100 Poll and placing his name under LEADERS AND REVOLUTIONARIES category, then scrolling down to place Mother Teresa's name under the category titled HEROES AND ICONS.

Click here to return to SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO or click here to return to the graphics front page of this issue.

June 17, 1999 volume 10, no. 117   DAILY CATHOLIC