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The UN is UNlikely to heed the Vatican's advice because it's agenda is UNlife in promoting the culture of death!

     In this weekend's editorial we take on the hypocrisy of the United Nations General Assembly who are trying to intimidate the United States Congress into kowtowing to Bill Clinton's demands to pay their dues which, in part, are earmarked for abortion on the international scene. Congress has balked for that very reason and they have a strong ally in the Holy See who this week dispatched Archbishop Renato Martino, permanent observer for the Vatican, to tweak the UN's conscience and remind them of the dignity and value of human beings in all stages of life from conception to man's final breath. But this is only a temporary stopover and we, as a global community, have not taken serious consideration of the overall eternal picture. For the weekend commentary, The UN and the world are at a crossroads and only the Cross points in the right direction!, click on CATHOLIC PewPOINT.

The UN and the world are at a crossroads and only the Cross points in the right direction!

      If ever the United Nations was at a turning point this is it. The world organization that was spawned by NATO after World War II in 1945 is trying its utmost to wield a mighty club but that tool is looking more and more like mere sponge rubber in the face of stiff stipulations from two sources - United States Congress and the Vatican. In respect to the former, they have been holding the UN hostage for some time now and more power to them. Rather than kowtowing to Bill Clinton's sellout of the United States to the UN, they are stiffening their backs in making a final 1.3 billion dollar payment to the UN by demanding that no money goes to funding abortions. Three cheers for the Senate and House, three being for the Trinity. The facts come down to the point that Clinton has steadfastly refused to give up his culture of death platform. If he truly cares that much for the US and paying off the debt to the UN, then he would sign it in the blink of an eye. But the fact he stubbornly refuses says volumes about the man and his administration. If people cannot see that he does not care one iota for this beloved nation and its welfare, look at his own actions and lies, his cover-ups and total lack of moral character. Thank God Congress, as bad as they can be as politicians and human beings often, have at least enough pro culture of life advocates to force this showdown.

      Now the UN and Secretary General Kofi Annan are trying to intimidate Uncle Sam with threats, chief among them taking away America's vote in the General Assembly if it doesn't fork over the moula. Though the United States would not lose their seat on the General Assembly (after all that would be like taking the kid off the team that owns the bat, ball and field itself!), the failure to pay up would cost them a vote. But our response is "so what!" Let's face it, the UN has lost so much of its clout and never was as strong as the Ally Powers of the Second World War era. Not only that, but the UN has not been beneficial to the world overall. It has sought to intimidate third world countries and dictate the terms of culture in many countries, specifically its controlled population agenda which the Vatican has fought bitterly through the years. In fact, it was Pope John Paul II who stood practically alone in the showdown in Cairo when Al Gore and his cronies smugly thought they could railroad through their culture of death platform. But the Clinton administration did not count on the power of prayer and the unlikely alliance of the Moslem nations with the Roman Catholic Church. The result was a resounding battle victory for the Holy See, but it was only a battle. The war is still on and there have been many casualties - especially in the front lines, or shall we say in the womb where millions of babies have been slaughtered - a staggering amount of fatalities that makes the trajedy of the Holocaust miniscule in comparison. We hear constantly about the suffering and aberrations in the Nazi death camps when millions of Jews were put to death simply because of their faith. One reason we hear about it is because there were survivors. Where are the survivors of abortion? How can they witness if they never had the chance to even read or speak, never had a chance to see the light of day? But Almighty God has promised that these little ones will have their day, that they will be the avenging angels He sends when it is His time. They are truly the Holy Innocents!

      With Congress tightening the vice, the Vatican has a little more leverage and Archbishop Renato Martino, the permanent observer from the Vatican at the United Nations General Assembly is not sitting meekly by to watch what will transpire, but is taking the bull by the horns by calling for a complete nuclear disarmament by all nations who have ballistic capacity. The recent news that both Pakistan and India, two fairly primitive nations when it comes to sophisticated weapons, have nuclear capabilities is a very, very scary proposition. Some claim that only through prayer have God's faithful ones been able to prevent a disaster of tremendous proportions. Archbishop Martino didn't stop at hardware, but also called for the end of child soldiers. It didn't work during the "Children's Crusade" in 1212 and it won't work now. The prelate representing the Holy See is seeking to end the exploitation of the young through an "immediate demobilization" of all youth engaged in battle. Not only is it a terrible message to send to the children - one of hate and violence - but also provides little chance of survival for these inexperienced warriors who are thrust into something they don't understand. Not that this is the answer but it is a start as the prelate pointed out and must be supplemented by much needed medical assistance and education available to all. He jumped on the well-documented fact that 800 children a month are felled by land-mines left in areas that are heavily populated by the young and active innocents.

      Rather than focusing all their attention on the instrinsic value and dignity of God's greatest creation, they are setting their sights on the creations He provided for the sake of man - namely earth with a call for all faiths to deal with the ecology and urging them to make it a priority. No offense against ecologists out there, but God is going to take care of that all in due time. We can't afford to get carried away with the new-age concept of earth as so darn important that we lose sight of our eternal soul. Now we're not advocating people go out and pollute or scatter trash all over, chop or burn down trees just for the sake of it, or kill animals for the fun of it. No, there must remain a semblance of reason and balance in respect to this finite globe, but don't you think it is being carried to an extreme at the expense of that more important environment and atmosphere - Eternal life? The UN and the world population have seemingly lost sight of the overall goal, placing priorities on things that are finite and will soon pass away, while trivializing the supernatural as merely something superstitious and reserved for dreamers and crackpots. Nevermind that there are over one billion Catholics inhabiting this earth, nevermind that Jesus is on record for promising that He would be with us always, even to the consummation of the world (cf. Matthew 28: 20), nevermind that He has said the poor we will have always with us. The UN doesn't necessarily believe this for if they succeed in their agenda of planned population and controlling cultures we may not have enough people left to even be considered poor! But we do know one thing for sure, in Heaven and on earth, we'd all be poorer for it! Do we want that? Does the UN really want that? The UN accuses Congress of poor timing without ever realizing it's poor planning on their own part. It was Benjamin Franklin who once said, "Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue." The moral poverty of this world is epitomized by the lack of spirit and virtue of many who the UN says they represent. Isn't it time they own up to their real agenda? At this time in history when much of civilization is on the brink of eternal damnation, the UN could be a great ally of Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and a Congress that seeks liberty and justice for all! With just over a year before the New Millennium, the UN and the world are at a crossroads and only the Cross points in the right direction!

Michael Cain, editor

In the desert of apathy and heresy, It does no good to hide our head in the sand or we could be deserted by God

     ;In her column this week, Sister Mary Lucy Astuto points out our responsibility to speak out for Jesus and not allow ourselves to be led down the wrong path by priests or shepherds who do not follow Christ's One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church for TRUTH is important to Heaven! For Sister's column, What did Our Lady mean?, click on GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

WHAT DID OUR LADY MEAN?

      I’ve been thinking a lot lately about something Our Blessed Mother said in Medjugorje. She said that we should not criticize priests. To some this statement means being absolutely “mum.” But I’ve been asking myself if justice and charity are always served by being totally and completely silent ALL of the time. These are my thoughts.

      Certainly no one should EVER criticize PRIESTHOOD, the calling that God gives to particular men for the reception of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. And certainly detraction, calumny and rash judgments are forbidden.

      We are living in very difficult times. Pope Paul VI said that the “smoke of satan has entered the Church.” Our Lady has spoken to Fr. Gobbi about the apostasy in the Church today affecting even the clergy, her beloved sons. What is one to do if a priest were to PUBLICLY proclaim something heretical?

      (It is happening!) Or what if a priest, by being ill informed, publicly speaks ill of another and ruins a person’s reputation? Or what if he publicly criticizes something that truly yields good fruit in the lives of many? Are we to remain silent under the pretext that Our Lady tells us not to criticize priests? A deeper understanding of her statement is in order.

      I remember years ago when the visionaries in Medjugorje asked Our Lady about a particular Franciscan who had been “expelled” by the local Bishop, Our Lady said that the priest was innocent and the Bishop was wrong in dismissing the Franciscan. Certainly Our Blessed Mother, though lovingly, criticized the local Bishop for his action. TRUTH is important to Heaven.

      I note, also, that Jesus said, “If you deny Me before men, I will deny you before My Father.” TRUTH is important to Heaven.

      Jesus spared few words in His criticism of the Scribes, Pharisees and lawmakers, who laid heavy burdens on others, but walked about with a “better than thou” air. He called them “... whited sepulchers full of dead men’s bones.” TRUTH is important to Heaven.

      And what about the Eighth Commandment that states: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor?” Are priests (as well as the rest of us) excused from this Commandment? Indeed not!

      Who said that all that is necessary for evil to continue is for good people to do nothing about it? Paragraph 2464 of The Catholic Catechism states: “The eight commandment forbids misrepresenting the truth in our relations with others.”

      St. Thomas Aquinas wrote: In justice, “as a matter of honor, one man owes it to another to manifest the truth.” The Catholic Church teaches that there is only ONE person on earth who is infallible. That is our Holy Father and ONLY when he speaks on matters of faith and morals. The implication is that ALL OF US have clay feet. We all make mistakes - even priests. It is not God’s Will that we be like ostriches with our heads in the sand.

      Justice and charity demand that truth reign and be promulgated. When a pubic wrong is committed, we are obligated before God to bear witness to the truth. This, however, must always be done with the greatest of charity, prayer and patience.

      Jesus said: “If your brother does something wrong, go and speak to him. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen to you, then take it to someone else. If he still doesn’t listen, take it to the Church.”

      Herein lies an adequate explanation of Our Lady’s statement. God bless you!

"There is no one to whom has been given all of the events, nor the order that God wills for them."

      The Blessed Mother Mary emphasizes that all she has conveyed to her visionaries through the approval of her Divine Son Jesus and all that has been foretold through Divine Revelation shall soon come to pass but no one messenger knows everything and she warns her children not to look to private revelation as a divining rod but rather to fall back on the tried and true: Prayer, commitment, sacrifice and discernment of the Holy Spirit. These points are the main focus of her messages 247, 248 and 249 imparted to the Hidden Flower of the Immaculate Heart, and which we continue to bring you on a daily basis in order to include all 632 messages conveyed between September 1990 and the Feast of Corpus Christi in 1995. Our Lady keeps repeating that we have nothing to fear if we are rooted in all her Divine Son teaches and put these attributes into practice. Click on "I SOLEMNLY TELL YOU..."

Messages Two Hundred Forty-six, Two Hundred Forty-seven and Two Hundred Forty-eight

      Beloved Hidden Flower, how I love you. Know your crosses shall only increase and this is sanctity.

      Now to all my children I say the great hour has come, and my tears flow ceaselessly.

      My little ones, I say to you that all Scripture is now to be fulfilled; all of my words shall come to pass.

      Now does the evil one strike at the hearts of many who once were gathered beneath my Immaculate Mantle. Now do once fervent hearts grow cold. They are hardened to the enlightening grace of the Holy Spirit. They have become non-believers and are now entrenched in the enemy's camp.

      They are worse than lukewarm, for they have become impatient. My children, how many of you clamor to know the exact sequence of events of these last days? How you search to know the moment of God's Justice and, in so doing, neglect the very life of your soul.

      My children, there is no one to whom has been given all of the events, nor the order that God wills for them. Knowledge of these grave times comes from ardent prayer and fasting and through the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

      You must not seek after such knowledge, for it belongs to the Father. Yet, I solemnly tell you that in these days all Scripture shall be fulfilled. If you wish to persevere do not be concerned over those who reveal one event and those who reveal another, for God shall bring about His Justice swiftly to purify the earth.

      It is your duty to prepare yourselves, which is why God has sent me to be among you. I ask prayer, fasting and obedience to the Holy Father, my beloved priest-son John Paul II. In this way the Truth of your faith shall be strengthened and you shall know the protection of my army beneath my Immaculate Mantle.

      Therefore, delay no longer. Do not grow cold. The Hour of Sorrow is upon you.

      I love and bless you. Thank you responding to my Call!

      Beloved Hidden Flower, I bless you and remain with you. I am here for all of my children and how they refuse me.

      Now has come the time of hardened hearts among my little ones; yes, even among many who, previously, were gathered beneath my Immaculate Mantle.

      Do you not know my intense sorrow when you leave my protective Mantle. Each soul which becomes hardened is a sword which pierces my Immaculate Heart and I weep.

      I solemnly tell each of you that upon the world satan has cast a deep sleep of laziness, lukewarmness and unbelief. From this my Divine Son is now denied. He, the Son, has been darkened. I, the Mother of God have been denied my right in God's plan of Eternal Salvation; the light I am privileged to give I cannot shed. Many of my priest-sons no longer believe; they practice their own faith and are leading countless souls to the abyss. These are the stars that have fallen from the sky.

      My little ones, you are of little faith. Because of your weak faith you do not trust your Heavenly Father, and allow yourselves to become prey to the evil one.

      I have told you to persevere, to wait and watch and you have allowed the lamp of your faith to go out because of pride.

      My little ones, the Justice of God is ready to strike. You question all of Heaven's words and signs; you allow your finite minds to decide and deny your immortal soul.

      I solemnly tell you that unless by prayer and fasting you root out pride, your heart shall be as a dead weight to drag you to the abyss.

      Therefore, I invite you now, while I remain among you, to come home. Pray. Consecrate and dedicate yourselves to my Divine Son's Sacred Heart and to my Immaculate Heart. These are truly the last days, those of which I spoke at Fatima.

      Woe to the world so steeped in evil. It shall be purified. Woe to all who choose evil. Renounce all; take on my Divine Son and grow strong in your faith.

      I love and bless you. Thank you for responding to my Call!

      Dear Beloved Hidden Flower, I come on this the last day of my month of October, when I have asked all of my little ones to draw closer to my Divine Son by coming beneath my Immaculate Mantle. O! My children, I desire you to pray! Not with your minds and your lips, but with your heart lifted up to the Throne of God.

      Do you not yet comprehend that you have come to the last days and I call each of you to be an apostle? But you are weak, and your faith is even weaker.

      You listen daily to satan's lies which are so imbued in you as to have caused the death of your conscience.

      O! How I weep. You have rejected God, and seek only for material wealth over which you pour your soul until your soul is dead.

      I am your Mother, and I do not want any of my little ones to find eternal death in the abyss of the evil one. Therefore, I ask you to believe my words, which are a great grace and mercy. You are called to great holiness, and you must pray, fast, make sacrifice and receive my Divine Son in the Holy Eucharist.

      Satan and his demons and the many he has led astray have already split my Divine Son's Church, and will now cause it to tremble to its very foundation. You live in the time of the Great Apostasy, but you refuse to believe. You live only for your own selfish interests, and give no love to your neighbor.

      Therefore, I solemnly tell you that at the moment when you least expect it, God's Justice shall strike. God's warnings and signs shall be given, that all Scripture might be fulfilled, but many will refuse to convert their hearts.

      In that moment all the mountains of the world shall bow in homage to God. All that God created shall pay homage to the Triune Divinity. O! My children, root out your pride and bow low in humility to God, for He alone is Life; He alone is salvation.

      The moment is much closer than you think. Therefore, convert your heart while I am yet with you. In this way you will not be afraid, but shall persevere.

      I love and bless you. Thank you for responding to my Call!

Events this weekend in Church History

      Sunday is 1,373rd anniversary of the death of Pope Saint Boniface V, 69th successor of Peter. He is best known for being the one who created the concept of sanctuary for anyone seeking refuge in a church and it was during his reign that Mohammedism came onto the scene. For other time capsule events that happened in Church history on October 23rd through October 25th, click on MILLENNIUM MILESTONES AND MEMORIES

Historical Events in Church Annals for October 23:

524 A.D.


Death of Saint Boethius, Roman philosopher and one of the first scholastic theologians of the Middlle Ages who wrote The Consolation of Philosophy.

1456 A.D.


Death of Saint John of Capistrano, priest, religious and missionary. For more on this saint, see THIS WEEKEND'S LITURGY.

1988 A.D.


Pope John Paul II beatifies Blessed Nicolaus Steno also known as Niels Stensen.

Historical Events in Church Annals for October 24:

446 A.D.


Death of Saint Proclus, Patriarch of Constantinople who fought the Nestorian heresy which denies that Jesus was Divine in human form.

1870 A.D.


Death of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Bishop and Religious Founder. For more on this saint, see THIS WEEKEND'S LITURGY.

1948 A.D.


Pope Pius XII issues his sixteenth encyclical In multiplicibus curis which deals with praying for peace in Palestine with the establishment of the state of Israel.

Historical Events in Church Annals for October 25:

285 A.D.


Death of Saints Crispin and Crispianus, brothers from Soissons, France (Gaul) who taught the faith during the day and made shoes at night to support their efforts. They are the patron saints of shoemakers.

304 A.D.


Death of Pope Saint Marcellinus, 29th successor of Peter who was elected on June 30, 296. In this period of the persecution of Diocletian reached its peak destroying also churches and sacred texts. Among the victims we find Saint Agnes, Saint Lucy, Saint Bibiana, Saint Sebastian and Saint Lucian as well as this holy Pope who was born in Rome.

625 A.D.


Death of Pope Saint Boniface V, 69th successor of Peter. Born in Naples, he was elected on December 23, 619. The beginning of his pontificate was delayed for 11 months and was embittered by wars for the Crown of Italy. He instituted the privilege of sanctuary for those persecuted who sought refuge in churches. It was during his papacy that Mohammed began preaching his new religion of Islam.

1241 A.D.


Cardinal Goffredo da Castiglione is elected Pope Celestine IV, 179th successor of Peter even though the cardinals were unable to reach an agreement on his election, so the Roman Senate closed them under lock and key in the ancient palace of the Settizonio on the Coelian Hill. From this episode was derived the term used today for the process of electing a Pope: conclave. His reign was less than a month. After he was coronated on October 28, he died on November 10th since he was already in very poor health when chosen as an "interim" pontiff.

1577 A.D.


Pope Gregory XIII, reinforcing the reforms of Pope Saint Pius V, calls for a renewal of ecclesiastical hymns.

1893 A.D.


Pope Leo XIII issues his 54th encyclical Non mediocri dealing with the Spanish College in Rome.

1992 A.D.


Pope John Paul II beatifies 121 martyrs of the Spanish Civil War and Blessed Narcisa Martillo Moran.

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October 23-25, 1998 volume 9, no. 208   DAILY CATHOLIC