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Events Today in Church History

     For events throughout the centuries that are memorable in Church history today, click on TIME CAPSULES: ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

Historical Events in Church Annals for June 9:

373 A.D.


Death of Syrian-born Saint Ephrem, deacon and Doctor of the Church who fostered devotion and writings on the Immaculate Heart of Mary, specifically the Immaculate Conception which would not be proclaimed dogma for nearly fifteen centuries. He died as a hermit in a cave during the great famine of that time.

597 A.D.


Death of Saint Columba, Irish monk and missionary to Scotland, who was also known as Colum or Colm. Though he did much to foster the faith, he clashed with many of the Irish saints of his time on the debate of the Celtic liturgy versus the Roman Liturgy. Over the years, after his death, the latter became the staple throughout the British Isles.

1198 A.D.


Otto of Brunswick was elected on this day to become Otto IV in succeeding Henry VI as king of Germany. Within six months he would be excommunicated by Pope Innocent III for invading Sicily. He would be forgiven in future years and Innocent would crown Otto the Holy Roman Emperor in 1209.

1247 A.D.


The Papal Legate Cardinal Carpini, returning from his mission work among the Mongols enters the city of Kiev, Russia, bringing the faith to the Ukraine.

1832 A.D.


Pope Greorgy XVI issues his second encyclical titled Cum primum to the bishops of Poland on civil obedience.

Vatican issues strongest denouncement yet on Iraq embargo, but it's in no way an endorsement of Saddam.

     In an effort to bring peace to the mideast, Cardinal Roger Etchegarary, the head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace (not: peace and justice!) traveled to Bagdad, Iraq where he echoed the hopes of Pope John Paul II that the stiff embargo against Iraq be lifted. While chastising the U.S. and U.N. for their strict measures, he made a point to distance himself and the Holy See from the weapons build-up and the possible nuclear or chemical-warfare chess game Saddam Hussein is playing with U.N. inspectors. The trip, in conjunction with an international ecumenical conference, is part of the planning to lay the groundwork for the Holy Father's possible trip there in the Jubilee Year. For more, click on No to embargo

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- In a powerful public statement issued from Baghdad, Cardinal Roger Etchegarary today called for an end to the international embargo against Iraq, but also denounced the country's arms build-up.

      Cardinal Etchegaray, the president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, is on a tour of the Middle East, with stops planned in Jordan and Israel as well. The appearance of such a prominent Vatican official in Iraq-- timed to coincide with an international ecumenical conference in Baghdad-- was a significant new sign of Vatican interest in ending the embargo, which the Pope has repeatedly denounced.

      Cardinal Etchegaray made his condemnation of the embargo a key point of his address to the international gathering, at which the leaders of various Christian denominations will spell out their own positions on the topic. Speaking on the role of the churches as peacemakers, the cardinal said that Christianity offers "exceptional realism" in her analysis of public events. But he added that the Church is "divine as well as human," and cannot be aligned with any earthly power.

      After the symposium, Cardinal Etchegaray will visit the Ur, according to tradition the birthplace of Abraham. That locale has been indicated as the possible site of a papal trip to Iraq-- a project which has been listed among the many goals the Pope would like to fulfill during the Jubilee Year 2000.

Red China showing their true colors with another arrest of Catholic Bishop

     Never trust the Red Chinese for they continue to ignore religious freedom and choose to persecute the underground Chinese Catholic Church which remains loyal to Rome, while the state-approved Patriotic Chinese Church does not recognize the Holy Father. China, presently courting Bill Clinton speaks lie after lie, promising one thing and doing another as evident from the fact-finding tour of three religious leaders a few months ago where they covered everything up. Now it is becoming all too evident they meant to deceive from the start. For more, click on Red China ruse.

      STAMFORD, Connecticut (CWNews.com) - A bishop in the underground Catholic Church in Communist China was arrested on May 31, the Cardinal Kung Foundation reported on Saturday.

      Bishop Zhang Weizhu of Xianxian, near Beijing, was detained while traveling to his village, the foundation said, adding that no other details were available. Communist China requires that all Catholics belong to the state-sanctioned Patriotic Catholic Association, which eschews connections to the pope and refutes certain Catholic doctrines. The Vatican estimates that millions of Catholics belong to the underground Church, led by loyal bishops in danger of arrest for their activities.

      The foundation also reported that the Chinese government has again refused to renew the passport of Cardinal Ignatius Kung Pin-mei, for whom the foundation is named. The 96-year-old cardinal is the bishop of Shanghai, was imprisoned for 32 years, and now lives in exile in the United States. He recently submitted his passport to the Chinese Consulate in New York for renewal, but the consulate confiscated the document, said the cardinal's nephew Joseph Kung.

Banned in Boston stands as Cardinal defrocks pedophile priest. It's about time!

     For the first time ever in the Archdiocese of Boston, a priest has finally been defrocked for violating his vows and bringing shame and scandal on his Church. It's about time and hopefully Cardinal Bernard Law, head of the eastern seaboard see, has set a precedent that other bishops will follow in ridding the church of this cancerous disease of pedophilia. By the Church taking action it will hopefully stem the tide of lawsuits agaisnt the Church for past abuses where the suspect priests are jockeyed to another parish and the people and diocesan administration that inherits the problem are forced to face the consequences. For more, click on Banned in Boston

      BOSTON (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston on Saturday officially defrocked a retired priest accused of sexually molesting dozens of children over 20 years, just days after media reports that the archdiocese settled lawsuits with many of the accusers.

      The cardinal's decision to defrock Father John Geoghan, 63, is the first time such drastic action has been taken against a priest of the archdiocese and was broadly welcomed by those who were allegedly molested by the priest as well as many Boston-area Catholics. Geoghan is accused of raping or molesting more than 50 children over a period of three decades at five parishes in the Boston area.

      A Suffolk County grand jury is investigating the case which became public in 1995 and could still hand down indictments. The archdiocese reportedly paid at least $2.5 million to settle the lawsuits stemming from the priest's abuse, and further settlements could bring the total to $10 million.

Holy Father stresses nourishment of the lay ministry to U.S. bishops during ad limina visit

     Reiterating his words from Pentecost weekend when 200,000 lay persons gathered for an international conference at the Vatican, Pope John Paul II reinforced the need to foster lay movements, especially in the United States as he spoke to bishops from the upper midwest during their ad limina visit. He strongly urged the bishops to follow the lay initiatives released by the Vatican last fall which, for the most part, have gone unnoticed. He emphasized the necessity of obedience and knowing the teachings of the Church so the flock will not be mislead. For more, click on emphasis on laity.

      VATICAN (CWNews.com) -- Greeting a group of US bishops who had traveled to Rome from their ad limina visit, Pope John Paul repeated his insistence that the growth of lay movements constitutes an "extraordinary and surprising new springtime of the Church."

      The newly emerging groups manifest "the dynamism of the faith. living hope, and charity" stimulated by the Holy Spirit among the laity, the Holy Father said. His remarks came in a meeting with bishops from Minnesota and the Dakotas, one week after a dramatic meeting in Rome in which he had greeted thousands of members of lay movements.

      "The new evangelization which could make the 21st century a springtime for the Church is the task of the entire people of God," the Pope said; "but it will depends in a decisive way on the manner in which the lay faithful are conscious of their baptismal vocation and their responsibility to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to their culture and their society."

      The task of bishops, the Pope continued, is to teach, sanctify, and govern in ways that will help the lay people to develop and exploit their evangelical abilities.

      Addressing himself to several questions which have provoked problems for the Church in the United States, the Pope also called upon the bishops to encourage faithful obedience to the Church teaching on artificial contraception. The American people have special "need to listen" to that teaching, he said, because of the "false promises of the sexual revolution" which have produced so much suffering in society. He also encouraged the bishops to follow the recent Vatican directive on the proper limits of lay ministry, especially in the celebration of the liturgy.

For more headlines and articles, we suggest you go to the Catholic World News site. CWN is not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provides this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.

June is the month of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts. For the Consecration to the Two Hearts click on Consecration

CONSECRATION TO THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS

CONSECRATION PRAYER

      Jesus, we know that You are merciful and that You have offered Your Heart for us. It is crowned with thorns and with our sins. We know that You implore us constantly so that we do not go astray. Jesus, remember us when we are in sin. By means of your Heart make all men love one another. Make hate disappear from amongst men. Show us Your love. We all love You and want You to protect us with Your Shepherd's Heart and free us from every sin. Jesus, enter into every heart! Be patient and never desist. We are still closed because we have not understood Your Love. Knock continuously, O Good Jesus, make us open our hearts to You at least in the moment we remember Your Passion suffered for us. Amen.

(Dictated by Our Lady to Jelena Vasilij on November 18, 1983)

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CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULTE HEART OF MARY

CONSECRATION PRAYER

      O Immaculate Heart of Mary, ardent with goodness, show Your Love towards us. May the flame of Your Heart, O Mary, descend on all mankind. We love You so. Impress true love in our hearts so that we have a continuous desire for You. O Mary, humble and meek of heart, remember us when we are in sin. You know that all men sin. Give us, by means of Your Immaculate Heart, spiritual health. Let us always see the goodness of Your maternal Heart and may we all be converted by means of the flame of Your Heart Amen.

(Dictated by Our Lady to Jelena Vasilij on November 28, 1983)

Today's Prayer is the continuing Novena to the Body and Blood of Christ leading up to next Sunday's the Feast of Corpus Christi. Click on PRAYERS & DEVOTION

Novena honoring the Body and Blood of Christ

(In preparation for the Feast of Corpus Christi]

I thank You, Jesus, my Divine Redeemer, for coming upon the earth for our sake, and for instituting the adorable Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist in order to remain with us until the end of the world. I thank You for hiding beneath the Eucharistic species Your infinite majesty and beauty, which Your Angels delight to behold, so that I might have courage to approach the throne of Your Mercy.

I thank You, most loving Jesus, for having made Your- self my food, and for uniting me to Yourself with so much love in this wonderful Sacrament that I may live in You.

I thank You, my Jesus, for giving Yourself to me in this Blessed Sacrament, and so enriching it with the treasures of Your love that You have no greater gift to give me. I thank You not only for becoming my food but also for offering Yourself as a continual sacrifice to Your Eternal Father for my salvation.

I thank You, Divine Priest, for offering Yourself as a Sacrifice daily upon our altars in adoration and homage to the Most Blessed Trinity, and for making amends for our poor and miserable adorations.

I thank You for renewing in this daily Sacrifice the actual Sacrifice of the Cross offered on Calvary, in which You satisfy Divine justice for us poor sinners.

I thank You, dear Jesus, for having become the priceless Victim to merit for me the fullness of heavenly favors. Awaken in me such confidence in You that their fullness may descend ever more fruitfully upon my soul.

I thank You for offering Yourself in thanksgiving to God for all His benefits, spiritual and temporal, which He has bestowed upon me.

In union with Your offering of Yourself to Your Father in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, I ask for this special favor: (Mention your request).

If it be Your holy Will, grant my request. Through You I also hope to receive the grace of perseverance in Your love and faithful service, a holy death, and a happy eternity with You in Heaven. AMEN.

O Lord, You have given us this Sacred Banquet, in which Christ is received, the memory of His Passion is renewed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

You have given them bread from Heaven.
Having all sweetness within.

Let us pray. God our Father, for Your glory and our salvation You appointed Jesus Christ eternal High Priest. May the people He gained for You by His Blood come to share in the power of His Cross and Resurrection by celebrating His Memorial in this Eucharist, for He lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.

O Jesus, since You have left us a remembrance of Your Passion beneath the veils of this Sacrament, grant us, we pray, so to venerate the sacred mysteries of Your Body and Blood that we may always enjoy the fruits of Your Redemption, for You live and reign forever. Amen.

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June 9, 1998 volume 9, no. 111   DAILY CATHOLIC