FRIDAY-SATURDAY-SUNDAY

November 14-16, 1997   vol 8, no.31

SECTION TWO Text of Today's Issue - to print out SECTION ONE, Click here.

...the greatest celebration continues perpetually on every Catholic altar throughout the world: the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in which the Most Holy Eucharist - the Blessed Sacrament - is confected. We conclude our week-long topic on the Eucharist with capsule paragraphs taken from the new Catechism of the Catholic Church in alignment with the old Baltimore Catechism in clarifying what Holy Mother Church teaches about this precious gift available to all in the state of sanctifying grace. Click on today's CATECHISM CAPSULES

      Too many Catholics don't believe in the real presence of Jesus, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Holy Eucharist. Therefore, we continue our series on the Eucharist, today bringing you a few capsule paragraphs from the new Catechism of the Catholic Church and the old Baltimore Catechism on the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

No. 1408 and 1409, page 356 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Libreria Editrice Vaticana: Urbi Et Orbi Communications:

[1418]
   Because Christ Himself is present in the sacrament of the altar, He is to be honored with the worship of adoration. "To visit the Blessed Sacrament is "a proof of gratitude, an expression of love, and a duty of adoration toward Christ our Lord" (Paul VI, Mysterium Fidei66)

[1419]
   Having passed from this world to the Father, Christ gives us in the Eucharist the pledge of glory with him. Participation in the Holy Sacrifice identifies us with his Heart, sustains our strength along the pilgrimage of this life, makes us long for eternal life, and unites us even now to the Church in Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints.

From the Baltimore Catechism No. 3; Benziger Brothers, Inc. and Tan Books and Publishers, Inc. No. 922 and 923, page 197

[922]
Q. What were the ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross was offered?
A. The ends for which the sacrifice of the Cross was offered were: 1st, to honor and glorify God; 2nd, to thank Him for all the graces bestowed on the whole world; 3rd, to satisfy God's justice for the sins of men; 4th to obtain all graces and blessings.

[923]
Q. How are the fruits of the Mass distributed?
A. The fruits of the Mass are distributed thus: The first benefit is bestowed on the priest who says the Mass; the second on the person for whom the Mass is said, or for the intention for which it is said; the third on those who are present at the Mass, and particularly on those who serve it, and the fourth on all the faithful who are in communion with the Church.

The full Liturgy for Friday, Saturday and Sunday with reference to all the readings and vignettes on Saturday's saint - Saint Albert the Great and the background on the Observance of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday are inside. Click on LITURGY OF THE DAY to prepare for Masses this weekend.

Thirty-second Friday in Ordinary Time, November 14:

First Reading: Wisdom 13: 1-9
Psalms: Psalm 19: 2-5
Gospel Reading: Luke 17: 26-37

Thirty-second Saturday in Ordinary Time, November 15: and
Feast of Saint Albert the Great, Bishop, Religious and Doctor of the Church and
Observance of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday

First Reading: Wisdom 18: 14-16; 19: 6-9
Psalms: Psalm 105: 2-3, 5, 36-27, 42-43
Gospel Reading: Luke 18: 1-8

      The 13th Century-born Saint Albert the Great was a product of the Dominican dominance of that period. Born in the family castle at Lauingen, Bavaria in 1206, Albert was sent to the University of Padua in Italy to study and where he entered the Dominican seminary in 1223. After ordination, Albert began teaching at the Order's priory in Cologne, Germany. From there it was on to teach at Freiburg-im-Breisgau, then Regensberg, followed by Strassburg, and finally the University of Paris. There he received his doctorate at the age of 39. Shortly after he was named regent at the University. Among his students was a young Dominican who hung on his every word. Thank God he did for that young man was none other than Saint Thomas Aquinas one of the most learned holy men in the history of the Church. Albert discerned how great Thomas would be and personally tutored the young priest. Albert was the Dominican Provincial of Germany from 1254 to 1257 when he resigned to draw up, along with Thomas Aquinas, a new study curriculum for the Dominican Order in 1259. A year later, though he declined the honor, he was still appointed bishop of Regensburg. In 1262 he resigned the bishopric in order to go back to teaching at the University in Cologne. He took an avctive role in the Council of Lyons held in 1274. That same year his pupil St. Thomas died and for a few years after Albert was the learned saint's greatest defender, specifically of his great work "Summa Theologica". Albert traveled to Paris in 1278 to staunchly defend Thomas' teachings. There had been a group of theologians at the University of Paris, headed by Bishop Stephen Tempier of Paris, who, followers of Saint Augustine and Plato, disagreed with the techniques used by Albert and Thomas. The two saints had pioneered the "Scholastic" method and applied the principles of Aristotle in revealing Church Doctrine. Albert wrote numerous works on Sacred Scripture as well as countless thesises on the Blessed Mother, more than anyone to that time in Church annals. Less than a year later at the age of 72 Albert contracted, what many believe was Alzheimer's Disease and his acumen for teaching and writing greatly diminished until on November 15, 1280 God took him home. He was canonized in 1931 by Pope Pius XI. At that same time Pius proclaimed Albert "Albertus Magnus" "the Universal Doctor" - now a Doctor of the Church. Ten years later Pius XI's successor Pope Pius XII proclaimed Albert as the "Patron of Students and Natural Sciences."

      Honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary is a custom first promoted by the Benedictine Monk Saint Alcuin back in the days of Charlemagne (see archives December 23, no. 25 issue, volume 7). He composed different formulas for Votive Masses for each day of the week, with two set aside to honor Our Lady on Saturday. This practice caught on with great enthusiasm and eventually the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday became the Common of the Blessed Virgin. This Mass was a favorite with retired priests and those whose sight was failing for most had memorized this Mass and were able to say it by heart without having to read the Lectionary or Sacramentary. One reason Saturday was dedicated to Mary was that Saturday held a special meaning in Mariology. First of all, as Genesis accounts for, God rested on the seventh day. In the Old Testament, the Sabbath was Saturday. Jesus, Son of God rested in the womb and then, when He became incarnate, in the loving arms of Mary from birth until she held His lifeless body at the foot of the Cross. Thus the God-head rested in Mary. It was also on Saturday after Good Friday that Jesus gave His Mother a special gift and reward for keeping her faith in His Divinity intact by making an exceptional appearance to her. Thus, because of these reasons, the devotion spread by St. Alcuin and other liturgies that evolved within the Church, Saturday took on a special Marian significance. Saturday took on even more significance in honoring Mary when Our Lady imparted to visionary Lucia in her third apparition at Fatima on July 13, 1917, "Our Lord wishes that devotion to my Immaculate Heart be established in the world. If what I tell you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace; the war will end...I ask the consecration of the world to my Immaculate Heart and Communion of reparation on the First Saturday of each month...If my requests are granted, Russia will be converted and there will be peace...In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph, and an era of peace will be conceded to humanity." As we draw nearer to that wonderful event, it is more important than ever to honor Mary's request on the First Saturday as well as each Saturday that her feast is commemorated in the Church calendar, not to mention responding to her call daily with the Rosary and attending Daily Mass, nourished by her Divine Son present body and blood, soul and Divinity in the Blessed Sacrament. It is in the Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary where she remains in the background in the liturgy of the Word so that her Divine Son's words and His Presence take the spotlight as He should while Mary remains the chief intercessor before the Holy Trinity as she should and serves as the ideal for all Catholics to strive for, as we should. The Dictionary of Mary states quite succinctly, "Through these liturgical acts, (honoring Mary on Saturday) Christians exalt the person of Mary in the action that renews the sacrifice of Christ and in the action that prolongs His prayer."

Sunday, November 16:
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Daniel 12: 1-3
Psalms: Psalm 16: 5, 8-11
Second Reading: Hebrews 10: 11-14, 18
Gospel Reading: Mark 13: 24-32

See "Reflections" on today's Gospel in this weekend's issue.

Monday, November 17:
Feast of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Wife, Mother, and Religious

First Reading: 1 Maccabees 1: 10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-64
Psalms: Psalm 119: 53, 61, 88, 150, 155, 158
Gospel Reading: Luke 18: 35-43

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

      The daughter of Saint Hedwig and King Andrew II, Catholic ruler of Hungary, Saint Elizabeth was born in 1207. At the age of four she was promised in marriage to Louis IV from Thuringia. Ten years later she was married to him in an elaborate royal ceremony. Early in their marriage her husband, who had become King, rebuked her because she was always serving people. "That's no work for a queen" he reprimanded her, demanding to know what she was carrying in her cloak. He pulled open her cloak and instead of finding provisions for the poor as he expected, out cascaded lovely red and white roses. He knew then that she was indeed a holy woman and from that point on he dedicated his life to sharing in her ministry. They lived their vows above reproach, conceiving three children. While in labor with her third child, word reached her that her husband Louis had been killed in battle during the Cursade led by Holy Roman Emperor King Frederick II. At twenty years of age Elizabeth, now Queen and widow, went into mourning. Rather than accepting the offers of several suitors, she opted to remain a widow and turned her attention to the poor and ill, vacating the luxurious castle at Wartburg to dedicate the rest of her life to helping others. She founded a hospital at Marburg, dedicating it to Saint Francis who had just been canonized and took up the gray habit of the Francican tertiaries to work in the hospital she had established. Her charitable works became well-known and the fruits of that love and charity spread far and wide after her death at the tender age of 24. Falling ill from the plague that had claimed many of the hospital patients, Elizabeth herself, not one to rest, contracted the disease and died in the hospital on November 16, 1231. Almost immediately miracles were attributed to her by those who touched her tomb. Four years later the clamor and evidence was so solid that Pope Gregory IX canonized her, three years after making Francis a saint. Since the thirteenth century she, along with Saint Louis IX have been the patron saints of Franciscan tertiaries. She is also patron saint of bakers.

Dear children: Also, today I am with you and I call all of you to renew yourselves by living my messages. Little children, may prayer be life for you and may you be an example to others. Little children, I desire for you to become carriers of Peace and of God's Joy to today's world without peace. That is why, little children, pray, pray, pray! I am with you and I bless you with my motherly peace. Thank you for having responded to my call!

HEADLINES:

Bishops' Conference Concludes

    The National Conference of Catholic Bishops, already in full agreement to seriously study returning a sense of fast and abstinence on Fridays, wrapped up their week-long bi-annual fall meeting in the nation's capitol with resolutions to approve a new Spanish lectionary and sacramentary, as well as reinforcing their united stand against abortion, drawing up a a document earmarked for the 25th anniversary of the infamous Roe vs. Wade landmark decision which officially cast the dark shadow of the culture of death over the United States. Click on Bishops to read more.

US BISHOPS FINISH MEETING, SPANISH LITURGICAL TEXTS

     WASHINGTON, DC (CWN) - The US bishops finished their fall meeting on Thursday with the probable approval of a new Spanish liturgical text and a report marking the 25th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion on demand.

       The new Spanish lectionary and sacramentary, which will be voted on by mail-in ballot but is likely to be approved, will replace the hodge-podge of texts from Mexico, Spain, and other Hispanic countries that are currently in use. The unified text is needed because of the variety of dialects that Spanish-speakers in the US use. However, the controversy over gender-inclusive language crept into these texts as they have for the standard English texts. Bishop Roberto Gonzalez of Corpus Christi, Texas used as an example the substitution of the phrase "trabajo de hombres," which means the "work of men," for "trabajo humano," which means "the human work." The text must still receive the approval of the Vatican.

       The bishops also issued a document called, "Light and Shadows," on the upcoming anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision. According to a spokesman, the bishops renewed their commitment to ending abortion, as they look with hope at the increasing numbers of young people becoming actively pro-life.

If you're Catholic, display the cross of Christ proudly!

   That's the message Washington D.C. Cardinal James Hickey firmly sent to the Jesuits at Georgetown University in the upscale district of the city. He decried the liberal allowance of factions such as gay organizations at the Catholic college that are in direct philosophical and theological confrontation with Holy Mother Church while the leaders of this Catholic University seem to be watering down the faith and ashamed of the crucifixes which had been removed from classrooms. Click on Hoyas
to read more.

CARDINAL CALLS ON GEORGETOWN TO DISPLAY CRUCIFIXES

     WASHINGTON, DC (CWN) - Cardinal James Hickey of Washington on Thursday called for Georgetown University to recall its Jesuit heritage and display the crucifix in all classrooms and campus facilities.

       Writing in the Catholic Standard newspaper, Cardinal Hickey said: "Frankly, I can't imagine why a university, run by the Society of Jesus and operating under a pontifical charter, would have to debate the issue." The cardinal also urged university officials to revoke its invitation for New Ways Ministry, a local homosexual advocacy group under investigation by the Vatican, which is set to host a campus debate on homosexuality and Catholic doctrine. He recalled his repeated warnings about the theological and pastoral approach taken by the group.

       The cardinal urged the university to reject secular standards by allowing any group to be invited to speak at the campus by student organizations. "What's wrong with this picture?" asked Cardinal Hickey. "For starters, these standards are not significantly different from those employed by secular universities and colleges." He added that the policy allows university officials to avoid responsibility when student groups invite speakers that are "truly inimical to the Catholic faith."

Pete repeats his promise to crack down

    Just a week after California Republican Governor Pete Wilson talked the talk in doing the right thing to members of the Christian Coalition, he is starting to walk the walk. He is holding hostage millions of dollars in contracts in protest of Sodom and...oops, make that San Francisco's new law that could adversely effect the ultra-liberal Cal Berkely and other organizations. Click on Pete to read more.

CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR PROTESTS SAME-SEX RULES IN UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

     SAN FRANCISCO (CWN) - California Gov. Pete Wilson jeopardized multi-million dollar contracts between the University of California and the city of San Francisco by protesting plans to extend spousal benefits to same-sex partners of employees.

       The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Wednesday that $70 million in medical contracts between the city and UC San Francisco were in jeopardy because of a city law that went into effect in June that requires organizations that do business with San Francisco to offer the benefits. Wilson's spokesman Sean Walsh says the governor believes public dollars should not be expended to provide insurance for anyone other than those who are married.

       The newspaper reports that Wilson plans to publicly declare his opposition and vote against the issue at an upcoming regents' meeting in Los Angeles. The Archdiocese of San Francisco worked out an exemption for its Catholic social services organizations which receive some funds from the city.

PROVERB OF THE DAY

"The oppression of the wicked will sweep them away, because they refuse to do what is right."

Proverbs 21: 7

Acknowledgment:

To print out SECTION ONE of Today's issue, go to SECTION ONE

For all other standard features, articles and columns, click on Archives

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November 14, 1997 volume 8, no. 31         DAILY CATHOLIC