Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Thirteen A

Sunday, 30 September, 2001

Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time


* * *

Joint Declaration of John Paul II and Catholicos Karekin II

"To Pray and Work to Hasten the Day of Communion"

YEREVAN, Armenia, SEPT. 28, 2001 (ZENIT.org).- Before leaving Armenia on
Thursday, John Paul II went to the cathedral of Etchmiadzin, to participate
in a brief farewell-ceremony with Catholicos Karekin II. During the ceremony
the Pope and patriarch signed this joint declaration.

Common Declaration of
His Holiness John Paul II and His Holiness Karekin II
at Holy Etchmiadzin, Republic of Armenia 27 September 2001

The celebration of the 1700th anniversary of the proclamation of
Christianity as the religion of Armenia has brought us together -- John Paul
II, Bishop of Rome and Pastor of the Catholic Church, and Karekin II, the
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians -- and we thank God for
giving us this joyous opportunity to join again in common prayer, in praise
of his all-holy Name. Blessed be the Holy Trinity -- Father, Son and Holy
Spirit -- now and for ever.

As we commemorate this wondrous event, we remember with reverence, gratitude
and love the great confessor of our Lord Jesus Christ, Saint Gregory the
Illuminator, as well as his collaborators and successors. They enlightened
not only the people of Armenia but also others in the neighbouring countries
of the Caucasus. Thanks to their witness, dedication and example, the
Armenian people in A. D. 301 were bathed in the divine light and earnestly
turned to Christ as the Truth, the Life, and the Way to salvation.

They worshipped God as their Father, professed Christ as their Lord and
invoked the Holy Spirit as their Sanctifier; they loved the apostolic
universal Church as their Mother. Christ´s supreme commandment, to love God
above all and our neighbour as ourselves, became a way of life for the
Armenians of old. Endowed with great faith, they chose to bear witness to
the Truth and accept death when necessary, in order to share eternal life.
Martyrdom for the love of Christ thus became a great legacy of many
generations of Armenians. The most valuable treasure that one generation
could bequeath to the next was fidelity to the Gospel, so that, with the
grace of the Holy Spirit, the young would become as resolute as their
ancestors in bearing witness to the Truth. The extermination of a million
and a half Armenian Christians, in what is generally referred to as the
first genocide of the twentieth century, and the subsequent annihilation of
thousands under the former totalitarian regime are tragedies that still live
in the memory of the present-day generation. These innocents who were
butchered in vain are not canonized, but many among them were certainly
confessors and martyrs for the name of Christ. We pray for the repose of
their souls, and urge the faithful never to lose sight of the meaning of
their sacrifice. We thank God for the fact that Christianity in Armenia has
survived the adversities of the past seventeen centuries, and that the
Armenian Church is now free to carry out her mission of proclaiming the Good
News in the modern Republic of Armenia and in many areas near and far where
Armenian communities are present.

Armenia is again a free country, as in the early days of King Tiridates and
Saint Gregory the Illuminator. Over the past ten years, the right of
citizens in the burgeoning Republic to worship and practise their religion
in freedom has been recognized. In Armenia and in the diaspora, new Armenian
institutions have been established, churches have been built, associations
and schools have been founded. In all of this we acknowledge the loving hand
of God. For he has made his miracles visible in the continuing history of a
small nation, which has preserved its particular identity thanks to its
Christian faith. Because of their faith and their Church, the Armenian
people have developed a unique Christian culture, which is indeed a most
valuable contribution to the treasury of Christianity as a whole.

The example of Christian Armenia testifies that faith in Christ brings hope
to every human situation, no matter how difficult. We pray that the saving
light of Christian faith may shine on both the weak and the strong, on both
the developed and developing nations of this world. Particularly today, the
complexities and challenges of the international situation require a choice
between good and evil, darkness and light, humanity and inhumanity, truth
and falsehood. Present issues of law, politics, science, and family life
touch upon the very meaning of humanity and its vocation. They call today´s
Christians -- no less than the martyrs of other times -- to bear witness to
the Truth even at the risk of paying a high price.

This witness will be all the more convincing if all of Christ´s disciples
could profess together the one faith and heal the wounds of division among
themselves. May the Holy Spirit guide Christians, and indeed all people of
good will, on the path of reconciliation and brotherhood. Here at Holy
Etchmiadzin we renew our solemn commitment to pray and work to hasten the
day of communion among all the members of Christ´s faithful flock, with true
regard for our respective sacred traditions.

With God´s help, we shall do nothing against love, but "surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, we shall lay aside every weight, and sin which
clings so closely, and shall run with perseverance the race that is set
before us" (cf. Heb 12:1).

We urge our faithful to pray without ceasing that the Holy Spirit will fill
us all, as he did the holy martyrs of every time and place, with the wisdom
and courage to follow Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Holy Etchmiadzin, 27 September 2001

His Holiness John Paul II
His Holiness Karekin II

[Original text: English; distributed by Vatican Press Office]

* * *

No Prosperity Without Peace, Pope Says During Farewell

Urges Armenia to Persevere in Its Struggles

YEREVAN, Armenia, SEPT. 27, 2001 (Zenit.org).- In his farewell bid to
Armenia today, John Paul II emphasized that prosperity demands peace.

During his six-day pilgrimage to Kazakhstan and Armenia, the world was
braced for a U.S. military response in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks. The Holy Father several times has implored that the events of that
day not lead to an indiscriminate war.

During the farewell ceremony at Yerevan´s international airport, the Pontiff
appealed to Armenian and other national leaders in this troubled region to
"have the wisdom and perseverance to move forward courageously on the path
of peace."

"Without peace, there can be no genuine development and prosperity," he
said.

Among those present was Armenian President Robert Kotcharian and Armenian
Apostolic Patriarch Karekin II, head of a Church that separated from Rome
1,500 years ago. Before John Paul II ascended the steps to the plane, he and
Karekin II embraced spontaneously.

In a message addressed to the 8 million Armenians spread around the world,
the Pope said, "It is true, these are difficult years, and your heart is
sometimes weary and unsure."

The Holy Father was referring to the economic and social crisis that Armenia
is enduring.

"Many of your young people have left the land of their birth; there is not
enough work and poverty persists; it is hard to keep striving for the common
good," the Pope added.

"Remember that you have put your trust in Christ and said yes to him for
ever," John Paul II said. The Pope came here, in part, to join the
celebration of 1,700 years of Christianity as Armenia´s official religion.

"The time is ripe for your nation to gather its cultural resources and
spiritual energies in a great concerted effort to develop and prosper on the
basis of the fundamental truths of your Christian heritage: the dignity of
every human being, the centrality of the person in every relationship and
situation, the moral imperative of equal justice for all, and solidarity
with the weak and the less fortunate," John Paul II concluded.

Today, Armenian newspapers begged the Holy Father not to leave. "If you go,
the war will begin," one paper wrote.

* * *

World Situation Calls for Choice "Between Good and Evil," Pope Says

Signs a Joint Declaration with Catholicos Karekin II

YEREVAN, Armenia, SEPT. 27, 2001 (Zenit.org).- The world´s current situation
calls for a choice "between good and evil," John Paul II said today in a
joint declaration signed with Armenian Apostolic Patriarch Karekin II.

The document, signed by the leaders of the two Churches that separated 1,500
years ago, does not refer explicitly to the Sept. 11 attacks on the United
States. Rather, it addresses the world scene globally.

"Particularly today, the complexities and challenges of the international
situation require a choice between good and evil, darkness and light,
humanity and inhumanity, truth and falsehood," the joint declaration states.


The two religious leaders signed the document in the cathedral of
Etchmiadzin. The Pope later departed for the trip back to Rome.

"We pray that the saving light of Christian faith may shine on both the weak
and the strong, on both the developed and developing nations of this world,"
the document continues.

"Present issues of law, politics, science and family life touch upon the
very meaning of humanity and its vocation," it states. "They call today´s
Christians -- no less than the martyrs of other times -- to bear witness to
the Truth, even at the risk of paying a high price.

"This witness will be all the more convincing if all of Christ´s disciples
could profess together the one faith and heal the wounds of division among
themselves."

Rome and the Armenian Apostolic Patriarchate overcame their theological
differences on the nature of Christ in 1996. Differences over recognition of
papal primacy keep Catholics and Armenian Apostolic Christians from full
communion.

The two leaders conclude in the joint declaration: "Here, at Holy
Etchmiadzin, we renew our solemn commitment to pray and work to hasten the
day of communion among all the members of Christ´s faithful flock, with true
regard for our respective sacred traditions."

* * *

Pope´s Homily at "Great Altar" of Etchmiadzin

"We Must Rival One Another in Showing Mutual Charity"

YEREVAN, Armenia, SEPT. 28, 2001 (ZENIT.org).- Here is a translation of John
Paul II´s homily during a Latin-rite Mass celebrated Thursday at the "great
altar" in the garden of Etchmiadzin, the "Vatican" of the Armenian Apostolic
Church.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I greet you and bless you all!
"The Lord is my light and my salvation" (Ps 26:1).

1. These words of the Psalm resounded in Armenian hearts when the Christian
faith, first proclaimed in this land by the Apostles Bartholomew and
Thaddeus, became the religion of the nation seventeen hundred years ago.
From that time on Armenian Christians have lived and died in the "grace and
truth" (Jn 1:17) of our Lord Jesus Christ. The light and salvation of the
Gospel have inspired and sustained you at every stage of your pilgrimage
down the centuries. Today we are honouring and commemorating Armenia´s
fidelity to Jesus Christ at this Eucharist, which His Holiness Catholicos
Karekin II, with a brother´s love, has invited me to celebrate on the holy
ground where the Son of God appeared to your father in faith, Saint Gregory
the Illuminator.

How the Bishop of Rome has longed for this day! With intense joy, I greet
His Holiness the Catholicos, his fellow Archbishops and Bishops and the
faithful of the Armenian Apostolic Church. I warmly greet Archbishop Nerses
Der Nersessian and Coadjutor Archbishop Vartan Kechichian and, through them,
my thoughts go to His Beatitude Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX, and to the
Armenian Bishops and faithful throughout the world. I embrace the priests,
the men and women religious, and all of you, sons and daughters of the
Armenian Catholic Church from the various parishes. I greet Bishop Giuseppe
Pasotto, Apostolic Administrator of the Caucasus of the Latins and all who
have come from Georgia and from other parts of the Caucasus.

2. For many years the voice of the priest fell silent in your churches, but
still the voice of the people´s faith was heard, full of devotion and filial
affection for the Successor of the Apostle Peter.

When evil-hearted men fired upon the Cross on the bell-tower of Panik, they
sought to offend the God in whom they did not believe. But their violence
was directed above all against the people who had gathered the stones to
build a house for the Lord; against you who in those churches had received
the gift of faith in the waters of Baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit
in Chrismation; against you who gathered to share in the heavenly banquet at
the Eucharistic table; against you who, in those places of prayer, had your
marriages blessed that your families might be holy, and bade farewell to
your loved ones in the sure hope of being reunited with them one day in
heaven.

They fired upon the Cross; but still you sang the praises of the Lord,
guarding and venerating the clerical robe of your last priest as a trace of
his presence among you. You chanted your hymns in the sure knowledge that
from heaven his voice was one with yours in praising Christ the eternal High
Priest. You adorned your places of worship as best you could; and beside the
images of Jesus and his Mother Mary, there often stood the picture of the
Pope of Rome alongside the picture of the Catholicos of the Armenian
Apostolic Church. You understood that where Christians were suffering,
though divided among themselves, there already existed a profound unity.

3. That is why your recent history has not been marked by the sad opposition
between the Churches which has so troubled Christians in other lands not far
from here. I still remember when, once the winter of ideological atheism was
past, the late Catholicos Vazken I invited the Holy See of Rome to send a
priest to the Catholics of Armenia. I chose for you then Father Komitas, one
of the spiritual sons of Abbot Mekhitar. This year the Mekhitarist community
celebrates three hundred years since its foundation. Let us give thanks to
the Lord for the glorious witness which the monks have given; and let us be
grateful to them for all that they are now doing to renew Armenian culture!

Although no longer young, Father Komitas immediately and enthusiastically
agreed to join you in the difficult task of reconstruction. He came to live
in Panik, where he restored the Cross which gunfire had sought to destroy.
In a spirit of fraternity with the clergy and faithful of the Armenian
Apostolic Church, he re-opened and embellished the church for the Catholics
who had defended it for so long. Now he lies beside it, close even in death
to his people, as he awaits the Resurrection of the dead.

4. Later, with the fraternal understanding of Catholicos Vazken, who in the
national Parliament had defended the rights of Catholics in Armenia, I was
able to send you as pastor another Mekhitarist, Father Nerses, whom I
ordained a Bishop in Saint Peter´s Basilica. He is the son of a confessor of
the faith who paid for his fidelity to Christ in Communist prisons. To
Archbishop Nerses I wish to say a special word of thanks. When asked, he was
quick to leave his beloved Mekhitarist community on the island of San
Lazzaro in Venice to serve among you as a loving father and revered teacher.
Now he is helped by Archbishop Vartan, another spiritual son of Abbot
Mekhitar. I wish him too a long and fruitful pastoral ministry.

Together with his former Vicar, who then became Bishop for Armenian
Catholics in Iran, and now with the Coadjutor Archbishop, the priests and
the religious women who give themselves so generously for the sake of the
Gospel, Archbishop Nerses has taught you and shown you that the Catholic
Church in this land is not a rival. A fraternal attitude pervades all our
relations. Just as in the years of silence you placed the picture of the
Pope beside the picture of the Catholicos, so in today´s liturgy we shall
pray not only for the Catholic hierarchy but also for His Holiness Karekin
II, Catholicos of all Armenians.

In your kindness, Your Holiness, you have invited the Bishop of Rome to
celebrate the Eucharist with the Catholic community at Holy Etchmiadzin, and
you are honouring us with your presence on this joyful occasion. Is this not
a wonderful sign of our common faith? Does it not express the yearning of so
many of our brothers and sisters who wish to see us advance quickly on the
path of unity? My own heart is eager to hasten the day when we shall
celebrate together the Divine Sacrifice which makes us all one. At this
altar which is your altar, I beg the Lord to forgive us our past failings
against unity and to lead us to the love that overcomes all barriers.

5. Dear Catholic brothers and sisters, you are rightly proud of this ancient
land of your ancestors, and you too are heirs to its history and culture. In
the Catholic Church the hymn of praise rises to God from many peoples, in
many tongues. But this blending of different voices in a single melody in no
way destroys your identity as Armenians. You speak the sweet tongue of your
forebears. You chant your liturgy as you were taught by the holy Fathers of
the Armenian Church. With your brothers and sisters of the Apostolic Church,
you witness to the same Lord Jesus, who is not divided. You belong neither
to Apollo, nor Cephas, nor Paul: "You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs
to God" (1 Cor 3:23).

6. As Armenians, with the same rights and duties as all Armenians, you are
helping to re-build the nation. I am certain that in this momentous task our
brothers and sisters of the Armenian Apostolic Church look upon the members
of the Catholic community as children of the same mother, the blessed land
of Armenia, land of martyrs and monks, of scholars and artists. The
divisions which arose left the root intact. We must rival one another -- not
in creating division or in accusing each other -- but in showing mutual
charity. The only rivalry possible among the Lord´s disciples is to see who
can offer the greater love! Let us remember the words of your great Bishop
Nerses of Lambron: "There is no way of being in peace with God, for anyone,
if men are not first at peace among themselves... If we love, and this is
our measure, love will be our inheritance; if our measure is resentment and
hatred, then all we can expect is resentment and hatred".

At this time Armenia needs from all her sons and daughters fresh efforts and
new sacrifices. Armenia today needs all her children to work wholeheartedly
for the common good. For that alone will ensure that the honest and generous
service of those in public life is met by the trust and esteem of the
people; that families are united and faithful; and that every human life is
lovingly welcomed from the moment of conception and carefully nurtured even
when stricken by sickness or poverty. And where will you find strength for
this great common effort? You will find it where the Armenian people have
always found inspiration to persevere in their high ideals and defend their
cultural and spiritual heritage: in the light and salvation which come to
you from Christ.

Armenia hungers and thirsts for Jesus Christ, for whom so many of your
ancestors gave their lives. In these difficult times, people are looking for
bread. But when they have it, their hearts will still long for more - a
reason for living and a hope that sustains them in their daily toil. And who
will move them to put their trust in Jesus Christ? You, Christians of
Armenia, and all of you together!

7. All Armenian Christians look together to the Cross of Jesus Christ as the
world´s only hope and as Armenia´s true light and salvation. On the Cross
you were all born from the wounded side of Christ himself (cf. Jn 19:34).
You cherish the Cross because you know it to be life not death, victory not
defeat. You know this because you have learnt the truth which Saint Paul
declares to the Philippians - that his imprisonment only served to advance
the Gospel (1:12). Consider your own bitter experience, which was an
imprisonment of a kind. You have taken up your Cross (cf. Mt 16:24) and it
has not destroyed you! It has in fact re-created you in mysterious and
wonderful ways. That is why after seventeen hundred years you can say with
the prophet Micah: "Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; for when I fall, I
shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light" (7:8).
Christians of Armenia, after the great trial, now is the time to rise! Rise
with him who in every age has been your light and your salvation!

8. On this ecumenical pilgrimage, I very much wanted to visit the places
where the Catholic faithful live in greater numbers. I would have liked to
pray at the tombs of the victims of the terrible earthquake of 1988, knowing
that many are still suffering its tragic consequences. I wanted personally
to visit the Redemptoris Mater Hospital, which I was happy to contribute at
the time of Armenia´s distress, and which I know is much appreciated for the
service it offers, thanks to the tireless work of the Camillians and the
Little Sisters of Jesus. But none of this has been possible. Know that all
of you have a place in my heart and in my prayer.

Dear brothers and sisters, when you return home from this holy place,
remember that the Bishop of Rome came to honour the faith of the Armenian
people, among whom you are especially dear to him. He has come to celebrate
your faithfulness and courage, and to praise God who has granted you to see
the day of freedom. Here at this splendid altar, let us remember those who
struggled to see this day and did not see it, but who contemplate it now in
the eternal glory of God´s Kingdom.

May the great Mother of God, whom you love most dearly, watch over her
Armenian children, and keep you all - the little ones, the young people, the
families, the elderly, the sick - safe for ever beneath her protective
mantle.

Armenia semper fidelis! God´s blessings be upon you always! Amen.

[Original text: Armenian; translation distributed by Vatican Press Office]

* * *

Pope´s Farewell Discourse to Armenia

"I Have Seen Your Resilience"

YEREVAN, Armenia, SEPT. 28, 2001 (ZENIT.org).- Here is the text of John Paul
II´s farewell discourse which he gave Thursday at Zvartnotz International
Airport before leaving Armenia.

Your Excellency President Kocharian,
Your Holiness,

Dear Armenian Friends,

1. The time has come to say farewell and to thank you, Mr President, and the
members of the Government for the wonderful hospitality I have found in
Armenia. I am grateful to everyone, authorities and collaborators, civil and
military, the men and women of the media, to all who have given their time
and skills to make this visit a success.

With deep emotion I express my thanks to you, Your Holiness, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos, and to the hierarchy and faithful of the Armenian
Apostolic Church for the spirit of brotherly love and communion which we
have shared in these days.

2. Farewell to you, dear Archbishop Nerses, Archbishop Vartan, Bishop
Giuseppe, and to the priests, men and women religious, and laity of the
Catholic Church. With intense joy we have celebrated together the mystery of
our faith, and I have experienced at first hand your desire to work with all
your fellow citizens for greater justice and a better life for all
Armenians. The Pope keeps you in his heart, and God himself will give you
strength to meet the challenges before you.

I express once more my esteem for the representatives of all the Churches
and Ecclesial Communities who have taken part in the events of my visit. May
all the followers of Christ grow in trust and ecumenical friendship as we
move into the Third Millennium and travel the path of ever closer union and
cooperation!

3. Thank you, people of Armenia, for the warmth of your friendship, for the
prayer we have shared, for your yearning for Christian unity. Thank you most
of all for the witness of your faith, a faith you have not abandoned in dark
times, a faith which remains deeply rooted in your families and in your
national life.

Throughout history, Mount Ararat has been a symbol of stability and a source
of confidence for the Armenian people. Yet time and again that stability and
confidence were sorely tested by violence and persecution. The Armenian
people have paid dearly for their frontier existence, so much so that the
words "holiness" and "martyrdom" have become almost identical in your
vocabulary. The terrible events at the beginning of the last century which
brought your people "to the brink of annihilation", the long years of
totalitarian oppression, the devastation of a disastrous earthquake: none of
these has been able to prevent the Armenian soul from regaining courage and
recovering its great dignity.

4. It is true, these are difficult years, and your heart is sometimes weary
and unsure. Many of your young people have left the land of their birth;
there is not enough work and poverty persists; it is hard to keep striving
for the common good. But, dear Armenian Friends, hold on to hope! Remember
that you have put your trust in Christ and said yes to him for ever.

Supported by your Armenian brothers and sisters throughout the world you are
committed to the task of rebuilding in freedom your country and your
society.

The time is ripe for your nation to gather its cultural resources and
spiritual energies in a great concerted effort to develop and prosper on the
basis of the fundamental truths of your Christian heritage: the dignity of
every human being, the centrality of the person in every relationship and
situation, the moral imperative of equal justice for all, and solidarity
with the weak and the less fortunate. I pray to the Lord that the leaders of
Armenia and of the other peoples of the region will have the wisdom and
perseverance to move forward courageously on the path of peace, for without
peace there can be no genuine development and prosperity.

5. In saying farewell, I am filled with confidence, for I have seen your
resilience and the nobility of your aspirations. May Armenian hearts ever
repeat the words of your great poet Hovhannès Tumaniàn about the homeland:

"But still you live, standing erect in spite of all your wounds
on the mysterious journey of time, past and present,
still standing, wise and pensive, and sad, with your God ...
And the dawn of life´s happiness will come,
its light at last in thousands upon thousands of souls;
and on the sacred slopes of your Mount Ararat
will shine forth at last the flame of the time to come.
Then, with the dawn, new songs and new poems
will be on the lips of the poets".

May Saint Gregory the Illuminator and the great host of Armenian Martyrs and
Saints watch over you now and in the future! And may the Mother of Christ,
Ark of the New Covenant, guide Armenia to the peace which lies beyond the
great flood, the peace of God who has set his bow in the clouds as a sign of
his everlasting love (cf. Gen 9:13).

Thank you, Mr President! Thank you, dear Brother Karekin! Thank you all!

[Original text: English; distributed by the Vatican Press Office]

* * *

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EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

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WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Twelve C

Wednesday, 26 September, 2001

Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

* * *

PRAYER FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 26, 2001 (VIS) - John Paul II celebrated Mass in private
this morning in the chapel of the Apostolic Palace of Etchmiadzin, and then
travelled to the Presidential Palace of Yerevan for a courtesy visit to the
President of the Republic of Armenia, Robert Kotcharian. At 11:00 a.m. local
time the Pope visited the Dzidzernagapert Memorial. Situated on a small
hill, it is an architectural complex built in 1967 in memory of the
approximately 1.5 million Armenians who perished under the Ottoman Empire
during the First World War. The Pope and His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, placed flowers in homage and
prayed together for all of the victims, for their salvation, and for peace
in the world. After a song, and a brief prayer by the Catholicos, the Pope
read a prayer in English: "Look upon the people of this land," he said, "who
put their trust in You so long ago, who have passed through the great
tribulation and never failed in their faithfulness to You. Wipe away every
tear from their eyes and grant that their agony in the twentieth century
will yield a harvest of life that endures forever. "We are appalled by the
terrible violence done to the Armenian people, and dismayed that the world
still knows such inhumanity. But renewing our hope in Your promise, we
implore, O Lord, rest for the dead in the peace which knows no end, and the
healing of still open wounds through the power of Your love. Our soul is
longing for You, Lord, more than the watchman for daybreak, as we wait for
the fullness of redemption won on the Cross, for the light of Easter which
is the dawn of invincible life, for the glory of the new Jerusalem where
death shall be no more. O Judge of the living and the dead, have mercy on us
all!" At the conclusion of the ceremony, the Holy Father returned to the
Apostolic See of Etchmiadzin for an official lunch with His Holiness Karekin
II, the archbishops and bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the
members of the papal entourage.

* * *

John Paul II Commemorates Armenian Genocide

Doesn´t Want World to Forget This Holocaust

YEREVAN, Armenia, SEPT. 26, 2001 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II paid a moving
tribute this morning to the 1.5 million Armenians killed in a genocide last
century, in the hope that the world will never again witness "such inhuman
aberrations."

"Listen, O Lord, to the lament that rises from this place, to the call of
the dead from the depths of the Metz Yeghérn," the Pope prayed at the
Titzernakaberd Memorial, in the presence of Armenian Apostolic Patriarch
Karekin II.

In Armenian, "Metz Yeghérn" means "great crime" or "great evil." Armenians
use the term to refer to the genocide that began under the Ottoman Empire in
1915.

The Turkish government does not consider the loss of life as a genocide but
rather as the normal consequence of war and civil upheavals.

"We are appalled by the terrible violence done to the Armenian people, and
dismayed that the world still knows such inhumanity," the Pope said during
his prayer.

"But, renewing our hope in your promise, we implore, O Lord, rest for the
dead in the peace which knows no end, and the healing of still open wounds
through the power of your love," the Holy Father concluded.

The ceremony took place in the Armenian capital, in the shadow of Mount
Ararat, where the Bible indicates Noah´s ark came to rest. The mountain is
on the Turkish side of the border.

Armenian priests, wearing the typical black hoods of their Church, met
around the eternal flame that commemorates the innocent victims. During the
prayer, a choir sang heart-rending songs in tones that were foreign to the
Eastern and Western traditions. Armenian singer Charles Aznavour sang the
"Ave Maria."

During the prayer, John Paul II recalled that, in 1915, Pope Benedict XV
made a courageous appeal to the Ottoman sultan in defense of "the sorely
afflicted Armenian people brought to the brink of annihilation."

Before arriving at the memorial, the Holy Father paid a courtesy visit to
President Robert Kotcharian in the Presidential Palace. They had a private
meeting. Then the Pope, accompanied by Apostolic Patriarch Karekin II,
greeted Kotcharian´s principal collaborators.

* * *

Rome-Etchmiadzin Ties Continue to Warm

Ecumenical Progress Advances, Even If Moscow Patriarch Isn´t Supportive

ETCHMIADZIN, Armenia, SEPT. 26, 2001 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II´s
unprecedented stay at the residence of a non-Catholic patriarch here is a
sign that Catholicos Karekin II has committed himself to follow the path of
unity with Rome that was opened by his predecessor.

The Catholicos, as the leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church is called,
even tried to organize an ecumenical "family meeting" of sorts between the
highest leaders of the Christian Churches.

The Orthodox patriarch of Moscow didn´t accept the idea, however. Patriarch
Alexy II was displeased by the importance accorded to the papal visit in
Armenia, and suggested that it be more low-key, the Italian newspaper
Avvenire reported today.

That rejection hasn´t stopped the Armenian welcome for John Paul II.

In the strict sense, the Armenian Church does not belong to the Orthodox
world, although it is one of the oldest Eastern Churches. It separated from
Rome after the Council of Chalcedon of 451, long before the Orthodox
Churches did.

The dispute of 451 centered on definition of the nature of Christ. Over the
years the Armenian Church was accused of Monophysitism -- the false idea
that Christ had only one nature.

In fact, the accusations were the result of an historical error, as
highlighted in the Joint Declaration signed by John Paul II and Catholicos
Karekin I in 1996. The declaration states: "Christ is the Word of God made
flesh, perfect God in his divinity, perfect man in his humanity."

And while the Churches remain divided over the issue of papal primacy, this
hasn´t impeded rapprochement.

Ecumenical progress has gone forward without the need for joint commissions
for theological dialogue between Armenians and Catholics, as has been the
case with Orthodoxy. A key ingredient to the progress of dialogue has been
the personal friendship between the leaders of the two Churches, which is
now continuing with Karekin II.

* * *

YEREVAN, Armenia, SEPT. 26, 2001 (ZENIT.org).- John Paul II pronounced this
prayer today at the Tzitzernakaberd Memorial built for the Armenian victims
of the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire.

O Judge of the living and the dead, have mercy on us!
Listen, O Lord, to the lament that rises from this place,
to the call of the dead from the depths of the Metz Yeghérn,
the cry of innocent blood that pleads like the blood of Abel,
like Rachel weeping for her children because they are no more.
Listen, Lord, to the voice of the Bishop of Rome,
echoing the plea of his Predecessor Pope Benedict XV,
when in 1915 he raised his voice in defence of
"the sorely afflicted Armenian people
brought to the brink of annihilation".

Look upon the people of this land
who put their trust in you so long ago,
who have passed through the great tribulation
and never failed in their faithfulness to you.
Wipe away every tear from their eyes
and grant that their agony in the twentieth century
will yield a harvest of life that endures for ever.

We are appalled by the terrible violence done to the Armenian people,
and dismayed that the world still knows such inhumanity.

But renewing our hope in your promise, we implore, O Lord,
rest for the dead in the peace which knows no end,
and the healing of still open wounds through the power of your love.
Our soul is longing for you, Lord, more than the watchman for daybreak,
as we wait for the fullness of redemption won on the Cross,
for the light of Easter which is the dawn of invincible life,
for the glory of the new Jerusalem where death shall be no more.
O Judge of the living and the dead, have mercy on us all!

[Original text: English; distributed by Vatican Press Office]

* * *

Martyred But Not Conquered: A View on Armenia

Father Findikyan Is Dean of a New York Seminary

ROME, SEPT. 26, 2001 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).- Father Daniel Findikyan hopes
the world never forgets that Armenians were the victims of the first
genocide of the 20th century.

Father Findikyan, dean of New York´s Armenian Seminary, acknowledges that
the genocide is, in fact, often overlooked. But he hopes that will change,
so that history doesn´t repeat itself.

According to Father Findikyan, the 1915 genocide of Armenians by Turks is no
longer regarded as a tragedy in the collective memory, but as the "martyrdom
of a people," the "people of the Cross," he said.

Father Findikyan, 39, a professor of liturgy, was born and educated in the
United States. Although he cannot speak his parents´ language, he does not
forget what the Armenian nation has endured.

Speaking at a congress in Italy on Armenia´s religious history, shortly
before the papal visit, Father Findikyan explained the mystery of the
fidelity of the Armenian Church to the Gospel during 1,700 years of
occupations, resistance, massacres and forced migrations.

To be an Armenian is to "belong to a history, a culture, a faith: the
writings of the Armenian Fathers, our liturgy, spirituality, theology,
memory of persecutions," the priest said.

"In our history, in our sufferings, we see the love of God incarnated in our
people," he added. "As a people, we live the mystery of the Cross, of
suffering, of resurrection, of a God who does not abandon us."

The Armenian people did not even see defeat in the holocaust. "We believe
that, after death, there is resurrection," Father Findikyan emphasized. "The
martyr is a victim, but not someone who is conquered: He is a hero of the
people and the Church.

"In our sufferings, we discover that life is only in Christ, and that God
never leaves us and suffers with us. In this mystery, difficult to
understand intellectually, but which theological reflection studies
increasingly, history is transfigured and calls us to commemorate."

The faithful Armenian is not moved to "call for vengeance" but to "pray, so
that what happened will never happen again, either to our own or other
peoples," the priest concluded. "When we forget, history repeats itself."

* * *

Christians Again Invited to Discuss Papal Ministry

John Paul II Raises Topic During Ecumenical Meeting with Karekin

YEREVAN, Armenia, SEPT. 26, 2001 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II today renewed
his proposal that Christians of different confessions reflect on the
exercise of the papal ministry, a role that divides the Catholic Church and
Eastern Churches.

The Pontiff made this public proposal at an ecumenical celebration attended
by Patriarch Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, which in
recent years overcame its theological differences with Rome. The two
Churches remain divided on the issue of papal authority.

The ecumenical ceremony took place in the new and recently consecrated
Apostolic Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator. The cathedral was built
for the 1,700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as Armenia´s
official religion.

"My visit today testifies to our shared yearning to dwell in full unity,
which the Lord wills for his disciples," the Pope said during the homily, in
the presence of Armenian President Robert Kotcharian, and following an
address by Karekin II.

"There is a real and intimate unity between the Catholic Church and the
Church of Armenia since both preserve apostolic succession and have valid
sacraments, particularly baptism and the Eucharist," the Pope added.

"Our awareness of this must inspire us to work even harder to strengthen our
ecumenical dialogue," he said. "In this dialogue of faith and love, no
question, no matter how difficult, should be overlooked."

Thus, John Paul II posited the fundamental question that separates Rome and
Etchmiadzin, symbol of Armenian Christianity: the recognition of papal
primacy.

"Conscious of the relevance of the ministry of the Bishop of Rome in the
search for Christian unity, I have asked -- in my encyclical letter "Ut Unum
Sint" -- that the bishops and theologians of our Churches reflect on forms
in which this ministry may accomplish a service of love recognized by all
concerned," the Holy Father continued.

"The example of the first centuries of the Church´s life can guide us in
this discernment," he added.

The Pope, who in the past has said that division is the greatest scandal in
the history of Christianity, believes that this proposal is urgent to
proclaim the Gospel to people today.

"Having experienced the spiritual emptiness of Communism and materialism,
they are seeking the path to life and happiness: They are thirsting for the
Gospel. We have a great responsibility toward them, and they expect from us
a convincing witness of unity of faith and mutual love," the Holy Father
stressed.

"Never again, Christians against Christians; never again, Church against
Church!" he insisted. "Rather, let us walk together, hand in hand, so that
the world of the 21st century and the new millennium may believe!"

* * *

CONFERENCE IN IRAN: "FOREIGN MINISTRY'S INSTITUTE FOR POLITICAL AND
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES"

TEHRAN, Iran, 25 September, 2001 - - Cardinal Francis Arinze, president of
the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, who had read a speech at
the Iranian conference entitled: "Christian-Muslim Collaboration in the
Promotion of Justice and Peace," appeared in today´s edition of the Tehran
Times.  Cardinal Arinze addressed the issue of peace pointing out that
Christians and Muslims comprise nearly half the world's population.
Consequently, Christian and Muslim countries must not foreceably impose
religion onto people, but, encourage all to believe in God which results in
love of neighbor.  It is through an authentic God centered love of neighbor
that true and lasting peace enters the world.

* * *

DOCUMENT ON ORGAN TRANSPLANTS FROM ANIMALS TO HUMANS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 26, 2001 (VIS) - Presented this morning in the Holy See
Press Office was a document of the Pontifical Academy for Life entitled:
"The Perspective of Xenotransplantation (Organ Transplants from Animals to
Humans). Scientific Aspects and Ethical Considerations." Participating in
the presentation were Bishop Elio Sgreccia, vice-president of the Pontifical
Academy for Life, and Profs. Emanuele Cozzi, Maurizio P. Faggioni, O.F.M.,
and Marialuisa Lavitrano, members of the group who prepared the document.
"The document," affirmed Bishop Sgreccia, "wishes to be a response and a
contribution to future decisions in the area of xenotransplantation, which,
in every case, will certainly have a worldwide value." The text analyzes
various basic problems (scientific, philosophical, anthropological),
including "the ethical considerations of the use of animals to improve man's
survival and well-being." In this regard Professor Faggioni recalled that in
the vision expressed in the first chapters of Genesis "man has ... a true
dominion over creation," but "cannot" reduce other creatures "to a kind of
degrading and destructive slavery. ... The licitness of the use of animals
involves ... the respect of certain conditions, such as the avoidance of
unnecessary suffering for the animals and great caution in introducing
uncontrollable genetic modifications which can cause useless pain or stress
... or significantly alter the biodiversity and equilibrium of species in
the animal world."

IN BRIEF

THE PLENARY ASSEMBLY of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline
of Sacraments will be held at the Vatican from September 26 to 29 on the
theme: "The Relation Between the Liturgy and Popular Piety." The discussion
of the assembly will focus on a document prepared by the dicastery after
extensive consultation with the assembly Fathers, which will be presented by
Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, metropolitan archbishop of Mexico.

CARDINAL JAN P. SCHOTTE, secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, will
speak on the meaning and development of the upcoming Ordinary General
Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will be held at the Vatican from
September 30 to October 27. The Cardinal's presentation will take place on
Saturday, September 29, at 11:30 a.m. in the Holy See Press Office.

THE 22ND WORLD DAY OF TOURISM, promoted by the World Tourism Organization,
will be celebrated tomorrow, September 27, on the theme "Tourism, An
Instrument to Serve Peace and Dialogue Among Civilizations." As is
customary, the WTO asks that museums, galleries and related art institutes
around the world be open on that day free of charge to tourists. The
administration of the Pontifical Museums and Galleries has granted this
request on a permanent basis.

THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION FOR LATIN AMERICA has published the book entitled
"The Church in America: Encounter with the Living Jesus Christ," containing
the Acts of the plenary assembly held in the Vatican from March 20 to 23,
2001. The volume offers extensive commentary on the Post-synodal Exhortation
"Ecclesia in America," the fruit of the Special Assembly for America of the
Synod of Bishops held in 1997.


OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 26, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father accepted the resignation
of Bishop Joseph Hubert Hart from the pastoral care of the diocese of
Cheyenne, U.S.A., in conformity with canon 401, para. 2, of the Code of
Canon Law. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Bishop David Laurin Ricken.

* * *

ROMAN CATHOLIC NEWS ARCHIVES

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* * *

HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN
ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

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* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

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* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Twelve B

Wednesday, 26 September, 2001

Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time


* * *

TO KAZAKHS: BE A BRIDGE BETWEEN EUROPE AND ASIA

VATICAN CITY, SEP 25, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father this morning said Mass
in private and then blessed the new chapel of the apostolic nunciature in
Astana. At 10:30 a.m. he arrived at the international airport for a brief
farewell ceremony before his departure for Armenia. He thanked Kazakhstan's
president for his "exquisite hospitality" and also expressed his gratitude
to the civil and religious authorities present to see him off.

   In his speech in Russian, the Pope underscored how the "dear people" of
Kazakhstan had "suffered years of harsh persecution, but has not hesitated
to commit itself with enthusiasm to the path of development."

   "Love one another!" John Paul II urged the citizens of Kazakhstan. "This
country, home to men and women of different origins, needs solid agreements
and stable social relations. It is not an exaggeration to say that your
country has a vocation all its own: that of being, in an ever more
conscious way, a bridge between Europe and Asia. May this be your civil and
religious choice. Be a bridge made up of people who embrace other people:
people who communicate fullness of life and hope."

   "In saying farewell to you, dear Kazakh people, I wish to assure you that

the Church will continue to be at your side. In close cooperation with the
other religious communities and with all men and women of goodwill,
Catholics will not fail to do their part to ensure that all together can
build a common home which is ever more welcoming."

   The Pope added that "the quest for harmony has characterized relations
between Christianity and Islam here ever since the formation of the Turkish
Khanate in the endless spaces of your steppes, and this has enabled your
country to become a junction between East and West on the great Silk Road.
The younger generations too should follow this path with renewed
commitment."

   "I have come among you as a pilgrim of hope," he concluded, "and I now
prepare to undertake my return journey, not without emotion and nostalgia."

* * *

POPE IN ARMENIA AS IT CELEBRATES 1700 YEARS OF CHRISTIANITY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 25, 2001 (VIS) - John Paul II arrived today in Yerevan,
Armenia, at 1 p.m. local time. He was welcomed at the international airport
by President Robert Kotcharian and by civil and religious authorities
including His Holiness, Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians. Catholicos Karekin and nine archbishops and bishops of the
Apostolic Armenian Church will accompany the Pope throughout his stay in
Armenia.

   The Pope noted that Armenia is celebrating the "1700th anniversary of the

proclamation of Christianity as the official religion of this cherished
land. ... I am deeply moved as I think of the glorious history of
Christianity in this land, going back, according to tradition, to the
preaching of the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. Later, through the
witness and work of St. Gregory the llluminator, Christianity for the first
time became the faith of an entire nation."

   The Holy Father observed that Armenia is marking another anniversary, the

10th anniversary of its independence. "Everyone, especially those
responsible for public life, is called today to be genuinely committed to
the common good, in justice and solidarity, putting the progress of the
people ahead of any partial interests. This is also true of the urgent
search for peace at the regional level. Peace will only be built on the
solid foundations of mutual respect, justice in inter-community relations
and magnanimity on the part of the strong."

   Yerevan, the capital of Armenia and home to one and a quarter million
people, was founded in 782 B.C. with the name of Erebuni. It is 1,000
meters above sea level and is dominated by Mount Ararat, an extinct
volcanic mountain massif in neighboring eastern Turkey. Legend has it that
its main peak, Great Ararat, is the site of paradise on earth and also the
final resting place of Noah's Ark, after the flood.

   Armenia, a federal republic which proclaimed independence in 1991, has a
population of 3.8 million, of whom 150,000, almost four percent, are
Catholics. Over 90 percent of Armenians belong to the Armenian Apostolic
Church whose head is the Catholicos who resides in Holy Etchmiadzin, the
spiritual seat of authority, near Yerevan.

   The ordinariate of Eastern Europe for Armenian Catholics is immediately
subject to the Holy See. The ordinary is Archbishop Nerses Der Nersessian,
C.M.A. The Armenian family name which starts with "Der" indicates that the
person is a descendant of a married priest. There is also the Apostolic
Administration of the Caucasus of the Latins. The apostolic administrator
is Bishop Giuseppe Pasotto.

   Pope John Paul will be staying at the pontifical residence, just one part

of the complex known as Holy Etchmiadzin which also includes the apostolic
palace, the residence of the Catholicos, the cathedral, curial offices, the
seminary and a guest house.

   Etchmiadzin was founded in the beginning of the second century and became

the administrative and religious center of Armenia when Christianity was
proclaimed the state religion in 301. Tradition has it that the cathedral
was built on the site indicated by Christ when He appeared in a dream to
St. Gregory the Illuminator. In fact, Etchmiadzin means "place where the
Only Begotten came down."

* * *

JOHN PAUL II: WE HOLD THE SAME FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, SEP 25, 2001 (VIS) - At 2:15 p.m. (local time) the Pope
visited the Apostolic Cathedral of Etchmiadzin. It is traditional that
visits of religious figures begin with a brief moment of prayer in the
cathedral, which was built in 303, and has a capacity of 100 people.

   John Paul II responded to the brief greeting of His Holiness Karekin II,
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, in the presence of the
bishops of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the papal entourage.

   "Holy Etchmiadzin," the Holy Father said, "stands as the great symbol of
Armenia's faith in the only-begotten Son of God who came down from heaven,
who died to redeem us from sin, and whose resurrection inaugurates the new
heavens and the new earth. For all Armenians, Etchmiadzin remains the
pledge of perseverance in that faith, despite the suffering and bloodshed
past and present, which your troubled history has made the price of your
fidelity. In this place I wish to testify that your faith is our faith in
Jesus Christ, true God and true man."

   "As Bishop of Rome," he continued, "I kneel in admiration of the heavenly

gift of your people's baptism, and I pay tribute to this temple, symbol of
the nation, which, from the beginning, in accordance with Saint Gregory's
vision, bears on its columns the sign of martyrdom."

   The Pope thanked the Patriarch for welcoming him to his home. "This is
the first time that the Bishop of Rome, for the extent of his visit to a
country, is staying in the home and sharing the daily life of a Brother who
presides over one of the glorious Churches of the East. Thank you for this
sign of love, which moves me deeply and speaks of profound friendship and
fraternal charity to the hearts of all Catholics."

   After recalling the predecessors of His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos
Vazken I and Karekin I, John Paul II concluded asking the Lord to receive
their common prayer, and to accept "the gratitude of the whole Church for
the faith of the Armenian people."

   Leaving the cathedral, the Pope prayed before the tombs of the deceased
Catholicos and then travelled to the Apostolic Palace of Etchmiadzin, where
at 6:00 p.m. (3:00 p.m. Rome time) an official meeting with His Holiness
Karekin II is planned.

* * *

VATICAN SUPPORTS SELF-DEFENSE, URGES NON-VIOLENT SOLUTION

VATICAN CITY, SEP 25, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin
Navarro Valls, travelling with Pope John Paul II in Kazakhstan and Armenia,
yesterday granted an interview to Reuters news agency which had asked him
for the Holy See's position on the morality of an eventual armed response
by the United States in self-defense for the September 11 terrorist attacks
on its soil.

   He said that a self-defense move by the United States would be
understandable but that the Holy See would prefer a non-violent solution to
the crisis which has developed since September 11. The Vatican would not
accept for innocent people to be hurt, nor would it accept a war on Islam
as a religion.

   Navarro-Valls said "It is certain that if someone has done great harm to
society and there is a danger that he remains free, he may be able to do it
again, and you have the right to apply self-defense for the society which
you lead, even though the means you choose may be aggressive."

   He added that "sometimes self-defense implies an action which may lead to

the death of a person. ... Either people who have carried out a horrendous
crime are put in a position there they can do no further harm, by being
handed over and put into custody, or the principle of self-defense applies
with all its consequences."

* * *

THE SYNOD OF BISHOPS TO OPEN SUNDAY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 25, 2001 (VIS) - On Sunday, September 30, at 9:30 a.m. in
St. Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father will preside at Mass which will be
concelebrated by the Synod Fathers on the occasion of the opening of the
Tenth General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme: "The
Bishop, Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope of the World."
OP/OPENING MASS/... VIS 20010925 (80)

* * *

ROMAN CATHOLIC NEWS ARCHIVES

To gain access to all of the articles on Roman Catholic News go to the URL:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News

This will give you the archive to all of the articles.  There are four ways
to access archive articles: (1) Go to the Home Page panel on the far left,
and click on the word Messages just below the word Home; (2) click on the
articles posted by date; (3) clike on the blue arabic numerals in the box
for the month in the yearly calendar window at the bottom of the page; (4)
type in a keyword in the long rectanuglar white box alongside the long
rectanuglar button that reads ARCHIVE SEARCH, and then click that button.

* * *

HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN
ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

Roman Catholic News is a brand new Yahoo group that is two weeks old today.
We are currently ranked 35th of 479 Catholic Yahoo groups, and growing
steadily on a daily basis.  Your membership as a subscriber is important to
us and helps us grow in numbers and improve our services.  Please spread the
word that a Catholic clergy run Catholic News group and Reference Desk is
available that keeps you informed on all the activities of Pope John Paul
II, the Holy See, the Roman Curia, Catholic doctrine, critical world news,
biblical studies, and its Catholic Reference Desk answers questions you
post.
	 When posting questions please place in the subject field of your email
"Reference Desk".  Emails can be sent to either
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com, or to jlupia2@....
Articles written by professional and scholarly authors can also be sent to
the email addresses above for consideration in a future issue.  Authors
should keep in mind that Roman Catholic News is a not-for-profit
organization and considers publishing articles without paying any monetary
compensation to authors.  All materials submitted and published are
copyright protected in accordance to the latest ruling from the Office of
Copyright, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.  Your subscription is
important to us.  Welcome to Roman Catholic News.  Tell a friend.

* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________
© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News, unless specified
otherwise.   VIS (V.I.S. -  Vatican Information Service).own the original
copyright for their news releases and are credited as such.  All copyright
materials copied in any form must include the appropriate copyright owner;
in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com






_______________________________________________________
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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Twelve A

Wednesday, 26 September, 2001

Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time



POPE ARRIVES IN KAZAKHSTAN, STARTS 95TH FOREIGN TRIP

VATICAN CITY, SEP 22, 2001 (VIS) - Following a trip of six hours and a time
zone change of five hours, Pope John Paul arrived in Astana, the capital of
Kazakhstan, at 7:30 p.m. local time where he was greeted by civil and
religious authorities.

   For the first time, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state, did not
accompany the Holy Father on a trip. Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin
Navarro-Valls released a statement yesterday afternoon saying that "the
Holy Father, desirious of constantly following events on the international
scene as they develop, has asked Cardinal Sodano, to remain in Rome during
his trip to Kazakhstan and Armenia. Cardinal Sodano can thus remain in
touch with the leaders of differentcountries and keep them informed of the
Pope's thoughts in the current situation."

   In an address in Russian at the airport, the Pope highlighted how
Kazakhstan is "a multi-ethnic state, heir to numerous centuries-old
spiritual and cultural traditions, and now on the move to new social and
economic objectives." He greeted civil and military officials, members of
the diplomatic corps, Islamic leaders and faithful, as well as the faithful
of the Orthodox Church, other Churches and ecclesial communities and
Kazakhstan's small but "dedicated and enthusiastic" Catholic populace.

   The Pope referred to the nation's ten years of independence, saying that
"Kazakhstan wishes to grow in brotherhood, dialogue and understanding;
these are the indispensable requisites for building bridges of solidarity
and cooperation with other peoples, nations and cultures."

   He then referred to Kazakhstan's "bold move in 1991 to close the nuclear
facility of Semipalatinsk, subsequently announcing its unilateral rejection
of nuclear arms and its adherence to the Pact totally banning atomic
experimentation. This decision is based on the conviction that
controversies must be resolved not by recourse to arms but by the peaceful
means of negotiation and dialogue. I can only encourage this type of
commitment, which well corresponds to the fundamental demands of solidarity
and peace to which human beings aspire ever more knowingly."

   "Today in your country, which is one of the world's largest in area,"
John Paul II added, "citizens belonging to over a hundred nationalities and
ethnic groups live side by side, each guaranteed the same rights and
freedoms by your Constitution. This spirit of openness and cooperation is
part of your tradition, for Kazakhstan has always been a land where
different traditions and cultures come together."

   The Pope urged Kazakhs to "see to it that your commitment to your country

is always based on the safeguarding of freedom, the inalienable right and
profound aspiration of every person. In particular, recognize the right to
religious freedom, which enables people to express their most deeply held
beliefs."

   After the welcoming ceremony, Pope John Paul visited Astana's monument to

the victims of the totalitarian regime, where he placed a wreath of flowers
and prayed. Dinner at the apostolic nunciature followed this visit.

* * *

PAPAL PLEA: NEVER USE RELIGION AS REASON FOR CONFLICT

VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 2001 (VIS) - John Paul II travelled this morning from
Astana's apostolic nunciature to the Square of the Motherland, where at
10:30 a.m. he celebrated Mass with the ordinaries of Kazakhstan, guest
bishops and priests working in the country, and the prelates in the papal
entourage.

   The monument which overlooks the square is a symbol of the Motherland and

depicts a woman with a chalice at the foot of a large shaft of wheat. It
bears the date of June 9, 1945, the end of the Second World War.

   "In the name of the one God," the Pope said in his homily before more
than 30,000 people, the majority of whom were Muslims, "I turn to the
people of deep and ancient religious traditions, the people of Kazakhstan.
I turn as well to those who belong to no religion and to those who are
searching for truth."

   "Humanity's homeland," he exclaimed, "is the Kingdom of heaven! How
compelling it is for us to ponder this truth in this place, in the Square
which bears the name of the Mother Land." He added that the tenth
anniversary of independence in the country invites reflection on the link
"between this earthly homeland, with its values and goals, and the heavenly
homeland, into which the whole human family is called to enter beyond every
injustice and conflict."

   The Holy Father emphasized that "Christians are both inhabitants of this
world and citizens of the Kingdom of heaven. They commit themselves
wholeheartedly to the building of earthly society, but they remain focused
upon the good things of eternity. ... Christianity does not lead to
alienation from the tasks of this earth. If at times, in some quite
particular situations, it gives this impression, that is because many
Christians do not live as they should. But in truth, when it is lived as it
should be, Christianity is a leaven in society."

   "In this celebration," he continued, "we want to pray for Kazakhstan and
its inhabitants, so that this vast nation, with all its ethnic, cultural
and religious variety, will grow stronger in justice, solidarity and peace.
May it progress thanks to the collaboration, in particular, between
Christians and Muslims, committed day by day, side by side, in the effort
to fulfill God's will."

   "Yet prayer," the Pope affirmed, "must always be accompanied by
appropriate works. Following Christ's example, the Church never separates
evangelization from human promotion, and she urges the faithful in every
circumstance to work for social renewal and progress." He concluded by
recalling that "respect for each one's rights, even when that person has
different personal beliefs, is the foundation of all truly human harmony."

   After the Mass and before the recitation of the Angelus, John Paul II
entrusted to Mary "all of you: Christians and non-Christians, believers and
non-believers," and asked that she help them "to accomplish in your daily
lives Christ's command: 'Love one another', which is the guiding theme of
this pastoral visit of mine."

   The Holy Father, speaking English, then made an appeal for peace in the
world:

   "From this city, from Kazakhstan, a country that is an example of harmony

between men and women of different origins and beliefs, I wish to make an
earnest call to everyone, Christians and the followers of other religions,
to work together to build a world without violence, a world that loves
life, and grows in justice and solidarity. We must not let what has
happened lead to a deepening of divisions. Religion must never be used as a
reason for conflict.

   "From this place, I invite both Christians and Muslims to raise an
intense prayer to the One, Almighty God whose children we all are, that the
supreme good of peace may reign in the world. May people everywhere,
strengthened by divine wisdom, work for a civilization of love, in which
there is no room for hatred, discrimination or violence.

   "With all my heart I beg God to keep the world in peace. Amen."

   He then greeted the faithful present in Kazakh, Polish, and German, and
addressed in a special way the pilgrims of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and other countries, who came to participate in
the ceremony.

* * *

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN CENTRAL ASIA IS FULL OF HOPE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 2001 (VIS) - At 2:00 p.m. at Astana's apostolic
nunciature, the Pope met with the eight bishops and apostolic
administrators of Central Asia - four from Kazakhstan, and four from the
republics of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan - and with
the cardinals and bishops of his entourage.

   In his discourse, John Paul II affirmed that though "the Catholic Church
in Central Asia is only a little plant, she is full of hope. ... The long
years of Communist dictatorship, during which so many of the faithful were
deported to the gulags set up in these lands, caused much suffering and
bereavement. How many priests, religious and laity paid for their
faithfulness to Christ with unimaginable suffering, and even the sacrifice
of their lives!"

   "The priority pastoral aims of your apostolic mission" he said, "should
be the spreading, with all your energies, of the Gospel proclamation and
the continuing consolidation of the Church's organization. The recent
establishment of the Apostolic Administrations and the Missions 'sui
iuris', by means of which the Church has gained a visible and solid
structure, heralds the beginning of a promising time of evangelization."
The Holy Father thanked "the priests and men and women religious who have
left their native countries to offer themselves for the missionary task in
these lands."

   After inviting the pastors to be united among themselves, collaborating
effectively, he said, "Although you are geographically far away, you are in
the heart of the Pope who appreciates your untiring apostolate."

   "The long winter of communist domination" has led, he affirmed, to "a
scarcity of ideals which makes people particularly vulnerable to the myths
of consumerism and hedonism imported from the West. These are social and
spiritual challenges which call for a courageous missionary impulse."

   John Paul II exhorted the prelates to "pay close attention to the
formation of candidates to the priesthood and religious life," and
expressed his "great pleasure at the completion of the seminary in
Karaganda. ... As the seminary of all of Central Asia, it is a sign of
effective cooperation between your Churches."

   "Give special attention," he continued, "to the training and apostolate
of the laity. ... and ecclesial Movements and new Communities. Their
presence, spirit of initiative and specific charisms are a source of wealth
to be valued."

   The Holy Father concluded by encouraging the promotion of ecumenical
dialogue with the members of the Orthodox Church, saying, "May your mutual
relations be characterized by warmth and respect. ... Respect and dialogue
should also be fostered in relation to the Muslim community, with those who
belong to other religions and with those who profess themselves to be
non-believers."

   After the meeting, the Pope travelled to the presidential palace for a
courtesy visit to the president of the republic, Nursultan Abishevich
Nazabayev.

   Though no speeches were scheduled, both the president and the Pope made
off-the-cuff remarks in the presence of their entourages.

   John Paul II, speaking Italian, thanked Divine Providence "for having
allowed me to come here and be here. In recent days some people said such a
trip would not have been possible because of the tragic events which
happened in the United States. But, as you can see, it was possible, thanks
to God!"

   Saying that it was the first time he found himself "in this part of the
world, in Central Asia," he mentioned Fr. Bukowinski, "well known here,"
who was deported from Poland to the Soviet Union and died in Kazakhstan. He
said that this priest "was my first source of information about Kazakhstan."


   The Holy Father expressed joy that his visit coincided with the nation's
10th anniversary of independence and said he hoped "this sovereignty would
be lasting, fruitful and ever fuller."

* * *

TO YOUTH: BE PEACEMAKERS, BE BUILDERS OF A BETTER WORLD

VATICAN CITY, SEP 23, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father arrived at Eurasia
University in Astana at 6:30 p.m. today and, following a tour of the
campus, held a meeting with young people in the university's Great Hall.
About 8,500 students from numerous countries are enrolled in the university.


   The Pope pointed out that the university's "very name, Eurasia, indicates

the particular mission which it has in common with your great nation which
is a point of contact between Europe and Asia: a mission of linking two
continents, their respective cultures and traditions and the different
ethnic groups who have mingled here through the centuries."

   "Peace be with you," he told the young men and women. "May peace fill
your hearts! Know that you are all called to be builders of a better world.
Be peacemakers, because a society solidly based on peace is a society with
a future."

   He told them he knows that youth "are interested in the basic questions
... Who am I? What is the meaning of my life? Where am I going? My answer,
dear young people, is simple but hugely significant: You are a thought of
God, you are a heart-beat of God. ... You matter to God in your completely
unique individuality."

   "Here you sit, side by side, in a spirit of friendship," John Paul II
remarked, "not because you have forgotten the evil there has been in your
history, but because you are rightly more interested in the good that you
can build together. ... Your country has experienced the deadly violence of
ideology. Do not let yourselves fall prey now to the no less destructive
violence of 'emptiness'." He asked the youth to "realize that you are not
your own masters; open yourselves to the One Who created you out of love."

   The Pope said that people today "at times delude themselves that they are

all-powerful because they have made great scientific progress and managed
in some way to control the complex world of technology. But every
individual has a heart: intelligence may drive machines but it is the heart
that beats with life!"

   In closing remarks, the Holy Father said that "in people's minds there is

the growing conviction that we cannot go on living divided as we are.
Unfortunately nowadays, when communications are becoming easier by the day,
differences are often apparent in still more dramatic form."

* * *

POPE ENTRUSTS KAZAKHSTAN TO MARY, QUEEN OF PEACE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 24, 2001 (VIS) - At 9:30 a.m. local time, the Pope left
the apostolic nunciature for the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help,
consecrated two years ago, where he celebrated Mass in the Latin rite, in
honor of Mary, Queen of Peace, patroness of Kazakhstan. Concelebrating with
the Holy Father were the ordinaries of the country, the priests who work
there, and the cardinals and bishops of the papal entourage.

   In his homily, John Paul II expressed his appreciation to the priests,
men and women religious, and seminarians of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan for the "generosity and fidelity
with which you carry out your labors. ... "My thoughts turn at this time to
your communities, once scattered and sorely tried. In heart and in spirit I
relive the unspeakable trials of all those who suffered not only physical
exile and imprisonment, but public ridicule and violence because they chose
not to renounce the faith. ... In this Eucharist, I remember them all with
gratitude and affection. From their sufferings in union with the Cross of
Christ the new life of your Christian community has blossomed."

   The Holy Father told the priests that "the spirit of communion and of
genuine cooperation which you must foster between yourselves and the lay
faithful will be the secret to the success of this exalting and demanding
mission." He also spoke of the necessity "to ensure the theological,
spiritual, and pastoral formation of those whom the Lord calls to His
service."

   "Before being heralds of the Gospel, we need to be credible witnesses,"
he said. He emphasized the need for "every disciple of Christ to be the
light of the world and the salt of the earth. Indeed, this need is all the
more urgent because of the spiritual devastation left behind by militant
atheism, as well as the dangers present in today's hedonism and
consumerism. To the power of witness, dear Brothers and Sisters, add the
gentleness of dialogue. ... The Church has no wish to impose her own faith
on others. It is clear, however, that this does not exempt the Lord's
disciples from communicating to others the great gift which they have
received: life in Christ."

   The Pope concluded by exhorting the priests, religious, and seminarians
to face the difficulties in their apostolic work and to think "of the good
things the Lord is accomplishing by using your hands, your words and your
hearts. He has put you here as a gift for your neighbor. May you ever be
worthy of this mission."

   At the conclusion of the Mass, John Paul II entrusted Kazakhstan to the
protection of Mary, Queen of Peace.

   Following this, the Pope travelled to the bishop's house, in front of the

cathedral, for lunch with the bishops and the members of the papal
entourage.

* * *

"HATRED, FANATICISM AND TERRORISM PROFANE THE NAME OF GOD"

VATICAN CITY, SEP 24, 2001 (VIS) - At 6 p.m. today, local time, the Pope
met representatives of the world of culture, art and science in Astana's
Palace of Congresses.

   In his address in Russian, the Holy Father highlighted once again that
"Kazakhstan is heir to a history in which complex and often sorrowful
events have given rise to diverse traditions, so that today it stands as a
unique example of a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious
society. ... Kazakhstan is a vast country which down the centuries has
given rise to a vibrant culture, rich in creative developments, thanks also
to the influence of Russian intellectuals confined here by the totalitarian
regime." He told the dignitaries they "are called to acquaint the world
with Kazakhstan's rich cultural tradition: this is a demanding undertaking,
and yet an attractive one."

   "The human heart," noted the Pope, "asks questions which will not go
away; when these questions are ignored, man becomes not freer but weaker,
often ending up at the mercy of his own instincts, to say nothing of the
aggression of others." He said that often the questions man asks are
"religious by their very nature, in the sense that they appeal to those
supreme values which have God as their ultimate foundation. Religion, for
its part, cannot fail to grapple with these existential questions;
otherwise it loses contact with life."

   "Consequently - even in the context of a soundly secular State, which is
obliged in any event to guarantee to each citizen, without distinction of
sex, race and nationality, the fundamental right to freedom of conscience -
there is a need to acknowledge and defend the right of believers to bear
public witness to their faith. Authentic religious practice cannot be
reduced to the private sphere or narrowly restricted to the edges of
society."

   "In this context," John Paul II concluded, "and precisely here in this
land of encounters and dialogue, and before this distinguished audience, I
wish to reaffirm the Catholic Church's respect for Islam, for authentic
Islam: the Islam that prays, that is concerned for those in need. Recalling
the errors of the past, including the most recent past, all believers ought
to unite their efforts to ensure that God is never made the hostage of
human ambitions. Hatred, fanaticism and terrorism profane the name of God
and disfigure the true image of man."

* * *

CARDINAL SECRETARY OF STATE ANGELO SODANO, (VIS) will preside in the Pope's
name at a Mass for the repose of the souls of the deceased Popes, Paul VI
and John Paul I, on Friday, September 28, at 6 p.m. in the Vatican Basilica.


THE POPE SENT A MESSAGE to the participants of the First International
Conference of Franciscan Universities and Research Centers, which will be
celebrated in Rome, on the Island of Formica, and in Milan, from September
18 to 28.

THE HOLY FATHER WROTE TO BISHOP FRANZ GRAVE, president of Adveniat, an
episcopal organization of solidarity on the part of German Catholics with
the Church in Latin America, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of
it's institution.

FR. EUGENIO GALIGNANO, O.F.M. Conv., International President of the Militia
of Mary Immaculate, received a Message from the Pope on the occasion of the
International Conference organized with other institutions on the theme
"Maximilian Maria Kolbe in his time and today. Interdisciplinary approach
to the person and his writings."

MONSIGNOR LEO BOCCARDI, permanent representative of the Holy See to the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), gave a speech on September 18
during the IAEA's 45th General Conference, which was held in Vienna,
Austria, from September 17 to 21. That speech was published today.

ARCHBISHOP LUIGI TRAVAGLINO, apostolic nuncio in Nicaragua, represented the
Holy See at the Third Annual Meeting of States Participating in the
Convention on the Prohibition of Land Mines, which was held in Managua,
Nicaragua, from September 18 to 21. The pontifical representative spoke on
September 19, and his speech was published today.


* * *

ROMAN CATHOLIC NEWS ARCHIVES

To gain access to all of the articles on Roman Catholic News go to the URL:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News

This will give you the archive to all of the articles.  There are four ways
to access archive articles: (1) Go to the Home Page panel on the far left,
and click on the word Messages just below the word Home; (2) click on the
articles posted by date; (3) clike on the blue arabic numerals in the box
for the month in the yearly calendar window at the bottom of the page; (4)
type in a keyword in the long rectanuglar white box alongside the long
rectanuglar button that reads ARCHIVE SEARCH, and then click that button.

* * *

HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN
ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

Roman Catholic News is a brand new Yahoo group that is two weeks old today.
We are currently ranked 35th of 479 Catholic Yahoo groups, and growing
steadily on a daily basis.  Your membership as a subscriber is important to
us and helps us grow in numbers and improve our services.  Please spread the
word that a Catholic clergy run Catholic News group and Reference Desk is
available that keeps you informed on all the activities of Pope John Paul
II, the Holy See, the Roman Curia, Catholic doctrine, critical world news,
biblical studies, and its Catholic Reference Desk answers questions you
post.
	 When posting questions please place in the subject field of your email
"Reference Desk".  Emails can be sent to either
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com, or to jlupia2@....
Articles written by professional and scholarly authors can also be sent to
the email addresses above for consideration in a future issue.  Authors
should keep in mind that Roman Catholic News is a not-for-profit
organization and considers publishing articles without paying any monetary
compensation to authors.  All materials submitted and published are
copyright protected in accordance to the latest ruling from the Office of
Copyright, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.  Your subscription is
important to us.  Welcome to Roman Catholic News.  Tell a friend.

* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________
© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News, unless specified
otherwise.   VIS (V.I.S. -  Vatican Information Service).own the original
copyright for their news releases and are credited as such.  All copyright
materials copied in any form must include the appropriate copyright owner;
in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com





_______________________________________________________
Send a cool gift with your E-Card
http://www.bluemountain.com/giftcenter/

Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Eleven D

Monday, 24 September, 2001

Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time



* * *
AS THE BELL TOLLS (Part 5)
By John N. Lupia


Mary's Final Appeal to the World.  Maranatha: Come, Lord Jesus! (continued)


PART THREE
GENUINE DEVOTION T0 MARY

SECTION “A”

I. Consecration to Jesus and Mary

108. Spiritual perfection is conformity, union and consecration to Jesus.
Genuine devotion to Mary produces this spiritual perfection in us.

109. Mary is the way to Jesus.  Consecrating yourself to Mary you will
attain perfect conformity, union and consecration to Jesus.

110. Mary rejects no one.

111. Give Mary all that you are and possess. Give Mary your heart, mind,
body, and soul.  Give Mary all your possessions, prayers, good works,
sufferings and labors.  If we give Mary all that we are and possess she will
unite us to Her Immaculate Heart and bring us into perfect conformity, union
and consecration to Jesus.

112. Consecration to Mary requires that we renew our baptismal vows. We must
renounce the devil, the world and its pomps and firmly resolve to follow
Jesus Christ and become with him crucified to the world and sin. We must
take up our cross daily and follow in the footsteps of Jesus and imitate him
in all things.

II. The Effects of Genuine Devotion to Mary.

113. We please God in one month with this devotion than in many years with
any other.

114. Uniting ourselves to Mary gives us a share in her faith.  Mary's faith
is supreme.  Our faith is smaller than a mustard seed. However, through
union with Mary our faith is transformed greater than pearls.

§ 1. Spiritual purification.

115. Mary will give us the gifts of the Holy Spirit which will enlighten us
to see our own evil, corruption and incapacity to do good.

116. Mary helps us to distrust ourselves and to rely and depend on her.

117. Mary will free us from our fears.  Fear takes us away from God and
leads us into sin.  Mary will remove from your minds and hearts all your
fears and teach you not to be afraid.

118. She will purify your mind and heart to love God tenderly as a young
child does its father.

119. Mary will produce within your mind and heart a deep reverence and
confidence in God.

120. Mary preserves us from danger in this life and give us the grace of
final perseverance.

121. Devotion to Mary is an arm of salvation and a sign of predestination.

122. Mary will arm us with the helmet of faith, sword of hope, and shield of
charity.  With Mary we shall conquer sin and win Jesus in our hearts.

123. It is only through the sufferings of the cross, in our trials and
tribulations that we are purified.  Put away all your fear and abandon
yourself to the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  Mary will
transform our fear and anger into love, kindness, leniency, mercy, and
compassion.

§ 4. Perpetual offering to Mary.

124. Happy shall they be who give everything to Mary.

125. Whatever we give Mary we give to Jesus through her.

126. The littlest thing we do becomes great when it is given to Mary.

127. If we give Mary what little we have she gives us much in return.

128. Mary purifies our offering of self-love and adds her own merits to it.
Only Mary can offer our gifts to God with an Immaculate Heart. We have no
greater advocate before the Face of God than Mary.

129. Since we perform all our actions in union with Mary and offer her
everything we are and possess we take on her intentions which are most
pleasing to God.

130. Giving everything to Mary we develop her attitude and consider what we
have done as nothing.

131. Giving everything to Mary out of love purifies our intentions so that
we do not seek praise nor any reward.

132. Giving everything to Mary she distributes them to those who are in
need.

133. Giving everything to Mary assures us that our prayers for others will
be answered.

134. Giving everything to Mary allows us to be charitable to others without
our even knowing it.

135. Whenever we think of Mary, speak of Mary, pray to Mary, or praise Mary
she glorifies God in our name.

§ Imitating Jesus

136. When we entrust ourselves to Mary we imitate Jesus who entrusted
himself to her.
137. We must imitate Jesus who glorified his Father by being born of Mary,
dependent on her, and obedient to her.

§ 4. Union with Jesus.

138. Mary will help us to pass gently and successfully through our dark
nights, spiritual combats, and strange agonies.

139. Mary's devoted children will carry the heaviest crosses with patience
and a sweet tenderness.

140. We make more progress in a brief period with genuine devotion to Mary
than in many years by any other.

141. Those who honor Mary are like those who lay up a treasure.

142. Since Jesus took Mary as his path to us it must be the perfect path to
him.

143. Never be afraid to walk along the path of Mary since it was the path
Jesus walked.

144. Mary unites us to the Sacred Heart of Jesus which was broken in the
garden of Gethsemani and pierced by a lance on the cross.

145. Mary unites us to the Holy Face of Jesus which was battered and bruised
for our salvation.

146. Mary unites us with Christ crucified upon the cross, which is the
supreme revelation of the Heart of God the Father.

SECTION ‘B’

PRACTICES OF GENUINE DEVOTION TO MARY

§ 1. Exterior Practices.

147. Genuine devotion to Mary requires public prayer and the strengthening
of our neighbor in faith.  We must imitate Jesus the Divine Builder and
build up one another.

§ Wearing the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

148. You should wear the brown scapular as a symbol of being Mary's child.
It is the greatest external sign of consecration to the Immaculate Hearts of
Jesus and Mary.

149. This scapular of love shall be a sign of salvation when worn faithfully
until death.  Our Mother Mary promised, "Whosoever dies clothed in this
scapular shall not suffer eternal fire."

150. Wearing the scapular reminds us of our baptismal vows.

151. Wearing the scapular shows that we are not ashamed of being recognized
as Mary's child.

152. Wearing the scapular shall protect us from the chains of sin.

153. Many saints have worn the scapular as a sign of penance.  Mary asks us
to offer her and Jesus many penances for the conversion of sinners and in
reparation for the many sins committed against their Immaculate Hearts.

154. Mary shall save the world by the power of the scapular.

155. Mary shall perform great miracles through the scapular.

156. Mary shall convert the entire world by the power of the scapular.
157. Mary shall perfect the Church by the power of the scapular.

158. Mary shall produce her greatest saints by the power of the scapular.

159. Mary shall destroy the antichrist and his reign by the power of the
scapular.

160. Mary shall destroy and erase all evil from the face of the earth by the
power of the scapular.

161. Mary shall tie and bind the devil with the scapular casting him into
the eternal fires of hell.

§ Praying the Hail Mary and the Rosary.

162. To have an aversion, lukewarmness or negligence toward the Hail Mary or
the rosary is a sign of either being lost or nearly lost.

163. When you pray the rosary you win the love of Mary's Immaculate Heart.

164. The Hail Mary devoutly prayed is a great enemy of the devil and a sweet
gift to Mary.

165. It is better to pray the rosary than any other prayer to Mary.

166. When praying the rosary say after each decade," O my Jesus, forgive us
our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven,
especially those in most need of your mercy." Then add, “Merciful Face of
Jesus Save Us.”

167. Mary asks everyone to pray at least five decades of the rosary each
day.

168. Mary shall save the world by the power of the rosary.

169. Mary shall perform great miracles through the rosary.

170. Mary shall convert the entire world by the power of the rosary.

171. Mary shall perfect the Church by the power of the rosary.

172. Mary shall produce her greatest saints by the power of the rosary.

173. Mary shall destroy the antichrist and his reign by the power of the
rosary.

174. Mary shall destroy and erase all evil from the face of the earth by the
power of the rosary.

175. Mary shall bind and chain the devil with the rosary casting him into
the eternal fires of hell.

176. Mary promises to grant special graces to all who devoutly pray the
rosary.

177. Mary promises to protect and grant the greatest graces to everyone that
devoutly prays the rosary.

178. Mary promises that the rosary shall be a powerful armor against hell.
It shall destroy vices, decrease sin, and destroy heresies.

179. Mary promises that the rosary will cause virtue and good works to
flourish; it will obtain for us the abundant mercy of God; It will draw the
hearts of mankind from the love of the world and its vanities, and will fill
them with a desire for heaven.

180. Mary promises to those who recommend themselves to her by praying the
rosary that they shall not perish.

181. Mary promises that whosoever shall pray the rosary devoutly while
meditating on its mysteries shall never be conquered by misfortune.  God
will not punish them in his justice, they shall not die in a state of mortal
sin, and if they are sincere remaining in the grace of God they shall be
saved.

182. Mary promises those who have true devotion to the rosary shall not die
without receiving the sacraments.

183. Mary promises those who faithfully pray the rosary the light of God in
life and in death, abundant graces; at the moment of death they shall
participate in the merits of the saints.

184. Mary promises to deliver from purgatory all who have been devoted to
her rosary.

185. Mary promises the faithful children of the rosary that they shall merit
a high degree of glory in heaven.

186. Mary promises that she will answer every prayer you ask through the
rosary.

187. Mary promises that everyone who spreads devotion to her rosary shall be
aided by her in all their necessities.

188. Mary promises to every advocate of her rosary the prayers of all of
heaven throughout life and at the hour of our death.

189. Mary promises that whosoever prays the rosary is her child.

190. Mary promises that devotion to her rosary is a sign of salvation.

§ Five First Saturday Reparations to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

191. Mary promises to assist at death with the necessary graces for
salvation all those who on the first Saturday of five consecutive months go
to confession and communion, pray five decades of the rosary, and meditate
for fifteen minutes on the mysteries of the rosary in order to make
reparation to Her Immaculate Heart for the many sins committed against her
and Jesus.

§  Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

192. Mary promises to give those who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus all the
graces necessary for their state in life.

193. Mary promises to those who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus peace in
their families.

194. Mary promises those who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus to console them
in all their trouble.

195. Mary promises all who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus shall find in her
Son's Heart refuge during life and at the hour of death.

196. Mary promises all who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus to bless all
their works.

197. Mary promises all who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus shall find there
an infinite ocean of mercy.

198. Mary promises all who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus that lukewarm
souls shall become fervent with love and devotion.

199. Mary promises all who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus that fervent
souls shall quickly be transformed into the perfect image of Jesus.
200. Mary promises to bless the homes in which the image of the Sacred Heart
of Jesus is exposed and honored.

201. Mary promises all who adore the Sacred Heart of Jesus that she will
give priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.

202. Mary promises that whosoever shall spread devotion to the Sacred Heart
of Jesus shall have their name written in the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and
Mary forever.

203. Mary promises to grant all those who shall receive confession and
communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months the grace of final
repentance; they shall not die in the displeasure of God, nor without
receiving the sacraments; the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary shall be
their refuge at the hour of their death.

§ Reverence for the Sacred Image of Jesus.

  204. All Mary's children should reverence with ardent love and devotion the
Sacred Image of Jesus on his Holy Shroud kept at Turin, Italy.  Mary
promises to bless the homes and every place in which the image of the Holy
Shroud is exposed and honored.

205. All who pray devoutly before the Sacred Image of Jesus on the Holy
Shroud shall receive abundant graces.

  206. Mary shall perform great miracles by the Sacred Image of Jesus on the
Holy Shroud.

207. Pray devoutly before the Holy Face of Jesus, “My God, I believe, I
adore, I hope and I love you.  I ask pardon for those who do not believe,
nor adore, nor hope, nor love you.”

208. Mary wants us to offer ourselves to God, bearing all the sufferings he
sends us, in reparation for sin, and the conversion of sinners.  Although we
shall suffer greatly God will strengthen us to endure our cross.  Mary
wishes that we carry an image of the Holy Face from his Holy Shroud.  Mary
also desires that we offer many sacrifices and penances for the conversion
of sinners and reparation to the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary.  When
we obey her we become transformed into perfect conformity to the Sacred
Image of Jesus.  Whenever we make any sacrifice pray before an image of the
Holy Face, “0h Jesus, this is for love of you, for the conversion of
sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate
Heart of Mary.”

§ 2. Interior Practices.

209. Genuine devotion to Mary requires our conversion of heart.  We must
truly want to reform and amend our lives.  Mary will cleanse our minds and
hearts of all our corruption and filth through the sacraments of confession
and Holy Communion.

210. Pray to Mary so that you may make an honest and sincere confession with
a truly contrite heart.

211. Pray to Mary so that you may become truly sorry for your sins desiring
never to offend God again.  Mary shall bathe you clean in your tears of
repentance and will heal your mind and heart of all your grief.

212. Pray to Mary to be with you during your confession.  Ask her to help
you open your mind and your heart before God.  Do not be afraid of God or
his priest but remain as a child dependent and confident in its mother.

213. After confessing your sins pray for the grace to become a faithful
child of Jesus and Mary.  Renew your consecration to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary.

214. In Mary's Immaculate Heart receive your absolution.  Through the blood
of Christ your sins are forgiven, and you are purified. Mary makes haste to
form you into the image of Jesus.

215. Offer Mary your penance.  Pray and sacrifice for the conversion and
salvation of sinners.

§ Mass.

216. Mary unites herself to the priest during the mass and offers her
crucified son Jesus to the Father for our salvation just as she did at the
foot of the cross.  Jesus comes to us in the Eucharist through Mary's
Immaculate Heart.  Priesthood is a special privilege given by Mary to those
she has chosen.

217. The laity also share in the priesthood of Jesus through baptism.
Although the priesthood of the faithful cannot consecrate bread and wine
into the body and blood of Christ, you can offer the Eucharist together with
the priest and Mary to God.

218. When the priest elevates the Eucharist at the altar let us recall Jesus
being lifted up on the cross where he was crucified for our salvation.
Offer the elevated host to the Father by praying:

Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
You the Crucified Body of Your Son Jesus Christ, in reparation for the many
sins committed before You, and for the conversion and salvation of all poor
sinners.

219. When the priest elevates the chalice at the altar let us again recall
Jesus lifted up on the cross shedding his blood for our salvation.  Offer
the chalice to the Eternal Father by praying:

Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
You the Precious Blood of Your Son Jesus Christ, in reparation for the many
sins committed before You, and for the conversion and salvation of all poor
sinners.

§ Before Holy Communion.

220. Mary grants a special blessing to everyone who prays the Chaplet of St.
Michael the Archangel.  This little rosary is in honor of St. Michael and
the nine choirs of angels.  If devoutly prayed prior to mass, Mary allows us
to receive communion in a special way in union with all the angels.

221. Renew your consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Although our
soul is dirty like the stable in Bethlehem, Jesus will gladly come because
Mary is there.

222. When you are just about to receive communion pray,

“Through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary I receive You Jesus into
my heart and soul, increase my love for You, Mary, and my neighbor.”

§ During Holy Communion.

223. Mary will adore Jesus perfectly within you, and she will introduce you
to Jesus.

224. Open your heart to Jesus pouring out your love for him, praying
continually to grow in greater love.

225. Receiving Holy Communion in the Immaculate Heart of Mary will also
quickly transform you into a perfect conformity to the Sacred Image of
Jesus.

226. Offer your Holy Communion in reparation to the Immaculate Hearts of
Jesus and Mary for the many sins committed against them, and for the
conversion and salvation of all poor sinners.

§ After Mass.

227. Mary is very pleased when you pray to St. Michael the Archangel after
mass for world peace, and the conversion and salvation of all sinners.

228. Mary's children live clean and productive lives performing all the
duties in their state as perfectly as possible, offering them to Mary for
the conversion and salvation for all poor sinners.  This is how we perfectly
fulfill our priesthood we received in baptism.


* * *


CONSECRATION TO THE IMMACULATE HEARTS OF JESUS AND MARY

§ Preparation.

229. Try to spend one week praying to Mary to give you light so that you may
see yourself as you truly are.  Learn to distrust yourself and to depend on
Mary.  With all your heart firmly resolve never to commit a mortal sin and
avoid even venial sins.  Pray at least five decades of the rosary daily, and
try to go also to daily communion.  Wear the scapular of Our Lady of Mount
Carmel as a pledge of your commitment to her.  Also carry about with you an
image of the Holy Face from the Holy Shroud.

230. Pray to Mary for the sincerity to amend your life and ask pardon for
your sins.  Recall Mary's warning, "People must not offend God anymore for
he is already very much offended."

231. Accept and bear with submission all the sufferings the Lord sends you.
Enduring our cross and sufferings conforms us into the Sacred Image of Jesus
Christ.  The cross is the perfect way Mary chooses to purify us and to
transform us into her beloved children.

232. Sacrifice yourself for sinners.  Perform all your daily labors with
love and attention offering everything to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in
reparation for the sins committed against her and for the conversion and
salvation of all poor sinners.

233. Try to spend a second week learning about Mary.  Pray to Mary to
enlighten your mind about her.  Read the works of the saints who have
written about Mary especially St. Alphonsus Liguori and St. Bernard of
Clairvaux.  Continue all your spiritual practices as in the previous week.

234. Try to spend a third week learning about Jesus.  Pray to Mary to
enlighten your mind about Jesus.  Read the Gospels, and the writings of the
saints about Jesus, especially the writings of the Fathers and Doctors of
the Church.  Again, continue the spiritual practices as in the previous two
weeks.

235. After these three weeks of preparation go to confession with an
unflinching resolve of will to never sin again, and to consecrate your
entire self to the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary forever.

§ Prayer of Consecration to the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

“Oh Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary, please hear my prayer to You.  I am
an ungrateful and faithless sinner, who in tears of sorrow, comes before You
today.  Once I was a slave to sin and pierced Your Immaculate Hearts with
sorrow. I am truly sorry, my dear Mother and Father, and I promise with the
help of Your grace never to sin again.  Before Your Merciful and Immaculate
Hearts I renew the vows of my baptism: I renounce forever, the devil Satan,
the world and all of its pomps; I firmly resolve to follow You Jesus and
Mary throughout the remainder of my life, and to carry my cross with love
and devotion.  Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary I consecrate to You all
that I am and possess.  Purify me with Your Immaculate Hearts.  Fill me with
the fire of Your Love. Come, Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary, and live
and reign in my heart.  Crucify me to the world and sin, so that I may
become a living flame of love and conform myself to Your Will and Image.
Amen.


* * *


CHAPLET OF ST. MICHAEL


	 Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against
the wickedness and snares of the devil; may God rebuke him we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into
hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the
ruin of souls. Amen

Prayers To Be Said After Each Prayer In Honor Of Each Of The Nine Choirs Of
Angels

1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys.  My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love
You.  I ask pardon for those who do not believe, nor adore, nor hope, nor
love you.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as
it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.  O
my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all
souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.  Merciful Face
of Jesus Save Us.

I. In Honor of the Seraphim

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Seraphim,
may the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary make us worthy to burn with the
fire of perfect charity. Amen

II. In Honor of the Cherubim

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Cherubim,
may the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary grant us the grace to leave the
ways of wickedness and run in the path of Christian perfection. Amen.

III. In Honor of the Thrones

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Thrones,
may the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary infuse into our hearts a true
and sincere spirit of humility. Amen.

IV. In Honor of the Dominions

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Dominions,
may the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary give us the grace to govern our
senses and subdue our unruly passions. Amen.

V. In Honor of the Powers

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Powers, may
the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary protect us from the snares and
temptations of the devil. Amen.

VI. In Honor of the Virtues

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Virtues,
may the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary preserve us from evil, and not
allow us to fall into temptation. Amen.

VII. In Honor of the Principalities

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of
Principalities, may the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary fill our souls
with a true spirit of obedience. Amen.

VIII. In Honor of the Archangels

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Archangels,
may the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary grant us perseverance in Faith
and in all good works, in order that we may gain the glory of heaven. Amen.

IX. In Honor of the Angels

	 By the intercession of Saint Michael and the celestial choir of Angels, may
the Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary grant us to be protected by them in
this life and conducted hereafter to eternal glory. Amen.

Concluding Prayers

Say four Our Fathers: one in honor of St. Michael, one in honor of St.
Gabriel, one in honor of St. Raphael, and one in honor of your Guardian
Angel.

	 O Glorious Saint Michael, Prince of Heaven, Angel of Peace, deliver us from
all evil.  We seek your help and gracious protection, to help us serve the
Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary more faithfully every day, so that they
may live and reign in our hearts, both now and forever.  Amen.


* * *


THE ANGELIC LILY OF HUMILITY

From the desire of being esteemed, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the desire of being loved, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the desire of being extolled, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the desire of being honored, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the desire of being praised, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the desire of being preferred to others, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the desire of being consulted, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the desire of being approved, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the fear of being humiliated, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the fear of being despised, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the fear of being calumniated, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the fear of being forgotten, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the fear of being ridiculed, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the fear of being wronged, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
From the fear of being suspected, Jesus and Mary deliver us.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus and Mary grant me the grace to
desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus and Mary grant me the grace
to desire it.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease,
Jesus and Mary grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus and Mary grant me the grace
to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus and Mary grant me the
grace to desire it.
That others may be preferredto me in everything, Jesus and Mary grant me the
grace to desire it.
That others may become holier than, provided that I may become as holy as
You wish for me, Jesus and Mary grant me the grace to desire it.


* * *


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EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

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WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Eleven C

Monday, 24 September, 2001

Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time



* * *


PART TWO

SECTION “A”
CHARACTERISTICS OF GENUINE DEVOTION TO MARY

60. The Holy Spirit directs us to authentic devotion to Mary and produces a
genuine devotion to her in our hearts.

§ 1. Jesus is the purpose of genuine devotion to Mary

61. To reach a perfect and ardent love of Jesus is the purpose of genuine
devotion to Mary.

62. Anyone having a devotion to Mary for any purpose other than growing in
love for Jesus is destined to fall into the greatest of woes.  Let no one
presume to seek the mercy of God who offends his holy mother Mary.

63. When we allow Mary to live and reign in our hearts she brings us into a
mystical union with Jesus.

64. When we allow Mary to live and reign in our hearts she brings us into
perfect conformity to the image and likeness of Jesus.

65. When we allow Mary to live and reign in our hearts she brings us into a
mystical and perfect conformity to the will of God.

66. When we allow Mary to live and reign in our hearts she transforms us
into holy and sanctified children of God.

67. When we allow Mary to live and reign in our hearts we have everything we
need.

§ 2. Genuine devotion makes us into children of Jesus and Mary.

68. Everyone willingly or not is a child of Mary.

69. We must become like little children who are entirely dependent on Mary
as our mother and obey her.

70. Genuine devotion to Mary makes us into children of both Jesus and Mary
and not merely their servants.

71. Servants can demand wages but a child shares in their parents wealth.

72. Servants can leave their employer but a child will never cease being a
child to its parents.

73. Mary bathes her children in the waters of baptism and by their tears in
the sacrament of confession.

74. Mary nourishes her children with Jesus the bread of life in the
sacrament of Holy Communion.

75. Mary instructs her children by the truths of our Catholic faith which
were revealed to us by the Holy Spirit through her and Jesus.

76. Mary clothes her children with the mantle of salvation.

77. Mary loves her children with the fire of the Holy Spirit which burns
more brilliantly than the sun in Her Immaculate Heart.  As the greatest
mother Mary affectionately embraces her children, drawing us into Her
Immaculate Heart.

78. Mary cares for her children and never ceases praying for us before the
Face of God.  Mary weeps when we stray from God, and her heart is pierced
when we choose the death of sin rather than Jesus the life of the world.  No
mother ever lived who loves you more than Mary.  Mary holds her children's
hands briefly during our earthly pilgrimage but our hearts forever.

§ 3. Genuine devotion to Mary helps us to die to ourselves and sin.

79. Mary's devoted children despise the corrupted world of sin and avoid any
occasion where they may be exposed to the temptations of sin.

80. We must obey Mary who says, " Do whatever my son Jesus tells you."

81. Jesus instructs us by saying, "Watch and pray so that you will not be
lead into temptation.”

82. Pray to Mary to cleanse you of every filthy thought and desire and the
grace to imitate her and Jesus.

83. Pray to Mary to accept and love God's will and to give up your own.

84. Pray to Mary for the virtue of humility.  We become very humble when God
allows us to see ourselves the way we truly are in his sight.  Consider
everyone as greater than yourself.

85. Never forget that although you have always existed from all eternity in
the mind and heart of God, you are but cosmic dust and were created out of
nothing through God’s Love.

86. Pray to Mary for a deep confidence and trust in her and you will then be
able to persevere to the end.

87. Let nothing disturb you, let nothing trouble you, all things are
passing, Jesus and Mary are always with you.

88. We must become crucified with Christ to sin and the world.  Only then
can we become perfectly conformed to the image of Christ.

89. Perform all the duties of your state in life as perfectly as possible
for the love of Jesus and Mary.  Never neglect the responsibilities to your
home and family but fulfill them with tender love and devotion.

90. Never fail in charity to anyone.

SECTION “B”

CHARACTERISTICS OF FALSE DEVOTION TO MARY

91. The devil is constantly going about like a roaring lion seeking those
whom he may devour by deception.  Unfortunately, the weak and proud are
easily lured into developing a false devotion to Mary and Christ.

§ 1. Critical devotees.

92. These are usually individuals who believe they are intellectually
superior to others.  In their pride they cannot accept from God one of the
seven gifts of the Holy Spirit "Piety."  They reject every story of miracles
performed by our mother Mary.  Watch them carefully since they will attempt
at every opportunity to persuade others that this genuine devotion to Mary
is foolishness, superstitious and abusive leading us away from Christ.

§ 2. Scrupulous devotees

93. These are the ones who are always troubled and struggle with their
faith.  They find certain beliefs about Mary in this genuine devotion
difficult if not impossible, and even heretical.  They cannot accept from
God one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit “Understanding.”  They are
plagued by doubts, and fear to believe lest they see.

94.  These individuals are of two types.  First are those who in their pride
close their minds to any opinion which contradicts them.  Second are those
who do not want to know the truth so that they may continue blindly in their
sins.

§ 3. Sentimental devotees

95. Here are those individuals who love the idea of Mary and especially are
infatuated with external practices, rituals, and liturgies.

96. They run away from the internal, spiritual aspect of genuine devotion to
Mary.  They do not try to reform or amend their lives. Rather, they flee
from penance and any form of sacrifice, and do not want to imitate the
virtues of Jesus and Mary.

§ 4. Presumptuous devotees.

97. These individuals deliberately continue to perform every kind of filth
and disgust, believing that because they pray the rosary or wear the
scapular of Mount Carmel they will be granted the grace to make a final
confess y will pray for their salvation and they shall be saved.

98. Although they see Jesus and Mary as merciful and forgiving they fail to
have the true contrition that is necessary to obtain their mercy and pardon.

99. When they say the rosary they fail to pray for the grace never to mortal
sin nor do they perform acts of penance and charity.

§ 5. Inconstant devotees

100. These individuals have a devotion to Mary now and then.  They base
devotion to Mary on how they feel.  Sometimes they are fervent and at other
times they are not.

101. Others, plan to say many prayers and accomplish great things for Mary
which are impractical for them to perform; and so they quickly become upset
and give up altogether.

102. Still others are easily distracted by pleasures and activities and they
also quickly abandon their devotion to Mary.

§ 6. Hypocritical devotees

103. First, there are those who pretend to be devoted to Mary in order to be
mistaken as a true devotee.  Each one of these criminals does this for their
own reasons such as: money, stealing, food, shelter, lust, power and the
like.  These are the wolves in sheep's clothing about whom Jesus warned us.

104. Second, there are those who do not first perform their duties and
responsibilities in life with love and care.  They quickly and eagerly run
away from their duties at home and neglect their families believing it is
better to go and pray to Mary.

105. Mary is only pleased after we have fulfilled our duties, according to
our state in life for us to come to her in prayer.  It Is better to offer
Mary your daily labors in a prayerful attitude than to choose to pray to
Mary and neglect your moral duty, which is truly God's will for you.

§ 7. Interested devotees

106. These individuals only pray to Mary for some favor.  They have devotion
to her only when it is convenient and suits their needs.  They are
self-seeking and find it difficult to truly love anyone besides themselves.

§ 8. Conclusion.

107. If you are guilty of any of these false devotions give it up at once.
Pray to Mary to enlighten you and teach you the way of genuine love for her.
If you approach her with true sorrow in your heart she will guide you on the
right path.  No one who seeks Mary ever goes unaided.

(continued in Volume 1, No. 11 D)

* * *


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EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

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WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Eleven B

Monday, 24 September, 2001

Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time



* * *


AS THE BELL TOLLS (Part 5)
By  John N. Lupia

In this series Roman Catholic News has brought you an interpretation of
current and future events based on Catholic tradition of the eschatological
discourses and events found in the New Testament and among the Church Fathers,
and
theologians throughout its history.  The views of Roman Catholic News are
subject to the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church to which it always
applies in perfect conformity and obedience to whatever it demands.
According to our view we are now in the second phase of the Second Coming of
Christ that commences with the gradual formation of a coalition of Roman
Catholic bishops and cardinals that take legal, moral and spiritual
leadership roles in globalization policymaking.  The fruits of this Catholic
coalition are the preparation of the global society for the Church's prophet
charism bringing the pope and a bishop into central focus that will
result in world conversions and global solidarity in the One, True, Holy,
Catholic and Apostolic Church.  This shall be followed by an era of peace
that will erode with some loosing faith and the rise of antichrist who will
offer the world unethical and immoral solutions to its global problems and
crises.  When antichrist attempts to gain political control of the Roman
Catholic Church, the bell will toll, signalling the Last Day, when Jesus
Christ and His Queen, the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, shall come in full glory
to claim their Bride.

The world is like a wilderness: unruly, wild, a thicket of tangled thorny
branches.  "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his
paths." (Matt 3,3)  "Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees;
every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown
into the fire." (Matt 3,10)  "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will
clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but
the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." (Matt 3,12) "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven has come near." (Matt 4,17)

The following is the complete text of: Mary's Final Appeal to the World.
Maranatha: Come, Lord Jesus! (orginally written in 1975)


THE VOICE OF LOVE

	 Blessed are you who live my merciful heart's message.  For whosoever abides
in this is given to know that you are living in the very last days (LUKE 21;
MATTHEW 24; MARK 13) ; the climax of fallen human history.
	 “Children, as I have said, these are the last days; you were warned that
Antichrists would come, and already several of them have appeared.  Those
who deny that I am the Christ are all liars, and they too are Antichrists.(1
JOHN 2:18-22)
	 “In the same way, anyone who says, “I love God,” but hates their neighbor
is also a liar, since anyone who does not love their neighbor that they can
see cannot love me, whom they have never seen.” (1 JOHN 4:20-21)
	 “I have been forced to write to you now to appeal to you to fight hard for
the Catholic faith which has been once for all entrusted to the Church.”
(JUDE 3)
	 “You may be quite sure that in these last days there are going to be some
difficult times. Many will be self-centered, greedy and wanton; boastful,
arrogant and rude; disobedient and disrespectful to their parents,
ungrateful, irreligious; cold and heartless; they will be slanderers,
profligates, savages, and enemies of all that is good; they will be
treacherous and reckless and become crazy by their pride, preferring their
own will to mine.  They will pretend outwardly to be religious but will have
rejected its inner spirit.  Have nothing to do with people like that.” ( 2
TIMOTHY 3:1)
	 “You, beloved, must remember the prophesies of my apostles; for they told
you what to expect, “In the last days there will be scoffers who sneer at
religion, indulging their own ungodly lusts and wickedness.”  It is these
worldly people, who reject my Spirit, who are causing mischief and
divisions.  But you, beloved, build yourselves up on the foundation of your
most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in my love; look
forward to my mercy that leads to eternal life.  Have mercy on those who are
wavering in their faith with doubts and reassure them; this way you will
save them by snatching them out of the fire; but there are others to whom
you must be kind with great caution, keeping your distance so that you might
not become contaminated by their seductive vices.” (JUDE 17-23)
	 “In these last days I will pour out my spirit on every human person, your
sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your
old men shall see visions in their dreams.  In these days I will pour out my
spirit on my men and women servants, and they shall prophesy.  I will show
signs and wonders in the sky above, but on earth the signs of blood, smoke
and fire.  I assure you, the sun shall turn dark and the moon will shine
blood-red, before I arrive on my great and glorious day.” (ACTS 2: 17-20)
	 My beloved children, “Reform your lives.”  My reign is approaching like a
flash of lightning.  “Be not afraid.”  For Our Father so loved the world
that he gave me, his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in me may
not spiritually die but may receive eternal life.(JOHN 3:16)   The mercy of
Our Father is an infinite ocean and beams from my Sacred Heart. In his
loving compassion, as Our sweet tender loving Father gives you my little
guidebook.  So, my dear child, I want you to read it ever so carefully,
slowly, prayerfully, and with reverent reflection.  I shall enlighten you
with my Holy Spirit to perfect and increase your faith and understanding
Again I say to you, “be not afraid,” oh, little one.  For Our Father is
infinitely sweet, tender loving, gentle, meek, kind, merciful, patient,
understanding, lenient, forgiving, and compassionate with you.


THE VOICE OF THE DISCIPLE

	 “At various times in the past and in different ways, you have spoken to our
ancestors Lord, through your prophets; but in our time, the last days, you,
Jesus Christ, have spoken to us directly, the Son that has been appointed to
inherit everything.” (HEBREWS 1:1)
	 “We, who are being protected by your power, Jesus Christ, through your gift
of faith to us, await the salvation you have prepared and which you are
revealing to us now in this guidebook for these last days.” (1 PETER 1:5)
	 “We must  be careful to remember that during the last days there are bound
to be people who will be scornful, the kind who always please themselves,
and they will make fun of your promise and ask, “Well, where is this coming
of the Messiah?” (2 PETER 3:3-4)


* * *


PRAYER


“Merciful Jesus, supreme power and majesty, glory and praise be yours for
ever, world without end.  Dearest sweet tender loving Father, I adore you.
Perfect and increase my love for you.  I, who am sinful, cry before  your
glorious and Holy Face.  I wish with all my heart to tell you I am sorry for
all my sins and ask for your mercy and kindness.  Renew me and empower me
with your holiness.  In the name of Mary, and through the power you have
given her,  united to your creative power most loving Trinity, I pray that
you regenerate me.  Unite me to Mary so that Jesus may be perfectly formed
in me integrated with my mind, heart and will.  Take from me the worst in
me: my ignorance, weakness, sinfulness and sickness that distorts your
sacred image within me.  Take from me all self-praise, self-seeking,
personal vanity and pride.  Take away the fears, doubts and mistrust that
grips my soul.  For all of my personal defects are the sources of all my
anger, sins and vices.  Cleanse me of my sins and heal the wounds they have
made in my mind, heart and soul.  Anoint me with your healing grace.  Shine
the brightness of your holy light, radiant and beaming from your most Holy
Face.  May it fill my soul and body dispelling all darkness.  Transform me
as a new creation emergent with the risen Lord, Jesus, Our Savior.  Send
forth your Spirit, and I shall be recreated by your charity and grace.  May
the brightness of your holy light purify my mind, heart and will making me
into a living flame of your divine love.  Renew the spirit of your servant
and child whom you anointed through Baptism.   So, that in union with Mary,
and through her I may glorify you Father, and your only begotten Son Jesus,
and your supreme Holy Spirit of light, Oh Lord of all creation.  Amen.”


* * *


INTRODUCTION


The second and third phases will be the Golden Age of Marian Eras.  The mass
conversions prompt a new culture of spirituality to emerge that will be
Marian centric.  A great revival in the Marian spirituality of St. Louis
Marie De Montfort, based on his famous treatise, True Devotion to Mary, will
spread throughout the Church.  To accommodate this Marian Movement a concise
handbook of St. Louis Marie De Montfort’s, True Devotion to Mary will be of
great need for which this small book has been prepared to satisfy.  This
book contains all of the essential teachings from the original and brings it
to you concisely.  Granted that some of them have been modified to update it
to the best in current Marian theology.  Furthermore, this book contains
some developments from the advancements in Marian theology and spirituality
since the time of St. Louis, for example, the Fatima Movement, the pinnacle
of devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Devotion to the scapula and
the rosary are especially highlighted, as well the the First Friday and
Saturday devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of
Mary.  The importance and the significance of the Holy Shroud of Turin is
also introduced based on the spiritual doctrine of Mrs. Dolores Immaculate
Gilli, a woman whom many think was a saint.  Devotion to St. Michael the
Archangel and to the angels is also included.


* * *


Mary's Final Appeal to the World.  Maranatha: Come, Lord Jesus!


I. Why the Queen of All Creation Has Been the Greatest Secret Throughout
History.


1. While on earth Mary's greatest desire was to be known to God alone.

2. God granted Mary's desire to be unknown and kept her hidden, and humble,
so that everyone considered her unimportant, if they even gave her any
thought at all.

3. Except for the miracle of the virgin birth of Jesus, God the Father
granted Mary’s desire never to have any miracle worked through her recorded
in the Gospels.

4. God the Son granted Mary’s desire not to have her mentioned much nor many
of her words recorded in the Gospels.

5. God the Holy Spirit granted Mary’s desire not to be an obvious nor
dominant figure in the Gospels so that the knowledge and faith in Jesus
should be established first  throughout the world by the early Church.

6. God the Father kept Mary intimately close to Himself in order to be the
only one who knew her.

7. God the Son concealed Mary in order to shield and protect her.

8. God the Holy Spirit keeps Mary as his "secret garden,” where he lives and
reigns through her.

9. Mary is the Holy of Holies where the Blessed Trinity remains hidden and
concealed from our fallen and evil world.

10. God has given Mary greatness and majesty that no one has ever been
granted to entirely know.

11. Mary's merits, grace and love are so extraordinary that we shall never
be able to completely understand nor describe them.

12. Hidden from the world all creation cannot keep silent about her, but,
preaches and praises Mary.

13. Although Mary has been kept secret and hidden she is glorified on earth,
in heaven, and even in hell.


SECTION “B”


II. CONCERNING THE NECESSITY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY AND OF DEVOTION TO
HER.

14. God has made Mary necessary for the accomplishment of His will.

15. Since God has accomplished his greatest works through Mary it is
reasonable to believe that he will continue to do so.

§. 1. Mary was necessary to God in the incarnation of the Word.

16. It was through Mary that God gave us his son. However, it was only after
Mary had given her consent.

17. God the Father gave Mary the grace to produce his only begotten son and
all the members of his mystical body.

18. Jesus glorified the Father by his submission to, and dependence on
	 Mary.

19. Jesus performed his first miracles by and for Mary, as he continues to
do so. The first miracle was that of grace when he blessed St. John the
Baptist by and through Mary.  He performed his first recorded miracle of
nature at the wedding feast at Cana by turning water into wine in obedience
to Mary's wish.

20. God the Holy Spirit has become fruitful in our world by producing
through Mary both Jesus and the members of his mystical body, the Church.
The degree to which the Holy Spirit produces the image of Jesus in our soul
is equal to the degree to which we imitate Mary.

21. This does not mean the Holy Spirit cannot be productive without Mary.
Rather, it means that He has chosen to be productive through Her.

§. 2. Mary is necessary to God in the sanctification of souls.

22. God has chosen to bring Jesus into the world through Mary, and he
continues daily to produce the members of his mystical body through her,
until his second coming; which shall also occur through her.

23. Mary is the treasury of God in whom he stores all his grace.

24. Jesus has given all of his merits to Mary to dispense to the church.
She is his aqueduct through which all his grace and mercy flows.

25. God the Holy Spirit has given Mary all his grace to dispense to whom she
chooses, as much as she chooses, as she chooses, and when she chooses.  God
wills that we should receive his grace through her alone.

26. These beliefs regarding the Most Blessed Virgin Mary are to be taken
with the same spirit of piety in which we approach in simplicity and
reverence our faith in Christ, his Gospel, and his Church.

27. Jesus is Mary's son in heaven just as he was on earth, having the same
disposition of obedience to her.  Mary prays for the pardon of sinners.
Just as Moses stopped God from destroying the Israelites by his prayers so
too Mary prays for our salvation and that of the whole world.

28. God rewarded Mary's deep humility by making her the Queen of heaven and
earth.

29. God wishes to produce children through Mary until the end of the world.

30. You cannot love God perfectly without loving his mother Mary. An
infallible sign of a a soul in serious danger is their lack of devotion to
Mary.

31. Jesus is born in the members of his mystical body through Mary our true
mother.

32. Since Jesus, who is the head of his mystical body, is born of Mary then
all the members of his Church must also be born of her.

33. We are hidden within Mary's womb and nourished there until Jesus is
perfectly formed within us.

34. God the Holy Spirit forms us in Mary and causes her to live in us.

35. When Mary is formed in us we are filled with every grace and blessing.
At the end of the world Mary will produce her greatest saints.

36. The greater the degree we allow Mary to live and reign in our hearts the
greater the degree grace shall be found there.

§ 3. Mary is Queen of all hearts.

37. Mary has received dominion over mankind to be our mother and bring us
salvation.

38. The kingdom of Jesus and Mary is our heart and soul.

39. God has made Mary necessary for us to obtain salvation.

40. From the very founding of the church many saints, fathers, and doctors
taught that Mary was necessary for salvation.

41. St. John Damascene, for example, confessed, “To be devout to you, Oh
Holy Virgin, is an arm of salvation which God gives to those whom he wishes
to save."

42. St. Dominic once placed a rosary around the neck of a person possessed
by demons.  Under the power of the rosary they were forced to tell the truth
about Mary.  They revealed that one of her prayers at the death of a sinner
is so powerful that hell doesn't stand a chance to damn them.

§ 4. Mary is especially necessary to everyone called to a special grace.

43. If Mary is necessary for our salvation then she must also be necessary
for everyone called to a special perfection.

44. Since Mary is God's Treasurer and dispenses every grace, then anyone
seeking a special grace or perfection must pray to her to receive it.
45. Mary desires everyone to become saints and enter into the privileged
life of grace.

46. The greatest saints shall appear at the end of the world who will have a
great and tender devotion to Mary.

§ 5. Mary is necessary to the great saints at the end of the world.

47. The greatest saints shall come at the end of the world.

48. These saints shall destroy error and increase the Church.  By their holy
words and example they shall convert the whole world and bring everyone to
true devotion to Mary.

§ 6. Mary and her children at the end of the world.

49. It was through Mary that salvation began and through her it will be
completed.

50. Mary is the perfect way to Jesus.  To seek Mary is to find Jesus. In the
last days Mary will shine forth in grace, mercy, and might.

51. Mary shall crush and destroy antichrist and his reign.

52. Mary shall come forth like the dawn, terrifying as an army in its battle
array.

53. Mary's children will be esteemed as nothing and severely persecuted.

54. Mary will show her children the deceits and plans of the devil. They
shall battle, crush and destroy antichrist and his disciples.

§ 7. The formation of the apostles at the end of the world.

55. At the end of the world the entire Church shall become perfected by its
true devotion to Mary.

56. Mary's apostles shall be great ministers of God performing many
miracles, signs and wonders, by which they will convert the world, bringing
everyone to repentance and devotion.

57. Mary's apostles shall battle against sin and all the devil's works.

58. Mary's apostles shall be holy and spread their sanctity.

59. Mary's apostles shall be perfect images of Jesus.

(continued in Vol. 1, No. 11 C & D)

* * *


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EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News, unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, Zenit News Service, and VIS own the
original copyright for their news releases and are credited as such.  All
copyright materials copied in any form must include the appropriate
copyright owner; in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com





_______________________________________________________
Send a cool gift with your E-Card
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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Eleven A

Monday, 24 September, 2001

Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time



* * *


PAPAL VISIT IN KAZAKHSTAN & ARMENIA A SUCCESS

KAZAKHSTAN - 24 September, 2001- Pope John Paul II's 95th voyage visting the
Church at Kazakhstan has met with great success meeting with government and
Church officials in the past two days.  The pope leaves for Armenia tomorrow 25
September, 2001 where he will meet with officials there until Thursday 27
September, 2001 when he will return to Rome.  More detailed news regarding the
exchanges in these meetings will follow in the next few days.


* * *


ROMAN CATHOLIC NEWS ARCHIVES

To gain access to all of the articles on Roman Catholic News go to the URL:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News


This will give you the archive to all of the articles.  There are four ways
to access archive articles: (1) Go to the Home Page panel on the far left,
and click on the word Messages just below the word Home; (2) click on the
articles posted by date; (3) clike on the blue arabic numerals in the box
for the month in the yearly calendar window at the bottom of the page; (4)
type in a keyword in the long rectanuglar white box alongside the long
rectanuglar button that reads ARCHIVE SEARCH, and then click that button.


* * *


HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN
ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

Roman Catholic News is a brand new Yahoo group that is two weeks old today.
We are currently ranked 35th of 479 Catholic Yahoo groups, and growing
steadily on a daily basis.  Your membership as a subscriber is important to
us and helps us grow in numbers and improve our services.  Please spread the
word that a Catholic clergy run Catholic News group and Reference Desk is
available that keeps you informed on all the activities of Pope John Paul
II, the Holy See, the Roman Curia, Catholic doctrine, critical world news,
biblical studies, and its Catholic Reference Desk answers questions you
post.
	 When posting questions please place in the subject field of your email
"Reference Desk".  Emails can be sent to either
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com, or to jlupia2@....
Articles written by professional and scholarly authors can also be sent to
the email addresses above for consideration in a future issue.  Authors
should keep in mind that Roman Catholic News is a not-for-profit
organization and considers publishing articles without paying any monetary
compensation to authors.  All materials submitted and published are
copyright protected in accordance to the latest ruling from the Office of
Copyright, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.  Your subscription is
important to us.  Welcome to Roman Catholic News.  Tell a friend.

* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News, unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, Zenit News Service, and VIS own the
original copyright for their news releases and are credited as such.  All
copyright materials copied in any form must include the appropriate
copyright owner; in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com






_______________________________________________________
Send a cool gift with your E-Card
http://www.bluemountain.com/giftcenter/

Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Ten D

Saturday, 22 September, 2001

"95th Papal Pilgrimage of the Pontificate of John Paul II"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

* * *


AS THE BELL TOLLS (PART 4)
By John N. Lupia


WASHINGTON, DC, 21 September, 2001 - A group of 27 US religious leaders:
Catholics,
Protestants, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and others sects met with
President George Bush for over an hour at the White House two days ago, this
past Thursday.   In a unanimous voice they declared that using force to wipe
out terrorism is always justified "to protect the sanctity of life."

One of the earliest signs of the Second Phase of the "Second Coming of
Christ" according to our special feature article "As the Bell Tolls" is the
development of the coalition of Catholic bishops and cardinals.  This is
already underway making Catholic leaders serve as the spokesmen for large
groups of religious leaders joining together.  Cardinal Egan of New York
will be the leader in prayer at Yankee  Stadium this Sunday, 23 September at
3 pm.  On Thursday, Edward Cardinal Egan  said, "We asked the president and
we asked the Lord to give us peace and justice.  We asked the Lord that we
have our people in this country unite and that no groups be punished for
deeds they did not commit; we also asked the Lord to guide the president."

Bernard Cardinal Law of Boston, read the statement on justifiable force
issued by the group, aloud to President Bush. "Because these terrorist
attacks were global in their consequences, the president is correct in
seeking a coordinated, international response," he read. "The common good
has been threatened by these attacks, and we have both a moral right and a
grave obligation as a nation to protect the sanctity of life and the common
good," the statement said. "We should respond not in the spirit of
aggression but as victims of aggression who must act to prevent further
atrocities of terrorism."

Entering the second phase of the Second Coming of Christ, the coalition of
Catholic bishops and cardinals shall prepare the way for the prophetic
charism given to the Catholic Church in converting and uniting the global
society.  This Catholic charismatic movement will have the Most Blessed
Virgin, Mary, our co-Redemptrix as its central patroness and protector.

Devotion to Mary at the End of the World

The Most Blessed Virgin, Mary as co-Redemptrix, shall play a central and
essential primary role in reconciling our world and the universe to God.
The Holy Spirit directs us to genuine and authentic devotion to Mary and
produces it in our hearts.  The Church recognizing Mary's unique role has
devoted to her an exclusive cult of "hyperdulia", exalting her above all
saints and celestial hierarchies.  It was through Mary that salvation began
and through her it will be completed.  St. John Damascene, Exposition of the
Orthodox Faith, III, c. 12 (PG 94. 1023 & 1032) " the name Theotokos (Mother
of God) contains the whole history of the Divine economy in the world."  To
seek Mary is to find Jesus.  We find them together in the holy icon of
"Lovingkindess"  representing them together as Mother and child engaged in
mutual gestures of tender lovingkindness.  Jesus shows us the love we should
give his mother since he is our exemplar, the model of the Christian life.
Mary shows us her divinely maternal response to us when we become like her
son showing reverence and tender loving devotion to her.  Jesus shows us his
heightened human emotions through his abandonment of fear at his coming
Passion and surrender to Divine Mercy in his sweet embraces of tender
lovingkindness.   Mary, grieving deeply at the coming Passion of her son
reveals the sorrow of her Immaculate Heart pierced by a sword ((Luke 2:35).
It was to Mary's Sorrow and Immaculate Heart that Jesus has surrendered
himself to, the Queen of Mercy and of Love.  These very titles reveal that
she is co-Mediatrix with Christ, King of Mercy and of Love.  For salvation
is the supreme gift of Divine Mercy and of Love that flows from the Most
Sacred, Sorrowful and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

Mary shall become a source for the conversion of billions.  Mary has
received dominion over the human family to be our mother and bring us
salvation.  She is the sweet tender loving Mother of Mercy.  She loves each
and every single human person with a God-like love.  She is the supremely
perfect image of God in the order of creation.  She is the Queen of heaven
and your mother.  She is the Queen of angels and angelic nature; and angelic
life is your destiny.  She is the Queen of space, time and the eternal
future.  She is the mirror of God and is absolutely one in will with him.
God has given us this precious gift of a sweet tender loving mother to touch
our hearts and bring them into his own.  Devotion to Mary shall spread and
grow and accelerate the coming of Jesus Christ and his Kingdom.  That coming
will be cosmic and in the flash of an instant which every eye shall see
simultaneously.  God has foreseen our need for Mary, and indeed, we need
her.

Strife At The End Time

The final age of the present order of the world shall come to end in
turmoil.  This is the sense we receive from scripture.  It will appear as if
good is struggling with evil.  As we all know this is merely an appearance
since the cosmic law is that good shall always triumph over evil.  God is
supreme and His goodness destroys evil by his Almighty power.  Evil is the
lack of good, the lack of being and can never in itself resist existence or
being which is one, good, and true.  God has no rival and He is goodness
personified.  This phase of time shall be a cosmic crucifixion, a final
purgation and annihilation of evil.  That period will be trying and
difficult for many.  God has given us Mary as a sign of his eternal presence
to encourage, inspire, guide, illuminate, help, heal, convert, protect, and
console, everyone and anyone who calls her name.  If you don’t believe
it...Try it!

The Maternity of Mary

Mary bathes her children in the waters of baptism and by our tears of true
contrition in the sacrament of confession or reconciliation.  Mary nourishes
her children with Jesus the bread of everlasting life in the sacrament of
holy communion or the Eucharist.  Mary instructs her children by the truths
of the Catholic faith which were revealed to us by her son Jesus who can
never deceive nor be deceived.  Mary clothes her children with the mantle of
salvation signified by our wearing the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mount
Carmel.  Mary loves her children with the fire of the Holy Spirit which
burns more brilliantly than the sun in her Immaculate Heart.  Mary
affectionately embraces her children uniting us to her tender and sweet
heart of lovingkindness.  Mary cares for her children and never ceases
praying for us before the face of God.  Mary weeps when we stray from God.
Her heart becomes pierced when we choose sin and death rather than Jesus the
life of the world.  No mother ever lived who loves you more than Mary.  Mary
holds her children’s hands briefly in our earthly pilgrimage but our hearts
forever.  Mary rejects no one but loves everyone.

After Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ she nurtured him as all tender-loving
mothers do their newborn child.  The difference is that Mary held not only
her child but the Incarnation of the Word of God.  As a perfect unfallen
human she could understand what that meant better than our feeble minds.
Being unfallen meant she understood her pregnancy, childbearing, and
birthing of Christ better than any woman has ever understood their own.
Mary was always conscious of the meaning of her bringing the Word of God to
life in human form.  Her understanding was infused knowledge that is
transmitted to the conscious mind instantly in a flash.  She did not go
through a process of gradually growing in a consciousness of the meaning of
Christ.  Luke 's Gospel reveals this to us in the Annunciation, Nativity and
Presentation that culminates in her Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart described
as pierced by a sword.  She understood that from the very beginning before
her eternal YES to God.  Her YES was her willingness to participate and
assist in that salvific plan for the universe and peoples throughout the
created order of all ages.  As she held that delicate infant son in her arms
she knew exactly what she was seeing, who she was seeing, and why she was
seeing him in human flesh.

Mary, having the higher evolutionary nature of unfallen humanity was
singularly preserved as she was destined from all eternity.  The privilege
of being the mother of Jesus was given to her but not forced on her.  Mary
could have refused and God would have respected that choice.  If Mary would
have refused God would not have had the chance to become Incarnated in the
Person of Jesus Christ, nor would he have been able to save the universe.
Therefore, God would have been morally barred from creating.  Mary’s
consent, therefore empowered God with the option to create.  He was able to
foresee from eternity that she would say," YES".  Mary’s consent is the
eternal YES of all life in the universe.  Although God saw this consent of
Mary he was still free to choose to create or not.  Remember that the
universe was always known from all eternity in the mind of God.  Therefore,
the universe had real existence as it existed in the mind of God.  God could
have enjoyed that universe in that limited way forever.  Instead he chose to
share his divine goodness, glory, and joy with the universe instead.  From a
moral point of view creation seemed to be an inevitable logical choice of
God.  However, that choice would never have been if there was no Mary.
Because of Mary’s generosity, humility, chastity, purity, holiness, and
devotion to God’s Holy Will the universe was able, at least potentially to
become a reality.  The universe was God’s free choice.  Although that choice
was inevitable only because of God’s nature in that he loves infinitely.
Since God loves in an infinite way it is good and holy.  That pure unselfish
and sacrificial love is what allowed the universe to come into being.  God
unflinchingly willed to become man, suffer and die for the salvation of that
universe.  He was only able to do so after Mary’s eternal YES.  Just as the
Word of God eternally said YES to sacrificially die for cosmic salvation so
did Mary eternally say YES to see that will fulfilled in her.  This is what
makes her co-Redemptrix since it was her intention of her will to cooperate
in a unique and exclusive manner that resulted in the responsibility and
role.  We share in Mary’s holy motherhood when we, like her, say YES to God
that his will be fulfilled in us.


As she nurtured and cared for the infant child Jesus he grew as all children
do.  He became a boy and soon he became a young man.  Luke gives us a peek
into that life of Jesus at this time.  He relates to us the episode in the
early life of Jesus when he was twelve.  According to that account Jesus got
lost in the shuffle at Jerusalem during a pilgrimage there during the
Passover.  Historically, we know that families from villages formed caravans
and traveled this way to Jerusalem for the high festivals and holy days.
The same was true for Jews living in the Diaspora in Egypt, and Asia Minor.
Caravan traveling was the best means of transportation since pooling
together was safer, and people shared animals, luggage space, and food.
Besides it was consoling to have companionship on long journeys.  For the
Jews in Judea, Galilee, and down into the Sinai peninsula pilgrimages were
made on the so-called pilgrimage routes people had formed over the centuries
from their towns and villages to Jerusalem.  Along your pilgrimage route
certain stops were made in a traditional manner.  People also separated in
these caravans.  Men, women, and children traveled in their separate groups.
Parents would visit their children to see to their safety and care.  Along
the way home they would make stops and at these times parents would look
after their children.  These caravans consisted of hundreds of people since
they consisted of the villagers able to make the long trip.  We can imagine
the large crowd of thousands of people in Jerusalem that year.  The mass
confusion must have been something like a New York subway system.  As each
village banded together in their caravan for their return trip home the
designated person in charge would make a head count and confirm that
everyone was present.  Luke only tells us that his absence was known after a
day’s journey.  Jesus must have left the caravan while they were still in
Jerusalem.  As they traveled onward home Mary went to visit Jesus to look in
on him to see that he had eaten and was all right.  She could not find him
among the other relatives and villagers who traveled in their caravan.  As
all mothers she grew concerned.  Her concern was fueled by her knowledge
about who Jesus was and why he was born.  In that instant fear seized her.
She knew that a dreaded hour must come.  This she knew she had to abandon
herself to God's mercy.  As a mother she put that out of her mind.  She
understood that he would fulfill his messianic role as a mature and grown
man.  However, his absence began to form a doubt about this in her mind.
God could have that sacrifice whenever he chose.  After all wasn’t Abraham
instructed to slay the child Isaac?  Perhaps that lesson was meant for her.
Perhaps that was God’s way of telling her in the example of Abraham that God
intended to take Jesus as his sacrifice as a boy of twelve.  Fear and dread
filled her mind and heart.  She must have looked like all teary eyed mothers
who have a missing child and fear the worst.  Her fears, however, were
justifiable.  It made sense that Jesus may have come to the time of his
fulfillment.  Only God knew when that was.  Heartbroken and worried she
ceaselessly looked for Jesus.  she notified Joseph.  He also understood what
was going through her mind.  He too shared that same concern.  Frighten and
worried the two of them headed back to Jerusalem looking for Jesus.

As Luke tells us they found him in the temple among the teachers.  There it
was customary for boys at that age to speak with the rabbinical elders and
learn from them.  They would question the youngsters to examine them in the
depth of their knowledge to see if they were prepared to be bar-mitzvahed.
The bar-mitzvah is the initiation rite all young Jewish boys go through to
be recognized as men in the eyes of God and the community.  They must know
the Sacred Scriptures and demonstrate an understanding of the texts
selected.  Luke tells us that Jesus was asking the teachers and doctors in
the temple questions.  All that heard Jesus’s answers marveled at his
wisdom.  What Luke was telling us was that Jesus far exceeded the normal
expectations any rabbi ever had about a youngster just about to be
bar-mitzvahed.  Furthermore, Luke was trying to make it perfectly clear that
Jesus knew exactly who he was and what he was about.  The unfallen nature of
Jesus evidences that even at the tender and young age of twelve infused
knowledge is infused knowledge.  Once the mind has been fed information the
intellect sees things in an expanded way and has a lofty vision of the
meaning of things.  Since we marvel at Bobby Fischer, who, as a youngster
was a world-class chess master, we cannot be baffled about Jesus Christ at
that same age explaining a few things to the greatest teachers assembled in
Jerusalem for the high holy days.  Jesus was God Incarnate not just another
boy.  That is what St. Luke was trying to tell us.  He had a complete and
total grasp and understanding about himself from the age of reason.  Luke
tells us this with all of the humor and charm typical in Jewish literature
of the period when he has Jesus respond to Mary’s question about his
actions.  Luke tells us Jesus said “ Did you not know, that I must be about
my Father’s business.” (Luke 2:49)  Then he uses a bit of irony in the
following phrase: “And they understood not the word that he spoke unto
them.”  Luke here gives us the double meaning of “they” as the Jewish
rabbis, teachers, elders, and the doctors assembled in the temple, on one
hand, and that of Joseph and Mary, on the other.  Certainly, Mary understood
better than anyone who Jesus Christ was and what he was about.  What Luke
was telling us was that Jesus’s time had not yet come.  The moment that he
was to be revealed to them as the Messiah was still off into the future.
That’s what Luke’s Gospel is about.  The Gospel is the testimony regarding
that period when he was made public.  This, therefore, serves as a very
pleasant and humorous story to introduce the mysterious nature of the
God-Man to us in the Gospel’s introduction.  As we have seen it is filled
with meaning that also tells us much about Mary and Jesus from their
beginning.  Two super humans were brought together who knew and understood
the Sacred Scriptures better than anyone.  They lived and shared their
knowledge and love together daily.  The lived the hidden and sacred life of
love in the hills of Nazareth.  The Jesus of the Gospels was a product of
that hidden life with Mary.  What Luke implies with all of this is that this
same transformation can be ours by faith living with Jesus and Mary daily in
our minds and hearts.


Mary is the Sign of God

In those days Mary will shine forth in grace, mercy, and might.  Mary will
destroy antichrist and his reign.  Mary shall come forth as the dawn,
terrifying as an army in its battle array.  She is the woman of the
Apocalypse who brings Christ her Son and salvation to all the Earth.

Mary is the Royal Way to God

In honoring her you honor God.  Since God has accomplished his greatest
works through Mary it is reasonable to believe that he will continue to do
so.  Jesus glorified the Father by his submission to and dependence on Mary.
We do the same when we imitate Jesus.  Mary is the treasury God where he
stores all his grace.  Seek and you will find.  Ask and it shall be given to
you.  Since Jesus, who is the head of the body, is born of Mary then all the
members of his mystical body must also be born of her.

Mary’s Children at the End Time

In the third phase at the end of the world Mary shall produce her greatest
saints.  After the period of mass conversions and global solidarity some
shall loose faith and return to the old business as usual.  Mary’s children
will be regarded as nothing and severely persecuted.  She will show them the
deceits and plans of the devil.  They shall battle, crush and destroy
antichrist and his disciples, not by the use of force or violence, but,
through the power of the Eucharist, Church, Gospel, and rosary.  They shall
destroy error and expand the church universally to restore it.  By their
words and example they shall convert the whole world and bring all to true
devotion to Mary and perfect adoration of her son Jesus Christ.

At the end of the world the entire Church shall become perfected by its true
devotion to Mary.  Mary’s apostles shall be great ministers of God
performing many miracles, signs and wonders, by which they will convert the
world, bringing everyone to repentance and devotion.  Mary’s apostles shall
battle against sin and all the devil’s works.  Mary’s apostles shall be holy
and spread their sanctity.

Devotion to Mary

Mary’s devoted children despise the corrupted world of sin and avoid any
occasion where they may be exposed to the temptations of sin.  We go to Mary
who says “Do whatever my son Jesus tells you.”  She brings us to Jesus who
says “Watch and pray that you will not be lead into temptation.”  Pray to
Mary for the grace to accept God’s will and to give up your own.  Remember,
that you are but cosmic dust now living to know, honor and serve God.  Let
nothing disturb you - Let nothing trouble you - All things are passing - God
never changes - Jesus and Mary are always with you -  Whoever has them in
their heart wants for nothing - They alone are enough.  Perform all your
duties of you state in life as perfectly as possible for the love of Jesus
and Mary.  Never neglect the responsibilities to your home and family but
fulfill them with tender love and devotion.  After you have fulfilled all of
you duties to your family pray the rosary go to Mass if it is possible, and
receive the Eucharist, adoring Jesus with all your mind, heart and strength.


The Holy Rosary

Mary asks everyone to pray at least five decades of the rosary every day.
Through the power of the rosary Jesus and Mary shall save the world.
Numerous and great miracles shall come by devoutly praying the rosary.
Through the power of the rosary Jesus and Mary shall convert the entire
world and bring it to true repentance.  Mary shall destroy the antichrist
and his reign through the power of the rosary.  Mary shall bind and chain
the devil with the rosary, casting him into the eternal fires of hell.

Mary & the Image of Jesus

The miraculous Shroud of Our Lord Jesus Christ was delivered to the Church
after his glorious resurrection by the holy angels (Matthew 28:2-6; Mark
16:5; Luke 24:4-5).  All of Mary’s children should reverence with ardent
love and devotion the Sacred Image of Jesus on his Holy Shroud.  Mary shall
perform great miracles by the Sacred Image of Jesus on the Holy Shroud.
Pray the prayer taught us by the Angel of Peace at Fatima before the image
of the Holy Face of Jesus: “My God I believe, I adore, I hope and I love
you. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, nor adore, nor hope, nor
love you.”

Whenever we think of Mary, speak of Mary, pray to Mary, or praise Mary she
glorifies God in our name.


* * *


HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN
ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

Roman Catholic News is a brand new Yahoo group that is two weeks old today.
We are currently ranked 35th of 479 Catholic Yahoo groups, and growing
steadily on a daily basis.  Your membership as a subscriber is important to
us and helps us grow in numbers and improve our services.  Please spread the
word that a Catholic clergy run Catholic News group and Reference Desk is
available that keeps you informed on all the activities of Pope John Paul
II, the Holy See, the Roman Curia, Catholic doctrine, critical world news,
biblical studies, and its Catholic Reference Desk answers questions you
post.
	 When posting questions please place in the subject field of your email
"Reference Desk".  Emails can be sent to either
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com, or to jlupia2@....
Articles written by professional and scholarly authors can also be sent to
the email addresses above for consideration in a future issue.  Authors
should keep in mind that Roman Catholic News is a not-for-profit
organization and considers publishing articles without paying any monetary
compensation to authors.  All materials submitted and published are
copyright protected in accordance to the latest ruling from the Office of
Copyright, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.  Your subscription is
important to us.  Welcome to Roman Catholic News.  Tell a friend.

* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News, unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, Zenit News Service, and VIS own the
original copyright for their news releases and are credited as such.  All
copyright materials copied in any form must include the appropriate
copyright owner; in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com






_______________________________________________________
Send a cool gift with your E-Card
http://www.bluemountain.com/giftcenter/

Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Ten C

Saturday, 22 September, 2001

"95th Papal Pilgrimage of the Pontificate of John Paul II"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

* * *


CARDINAL CAUTIONS PATIENCE IN THE  CAUSES OF MOTHER TERESA & PADRE PIO

VATICAN, 21 September, 2001 - Jose Cardinal Saraiva Martins, the prefect of
the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, cautions the faithful to be
neither impatient waiting for the beatification of Mother Teresa of
Calcutta, nor the canonization of the Franciscan stigmatist, Padre Pio, OFM,
Cap.

Cardinal Martins announced that the status for the causes of both Mother
Teresa and Padre Pio still requires much more investigation.  Cardinal
Martins cautioned, that several recent published reports of miracles
attributed to both candidates have not been formally acknowledged and still
await recognition through investigations to be declared authentic.

The cause of Mother Teresa is still in its earliest stage, having been
opened August of this year, Cardinal Martins pointed out.  Although the
investigation by the Calcutta diocese has been concluded, the documents
collected during that investigation must now be edited and approved by the
Congregation for the Causes of Saints.  The Calcutta diocesan investigation
comprises 80 volumes of documents in its dossier.  Cardinal Martins
commented, "this stage will take a lot of time."  The formal approval of a
miracle attributed to the intercession of Mother Teresa is a timely process,
which usually takes "several years," the cardinal said.  The facts
surrounding the alleged miracle will be presented to a medical committee of
doctors serving as medical examiners, studying the case exhaustively using
forensic technology.  After the medical examiners conclude and affirm that
the alleged miraculous cure appears authentic, the case then progresses on
to a committee of specially selected theologians and the examining board of
members of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Whereas, the cause of Padre Pio is already advanced in the two years since
his beatification by Pope John Paul II in May 1999.   Padre Pio requires the
ratification of still another miracle to make him eligible for canonization.
The second miracle,  of an Italian boy suffering from meningitis in January
2000, has been approved by the medical examiners but, has not yet been
submitted to the scrutiny of the committee of theologians and to the members
of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Cardinal Martins makes a sound suggestion that it would be very unrealistic
to expect Padre Pio to be canonized in the remaining three months of 2001.
Moreover, the extensive preparations that are required for the canonization
ceremony: official press releases, public announcements, private
invitations, liturgical master of ceremonies, crowd management, and other
details would make the likelihood of canonization to occur no sooner than
mid year to the last quarter of 2002.


* * *


SISTER YOLANDA CERON KILLED IN TUMACO, COLOMBIA

BOGOTA, Colombia, Sep 21, 01  - Sr. Yolanda Ceron, director of the Catholic
Human Rights Office in Tumaco, 325 miles southwest of Bogota, was shot and
killed on Wednesday, city officials said.. The London-based human rights
organization "Amnesty International" accused the United Self-Defense Forces
of Colombia (AUC), a right-wing paramilitary group, for the murder of Sr.
Ceron.

Sr. Ceron was helping victims of violence from government soldiers or
paramilitary fighters.  The Catholic Human Rights Office in Tumaco
criticized the government for failing to take sufficient actions against
paramilitaries, who are known to be expanding their influence in the region
and throughout the diocese.


* * *


DECLARATION ON AUDIENCE WITH FOREIGN MINISTER OF SPAIN

VATICAN CITY, SEP 21, 2001 (VIS) - Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin
Navarro-Valls issued the following declaration yesterday afternoon:

"Today, Thursday, September 20, 2001, the Holy Father received in audience
Jose Pique I Camps, foreign minister of Spain, who then met with Cardinal
Angelo Sodano, secretary of state.

"The meetings offered the occasion for an ample exchange of views on the
current international situation, especially concerning interreligious
dialogue and the battle against terrorism.

"Also amply discussed were the most important aspects regarding Church-State
relations, in particular the collaboration necessary for the important
themes of the family, school, and the teaching of the Catholic religion in
the public schools, emphasizing the validity of cooperation ensured by the
accords between the Holy See and the Spanish State of 1979."


* * *


HOLY SEE TO ATTEND WTO MEETINGS IN KOREA AND JAPAN

VATICAN CITY, SEP 21, 2001 (VIS) - Msgr. Piero Monni, Holy See permanent
observer to the World Trade Organization, will attend the WTO's biennial
General Assembly which will be held in Seoul, Korea from September 23 to 27
and in Osaka, Japan from September 28 to October 1.

Msgr. Monni will address the assembly in each of those cities, according to
a communique from his office. The biennial meeting is an occasion for
evaluating the WTO's work and programs. During the 2001 two-part meeting,
the prospectives for development linked to tourism activity in the world
will be analyzed. The note says that "Special attention will be dedicated to
the necessary and urgent preparation of a plan to carry out the World Code
of Ethics for Tourism. This study will be accompanied by an analysis of the
efforts made to obtain recognition for this Code by the United Nations, set
for the autumn session."


* * *


AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 21, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received in audience
today Archbishop Giuseppe De Andrea, apostolic nuncio in Kuwait, Bahrain,
and Yemen; apostolic delegate in the Arab Peninsula; accompanied by family
members.


* * *


NEW CHILEAN BISHOP

VATICAN CITY, SEP 21, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Manuel Camilo Vial Risopatron of San Felipe, as bishop of
Temuco (area 18,000, population 520,000, Catholics 374,400, priests 64,
permanent deacons 48, religious 169), Chile. He succeeds Bishop Sergio
Contreras Navia, whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same
diocese the Holy Father accepted in accordance with the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Hourton Poisson from
the pastoral care of the diocese of Temuco, Chile, in accordance with the
age limit.


* * *


NEW EDITION OF BIBLICA ONLINE, THE ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF THE PONTIFICAL
BIBLICAL INSTITUTE,  ROME.

21 September 2001

       Dear reader,


       Fascicle 82/3 (2001) of our journal is
       already available on-line at its usual site:

       http://www.bsw.org/project/biblica
       or http://biblica.bsw.org


    In  this issue you will find articles by Professors
       J. Lambrecht (Leuven - Rome),
       G. Dautzenberg (Giessen),
       R. Whitekettle (Calvin College, Grand Rapids),
       A. Marx (Strasbourg),
       H. Migsch (Wien),
       J. Kilgallen, and F.E. Brenk - F. Canali de Rossi  (Rome).

 
       As usual, you will find on our pages the complete index
       of this issue and those of the last eleven years,
       summaries of articles published over the last twelve years and
       the complete text of articles and shorter contributions
       published since 1998.
   
          We very much hope that our service will help
       the continuously increasing number of our readers
       on-line in their biblical research.
       We will be happy to receive your comments and suggestions.

       With our best wishes for your academic work,
       Sincerely yours

       Horacio Simian-Yofre, General Editor   
       Roger Boily, Managing Editor of the On-line edition
   

           http://biblica.bsw.org


* * *


HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN
ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

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* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
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IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY
DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Ten B

Saturday, 22 September, 2001

"95th Papal Pilgrimage of the Pontificate of John Paul II"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

* * *


U.S. Bishop´s Letter to Bush

"That You Will Find Just, Wise and Effective Ways to Respond"

WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit News Service).-
Here is the text of the letter dated Sept. 19 and sent by the
president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to
President George W. Bush this week.

Dear Mr. President:

In the aftermath of last week´s terrorist attacks, I would like to
reiterate that we stand in solidarity with you and the American
people in prayer for our beloved nation at this time of terrible loss
and momentous decisions.

The war-like acts of last Tuesday were appalling attacks not only
against our nation but against all humanity. Our nation, in
collaboration with others, has a moral right and a grave
obligation to defend the common good against such terrorist
attacks. Therefore, we support efforts by our nation and the
global community to seek out and hold accountable, in accord
with national and international law, those individuals, groups
and governments which are responsible. It is incumbent upon
all citizens to recognize this common threat, and to be willing to
make appropriate sacrifices in support of our nation´s
multi-faceted and long-term effort to respond in a morally
responsible way.

Your administration has been clear that a broad range of
security, political, diplomatic, legal and military measures will be
necessary to stop this kind of terrorism and bring the
perpetrators and their supporters to justice. While we must take
into account the unique nature of this new kind of terrorist threat,
any military response must be in accord with sound moral
principles, notably the norms of the just war tradition such as
probability of success, civilian immunity, and proportionality. Our
nation must ensure that the grave obligation to protect innocent
human life governs our nation´s political and military decisions.

As we undertake the heavy burden of defending the common
good, in morally appropriate ways, against global terrorism, we
must not lose sight of the ultimate goal and responsibility of
using our nation´s considerable influence and power to
contribute to a more just and peaceful world. Among other
things, I hope our foreign policy will give new emphasis to
deepening our engagement with the Arab and Muslim worlds
and, in particular, will continue every effort to press for a just and
peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

I want to commend you for calling on Americans to repudiate
acts of ethnic and religious intolerance. Arab-Americans and
Muslims are not our enemies but are our brothers and sisters,
part of our national family. Attacks on them are attacks on all of
us. Your continued leadership in this area will be critical in the
months ahead.

We pray that you will find just, wise and effective ways to respond
with resolve and restraint to the long-term task of ending
terrorism, confident, in the words of Pope John Paul II, that
Americans will not "give in to the temptation to hatred and
violence, but [will] commit themselves to serving justice and
peace."

Sincerely yours,

Most Reverend Joseph A. Fiorenza
President, USCCB


* * *


Statement from Bishops´ Conference of England and Wales

"Military Action Must Be a Last Resort"

LONDON, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Here is the text
of a statement released Thursday by leaders of the Catholic
Bishops´ Conference of England and Wales, in the wake of the
Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

Statement on the Current International Situation, 20 September
2001, by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O´Connor and Archbishop
Patrick Kelly, President and Vice-President of the Catholic
Bishops´ Conference of England and Wales

1. As President and Vice-President of the Catholic Bishops´
Conference of England and Wales, we express our horror at the
events of 11 September, our unequivocal condemnation of the
attack as an outrageous crime against our common humanity,
and our sympathy with and prayers for the victims of the attack,
their families and friends, and all who have been working
heroically to rescue and care for the victims.

2. Such a crime demands a response on the basis of justice
and law, not of vengeance. The instruments of international
governance and law, and especially the United Nations, should
be closely involved in agreeing the proper response to this
atrocity, so that the international community will not be bitterly
divided. From a Catholic point of view, legal remedies are not to
be reduced to considerations of retribution and punishment, but
are to be directed towards the ultimate goals of justice,
reconciliation and healing.

3. Military action must be a last resort, when all other political,
legal and diplomatic remedies have been exhausted. If, in the
pursuit of law and justice, military action has to be taken, a
Catholic and Christian framework of moral understanding has
certain relevant and urgent principles to invoke:

+ Proportionality. This principle does not concern the numbers of
victims on either side, but to what extent the response achieves
the effective restraint of evil, or, on the contrary, to what extent it
could actually unleash even graver evil;

+ Discrimination between the guilty and the innocent. Many of
those most immediately guilty have already died. Now the crucial
and necessary search is for the persons or groups who planned
and authorized the attacks. But whole peoples must not be
attacked and punished for the actions of small and
unrepresentative groups;

+ Prospect of success. Notions of a ´war against terrorism´
aspire to guarantee that no group will ever again dare to mount
such terrorist attacks. But to speak of a war against terrorism
also carries with it a danger of unrestrained escalation and
perpetuation of the conflict, and of multiplying the number of
enemies in the next generation.

4. Within our own countries there are many innocent nationals
who come from the regions which might conceivably be attacked
by the Western allies. They, too, are potential victims of this
tragedy. We are grateful that many distinguished political and
religious leaders, and several media sources, have warned that
reprisals against these innocent people are intolerable. We
encourage the people of our countries to grow in respect and
solidarity with this vulnerable group. In particular we call on all
Christian people to remain faithful to the great commandment of
love: love of God, of our neighbor and of our ´enemy´.

5. Some of the nations which might be accused of sheltering
suspects of this crime are among the poorest in the world. Even
before this event, their people have suffered grievously and are
strongly represented among the world´s refugees and asylum
seekers. The present crisis can only worsen the plight of such
refugees and asylum seekers. We urge our Government and our
people to show compassion and humanity towards those who
suffer in this way.

6. Nothing can justify the taking of innocent life, and we have a
solemn obligation to try to prevent such outrages in future. One
essential element of this effort is to understand the causes of
violence and the context out of which it springs. Everything done
to overcome gross economic, social and political inequalities
contributes to building up peace and avoiding war. The struggle
to overcome terrorism must not deflect the international
community from redressing these fundamental injustices.

7. We pray for those entrusted with the immense responsibility to
act in response to last week´s attack, and who must make their
decisions in the face of profound public grief and anger. Never,
perhaps, will our societies be more tempted to hatred and
vengeance. In these circumstances we wish to echo the words
of our brother bishops in the United States of America, who said
on the day of the attacks: ´We call upon all our fellow citizens to
renew their trust in God and to turn away from the bitter fruits of
the kind of hatred which is the source of this tragedy´.


* * *


Has the Clash of Civilizations Begun?

Interview With Father Jesús Villagrasa

ROME, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Was the terrorist
attack on Black Tuesday the beginning of the long-predicted
clash of civilizations?

For an answer, ZENIT interviewed Father Jesús Villagrasa,
professor of metaphysics at the Regina Apostolorum Pontifical
Athenaeum in Rome. On Sept. 11, the day of the attacks on the
United States, Father Villagrasa was lecturing on the "Dialogue
Between Cultures: Challenges of Multicultural Societies and
Cultural Globalization."

Q: Are we witnessing the clash of civilizations?

Father Villagrasa: No, at least not for the moment. It is always a
possibility. According to statements in the Argentine newspaper
Clarin [Sept. 19] on Samuel Huntington, famous author of the
book "The Clash of Civilizations," the clash depends on the
reaction adopted by the United States and the Arab world.

If they join in the struggle against terrorists, it will not happen. If
the North American reaction is violent and indiscriminate, it could
be detonated.

After presenting the measures that the United States should
adopt in its struggle against terrorists, Henry Kissinger, former
American secretary of state, warned in The Telegraph
[newspaper of London] on Sept. 16, that the United States and
its allies must be very careful not to present their new policy as a
struggle between Western civilization and Islam. The battle is
against a radical minority of terrorists, not against the Arab world,
he clarified.

Q: Is dialogue realistic or possible?

Father Villagrasa: Dialogue is not only possible but necessary
for peace. In the Message for the World Day of Peace of Jan. 1,
2001, John Paul II said to all men of good will that the dialogue
between different cultures is "the necessary way for building a
reconciled world, capable of looking with serenity to its own
future."

Of course, forceful measures will have to be taken against the
terrorists and their supporters, and only against them, but the
necessary and realistic way to overcome the root of the causes
of this violence is dialogue. President Bush is giving proof of
political wisdom with the development of intense diplomatic
activity, and with his Sept. 17 visit to Washington´s Islamic
Center, where he said that the enemies are not the Arabs or
Muslims but the terrorists.

Q: You mentioned the Pope´s message for this year´s World Day
of Peace, dedicated, specifically, to the dialogue between
cultures. Why did the Pontiff choose this topic?

Father Villagrasa: The Pope wanted to support the 1998 U.N.
initiative that, responding to a request of President [Mohammed]
Khatami of Iran, declared 2001 as the Year of Dialogue Between
Civilizations.

In making the request, Iran´s ambassador to the U.N. said that
there are theories that institutionalize and exasperate past
rivalries and conflicts, and oppose political and economic
interests to the point of regarding civilizations as irreconcilable,
and their clash, as inevitable.

Some observers believed there were hidden motives for the
request: the desire to counteract the image of "intolerance" and
"fundamentalism" that the Tehran regime has in the West; a
political maneuver of Khatami to seek international backing and
reinforce his reformist tendencies before the country´s more
intransigent sectors; an attempt at defense against what Iran
and other countries regard as the real danger -- the spread, on a
worldwide scale, of a unique globalized culture, which threatens
to eliminate any other type of culture or civilization.

Whatever the reason for the request, the initiative is more than
opportune. Dialogue will always help to eliminate or diminish
tensions and conflicts.

Q: All this is well and good, but how can there be dialogue with
someone who doesn´t show his face, and instead of words of
peace uses threats and savage attacks?

Father Villagrasa: There is little to discuss with a terrorist or a
fundamentalist. It would be a dangerous monologue, because
the fundamentalist believes dialogue is dangerous. I was
surprised to see, in the edition of L´Osservatore Romano on the
eve of the attacks in the United States, a sad fact about the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict: "There is a cycle of violence that
springs when dialogue seems to be taking steps forward."

A violent person fears dialogue because, deep down, he knows
he does not have sufficiently strong reasons to justify his
violence. However, other channels remain open: diplomacy and
intercultural dialogue in our multicultural cities; a dialogue that is
not easy, not even among people of good will.

Q: What are the main obstacles to dialogue?

Father Villagrasa: There are so many! In fact, the difficulties tend
to be shared by the different speakers, even if they are
configured according to their own cultural or religious features.

To name a few: the lack of a genuine religious spirit -- a good
Christian and a good Muslim are not violent; the intransigence
and violence of someone lacking profound convictions; lack of
education, ignorance and contempt for foreign cultures; the
memory of painful past conflicts, fueled by fiery religious
propaganda or "nationalist myths"; peoples´ deeply rooted
prejudices; misunderstanding by members of their own
community and culture, interpreting openness as weakness or
betrayal of the faith or nation; generalized frustration when faced
with lack of reciprocity in a speaker; Western secularism, which
is so "foreign" to the religious cultures of other peoples, and
incapable of appreciating others´ religious convictions; lack of
consistency in the West, which pretends to be a solid, stable and
respectable state of law while it legalizes such immoral actions
as abortion; the intransigence and intolerance of small
fundamentalist groups, which on both sides stir up passions
and are suspicious of the "enemy" -- these groups are found not
only among Muslims; there are also sects of "Christian
inspiration." And there are also officials of Western governments
who do not distinguish between a fervent group and a
dangerous sect.

Perhaps the main obstacle is fear of the other, of the one who is
different.

Q: Everything seems to indicate that the authors of the attacks
are Muslim fundamentalists. With their claim of possessing the
truth, will religions not continue to be the cause of constant
conflicts?

Father Villagrasa: This problem was posed in all its radical
nature by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop of Vienna,
at a recent conference in a University of Tehran.

Christianity and Islam see themselves as universal and
missionary religions, which by divine mandate must carry
Revelation and salvation to all men. Is it possible to conciliate
such a claim to truth with the attitude of dialogue? Is it not,
instead, the cause of innumerable conflicts, including religious
wars?

The cardinal said that, in the West, there is a widespread
opinion that there can only be "dialogue of cultures," if religions
forget their claim to truth and renounce their mission.

It is an unfounded opinion. Christianity proclaims the Gospel
without impositions, with the highest respect for the conscience
and freedom of men; it inspires feelings of peace. The people of
the United States have given great testimony of faith by suffering
in silence, by praying. Cardinal Edward M. Egan of New York
expressed these sentiments in his recent Letter to the Parishes.

The terrorists were not good Muslims. Sadly, satirist Jonathan
Swift seems to be right: "We have just enough religion to make
us hate, but not enough to make us love one another."


* * *


CARDINAL MARTINI OF MILAN PRAISES AMERICAN PATIENT
RESPONSE

VATICAN, 21 September, 2001 - Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini of
Milan told reporters for the Italian newspaper, La Repubblica,
about his overwhelming joy that the United States did not act
hastily to last week's terror attacks, since the appropriate
response should be "dictated by justice." .

"My impression is that the US, by foregoing immediate reprisals,
has shown the will to understand who is the enemy, and where
he is-- in order to avoid the killing of innocent people," Cardinal
Martini announced.


* * *


TALIBAN OULAWS CHRISTIANITY

KABUL, 21 September, 2001 - Eight foreign workers of the
German-based Shelter Now International (SNI) are currently on
trial in Afghanistan for preaching Christianity.

Two Americans, four Germans, and two Australians who are
employees of SNI were arrested last month on charges of
proselytizing Afghanis to Christianity, along with the assistance
of 24 native Afghanis.  The eight foreigner prisoners face
extended jail sentences, while the 24 Afghani Christian
assistants might be executed under the death penalty since
proselytizing Afghanis to Christianity is a capital crime.


* * *


UN COERCIVE IN PROMOTING POPULATION CONTROL IN
PAKISTAN & NICARAGUA

MANAGUA,  21 September, 2001 - The United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA), internationally infamous for its
monstrous promotion of abortion, has signed coercive deals
with the governments of Pakistan and Nicaragua.

The Nicaraguan human rights defense office signed an
agreement under duress with UNFPA to promote sexual and
reproductive rights-- otherwise known as abortion and artificial
contraception-- of women, children, and adolescents through a
series of programs over the next four months.  Managua's
leading newspaper, La Prensa, reported that the agreement was
signed by human rights defender: Benjamin Perez Fonseca, and
Tomas Jimenez Araya, a UNFPA representative in Nicaragua.
The UNFPA will provide $4,800 for the office of special defense
for women and $7,000 to the office of special defense for
children and adolescents.

This new development has the Nicaraguan government making
a 180 degree about face with the UNFPA,  abandoning its past
pro-life stand of the country, and the enshrinement of a pro-life
stance in the constitution.  This resulted from a change in
Nicaraguan government UN representative this past spring.  It
was then that Max Padilla, the former Nicaraguan Cabinet officer,
toured Washington DC this past March telling policy makers of
his being fired from his job as head of the Ministry for the Family
because of his conservative Catholic views on abortion and
family matters.  After Padilla reported to the president of
Nicaragua, he came under criticism and was fired along with his
associate Elida Solorzano for heading the Nicaraguan
delegation to both the five-year review of the Cairo Conference
on Population and Development (Cairo+5) and the five-year
review of the Beijing Women's Conference (Beijing+5).   At both
conferences Padilla and his associate Elida Solorzano
vigorously supported positions unpopular with the Clinton
Administration, the European Union and various radical
non-governmental organizations.

In the final session on Beijing+5 he and Solorzano came under
fire from pro abortion Scandinavian governments.  Nicaragua
was then negotiating to be named a "highly indebted country" in
order to have its debts either eliminated or restructured.
Nicaragua suffered severe financial losses in the aftermath of
Hurricane Mitch.  The "donor countries" of Norway, Sweden,
Denmark, Finland and others, in a devious coercive political ploy,
ordered Padilla to change Nicaragua's definition of gender to
read that it was only a social construct.  The Scandinavian
coalition threatened the withdrawal of millions of dollars in
financial aid if Padilla did not follow their order.  The coercion
was strengthened when, at the same time,  the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) joined the voices of the Scandinavian
coalition, also threatening Nicaragua with the loss of $11 million
for its positions at UN conferences.  It appears that the
Scandinavian coalition was prompted to act as they did by a
similar threat from UNFPA, Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed
Obaid, which has remained undisclosed and unpublished thus
far.

In April, after ousting Padilla, and following three years in
extending loans for micro-enterprises and small rural
businesses in northern Nicaragua, the UN Capital Development
Fund (UNCDF), a UNDP affiliate, renewed its agreement with
Financieras Nicaraguense de Inversiones (FNI) to continue
support with a $1.75 million revolving loan fund through 2003.

In July, Carmelo Angulo Barturén, UNDP Resident
Representative of the Nicaraguan government slandered the
Catholic Church in the following false testimony, "The Church
publishes messages reinforcing attitudes and values that make
women subordinate to men and discriminate against women."

On Tuesday, 18 September, 2001, Pakistan and UNFPA signed
a $3.45 million deal focusing on the "enforcement of activities to
provide relevant information about family planning services."

The United Nations organizations "Convention on the Rights of
the Child" (CRC) and the United Nations Population Fund
(UNPF) and UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), need
serious monitoring by the coalition of Catholic bishops and
cardinals.  Their current status is as Non-Member States
Maintaining Permanent Observer Missions at UN Headquarters.
This status must change to that of regular voting membership.


* * *


NICARAGUA: MAY THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRIST PERVADE
SOCIETY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 21, 2001 (VIS) - This morning in the
apostolic palace of Castelgandolfo, John Paul II received the
prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua who have
just finished their "ad limina" visit.

The Pope told the bishops that their pastoral ministry "must have
as its primary objective to see that the truth about Christ and the
truth about man pervade ever more deeply all levels of
Nicaraguan society and transform it."

In spite of the fact that signs of secularization exist in Nicaragua,
the Holy Father affirmed that at its basis "there is a profoundly
Christian soul." In this regard, he mentioned "the tireless work of
those responsible for spreading the Word and of catechists who
have kept alive the faith of the people. It is necessary to
accompany them and offer them a permanent theological and
pastoral formation."

"The new evangelization," he continued, "with its new methods
and new expressions, has in the family a primary objective. ...
Families are not alone in the face of the great challenges that
they must face; the ecclesial community supports them,
animates them and guards their perseverance in a Christian
project of life which is frequently subject to many vicissitudes
and dangers." He expressed the hope that Nicaragua's leaders
"will fulfill in an ever more adequate manner their pressing
obligations in favor of families."

The Pope underscored that one of the principal concerns of the
bishops "was priestly vocations, given that the number of priests
is insufficient for the needs of each diocese. ... I fervently pray the
Lord of the harvest to give to your seminaries, which must be like
the heart of the dioceses, many candidates to the priesthood."
He added: "If young people see that priests, around their bishop,
live a true spirituality of communion, giving witness to unity and
community among themselves, to an evangelical generosity and
to missionary availability, they will feel a greater attraction to the
priestly vocation."

Referring to the evangelization of culture, the Holy Father said
that this sphere is "one of the 'modern areopagus' in which the
Gospel must be presented with all of its force, and for that to
occur the means of social communications are indispensable!"

The Holy Father said it is "up to the laity to promote the human
and Christian values which enlighten the political, economic and
cultural reality of the country, with the aim of installing a more just
and equitable social order, according to the Church's social
doctrine. At the same time, coherent with ethical and moral
norms, they must be examples of honesty and transparency with
running public affairs, in the face of the underhandedness and
widespread scars of corruption which at times strike the areas of
political and economic power as well as other public and social
milieux."

In conclusion, John Paul II asked that, in view of the upcoming
elections, "the consultation with the people take place in
reciprocal respect, with order and tranquillity, according to the
ethical principles of healthy coexistence."


* * *


HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE
DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

Roman Catholic News is a brand new Yahoo group that is two
weeks old today.  We are currently ranked 35th of 479 Catholic
Yahoo groups, and growing steadily on a daily basis.  Your
membership as a subscriber is important to us and helps us
grow in numbers and improve our services.  Please spread the
word that a Catholic clergy run Catholic News group and
Reference Desk is available that keeps you informed on all the
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published are copyright protected in accordance to the latest
ruling from the Office of Copyright, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.  Your subscription is important to us.
Welcome to Roman Catholic News.  Tell a friend.

* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL
HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT
CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE
CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH
UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

__________________________________________________
___________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News,
unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, Zenit News Service, and VIS
own the original copyright for their news releases and are
credited as such.  All copyright materials copied in any form
must include the appropriate copyright owner; in the case of
Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com

Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Ten A

Saturday, 22 September, 2001

"95th Papal Pilgrimage of the Pontificate of John Paul II"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

* * *

  JOHN PAUL II DEPARTS FOR KAZAKHSTAN & ARMENIA  HIS
95th VOYAGE

VATICAN CITY, SEP 22, 2001 (VIS) - Pope John Paul leaves
Rome's Fiumicino Airport this morning at 8:30 a.m. for a six-day
trip to Kazakhstan and Armenia, the 95th foreign apostolic trip of
his pontificate. The papal plane will fly over Italy, Croatia,
Hungary, Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan, covering 4,200
kilometers in 6 hours. He is scheduled to arrive in Astana, the
Kazak capital, at 7:30 p.m., local time (2:30 p.m. Rome time and
9:30 am EST).

Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic and now part of the
Commonwealth of Independent States, declared independence
on December 16, 1991. It is the largest of the central-Asian
republics, with a territory nine times the size of Italy and a
population of only 15 million. Just over half of Kazaks are Sunni
Muslims. An estimated 6 million Kazaks are Orthodox
Christians. Protestants represent about 2 percent of the
population and Catholics number 180,000. There are 4
ecclesiastical circumscriptions, 37 parishes, 4 bishops, 59
priests, 2 permanent deacons, 69 religious and 12 major
seminarians. There are an average of 3,051 Catholics per priest.

Armenia is one-tenth the size of Kazakhstan and has a
population of 3.8 million. Over 90 percent of the populace
belongs to the Armenian Apostolic Church. Christianity was
declared in Armenia in 301 and Pope John Paul's visit is to
commemorate the 17th centenary of the arrival of Christianity in
this nation. Armenia was, in fact, the first state to embrace
Christianity as a state religion. Catholics number 150,000. There
is one ecclesiastical circumscription. There are 2 bishops, 4
priests, 14 religious, 5 major seminarians and 18 parishes.
There are an average of 37,500 Catholics per priest.


* * *


Kazakhstan´s Muslims Aim to Greet Pope with Open Arms

"We Consider Ourselves Fortunate to Welcome Him"

ALMATY, Kazakhstan, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit News
Service).-Kazakhstan´s Muslims will receive the Pope with open
arms, the spokesman of the Grand Mosque of Almaty, Wungar
Haj Omirbeg, told the Vatican agency Fides.

The Grand Mosque´s spokesman explained: "All those who work
for harmony and peace in the world are welcome here. All
religions have a common basis: God, worship and peace."

As U.S.-Afghan tensions rise in the wake of the Sept. 12 attacks
on the United States, security is expected to be tight during the
papal visit to this country, which is only a republic away from
Afghanistan.

The Grand Mosque´s spokesman stressed that fundamentalism
must not be confused with Islam.

"If a man follows a religion, it leads to God and peace," Omirbeg
said. "However, he must follow it faithfully. Men, like the five
fingers of a hand, are different. They all hear, but each, then,
makes his own choice."

He added: "My heart is with the American people at this time of
sadness. However, we must also point out that, if this is the act
of a Muslim, it does not mean that all Islam is guilty."

"I know that there are extremist movements here in Asia,
fundamentalism, terrorism, but the West must not blame Islam
for this," Omirbeg insisted.

"The Pope is known to be a good, kind person," he added. "He is
the father of many individuals and peoples. We consider
ourselves fortunate to welcome him in Kazakhstan. The visit will
help us to recognize that we are all children of the one God. If we
serve God, we are united. After all, the only purpose of life is to
serve God and build peace on earth."

The grand mufti of Kazakhstan will give a speech at the welcome
ceremony for the Pope. Spokesman Omirbeg revealed that the
Muslims are also "preparing a gift for the Pope, but I cannot tell
you what; it´s a secret."


* * *


A Native Son Will Help Welcome John Paul II

Story of Siberian Bishop Joseph Werth, Born in Karaganda

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit News Service).-
When Joseph Werth was ordained a priest in 1984, he did not
imagine that one day the Pope would visit his homeland of
Kazakhstan.

Today, the Jesuit is the bishop of Western Siberia, one of the
world´s largest dioceses in area. And he is preparing to
welcome John Paul II to his native land.

The bishop and the Pope are good friends. In 1991 it was John
Paul II who appointed Father Werth at age 38 to be bishop of
Siberia, after the collapse of the Soviet regime.

Bishop Werth´s story is similar to that of many Catholics of
Kazakhstan. His family was of German origin. They arrived in
European Russia in the 18th century, during the reign of
Catherine II.

Like many Christians in the 1930s, the family was deported to
Kazakhstan during the Stalin regime. "Conditions of life were
very harsh, really dramatic," the bishop said.

The deportation of Germans, Ukrainians and Russians, among
others, led to the rebirth of Christianity in the immense plains of
this nation, which is the size of the European Union, but with a
population equal to that of the Netherlands.

The first priest Joseph Werth met was Bishop Aleksander Chira,
an Eastern-rite Hungarian prelate ordained clandestinely, and
sentenced in 1948 to 25 years of forced labor in Siberian
concentration camps. Having completed his first term, the
bishop was sentenced to an additional five years of forced labor
in Karaganda, Werth´s birthplace.

Prior to "Father" Chira´s arrival, the Catholic community
remained faithful, thanks to the work of another survivor of the
concentration camps, Father Wladislaw Bukowinski. From 1954
to 1971, the year of his death, Father Bukowinski baptized and
catechized thousands of deportees, with the help of a Sister
Gertrude.

The Catholic community obtained legal recognition in 1977. The
following year, Bishop Chira built the first church in Karaganda.
He appeared in public with his Episcopal ornaments for the first
time in 1982. Until then, his status as a bishop was kept secret.

In 1983, a year after Bishop Chira´s death, Joseph Werth was
ordained a priest and sent first to Marx, near Saratow, and, seven
years later, to Siberia, as bishop.

Kazakhstan now has one diocese, three apostolic
administrations (namely, circumscriptions entrusted to bishops,
but still not ranked as dioceses), 37 parishes, 62 priests, 74
nuns, about 30 seminarians and 50 catechists.


* * *

Kazakhstan Struggles to Keep a Delicate Balance

Invasion of Fundamentalists Turns Republic´s Eyes to the West

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- On
Saturday, John Paul II will arrive in a country that is on a
tightrope.

Kazakhstan sits in a region that is bracing for a possible U.S.
military strike against Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11
attacks on New York and Washington, D.C.

Relations between Kazakhstan and Afghanistan are already
strained. Last year, President Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbajev
warned that Osama bin Laden and the ruling Taliban in
Afghanistan had chosen Kazakhstan as a place to expand their
influence.

Fundamentalist Muslim preachers and terrorists have swarmed
over the border into the south of Kazakhstan, where in recent
years fundamentalists have built more than 1,000 mosques,
with help from Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Nazarbajev, looking to counterbalance the strong Turkish and
Saudi influence in his country, has been anxious for a visit by the
Pope. In fact, the Fides news agency predicts that John Paul II´s
visit will help Kazakhstan to increase its contacts with the
international community, especially the West.

Nazarbajev has also sought closer ties with the European
Community, to lessen his country´s dependence on the Muslim
world.

In 1996 he founded Eurasia University, which allows young
Kazakhs to spend time in Germany, France, the United States
and Russia. Kazakhstan has also been successful in securing a
place for its soccer teams in the Uefa Cup championship.

Kazakhstan has long been a bridge between Eurasian cultures,
givens its proximity to the Silk Route. But now, it faces the
challenge of maintaining a balance among its more than 100
ethnic groups, including the Kazakhs, who comprise 53.4% of
the population.

The remaining groups -- Russians (30%), Ukrainians (3.7%),
Germans (2.4%) and Poles (0.3%), among others -- feel
detached from the country´s political mainstream.

Since 1991, many of Kazakhstan´s people have emigrated. The
first to leave were the Jews, a culturally active minority. Many
Germans followed suit. Then went the Russians, who no longer
controlled the place they had long regarded a colony. Now the
Poles are leaving, with the help of the Warsaw government.

Filling the void are the arriving Kazakh groups, who fled to
Mongolia at the time of the Russian Revolution.

Emigration continues because of Kazakhstan´s poverty and
climate. About 43% of the population lives below the poverty
level. And except for the south, in the Altai and Tien Shan
mountain regions, the country sees temperature extremes that
range from 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) in the brief summer, to
minus 40 degrees Celsius (-40 F) in the long winter.

Kazakhstan is rich in primary resources, however, especially oil.
Foreign companies -- from the United States, Japan, China,
Belgium and Italy, and elsewhere -- exploit the resources.

More than half of Kazakhstan´s 15 million people are Sunni
Muslims. Just over 6 million are Orthodox, and some 360,000
are Latin-rite Catholics. There is also a small community of
Greek-Catholics.

Since 1991, following the ice age of atheism, 600 churches and
sects have registered officially in the country, including many
Protestant fundamentalist groups. The government fears the
latter almost as much as it does Muslim fundamentalists.
"Proselytism" and active missionary work are prohibited.

Soviet repression weakened Sufi-inspired Islam in Kazakhstan,
a variety that showed tolerance and openness toward
non-Muslims.

"Kazakh Islam" is now being challenged as orthodox and
fundamentalist Muslims, reinforced by the influx of like-minded
preachers, enjoy a revival.


* * *


CENTRAL ASIA READIES FOR PAPAL VISIT

By Andrei Zolotov Jr.
Staff Writer
The Moscow Times, September 19, 2001


Despite increased tension in Central Asia, Pope John Paul II will
go ahead with a trip to Kazakhstan and Armenia later this week,
bringing him one step closer to fulfilling his dream of visiting
Russia.

But he will not meet with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II,
who is scheduled to leave Armenia just two days before the
pope arrives.

Kazakhstan will take "unprecedented" security measures for the
visit, which begins Saturday, the country's foreign minister said
Monday.

"The security measures will be unprecedented in connection
with the recent terrorist attacks in the United States," Foreign
Minister Bulat Iskakov was quoted by Interfax as saying.

About 2,400 police officers will guard the capital Astana,
including 900 officers brought in from other cities, he said.

Astana has a population of 350,000.

Iskakov also said 185 million tenge ($1.25 million) has been
allocated from the federal budget for the four-day visit.

On Sept. 25, the pontiff will fly from Kazakhstan to Armenia,
where he will participate in celebrations of 1,700 years of
Christianity in Armenia -- the first nation that established
Christianity as state religion in 301, before the conversion of
Roman Emperor Constantine.

Kazakhstan and Armenia will be the sixth and seventh former
Soviet republics visited by the pope, who has declared improving
relations with Eastern churches a priority and has long
expressed a desire to visit Russia. Such a visit has met with
stern opposition from the Russian Orthodox Church, which
views the papal trips as a part of the Vatican's ages-long
expansionist policies.

For the governments of the young post-Soviet states, papal visits
are important signs of recognition as democratic countries
respecting religious freedom and other Western values.
Religious freedom is under Western scrutiny in both Armenia
and Kazakhstan.

"For both [Kazakh President Nursultan] Nazarbayev and
[Armenian President Robert] Kocharyan, the papal visits are big
public relations successes," said Alexander Shchipkov, head of
the Guild of Religious Journalists of Russia.

For Kazakhstan, whose small Roman Catholic community is
largely made up of ethnic Germans who were deported there
during World War II, the papal trip may help slow down or stop
the German emigration, he said.

"Germans are leaving the country in droves, and they are mainly
skilled labor," Shchipkov said. "Nazarbayev wants to stop them."

Unlike the papal trip to predominantly Orthodox Ukraine earlier
this year, which brought about an explosion of anti-Catholic
rhetoric in Moscow, this trip is likely to generate a much more
mitigated reaction in Russia.  Although the Russian Orthodox
Church is an established minority religion in Kazakhstan,
Kazakhs are traditionally Moslem, and papal trips to places
where Orthodox believers are a minority are tacitly welcome
because they raise the profile of Christianity at large.

Armenia's predominant Armenian Apostolic Church, which broke
away from the undivided church in the fifth century, maintains
good relations with both the Roman Catholic and Eastern
Orthodox Churches. In a sign of deft diplomacy, Alexy is
scheduled to visit Armenia on Sept. 21-23 and will leave two
days before the pope's arrival.

At a briefing Tuesday, the Moscow Patriarchate's top official in
charge of external relations, Metropolitan Kirill, half-heartedly
protested that the pope did not consult the patriarch about his
trip to Kazakhstan, which the Moscow Patriarchate considers to
be part of its "canonical territory."

Yet he stressed that, since Orthodoxy is a minority religion in the
country, "the pope's visit to this country will not be an event
comparable to his recent visit to Ukraine and the sharpness of
the Russian Church's reaction will be completely different this
time around."

He ruled out the possibility of a meeting between the pope and
the patriarch in Armenia.

Armenia has a significant Armenian Catholic minority, which is
loyal to Rome but maintains Armenian ritual, and a tiny Roman
Catholic community. The head of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, Catholicos Garegin II, is scheduled to attend the papal
Mass in Etchmiadzin, the holy seat of Armenian Christianity.


* * *


Work for Papal Mass Detours Chinese Sympathy


ASTANA, Kazakhstan, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit News Service).-
Preparations for the outdoor papal Mass here detoured a visiting
Chinese leader, who ended up paying homage to Kazakhstan´s
victims of communism.

As customary, visiting Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji was to lay a
floral wreath at the Monument to the Motherland, a memorial to
World War II dead in this capital city.

But he couldn´t reach the monument, because of the hordes of
technicians preparing the site for this Sunday´s papal Mass.

Instead, the Chinese leader had to deposit the flowers at
another monument -- one that commemorates the victims of
Communism and lists all the names of the Soviet concentration
camps.

It is at this monument that the Pope will be welcomed by
President Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbajev, former leader of the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union in Kazakhstan.

Details of the story were recounted by Father Bernardo
Cervellera, director of the Vatican agency Fides, who is helping
to prepare for John Paul II´s visit.

Local journalists estimate that a record 100,000 people will
attend the papal Mass, most of them Muslims.


* * *


U.S. Says There Will Be No Invasion Before or During Papal Trip

"Inside the Vatican" Magazine Quotes Sources in Rome

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 20, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The U.S.
government has assured John Paul II that it will not invade
Afghanistan or any Central Asian country before or during the
papal trip to Kazakhstan and Armenia, the magazine Inside the
Vatican reported.

The Pope hopes that his Sept. 22-25 visit Kazakhstan, a country
with a Muslim majority, will promote dialogue between
Christians and Muslims. He plans to be in Armenia, a country
with a Christian majority, Sept. 25-27.

Inside the Vatican, which is published in English in Rome,
quotes unidentified Vatican sources, explaining that, unless
there are last-minute surprises, the Bush administration would
not launch any attacks in the region, at least until the papal trip is
over.


* * *


Mideast Cease-Fire Bid Hailed by L´Osservatore Romano



VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 20, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Words of
encouragement are coming from the Vatican given the initiative
of Palestinians and Israelis to reach a cease-fire.

L´Osservatore Romano, the semiofficial Vatican newspaper,
today applauded "the steps forward in the way of dialogue," and
considered that a ray of light "and hope for peace" is coming
from the troubled Middle East.

"The truce announced in the territories by Yasser Arafat,
president of the Palestinian Authority, and the subsequent
withdrawal of Israeli troops from some areas of the West Bank,
have opened the possibility to revive the dialogue interrupted
almost a year ago," the Vatican newspaper stated.

"The whole international community is awaiting the renewal of
the peace process, which is of enormous importance in the
world chess game and might contribute to diminish the tension
in a region marked by secular contradictions," the article
continued.

"In face of the cowardliness of those who use violence to avoid
reasonable discussions with others, today it is necessary to
have the courage and strength to make words prevail over
arms," the newspaper maintained.

It added: "Dialogue continues to be the only instrument capable
of guaranteeing peaceful coexistence between peoples, who
have been waiting for decades for a political and definitive
solution to a conflict which has caused so much mourning and
destruction."


* * *


Vatican Warns Against Dangers of Massive Military Operation

Wisdom Needed Now, More Than Ever, Insists L´Osservatore
Romano

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The
Vatican reacted cautiously to the announcement of the U.S.
operation in response to Black Tuesday´s attacks, with
L´Osservatore Romano stressing that the "dramatic situation
calls for wise thinking."

"Never as at this time -- while military operations seem to be
undertaken against the authors of the madness of terror -- is it
urgently felt that the decisions of those responsible in the world
must be guided by wise thinking," stated a front-page article in
today´s Italian edition of the semiofficial Vatican newspaper.

L´Osservatore Romano added: "To be anchored in wisdom so
that thoughts of solidarity, justice, and peace will prevail is, in
fact, the task of the Family of Nations, which must journey in the
century just begun, keeping alive the memory of the tragedies
that bloodied the century that just ended."

"Justice and peace are not abstract concepts or distant ideals;
they are values rooted in the heart of every person, as common
patrimony," the article continued.

The newspaper recalled John Paul II´s words, written for the
1993 World Youth Day.

Military operations, the Pope stated at the time, "never serve the
common good of humanity, violence destroys, it does not build;
the wounds it causes bleed for a long time and, finally, conflicts
worsen the already sad conditions of the poor and are fueled by
new forms of poverty."


* * *


U.S. Bishops: Response Must Follow Moral Principles



WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPT. 21, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- In a
letter to President George W. Bush, the head of the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed support for efforts "to
seek out and hold accountable" those responsible for the Sept.
11 terrorist attacks.

In the letter dated Wednesday, Galveston-Houston Bishop
Joseph A. Fiorenza also stated that the bishops were praying for
Bush to "find just, wise and effective ways to respond with
resolve and restraint to the long-term task of ending terrorism."

Referring to the United States´ "moral right" and "grave obligation
to defend the common good" against such attacks, Bishop
Fiorenza said that the bishops "support efforts by our nation and
the global community to seek out and hold accountable, in
accord with national and international law, those individuals,
groups and governments which are responsible."

"While we must take into account the unique nature of this new
kind of terrorist threat, any military response must be in accord
with sound moral principles, notably the norms of the just war
tradition such as probability of success, civilian immunity, and
proportionality," Bishop Fiorenza wrote.

He added: "Our nation must ensure that the grave obligation to
protect innocent human life governs our nation´s political and
military decisions."

Bishop Fiorenza commended the president for "calling on
Americans to repudiate acts of ethnic and religious intolerance.
... Arab-Americans and Muslims are not our enemies." He
added: "Attacks on them are attacks on all of us."


* * *


HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE
DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

Roman Catholic News is a brand new Yahoo group that is two
weeks old today.  We are currently ranked 35th of 479 Catholic
Yahoo groups, and growing steadily on a daily basis.  Your
membership as a subscriber is important to us and helps us
grow in numbers and improve our services.  Please spread the
word that a Catholic clergy run Catholic News group and
Reference Desk is available that keeps you informed on all the
activities of Pope John Paul II, the Holy See, the Roman Curia,
Catholic doctrine, critical world news, biblical studies, and its
Catholic Reference Desk answers questions you post.
	 When posting questions please place in the subject field of your
email "Reference Desk".  Emails can be sent to either
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com, or to
jlupia2@....  Articles written by professional and
scholarly authors can also be sent to the email addresses
above for consideration in a future issue.  Authors should keep
in mind that Roman Catholic News is a not-for-profit organization
and considers publishing articles without paying any monetary
compensation to authors.  All materials submitted and
published are copyright protected in accordance to the latest
ruling from the Office of Copyright, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.  Your subscription is important to us.
Welcome to Roman Catholic News.  Tell a friend.

* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL
HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE BROWN SCAPULAR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT
CARMEL AND PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE
CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH
UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

__________________________________________________
___________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News,
unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, Zenit News Service, and VIS
own the original copyright for their news releases and are
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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Nine C

Thursday, 20 September, 2001


"SS. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, & Companions"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

* * *


AS THE BELL TOLLS (PART 3)

The End of the World
by John N. Lupia

	 We have heard the expression "The End of the World."  But what
does it mean?  Theologians from all Christian
denominationations have had a field day with this idea.  We are
all familiar with the prophets of doom who foretell catastrophic
and future cataclysmic events.  They interpret the expression
"The End of the World" to be literal.  This is based on the false
premise that the primary message of the bible or scriptures that
take precedence over all others are the literal ones.  Fortunately,
not all divine revelation is literal.  The word "world" has three
significant meanings in scripture: first, the physical planet Earth;
second, the theater of salvation, that place in space and time
where we live out our lives in the pilgrimage of life in Church
militant; third, a symbol for the immorality of fallen humanity,
typically, signifying sin, evil, and the corruption of our global
politico-cultural society.  This third meaning is what was meant
by the apostolic author who describes Jesus as saying that
Satan is this prince of this world.  As you can see if you do not
have the correct understanding of the highly cryptic and symbolic
theological meanings of specific terms and words in the bible it
becomes pandemonium.  That is why there are so many
different interpretations of scripture and so many different
denominations each with its own interpretation of eschatological
events.

	 What does "The End of the World " mean?  Before we begin let
us recall the formula of an ancient Christian prayer called "The
Glory Be."  This prayer formula is as follows: Glory be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the
beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end, Amen.
As we pray or read this prayer formula we are struck by those
words "world without end."  Furthermore, this phrase is followed
by the "Amen" a term that means "so be it."  In traditional Catholic
thinking the world will never end.  How, then, do we reconcile the
idea of "The End of the World" with "world without end."  The
answer is easy.  The end of the world means simply the end of
the global decadent immoral social order, the third meaning
described above.  As we have seen the Apostolic Church
depicted this as the kingdom or realm of Satan the father of all
lies.  This squares with the main tenet of the Chinese
philosopher, Sun Tzu's, The Art of War, "All warfare is based on
deception."

	 Always keep in mind that "God so loved the world that he sent
his only Begotten Son."  God created the universe out of love,
unconditional love.  This is not poetry but truer than anything else
we can ever comprehend.  God could never destroy his beloved
universe, let alone Earth.  God loves the universe and our world
infinitely.  The end of the world is God's completion of the salvific
act of Jesus Christ when all things become reconciled in him.
The end of the world is not just the end of the evil immoral social
order on Earth.  The end of the world is the third and final wave or
phase of God's plan of salvation for the entire universe which
culminates on the "Last Day".

	 What significance is the Last Day?  When the angels fell, the
created universe fell with them.  When the human race of our
generation fell they empowered the fallen angel realm over us.
The result is what we know and experience as a life on a fallen
planet.  We live on a fallen planet where disease, biological and
inorganic phsical disorders, nature rebelling against the human
family, and death are natural phenomenon.  The end of the world
is the end of all that we call the natural order as we now know it.
It shall be restored to its original design through the salvific
merits of Jesus Christ.  On the Last Day the universe and Earth
shall become changed and transformed ascending the current
order of all things to a unity with the glorified material state of the
resurrected Christ.  Human nature will also become changed
and transformed taking on a unity with the glorified material risen
body of Jesus.  We shall enter our next phase of evolution and
become like the angels.

	 Is there physical evidence out in space that is observable that
will trigger this event?  No.  There are no comets, asteroids, or
other objects heading toward Earth destined for a final
cataclysmic collision.  Rather, it is accomplished in the blink of
an eye.  A mere thought from God and all spectroscopic
frequencies of physics for all material existence are change.
God simply tunes out this world and tunes in another that
reflects his glorified risen nature.  That other world is the original
order created and restored.  Remember the laws of conservation
are cosmic laws that reflect divine laws and God's salvific plan
for the cosmos and all human persons.

What will precede the end of the world?  It is obvious that God
will bring about events that will make public that which has been
longed for through global "murmuring" awaiting the Day of the
Lord.  In its earliest period in which we now live globalization
policies are the focus of our human society.  The Catholic
Church will take a moral and legal responsible role in
globalization policymaking and peace keeping.  Catholic
leaders, doctrine and policies will become appreciated by the
global community in an unprecedented manner.  Every human
being shall become aware of God's plan for universal salvation.
How God will bring this about is not completely clear in all of its
details at this time.  His church on Earth will obviously play "the"
significant role.  A coalition of Roman Catholic bishops and
cardinals will become the social and spiritual forces behind
global leadership and policy keeping it on the path of Christ.
Following this the world will enter an age of signs and wonders.
Unexplainable signs, miracles, and other universal
phenomenon will take place that will lead all humans to
contrition, repentance, and the belief in Jesus Christ as the
Incarnation of God the Son.  The pope and a bishop (Moses and
Elias) shall preach, convert and heal the multitudes of the world
bringing everyone into global solidarity and the Catholic faith.
This will be God's second moment of triumph.  The first moment
of triumph was the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus which
gave him all authority and power in heaven and on Earth.  The
third moment will be on the "Last Day'  when Christ will come to
claim his Bride after the powers of evil have been unleashed
only to be eternally condemned to the reality of hell.

We have already been visited with many elements of this future
time.  The Virgin Mary has appeared around the world in
miraculous apparitions for nearly two thousand years.  The
miraculous spring at Lourdes, France, which has brought
numerous miracles is a mere foretaste of what God has in store
to show the mind and hearts of peoples everywhere that he
loves them, cares for them and wishes to elevate them as a
royal people reigning with him over the universe forever.  This
second phase is approaching since its birthpangs have already
fallen upon us.  Our world is brimming over with a
consciousness of its immanence and presence.


When Shall the End Come?

The third and final wave or phase is yet too far off into the future
for it to be a consideration or focus for us today.  "But of that day
and hour no one knows, not the angels of heaven, but the Father
alone." (Matthew 24:36).  We can only know that period of history
will have its days lengthened so that people will grow impatient
and think that the worst is over and that what was thought to
occur has in fact passed over.  But of those final days, Jesus,
however, says "Pray... that those days be shortened." (Matthew
24:22; Mark 13:20)  This seems to imply that the end time will be
a very difficult period for many.

Three Phases of the End Time

Thousands of people have talked about the signs in the New
Testament that mark the end time.  Countless volumes have
already been written about this.  Unanimously, all agree that this
period has emerged.  We are living in it.  This end period
obviously consists of three phases.  Needless to say, we are
apparently living in the early part of the second phase.  This
phase contains all of the eschatological signs: earthquakes,
wars, disasters, famine, pestilence and death.  Even secular
society as a whole is aware that we are moving in an
accelerated way into a global culrural era the likes of which
humankind has never seen before.  But what about the middle
phase of the second wave or phase?  What shall they be like
and when shall they emerge?  Do we have eschatological signs
for them?

The Middle Phase of the Second Wave or Phase

The middle phase shall be that time in which God gathers the
whole world into his Church.  All humans by their very existence
are God's children.  However, God wishes that all peoples
everywhere know him in the light of truth revealed in divine
revelation and as taught by the Holy Magisterium of his Catholic
Church.   He wishes that all of his children before that great and
terrible day know the truth and understand the great mystery
which shall be disclosed to all, as it has for 2,000 years.  This
middle period will be a time of great signs and wonders:
miracles shall be an everyday occurrence in abundance.  This is
that period in which all the great nations shall become
converted.  All religions shall melt as wax before the infinite
flame of truth of Christ and his Gospels and Church.  Great
turmoil shall also mark this period since the devil shall make
every effort to distort, disrupt, and destroy any and all good that
shall come out of this period.  Good shall triumph as he has
eternally chosen, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Every
eye shall see and behold the truth, the splendor and the
goodness of God and what awaits them.

Signs of the Middle Phase

The signs that will mark the beginning of this period are the final
fulfillment of God's mandate; "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the
Earth."  When the Earth is filled that period shall begin.  By the
year 2030 it is anticipated that the Earth's population shall attain
at least 11 billion people.  Certainly, the middle phase shall be
triggered somewhere around that date.  It may be earlier or it
may be later by plus or minus 10-20 years or so.  What may
retard or slow down this process is the work of the devil.
"Knowing his time is near he roams the world seeking whom he
may destroy."  The devil knows his time is short before he shall
be cast into eternal hell never to be released for all eternity.  He
has already won over millions upon millions of peoples of the
world to his way of thinking, i.e., selfishness, anger, murder, lies,
the lust for power and self aggrandizement.  He has done this
through many false philosophies as we have seen in our culture
using all the mass media as its vehicle for promotion and
adherence.

	 Primary among them is the false philosophy and
pseudo-science of population theory in economics.  As first
postulated by the eighteenth century English economist Thomas
Robert Malthus (1766-1834), overpopulation is the major cause
of poverty and if left unchecked will lead to mass starvation.  The
truth is that poverty and mass starvation can only be caused by
greed, social injustice, and the continued disequilibrium in the
distribution and sharing of the wealth of the Earth's resources.
However, from this false premise of Malthus many equally false
maxims have derived.  We have all heard of the necessity of
death and war to keep the population under control to attain a
natural harmony and balance.  From such erroneous thinking we
have evolved a culture of death consciousness.

	 Easterners and Westerners alike are having their ears tickled,
as St. Paul had warned, by wrong interpretations of the truth and
false philosophies that form false religious convictions and
doctrine.  "For there shall be a time, when they shall not endure
sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will
heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears: and will
indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned
unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3-4).  These are the fairy tales of our
day.  Hollywood and television show the glamour and glory of
sin, violence and death.  In social circles the false teaching
about "Holy War" or Jihad excites many to think that by military
power supported by economic wealth will make you God's
specially chosen believer and holy disciple killing and
conquering in his name and unto his glory.  What foolishness!
The war God wishes you and I to declare is the war on
ourselves.  Battle your own tendency to evil.  Mortify and chastise
yourself!  The most difficult battle and victory to win is that over
selfishness and the weakness of the flesh toward sin.  "Be not
afraid," says the Lord: "I have overcome the world."  But greater
still is the battle against false philosophies that form false
religious beliefs and doctrine.  Even now, the wake of cults
including forms of terrorism is growing and attracting many who
do not know the truth of the Gospels.  They are enslaved by
human fear and pride without the light of Christ who is the Light
of the world.

	 False messiahs like Shoko Asahara of Japan, and Osama Bin
Laden of Afghanistan, and others like them yet to come, can only
give you eternal death.  Jesus Christ is the only one who can and
will give you eternal life.  This he has chosen to do through his
mother, Mary, coredemtrix and channel of all graces.  Salvation is
the greatest of all graces bestowed on us by Christ, and this he
chooses to do through Mary.

	 Yet the world is set on death.  Abortions are legal and have been
responsible for slaughtering over 20 million children in the past
few years.  Well over 1.75 billion deaths by abortion have ocurred
since Roe vs. Wade became law.  Wars have broken out in Iraq,
El Salvador, Lebanon, Guatemala, Ireland, and over 200 other
nations of the world!

	 Our societies are corrupt and close their eyes to organized
crime since many citizens support the immoral and illicit benefits
of the fruits of evil through weakness and vice.   Meanwhile drug
lords and organized crime syndicates kill innocent people to
control others through terroristic acts of death and violence.
Even on the side of the police, courts and the justice system
death prevails from a corrupt notion of justice.  The death penalty
for criminals is executed daily in many countries throughout the
world.  The idea has already been advanced in many circles for
enacting laws to promote and advocate euthanasia: thereby,
eliminating the aged or those no longer deemed useful to
society.  Daily, senseless killing of one another takes place
reducing our family size, goodness, and resources.  Suicide has
now become a public choice.  People sick in the hospital or at
home with terminal disease can now end their own life to avoid
discomfort.  According to Catholic teaching, doing so sends you
to the unquenching fire of everlasting hell since suicide is an act
of despair.  Better to suffer whatever cross Jesus has sent for
your own purification, sanctification, and salvation than to seek
escaping your cross of salvation by choosing death.  "And in
those days many shall seek death, and shall not find it: and they
shall desire to die, and death shall fly from them." (Revelations
9:6). They shall end up eternally terrified only finding everlasting
pain and suffering by casting off their cross of salvation.

	 Birth control has become a rule of social life.  AIDS has alerted
society to promote and advocate free distribution of condoms for
those sexually active to avoid this fatal disease.  Self-seeking,
self-gratification, selfishness and greed are the lusting powers
that rule our society.  Anyone or anything that stands in its way
shall not be tolerated.  Totalitarianism has arrived with the ego
crowned by the devil.  Many are being lost to this wide road to
hell.

	 We have created a culture and society that promotes, advocates
and supports human death, physical and spiritual.  Yet we
spend millions of dollars to support organizations, programs,
laws, and paid public announcements to save the whales, save
the forests, stop the slaughter of minks, foxes, and animals such
as monkies, rabbits and rats used in laboratory experimentation.
Many would even give their lives for these causes, while others
would be willing to give their fortunes.  But who defends the right
of the unborn human child?  Who would be willing to lay down
their life or give their fortune to save human life?  Is it the
Marines, the Army, Navy of Airforce?  These institutions exist to
save politico-socio-economic systems run by the greedy and self
seeking who make unconscionable profits creating
disequilibrium and social injustice.

	 Only a faint voice is heard defending the cause of human life.
Even this voice has been muffled and distorted by the few who
would kill others by bombing abortion clinics believing the end
justifies the means, which is a contradiction and violation of
Catholic teaching.  Others still would be deceived through
intellectual blindness and foolish pride that they should sit down
at the negotiating table and work with the executioners of the
ongoing Holocaust of abortion that plagues our world daily.  We
do not kill for the justice that is Christ's!  There is no negotiation
with death!  Christians do not bargain with the devil!  These few
have become guilty of an even greater evil.  For in
misrepresenting Jesus Christ and the truth they have
discouraged others from accepting the light; and like Satan they
have scattered.  "But he that shall scandalize one of these little
ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone
should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be
drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6).

	 All are blind to the fact that the devil is energetically attempting to
use everyone for his own advantage.  He laughs in our faces!  It
is time to wake up!  He is stalling for time, time that we are giving
him.  He knows that when the Earth is filled he's done for.  Our
global society empowers him by destroying, killing, and
murdering life.  He not only is winning time but more souls for
hell, his kingdom.  And what do you think he will do to them
forever and forever once they are locked into his kingdom of hell?
He shall eat them piece by piece, but they shall never die.  Wake
up oh foolish people and have your eyes opened to the truth!
Your divine mission as children of God and heirs of heaven is to
preserve life: for all life is sacred and infinitely precious.  But we
have created a culture of death!  What a poor choice, indeed!  It is
time for us to repent and convert our sick and degenerate human
hearts and seek the God of mercy and healing.

	 Every human being owes their very existence to another.  Since
we are indebted to our creation, birth, nurturing and rearing from
others we are morally obligated to help others in their care,
nurturing and support.  This is a cosmic universal law.  It is a
divine law "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  as Jesus
said to his disciples: "Love one another even as I have loved
you." (John 13:34).  This is one of the two laws called by Christ
the greatest commandment, upon these are built all law.  But we
have exceeded our moral and legal jurisdiction.  We have made
laws that do not support, nurture and sustain life.  We have by
doing this become antichrist.  We have paved the way for the evil
one to tighten his grip and rule over humanity.  We have opened
every door for darkness and evil to gain control of our lives and
world.  It is this disgusting and abhorrent violation of supreme
law that will allow antichrist to emerge amongst us and mete out
punishment to everyone who disobeys him.

	 We have no moral rights to enact such unjust laws.  We have
delved into areas that did not belong to us.  This realm of law is
supreme and belongs to God alone.  Only He has the right over
life and death and no other.  What fools we have been to create
such a wicked and sick society that has arrogantly dared to play
God.  He shall not tolerate this much longer.  In the news today
Unicef proposes to end child poverty by abortion, while Planned
Parenthood is offering free abortions after the attack this past
Tuesday past.  This is a violation of divine law and justice.  It is
the spirit of antichrist which offers immoral solutions for global
problems and crises.

The Third or Final Phase

The last and final phase of the end time will be a period of
murmuring and confusion.  It is a final test to those who inhabit
the Earth at the final hour.  They shall be awaiting some sign
from God but none shall be forthcoming.  They shall think their
trials are over and that they are free at last.  This frees those who
were faithful only out of selfish fear and pride.  An era of peace
shall have dawned on the Earth just as Mary had prophesied at
Fatima: "Russia will be converted and then their shall be a
period of peace."  When they think peace has come to the world
at last they return as dogs to their vomit.  Soon they revel and
celebrate sin on their beds and in the streets.  The weak of faith
and flesh shall declare: "The Age of Aquarius has arrived!"  False
philosophies and lies shall tickle the ears of many once again.
Oh foolishness of human wickedness and weakness!  Soon you
shall be dancing on the flames of hell where there shall be no
comfort, nor relief!  Division shall break out and the evil one shall
raise his head for his final time before it is crushed by the heel of
the Holy One.  Remain faithful and steadfast do not be deceived
by the charms and lures of those around you.  Woe to him who
like Aaron became fearful of the people and out of human
respect creates a golden calf!  "It is better to lay down one's life
for one's friends...than to betray the Son of Man."  Christ must
always, under all conditions, remain without question your
supreme model.  Be as steel and unflinchingly hold dear to you,
Christ and everything he taught through the Catholic faith.  Be
cautious: "For no one knows the day or the hour that the Son of
Man shall return."  Be alert and prayerful.  Pray to your angel to
strengthen you in your Garden of Gethsemani.  The power of
prayer shall empower everyone who asks to receive whatever
grace they need to have, and will have it in abundance.
Remember that Jesus Christ: "He comes as a thief in the night."
Happy are they who remain faithful to the end when the Son of
Man comes and finds them watchful in prayer.  Great shall be
their glory and everlasting their happiness.

	 Then shall Jesus Christ be sent a second time by the Father to
reign and rule supreme over all creation.  He shall send his
angels before him.  "They will be present at Christ's return,
which they will announce, to serve at his judgment." (Catechism
of the Catholic Church 333).  "When the Son of Man comes in his
glory, and all the angels with him..." (Matthew 25:31), there shall
be a new heaven and a new Earth which shall be perfect as they
were originally intended.  You shall reign with Christ empowered
as royal children of God.  Our generation shall become like that
great generation of humans who preceded us: we shall become
angels like them.


* * *


CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK

QUESTION ON THE USE OF FLAGS IN CHURCH
Dear John,
Could you point me in the correct direction?  Our parish does not
currently display the American nor Papal flags in the church.  We
would like to begin to do so.  What are the regulations in regards
to the display of flags in church?  in the sanctuary?  Full staff or
half?  I've looked at several web sites and in some of the books
that we own, but to no avail.  Could you help?  Our parish priest
doesn't know either, as he was the one to bring it up at the
Prayer and Worship committee meeting last night.  Thank you. 
In His service,
Debbie in SE Wisconsin


Dear Debbie:

The use of flags in Church is a custom, which has fallen into a
decline.

Flags are neither classified nor considered ecclesiastical
furnishings. For example, the General Instruction of the Roman
Missal (GIRM, nos. 253-279) outlines the arrangement and
decoration of churches for the Eucharistic celebration in chapter
5, but, is silent  about the use of flags.

The custom emerged with great following during WWII, in the
1940's.   There was an American flag and a Papal flag on poles
in a base hanging at the extreme corners of tnearly every
sanctuary.  In the past  50 years this custom has gradually and
steadily fallen into decline.

Where the custom is still in use both flags are often displayed
somewhere else other than the sanctuary: in the nave; from the
balcony; or in the vestibule of the church.  These places are
equally legitimate and acceptable since they are part of the
development from social custom.  The use of these other places
developed in the late 1960's and early 1970's after Vatican II
when more focus was placed on the sanctuary as the focal point
of the Eucharistic sacrifice creating the unity and solidarity with
the parishoners forming them into one community.  As a result
the sanctuary was reasserted to be the focus of the Eucharist,
not the proper locus or focus for any flags of any kind.  After the
Vietnam War was over the dicontinuance of flags took another
step downward.  However, this is custom, not canon law.  Flags
can be used anywhere in the Church, but, if they are to be used
parishoners should have a say where they would like them
displayed.

---The Catholic Reference Desk


* * *

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EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL
HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

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EWTN
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IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE SCAPULA AND PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE
CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH
UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

__________________________________________________
___________

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Nine B

Thursday, 20 September, 2001


"SS. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, & Companions"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

* * *


St. Januarius´ Blood Liquefies Again, as Expected


ROME, SEPT. 19, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- The faithful
gathered to witness what´s become an annual miracle of the
liquefaction of St. Januarius´ blood in the cathedral of Naples.

The liquefaction of the coagulated blood, which is kept in two
small ampuls, occurred after 10 a.m. in the presence of Cardinal
Michele Giordano.

The miracle of St. Januarius´ blood can occur three times a year:
on Sept. 19, his feast day; on the first weekend in May; and on
Dec. 16, the anniversary of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in
1631, which, according to tradition, ended after the faithful prayed
to the city´s patron.

St. Januarius, bishop of Benevento, Italy, was martyred in 305.

Some children who visited the cathedral today left letters praying
to God for peace in the world, and for the victims of the attacks on
the United States.


* * *


Kremlin Doesn´t Trust Top Orthodox, Putin Aide Says

Sees Tensions with Moscow Patriarchate

MOSCOW, SEPT. 19, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Contrary to
popular belief in the West, the Putin government´s relations with
the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow are currently "strained," an
aide to the Russian president says.

Maksim Meyer, deputy director of the new administration´s
internal policy department, which deals with political planning,
told the Keston news service that the relations have been sour
since the publication of the Russian Orthodox Church´s Social
Doctrine last summer.

The point of contention in that document, he explained, was its
originally monarchist slant, which had concerned the new
government: "The Russian Orthodox Church is so close to the
state that they ought to consult us -- we are constantly supporting
them."

Earlier this month, Orthodox Father Vsevolod Chaplin, secretary
of the Moscow Patriarchate´s Department for External Church
Relations, told the Oxford, England-based Keston agency that no
changes had been made at any stage to the Social Doctrine´s
position on the monarchy.

Meyer, however, maintained that the monarchist sentiments
were toned down, and suggested that the Church had
consequently introduced a statement spelling out legitimate
circumstances for civil disobedience, which had further strained
relations.

"They could demand all pre-revolutionary church property and we
could resist, to which they could respond that we are applying an
anti-church policy and cite that part of the social doctrine," Meyer
said.

Currently, said Meyer, "our leadership thinks that the leadership
of the Russian Orthodox Church is dishonest and doesn´t trust
them."

Russia is a "ritual nation" without deep faith, according to Meyer.
During Lent, he noted, expensive restaurants are empty. "People
fast but they don´t go to church," he said.

In that case, the Keston agency asked, why does the government
evidently consider the Church to be a significant political factor,
especially since polls find that there are few devout practicing
Orthodox?

The number of true believers evidently does not impinge upon
the Church´s influence, said Meyer, since Patriarch Alexy II
scores high ratings in the opinion polls.

"Many people trust them -- we know what is going on in the
Church in reality, but the people don´t," he said. "The fact that
they are not influential in matters of faith is unimportant -- they
are a social instrument, a moral authority."

In Meyer´s view, however, the Orthodox Church´s high public
profile should not give it cause for complacency.

"The Church just involves itself in intrigues, money and relations
with the state, while its core is crumbling away and trickling out,"
he contended. "In the provinces people are dropping into
sectarian practices -- this always was a very sectarian country.
They need to set up an Inquisition."

Who will be next patriarch?

One of the main difficulties concerning the Orthodox Church,
volunteered Meyer, is that the Putin administration cannot see a
strong candidate for future patriarch. Meyer described
Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad as a "difficult
passenger" and "too complicated."

Another figure reputedly close to the Kremlin, Archimandrite
Tikhon Shevkunov of Moscow´s Sretensky Monastery, was, in
Meyer´s view "ideologically closer" to the government but ranked
among those Church representatives with whom it was difficult
to maintain dialogue. "They are supposedly ready to support the
state, but they also have high ambitions -- and they aren´t
actually that influential," he said.

In Meyer´s view, the Orthodox Church´s "personnel crisis" would
mean that the next patriarch would in all likelihood be an interim
figure. A strong, dynamic figure in the Caucasus who "really
understood the situation there would make a very good
patriarch," commented Meyer, "but there just isn´t anyone."

Turning to the issue of President Vladimir Putin´s personal faith,
Keston cited British Prime Minister Tony Blair´s proximity to the
Catholic faith alongside his stated intention not to challenge
Britain´s abortion law, since, in his view, it would go against the
democratic will of the majority. Was Putin´s position on religious
matters similar?

Currently, said Meyer, it was. With respect to the Russian
president´s formal links with the Church, Meyer accused
Archimandrite Tikhon of spreading rumors that he was Putin´s
spiritual father.

On a personal level, Putin considers himself Orthodox, assured
Meyer, and cited his swift response to the question of what moral
values should be reintroduced into Russia -- ´Why, Orthodox
moral values of course!" On the other hand, stressed Meyer,
Putin "understands that we have other confessions in this
country."

A theme to which Meyer repeatedly returned was that of Islam.
The Putin administration has yet to come to a proper
understanding of Islam, he said, for which task Western
expertise would be greatly welcomed.

Meyer spoke of the need for Russia´s own institute for training
Islamic clergy "to stop them going to Saudi Arabia." However,
while he alleged that the Russian Orthodox Church requested
government protection from Islam, Meyer claimed that both
confessions would rank as equals should a status of traditional
confession be introduced in Russia.

Claiming to be unaware of the two draft religious policies
currently in circulation -- both of which propose such a status --
Meyer envisaged it as extending to Catholics and Protestants.
When Keston asked whether Baptists, Pentecostals and
Adventists would all be included as traditional Protestants, Meyer
began to muse that "a line would have to be drawn somewhere."

He then added: "But I am against the whole idea -- it is all the
intrigues of the Moscow Patriarchate. We don´t need such a
status. If the Russian Orthodox Church has problems, they need
to sort them out themselves. It is their problem if people leave
parishes and go to the Pentecostals, if they can´t attract people."


* * *


PLANNED PARENTHOOD OFFERING FREE ABORTIONS
AFTER ATTACK

NEW YORK, Sep 20, 01 (CWNews Service) - Planned
Parenthood of New York City (PPNYC) has put out a press
release indicating it is offering free abortions for a limited time in
the wake of the terrorist attacks on the city.

Following the example of the United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) which over the past few years has used tragic events to
target stricken communities with "reproductive health kits"--
including abortifacient drugs and devices-- PPNYC is offering
"complete reproductive health care from September 18-22 free of
cost." The press release by PPNYC lists among the "services"
they provide "birth control; emergency contraception; medical
and surgical abortion."

As recently as last month, LifeSite reported that pro-life groups in
El Salvador were blasting the UNFPA for using the tragedy
caused by recent devastating earthquakes in the country to
promote abortion. UNFPA sent reproductive health kits including
abortifacient morning-after-pills and vacuum aspirators used for
early term abortions. Julia Cardenal, president of "Si A La Vida"
(Yes to Life) told Cybercast News Service, "We had two major
earthquakes in El Salvador in January and February of this year,
and instead of sending us food or medicine, or something to
meet our needs, they sent a range of contraception devices."


* * *


UNICEF Proposes to End Child Poverty by Abortion

Roots of This Tendency Began in 1960s

ROME, SEPT. 19, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Last week´s
attack on New York delayed the U.N. children´s summit,
originally scheduled to begin today. But it won´t put off indefinitely
the battles that are sure to surface at the summit.

The summit´s preparatory document already has ignited
scandal and controversy.

Some passages of the text, instead of concentrating on the
objective of saving millions of innocent human lives, are being
turned into claims for free abortion and the diffusion of
contraceptives among adolescents, without parental consent.

These two proposals have been defended particularly by the
governments of the European Union and Latin America -- in
most cases, in flagrant violation of their own national
constitutions, which recognize the right to life.

Two delegations asked that the proposals be rejected on the
grounds they are not part of the summit´s objective. Indeed, the
Holy See and the United States have resolved to concentrate on
concrete aid to help children around the world.

In addition, 17 Muslim countries have declared their total
opposition to measures that deprive parents of their authority
over their children.

UNICEF, which started as the United Nations International
Children´s Emergency Fund but later dropped "international" and
"emergency" from its name, was created in 1946 for the specific
purpose of helping the child victims of the war in Europe and
China.

Beginning in the 1960s, UNICEF adopted Malthusian theories,
promoting contraceptives, sterilization and other birth-reduction
programs.

In May 1966, the then executive director, Henry R. Labouisse,
submitted a report entitled "Possible Role of UNICEF in Family
Planning" to the Executive Council.

The debate caused division in the council. The Swedish, Indian
and Pakistani delegations approved the idea that UNICEF
participate in population-control programs. Delegations of
Catholic countries were opposed. The African nations, with the
exception of Nigeria, also responded with a clear "no," stating
that the programs were racist.

Hilaire Willot, head of the Belgian delegation, criticized the
program to control births in India because, he said, "incentives
were offered to accept abortions and sterilizations," which he
thoroughly opposed.

The proposal was put on hold, and participation in
family-planning programs was instead decided on a
case-by-case basis.

Subsequently, as also happened in the World Health
Organization, these types of proposals were accepted with a
stratagem: The program to reduce the number of births was
renamed "reproductive health" of mothers and children.

In 1970, Labouisse himself recommended that the Executive
Council "authorize UNICEF to include the diffusion of
contraceptives in government aid programs." The
recommendation was accepted despite much opposition.

The representative of the French delegation said, "It was
necessary at least to guarantee the free will of families."
However, Labouisse replied that this "was a program of
governments, and not of UNICEF."

In 1966, UNICEF spent $700,000 in family planning programs. In
1971 this rose to $2.4 million; and in 1973, $4.2 million, in 30
countries.

Over the years, cooperation has increased between UNICEF and
the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the world´s
most powerful promoter of abortion and contraception.

In 1978, Johns Hopkins University published "Population
Reports," an in-depth look of all the population control projects
that UNICEF had been involved in.

Between 1987 and 1990, UNICEF participated substantially in
family planning programs in Nepal, Malawi, Jamaica, Burundi,
Kenya, Cape Verde, Tanzania and China.

In the 1987 International Conference to Improve the Health of
Women and Children Through Family Planning, UNICEF openly
supported abortion as "a legal service, of good quality and
accessible to all women."

In 1992 UNICEF pressured to have abortion legalized in
countries where it was illegal.

The Vatican permanent observer at the United Nations,
Archbishop Renato Martino, had already denounced these
practices as early as April 16, 1990. The next day he declared
before UNICEF´s Executive Council that the group had become a
promoter of abortion.

UNICEF´s repeated involvement in birth-reduction programs led
the Holy See in 1996 to withdraw its symbolic annual
contribution, which had encouraged Catholics to give
generously. The decision was made after UNICEF confirmed
that it had distributed abortifacient substances in Rwanda and
Zaire.

Archbishop Martino noted that, instead of allocating funds to help
children, UNICEF was using them to put an end to human lives.

In particular, the Holy See denounced:

--UNICEF´s publication of a manual which recommends the
distribution of abortifacient products for refugees.

--UNICEF´s pressure on some countries to legalize abortion.

--UNICEF´s participation in programs for the distribution of
contraceptives.

While UNICEF denied some of the Vatican´s accusations, the
U.N. agency´s annual report that year included family planning
and abortion as "one of the most effective means to combat
poverty."

The differences between UNICEF and the Holy See have not
been resolved. Moreover, they have increased because of the
radical positions taken by current UNICEF executive director
Carol Bellamy.

As a New York state senator, Bellamy gained attention as one of
the most radical promoters of abortion. In September 1999,
under the Clinton administration, she was reconfirmed for a
second term as executive director. That term lasts until April
2005.


* * *


UN CHILD SUMMIT POSTPONED INDEFINITELY,
NEGOTIATIONS STYMIED

Last week's terrorist attack on New York's World Trade Center
also wreaked havoc on UN business. On the morning of the
attack, hundreds of diplomats gathered around television
monitors located all over UN headquarters. More than 200
crowded into the Vienna Café, a common meeting place in the
UN basement. When the first tower collapsed just after 10:00 AM
all but essential personnel were evacuated from the building.
Dignitaries joined what looked like a massive exodus swarming
up First Avenue on the east side of Manhattan, roughly four miles
from the crash site.

The attack coincided with the opening of the General Assembly
(GA), which meets from mid-September through December.
Each year more than 100 heads of state fly into New York to
address the GA in its opening two weeks. This had to be
postponed, although the Security Council met last Wednesday to
condemn the attacks on the US.

The day after the attack, the GA decided to postpone indefinitely
the World Summit for Children, which was to convene for three
days this week. The Summit was to review the progress of
national and international protection of children and to issue a
resolution promising further action. Negotiations on the
document were to continue on the day of the attack. UNICEF, the
lead agency in the Summit process, said it is unclear when the
negotiations would resume but suggested the Summit would
happen sometime after the first of the year. Diplomats close to
the negotiations now say the Summit may not occur as a
separate event but could be concluded as a regular part of the
ongoing meeting of the GA.

Negotiations were stymied at the time of Tuesday's attack. The
main point of contention was abortion. The European Union,
along with Canada and a group of Latin American countries
called the Rio Group were insisting on more references in the
document to "reproductive health services," which is assumed to
include access to abortion. The US, Holy See and a large bloc of
Muslim states insisted that a document for children should not
reference anything related to abortion.

Talks had bogged down the week before with some delegates
charging the EU and Rio Group with bad faith in negotiations.
One negotiator said, "the EU is negotiating entire paragraphs
and then rejecting them in the end. This is the essence of bad
faith." Some speculate that by going slow, the recalcitrant EU
negotiators are attempting to sully the US in the European press.
In recent months, the Bush administration has been charged
with "unilateralism" for rejecting the Kyoto process, and refusing
to advance the International Criminal Court. Insiders say the EU
hoped to paint the US as obstructionist by making it appear the
US is dragging down the negotiations. Those in the
negotiations, however, say the chairman of the drafting group is
showing almost tearful frustration with the tactics of the EU and
the Rio Group.

Copyright - C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute).


* * *


Used with Care, Biotechnology Can Help Man, Says Cardinal

Sodano Urges Caution, But Sees Great Progress

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 19, 2001 (Zenit News Service).-
Biotechnology should be used to fight world misery and hunger,
but "rigorous criteria of caution" are needed to ensure it does not
get out of control, says a top Vatican aide.

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican Secretary of State, offered
some criteria for reflection on the ethical use of biotechnology, at
a gathering of Coldiretti, the largest Italian association of
agricultural workers, which his father helped found.

The cultivation and consumption of genetically modified
organisms has generated enormous controversy in recent
years, and some anti-globalization movements have expressed
their categorical opposition to them.

At the gathering last Friday, Cardinal Sodano reviewed the great
progress made in agriculture in recent decades.

He pointed out that the "new resources of science, which are
applied in animal and vegetable technologies, must be
governed and used to contribute to combating misery and
factors of contamination, to improve the production of foods that
are necessary especially in poor areas of the world."

The cardinal warned, however, that this objective calls for
"rigorous criteria of caution and control," in order to avoid "risks
to human health" and to be very conscious of the need to
preserve "biodiversity," which is indispensable for "the men of
today and tomorrow, as well as for the beauty of the universe and
the balance of the ecosystem."

In this connection, the Italian cardinal mentioned, as a guide, the
book "Animal and Vegetable Biotechnologies, New Frontiers and
New Responsibilities" ("Biotecnologie animali e vegetali, nuove
frontiere e nuove responsabilità"), published by the Pontifical
Academy for Sciences.

Technologies, "like any other resource stemming from science
and man´s ingenuity, must not be demonized, but rather used for
the common good of all men," the cardinal emphasized.

Given "these new emergencies," he concluded, "states and the
international community will have to be provided with adequate
legislative norms in the perspective of a new phase of law,
defined as ´bio-law,´ which, above all, must defend human life
and preserve the biosphere."


* * *


DOCUMENT ON ORGAN TRANSPLANTS FROM ANIMALS TO
HUMAN BEINGS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 20, 2001 (VIS) - On Wednesday, September
26, at 11:30 a.m. in the Holy See Press Office, a press
conference will be held for the presentation of the new document
of the Pontifical Academy for Life entitled "The perspective of
xenotransplantation (organ transplants from animals to
humans). Scientific aspects and ethical considerations."

Participating in the conference will be Bishop Elio Sgreccia,
vice-president of the Pontifical Academy for Life, and three
people who worked on the preparation of the document.


* * *


Lima, PERU --- is prepared to Celebrate its 350th anniversary of
the "Lord of the Miracles" at Lima, 20 (NE - eclesiales news
service).  The 350th anniversary of the traditional "Procession of
the Lord of the Miracles," which year after year unites thousands
of Peruvians in a fervent act of popular mercy, Cardinal Juan Luis
Cipriani Thorne, Archbishop of Lima and Primate of Peru,  sent a
letter to the Limean faithfuls emphasizing the importance of this
deep manifestation of the faith of the Peruvian city. " the reason
by which we looked for the "Lord of the Miracles" every October is
because It is the way to follow in order to arrive at the total
personal accomplishment, that culminates in the definitive and
eternal encounter with God, " it indicates in his message the
Purpurado, remembering that " Jesus Christ is, then, the
definitive answer to the question on the sense of life and to the
fundamental questions that  besiege so many men and women
today . " "  is it not by chance that one of the its deepest
meanings and beauty goes beyond that of the procession of the
"Lord of the Miracles"? However, not to follow it is to be
condemned to follow the sadness and the frustrations of life.  By
promising more substitutes than it can invent the consumption
today, the materialism or trendy fashionable ideology, never will
be able to make disappear the objective reality that the Church
proclaims: It is in the "Lord" in whom the human being finds his
authentic identity. " " This year 2001 ", indicated Cipriani
Cardinal, " the cult to the Mulberry Christ has a very special
character because 350 years are marked since she appeared
painted this venerated and miraculous image in a modest wall
of a shed erected in the district of Pachacamilla, where today its
Sanctuary is raised. " Before this reality, the Purpurado invites
the Limean faithfuls to do of this October " a propitious time in
which we renew deeply our Christian life in Vista to assume with
new impulse our evangelization mission. " " Every October -
Cipriani Cardinal affirms soon -, the "Lord of the Miracles"
reunites us around himself to the baptized of all class or
condition, to call to us to live on the exciting horizon of the
Christian life, that consists of unfolding the life of Christ which
we have received in the Baptism until we, pruned shall exclaim
with the Apostle: ' Alive I not  more, he is Christ who lives in me '
". " to obtain this goal, the aid of grace is fundamental.  Prime
among the graces is one that is decisive although it is not less
certain that it demands, demands our active cooperation ". "
Finally - its message concludes -, that this October, first of the
new millenium, impels us to be more generous to our apostolic
commitment. The beginning of the third millenium of the faith
demands of our New Evangelization, whose central
announcement is that of Our Lord Jesus, the same yesterday,
today and always, the only Saviour of the World. " " In front of a
world that is separated from its sense we are called by the Lord
to announce it in first person, with creativity and talent, each one
from their own vocation according to the maximum of its
possibilities and capacities.  Let us walk with hope.  A new
millenium is opened before the Church of Lima like the
immense ocean in which there is to venture itself. To row out to
sea "


* * *

HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE
DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

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* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL
HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

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IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE SCAPULA AND PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE
CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH
UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

__________________________________________________
___________

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Nine A

Thursday, 20 September, 2001


"SS. Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, & Companions"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time




* * *

PRELUDE TO KAZAKHSTAN AND ARMENIAN VISITS BEGINNING THIS SUNDAY

In September 1998, Kazakhstan signed an agreement with the Vatican to
regulate relations between their respective states.  However, the Kazakhstan
government has shown a failure to cooperate and honor that agreement.
Catholic Church officials have been reporting bureaucratic problems
concerning visas for foreign priests and for the registration of parishes.
These problems are resulting from the dominance of right wing government
officials involved in the current religious liberty concerns in Kazakhstan
whose government has proposed amendments to the country's 1992 religion law.
The fifth draft was rejected last month since no concensus has been reached.
The internal turmoil over conflicting positions within the government
regarding religious freedom has resulted in the actions by officials to over
step their bounds according to current law, by applying pressure on
unregistered religious groups to seek registration.  This strong arm hold on
religious freedom needs to be resolved with equitity and propriety, which
has prompted Pope John Paul II's trip on  23rd - 25th of September, 2001.


Armenia is preparing to celebrate 1,700 years of Christianity as its state
religion.  In the wake of this celebration a female pastor of Yerevan's
Warriors of Christ, a charismatic church, is about to enter her third month
in prison in the capital.  According to a statement from the church
published on 29 August , the Armenian government’s State Committee for
Religious Affairs and the National Security Ministry (the Armenian successor
to the KGB) sent about 30 armed police officers to confiscate all chattle of
the church.   Four days later the 46-year-old church leader, Shogher
Khachatryan, was arrested on brought up on swindling charges.  Church
members claim the arrest is linked with the Armenian government authorities'
fear of the church's growing prominence and poses a viable threat bringing
disruption by evangelising to countermand the forthcoming papal visit from
the 25th to the 27th of September, 2001.


* * *


Kazakhstan: A Stew That´s Beginning to Boil Over

Interview with an Organizer of the Papal Trip

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, SEPT. 19, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- Joseph Stalin´s
deportations last century helped turn Kazakhstan into a mosaic of ethnic
groups and cultures.

When John Paul II arrives to this one-time Soviet republic on Saturday, his
message will be simple: Coexistence between religions and ethnic groups is
possible.

The republic´s 16 million people include Muslims (the majority), Orthodox,
Protestants and Catholics. Ethnically they are Kazakhs, Russians,
Ukrainians, Germans and Poles, among others.

In this interview, Italian Father Edoardo Canetta, 51, a missionary in
Kazakhstan for the past 10 years, and member of the Papal Trip Preparation
Committee, explains the republic´s situation.

--Q: Ten years ago, following the Soviet regime, the Catholic Church was
reborn in the country. How does the Church evangelize in these lands?

--Father Canetta: There has always been traditional pastoral care, mainly
for immigrants -- or perhaps we should say, deportees.

Now, there is less request for this type of ministry since many of the
Germans, Ukrainians/Russians and Poles have left. Currently the Polish
government offers to pay expenses incurred by Poles who decide to return to
their own country. This has led to a sort of emigration frenzy which is not
a good sign.

In some areas, Church communities, comprising mainly families of former
deportees, are in danger of disappearing altogether. This is why together,
with traditional pastoral care, missionary work is also necessary.

Q: Why do the people decide to leave?

Father Canetta: This tendency is due, I think, not only to the poor
situation of the Kazakh economy. Kazakhstan has a crisis, but things are
improving.

A more sensitive question is an ethnic problem which is beginning to appear.
In Kazakhstan, before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Kazakhs were about 32% of
the population. With the return home of Germans, Poles and Russians, Kazakhs
today are 53% of the population and they hold 80% or 90% of positions of
political power.

Laws regarding language result mathematically in the reserving of 70% of
jobs at universities or in the police force for people who speak Kazakh. In
actual fact, the law reserves 50% of jobs for Kazakh speakers and the other
50% for Russian speakers, but the majority are still Kazakhs.

This explains the ethnic unbalance in government posts. On the other hand,
if the different groups -- Germans, Russians, Poles, etc. -- are content to
speak Russian and make no effort to learn Kazakh, they are bound to be
excluded!

Last year, Russian President Putin visited Kazakhstan´s Eurasia University
in Karaganda, and on that occasion he said in public, in front of President
Nazarbajev: "My Russian friends living here tell me that they find it hard
to live with Kazakhs and so they are leaving."

This was a serious statement that is a threat to the future of peaceful
coexistence and also the presence of the Catholic Church. I suspect that the
Polish government´s measures to facilitate the return home of their
compatriots is also due to fear of ethnic conflict.

Q: Are there signs of such conflict?

Father Canetta: For the moment, the contrast is noted in economic
activities.

In the past, Russian and Kazakh businesses competed at the same level.
Today, Kazakh enterprises are privileged. On the other hand "white"
immigrants still consider themselves colonialists: They make no effort to
learn the local language, they look down on Kazakhs.

It should be said that at least 99% of the Catholics are "white" immigrants
-- Poles, Germans, Ukrainians. There is also a group of Korean Catholics,
but as they are without a priest of their language, many are drawn to
Protestant sects which, on the contrary, are supplied with dozens of
ministers on the spot. Not many Kazakhs are Catholic.

Until recently, missionary work among the Kazakhs was not even thought of.
For many Catholics here, religion still coincides with nationality. Although
among mature Christians there is a desire to help everyone encounter Christ,
Soviet traditions closed them in ethnic-religious ghettos.

Q: Is there any ad gentes mission activity at all?

Father Canetta: Most of this happens by chance. For example, people may hear
about Jesus Christ when coming together with neighbors or friends, or
meeting a priest on a train or a bus.

There are other fields of encounter, for example, the university where I
myself work, and then in prisons and factories. We have a few small groups
of people who attend weekly catechism sessions.

Q: What challenges face the Catholic community here?

Father Canetta: The main challenge, which we hope will be facilitated by the
Holy Father´s visit, is for Catholics to obtain full recognition, rights and
dignity, equal to the Muslim and Orthodox majority groups.

In Kazakhstan today there is pressure from various sides. On one side,
Muslim fundamentalism, supported by Afghanistan, is gaining ground; on the
other, the Patriarchate of Moscow is pushing to have the Orthodox community
here recognized as the only representative of all Christian communities.

The Muslims claim that Islam is Kazakhstan´s only original religion; the
Orthodox say they are the only true Christians. But, in actual fact, the
history of Catholics is older than either that of the Muslims or the
Orthodox. Traces of the Catholic Church in Kazakhstan can be found as early
as the third century.

Our position is somewhat peculiar: We refuse to be listed as one of the many
sects; we are not recognized as equal to the Orthodox Church here. At the
moment, we have a sort of "special status," guaranteed by an agreement
between the Holy See and the government of Kazakhstan.

But while we demand that others recognize that Catholics have equal
cultural, historical and social dignity, we must do our part and become more
familiar with Kazakh culture.

Until now, Russian laws regarding religious freedom, registration, control,
annual revision, and even three monthly visas for Catholic missionaries,
have not affected Kazakhstan. Laws here are secular and liberal. But
recently, pressured by the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow, the government
is considering introducing stricter regulations.

Q: What about Catholic-Muslim relations?

With regard to Islam it should be said that Kazakh Islam, influenced by
Sufism, is not lived very intensely. There are Muslims who are not even
clear about the meaning of certain religious feast days.

Fundamentalist pressure creeping in from the south is pressing for a
revision. The new grand mufti, Absattar Derbassaliev, former pro-rector of
Kazakhstan´s important Al Farabi University, has said, "Kazakh Islam is
finished; it is time to return to the Arab roots of Islam." But in this way
he is going against the people and against Kazakh tradition.

The grand mufti, who spent several years in Saudi Arabia as cultural
attaché, has also declared that the memorial in Turkestan, southern
Kazakhstan, which for Kazakh Muslims has always been a traditional place of
pilgrimage, cannot be seen as the "new Mecca"; he insists on banning
alcohol, whereas Kazakhs are great drinkers; he wants all paintings and
images -- much loved by Kazakh culture -- removed.

Lastly, he wants the national spring festival Nauriz, of Zoroastrian origin,
abolished on the grounds that it is a "pagan" feast. Many Kazakhs are
rejecting this type of Islam: "We prefer to live as Kazakhs, rather than as
the imam demand."

Recently, members of the Kazakh Ministry of Culture, who studied in
Pakistan, stated that although they remain "Muslims in spirit" they will no
longer profess Islam in public or keep the annual Ramadan fast. This points
to incipient conflict between Islam and Kazakh culture.


* * *

John Paul II Reflects on Prayer in Times of Suffering

Address at the General Audience

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 19, 2001 (Zenit News Services).- Here is a translation
of John Paul II´s address at today´s general audience.

1. It is a dark night, in which voracious wild beasts are perceived in the
surroundings. The man of prayer is waiting for the coming of dawn, so that
the light will dispel the darkness and fear. This is the background of Psalm
56 [57], proposed today for our reflection: a night song prepared by the man
of prayer at the break of day, anxiously awaited, to be able to praise the
Lord with joy (verses 9-12). In fact, the Psalm moves from a dramatic lament
addressed to God to serene hope and joyful thanksgiving, the latter
expressed with the words that, in turn, resound again in another Psalm (see
Psalm 107[108]: 2-6).

a. In reality, we are witnessing the passage from fear to joy, from night to
day, from nightmare to serenity, from supplication to praise. It is an
experience that is often described in the Psalter: ´You changed my mourning
into dancing; you took off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. With
my whole being I sing endless praise to you. O Lord, my God, forever will I
give you thanks" (Psalm 29[30]:12-13).

Fear

2. There are, therefore, two parts to Psalm 56[57], on which we are
meditating. The first refers to the experience of fear before the assault of
evil, which attempts to strike the just one (verses 2-7). At the center of
the scene are lions poised to attack. In no time this picture is transformed
into a symbol of war, depicted by spears, and arrows and swords. The man of
prayer feels assaulted by a kind of death squadron. He is surrounded by a
band of hunters, who set traps and dig pits to capture the prey. However,
this tense atmosphere is suddenly dissipated. In fact, already at the
beginning (verse 2) the protective symbol of the divine wings appears, which
refer, specifically, to the Ark of the Covenant with winged cherubim,
namely, the presence of God near the faithful in the holy temple of Zion.

3. The man of prayer asks God insistently to send his messengers from
heaven, to whom he attributes the emblematic names of "Faithfulness" and
"Grace" (verse 4), a quality proper to the saving love of God. Therefore,
although he trembles before the terrible roaring of the wild beasts and the
wickedness of his persecutors, the faithful one remains serene and confident
within, like Daniel in the lions´ den (see Daniel 6:17-25).

Confidence

The Lord´s presence does not delay in showing its efficacy, through the
self-punishment of the adversaries: The latter fall into the pit they dug
for the just one (verse 7). This confidence in divine justice, which is
always expressed in the Psalter, impedes discouragement and surrender to the
power of evil. Sooner or later, God comes to the aid of his faithful one,
upsetting the maneuvers of the wicked, and making them stumble in their own
evil plans.

Thanksgiving

4. So we come to the second part of the Psalm, that of thanksgiving (verses
8-12). There is a passage that shines because of its intensity and beauty:

"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make
melody! Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!"
(verses 7-8). Now the darkness has been dispelled: The dawn of salvation has
colored the song of the man of prayer.

Applying this image to himself, the Psalmist translates perhaps in the terms
of biblical religiosity, rigorously monotheistic, the custom of the Egyptian
and Phoenician priests who were in charge of "awakening the dawn," namely,
of making the sun reappear, considered as a beneficent divinity. He also
alludes to the custom of hanging and covering the musical instruments at a
time of mourning and trial (see Psalm 136[137]:2), and of "reawakening" them
to a festive sound in times of liberation and joy. Hope, then, springs from
the liturgy: it turns to God, asking him to come close to his people again,
and to hear their supplication. In the Psalter, the dawn is often the moment
of divine listening, after a night of prayer.

God´s Irruption

5. So the Psalm ends, with a song of praise to the Lord, who acts with his
two great saving qualities, which already appeared with different terms in
the first part of the supplication (verse 4). Now, virtually personified,
divine Goodness and Faithfulness enter the scene. They inundate the heavens
with their presence and are like the light that shines in the darkness of
trials and persecutions (verse 11). For this reason, in the Christian
tradition Psalm 56[57] has become a song of awakening to Easter light and
joy, which shines in the faithful, removing the fear of death and opening
the horizon of heavenly glory.

6. Gregory of Nyssa discovers in the words of this Psalm a sort of typical
description of what happens in every human experience open to the
recognition of the wisdom of God. "Indeed, he saved me -- he exclaims -- by
shading me with the cloud of the Spirit, and those who had trampled on me
were humiliated" ("On the Titles of Psalms" ["Sui Titoli dei Salmi"], Rome,
1994, p. 183).

Then, quoting the expressions at the end the Psalm, where it says: "Be
exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth," he
concludes: "To the degree that the glory of God is extended on earth,
increased by the faith of those who are saved, the heavenly powers extol
God, exulting over our salvation" (ibid., p. 184).
[Translation by ZENIT]

At the end of the audience, the Pope summarized his reflection in English as
follows:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Psalm 56[57] opens on a note of darkness, destruction and fear. The just man
is threatened by the forces of evil, symbolized by lions ready to attack and
hunters setting traps to capture their prey. Yet, he does not give in to
despair but, instead, turns to God for protection. With serene confidence in
God´s faithfulness and saving love, the just man is able to stand up to the
evil powers, knowing that they will be overcome. In a spirit of
thanksgiving, he sings God´s praises and looks forward to the dawn that will
scatter the clouds of darkness, giving way to the bright light of day. As we
pray this Psalm, we rejoice that God has overcome sin and death, filling our
hearts with Easter light and joy.

I extend warm greetings to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors,
especially those from England, Canada, Malta, Japan, Indonesia, and the
United States of America. I invite you to pray in these days that Almighty
God will guide the minds and hearts of world leaders so that the ways of
justice and peace may prevail. Upon you and your families I invoke abundant
divine blessings.


* * *


European Bishops Oppose Massive Use of Force

"Classical Categories of Justice Seem Inadequate"

BRUSSELS, Belgium, SEPT. 19, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The Commission of
Episcopal Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) believes that the
tragic attacks on the United States must lead to a rethinking of
international relations.

In a message published Tuesday and sent to leaders of the European Union,
the bishops´ commission stated: "Injustices exist in the world; they are the
source of many political and social conflicts. The world is divided into
rich and poor, and not by religions and cultures.

"The present challenge lies in a new policy of development for the poorer
countries. One way to establish more just global structures, and to reduce
material poverty can be found in new forms of global governance."

The message continued: "The greatest danger in this challenge is that we
give up the vision of a just and peaceful world. The aim of globalization
should not be the well-being of a few, but justice for all."

The bishops made their appeal on the eve of Friday´s meeting here of leaders
of the European Union.

The European bishops strongly condemned the unprecedented attack on the
American people.

"There is no justification for violence and destruction; there is no
theological foundation for terrorism -- not in the Christian, Jewish or
Muslim faith," they insisted.

"All responsible for the attacks must be identified and punished," the
bishops added. "Our collective sense of justice would be severely damaged
if, in the face of this unspeakable [evil], its perpetrators and instigators
were not brought to account."

"However, our classical categories of justice seem inadequate to address the
terrorist attacks on New York and Washington," they stressed. "The massive
use of force is not an appropriate response for restoring law and justice."

"Political leaders face the most difficult questions of conscience in this
regard," they concluded. "We, therefore, urge the leaders of the European
Union to try to do everything in their power to prevent us descending into a
spiral of retaliation and war."

The episcopal message was signed by Bishop Josef Homeyer of Hildesheim,
Germany, president of COMECE; Bishop Adrianus van Luyn of Rotterdam,
Netherlands, vice president of COMECE; Bishop Attilio Nicora, of the Italian
bishops´ conference, vice president of COMECE; and Bishop Noel Treanor,
secretary-general of COMECE.


* * *


VATICAN PAPER CAUTIONS AGAINST US MILITARY CAMPAIGN

VATICAN, Sept 20, 01 (CWNews Service) -- The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore
Romano has cautioned against an American military reaction to the terror
attack of September 11.

The September 21 edition of L'Osservatore Romano carries an article calling
for an American reaction "grounded in wisdom, demonstrating thoughts of
solidarity, justice, and peace, and recognizing the important duty to the
family of nations." The article urged a careful, prudent, and measured
American response.

(L'Osservatore Romano follows an unusual publishing schedule, in which each
issue appears late in the day before the cover date. Thus the September 21
issue was available in the afternoon of September 20.)

The Vatican newspaper pointed to the thoughts expressed by Pope John Paul II
during his public audience on September 12, the day following the attack.
L'Osservatore also cited the papal message for the World Day of Peace in
1993, in which John Paul had written that armed warfare does not solve
problems but creates new ones.


* * *


US BISHOP SAYS AMERICAN CONFIDENCE SHATTERED

VATICAN, Sep 20, 01 (CWNews Service) - An American archbishop, speaking to
the Italian daily Avvenire, has said that the terror attack on New York and
Washington has shattered the confidence of Americans.

Archbishop John Foley, the president of the Pontifical Council for Social
Communications, added that the American reaction must show the world that
terrorism "does not pay."

The American archbishop-- who spoke to Avvenire from Fribourg, where he was
attending the conference of the International Catholic Union of the Press--
observed that after the terror attack, "we lost the feelings of security and
confidence that characterize Americans."

Asked about possible military responses, Archbishop Foley said that
"violence against an entire society is not the solution." He suggested that
US leaders should rally public opinion throughout the world, creating a
common determination "to bring the guilty to justice."


* * *


AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 19, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in
separate audiences:

* Archbishop George Kocherry, apostolic nuncio in Ghana and Togo.
* Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.


* * *

HOW TO POST A QUESTION TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK AND HOW TO SUBMIT AN
ARTICLE FOR PUBLICATION

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* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

WEAR THE SCAPULA AND PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE
WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News, unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, CWNews, Zenit News Service, and VIS own
the original copyright for their news releases and are credited as such.
All copyright materials copied in any form must include the appropriate
copyright owner; in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
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All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com







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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Eight C

Wednesday, 19 September, 2001


"St. Januarius"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE

ELEVENTH YEAR - N.157
ENGLISH
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2001

SUMMARY:

- GENERAL AUDIENCE: GOD IS ALWAYS ON THE SIDE OF THE FAITHFUL
- AUDIENCES
- IN MEMORIAM

---------------

GENERAL AUDIENCE: GOD IS ALWAYS ON THE SIDE OF THE FAITHFUL

VATICAN CITY, SEP 19, 2001 (VIS) - In today's general audience, which took
place in St. Peter's Square, John Paul II reflected on Psalm 56, explaining
that it is "a nocturnal song which prepares the one praying for the light
of dawn, awaiting with anxiety, to be able to praise the Lord in joy. The
Psalm, in effect, passes from dramatic lament to God to serene hope and
joyous thanks."

   The Pope explained that the first part of the Psalm concerns the
"experience of fear at the assault of evil which attempts to strike the
just man. ... The presence of the Lord does not delay in showing its
efficacy, through punishment of the adversaries. ... Such faith in divine
justice, always alive in the Psalter, prevents discouragement and surrender
to the power of evil. God always takes the side of the faithful,
overturning the designs of the enemy, making them stumble on their own
wicked plans."

   The second part of the Psalm, the Pope continued, is one of thanks. "The
liturgy, therefore, causes hope to blossom: it turns to God, inviting Him
to draw near to His people anew and to listen to their supplication."

   The Pope emphasized that "the Psalm closes, thus, with a song a praise to

the Lord," and concluded affirming that "Psalm 56 is transformed in
Christian tradition into a song of reawakening to the Easter light and joy,
which shines upon the faithful erasing the fear of death and opening the
horizon to the celestial glory."

   In his greetings to English-speaking pilgrims after the audience, in
reference to the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States, the
Pope said: "I invite you to pray in these days that Almighty God will guide
the mind and hearts of world leaders so that the ways of justice and peace
may prevail."
AG/PSALM 56/... VIS 20010919 (310)

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 19, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in
separate audiences:

  - Archbishop George Kocherry, apostolic nuncio in Ghana and Togo.
  - Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, prefect of the Congregation for Bishops.
AP/.../... VIS 20010919 (30)

IN MEMORIAM

VATICAN CITY, SEP 19, 2001 (VIS) - The following prelates have died in
recent weeks:

  - Bishop Marcial Augusto Ramirez Ponce, military ordinary emeritus for
Venezuela, on September 8, at the age of 76.
  - Bishop Marcello Rosina, emeritus of Civita Castellana, Italy, on
September 5, at the age of 88.


* * *

SPREAD THE WORD: TELL A FRIEND

Roman Catholic News is a brand new Yahoo group that is one week old today.
We are in the top 30's of 479 Catholic Yahoo groups, and growing steadily on
a daily basis.  Your membership as a subscriber is important to us and helps
us grow in numbers and improve our services.  Please spread the word that a
Catholic clergy run Catholic News group and Reference Desk is available that
keeps you informed on all the activities of Pope John Paul II, the Holy See,
the Roman Curia, Catholic doctrine, critical world news, biblical studies,
our Catholic Reference Desk that answers questions, etc.,   Your
subscription is important to us.  Welcome to Roman Catholic News.  Tell a
friend.

* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH
UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News, unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, CWNews, Zenit News Service, and VIS own
the original copyright for their news releases and are credited as such.
All copyright materials copied in any form must include the appropriate
copyright owner; in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
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All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com







_______________________________________________________
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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Eight B

Wednesday, 19 September, 2001


"St. Januarius"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time


False "Fatima Secret" Circulating on Internet

Miami Archbishop Dismisses Link to Sept. 11 Attacks

MIAMI, Florida, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Archbishop John C.
Favalora of Miami has dismissed the alleged "third secret of Fatima,"
circulating on Internet, which refers to the Sept. 11 attacks on the United
States.

The "Third Secret of Fatima" is a republication of the text that circulated
on Internet shortly before the advent of the year 2000. That text´s
"promises" of destruction and "divine punishment" were denied with the June
26, 2000, publication of the Fatima revelations by the Holy See.

"We are close to the last minute of the last day and the catastrophe is
near," the false document states, adding that "the Pope and the bishops are
now awaiting another message, which speaks about repentance and prayer."

In his statement, Archbishop Favalora clarifies that "the secret of Fatima
is already known, and the world has not ended," referring to its publication
by the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"Instead of perdition and darkness, the Fatima predictions are a
confirmation for the faithful that, despite the horrors of history, God is
with us," the archbishop stressed.

He added that false, catastrophic predictions are not necessary to
understand that "penance and prayer for the conversion of the world are even
more necessary," because there are "even more insidious enemies, such as
materialism, secularism and hedonism."


* * *

Holy See Denies Rumors of Terrorist Plot Against Vatican
Media Cite Report by Italian Secret Service

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 16, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The Holy See says there
is no reason to believe that the Vatican is being considered as a target of
Muslim terrorism, a Vatican spokesman said today in response to speculation
in the Italian media.

Igor Man, a European expert in Arab politics, wrote an article today in
which he says that the cupola of St. Peter's Basilica could become a target
of the terrorist commandos working for Osama bin Laden.

Man's article, published in the Il Nuovo digital daily bulletin, revealed
that last Friday the Italian secret service gave the "highest Italian
authorities" a report in which this risk is emphasized.

"There are no alarming elements that would justify rumors of this kind," the
vice director of the Vatican Press Office, Father Ciro Benedittini, said in
statements to the press, while accompanying John Paul II on his pastoral
visit to the Italian city of Frosinone.

Igor Man pointed out that the Italian secret service had already warned
about the possibility of kamikaze attacks in Western countries, on the eve
of the G-8 summit in Genoa last July.

Weeks before the opening of the Jubilee Year 2000, Italian secret service
warned that the Vatican could become the object of Muslim terrorist attacks.
Italian police reacted by tightening security at all points of access to the
Vatican.

The small Vatican City State would not be able to resist kamikaze attacks
like the ones in New York. Rome's Fiumicino airport is only six minutes away
by plane, and the army would not be able to react in time to defend against
a hijacked plane.

In general, John Paul II is not seen as an enemy of the Arab or Muslim
world. He is the first Pope to have entered a mosque. And he has
consistently supported the just rights of every nation, including Palestine,
and has criticized the bombings and embargoes that hurt the civilian
populations of Iraq and Libya.


* * *


Courses for Women "Deaconesses" Ruled Out

They Are Deceptive, Say 3 Vatican Congregations

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 17, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Courses for the
formation of women "deaconesses" in the Catholic Church have no doctrinal
foundation and are thus deceptive, the Vatican says in a new document.

The "notification," approved by John Paul II, was published today by the
Vatican Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith; for Divine Worship and
the Discipline of the Sacraments; and for the Clergy.

Among the resolutions of the ecumenical meeting of Women´s Ordination
Worldwide, held in Ireland last July, was the idea to promote courses for
the formation of women deaconesses. Some dioceses in the world have already
started such courses.

The Vatican congregations stated in the notification that such expectations
"are lacking in solid doctrinal foundation and, consequently, can generate
pastoral confusion."

"Since ecclesial ordination does not foresee the possibility of such an
ordination, it is not licit to implement initiatives that, in some way, look
to preparing candidates for the diaconal Order," the notification continues.


The Vatican reminds the faithful that the Church´s ministries are not about
power, but about service and, in this sense, as the magisterium explains,
"opens other ample prospects of service and collaboration" for women in the
ecclesial community.

Lastly, the Vatican congregations appeal to bishops to apply this directive
and to know how to explain it to their faithful.

The International Theological Commission, presided over by Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger, one of the signers of the document, is studying the meaning of
the term "deaconess" which the Church used at some periods of history.

Asked by ZENIT, the commission´s experts said that women offered a "service"
-- in the Greek sense of the word -- to the Christian community. But they
added that this service was not connected to the priestly ministry.

NOTIFICATION ON THE DIACONAL ORDINATION OF WOMEN

VATICAN CITY, SEP 17, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was the following
Notification by the Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith, for Divine
Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments and for Clergy, signed by the
respective prefects, Cardinals Joseph Ratzinger, Jorge Arturo Medina Estevez
and Dario Castrillon Hoyos. The Notification was approved by the Pope on
September 14.

   "1. Our offices have received from several countries signs of courses
that are being planned or underway, directly or indirectly aimed at the
diaconal ordination of women. Thus are born hopes which are lacking a solid
doctrinal foundation and which can generate pastoral disorientation.

   "2. Since ecclesial ordination does not foresee such an ordination, it is
not licit to enact initiatives which, in some way, aim to prepare candidates
for diaconal ordination.

   "3. The authentic promotion of women in the Church, in conformity with
the constant ecclesial Magisterium, with special reference to (the
Magisterium) of His Holiness John Paul II, opens other ample prospectives of
service and collaboration.

   "4. The undersigned Congregations - within the sphere of their proper
authority - thus turn to the individual ordinaries, asking them to explain
(this) to their own faithful and to diligently apply the above-mentioned
directives."


* * *


St. Thérèse Relics Begin Tour of Canada

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The
relics of St. Thérèse of Lisieux began their tour of Canada with a
celebration at Vancouver’s Holy Rosary Cathedral presided over by Archbishop
Adam Exner.

The relics of this French Carmelite nun, who died of tuberculosis in 1897 at
age 24, will travel across Canada for the next three months visiting more
than 100 locations. Canada is the 22nd country to host the reliquary
containing the bones of the popular saint.

The relics will be staying in the Archdiocese of Vancouver for six days and
will also visit the dioceses of Victoria, Kamloops and Prince George before
moving eastward across Canada.The Canadian visit of the relics will end in
Halifax on Dec. 14 when the reliquary will return to Lisieux, France.

The reliquary, made of precious wood and silver, weighs more than 135
kilograms (300 pounds) and measures 1.5 meters long by 1 meter wide and 0.85
meter high (a little more than 4½ feet by 3 feet by 2 feet high).

St. Thérèse was canonized in 1925 and declared a Doctor of the Church in
1997. More than 1,800 churches worldwide carry her name, 60 of which are in
Canada.

More information on the visit of the relics is at
http://www.cccb.ca/therese/index.html.


* * *


TERRORISM ON THE INTERNET: FBI WARNING

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

ADVISORY 01-021

  "Potential Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks "
  09/17/2001

  The National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) expects an increase
in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. NIPC Advisory 01-020,
"Increased Cyber Awareness" dated September 14, 2001 warned of threatened
vigilante hacking activity against organizations associated with the
perceived perpetrators of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.

  On September 12, 2001, a group of hackers named the Dispatchers claimed
they had already begun network operations against information infrastructure
components such as routers. The Dispatchers stated they were targeting the
communications and finance
infrastructures. They also predicted that they would be prepared for
increased operations on or about Tuesday, September 18, 2001.

  There is the opportunity for significant collateral damage to any computer
network and telecommunications infrastructure that does not have current
countermeasures in place. The Dispatchers claim to have over 1,000 machines
under their control for the attacks. It is likely that the attackers will
mask their operations by using the IP addresses and pirated
systems of uninvolved third parties.

  System administrators are encouraged to check their systems for zombie
agent software and ensure they institute best practices such as ingress and
egress filtering. The NIPC has made available the "Find DDoS" tool to
determine if your computer has been infected by the most common DDoS agents.
The tool may be downloaded from the following website:
  http://www.nipc.gov/warnings/advisories/2000/00-055.htm

  Additionally, a list of best practices is available from the CERT/CC
website,
located at:
  http://www.cert.org/security-improvement.

  Recipients of this advisory are encouraged to report computer intrusions
to
their local FBI office  (http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm) or the NIPC,
and to the other appropriate authorities.   Incidents may be reported online
at http://www.nipc.gov/incident/cirr.htm. The NIPC Watch and   Warning Unit
can be reached at (202) 323-3204/3205/3206 or nipc.watch@....


****


Yesterday's virus

http://antivirus.about.com/library/weekly/aa091801a.htm?iam=dpile&terms=%2Bnimda

The www.solt3.org/ website was down yesterday.  Verio, the host Internet
Service Provider, said their computers were infected with the worm variously
called W32/Nimda.a@mm by most antivirus vendors (the exception is McAfee who
refers to it as W32/Minda@mm)

If you receive any blank email letters with an attachment called:

readme.exe

please delete it immediately.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is
not linking this worm at present to any terrorist organization.


* * *


BIBLICAL SCHOLAR PASSES AS ACADEMICS MOURN

It is with heavy heart that I inform you of the death of our friend and
colleague, Anthony J. Saldarini, Professor of Biblical Studies at Boston
College, after a long illness.  Tony passed away yesterday, September 16. 
He received his PhD from Yale University in Near Eastern Languages and
Literatures in 1971.  He authored several significant studies, including
Matthew's Christian-Jewish Community (U. Chicago), Pharisees, Scribes and
Sadducees in Palestinian Society : A Sociological Approach (M. Glazier), and
Abot de Rabbi Nathan
(Brill).  Tony will be sorely missed by all who knew and worked with
him.

Sincerely,

David Vanderhooft <vanderho@...>
Boston College


* * *

AS THE BELL TOLLS (Part 2)
by John N. Lupia


In this second part of this series, we wish to point out that a False
"Fatima Secret" is currently circulating on the internet, according to
Archbishop John C. Favalora of Miami, Florida.   That "false secret"
purported promises of destruction and divine punishment  and that "We are
close to the last minute of the last day and the catastrophe is near,"
adding that "the Pope and the bishops are now awaiting another message,
which speaks about repentance and prayer."   In our series we have stated
that the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church alone has the authority to
define the doctrine concerning the Second Coming of Christ as it has already
published its official doctrine in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
This doctrine has outlined what we have already proposed: an era of
conversion and unity will emerge, not destruction, disaster, divine wrath,
or any other morbid interpretation of a catastrophic  apocalyptic vision, be
it that of the Book of Revelations, or Fatima.  The Catholic Church has
never held nor supported any interpretation that is a prophecy of doom and
dismal dismay, since just the opposite is true, Christ is the hope and
savior of the world.  It should be underscored, however, that all members of
Church militant as well as all people of the world are always in need of
repentance and prayer.  In this sense the final statement of this false
Fatima secret has not established anything new nor false, but a message
which is ancient going back to the apostles themselves.  The Church is not
waiting for any new prophecy or vision to direct it since she already has
the Gospels and a rich tradition that form the basis of the deposit of faith
that contains within it all revelation necessary for her to reach her goal.
As for when the "Last Day" is to come we can be sure it is many decades in
the future.

The era of conversion and unity is already underway.  The first wave of this
process requires the Church to take on an ever increasing active role and
responsibility on globalization policies in order to preserve human dignity
and freedom and establish an authentic lasting peace and solidarity.
Nations have been drawn together in dialogue to discuss global issues and
peace keeping efforts in lieu of the events this past week.  Church
officials have begun to raise their voices in support of all positive
actions to bring about global solidarity and peace.  These voices will
continue to grow and evolve with Catholic bishops and the College of
Cardinals playing a more intensive role in these discussions for global
solidarity and peace, bringing all their resources to bear to gain
recognition and assimilation of Catholic moral principles requisite to this
process.  Although this is currently forming it will take some time, perhaps
years to establish stronger relationships and social forces to bear to
attain the success of this initiative.  This Catholic coalition of bishops
is a necessary step that will lead to a global spiritual conversion,
solidarity and peace.  The Vatican has been playing an ever increasing role
in intelligence gathering to share with United Nations members to aid in
peace and solidarity.  It has just announced that it supports economic
sanctions, not a strike force.  From this, the current increasing role of
many Catholic bishops and cardinals will take on increasing importance to
assure that globalization policies will include the ideals of justice and
freedom in light of the Gospel message.


Once this Catholic coalition of bishops has become a reality in
globalization policymaking the second wave of the conversion, unity and
peace era will emerge.  As we have seen the Book of Revelations 11 speaks
about the two witnesses.  This has a long tradition in the Church of
signifying Moses and Elias (the pope and a bishop).  When this takes place
is certainly sometime in our near future, perhaps a decade or two.  This,
however, is still not the end of the world.  An era of peace will follow as
Our Lady told us at Fatima.  The end will follow this much later at a time
that no one will know.  So, although we use the phrase "end times" it
suggests an era that consists of various waves or phases that unroll through
time.  We can see that we have arrived at the very birthpangs of this
showing its earliest beginning.  The "Last Day" is still very far off from
our day.


* * *

SPREAD THE WORD: TELL A FRIEND

Roman Catholic News is a brand new Yahoo group that is one week old today.
We are in the top 30's of 479 Catholic Yahoo groups, and growing steadily on
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us grow in numbers and improve our services.  Please spread the word that a
Catholic clergy run Catholic News group and Reference Desk is available that
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the Roman Curia, Catholic doctrine, critical world news, biblical studies,
our Catholic Reference Desk that answers questions, etc.,   Your
subscription is important to us.  Welcome to Roman Catholic News.  Tell a
friend.

* * *

EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharistic host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer
you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in reparation for all the
sins committed against you and for the conversion and salvation of the
world."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH
UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium approaches . .
. unity among all Christians of the various confessions will increase until
they reach full communion." John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

_____________________________________________________________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
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All copyright materials copied in any form must include the appropriate
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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Eight A

Wednesday, 19 September, 2001


"St. Januarius"

Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

JOHN PAUL II INVITES REDISCOVERY OF THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS

VATICAN CITY, Sunday, SEP 16, 2001 (VIS) - John Paul II traveled by
helicopter from Castelgandolfo to the diocese of Frosinone, southeast of
Rome, for his 140th pastoral visit within Italy. Before an estimated 40,000
people, he presided over Mass at 10:30, followed by the recitation of the
Angelus.

   "The joy of forgiveness: behold the 'good news' which today the liturgy
makes resound with vigor among us," John Paul said at the beginning of his
homily. "Forgiveness is the joy of God, even before it is the joy of man.
The commitment, initiative, and work of each and every community must become
a Gospel witness, rooted in the joyful experience of the love and
forgiveness of God."

   The Holy Father emphasized that "it is urgent, in these times, to
proclaim Christ, Redeemer of man, in order that His love be known by all and
spread in every direction." To the diocese of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino he
renewed Christ's invitation to Peter: "'Duc in altum' - Put out into the
deep" in order that "it be a guide to you in a courageous spiritual renewal,
translated into concrete pastoral planning. Build your present and your
future keeping your gaze fixed on Jesus. He is everything: everything for
the Church, everything for the salvation of man."

   "May strong moments of study and reflection on the Word of God be
multiplied in the parish communities. ... May the Eucharist be the heart and
guide of your spiritual and apostolic itinerary."

   The Pope concluded his homily recalling that Sunday, October 21, he will
beatify a Roman married couple: Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi. The
beatification will be celebrated in the milieux of the National Meeting of
Families, organized by the Italian Episcopal Conference, which will take
place in Rome. "It will be an occasion to reflect on the vocation to
sanctity of Christian families and, at the same time, to gain a greater
awareness of the social role of the family and to ask institutions to defend
and promote it with suitable norms and laws."


ANGELUS: JOHN PAUL RECALLS VICTIMS OF ATTACK IN U.S.

VATICAN CITY, SEP 16, 2001 (VIS) - Following Mass this morning in Frosinone,
a city southeast of Rome, the Holy Father prayed the Angelus with the 40,000
faithful present, asking the Virgin Mary to help the victims and families of
last Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the United States. He then participated
in a brief celebration with the young people of Frosinone who also
commemorated the victims of the attacks.

   "May the Blessed Virgin," said John Paul II, "bring comfort and hope to
all who are suffering because of the tragic terrorist attack that profoundly
wounded the beloved American people in recent days. To all the sons and
daughters of that great nation I now address my heartfelt thoughts and
participation. May Mary receive the dead, console the survivors, sustain the
families which have been especially tried and help everyone not to give in
to the temptation to hatred and violence, but to commit themselves to
serving justice and peace.

   "May Mary Most Holy nourish, especially in the young, high human and
spiritual ideals and the constancy necessary to realize them. May she remind
them of the primacy of eternal values so that, especially in these difficult
moments, commitments and daily activities may continue to be always oriented
towards God and His Kingdom of solidarity and peace."

   After the Angelus, and a celebration with young people, the Pope told
them: "The Lord is counting on each of you; He wants you to be protagonists
of the civilization of life and love. Help each other to be witnesses of the
Gospel and apostles of your peers.

   "I greet each of you, one by one, and make a date with you, at least in
spirit, for the great meeting of the world's Christian youth which will take
place next July in Toronto for the World Youth Day."


* * *


Attacks Are Not a "Religious" War, Cardinal Sodano Says Vatican Official
Counsels Bush to Exercise "Wisdom and Prudence"

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 16, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Cardinal Angelo Sodano,
the Vatican Secretary of State, counseled U.S. President George W. Bush that
last week's attacks do not signal a "religious" war.

On Friday, when he was attending a meeting of the spiritual leaders of an
Italian agricultural organization, Cardinal Sodano said he hoped the West
would react to the attacks on the United States with "wisdom and prudence."

"I have confidence in the wisdom of men," Cardinal Sodano said. "Prudence
must be the typical virtue of rulers, in order to see what is required to
achieve an objective. I hope that, once the angry reactions of the first
moment are passed, these men who have the destiny of peoples in their hands,
will consider what will lead to the good of humanity."

He refrained from categorizing the Sept. 11 attacks. "It is not up to me to
say if it was an act of war," he said.

"Sometimes, however, there are tragedies that are greater than war," he
added. "I want to underline the tragedy of this unimaginable apocalyptic
scene."

In such events, the cardinal said, there is "ethnic and cultural valence,
but not religious. … Certainly in madness, a man can appeal to religious
principles, but this is a grave deformation."


* * *

Days Before, Priest Predicted Plane Attacks on U.S.
Says Organization of Terrorist Groups Has Changed

ROME, SEPT. 16, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- A priest who has worked in
charities in Muslim countries had openly warned about a possible terrorist
attack on population centers in the United States and England -- four days
before the horrific raids on New York and Washington.

On Sept. 7, when he officiated at a wedding in Todi, Italy, French-born
Father Jean-Marie Benjamin, 55, explained informally to a judge and several
politicians that he had been told that a terrorist commando was preparing an
attack, with hijacked passenger planes, on U.S. and British population
centers.

Father Benjamin is regarded as one of the West's most knowledgeable experts
on the Muslim world. He was a U.N. employee from 1983 to 1988, and then
decided to consecrate his life to God, being ordained a priest in 1991.
Since 1997, he has been working with the people of Iraq, many of whom suffer
hunger because of the embargo and Saddam Hussein's regime.

On Sept. 11, a quarter-hour after the first attack on the Twin Towers, a
former European parliamentarian called the priest in great distress,
realizing his prediction came true. The priest would not name the official
out of respect for his privacy.

Last Thursday, the priest held a 70-minute meeting with Italian Foreign
Minister Renato Ruggiero.

The priest said he had no idea where the attacks would take place
specifically. The individuals he met -- whose identity and country he did
not reveal to the press -- only mentioned the United States and England, and
the use of suicide planes.

According to what the priest has learned, the attack on Great Britain failed
at the last minute.

Father Benjamin told ZENIT that in recent months the organization of Muslim
terrorist groups has changed.

"In the past, these organizations had autonomous activity, without any links
to other bodies," he explained. "But now they have developed a very
different apparatus."

"Bin Laden alone is linked to 70 of his organizations in some 30 countries,"
he added. "In turn, these groups are in touch with some 900 Muslim
organizations, located in all the continents, and they have thousands of
militants, some of whom are Westerners, who do not have an Arab surname and
who don't even believe in Islam."

The priest also said that bin Laden is not the only point of reference of
these organizations. If he should be killed or arrested, the organization --
with thousands of volunteers and activists in 30 countries -- would continue
to operate.

This situation makes it extremely difficult to respond to the attacks. The
priest recalled: "They told me, 'We do not need atomic bombs or laser-guided
missiles. We have enough volunteers and organization to react and put an end
to the West in three days.'"

The priest said he believed they were exaggerating on the last point.

"Although I am friendly with many Muslims, I wondered why they were telling
me, specifically," he added. "I felt it my duty to inform the Italian
government."

The priest lives most of the time in Assisi.

In April 2000, Father Benjamin was the first to violate the embargo imposed
on Iraq, when he took medicines to Baghdad to people whose lives were in
danger.


* * *


PAPAL TELEGRAM TO CATHOLIC JOURNALISTS MEETING IN SWITZERLAND

VATICAN CITY, SEP 18, 2001 (VIS) - Following is the text of the telegram
sent by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, secretary of state, in the name of Pope John
Paul to Bishop Pierfranco Pastore, secretary of the Pontifical Council for
Social Communications, on the occasion of the September 13-23 meeting of
Catholic journalists in Switzerland:

  "His Holiness Pope John Paul II sends cordial greetings and good wishes to
all assembled in Fribourg for the World Congress of the International
Catholic Union of the Press. His Holiness notes with satisfaction that the
Congress has taken as its theme the response of the communication media to
the urgent challenges raised by the process of globalization. He encourages
those present to ponder the significant ethical issues which globalization
raises in the light of the Gospel vision of the inalienable dignity of each
human being, the unity of the human family and the moral imperative of
fostering authentic human development and building a world of solidarity,
justice and peace. Assuring the organizers and all taking part in the
Congress of a remembrance in his prayers, the Holy Father willingly imparts
his apostolic blessing as a pledge of joy and peace in the Lord Jesus
Christ."


* * *

Papal Letter of Condolence to D.C. Cardinal

In Wake of Terrorist Attack on Washington

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Here is the text of a
letter of condolence from John Paul II to Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick,
archbishop of Washington, that was to be read at Sept. 16 Mass for Healing
and Peace in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D.C.

* * *

From the Vatican, September 15, 2001

"Dear Cardinal McCarrick,

I join my prayers to those of all assembled in the National Shrine for the
Mass of suffrage celebrated for those who lost their lives in last Tuesday´s
terrorist attack on the Pentagon. I am confident that in this time of trial
all Americans will find their religious faith a source of renewed hope and
the impetus for an ever more determined resolve to reject the ways of hatred
and violence.

To those affected by this immense tragedy I hold up the light of the Gospel
and pray that by the prompting of the Holy Spirit they will be led to an
ever closer union with the Lord Jesus Christ in the mystery of His cross and
resurrection. To all I solemnly repeat the Gospel injunction not to be
conquered by evil, but to conquer evil with good (Rom 12:21), to trust in
the power of God´s grace to transform human hearts and to work fearlessly to
shape a future of justice, peace and security for the children of our world.
Upon you, Archbishop O´Brien, Bishop Loverde and all the military and
civilian personnel who have gathered to commend the departed to the infinite
mercy of God our loving Father I cordially invoke the divine gifts of
wisdom, strength and perseverance in good. To all the faithful I cordially
impart my apostolic blessing as a pledge of comfort and peace in the Lord."

Pope John Paul II


* * *


Cardinal Egan´s Letter to Parishes

"They Have Not Shaken Our Faith"

NEW YORK, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Here is the text of a letter
to parishes sent out by Cardinal Edward Egan in the wake of the terrorist
attacks in the United States.

This and other letters may be consulted at http://ny-archdiocese.org.


* * *

September 15-16, 2001

My Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ:

As we gather around the altars of our parish churches this weekend, our
hearts are troubled. We have seen evil up close, and we struggle to
understand. The events of September 11th have upset us and confused us. But
they have not shaken our Faith. We know that we are children of a loving God
Who created us to spend an eternity with Him. We know that the grace of His
Son will always be sufficient for us. There is no tragedy that can call any
of this into question.

Thus, we commend to the loving care of our Heavenly Father all who have died
in the violence here in our own beloved New York, in Washington, and in
Pittsburgh. We pray for those who have been injured. And we thank God of the
police officers, fire-fighters, healthcare professionals, and civic leaders
who have guided and inspired us throughout this past week.

We are a united people, a people of courage. We insist that justice be done
to all who have had any part in the unspeakable crime that has been
committed in our midst. We will, however, never descend into hatred or
thoughts of revenge. With the Apostle Paul in the Second Reading of our
Mass, we are “grateful to Him Who has strengthened us, Christ Jesus, Our
Lord.” In Him we place our trust. In Him we find understanding, strength,
and peace.

Faithfully in Christ,

Edward Cardinal Egan
Archbishop of New York


* * *


Kazakhstan Trip Aims to Promote Interreligious Dialogue

Former Soviet Republic Is Near to Afghanistan

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 17, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- John Paul II will travel
to Kazakhstan this Saturday, a country not far from Afghanistan, to
demonstrate that the dialogue between cultures and religions is both a
"challenge" and an "opportunity."

The Holy Father confirmed this point of view this morning when he received
Nurlan Danenov, Astana´s new ambassador to the Vatican, in the papal
residence of Castel Gandolfo.

Kazakhstan, a former Soviet Republic, has close to 17 million inhabitants,
53.4% of whom are Kazakhs, 30% Russians, and the rest Ukrainians, Germans,
Uzbeks, Tartars and Poles. The mosaic is the result of Joseph Stalin´s
policy of deportations.

Religiously, the Muslims make up almost half the population, while the
Russian Orthodox number close to 44%.

"This pluralist situation is a challenge and, at the same time, an
opportunity," the Holy Father said when he met with ambassador Danenov, 50,
a former career diplomat of the Soviet Union.

"It is a challenge [because] in the past, differences between cultures have
often manifested themselves as sources of misunderstanding between peoples,
and also reasons for conflicts," the Pope added.

"Therefore, it is necessary that every private group oblige itself to have
attentive respect for others, endeavoring to know them better, to overcome
eventual tensions," the Pontiff added.

He contended that ethnic and cultural diversity is also an "opportunity,"
because it implies learning how to live in union with one another, which
does not mean being reduced to uniformity, forced recognition, or
assimilation.

According to John Paul II, the key lies in "communion," which in reality is
the "convergence of a multiform variety, becoming a sign of richness and
promise of development."

The Holy Father also praised the advent of religious liberty in Kazakhstan,
which has made possible the rebirth of the Catholic Church. It is also, he
said, an invitation "to individuals and religious communities to work for
the common good, in respect for one another within the framework of the laws
of the country."

John Paul II will visit Kazakhstan from Sept. 22-25 and then go to Armenia.

The grand mufti of Kazakhstan has appealed to Muslim faithful to prepare to
receive the "great guest."


* * *


Kazakhstan Plans Tight Security for Papal Visit

Following Terrorist Attacks on U.S.

ASTANA, Kazakhstan, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Following last
week´s attacks on America, Kazakhstan is taking "unprecedented" security
measures for John Paul II´s visit this weekend, the country´s Foreign
Minister announced.

"The security measures are unprecedented, given the recent terrorist attacks
in the United States," Bulat Iskakov, the head of Kazakh diplomacy, said
Monday in statements to the Russian Interfax agency.

According to the Foreign Minister, 2,400 police and soldiers will be
responsible for security during the Pontiff´s stay in Astana, the capital.
It is the only city the Pope will visit.

On Monday, when he received the new Kazakh ambassador to the Vatican, the
Holy Father said he aims to promote dialogue between cultures and religions
during his Sept. 22-25 visit to this former Soviet republic. Kazakhstan has
a mix of ethnic and religious groups.

Uzbekistan separates Kazakhstan from Afghanistan. Leaders in the region are
bracing for possible U.S. action against Afghanistan, which has sheltered
Osama bin Laden, a suspect in last Tuesday´s attacks in New York and near
Washington, D.C.

Half of Kazakhstan´s 16 million inhabitants are Sunni Muslims. Just over 6
million are Orthodox, and about 300,000 are Latin-rite Catholics. There are
also Greek-Catholics in the country.

Since the republic gained independence in 1991, some 600 churches and sects
have registered officially in the country, including many Protestant
fundamentalist groups.

The agency Fides reports that the Kazakh government has fears of
fundamentalist groups, including Islamic organizations, and hence tries to
control religious liberty. Large meetings require special authorization, and
demonstrations and processions are prohibited. "Proselytism" and active
missionary work are also banned.


* * *


Globalization Calls for Evangelization Via Media, Pope Says

Daughters of St. Paul Elect Brazilian as New Superior

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- In the era of
globalization, it is more necessary than ever to proclaim the love of God
through the media, John Paul II told participants in the Daughters of St.
Paul general chapter.

Today, the general chapter of this congregation elected a new superior,
Sister Maria Antonieta Bruscato, the first non-Italian to hold the post.

The new superior was born in Estumoso, Brazil, in 1938. She will lead 2,680
religious in some 50 countries.

Last Thursday, when the Pope met with the participants of the general
chapter, he said: "I thank you for the service you render the Church in a
complex and vast missionary field, such as the realm of the instruments of
social communication."

The general chapter is being held in Ariccia near Rome from Aug. 20 to Sept.
24.

The congregation, which works extensively in the media, was founded a
century ago by Italian Father Giacomo Alberione.

The Holy Father told the Daughters of St. Paul in his message: "In this era,
characterized by global communication, it is necessary to make the message
of salvation resound with vigor."

"The presence of competent agents, who at the same time are credible and
convincing witnesses of Christ, is more necessary than ever to fulfill this
commitment," he continued.

To be Christ´s apostles in the media, "it is necessary that you keep your
gaze fixed on his face," the Pope said. "May Christ be the center of your
life and your mission. Strive for holiness! And when, as happened to the
disciples, you are tired and without success, transform this seemingly
frustrating experience into a precious occasion of prayer and spiritual
maturation."

He continued: "May the problems, obstacles not be a reason for
discouragement; on the contrary, may they impel you to open your heart to
divine grace so that, strengthened by the word of Christ, you are able to
disseminate the joy and novelty of the Gospel with your presence and your
action."

The Daughters of St. Paul manage publishing houses, bookstores, magazines,
audiovisual production centers and, in recent years, multimedia projects and
Internet services.

The general chapter sessions may be followed at http://www.fspincammino.org.


* * *


Pope Meets with Nuncio to U.S.



VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit. News Service).- John Paul II met
privately today with his apostolic nuncio to the United States, Archbishop
Gabriel Montalvo.

Archbishop Montalvo, 71, is the official intermediary between the Holy See
and the White House, which is weighing options in the wake of last Tuesday´s
terrorist attacks.

Details of the meeting in the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo were not
immediately released.


* * *


Vatican Reminds About Father Gruner´s Suspension



VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The Vatican issued a
reminder that Father Nicholas Gruner, who is organizing a Conference for
Peace in the World in Rome, has been suspended from public exercise of his
priestly ministry.

The notification, published by the Congregation for the Clergy and signed by
its prefect and secretary, stated: "By mandate of the Superior Authority,
the Congregation for the Clergy wishes to point out that there is a
suspension ´a divinis´ on Don Nicholas Gruner, confirmed by a definitive
sentence of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature."

It continued: "Therefore, the activities of Don Gruner, among them the said
Conference, do not have the approval of the legitimate ecclesiastical
authorities." The peace conference is scheduled for Oct. 7-13.

Father Gruner, 55, born in Montreal, founded the International Fatima Rosary
Crusade, an organization that, among other things, claims that the
revelations of the third secret of Fatima made by the Holy See are false or
at least incomplete.


* * *


Christian and Muslim Leaders Address Challenge of Coexistence

Religion Can´t Justify Violence, Representatives Say

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).-
Christianity and Islam are religions of peace, not war, religious leaders
said at the close of an interfaith congress.

The final statement from the conference, in fact, is an appeal not to
"justify violence in the name of religion."

The congress, entitled "Christians and Muslims in Europe: Responsibility and
Commitment in the Pluralist Society," was organized in the Bosnian capital
on Saturday by the Joint Committee "Islam in Europe."

The panel was created by the Council of Episcopal Conferences of Europe --
which brings Catholic bishops together -- and by the Council of the Churches
of Europe -- which includes Orthodox, Anglicans, evangelicals and Lutherans.


The grand mufti of Moscow and Sarajevo, as well as other Muslim religious
leaders and intellectuals, also supported the event.

"We maintain a religious spirit that will lead us to courageous actions in
favor of human life, liberty, religion, property, dignity and justice," the
final message explained.

The statement also severely condemns the recent attacks on the United
States.

The representatives of both monotheist religions called for the promotion of
"a clear awareness of our common humanity, making us brothers and sisters,
beyond our social and religious commitment."

To accomplish the above, the religious leaders proposed the formation of
youth "in knowledge and respect of other creeds and communities, through
educational programs; and the promotion of religious education in public
schools including interreligious courses."

The participants encouraged priests, pastors, theologians and Muslim
representatives, as well as the laity, to promote "dialogue and
interreligious meetings through exchanges between faculties and Christian
and Muslim seminaries."

The document ends with the determination "to continue our efforts in the
development of an awareness of our common values."

During the final hours of the congress, the debate was intense. The plenary
assemblies touched upon sensitive issues, such as the justification of
violence by the Scriptures of both religions.

Anastasios, primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, told the conferees that
their common task is to oppose the secularist tendency. Harmony between
religions and believers is necessary, which can be based "on a sincere
acceptance and respect of the declarations of human rights," he said.

Muslim Mehmet Aydin, professor of the University of Smyrna, pointed out that
the lack of witness given at times by men of faith "causes distrust toward
the religious experience."

"Every time there is a threat of war," he added, "those who should teach
coexistence and peace are eager to rekindle the fire of conflict in God´s
houses. They even go so far as to justify it with religion."

Monsignor Aldo Giordano, secretary-general of the Council of European
Episcopal Conferences, explained that dialogue between religions should
preserve "our identity."

"It is not relativism, but a dialogue that enriches us and enables us to
coexist," he said.



* * *


Fearing a Sandinista Comeback in Nicaragua

Protestants and Catholics Alike Remember Persecution Under Marxists

AUSTIN, Texas, SEPT. 17, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The Sandinistas could
return to power in Nicaragua, and that has religious groups nervous.

The Sandinista Front of National Liberation led a popular revolution in
1979, ousting dictator Anastasio Somoza and establishing a government that,
among other things, attacked Christian communities that opposed the new
regime.

There were neighborhood spy networks, bugged phones and mandatory Sunday
workdays, requiring everyone to dig trenches, for what Sandinistas regarded
as an "imminent" invasion by the United States.

Evangelical and Catholic leaders alike were harassed, arrested and even
expelled from the country. "Revolutionary" vigilance was required in
churches to ward off "counterrevolutionary" activity. Church property was
confiscated and, sometimes, believers died violently or simply disappeared.

"I´m scared. I don´t want to live that life again," Mennonite Lois Orozco
said in statements published by the Compass news agency.

Orozco lived through 11 years of Marxism in Nicaragua, a hardship she
endured as one of a handful of American Christian missionaries who remained
after the Sandinista revolution led by Daniel Ortega. The Sandinistas ruled
from 1979 to 1990.

Now, Ortega could be making a comeback.

The Marxist icon of the 1980s is in a close race in the Nov. 4 presidential
election. Complicating the scenario is a devastating drought and plummeting
coffee prices that have driven the country into one of its worst economic
crises in years. Hunger and malnutrition are widespread in this nation of
1.5 million.

Rising anger among the nation´s poorest is working in Ortega´s favor, a
recent Washington Post said.

"It´s the worst economic crisis since the ´60s," Ortega told the Post. "A
lot of it has to do with corruption and this government´s failure to meet
people´s needs." He contended that the government failed to protect small
coffee growers from the growing foreign competition and that he would do
better.

Ortega said the world has changed since he marched into Managua in 1979. If
he wins in November, he told the newspaper, he would have no trouble
"coexisting" with the Bush administration in Washington.

Whether those words reassure religious leaders is another matter. When the
Sandinistas were in power, they viewed the then archbishop of Managua, now
Cardinal Miguel Obando Bravo, as a "black beast." He suffered official
persecution, as did several priests who were expelled or publicly harassed.

Other Catholic religious figures, however, collaborated with the Sandinista
government, among them Ernesto Cardenal, a former Trappist monk who became
Minister of Culture and who later received a public admonition from John
Paul II. Cardenal´s brother Enrique, a Jesuit, was Minister of Education.

For now, Protestants such as the Orozco family remain leery of Ortega.

In 1982, the Sandinista Front of National Liberation labeled the Orozcos
"enemies of the revolution," and ordered them to leave the country in 24
hours. However, a pro-Sandinista Protestant group interceded, and the family
was able to stay. The Orozcos still live in Managua, and Lois´ husband,
Marcos, is president of the national Mennonite denomination.


* * *


L´Osservatore Romano Hails Bush´s Visit to Muslim Center

Religious in Afghanistan to Decide About bin Laden

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 18, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The Vatican semiofficial
newspaper, L´Osservatore Romano, praised U.S. President George W. Bush´s
visit to Washington´s Islamic Center on Monday.

A Page One article in the Sept. 19 Italian edition regards the visit as very
wise, and quotes the presidential speech which exhibited solidarity and
closeness to Muslims in America.

Bush asked the public to regard Arabs and Muslims living in the United
States as American patriots, saying that intimidation and harassment of them
"will not stand in America."

While reiterating his determination to hunt down and punish those
responsible for the terrorist attacks on New York and near Washington, D.C.,
Bush added: The "face of terror is not the true faith of Islam."

Bush said the millions of Muslims who are American citizens make a valuable
contribution to the country.

"The Muslims are doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military,
entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads, and they need to be treated with
respect," he said.

The U.S. president said he had heard that some Muslims were afraid to leave
their homes.

"Those who feel like they can intimidate our fellow citizens to take out
their anger, don´t represent the best of America," he said. "They should be
ashamed of that kind of behavior."

L´Osservatore Romano also reported Yasser Arafat´s willingness to be part of
the international coalition against terrorism, requested by Bush.

The newspaper also reported a delay of a meeting of Afghan ulema, or Muslim
wise men, who will decide whether to extradite Osama bin Laden, a key
suspect in the attacks, to the United States. The meeting has been delayed
to Wednesday or Thursday.

The meeting, called by Mullah Mohammed Omar, leader of the Taliban, is
expected to gather more than 1,000 Afghan religious leaders in Kabul.


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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Seven C

Saturday, 15 September, 2001


"Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows"

Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time



* * *

AS THE BELL TOLLS (FIRST IN A SERIES)
by John N. Lupia

	 This past Friday, 14 September, marked the ringing in of a new
era in global history.  As the cathedral bells tolled in Washington
D.C., they weren't just ringing to intone the commencement of
the day of prayer and mourning for our nation's loss this past
week, but, were ringing in a new era of global solidarity, prayer,
and reconciliation.  It is no coincidence that this same day of
prayer was also the Roman Catholic Church's  "Feast of the
Exaltation of the Holy Cross".  It is no coincidence that today is
the "Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows", following this Tuesday's
attacks.  It is no coincidence that two Roman Catholic priests, Fr.
Michael Judge, OFM, and Fr. Francis Grogan, were killed in
Tuesday's attacks.  This has brought much attention and focus
in the media on the Roman Catholic Church.  These two martyrs
have shed their blood opening wide the doors of the global world
to the threshhold of the Church.  The world has come together
as a result of global concern and resolve for peace, justice, and
solidarity.  We have now entered a new era that Catholic
eschatological theology teaches us would arrive in the end
times.  This new era is one in which world conversion and
Church unity will become a realization.  This entails the diverse
schismatic groups and sects that are not in full communion with
Rome will unite and/or reunite during this era.  Following this the
Gospel will be preached to the whole world bring all nations into
conversion and unity with the Church.  Consequently, the Jewish
nation would also convert and share in our solidarity.
	 But how can all of this happen?  This era of conversion and unity
will begin through a grassroots effort when people learn to seek
authentic peace and fraternal love among themselves.  Human
charity must begin to grow authentic and pure in the minds and
hearts of all people.  When people genuinely desire to love one
another unity must and will follow.  God will shed his Holy Spirit
upon all our human family giving them the grace to achieve this.
There will also be supernatural means that will empower the
Church to convert and unite the world.  How this will come about
is currently under discussion within the Magisterium and
Catholic theologians.  All valid discussions must conform to the
teaching of the Magisterium already published in the Catechism
of the Catholic Church Regarding the Second Coming of Christ:

542  Christ stands at the heart of this gathering of men into the
"family of God."  By his word, through signs that manifest the
reign of God, and by sending out his disciples, Jesus calls all
people to come together around him.  But above all in the great
Paschal mystery - his death on the cross and his Resurrection -
he would accomplish the coming of his kingdom.  "And I, when I
am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." Into this
union with Christ all men are called. ((John 12,32).

550  The coming of God's kingdom means the defeat of Satan's:
"If it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the
kingdom of God has come upon you." (Matthew 12,26,28)
Jesus' exorcisms free some individuals from the dominations of
demons.  They anticipate Jesus' great victory over "the ruler of
this world." (John 12,31; Luke 8,26-39)  The kingdom of God will
be definitively established through Christ's cross: "God reigned
from the wood."

670  Since the Ascension God's plan has entered into its
fulfillment.  We are already at "the last hour" (1 John 2,18; 1 Peter
4,7).  "Already the final age of this world is with us, and the
renewal of the world is irrevocably under way; it is even now
anticipated in a certain real way, for the Church on earth is
endowed already with a sanctity that is real but imperfect." (1
Corinthians 10,11).Christ's kingdom already manifests its
presence through the miraculous signs that attend its
proclamation by the Church. (Mark 16,17-18,20).

671 Though already present in his Church, Christ's reign is
nevertheless yet to be fulfilled "with power and great glory" by the
king's return to earth. (Luke 21,27; Matthew 25,31).  This reign is
still under attack by the evil powers, even though they have been
defeated definitively by Christ's Passover. (2 Thessalonians 2,7).
Until everything is subject to him, "until there be realized new
heavens and a new earth in which justice dwells, the pilgrim
Church, in her sacraments and institutions, which belong to this
present age, carries the mark of this world which will pass, and
she herself takes his place among the creatures which groan
and travail yet and await the revelation of the sons of God." (2
Peter 3,13; Romans 8, 19-22; 1 Corinthians 15,28). That is why
Christians pray, above all in the Eucharist, to hasten Christ's
return by saying to him (1 Corinthians 11,26; 2 Peter 3,11-12):
Marana tha! "Our Lord come!" (1 Corinthians 16,22; Revelations
22, 17,20).

672  Before his Ascension Christ affirmed that the hour had not
yet come for the glorious establishment of the messianic
kingdom awaited by Israel, (Acts 1,6-7), which according to the
prophets, was to bring all men the definitive order of justice, love
and peace. (Isaiah 11,1-9).  According to the Lord, the present
time is the time of the Spirit and of witness, but also a time still
marked by "distress" and trials of evil that does not spare the
Church (Acts 1,8; 1 Corinthians 7,26; Ephesians 5,16; 1 Peter
4,17) and ushers in the struggles of the last days.  It is a time of
waiting and watching. (Matthew 25,1,13; Mark 13,33-37; 1 John
2,18;4,3;1 Timothy 4,1).

673  Since the Ascension Christ's coming in glory has been
imminent, (Rev, 22,20) even though "it is not for you to know
times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own
authority". ((Acts 1,7; Mark 13,32).  This eschatological coming
could be at any moment, even if both it and the final trial that will
precede it are "delayed". ((Matthew 24,44; 1 Thessalonians 5,2;
2 Thessalonians 2, 3-12).

674  This glorious Messiah's coming is suspended at every
moment of history until his recognition by "all Israel," for "a
hardening has come upon part of Israel" in their "unbelief"
toward Jesus. (Romans 11,20-26; Matthew 23,39).  St. Peter
says to the Jews of Jerusalem after Pentecost: "Repent
therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that
times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom
heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that God
spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old." (Acts
3,19-21).  St. Paul echoes him: "For if their rejection means the
reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but
life from the dead."(Romans 11,15).  The "full inclusion" of the
Jews in the Messiah's salvation, in the wake of "the full number
of the Gentiles," (Romans 11,12,25; Luke 21,24) will enable the
people of God to achieve "the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ," in which "God may be all in one". (Ephesians
4,13; 1 Corinthians 15,28).

675  Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass
through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers.
(Luke 18,18; Matthew 24,12).  The Persecution that
accompanies her pilgrimage on earth (Luke 21,12; John
15,19-20) will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" in the form of a
religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their
problems at the price of apostasy from the truth.  The supreme
religious deception is that of the Antichrist, a
pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself in place of
God and of his Messiah come in the flesh. (2 Thessalonians
2,4-12; 1 Thessalonians 5,2-3; 2 John 7,1; 1 John 2,18,22).

676 The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in
the world every time the claim is made to realize within history
that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history
through eschatological judgment.  The Church has rejected even
modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under
the name of millenarianism, especially the "intrinsically
perverse" political form of secular messianism.

677 The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through
this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death
and resurrection.  (Rev. 19,1-9). The kingdom will be fulfilled,
then, not by a historic triumph of the Church through a
progressive ascendancy, but only by God's victory over the final
unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from
heaven. (Rev. 13,8; 20,7-10;21,2-4).  God's triumph over the
revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final
cosmic upheaval of this passing world.(Rev. 20,12; 2 Peter
3,12-13).

1040  The Last Judgment will come when Christ returns in glory.
Only the Father knows the day and the hour; only he determines
the moment of its coming.  Then through his Son Jesus Christ
he will pronounce the final word on all history.  We shall know
the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the
entire economy of salvation and understand the marvelous ways
by which his Providence led everything towards its final end.  The
Last Judgment will reveal that God's justice triumphs over all the
injustices committed by his creatures and that God's love is
stronger than death. (Song 8,6).

2749  Jesus fulfilled the work of the Father completely; his
prayer, like his sacrifice, extends until the end of time.  The
prayer of this hour fills the end-times and carries them toward
their consummation.  Jesus, the Son to whom the Father has
given all things, has given himself wholly back to the Father, yet
expresses himself with a sovereign freedom (John
17,11,13,19,24) by virtue of the power the Father has given him
over all flesh.  The Son, who made himself Servant, is Lord, the
Pantocrator.  Our high priest who prays for us is also the one
who prays in us and the God who hears our prayers.

2771  In the Eucharist, the Lord's Prayer also reveals the
eschatological character of its petitions.  It is the proper prayer of
"the end-time," the time of salvation that began with the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit and will be fulfilled with the Lord's
return.  The petitions addressed to our Father, as distinct from
the prayers of the old covenant, rely on the mystery of salvation
already accomplished, once for all, in Christ crucified and risen.

2776  The Lord's Prayer is the quintessential prayer of the
Church.  It is an integral part of the major hours of the Divine
Office and the sacraments of Christian initiation: Baptism,
Confirmation, and Eucharist.  Integrated into the Eucharist it
reveals the eschatological character of its petitions, hoping for
the Lord, "until he comes" (1 Cor. 11,26).

In addition to these official Catholic teachings based on the
scriptures cited is the text of the Book of Revelations, chapter
eleven, that prophecies concerning the two witnesses.  These
two witnesses have been interpreted in Catholic tradition as
identified as Moses and Elias (Elijah) preaching to convert and
unify the whole world.

"Elias truly shall first come and restore all things." (Matt. 17:11).
This is an ancient Roman Catholic Church prophecy regarding
the future world in which we now live.  It cannot refer to the
historical person of St. John the Baptist, for St. John was then
dead, while every part of it relates to the future.   Moreover, St.
John restored nothing.  Elias is to take part, is specifically
referred by the Apostle St. Peter to the time of Christ's second
coming. (Acts 3:19).  St. John the Baptist is here out of the
question, unless indeed "he" is to come again.

St. Justin Martyr: "If Scripture compels you to admit two advents,
shall we not allow that the word of God has proclaimed that
Elijah shall be the precursor of the great and terrible day, that is,
of His second advent?

Hippolytus of Rome says; "As two advents of our Lord are
indicated in the scriptures, also two forerunners are indicated.
The first was John, the son of Zacharias. He first fulfilled the
course of forerunner.

Origen: "The vision upon the mountain in which Elias was seen,
did not appear to agree with what the scribe's had said, for it
seemed Elias came not before Jesus, but after Him.  They
asked the question, therefore, supposing that the scribes had
misled them.  But to this, the Saviour answers, not contradicting
the tradition about Elias, but declaring that there was another
coming of Elias before Christ, which had been unknown to the
scribes. (Matt. 11:14).

SS. Victorinus, Methodius, Cyprian, and Lactantius express the
same belief and expectation that Elijah is yet to come in person.

St. John Chrysostom says, "As John was the forerunner of the
first coming, so will Elias be the forerunner of second coming."
Christ called John "Elias" on account of his performing the same
office."

St. Theophylact says: "By saying that Elias cometh, he shows
that he was not yet come.  He will come as a forerunner of the
second advent and will restore to the faith of Christ all the Jews
who are open to persuasion.  If we will receive it, that is, if ye will
understand it wisely (if we will not take it too literally), this [John]
is he whom the prophet Malachi spoke as coming Elias, for the
forerunner and Elias perform the same service."  "But, since the
Savor is to be manifested again at the end of the world, it is a
matter of course that His forerunners must appear first; as He
says by Malachi, "I will send to you Elijah, the Tishbite, before the
day of the Lord, who shall come and proclaim the manifestation
of Christ that is to be from heaven and perform signs and
wonders."

St. Jerome writes: "Elias himself who will truly come in the body
at the second coming of Christ has now come in the spirit
through the medium of John the Baptist."

St. Augustine says, "It is a familiar theme in the conversation and
heart of the faithful, that in the last days before the judgment, the
Jews shall believe the true Christ by means of this great and
admirable prophet Elias, who shall expound the law to them. For
not without reason do we hope that before the coming of our
Judge and Saviour, Elias shall come."

Dela Cerda says, "All the ancient fathers have delivered it…."

Huetius testified, "It is the constant and most received opinion of
the Church, and all the fathers…."

Ioannes Maldonatus, SJ., says: "It was always the most constant
opinion of Christians that Elias was to come before the day of
judgment."

St. Robert Bellarmine says, that "to reject this doctrine is either
heresy, or error, or the thing next to heresy."

The two witnesses are called in the Book of Revelation, two
lampstands, which is taken from the Old Testament.

Zechariah 4,12  "And a second time I said to him, What are these
two olive branches which are beside the two golden tubes or
spouts by which the golden oil is emptied out? And he answered
me, Do you not know what these are? And I said, No my lord.
Then said he, These are the two sons of oil [Joshua the high
priest and Zerubbabel the prince of Judah, the two anointed
ones] who stand before the Lord of the whole earth [as His
anointed instruments]."


The kind of activity the two witnesses will undertake shall be as
ambassadors of the Church to the whole world, not as prophets
of doom.

Luke 9:54 `Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down
from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?'" . But the
response of Jesus to SS. James and John is interesting.  We
read "But He turned and rebuked them, and said, `You do not
know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did
not come to destroy men's lives but to save them.' And they went
to another village." Luke 9:55-56

Malachi 4:5-6 tells us "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.  And
he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the
hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the
earth with a curse."


How long shall the two witnesses preach?  Sacred Scripture
tells us three and one half years or one thousand two hundred
and sixty days (17-1/2 days short of a full 3-1/2 year
measurement).  The period of time may be symbolic to reflect
sufficient time to accomplish their task.

I Kings 17:1 we are told that Elijah had the power to stop the rain,
and in Luke 4:25 and James 5:17 we are told that it was for 3½
years!  The same period of time is assigned the two witnesses
in Rev. 11:3.

Then who is this second witness? On the Mount of
Transfiguration we see Jesus appear in His glory during the
Transfiguration, prior to his death and resurrection.  Who
appeared flanking on either side of Jesus?  It was Moses and
Elijah that appeared with Him.

Luke 9:27-35 "But I tell you truly, there are some standing here
who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.' (28)
Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that
He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to
pray.  (29) And as He prayed, the appearance of His face was
altered, and His robe became white and glistening.  (30) And
behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah,
(31) who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He
was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  (32) But Peter and
those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully
awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.
(33)  Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter
said to Jesus, `Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us
make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for
Elijah'-- not knowing what he said.  (34) While he was saying
this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were
fearful as they entered the cloud.  (35) And a voice came out of
the cloud, saying, `This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!'"

What does this meeting signify between Moses, Elijah and
Jesus?  The narrative open in verse 27 relating the coming of the
earthly kingdom of God established in the Roman Catholic
Church.  This is confirmed in verse 31 that speaks of Jesus'
death and resurrection as the source of its grace.  Thus, seeing
Moses and Elijah here together we are seeing a link between
the setting-up of the Roman Catholic Church here on the earth,
after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.   Accordingly,
both Moses and Elias are Church heirarchy ecclesiastical
officials.  Moses is the prime leader which signifies that he is the
Holy Father, in Rome.  Elias, a prophet, is also an ecclesiastic
who signifies the prophetic teaching voice of the office of deacon,
priest, and bishop.  Consequently, Moses is the pope and Elias
is an ecclesiastic who will either be a bishop or elevated to that
office to be empowered with legal jurisdiction to preach
universally.

Just as Moses and Elijah were together on the Mount of
Transfiguration,  they will be working together as Church
officials, for 3½ years or 1260 days during the time of the
conversion and unity.

Scripture relates how Elijah pleads with God: "LORD, they have
killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I alone am
left, and they seek my life"?  But, what is the divine response? "I
have reserved for myself seven thousand men who have not
bowed the knee to Baal."  These "seven thousand men"
signifies the college of cardinals, and all bishops.  The Church
will be blessed with all grace necessary to accomplish God's
plan for the salvation of the whole world.

This is the new era we are now in.  The two witness, the pope
(either John Paul II or his successor) and a Roman Catholic
ecclesiastic in our Church in these times will emerge on God's
instigation to initiate the era of conversion and unity.

(END OF THE FIRST INSTALLMENT).

* * *

LETTER TO THE CATHOLIC REFERENCE DESK

Hi. This list is a good idea. It is nice to have a place to ask
questions and get them answered.

We are hearing a lot from the media and co-workers etc. about
the possibility of an actual war breaking out as a result of the
terrorist strikes that took place on Sept 11th. My question
concerns the concept of a "Just War" as it was defined by St
Augustine, I believe. Exactly what is this "just war" - what are the
requirements that have to be met in order to justify a war - and if
these requirements are not met and we go to war anyway and a
Catholic fights in an "unjust war" is he/she guilty of murder if they
kill someone while fighting an "unjust war". Was Vietnam a "just
war"? How about WWII? Does the bishop (or the Pope?) have to
issue a decree that a war is "just". Who decides and how do we
know?

This seems like an extremely important issue because no one
wants to be guilty of the blatantly mortal sin of murder - and it
looks like a lot more people are going to be getting killed pretty
soon.

Thanks for your help in clarifying this.
Richard



Dear Richard:

Moral ethics on justifiable retaliation, force, or corporal
punishment, tells us that its use is just and appropriate when
executed with propriety through use of utmost diligence in
virtuous and ethical use of judgment.  The examples are
numerous and familiar to all through experience and common
sense.  If someone or social group behaves with harmful and
dangerous behavior that threatens the welfare, rights, dignity,
freedom, and life of another or other social group, the natural law
allows the victim(s) to fight for their right of survival.  The question
is to what extreme, or how far force is taken?  If an enemy can
be subdued without killing them it is the first order of action.
However, if an enemy cannot be subdued to cease and desist
without use of extreme force then it is allowable even if it causes
their death.  The difficulty in this as it poses itself to political
action of a social group is to ascertain if all possible means
have been exhausted before using extreme force.
	 In the case of the war on terrorism the cause is clear that the
first order of action is political and economic sanctions against
nations that have served as hosts to known international terrorist
organizations.  Political dialogue must be implemented to reach
agreements of global cooperation to keep peace and implement
procedures to guarantee peace and cooperation in United
Nations efforts.  When this fails then the next order is to
implement a rigorous campaign that may include the destruction
of property, usually called "collateral," as a punishment.  This, of
course, must be done in a manner in which the host nation has
fair warning to evacuate staff and personnel, to avoid the
needless and unethical taking of human life.
	 A just war that punishes host nations follows this form of
practice and policy.  An unjust war strikes indiscriminately killing
and wounding innocent populations.  An unjust war on terrorism
is fueled and driven by a policy of reaching the goal of peace at
any cost.  An unjust war policy has as its moral directive that "the
end always justifies the means".  The moral end of peace cannot
be achieved with propriety by the use of any and all means.  How
peace is achieved is of critical moral importance.  Catholic moral
teaching has always taught that "the end does not always justify
the means".  Catholic moral teaching affirms that not every
means to bring about peace are legal or morally licit.  So, utmost
caution and care must be given by the Multinational Coalition in
deliberation on policy and practice prior to taking any initiative to
achieve it.
	 As for the actions taken against terrorists themselves, the first
order of action is to subdue them to cease and desist by arrest.
All possible morally just means must be used to apprehend all
prisoners taken into custody.  As we all realize this often involves
use of extreme force when the prisoners targeted are known to
use defensive extreme force to escape and avoid imprisonment.
The likelihood of physically apprehending terrorists as prisoners
presents the clear and strong possibility that some, many, or all
might die, in some cases for attempts to arrest members of an
isolated group, since they  would use extreme force to prevent
apprehension resulting in their own deaths.  An unjust means of
arrest is the appearance of attempting apprehension when the
real agenda is to go in and kill the enemy.  President George
Bush, Jr. has announced: "I have instructed intelligence forces to
hunt down the terrorists responsible for the attack and bring
them to justice."  This statement is a classic political statement
since it is ambiguous.  This could mean two things: (1) arrest
the terrorists and bring them to trial for justice; (2) bring them to
justice in the field by execution.  It is the first meaning that is just,
and the second which is not.  A just initiative would take a similar
approach using every means possible to arrest rather than kill,
as a top priority.  In cases like this, for example, gas is used to
render the enemy unconscious, smoke bombs to impair their
vision, or hosing them down by very high water pressure
rendering them incapacitated.  Taking appropriate precautionary
initiatives can reduce the deaths of enemies in an altercation
using extreme force in their apprehension.

----The Catholic Reference Desk

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PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Seven B

Saturday, 15 September, 2001


"Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows"

Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time



* * *

Bush´s Address at Prayer Service in Washington, D.C.

"God´s Signs Are Not Always the Ones We Look For"

WASHINGTON, D.C., SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit News Service).-
Here is the text of the speech by U.S. President George W. Bush
Friday at the National Cathedral, on the day of mourning for the
victims of Tuesday´s terrorist attacks. The text was released by
the White House.

We are here in the middle hour of our grief. So many have
suffered so great a loss, and today we express our nation´s
sorrow. We come before God to pray for the missing and the
dead, and for those who love them.

On Tuesday, our country was attacked with deliberate and
massive cruelty. We have seen the images of fire and ashes,
and bent steel.

Now come the names, the list of casualties we are only
beginning to read. They are the names of men and women who
began their day at a desk or in an airport, busy with life. They are
the names of people who faced death, and in their last moments
called home to say, be brave, and I love
you.

They are the names of passengers who defied their murderers,
and prevented the murder of others on the ground. They are the
names of men and women who wore the uniform of the United
States, and died at their posts.

They are the names of rescuers, the ones whom death found
running up the stairs and into the fires to help others. We will
read all these names. We will linger over them, and learn their
stories, and many Americans will weep.

To the children and parents and spouses and families and
friends of the lost, we offer the deepest sympathy of the nation.
And I assure you, you are not alone.

Just three days removed from these events, Americans do not
yet have the distance of history. But our responsibility to history is
already clear: to answer these attacks and rid the world of evil.

War has been waged against us by stealth and deceit and
murder. This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to anger.
This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others. It will
end in a way, and at an hour, of our choosing.

Our purpose as a nation is firm. Yet our wounds as a people are
recent and unhealed, and lead us to pray. In many of our prayers
this week, there is a searching, and an honesty. At St. Patrick´s
Cathedral in New York on Tuesday, a woman said, "I prayed to
God to give us a sign that He is still here." Others have prayed for
the same, searching hospital to hospital, carrying pictures of
those still missing.

God´s signs are not always the ones we look for. We learn in
tragedy that his purposes are not always our own. Yet the
prayers of private suffering, whether in our homes or in this great
cathedral, are known and heard, and understood.

There are prayers that help us last through the day, or endure the
night. There are prayers of friends and strangers, that give us
strength for the journey. And there are prayers that yield our will
to a will greater than our own.

This world He created is of moral design. Grief and tragedy and
hatred are only for a time. Goodness, remembrance, and love
have no end. And the Lord of life holds all who die, and all who
mourn.

It is said that adversity introduces us to ourselves. This is true of
a nation as well. In this trial, we have been reminded, and the
world has seen, that our fellow Americans are generous and
kind, resourceful and brave. We see our national character in
rescuers working past exhaustion;
in long lines of blood donors; in thousands of citizens who have
asked to work and serve in any way possible.

And we have seen our national character in eloquent acts of
sacrifice. Inside the World Trade Center, one man who could
have saved himself stayed until the end at the side of his
quadriplegic friend. A beloved priest died giving the last rites to a
firefighter. Two office workers, finding a disabled stranger,
carried her down sixty-eight floors to safety. A group of men drove
through the night from Dallas to Washington to bring skin grafts
for burn victims.

In these acts, and in many others, Americans showed a deep
commitment to one another, and an abiding love for our country.
Today, we feel what Franklin Roosevelt called the warm courage
of national unity. This is a unity of every faith, and every
background.

It has joined together political parties in both houses of
Congress. It is evident in services of prayer and candlelight
vigils, and American flags, which are displayed in pride, and
wave in defiance.

Our unity is a kinship of grief, and a steadfast resolve to prevail
against our enemies. And this unity against terror is now
extending across the world.

America is a nation full of good fortune, with so much to be
grateful for. But we are not spared from suffering. In every
generation, the world has produced enemies of human freedom.
They have attacked America, because we are freedom´s home
and defender. And the commitment of our fathers is now the
calling of our time.

On this national day of prayer and remembrance, we ask
almighty God to watch over our nation, and grant us patience and
resolve in all that is to come. We pray that He will comfort and
console those who now walk in sorrow. We thank Him for each
life we now must mourn, and the promise of a life to come.

As we have been assured, neither death nor life, nor angels nor
principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor height nor depth, can separate us from God´s love. May He
bless the souls of the departed. May He comfort our own. And
may He always guide our country.

God bless America.

* * *

New U.S. Envoy Views the Tragedy from Abroad

James Nicholson at the Vatican

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 14, 2001 (ZENIT News Service).- A day
after having presented his credentials to John Paul II as the new
U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, James Nicholson gave this
interview to Vatican Radio´s Tracey McClure.

Below is an excerpt from the interview.

--Q: I think everyone here joins the Pope in expressing our
heartfelt sorrow over the tragic loss of lives in Tuesday´s attacks
on the World Trade Center towers in New York City and on the
Pentagon in Washington, D.C. It must have been difficult for you,
taking on a new job and watching these horrific events unfold
from afar....

--Nicholson: Well, it´s difficult for all Americans, for all
good-thinking people in the world, really, to contemplate these
horrific acts that have been perpetrated against innocent, free
people. … That was the first thing we discussed yesterday at
Castel Gandolfo, when I presented my credentials to His
Holiness, Pope John Paul Il. …

He expressed his sorrow for the people of America, for the
victims. … We talked about the fact that we need the solidarity
that is developing around the world to put an end to these kinds
of mindless, cowardly, barbaric acts.

Q: Now today, President George Bush has instated a day of
remembrance for the victims, a day of prayer. We here in Europe
and at Vatican Radio will be observing three minutes of silence
for the victims and their families. What other initiatives, what
comments do you have on this particular day?

Nicholson: Well, President Bush has a tremendous job in trying
to keep the morale of the American people together, [to] ensure
that we stay together as a people, and that we don´t let
something like this destroy our will to go forward as a free
society and one´s that an advocate freedom for all societies. …

Yet, an event like this that has befallen our people right there in
the center of capitalism, … in the center of our government, is a
horrific occasion and calls for tremendous leadership, and
President Bush is providing that.

And he is also a very spiritual man, a man who prays every day,
and that is sustaining him and he is manifesting that … we need
to all pray at a time like this, and this day of prayer and
remembrance, I think, is so appropriate. I´m so happy that he´s
doing this.

Q: In his address to you yesterday, Pope John Paul several
times referred to our country´s national heritage: of solidarity,
cooperation between peoples, respect for human rights, much of
which we´ve been seeing throughout the rescue and relief
operations over the past few days. The kind of solidarity with
which I think you, yourself, are personally familiar.

Nicholson: Yes, as I said, the first thing that the Pope and I talked
about yesterday in Castel Gandolfo was this act that has befallen
our country and thus, really, the world -- because if it can happen
in the United States, it can happen anywhere. …

I´ve had many personal experiences: as an army officer I served
a year in Vietnam in combat, and I´ve seen others, you know,
these heinous acts that seem to occur -- but nothing on a scale
of this. …

It is also, though, very gratifying: I´ve gotten scores of telegrams,
and letters and telephone calls from ambassadors from other
countries around the world, expressing their solidarity, their offer
of help, and I´m very appreciative for this and I´m passing them
on to the president so he knows what I am seeing and hearing
from fellow ambassadors from other countries.

Q: In condemning the attacks, Pope John Paul prayed that they --
and I quote -- "will awaken in the hearts of all the world´s
peoples a firm resolve to reject the ways of violence, to combat
everything that sows hatred and division within the human family,
and to work for a new era of international cooperation." It seems
clear that the United States will pursue a retaliatory course of
action which it feels is justified by the heinousness of the
attacks. Yet, the Pope is urging the American people to a greater
challenge: to exercise restraint and what he called their country´s
"moral leadership and vision" in handing down justice. Is it too
late for the kind of peace and justice that Pope John Paul is
talking about?

Nicholson: Not at all. The Pope said that this was a terrible
affront to human dignity, and it is. And when something like that
occurs, we have a responsibility to see that it doesn´t occur
again, that we can root out this effrontery to human dignity and
that takes a system of due process. It has to be done within the
law.

We ourselves cannot become barbaric about this. But we have to
take steps aggressively to find out who did this, to find out who is
so demented that they would wreak this kind of terror on other
fellow human beings, and put an end to that system that is
supporting this … in the context, of course, of justice … in a
commitment to find them and bring them to a court of justice.

Q: The Pope seems to feel that any military retaliation that would
injure or kill people -- civilians or not -- would lead to a general
deterioration of violence everywhere in what he describes a
"spiral of violence." What do you think?

Nicholson: Well, I don´t know. I don´t think the Pope would
disagree with the fact that people who do something like this
need to be brought to justice, need to be contained and
separated from the rest of society.

And I think that´s how we do put an end to this spiral …: We find
the people that support these mindless, cowardly kind of acts,
and stop them.

Q: Do you think by describing these attacks as war that that
might bring the retaliation into a greater realm of retaliation?

Nicholson: Well, it is war. In the Vietnam War, I think, the United
States had about 52,000 deaths. … In a few hours in the U.S. we
had several thousand deaths, ... an untold number of people that
were injured and maimed for the rest of their life, burned,
blinded.

And so, you know, countries have a right and a responsibility to
defend themselves, and we will do that. But we will do that in the
way that America does … in the context of our Constitution, in our
rule of law, and it will not be on the barbaric level of those who
attacked us.

Q: Pope John Paul also reiterated to you his hope that the United
States would continue and strengthen its efforts to promote
realistic dialogue between Palestinians and Israelis to bring a
lasting peace to that region. What will happen next?

Nicholson: It is hard to say. The United States has been working
a long time in trying to bring peace to the Middle East and we
won´t give up. We don´t give up as a people. We can´t give up --
it´s too important -- but where the answer lies, I don´t know.

I don´t know anybody who does know. I know that we have to
continue to work and hope and pray we can bring an end to that
conflict there.

Q: The U.S. in this case has also urged Israeli to exercise
restraint in its retaliation against Palestinians for acts of terror.
Now that the shoe is on the other foot, will the U.S. act
differently?

Nicholson: Well, as I said, the U.S. is going to be aggressive in
trying to find out who it is attacked us, who perpetrated this act of
war, and I agree with President Bush when he captions it that
way.

That is logical that you do that if you want to maintain your own
society in freedom, and protection of your own people. You have
to find out who it is who attacked you and then take acts to
protect yourself. And I think everybody has a right to do that.

Q: You know, watching reactions to the events of the last few
days, I have to say that as an American living abroad, I see my
fellow Americans at home as sometimes being ingenuous. The
average Joe on the street doesn´t seem to know that there are a
lot of people out there, particularly in the developing world, who
aren´t just fed up with us -- they hate us. They accuse us of
meddling in other countries´ affairs -- from covert military
operations, to waging wars, to tip the balance of regional power,
imperialism, imposing our way of life on others. Is it time we had
a collective examination of conscience? What´s gone wrong
here?

Nicholson: Well, first of all, I don´t think the people of America are
ingenuous. I think sometimes we get a little too comfortable and
apathetic, maybe take a lot of our freedoms and our system for
granted. …

I think because we are such a big country and have so many
God-given natural resources and, I think, have done a good job
in developing them -- I think we are a cause of some envy
sometimes, and some bitterness and some resentment that
goes with being big and powerful, but also what goes with that is
a responsibility to help others and to protect others.

And I´m quite proud of the record of our country in the protection
and ultimate liberation that it has provided to other countries
around the world as a result of wars and so forth -- and the way
our country has come together in times of crisis. And I´m
confident that we will do that again.

Q: What positive things do you think will come out of the physical
and emotional devastation wrought by the attacks? Will there be
a spiritual renewal among Americans?

Nicholson: Well, first and foremost, it is so important at this time
that we concentrate on the victims of this terrible tragedy, their
safety, their welfare, those that are missing, the families of those
people, the loved ones. And then later, there will be time to reflect
on what, if any, redemptive value there was in something like this
for our country and for the world.

And I suspect that there will be some, and that we may not take
so many things for granted -- that we will be grateful for all the
freedom, and the health and the liberty that we have as a people.

But right now I really think that the emphasis needs to be, and is,
on all those people that are affected by this.

* * *


1 Child Out of 12 in World Dies Before 5th Birthday

U.N. Report Sees Slow Progress in Health Care

ROME, SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- One child out of
every 12 in the world will not reach his 5th birthday, a new
UNICEF report says.

The "World State of Children 2002," published Thursday, was to
be the object of the U.N. General Assembly´s special summit,
originally scheduled for next week. The meeting has been
postponed because of the attacks on New York. It might be held
in the first quarter of 2002.

The U.N. report on children focuses on the unfulfilled
commitments of the last decade.

Most child deaths are from avoidable causes, the report says.
One child out of every 4 lives in conditions of abject poverty, and
a total of 149 million children are undernourished.

The report appeals to governments and international institutions
to place "the rights and welfare of children above other
concerns."

"Whoever does not fulfill this commitment will also have to
render an account," the report adds. "To ensure the rights and
welfare of children is the key to sustainable development in a
country, and to peace and security in the world," UNICEF warns.

While the report acknowledges that debt-relief measures for 22
poor countries have helped, it emphasizes that the
more-developed countries have not fulfilled their commitments.

"The bilateral assistance that industrialized countries offer is
inferior, by some $100 billion annually, to what those
governments committed themselves to provide," the report
contends.

Only five nations -- Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway
and Luxembourg -- allocate 0.7% or more of their gross national
product to development aid, an old but unfulfilled commitment of
the majority of industrialized countries.

The report also reviewed the objectives set at the 1990 summit
on children. One such objective was to reduce the death of
children below 5 years of age by 33%; in fact, the rate has been
reduced by 14%, the report says.

Successes are spotty. Currently, the infant mortality rate is 81 out
of every 1,000 born alive; a decade ago, the figure was 94 out of
1,000. Maternal mortality, however, has not decreased, the report
says.

Vaccinations have increased, but AIDS is a terrible threat,
especially in Africa, it notes. In three countries -- Botswana,
Zimbabwe and South Africa -- AIDS is responsible for half the
number of children´s deaths, it says.

In 1990 malnutrition affected 32% of children in developing
countries. Now, 27%, or 149 million children, are
undernourished, the report says.

There are still 1.1 billion people without potable water, a service
that 82% of world population enjoys (3% more than in 1990).
There is also slight improvement in access to health care -- 60%
of the world´s people have access to this service.

More children are in school: 82% are in primary school, versus
78% in 1990. Adult illiteracy has decreased in the same
proportion.

* * *

European Union Seeks Public Input on Biotechnology


ROME, SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- The European
Commission is preparing a policy paper for the Union on
cloning, transgenic organisms and stem cells, among other
issues, and it invites citizens to contribute their opinions.

By year-end, the European Commission intends to present a
policy paper, contributing to the development of a strategic vision
of life sciences and biotechnology up to 2010 and beyond.

For this purpose, the European Commission has called a
stakeholder consultation meeting from Sept. 27-28, in Brussels,
Belgium.

In order to prepare the document, the commission has just
presented a consultation paper, requesting citizens to send their
comments and contribution on the subject.

Citizens may read the text and make proposals at
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/biotechnology).

Comments may also be sent by e-mail to:
ec-biotechnology@....

Or they can be faxed to: 32-2-295-76-37.

The commission´s Web page states: "All contributions and
comments will be kept in mind when the final orientation
document is written."

Comments sent before Sept. 20 will also be taken into
consideration in the consultation meeting with interested parties.

* * *

NOVENA OF PRAYER FOR US VICTIMS, PEACE AND JUSTICE

PHILIPPINES MANILA, Sep 14, 01 (CWNews Service) - The
Catholic Church in the Philippines has been organizing prayers
for peace based on the terrorist attacks in the US. On Saturday,
September 15, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, Catholics
nationwide will start a novena of prayer for the victims of the
terrorist attack in the United States and for peace and justice in
the whole world. Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, president of the
Catholic Bishops' Conference, sent a communique to all Filipino
bishops urging them to start prayer initiatives in their respective
dioceses. In his message he said, "May all the victims find
comfort and solace in the love of the Lord; may the hearts of
those who plot crime of humanity against their fellow beings
return to God; may the nations of the world come together and
find wise, just, and effective solutions to the problems that have
spawned terrorism in all its forms; may God's justice, peace and
love reign in our country and in the whole world." On behalf of the
Church in the Philippines, Bishop Quevedo sent a letter to
Bishop Joseph Fiorenza, president of the US National
Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressing heartfelt solidarity
and spiritual closeness. The Philippines is all too familiar with
terrorism. In the southern part of the archipelago, the
fundamentalist Muslim group Abu Sayyaf defies the government
and army continuing its policy of kidnappings, blackmail, and
massacres. The group is said to be supported by the Saudi-born
millionaire Osama Bin Laden, principal suspect for the
September 11 attacks in New York and Washington. Another
group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is also thought to
be connected with international terrorism. Former national police
chief Avelino Razon said that in 1995 the Filipino police
discovered terrorist plans similar to the September 11 attack on
the United States. The plans included suicide missions,
bombing commercial airlines flying to the US, and bombing
political objectives. That year, in connection with a failed plot to
assassinate Pope John Paul II as he traveled to World Youth
Day in Manila, Filipino police arrested Pakistani militant Abdul
Hakim Murad. Murad, convicted for the 1993 bombing at the
World Trade Center in New York, was extradited to the United
States. Abu Sayyaf has called for his release and that of other
militants convicted in the 1993 plot to blow up the World Trade
Center, in exchange for freeing its current hostages.

* * *

KENYA SETS ASIDE THREE DAYS OF PRAYERS FOR AMERICA

NAIROBI, Sep 14, 01 (CWNews Service) - As the world continued
to condemn the attacks on America, Muslims, Christians, and
other religious groups in Kenya on Friday began three days of
prayer, while calling on the US government not to retaliate since
such a move could spill over, leading to a 21 century crisis.
Earlier, President Daniel Arap Moi asked Kenyans to set aside
one hour on Friday to pray for the tragedy. A series of prayers are
also lined up for this weekend, starting this Friday. At a major
inter-denominational ecumenical prayer service attended by all
denominations in the country, church leaders said they wanted
to pray for the innocent lives suddenly lost in the tragedy.
Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki, recounting history, said 52
years ago an atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima, destroying 60
percent of the city, and the world held its breath in a way similar
to this. Quoting an experience in Kenya, he said on August 7,
1998, bombs targeted at the American embassies in Nairobi
and Tanzania led to loss of many innocent citizens. "But now only
three days ago, many innocent Americans lost their lives in one
of the most horrific terrorist attacks ever experienced in that
country. However, what is significant is not the day upon which
these horrific events occurred, but on the events themselves.
Brothers and sisters, acts of terrorism happen every day on our
lives. They occur when our desire for revenge leads us to
vindictiveness," he said.

* * *
* * *

Catholic Charities Mobilizing to Aid Victims

U.S. Bishops Use Institution as Platform for Action

NEW YORK, SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit. News Service).- The U.S.
bishops have chosen Catholic Charities, their key domestic-aid
agency, as the platform to coordinate Catholic relief to victims of
Tuesday´s attacks.

Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza, president of the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops, pleaded: "We urge people who seek to help
those in need to join with their fellow Catholics through Catholic
Charities USA."

Father J. Bryan Hehir, president of Catholic Charities, said that
as "our local agencies continue to assess the needs of their
communities, many are providing grief counseling and
emergency assistance to help people cope."

"Over the coming days, weeks and months, our agencies will
continue to provide whatever services are necessary to see our
neighbors through this difficult time," he added.

The Disaster Response Office of Catholic Charities connects the
Church´s social service agencies and disaster planning offices
across the nation. To contribute to the Sept. 11 disaster relief
fund, call (800) 919-9338.

Send checks to:
Catholic Charities USA
PO Box 25168
Alexandria, VA 22313-9788
USA

Catholic Charities said it could not accept contributions of food,
clothing, blankets, and other relief supplies.

For more information, see http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

* * *

The Associated Press
Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001; 3:55 a.m. EDT

BEIJING –– A former Chinese television editor who used a Hong
Kong-based Internet site to e-mail political articles to friends has
been sentenced to three years imprisonment on subversion
charges, a rights group said Saturday.

Judges at the Intermediate People's Court in the southern city of
Shaoyang had planned to sentence Zhu Ruixiang to nine
months in jail, deeming that his crimes were not serious, the
Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said.

But Communist Party officials overruled them and pushed for
sterner punishment, the Hong Kong-based center said. The
court informed Zhu's lawyer of the three-year sentence on Friday,
the center said.

Zhu, 50, is a former editor for Shaoyang television who for the
past three years had worked as a lawyer, the center said. He
was arrested May 7 by security agents in Shaoyang, Hunan
province, about 1,000 miles south of Beijing.

The center said Zhu was tried Sept. 10 and convicted of inciting
the overthrow of state power, a subversion charge the
government often uses against its critics.

He was accused of using a Hong Kong-based free e-mail
service to download "reactionary" articles from overseas that he
then forwarded to 12 friends, the center said. It gave no details
about the content of the e-mails.

Chinese leaders, while keen to tap the Internet's economic
advantages, also fear it could become a powerful forum for
dissent.

Special police units monitor Internet sites and e-mail traffic.
Laws to prevent challenges to the Communist Party's monopoly
on power have been expanded to cover activities online.

* * *

Americans Turning to Church and Prayer

A View from the Bronx

NEW YORK, SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- Since the
horrific terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, "we have
noted that many more people are coming to churches," says
Father Carlos Mullins said, a priest at St. Philip Neri Parish in the
Bronx.

In a telephone call, the Argentine priest told ZENIT: "We have four
daily Masses in our parish; I noted, in those which I celebrated,
that the church was full. In these hours, all are taking recourse to
prayer as the ultimate thing that remains: to pray for those who
died and for their relatives."

Father Mullins, who lives about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the
World Trade Center, said that some priests are working directly
at the site of the tragedy, giving spiritual and material aid
wherever possible.

Father Mullins himself is helping students of the parish school
he directs. Many of the 600 students have been upset by the
pictures they have seen on television.

"We have also helped many people of our community who were
close to the Twin Towers and saw people throwing themselves
out of the windows, seized by despair," the priest said. "They
remained extremely affected, and the best thing we can do is to
alleviate their spirits and encourage them to pray for the souls of
those innocent victims and the repentance of their executioners."

The priest said that Cardinal Edward Egan, archbishop of New
York, visited St. Vincent´s Hospital, where 300 wounded were
being treated. On Sunday the cardinal will celebrate two Masses
in St. Patrick´s Cathedral to pray for peace.

Asked about Americans´ reaction to the tragedy, Father Mullins
said: "There is no talk of vengeance; the tendency is to wait for
the authorities to investigate those who are really responsible."

"The American people are demonstrating great solidarity; they
remain calm and do not harbor feelings of vengeance against
anyone," he added. "A spirit of sorrow and sadness prevails.
There is no desire to do anything. Only the effort to help wherever
possible."

* * *

PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
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IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

__________________________________________________
___________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News,
unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, CWNews, Zenit News
Service, and VIS own the original copyright for their news
releases and are credited as such.  All copyright materials
copied in any form must include the appropriate copyright owner;
in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com

Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Seven A

Saturday, 15 September, 2001


"Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows"

Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time



EUCHARISTIC PRAYER IN HONOR OF THE SORROWFUL
HEART OF MARY

When the Eucharist host is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the crucified body of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

When the Eucharistic chalice is elevated at Mass say:

"Eternal Father, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of
Mary, I offer you the precious blood of your son Jesus Christ, in
reparation for all the sins committed against you and for the
conversion and salvation of the world."

* * *

Pope Interrupts Audiences to Pray for Victims of Attack on U.S.

Joins Initiative Comprising 43 Nations and 800 Million Citizens

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit News
Service).- John Paul II interrupted his activities at midday today to
pray in the chapel of the papal summer residence for the victims
of the terrorist attacks on the United States.

In a press statement, Joaquin Navarro-Valls, director of the
Vatican Press Office, said that the Pope implored for "relief for
the wounded and peace and reconciliation in the world."

In this way, the Pontiff joined the initiative taken by 43 countries of
the European Council, in whose public offices, institutional
headquarters, schools, universities and barracks all activities
were halted to observe moments of silence as a sign of
mourning and solidarity with the United States. The initiative
involved 800 million citizens.

On Tuesday, when John Paul II heard the news of the attack on
New York´s World Trade Center, before going to watch the
television he went to pray to God for an end to the attacks, and for
the wounded and victims, as well as their loved ones.

The following day, the Holy Father presided over a Prayer of the
Faithful in St. Peter´s Square. On Thursday he launched a
proposal for a new era of international cooperation, when he
received James Nicholson, the new U.S. ambassador to the
Vatican.

* * *

Vatican Euro Will Bear John Paul II´s Image

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- It is
official: The Holy See´s Philatelic and Numismatic Office said it
will mint euro coins bearing the image of John Paul II.

When the single European currency begins to circulate next Jan.
1, the Vatican will also have its euro.

Vatican State will mint a limited quantity of these coins under an
agreement that allows small countries to have different versions
of the currency for internal circulation. The coin, likely be a
collector´s item, will be valid currency throughout Europe.

The principality of Monaco and the republic of San Marino also
plan to mint special versions of the currency.

* * *

WORKERS JOIN IN PRAYER FOR VICTIMS OF TERROR
ATTACKS

VATICAN, Sep 14, 01 (CWNews Service) - Officials of the Roman
Curia and all other Vatican employees broke off their work
schedules at noon today, joining in prayer for the victims of
Tuesday's terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. In the
offices of each Congregation and Pontifical Council, clerics and
lay employees together prayed the Angelus, then observed a
minute of silent prayer. About 100 pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's
Square joined in the midday vigil. On Thursday night, about
2,000 people had attended a prayer vigil organized by the Rome
diocese in the parish of the Holy Angels, near the Piazza Navona
in the center of the city. Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar
for Rome, had issued an invitation to the faithful to pray for
peace, and many people-- especially Americans living or visiting
in Rome-- responded by visiting the church, which remained
open and crowded well into the night.

* * *

HAITI'S BISHOPS ARE RECEIVED BY POPE AT
CASTELGANDOLFO

VATICAN CITY, SEP 14, 2001 (VIS) - Bishops from Haiti were
welcomed by the Holy Father this morning in Castelgandolfo as
they conclude their quinquennial "ad limina" visit to the See of
Peter.

   Addressing them in French, the Pope focused on the "dramatic
political and economic situation in Haiti," citing the bishops' own
five-year reports. "The important growth in population and the
precarious nature of the agricultural and industrial conjunction
have produced endemic unemployment, causing many
inhabitants to go from the country to the city.  This exodus further
deteriorates ecological balance and renders families, the vital
cell of society, fragile."

   He said that Catholics are called to play a role in political
development and urged the international community "to show
solidarity in this area." The Holy Father also stressed the need to
continually evangelize the population, saying that Haiti's extreme
poverty and "the syncretism and the ignorance of Christians
creates a favorable terrain for the proliferation of sectarian
groups tempted to exploit the credulity of the poor."

   "In the difficult context that the country is living," he went on, "the =

seeds for division are numerous. That is why it is essential to
make communion ever stronger and more visible." He then
stressed some of the bishops' priorities, including promoting a
laity with "solid spiritual, intellectual and ecclesial formation,"
and "developing a vigorous family pastoral ministry to respond to
the news challenges facing the Church in Haiti." This ministry,
he stated, must be centered "on the basic values of the family
and Christian marriage. He urged the prelates to "awaken
people to the irreplaceable witness of the family, the basic
school of society!"

   John Paul II also exhorted the bishops to make young people
"the object of your permanent solicitude. They are often tempted
to respond with violence, marginalization, exile or resignation to
the crying inequalities which deprive them of future perspectives
and deny them hope. I hope the legitimate questions of the new
generations will be taken ever more under
consideration."

   The Pope observed that "education constitutes an
irreplaceable terrain for the healthy growth of the young
generations, contributing to make (others) respect their basic
human rights. ... To fight the scourge of illiteracy and assure
youth of a human, spiritual and moral formation, Catholic
schools, in the rich diversity of their charisms and their
educational projects, render an essential service to the life of the
Church and the nation. ... I encourage (the educational
communities) to pursue their noble mission."

   He thanked Haiti's priests, religious and lay faithful for their
commitments to education, the family, health and welfare, and
social promotion, stressing that he "knows the difficult
conditions in which they must proclaim the Gospel." He urged
priests to give "renewed attention" to ecclesial grassroots
communities. "I ask pastors to remain vigilant so that these
communities are truly missionary."

* * *

REBUILD SOCIETIES DESTROYED BY CIVIL CONFLICTS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 14, 2001 (VIS) - The Pope received in
audience this morning at Castelgandolfo the members of the
Congregation of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood who are
celebrating their 17th general assembly on the theme "The
Future Face of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood."

   John Paul II recalled that when St. Gaspar del Buffalo founded
the Congregation in 1815, Pope Pius VII asked him to "go where
no one else would go and to undertake missions which seemed
unpromising," such as "evangelizing the bandits who so
troubled the area between Rome and Naples at that time. ... Your
Founder did not hesitate to obey. ... Casting his nets into deep
and dangerous waters, he made an astonishing catch."

   "Two centuries later," he continued, "another Pope summons
the sons of St. Gaspar to be no less bold in their decisions and
actions - to go where others cannot or will not go and to
undertake missions. ... I ask you to continue your efforts to build
a civilization of life, seeking the protection of all human life, from
the life of the unborn to the life of the aged and infirm, and
promoting the dignity of every human person, especially of the
weak and of those deprived of their rightful share of the earth's
abundance. I urge you to pursue a mission of reconciliation, as
you work to rebuild societies torn by civil strife, even bringing
together victims and perpetrators of violence in a spirit of
forgiveness, so that they may come to know that 'it is (the blood
of Christ) that is the most powerful source of hope; indeed it is
the foundation of the absolute certitude that in God's plan life will
be victorious'."

* * *

PAPAL MESSAGE FOR 17TH CENTENARY OF THE REPUBLIC
OF SAN MARINO

VATICAN CITY, SEP 14, 2001 (VIS) - Made public today was a
Message from the
Pope to Bishop Paolo Rabitti of San Marino-Montefeltro, Italy, on
the occasion of the 1700th anniversary of the foundation of the
Republic of San Marino, which takes its name from its holy
founder.

   The citizens of San Marino, writes the Holy Father in the
Message dated August 29, "honor their Saint as the promoter of
authentic freedom, because he introduced in them such a great
sense of religious, political, civil, and psychological freedom to
the point of making the terms 'San Marinian' and 'free' almost
synonymous. ... I add now that freedom must be preserved
immune from every attack."

   John Paul II recalled that "clothed in the diaconal ministry, St.
Marino worked intensely for the spread of the Gospel. ... He
strengthened the people with the word of God, sanctified the
place of his residence with the virtues typical of men of God:
charity, humility, chastity, prayer, the battle against the Evil One,
and penance."

   "I know the commitment of every member of this particular
Church, beginning with the clergy and religious, in promoting the
Christian life in its various aspects. In San Marino, as elsewhere,
difficulties and obstacles are unfortunately not lacking." He then
exclaimed, "Diocese of San Marino-Montefeltro do not get
discouraged! I say to you as well: 'Duc in altum'!"

   The Pope concluded by asking the diocese to remain "'united'
around the bishop, thanks to the faithful communion of the
priests, men and women religious, deacons, and laity of every
parish and apostolic group."

* * *

ROMAN CURIA OFFICES PRAY ANGELUS FOR VICTIMS OF
ATTACKS IN U.S.

VATICAN CITY, SEP 14, 2001 (VIS) - All offices of the Roman
Curia prayed the Angelus at noon today and dedicated special
prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims of the
September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, as well as
prayers for peace.

   The Vatican joined the countries of the European Union which
had proposed dedicating a period of prayer and recollection at
12 noon today in memory of last Tuesday's victims.

* * *

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 14, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received
today in audience Archbishop Thomas Yeh Sheng-nan,
apostolic nuncio in Sri Lanka.


LAHORE, Pakistan, SEPT. 13, 2001 (Zenit. News Service).- A
former broadcaster for the Urdu Program of Radio Veritas Asia
(RVA)
has been ordained archbishop.

Archbishop Lawrence J. Saldanha, the new ordinary of Lahore,
was director of the National Catholic Office of Social
Communications for Pakistan when he started a regular
Urdu-language radio program via RVA on Aug. 14, 1987. The
programs have been aired twice daily.

The programs are transmitted from the RVA studios in Quezon
City, Philippines.

Archbishop-elect Saldanha visited his former working place on
Aug. 13 to mark the 14th anniversary of the program and to open
the 15th year of operations with RVA.

Radio Veritas Asia is the only continental Catholic shortwave
radio station operating in the world with programs in 17
languages.

* * *

Science Is Betrayed If It´s Not at Service of Man, Pope Says

Address to Rectors of Polish Universities

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit News Service).- John Paul
II held an audience Aug. 30 in the courtyard of the papal
residence of Castel Gandolfo with some 100 rectors of Polish
universities and centers of higher studies. On that occasion, the
Holy Father delivered the following address:

Very Distinguished and Dear Gentlemen and Ladies:

1. I welcome you and greet you warmly. I am happy to receive the
distinguished rectors of the Polish higher schools again. I am
grateful to Professor Woznicki, president of the College of
Academic Rectors of Polish Schools, for the introduction, and his
kind words to me.

Our meetings are now traditional and, in a certain sense, a sign
of the dialogue established between the world of science and
that of faith, "Fides et Ratio." It would seem that the time has
finally passed in which attempts were made to pit these two
worlds against one another. The conviction is increasingly
growing, as the fruit of the efforts of many intellectual and
theological realms, sustained by the grace of the Holy Spirit, that
science and faith are not foreign to one another but, on the
contrary, both need and reciprocally complement each other. I
think the positive reception of the encyclical "Fides et Ratio" was
due, precisely, to the increasingly profound awareness of the
need for dialogue between intellectual knowledge and religious
experience. I thank God for every inspiration that leads us in this
direction.

Lights and Shadows of the Progress of Technology

2. During our meetings I have touched upon different topics
related to the university, the school of higher studies, and the
scientific institute as a realm that has notable influence in time
on the existence of man, society and humanity. I am always very
conscious of the extraordinary role of the university and higher
school, and this is the reason I am very interested in the
attention given to its form, so that the influence it exerts in the
world and in the life of every man will always signify good,
possibly the greatest good, in each sector. Only in this way will
the university and higher school contribute to real progress and
will not represent a danger for man.

I remember that, when I wrote my first encyclical, "Redemptor
Hominis," over 20 years ago, my reflection was accompanied by
the question on the mystery of fear that modern man
experiences. Among its different sources, I thought it was
important to emphasize one: the experience of the threat
originating from what is a product of man, the fruit of the work of
his hands and, even more so, the work of his intelligence, of the
tendencies of his will. At the beginning of the Third Millennium,
this experience is even more intense. Indeed, it often happens
that what man is able to produce, thanks to the ever new
possibilities of thought and technology, becomes an object of
"alienation," and, if not totally so, at least in part, escapes the
control of the author and turns against him (see "Redemptor
Hominis," 15). There are many examples of this situation. Suffice
it to mention the successes in the field of physics, especially
nuclear physics, or in the field of the transmission of information,
the process of exploitation of the natural resources of the earth
and, finally, experimentation in the field of genetics and biology.

Unfortunately, this also affects the sectors of science that are
more connected to the development of thought than to technical
means. We know what threats emerged during the last century
because philosophy was placed at the service of ideology. We
are aware that it is very easy to use the achievements in the
sector of psychology against man, against his freedom and
personal integrity. With increasing frequency we discover how
literature, art and music, can destroy the personality, especially
of youth, if a content hostile to man is inserted in its process of
creation.

In experiencing the results of the "alienation" of the work in
regard to the author, both in the personal as well as the social
sphere, humanity finds itself, in a certain sense, at a crossroads.
On one hand, it is evident that man is called and gifted by the
Creator to create, to rule the earth. It is also known that the
fulfillment of this mission has become the motor for
development in the different sectors of life, a development that
should be kept at the service of the common good. On the other
hand, however, humanity fears that the fruits of the creative effort
might turn against it and even become means of destruction.

The Important Role of the Universities

3. In the context of this tension, we are all aware that the
universities and centers of higher studies, which directly
promote development in the different spheres of life, play a key
role. Therefore, it is necessary to ask oneself what the intrinsic
form of these institutions should be, so that a continuous
process of creation is undertaken in such a way that its fruits do
not suffer "alienation" and turn against man, their author.

It seems that the foundation of the hope for that orientation of the
university is concern for man, for his humanity. No matter what
the field of research, of scientific or creative work, whoever
wishes his science, talents, and efforts to be used should ask
himself to what extent his work forges his own humanity first;
then, whether or not it makes man´s life more human, more
worthy of him, from all points of view; and, finally, whether or not
in the framework of development, of which he is author, man
"really makes himself better, that is, more spiritually mature,
more aware of the dignity of his humanity, more responsible,
more open to others, particularly the neediest and weakest,
more ready to give to and assist all" ("Redemptor Hominis," 15).

This concept of science, understood in the wide sense,
manifests its character of service. In fact, if science is not
exercised in the sense of service to man, it can easily be
subordinated to economic interests, with the consequent lack of
concern for the common good or, even worse, can be used to
dominate others and included among the totalitarian aspirations
of individuals or social groups.

This is why, both mature scientists as well as beginning
students, should analyze whether or not their correct desire to
study further the mysteries of learning corresponds to the
fundamental principles of justice, solidarity, social love and
respect for the rights of every man, people and nation.

Obligations stem from science´s character of service, not just in
regard to man and society, but also, and perhaps above all, in
relation to truth itself. The scientist is not a creator of truth, but its =

researcher. Truth is revealed to him to the degree he is faithful to
it. Respect for truth obliges the scientist or philosopher to do
everything within his reach to study it in depth and, to the extent
possible, to present it with precision to others.

Certainly, as the Council affirms, "created things and societies
themselves have their own laws and values that man must
gradually discover, apply, and order" ("Gaudium et Spes," 36)
and, to this end, it is necessary to recognize the methodological
requisites proper to each science and art. However, it is good to
remember that the only correct search for truth is the one carried
out with a methodic examination, in a really scientific way, and
respecting moral norms. The correct aspiration to the knowledge
of truth can never neglect what belongs to the essence of truth:
recognition of good and evil.

We are now touching upon the autonomy of the sciences. Today,
the postulate of unlimited freedom in scientific research is often
defended. In this regard, if on one hand -- as I have said -- it is
necessary to recognize the right of the sciences to apply the
methods of research that are proper to them; on the other, one
cannot agree with the affirmation that the field of research itself
is not subject to any limitations. The boundary is, precisely, the
fundamental distinction between good and evil. This distinction
takes place in man´s conscience.

Therefore, it can be said that the autonomy of the sciences ends
where the right conscience of the scientist recognizes evil, the
evil of the method, of the result or the effect. This is why it is so
important that the university and the higher institute of sciences
not limit themselves to transmit knowledge, but that they be a
place for the formation of a right conscience. In fact, the mystery
of wisdom resides in this, and not in knowledge. And, as the
Council affirms "more than in past centuries, our era needs this
wisdom in order to humanize all the new discoveries made by
man. If wise men are not formed, the future destiny of the world
is in danger" ("Gaudium et Spes," 15).

Competition Must Be Regulated

4. Today there is much talk of globalization. There is the
impression that this process also affects science and that it
does not always have a positive influence. One of the threats
hovering over globalization is an unhealthy competition.
Researchers, what is more, many scientific realms believe that
in order to maintain competitiveness in the realm of the world
market, thought, research and experimentation cannot only be
carried out with just methods, but must be adapted to objectives
indicated with anticipation and to the expectations of the largest
possible public, even if this implies a transgression of
inalienable human rights. From this perspective, the exigencies
of truth give way to the so-called laws of the market.

This can easily lead to reticence in some aspects of truth or even
to the manipulation of it, only in order to present it in an
acceptable way to public opinion. In turn, this acceptance is
exhibited as sufficient proof of the success of these unjustifiable
methods.

In this situation it is also difficult to maintain the fundamental
rules of ethics.

So, then, the competitiveness of scientific centers, although
correct and desirable, cannot be developed at the cost of truth,
goodness and beauty, at the cost of values like human life, from
conception until natural death, or of the resources of the natural
environment. Consequently, the university and every scientific
center, in addition to transmitting knowledge, must teach how to
recognize clearly the justness of the methods and also how to
have the courage to give up what is methodologically possible
but ethically condemnable.

This requirement can only be carried out with farsightedness,
that is, with the capacity to foresee the effects of human acts and
assume the responsibility for man´s situation, not only here and
at this moment, but also in the farthest corner of the world and in
the indefinite future. Both the scientist as well as the student
must always learn to foresee the direction of development and
the effects that their scientific research can have on humanity.

Collaboration Between Technical and Humanistic Sciences

5. These are only some reflections, some suggestions that stem
from concern for the human dimension of the schools of
university studies. These postulates are more easily verified if
there is close collaboration and exchange of experiences
established between the representatives of the technical and
humanistic sciences, including theology. There are many
possibilities of contact in the ambit of existing university
structures. I think that meetings such as this one open new
perspectives of cooperation for the development of science and
for the good of man and the whole of society.

If I speak about all this today, I do so because "the Church, which
is inspired by eschatological faith, considers this concern for
man, for his humanity, for the future of men on earth and,
consequently, also for the orientation of all development and
progress, an essential element of its mission, indissolubly
united to it. And it finds the principle of this concern in Jesus
Christ himself, as the Gospels evidence. And for this reason, it
desires to further it continually in him, rediscovering the situation
of man in the contemporary world, according to the most
important signs of our time" ("Redemptor Hominis," 15).

Distinguished Gentlemen and Ladies, I thank you for your
presence and for your desire for ample collaboration with a view
to the development of Polish and world science, which you
manifest not only on solemn occasions such as this one, but
also in your daily university activity. You constitute a particular
environment that, I hope, will find its equivalent in the structures
of the Europe that is [in the process of] uniting.

I ask you to transmit to your collaborators, the esteemed
professors, the scientific and administrative personnel, and all
the students, my cordial greetings and the assurance of my
constant remembrance in prayer. May the light of the Holy Spirit
accompany the whole environment of scientists, intellectuals
and men of culture in Poland. May God´s blessing sustain you
always.

[original in Polish; translated by ZENIT, based on the Italian
translation by L´Osservatore Romano]

* * *


PLEASE SUPPORT EWTN

Send donations to:

Mother Angelica
EWTN
5817 OLD LEEDS ROAD
IRONDALE, AL 35210

* * *

PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

__________________________________________________
___________

© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News,
unless specified
otherwise.  The Associated Press, CWNews, Zenit News
Service, and VIS own the original copyright for their news
releases and are credited as such.  All copyright materials
copied in any form must include the appropriate copyright owner;
in the case of Roman Catholic News use our URL as follows:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
Roman-Catholic-News-owner@yahoogroups.com

Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Six

Friday, 14 September, 2001

"Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross"

Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time


AMERICA TURNS TO PRAYER

BOSTON, (CWNews) - Following the "acts of war" on Tuesday
that crashed four airliners and demolished the World Trade
Center and the Pentagon, Americans, both the powerful and
ordinary, turned to prayer for consolation and as one of the few
actions they could take. In addition, stories of spiritual heroism
from the site of the disasters also pour in.

Port Authority of New York sources told the Newsmax.com that
fire and police officials had put out and immediate, urgent call for
Catholic priests, and several responded. Firefighters and police
entering in or in close proximity to the buildings were granted
general absolution and last rites, the sources said. They added
that the priests told them that the police and firemen clearly
understood their deaths were imminent as they continued their
rescue efforts.

In cities across the country, in virtually every church, mosque,
and synagogue and in public spaces impromptu religious
services were being organized. President George W. Bush has
called for a National Day of Mourning on Friday and urged all
Americans to take their lunch hour to go to the house of worship
of their choice to offer their prayers for victims, relatives, and
rescue workers.

Rabbi Harold Kushner, author of "When Bad Things Happen to
Good People," said tragedies gain religious meaning only in
how people respond to them. "We should do what can to help
the afflicted," Kushner said. "We pray for the strength not to give
up on the world."

Father Michael Baxter, a professor of Catholic moral theology at
the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, hoped
people would take time to reflect as the country recovers from the
attack. "God is acting in all human events, somehow
mysteriously, and is acting in this, maybe to bring about a kind of
national repentance," he said.

Many religious communities are also engaging in the corporal
acts of mercy as well as the spiritual. In New York, churches are
organizing to provide food and other respite to people stranded
in the city. In Wichita, Kansas, church groups are helping to
house stranded airline passengers. Students at the University of
Texas held a candlelight vigil. Archbishop Alexander Brunett of
Seattle told told an interreligious prayer service on Wednesday
night, "People of God, tonight we have been reminded that God
has many names. God's people are everywhere. They are all of
humanity."



ROMAN CURIA OFFICES PRAY ANGELUS FOR VICTIMS OF
ATTACKS IN U.S.

VATICAN CITY, SEP 14, 2001 (VIS) - All offices of the Roman
Curia prayed the Angelus at noon today and dedicated special
prayers for the repose of the souls of the victims of the
September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, as well as
prayers for peace.

The Vatican joined the countries of the European Union which
had proposed dedicating a period of prayer and recollection at
12 noon today in memory of last Tuesday's victims.


BRITISH RELIGIOUS LEADERS UNITE AGAINST "EVIL DEEDS"

LONDON, (CWNews) - British faith leaders of all traditions have
joined forces to express their horror at Tuesday's attacks on the
United States.

In a joint statement issued last night, Catholics, Protestants,
Muslims, and Jews said, "We believe that it is vital, amid so
much anguish and suffering, to nourish all that we hold in
common and to resist all that would drive us apart."

The statement is signed by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor,
Anglican Archbishop George Carey, Chief Rabbi Jonathan
Sacks, and the head of the Muslim college, Dr. Zaki Badawi.

The statement says, "Our hearts go out to the people of America
and all those who grieve and mourn. We pray for them and with
them. We remember the dead, the bereaved, the injured, and the
missing, and all those working to save life."

It continued, "We and all people of good faith and goodwill--
whatever their religious, ethnic, or racial background-- are
appalled by these terrible attacks. Such evil deeds have no place
in the world we seek to share."

Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor celebrated a Mass at Westminster
Cathedral yesterday for those killed in the attacks.

A three minute silence will be held across Europe tomorrow in
memory of those killed in America. It will begin at 11 am British
time.

NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING PLANNED IN IRELAND

DUBLIN, (CWNews) - The Irish bishops' conference announced
on Thursday that Friday will be a National Day of Mourning in
Ireland, as declared by the Irish government.

A statement from the four archbishops of Ireland-- Sean Brady of
Armagh, Dermot Clifford of Cashel and Emly, Michael Neary of
Tuam, and Cardinal Desmond Connell of Dublin-- said, "At this
time of great sadness and distress we invite everyone to
continue to pray for the victims and their families, and for the
people of the United States." They also asked that all who can do
so to attend Mass or other religious services.

Cardinal Connell has also expressed his sympathy to US
Ambassador to Ireland Richard Egan and said he had sent
letters to American cardinals. As part of the Day of Mourning, a
prayer was to be held at the Dublin cathedral on Thursday
evening for young people, many of whom have traveled in the US
for summer work or holidays. On Friday, President Mary
McAleese and Prime Minister Bertie Ahern were scheduled to
attend an ecumenical service at the cathedral. In addition, the
cardinal asked all 200 parishes of the diocese organize Masses
or prayer services at the same time as that ecumenical service.
Masses were also being planned for celebration all around
Ireland on Friday.


TOP ARGENTINEAN LEADERS JOIN IN MASS PRAYER FOR US
VICTIMS

BUENOS AIRES, (CWNews) - Argentinean President Fernando
de la Rua, as well as other top government officials joined a
mass ecumenical prayer for the US victims of terror attacks
staged at the Plaza de la Republica-- the largest square in
Buenos Aires-- on Wednesday. Thousand of Argentineans
gathered in a prayer vigil convoked by Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio
of Buenos Aires, as well as Evangelical, Orthodox, Jewish, and
Muslim leaders.

Among the some 30,000 Argentineans gathered in the cold
evening to pray for the victims of the terrorist attacks in the US
and their relatives, in addition to President de la Rua, were
Buenos Aires Governor Carlos Ruckauf, Mayor Anibal Ibarra,
former President Raul Alfonsin, most of the government's
ministers, and 50 congressmen from different political parties.
During the prayer service, Cardinal Bergoglio said: "Father, as
one people and as your children, we ask you for peace. Remove
violence from human hearts and make us understand we are all
watchers of our brothers and sisters around the world."

The cardinal then prayed the prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Rabbi Ari Stocman then read Psalms 48 and 85, and the prayer
vigil ended with the closing remarks from Evangelical pastor
Ruben Gutierrez and the Anglican Bishop David Leake.


PRIEST FROM MASSACHUSETTS IS A VICTIM OF ATTACK ON AMERICA


On a Tuesday morning flight, Father Francis Grogan, age 76, enroute to visit his
sister in California was aboard the United Airlines Flight 175 unsuspecting what
awaited him when the plane hit the World Trade
Center.

Fr. Grogan lived in a retirement home for priests at the Holy Cross Fathers
Residence in
Dartmouth, Massachussetts.
Bishop O'Malley of Fall River, MA will be celebrating a special Mass
and conducting a prayer vigil for the victims of Tuesday's tragedy in which Fr.
Grogan was one from his jurisdiction.


MIDEAST CHRISTIANS SAY TRAGEDY MUST BE OCCASION
FOR DIALOGUE

Warn That Conflict in Region Generated Anti-U.S. Feelings


JERUSALEM, (ZENIT New Service).- Christian leaders of the
Holy Land say that good can come from evil, and that the attacks
in the United States tragedy could give birth to dialogue and
peace in the Middle East.

Father Pierre Grech, secretary-general of the Conference of Latin
Bishops of the Arab Region, told the Vatican agency Fides: "We
are all under shock after this tragedy, which strikes at the whole
world. But we are convinced that this terrifying event will shake
the leaders and people in Israel and Palestine to take the path to
dialogue and peace.

"This will mean evil has been turned into good. We are in
absolute darkness in the Middle East, and desperation foments
violence. However, we hope that this tragic event will mark a
turning point for peace."

Father Grech explained that anti-American feeling has
increased, given the Bush administration´s foreign policy.

"People are disappointed," he said. "They say Bush is too much
on Israel´s side. In the future, there will be the problem of the
American position regarding the Muslim world. There are several
questions needing attention: Jerusalem, Palestine, Iraq, Iran.

"In this third millennium, relations with Islam [will be] one of the
main challenges for the West and for Christianity. This century
will be marked by cultural antagonism and this calls for dialogue
among civilizations."

Professor Justo Balda, rector of the Pontifical Institute for Arab
Studies in Rome, said that "terrorism is one of the present-day
forms of evil in our societies."

"We must build nations and societies founded on values of
peace and justice, not force and power," Balda insisted. "The
arms trade, fed by the West, is an evil of our day which
encourages war. There are at least 62 areas of conflict in the
world today with thousands of victims."

INTERVIEW: "THE SEARCH FOR PEACE IS A DUTY"

Archbishop Martino, Vatican Aide at U.N.

NEW YORK, (ZENIT New Service).- Archbishop Renato Martino,
the Vatican´s permanent observer at the United Nations here,
spoke with the international agency Fides just hours after the
attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Q: Archbishop Martino, what are your feelings at this moment?

Archbishop Martino: I saw those towers collapsing, almost as if
they were being swallowed into the earth. This is not the first
time I have witnessed similar implosions used to destroy old
buildings. But this was different: It was an implosion caused by
human violence.

At first, New Yorkers were petrified, but they soon began to
compete in solidarity: people wait patiently in endless lines to
give their blood for the injured, volunteer searchers, about 700 or
800, join police and firemen searching among the rubble for
survivors, despite the danger of falling debris and fires still
burning. At least 200 firemen were killed in action when the
towers collapsed. Masses for the dead were offered in
Washington as well as New York.

Q: Can conclusions be drawn for international politics?

Archbishop Martino: What has happened is a reminder that the
search for peace is a duty. Every country that has the means to
intervene to bring peace must do so. No one can stand and
watch. Sooner or later every country must be involved.

The United States can no longer be considered invulnerable.
Despite the elaborate missile defense program, millions of
dollars spent on fighting terrorism, all it took was a couple of
penknives to cause a disaster of such proportions.

Terrorists are people who are desperate; they feel have nothing
to lose. They see no future so they are ready to kill and to be
killed. We must identify the problems at the roots of terrorism
and find solutions.

As in the fight against AIDS, we must strive not only for cures but
also to eliminate the causes. We do not know how long the
United Nations will remain inactive. A general assembly must
begin soon. The United Nations is a sort of heart for the world: If
it stops beating the rest of the world stops too.

Q: Can the United Nations contribute toward eliminating
terrorism?

Archbishop Martino: The United Nations has already held a
Conference on Terrorism. But there must be political will, on the
part of everyone, if we are to solve the problems. Peace is a
global process which involves everyone, not only a few. Too
many countries take the liberty of turning away, attending to their
own interests.


NIGERIA VIOLENCE REKINDLED IN WAKE OF ATTACKS ON
U.S.

But African Bishop Contends the Conflict Is Ethnic, Not Religious

LAGOS, Nigeria, (Zenit New Services).- The terrorist attacks
against the United States have rekindled the ethnic conflict in
Nigeria.

The Italian newspaper Avvenire reported today that some
Muslims in the city of Jos celebrated the massacres in New York
and Washington. Since last Friday, there have been
confrontations between the Christians and Muslims in Jos,
because of the adoption of Islamic law.

Eyewitnesses said that after hearing reports on the attack on the
United States, young Muslims took to the streets crying, "Allah is
the greatest."

The army was able to control the violence that broke out in the
city-center immediately, but confrontations spread to other
neighborhoods, raising the number of dead, since last Friday, to
500.

Some of the Nigerian Catholic bishops, holding their second
plenary meeting in Lagos, have condemned the recent attacks in
Jos and in the United States, describing them as dastardly acts
against humanity.

Though the clashes in Nigeria started in the wake of imposition
of Shariah, or Islamic law, Archbishop Felix Alaba Job of Ibadan,
vice president of the country´s episcopal conference, pointed to
other motives involved.

"We note that the crisis in Jos and environs is not a religious
war," he contended. "And we plead with our politicians and
media practitioners to stop giving that connotation of religious
animosity. It is mostly an ethnic affair and let the issue be
addressed properly."

Archbishop Alaba Job lamented that the violence is not restricted
to Nigeria´s north.

"It is happening in other dioceses, though not assuming the
name of Shariah or religion," he said. "[Children] whose parents
are born in particular states and they themselves grow up in
other states, cannot get employment or enjoy other facilities
available in that state. This is an issue that our government
should look into because such an act is a disservice to Nigeria."


DRAW FROM EUCHARIST THE STRENGTH FOR MISSIONARY
TASK

VATICAN CITY, SEP 13, 2001 (VIS) - This morning the Holy
Father received at Castelgandolfo the participants of the General
Chapter of the Daughters of St. Paul, meeting on the theme
"From the Eucharist to mission. Together communicating the
Gospel today."

"Go 'together'! Thus He repeats to you during the chapter. Go
forth with confidence so that, sustained by the Eucharist, spring
of renewed life, you can draw the light, strength, and grace
necessary for your missionary task. From this sublime mystery,
you can obtain ardor and enthusiasm for announcing to the men
of our time, with ever faster and more effective means, the hope
that doesn't disappoint."

John Paul II exhorted the religious with these words: "May Christ
be the center of your existence and of your mission. Strive for
sanctity! If it happens, as disciples, that you toil without success,
transform this apparently frustrated experience into a precious
occasion of prayer and spiritual growth. The challenges of the
present age are many, and the means available for confronting
them do not always seem adequate. The problems and
obstacles are not always, however, a cause of discouragement;
on the contrary, they urge you to open your heart to divine grace
so that, strengthened by the word of Christ, you may spread the
joy and newness of the Gospel with your presence and your
action."

"I am grateful to you," the Holy Father concluded, "for the service
that you give to the Church in a vast and complex missionary
field, which is the milieux of social communications. In this age,
characterized by global communication, it is necessary to make
the message of salvation resound with vigor. To complete this
task, more necessary than ever is the presence of competent
individuals, who at the same time are convicted and credible
witnesses of Christ."


CONGREGATION ISSUES DECLARATION ON SUSPENDED
PRIEST

VATICAN CITY, SEP 13, 2001 (VIS) - The following declaration
was released yesterday afternoon by the Congregation for the
Clergy. It was signed by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos,
congregation prefect, and by Archbishop Csaba Ternyak,
secretary.

"The Holy See has received several news reports concerning the
so-called Conference for Peace in the World, which is being
planned for Rome for October 7 to 13 and which has been
organized by Fr. Nicholas Gruner of Canada.

"The Congregation for the Clergy, upon the mandate from a
higher authority, wishes to state that Rev. Nicholas Gruner is
under an 'a divinis' suspension, which has been confirmed by a
definitive sentence of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic
Signature.

"The activities of Fr. Gruner, therefore, including the
above-mentioned conference, do not have the approval of
legitimate ecclesiastical authorities."


9TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL WEEK OF PRAYER AND
FASTING
SLATED  FOR OCTOBER 7 - 16, 2001

(Press Release by Mary Chalupsky)

World Peace - Conversion of Hearts - End to Culture of Death

Washington, DC (September 12, 2001) -- For ten days in
October, people
worldwide are being asked to unite during the 9th Annual
International
Week of Prayer and Fasting, October 7 to 16, 2001, in an urgent
call for
world peace, an end to abortion and the conversion of nations.

The event comes in light of the September 11th terrorist attack
on
America, which is already being called the worst disaster in
American
history.  During the week, people of all faiths are encouraged to
set
aside time to offer prayers and sacrifices, asking God's help to
change
the course of world events that have accelerated to a new level of
violence and terror.

Signs of what Pope John Paul II has called the "culture of death"
abound.  World violence, fratricidal wars, international terrorism,
widespread abortion, stem cell research, the threat of human
cloning,
assisted suicide, euthanasia, pornography, a pervasive drug
culture,
sexual slavery, and anti-family agendas are among today's
accepted
practices that are dehumanizing and degrading the dignity and
integrity
of life.

In a telling warning, Mother Teresa, the saint of Calcutta, has
stated
that "the fruit of abortion is nuclear war."

Specifically, Catholics are encouraged to join together in a united
effort to fast, attend daily Mass and pray the Rosary and Chaplet
of
Divine Mercy; as well as organize prayer groups, parishes and
cathedrals
with rosary rallies, Eucharistic Adoration, prayer chains, and
other
prayer events.

An All-Day Eucharistic Prayer Vigil, that last year drew 7,000
people,
is scheduled for Monday, October 8th from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in
Washington, D.C.  The Vigil includes Eucharistic Adoration, a
noon Mass,
confessions, the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet.  There is no
charge
for the Vigil.

Keynote speaker is Fr. Zlatko Sudac, a young priest from Croatia
who
bears the stigmata (the wounds of Christ).  Fr. Sudac is a priest
in
good standing from the diocese of Krk in Croatia.  He has been
examined
thoroughly by the Gemelli Polyclinic hospital in Rome, and all
investigations have shown his stigmata to be "not of human
origin."

Other speakers include Bud Macfarlane of the Mary Foundation;
author
Michael Brown; Congressman Christopher Smith; Joan
Appleton, a former
abortion clinic nurse; Fr. Thomas Euteneuer of Human Life
International;
Mother Nadine Brown, Foundress of the Sisters of the
Intercessors of the
Lamb; Father Bill McCarthy, co-founder of My Father's House
Retreat
Center; author and speaker Ted Flynn, Joan Ulicny who will give
her
testimony, Paul Regan from Eucharistic Apostles of Divine
Mercy, and
Father Joseph Roach who will lead the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

Sponsored by a coalition of lay Catholic organizations, the Week
is held
each year to urge people around the globe to pray and fast for
just one
week in a united effort to end abortion and bring people back to
God.
Non-Catholics and non-Christians similarly are encouraged to
pray and
fast according to their convictions.  More than 60 countries have
participated in the past including Australia, Great Britain, the
Philippines, and France.

Individuals, pastors, bishops, and cardinals are encouraged to
organize
prayer groups, schools, parishes and their dioceses with rosary
rallies,
Eucharistic Adoration and other pro-life prayer events; and
encourage
participation by publicizing the Week in parish bulletins and
diocesan
newsletters.

This year, the event includes an extra day, October 16, in honor of
the
23rd anniversary of the pontificate of Pope John Paul II.

Materials for domestic and international parish and diocesan
coordinators are available by contacting the office of the
International
Week of Prayer and Fasting, 703-327-2277.

------------------

Jesus told St. Faustina of the Most Blessed Sacrament,
"Humanity will
not have peace until it comes with trust to My Divine Mercy."




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PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

__________________________________________________
___________
© Copyright 2001 John N. Lupia for Roman Catholic News at the
URL:  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News, unless specified
otherwise.  CWNews, Zenit News Service, and VIS own the original copyright for
their news releases and are credited as such.
All copyright materials copied in any form must include the URL as
follows: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Roman-Catholic-News.
All correspondence should be sent to:
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Roman Catholic News


Volume One, Issue Five

Friday, 14 September, 2001

"Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross"

Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time


VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 13, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- The Holy
See and important Muslim religious leaders have jointly
condemned Tuesday´s terrorist assaults on Washington, D.C.,
and New York.

In a statement, distributed today by the Vatican Press Office, the
Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee condemns "the horrifying
acts of terrorism," expresses "great sorrow at the number of
victims," and offers "condolences to their families."

"Such acts of violence are not the way to bring peace to the
world," the committee adds. "As religious leaders, we wish to
emphasize that the true basis for peace is justice and mutual
respect."

The objective of the Islamic-Catholic Liaison Committee, created
in May 1998, is to promote interreligious dialogue between
Christians and Muslims.

It is composed of representatives of the Pontifical Council for
Interreligious Dialogue, presided over by Cardinal Francis
Arinze, and of the Al-Azhar Permanent Committee for Dialogue
with Monotheist Religions.

Al-Azhar University is more than 2,000 years old, and the most
prestigious center of Islamic Studies and Research in the world.

The press statement is signed by the president of the
Committee, professor Hamid Ahmad Al-Rifaie, of the
International Islamic Forum for Dialogue, and by its secretary,
Bishop Michael L. Fitzgerald of the Pontifical Council for
Interreligious Dialogue.


John Paul II´s Address to New U.S. Ambassador to Vatican

On the Spiritual Roots of the Crisis Facing the West

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, SEPT. 13, 2001 (Zenit New Service).-
This morning John Paul II received James Nicholson, the new
U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, who presented his letters of
credence. Below is the Holy Father´s address to the new
ambassador:

* * *

Mr. Ambassador,

I am pleased to accept the Letters of Credence appointing you
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United
States of America to the Holy See. You are beginning your
mission at a moment of immense tragedy for your country. At this
time of national mourning for the victims of the terrorist attacks
on Washington and New York, I wish to assure you personally of
my profound participation in the grief of the American people and
of my heartfelt prayers for the President and the civil authorities,
for all involved in the rescue operations and in helping the
survivors, and in a special way for the victims and their families. I
pray that this inhuman act will awaken in the hearts of all the
world´s peoples a firm resolve to reject the ways of violence, to
combat everything that sows hatred and division within the
human family, and to work for the dawn of a new era of
international co-operation inspired by the highest ideals of
solidarity, justice and peace.

In my recent meeting with President Bush I emphasized my
deep esteem for the rich patrimony of human, religious and
moral values which have historically shaped the American
character. I expressed the conviction that America´s continued
moral leadership in the world depends on her fidelity to her
founding principles. Underlying your nation´s commitment to
freedom, self-determination and equal opportunity are universal
truths inherited from its religious roots. From these spring
respect for the sanctity of life and the dignity of each human
person made in the image and likeness of the Creator; shared
responsibility for the common good; concern for the education of
young people and for the future of society; and the need for wise
stewardship of the natural resources so freely bestowed by a
bounteous God.

In facing the challenges of the future, America is called to
cherish and live out the deepest values of her national heritage:
solidarity and co-operation between peoples; respect for human
rights; the justice that is the indispensable condition for
authentic freedom and lasting peace.

In the century now opening before us, humanity has the
opportunity to make great strides against some of its traditional
enemies: poverty, disease, violence. As I said at the United
Nations in 1995, it is within our grasp to see that a century of
tears, the 20th century, is followed in the 21st century by a
"springtime of the human spirit". The possibilities before the
human family are immense, although they are not always
apparent in a world in which too many of our brothers and
sisters are suffering from hunger, malnutrition and the lack of
access to medical care and to education, or are burdened by
unjust government, armed conflict, forced displacement and new
forms of human bondage. In seizing the available opportunities,
both vision and generosity are necessary, especially on the part
of those who have been blessed with freedom, wealth and an
abundance of resources. The urgent ethical issues raised by the
division between those who benefit from the globalization of the
world economy and those who are excluded from those benefits
call for new and creative responses on the part of the whole
international community. Here I would emphasize again what I
said in my recent meeting with President Bush, that the
revolution of freedom in the world must be completed by a
"revolution of opportunity" which will enable all the members of
the human family to enjoy a dignified existence and to share in
the benefits of a truly global development.

In this context, I cannot but mention, among so many disturbing
situations throughout the world, the tragic violence which
continues to affect the Middle East and which seriously
jeopardizes the peace process begun in Madrid. Thanks also to
the commitment of the United States, that process had given rise
to hope in the hearts of all those who look to the Holy Land as a
unique place of encounter and prayer between peoples. I am
certain that your country will not hesitate to promote a realistic
dialogue which will enable the parties involved to achieve
security, justice and peace, in full respect for human rights and
international law.

Mr. Ambassador, the vision and the moral strength which
America is being challenged to exercise at the beginning of a
new century and in a rapidly changing world call for an
acknowledgment of the spiritual roots of the crisis which the
Western democracies are experiencing, a crisis characterized by
the advance of a materialistic, utilitarian and ultimately
dehumanized world view which is tragically detached from the
moral foundations of Western civilization. In order to survive and
prosper, democracy and its accompanying economic and
political structures must be directed by a vision whose core is
the God-given dignity and inalienable rights of every human
being, from the moment of conception until natural death. When
some lives, including those of the unborn, are subjected to the
personal choices of others, no other value or right will long be
guaranteed, and society will inevitably be governed by special
interests and convenience. Freedom cannot be sustained in a
cultural climate that measures human dignity in strictly utilitarian
terms. Never has it been more urgent to reinvigorate the moral
vision and resolve essential to maintaining a just and free
society.

In this context my thoughts turn to America´s young people, the
hope of the nation. In my Pastoral Visits to the United States, and
above all in my visit to Denver in 1993 for the celebration of World
Youth Day, I was able personally to witness the reserves of
generosity and good will present in the youth of your country.
Young people are surely your nation´s greatest treasure. That is
why they urgently need an all-round education which will enable
them to reject cynicism and selfishness and to grow into their full
stature as informed, wise and morally responsible members of
the community.

At the beginning of a new Millennium, young people must be
given every opportunity to take up their role as "craftsmen of a
new humanity, where brothers and sisters -- members all of the
same family -- are able at last to live in peace" (Message for the
2001 World Day of Peace, 22).

Mr. Ambassador, as you begin your mission as your country´s
representative to the Holy See, I reiterate my hope that in facing
the challenges of the present and future the American people
will draw upon the deep spiritual and moral resources which
have inspired and guided the nation´s growth, and which remain
the surest pledge of its greatness. I am confident that America´s
Catholic community, which has historically played a crucial role
in the education of a responsible citizenry and in the relief of the
poor, the sick and the needy, will be actively present in the
process of discerning the shape of your country´s future course.
Upon you and your family and all the American people I cordially
invoke God´s blessings of joy and peace.




Pope Hopes Attacks Spur a Fresh Era of Cooperation

Receives James Nicholson, New U.S. Ambassador to Vatican

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 13, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- John Paul II
hopes that the United States´ "immense tragedy" will stir the
world´s conscience and pave the way for a "new era of
international cooperation."

The Pope strongly expressed this desire this morning in the
papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo, when he received
James Nicholson, the new U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, who
presented his letters of credence.

"I pray that this inhuman act will awaken in the hearts of the
world´s peoples a firm resolve to reject the ways of violence, to
combat everything that sows hatred and division within the
human family, and to work for the dawn of a new era of
international cooperation inspired in the highest ideals of
solidarity, justice and peace," the Pontiff said.

The meeting, scheduled several weeks ago, came two days
after the brutal attacks on New York and Washington. The Holy
Father to express his "profound participation in the grief of the
American people" and his "heartfelt prayers for the president and
the civil authorities, for all involved in the rescue operations and
in helping the survivors and, in a special way, for the victims and
their families."

The new U.S. ambassador arrived in Castel Gandolfo
accompanied by his wife, Suzanne, and one of his three
children.

During the meeting, John Paul II said that the moral leadership
of the United States in the world "depends on her fidelity to her
founding principles."

"In facing the challenges of the future, America is called to
cherish and live out the deepest values of her national heritage:
solidarity and cooperation between peoples; respect for human
rights; the justice that is the indispensable condition for
authentic freedom and lasting peace."

The Holy Father emphasized the need for a common struggle
against humanity´s traditional enemies: "poverty, disease,
violence," and he highlighted the "urgent ethical issues raised by
the division between those who benefit from the globalization of
the world economy and those who are excluded from those
benefits."

He called for the promotion of "new and creative responses on
the part of the whole international community."

The "revolution of freedom" in the world, he said, must be
completed by a "revolution of opportunity, which will enable all
the members of the human family to enjoy a dignified existence
and to share in the benefits of a truly global development."

The Holy Father mentioned, among the "many disturbing
situations throughout the world, the tragic violence that continues
to affect the Middle East, [...] which seriously jeopardizes the
peace process begun in Madrid."

"Thanks also to the commitment of the United States, that
process had given rise to hope in the hearts of all those who
look to the Holy Land as a unique place of encounter and prayer
between peoples," John Paul II said.

Lastly, the Holy Father encouraged the United States "to promote
a realistic dialogue that will enable the parties involved to
achieve security, justice and peace, in full respect for human
rights and international law."

"Consolation for All Americans," James Nicholson Says

VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 13, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- John Paul
II´s words of "spiritual closeness" to the "families of the victims
and wounded," in the attack against the United States, have
been a "consolation for all Americans," the new U.S.
ambassador to the Vatican said.

James Nicholson presented his Letters of Credence to the Holy
Father this morning at Castel Gandolfo, in a ceremony
scheduled some time ago.

Nicholson thanked the Pope on behalf of President George W.
Bush, for his closeness to the country in its tragic hour, and
renewed the offer of cooperation between the United States and
the Vatican.

He said believes that this cooperation could prove decisive in the
reconciliation of human communities, especially in Africa, the
Balkans, and in the struggle against the traffic in human beings,
the defeat of AIDS, the promotion of religious liberty in the world,
and of peace and prosperity in the Holy Land.

When he addressed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
on July 19, as ambassador-designate to the Vatican, Nicholson
presented the work that his country and the Vatican are doing to
promote religious liberty in China and North Korea.

Nicholson, a former head of the Republican National
Committee, was born in Struble, Iowa, on Feb. 4, 1938. He has
degrees in political science and law, and is a graduate of West
Point Military Academy.

The ambassador is a Knight of the Sovereign Military Order of
Malta and, among other distinctions, a recipient of the Horatio
Alger Award.


Muslim Religious Leaders Condemn the Attacks

Within Islam, Splits Linger Over Legitimacy of Suicide Terrorists

ROME, SEPT. 13, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- Muslim religious
leaders worldwide condemned the terrorist attacks on New York
and Washington, and stressed that these brutal acts are not
justified by the Koran. But within Islam there linger
disagreements about the legitimacy of suicide assailants.

Mohammed Sayyed Tantawi, the grand imam of al-Alzhar
University of Cairo, the most prestigious of the Muslim world, told
the Italian newspaper Avvenire that the "killing of men, women
and children is a horrible and brutal action, which cannot be
approved by the monotheist religions nor by sane men."

Sheikh Nasr Farid Wassel, Egypt´s mufti, was more incisive:
"We condemn and deplore what has happened in the United
States against innocent civilians, as Islam condemns all forms
of terrorism, regardless of where it happens, and it prohibits
aggression against noncombatant civilians of all societies,
because Islam is a religions that offers peace and security to
every human being, regardless of his society, race, religion,
language or color."

"At all times and in all places, Islam and peace are two sides of
the same coin," the Egyptian mufti concluded.

Dalil Boubakeur, rector of the Paris Mosque and spiritual head of
the French Muslim community, raised his voice in Europe.

In statements to Adnkronos agency, he said that the terrorist acts
in the United States "do not, at all, reflect the Islamic religion,"
and that he is in total agreement with John Paul II´s words of
condemnation.

Boubakeur has called a meeting of leaders of several religions
"to pronounce a joint denunciation and to direct our sympathetic
thoughts to the victims of these terrible acts."

"Terrorism is not a teaching of Islam, and the kamikazes´
actions are not part of our culture," the rector of the Paris Mosque
concluded.

His position, however, isn´t shared by all Muslim ulemas. In
recent years, doctors of Islamic law have split over the legitimacy
of a suicide attacker´s actions.

In Egypt, a veritable war pitted the previous grand imam of
al-Azhar against the mufti. In addition to questions like the
justness of banking interests ... and certain abortion cases, the
two leaders were divided on the issue of considering Palestinian
suicide attackers as "martyrs."

Such attackers justify their acts by quoting from the Koran. The
issue divides religious and political leaders. In televised
statements last April, a Palestinian minister said that "suicide
attacks are a legitimate means used by Palestinians to combat
the enemy. ... The objective is to serve God, to fight for the faith
and the fatherland."




"Somebody tried to kill me."
(Article by John N. Lupia)

	 In the cries and screams resulting from the recent attacks of war
many have justly cried: "Somebody tried to kill me."  These words
bear heavy on the hearts and minds of all Americans as we
celebrate this national day of prayer and mourning for our dead.
Today all Americans are asked to display the American flag.
This noble banner symbolizes the greatness of our nations past,
present and future.  It symbolizes the best of our culture.
	 During the late 1930's and early 1940's American literature and
film took up the themes of "law and order" due to the rise of
organized crime in America.  Two of these stories are of
sustained significance in any law abiding society: "The Fury,"
and "The Ox-Bow Incident".  They have particular significance
today in the United States in the aftermath of the horror and rage
that has struck the nerve and heart of American society following
the terrorist attacks on our nation this past Tuesday.
	 Norman Krasna's (1909-1984) "The Fury" (1936) a
contemporary drama about a "lynch mob" and "mob rule" in a
rural town of Strand, that mistakenly identifies a traveler as a
kidnapper in the Peabody Gang.  The story was the basis of Fritz
Lange's first American film starring (Spencer Tracy) as Joe
Wilson and (Sylvia Sydney) as Katherine Grant; a couple
planning to wed that is delayed and disrupted by the series of
calamities that befall Joe as he travels through the countryside
outside Strand.  The kidnapper is known to keep salted peanuts
in his pocket, which happens to also, coincidentally, to be a
personal habit of Joe Wilson.  What makes matters worse is that
he also picked up a five dollar bill in change that is positively
identified by its serial numbers as part of the ransom money.  He
is jailed and a "lynch mob" burns it down.  The remaining story
relates how Joe Wilson escaped undetected during the fire, but
everyone thinks he is dead.  A trial takes place finding the
leaders of the lynch mob guilty of murder.
	 The other story by Walter Van Tilburg Clark  (1909-1971) "The
Ox-Bow Incident" (1940) set in 1885 Nevada, is a searing and
hard realistic portrait of frontier life and "lynch mob mentality"
violence in the American West.  The novel was the basis of a film
(1943) directed by William A. Wellman and starring (Henry
Fonda) Gil Carter  and Art Croft (Harry Morgan), who believing in
justice and honor, attempt to prevent a lynch mob's thirst for
revenge when they erroneously believe a cattleman friend has
been murdered by rustlers (Dana Andrews, Anthony Quinn, and
Francis Ford) whom they want to hang from trees taking the law
in their own hands.
	 The lessons we learn from these stories is that disregard for
law and order that is fueled by a blind rage and a thirst for justice
is as criminal as the acts they lash out against.  There have
been, fortunately, only a few irresponsible journalists who have
spoken out recently in the media in this "lynch mob mentality"
calling for an out right war and air strikes against Afghanistan
and Pakistan, without going through due process of law.  This
"lynch mob mentality" must be extinguished and supplanted by
one that is based on sober, reasonable and authentic justice.
To seek lashing out blindly on Arabic neighbors in our own
communities, or demanding air strikes to wipe out innocent
populations that include children is the same identical crime that
we are outraged against.  True justice must be one that is truly
just and is easily identifiable since it always seeks to preserve
the rights and dignity of innocent peoples.
	 Osama Bin Laden is a well known international criminal and
despot who should be brought to justice.  It is unclear whether or
not he was behind the terrorist attacks this past Tuesday.
Whether he was or not is beside the point at this new stage in
global history imperiled and imprisoned by the demonic reign of
international terrorism.  The terrorists who attacked the United
States on Tuesday have already met with their end.  Justice must
be meted out to the remaining surviving conspirators in this
terroristic plot.  The United States resolve goes beyond that, as it
must.  We are confronted with the realization that the war is one
on the monstrous beast of terrorism itself.  As a nation we must
put aside prejudice, and rage and remain people of truth, justice,
law and order.  The war against terrorism must not mirror it, but,
be noble and rise above it.  It must be a war that draws its
strength from courage that stems from human dignity that
respects all human life and honor.  The new war we are
engaged in must build us up as a global community that
abandons our "culture of death" and puts on the "culture of life".
	 In "The Fury" the trial of the twenty-two people in the lynch mob
guilty for the fire, the lawyer (Caesar Romero) gives an important
opening speech.  He states that the "law declares that in a
lynching all who consent to the design are responsible for what
takes place.  All who participate are responsible for the act.
When a mob takes it upon itself to identify, try, condemn and
punish it is a destroyer of a government that patriots have died to
establish and defend.  Every decent person feels the importance
of this case.  The nation is hanging in the outcome of this trial."
This speech has importance for us today.  We must keep sacred
and preserve those noble principles and ideals that moved our
patriots to establish and defend our great nation.  True
patriotism on our part must maintain the just cause for freedom
and human rights.  One of the final statements made in that
speech in "the Fury" to the court and jury: "You must be guided
not only by your common sense but by your patriotism."  If we
follow authentic American patriotism we shall follow in the
footsteps of the "giants" of great men and women who have
established this nation based on Christian principles of law and
order.
	 The simile of referring to our forebears as "giants" was first
used in the 12th century at the school of Chartres, probably
about 1115, by the master of that school Bernard of Chartres (d.
circa 1130) who was the successor of Bishop Ivo (1040?-1116).
Bernard was a founding father of the Renaissance reviving the
classical authors.  There are no extant writings of Bernard,
however, we do have those of John of Salisbury who was a
student of three Chartrains: Bernard's younger brother Thierry of
Chartres, and two of Bernard's most outstanding pupils: William
of Conches (1080?-1154), and Gilbert de la Porrée, Bishop of
Poitiers (1070-1154).  Through them John learned of the nature
and character of Bernard and recorded notes taken by them from
lectures given by Bernard.  John describes Bernard quite lucidly
in Metalogicon 1, 23.  It is in Metalogicon 3, 4 that John
discusses Aristotle's Periermenie (Interpretation) and the
schoolmen of his day who draw conclusions about the logic and
grammar of the ancients.  John tells us that Peter Abelard
(1079-1142) held the ancients superior over the wisest
contemporary philosopher and teacher because of their primacy
and originality in thinking.  According to Abelard's view we
inherited wisdom through a lifetime of their labors.  We can,
therefore, learn in a brief span of time the insights of many
authors who spent their lives in investigations.  John then goes
on to cite "Bernard of Chartres who used to compare us to puny
dwarfs perched on the shoulders of giants.  He pointed out that
we see more and farther than our predecessors, not because
we have keener vision or greater height, but because we are
lifted up and borne aloft on their gigantic stature."  Incidentally,
this dictum of Bernard's was also cited by Alexander Neckam
(1157-1217) in De Naturis Rerum, c. 78.  For an elaborate
discussion on this simile refer to the Platonic scholar from the
University of London's Warburg Institute, Raymond Klibansky,
"Standing on the Shoulders of Giants," Isis 71, xxvi, 1 (Dec
1936):147-149.
	 We Americans must consider ourselves as "puny dwarfs
perched on the shoulders of our patriotic giants.  "If we see more
and farther than our predecessors, it is not because we have
keener vision or greater height, but because we are lifted up and
borne aloft on their gigantic stature."   We must reflect on the
greatest of the ideologies of our heroic and noble historic
figures: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham
Lincoln, and John F. Kennedy.  We should be guided not only by
our common sense but by our patriotism that holds true to the
American tradition for authentic Christian principles of freedom
that guarantee all people equal rights and dignity under the law.
	 Today has been declared a national day of prayer.  It is a day
that all Americans are asked to display the American flag to
show not only patriotism but also a spirit solidarity.  Let us all
join today in prayer for our great nation to be set on the path of
freedom guided by God and the Catholic principles we hold
sacred.  We are obligated to voice our Catholic perspective in
this just and noble cause in the war on terrorism to keep it on the
path of authentic justice and lasting peace.  As we hold up our
American flags today, let us also hold up the "Holy Cross" on this
feast day in the Church.  Let the values symbolized in the
American flag be guided and blessed by those of Jesus Christ
on the Cross.  America has lost much of its great heritage by
legalizing abortion, stem cell research, covert operations in third
world nations, and many other actions that lack truth and have
made a mockery of justice.  It is time to soul search and rethink
our actions as a nation which are expressed so well in this
poem:

America where have you gone?
Though your star spangled banner still waves,
its stars have lost their luster.
Its white stripes have paled to gray.
Its red stripes painted with blood
of the innocent of today.
America you've gone astray.
You've left the straight and narrow highway.
You've roamed into the wilderness of death and decay.
Where's the greatness you once had?
When families were together and neighbors were glad.
Though the flag still waves all tattered and gray,
with streets crowded with despair and dismay,
your people have a greatness you can't take away.
America, cling to the things that will always last.
Rebuild the glory of our nation's past.
America where have you gone?
Though your star spangled banner still waves,
remember its sewn from the threads of a million graves.
Stand up and rise above your misery and pain.
Don't let those lives have fallen in vain.
America you've gone astray.
Your stars have lost their sparkle.
Your stripes have paled to gray.



Priest Dies While Helping Victims in New York Tragedy

Franciscan Father Michael Judge Lived Close to the Needy

NEW YORK, SEPT. 13, 2001 (Zenit New Service).- Father
Michael F. Judge, OFM, met his death while administering the
sacraments to the wounded and dying in the attack on New
York´s World Trade Center.

The Irish Franciscan, 68, was chaplain of the New York City Fire
Department; in his ministry, he faced many tragic situations.

Father Judge lived in a monastery near Manhattan´s Penn
Station, but spent much of his time in the city´s hospitals and
firehouses.

Whenever firefighters fell in the line of duty, Father Judge
consoled their families and spoke at their funerals. He formed a
close friendship with Steven MacDonald, a city police officer who
was paralyzed by a teen-age gunman in 1986.

When TWA Flight 800 crashed off Long Island, Father Judge was
there to comfort devastated relatives and shell-shocked
rescuers.

After the attack on the first of Manhattan´s twin towers, Father
Judge arrived on the scene with one of the first groups of
firefighters. He immediately began to give absolution to the
wounded. Minutes later, the tower collapsed, crushing many
victims, including the Franciscan.

According to a statement of the Franciscan Province of the Holy
Name in New York, to which Father Judge belonged, "Father
Michael died doing what he loved most, next to the people he
loved most, the needy.

"Father Michael´s body was taken to St. Peter´s Church on
Barclay Street, and placed in the sanctuary next to the bodies of
his companions, the firefighters. Details of his funeral will soon
be made known."

"May he and all the victims of the disaster rest in peace," the
Franciscan statement ends.

Michael Judge made his religious vows 46 ago and was
ordained a priest 40 years ago.


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PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

Roman Catholic News


Volume One, Issue Four

Thursday, 13 September, 2001

Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time


PAPAL MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH, 11
SEPTEMBER 2001

The Hon. George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
The White House
WASHINGTON DC

Shocked by the unspeakable horror of today's inhuman terrorist
attacks against innocent people in different parts of the United
States I hurry to express to you and your fellow citizens my
profound sorrow and my closeness in prayer for the Nation at
this dark and tragic moment. Commending the victims to
Almighty God's eternal mercy, I implore his strength upon all
involved in rescue efforts and in caring for the survivors. I beg
God to sustain you and the American People in this hour of
suffering and trial.
IOANNES PAULUS PP. II

(©L'Osservatore Romano - 12 September 2001)


POPE EXPRESSES "SHOCK" AT "INHUMAN TERRORIST
ATTACKS" ON U.S.

" . . .evil and death do not have the final say."
John Paul II, audience 12 September 2001

VATICAN CITY, SEP 12, 2001 (VIS) - Following is the text of the
telegram sent yesterday afternoon by Pope John Paul to U.S.
President George W. Bush, following terrorist attacks earlier in
the morning in Washington, D.C. and New York City, causing an
untold number of victims and incalculable damage:

"Shocked by the unspeakable horror of today's inhuman terrorist
attacks against innocent people in different parts of the United
States I hurry to express to you and your fellow citizens my
profound sorrow and my closeness in prayer for the nation at
this dark and tragic moment. Commending the victims to
Almighty God's eternal mercy, I implore His strength upon all
involved in rescue efforts and in caring for the survivors. I beg
God to sustain you and the American people in this hour of
suffering and trial."

Holy See Press Office Director Joaquin Navarro-Valls also
released a statement yesterday regarding the news of the
tragedy which occurred in the United States:

"The Holy Father has been constantly informed of the events
related to this enormous tragedy. From the very first moment He
prayed to God to give eternal repose to the souls of the many,
many victims and courage and comfort to their families.

"The Holy Father wished immediately to send a message to the
president of the United States to express his closeness and that
of the entire Church to him and to the American people in this
moment of suffering and trial.

"The Holy Father expresses great condemnation for this violence
which only destroys."


VATICAN CITY, SEP 12, 2001 (VIS) - The Pope dedicated today's
general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square, to
yesterday's tragedy in the United States, expressing his very
great condemnation and his assurance of spiritual closeness to
the families of the dead and the injured.

Following is a large part of the text read by the Holy Father, which
replaced the traditional catechesis of the general audience:

"I cannot begin this audience without expressing my profound
sorrow at the terrorist attacks which yesterday brought death and
destruction to America, causing thousands of victims and
injuring countless people. To the President of the United States
and to all American citizens I express my heartfelt sorrow. In the
face of such unspeakable horror we cannot but be deeply
disturbed. I add my voice to all the voices raised in these hours
to express indignant condemnation, and I strongly reiterate that
the ways of violence will never lead to genuine solutions to
humanity's problems.

"Yesterday was a dark day in the history of humanity, a terrible
affront to human dignity. After receiving the news, I followed with
intense concern the developing situation, with heartfelt prayers to
the Lord. How is it possible to commit acts of such savage
cruelty? The human heart has depths from which schemes of
unheard-of ferocity sometimes emerge, capable of destroying in
a moment the normal daily life of a people. But faith comes to
our aid at these times when words seem to fail. Christ's word is
the only one that can give a response to the questions which
trouble our spirit. Even if the forces of darkness appear to prevail,
those who believe in God know that evil and death do not have
the final say. Christian hope is based on this truth; at this time
our prayerful trust draws strength from it.

"With deeply felt sympathy I address myself to the beloved
people of the United States in this moment of distress and
consternation, when the courage of so many men and women of
good will is being sorely tested."

Before the conclusion of the audience, the Pope and the faithful
prayed for the Churches of the East and the West, and, in
particular, for the Church in the United States and for heads of
state "so order that, not allowing themselves to be dominated by
hatred and the spirit of retaliation, they do everything possible to
keep weapons of destruction from sowing new hatred and new
death and strive to bring light to the darkness of human affairs
with works of peace."


Cloistered Convent at Vatican Lends Its Prayers



VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 12, 2001 (ZENIT News Service).- Just
hours after the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, the Carmelites of the
little cloistered convent in the Vatican began to pray for the
victims and their families.

"We are always here to pray; this is our vocation and life,"
explained Mother Mary, superior of the community. "Nothing
changes today in the community´s schedule. However, our
prayer is directed to what happened in the United States."

The Pope requested the prayers immediately after learning of
the attacks Tuesday, and his closest aides passed on the word
directly to the cloistered nuns.

"We were given immediate news of the tragedy by telephone,"
the superior said. "We were asked to pray for the victims, the
wounded, for their families, and for peace. And this is what we
are doing."

The nuns who are closest to the Pope carry in their prayer "the
great problems of the Church and the world, but also issues
related to the life of specific individuals," Mother Mary said.

The nine Carmelites in the Vatican convent, who arrived two
years ago, come from Italy, France, Poland, Spain and the Holy
Land.

In the silence of community life, they follow closely the Pope´s
trips, and his commitments and concerns. They have no need of
television news to know what has happened.

"We know it has been a tragedy that has affected many innocent
people," Mother Mary said, "and we know that we must pray for
those who have been scourged by violence."



Interview: Break the Chain of Hatred with Justice, Says Cardinal

American Edmund Casimir Szoka, at the Vatican

ROME, SEPT. 12, 2001 (ZENIT News Service).- Like many
around the world, U.S. Cardinal Edmund Casimir Szoka watched
CNN´s broadcasts Tuesday in disbelief.

From his office, the president of the Pontifical Commission for
Vatican City State watched the fallout from the terrorist attacks
that heavily damaged the Pentagon, left the World Trade Center
in rubble, and changed -- maybe permanently -- the psyche of
his homeland.

Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 74 years ago this Friday,
Cardinal Szoka was archbishop of Detroit until 1990. His current
duty makes him the American with the highest-level post in the
Vatican.

During an interview, he showed intense emotion, and
sometimes spoke with difficulty.

Q: Your Eminence, what are your feelings before this apocalyptic
scene?

Cardinal Szoka: It is terrible to think of the 50,000 people who go
to the World Trade Center every day, or the numerous
employees of the Pentagon. Thousands of dead, of wounded. It
is a tragedy. I have prayed in my chapel for all of them, for their
families, for so much suffering caused by human beings.

The fact that we are not facing a country that has declared war is
a source of anguish: They are terrorists. It is impossible to
imagine and understand such great hatred, so extreme, which
goes so far as to kill innocent people. Innocent! The victims are
not military men, it is not an army at war, but people like all of us,
like our families, people who work. It is unheard of.

Q: What is more, it is a complex action, coldly studied in an
office.

Cardinal Szoka: It is a fact that gives rise to incredulity: a mind
that is capable of elaborating such a diabolic strategy, of which,
moreover, we do not yet know the details. In some countries
there is extreme hatred against the United States for various
reasons.

It is difficult to proffer hypotheses, but no doubt it is the action of a
well-organized group that has much funding; just to conceive an
attack of this dimension requires a large team.

Q: Will the Americans react with vengeance?

Cardinal Szoka: It is a temptation, but we, Americans, always
prefer the way of law, and not so much that of retaliation against
objectives that are difficult to imagine at this time. Is it possible to
destroy totally a country that is an enemy of the United States?

We must always pray to find the way of peace, to break the
unbridled logic of the one who wants to destroy life. I think
Americans´ first desire is to find those responsible for this horror
and prosecute them.

Q: How should a Christian react to someone who wishes to sow
hatred and terror?

Cardinal Szoka: In the first place, we must pray for the victims
and for peace, so that no extreme solution will be arrived at, a
retaliation, to find ways to avoid new tragedies.

Q: One avenue points to Muslim fundamentalism -- hatred in the
name of God?

Cardinal Szoka: It is an unbearable contradiction. How can one
believe in God and harbor so much hatred?

And yet, we see this ambiguity in action everywhere: in the
Balkans, the Middle East, and Northern Ireland. Believers
against believers, including Christians involved in acts of
violence.

How is it possible to explain this tragedy without being
conscious of original sin?






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PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Three "Special Report"

11 September, 2001



The World Trade Center (WTC) visible from a neighborhood
10-15 miles away is now replaced by billowing smoke and dark
gray skyline spanning many many miles.  About 80 or more
stories combined were destroyed by two plane crashes leaving
workers killed and trapped in the floors above prior to their
collapse.  Based on this information about 25,000 or more
people may possibly have been killed.  No concrete information
is yet known about these numbers or if any biological or
chemical weapons were deployed in the incidents.  This will all
be known in the hours to follow.  After the crashes at the WTC
600 people have been hospitalized, 150 in critical condition,
1,500 are wounded.  By 9:00 PM (EST) 6 of the hospitalized died
making 3,000 people officially estimated as dead, but rising.
Besides the 157 passengers on the two planes, about 200-300
police, firefighters and transit personnel are missing and
presumed dead.  A truck load of explosives headed for the
George Washington Bridge driven by two men was apprehended
by Port Authority police in New Jersey near the Meadowlands.
Southern Manhattan is official closed by order of the NY State
Police Commissioner announced at 10:30 PM.  US Air Force jets
have been flying overhead northeast NJ and NY all day.  Two US
Air craft carriers were deployed along the New York harbor for
emergency defensive and rescue purposes.  An estimated
80-100 billion dollars in loss resulted to world financial
institutions, American property damage, loss of lives, military
and police expenses.

All United States airports have been closed as an emergency
procedure due to a terrorist alert and what appears to be a
terrorist attack launched about 8:30 AM (EST).  They are expected
to be reopened 12 September around noon.  The United States
government is in a high alert crisis mode implementing special
procedures of a disaster plan called FERP Federal Emergency
Response Plan that have been strategically outlayed in the event
of a terrorist plot to either attack or overthrow the government.
US Airforce planes are now positioned in US airports prepared
for defensive and counterattack procedures.  One of the primary
suspects is Osama (Ussamah) Bin Laden, who is living in
Afghanistan.  Explosions have been reported in and around the
airport in Kabul, Afghanistan beginning about 2:30 AM or 5:00 PM
(EST).  Rockets also reportedly exploded in the northern suburb
of Khair Khana, hitting the Taliban depot.  President George
Bush, Jr., denies the US has taken any aggressive actions and
attributes the explosions in Kabul to the civil war there.  US
Intelligence reports that attacks by opposition rebels in response
to the Sunday attack on rebel general Ahmed Shah Massooda
are the cause the explosions.  It is uncertain if this was an
Islamic attack against the USA.  Several other high level terrorist
groups are also suspects which are not Islamic related.  The
investigation concerning the the identity of the terrorists
responsible is currently underway and may not be conclusive for
several days.


RELATED PAST TRAGEDIES

In 1945, an Army Air Corps B-25, a twin-engine bomber, crashed
into the 79th
floor of the Empire State Building in dense fog.

The WTC towers were struck by bombers in February 1993.  The
center bombing on Feb. 26, 1993, killing six people and injured
more than 1,000 others.


CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS 11 SEPTEMBER 2001
(all information is tentative due to conflicting reports)

8:45 AM (EST) the north tower or tower one was struck by a
komakazi style crash from American Airlines flight 11 flying from
Boston to Los Angeles with 92 passengers.  David Angell,
Executive Producer of TV sitcom Frasier was on board along with
his wife.

9:03 AM (EST)   the south tower or tower was also struck by a
komakazi style crash from a Boeing 767 United Airlines flight
175 from Boston to Los Angeles carrying 65 people

9:40 AM (EST) the newly renovated southside of the Pentagon
was hit in a komakazi style crash by a Boeing 757, American
Airlines flight 77 from Wasington to Los Angeles, carrying 64
passengers, about 100 workers were killed or injured.

9:50 AM (EST) the White House and the Capital were evacuated
after the Secret Service received a threat on both facilities.  By
10:50 AM all museums and national monuments were closed
and evacuated.

10:09 AM (EST) the south tower of the WTC collapsed and at
10:28 AM the north tower collapsed.

10:15 AM (EST) in Shanksville, 80 miles southeast of
Pittsburgh's Somerset County airport in southwestern
Pennsylvania a United Airlines commercial airplane fight 93 from
Newark to San Francisco was downed enroute to crash at Camp
David, the presedential retreat.

10:30 AM the Federal Aviation Agency shut down all air travel.

5:00 PM a third building, building number seven of the WTC
compound collapsed.  Building number five is expected to also
collapse sometime later.


Vatican Information Service announced that Pope John Paul II
condemned the attack as a crime against humanity.


VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE

COUNCIL TO HOST MEETING ON WORK AS KEY TO THE
SOCIAL QUESTION



VATICAN CITY, SEP 11, 2001 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace has organized an international meeting which
will take place in the Vatican's New Synod Hall from September
13 to 15 on the theme "Work and the Social Question 20 Years
after 'Laborem Exercens'." The meeting is entitled "Work as Key
to the Social Question - The Great Social and Economic
Transformations and the Subjective Dimension of Work."

According to a council communique published today, this
encounter was organized in collaboration with Italy's Sacred
Heart Catholic University and with important international
research centers including Catholic University of Louvain,
Belgium, St. John's University in New York, the University of St.
Thomas in Minnesota and the Leo XIII Social Institute of Madrid.

The communique states that "in 1981, John Paul II wrote in his
encyclical 'Laborem Exercens,' that 'man's work is a key,
probably the principal key, of the entire social question, if we
seek to look at this question truly from a point of view of the good
of man'. In the last two decades, work has changed in a
significant way, because of the effect of globalization and
developments in the economic world and in society. These
changes have a direct impact on people, which John Paul II calls
'the subjective dimension of human work'." The communique
adds that the meeting will look at these questions in the "context
of the Catholic social tradition."

Cardinal Francois-Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan, council president,
will preside at the opening session. An audience with the Holy
Father is on the
schedule.

SILVESTRINE BENEDICTINE FATHERS: ASPIRE TO SANCTITY

VATICAN CITY, SEP 8, 2001 (VIS) - Today, in the Apostolic
Palace of Castelgandolfo, John Paul II received the Silvestrine
Benedictine Fathers, on the occasion of their General Chapter,
on the theme "Celebrate the memory, celebrate the hope."

John Paul II recalled that the Congregation had celebrated seven
centuries of history: In the middle of the 19th century it brought
the Benedictine Rule to Asia for the first time and in the last
hundred years new foundations have been created in the United
States, Australia, India, and recently the Philippines. "May God
bless," the Holy Father said, "in particular, your project of further
foundations in Europe and Africa, in order that your spirituality
may be spread for His glory and the good of souls."

"Strive that sanctity be, therefore, the first and fundamental
objective of your personal and community life," John Paul
continued.

The Pope went on to affirm that a monastic family "such as
yours, is called today to give a strong contribution above all to the
contemplative dimension of personal and ecclesial life. ... Be,
therefore, dear brethren, ardent contemplators" of the Holy Face
of Christ, "in order that the message of Jesus shine in your
existence. Draw renewed vigor from unceasing prayer in order to
'cast out into the deep' without fear, following, according to your
charism, the way of total dedication to Christ and His Gospel."


AC/GENERAL CHAPTER/SILVESTRINE BENEDICTINES

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, SEP 8, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Appointed Bishop Vital Masse, auxiliary of St. Jerome, as
bishop of Mont-Laurier (area 19,968, population 86,969,
Catholics 77,980, priests 56, religious 130), Canada. He
succeeds Bishop Jean Gratton, whose resignation from the
pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father accepted, in
accordance with the age limit.

- Accepted the resignation of Auxiliary Bishop Andrea Veggio,
from the pastoral care of the diocese of Verona, Italy, in
accordance with the age limit.

- Appointed Fr. Joseph Luc Andre Bouchard, of the clergy of the
diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall, rector of the St. Joseph
Seminary in Edmonton, as bishop of Saint Paul (area 155,916,
population 129,375, Catholics 43,075, priests 27, permanent
deacons 1, religious 22), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in
1948, in Cornwall, Canada, and was ordained to the priesthood
in 1976.

- Appointed Bishop Dante Lafranconi of Savona-Noli, as bishop
of Cremona (area 1,917, population 318,000, Catholics 313,500,
priests 377, permanent deacons 12, religious 833), Italy.

PRAYER FOR TRIP TO KAZAKHSTAN AND ARMENIA AND FOR
SYNOD

VATICAN CITY, SEP 9, 2001 (VIS) - This morning John Paul II
invited the faithful present at the recitation of the Angelus to pray
for his upcoming apostolic trip to Kazakhstan and Armenia,
September 22-27, and for the Synod of Bishops, scheduled for
the end of this month.

   The Pope, speaking at the summer residence of
Castelgandolfo, noted that next Sunday morning he will make a
pastoral visit to the Italian diocese of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino
and on September 22, would leave for Kazakhstan and Armenia,
"two Republics of the ex-Soviet Union which became
independent 10 years ago." He expressed the hope that these
visits will "contribute to the cause of the new evangelization and
ecumenical dialogue."

"From September 30 to October 27," the Pope continued, "the
10th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be held at
the Vatican, in order to reflect on the episcopal ministry in the
Church and the world." The teaching of the decree of Vatican
Council II, "Christus Dominus," the Holy Father explained, will be
"the principle reference point of the work of the synod. ... The
Council teaching will be reread in the light of the last decade and
above all in the perspective of the new evangelization."

   The Holy Father affirmed, finally, that "The Gospel phrase 'Duc
in altum - Put out into the deep', which I proposed as the motto
for the beginning of the new millennium, is addressed first of all
to the Bishops, successors of the apostles, and it calls them to
commit themselves with confidence to this new missionary
season of the Church."

ANG/TRIPS:SYNOD/CASTELGANDOLFO

AUDIENCES

VATICAN CITY, SEP 10, 2001 (VIS) - The Holy Father received
today in separate audiences:

  - Archbishop Rino Passigato, apostolic nuncio in Peru.
  - Archbishop Mario Roberto Cassari, apostolic nuncio in the
Republic of the Congo and in Gabon.
  - Five prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Haiti on their "ad
limina" visit:
     - Archbishop Francois Gayot of Cap-Haitien.
     - Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot, coadjutor and apostolic
administrator
"sede plena" of Port-au-Prince, with Auxiliary Bishop Joseph
Lafontant.
     - Bishop Emmanuel Constant of Les Gonaives.
     - Bishop Willy Romelus of Jeremie.
  - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone,
emeritus of
Vercelli, respectively prefect and secretary of the Congregation
for the
Doctrine of the Faith.

   On Saturday, he received in separate audiences:

  - Francesco Storace, president of the Lazio Region,
accompanied by his wife.   - Archbishop Francesco Marchisano,
president of the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural
Patrimony of the Church and of the Pontifical Commission of
Sacred Archeology.   - Msgr. Piero Monni, Holy See permanent
observer to the World Tourism Organization.
  - Bishop Salvatore Boccaccio of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino,
Italy


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PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue Two

Tuesday, 11 September, 2001

Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time


JOHN PAUL II's SCHEDULE OF EVENTS THIS MONTH


This Sunday, September 16, 2001 John Paul II will visit Ciociaria,
the Diocese of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino, Italy.  The papal visit
coincides with the Extension market "Antiquariato and
Coleccionism"


On Saturday, Sept. 22, John Paul II will leave from "Leonardo da
Vinci" International Airport of Fiumicino (Rome) for Astana,
Kazakhstan on the 95th international apostolic trip of his
pontificate to Kazakhstan and  Yerevan, Armenia for the cause of
the new evangelization and the ecumenical dialogue.  John Paul
II is scheduled to be in  Kazakhstan from September 22-25,
2001.  The pope will then go to the city of Etchmiadzin, Armenia
to promote ecumenical dialogue from 25-27 September.  During
the Armenian pilgrimage  the pope will briefly visit  the Monastery
of Khor Virab.


From Sept. 30 to Oct. 27, 2001 the 10th General Ordinary
Assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be held in the Vatican, to
reflect on the Episcopal ministry in the Church and the world
today.  The Synod of Bishops was established by Pope Paul Vl,
Motu Proprio "Apostolica sollicitudo" published 15 September
1965.  Paul Vl defined the Synod of Bishops during the Sunday
Angelus, 22 September 1974: "It is an ecclesiastic institution,
which, on interrogating the signs of the times and as well as
trying to provide a deeper interpretation of divine designs and the
constitution of the Catholic Church, we set up after Vatican
Council II in order to foster the unity and cooperation of bishops
around the world with the Holy See. It does this by means of a
common study concerning the conditions of the Church and a
joint solution on matters concerning Her mission.  It is neither a
Council nor a Parliament but a special type of Synod".  The first
General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops convened in
1967.  The 9th General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of
Bishops convened in October 1994.  Usually, the General
Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops convenes every three
years, unless a Special Assembly or Extraordinary Assembly
convenes earlier.  The last Special Assembly convened 22
November-12 December 1998 regarding the Church in
Oceania.  The forthcoming inauguration on 30 September, 2001
"The Bishop, Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the Hope
of the World" the theme of this synodal assembly, will be of great
importance for the whole Church, which will include 300 bishops
from all the continents convening at Rome.

John Paul II hopes that the upcoming Synod of Bishops will
impel prelates to be more firmly committed to the Church´s
missionary activity.  Together with the previous synods on the
role of the laity (1987), priestly formation (1990) and consecrated
life (1994), the upcoming General Ordinary Assembly of the
Synod of Bishops is the culmination of an endeavor to promote
the reforms of Vatican II.  In fact, "the principal point of reference
of the synod´s work," the Pope said 9 September, 2001 "will be
Vatican Council II, which has amply illustrated the pastoral office
of the pastors in the decree ´Christus Dominus.´"  "The conciliar
teaching will be reread in light of the last decades and,
especially, in the perspective of the new evangelization, as the
topic itself suggests," the Holy Father added.  The synod´s
working document fundamentally poses one question: What
should the bishop of the third millennium be like?  The text offers
proposals of the various dioceses, Episcopal conferences and
religious congregations, in response to a questionnaire
distributed by the synod´s secretariat in 1998.  The Pope
conclude: "´Put out into the deep,´ which I have proposed as the
motto for the beginning of the new millennium, is addressed first
of all to bishops, the Apostles´ successors, and calls them to be
faithfullly committed to this new missionary stage of the Church."



CATECHISM SEARCH ENGINE AVAILABLE ONLINE


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PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16

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Roman Catholic News

Volume One, Issue One

8 September, 2001

Saturday, Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

"In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph"
(Words of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, 1917.)


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POPE JOHN PAUL II RECENT MESSAGES


http://www.cin.org/pope.html



HOLY SHROUD OF TURIN

The Holy Shroud of Turin is the most sacred relic of the Roman
Catholic Church in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Turin,
Italy.  For news updates see the URL:
http://sindone.torino.chiesacattolica.it/


ROMAN CATHOLIC BIBLICAL STUDIES

The Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome publishes Biblica.
The New testament editor, Fr. John Kilgallen is currently
recovering in the Loyal Infirmiry, Chicago.  He is expected to be
back in Rome this September 30th.
http://www.bsw.org/?l=71

The Catholic Biblical Association of America operates out of the
Catholic University of America, Washington DC
http://studentorg.cua.edu/cbib/cbqinstructions.cfm



CRISIS IN THE CHURCH WITH POST VATICAN II SCHISMATIC
GROUPS

ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHISMATIC SECTS:


GENERAL INTRODUCTION:

Since 1968 there have been schisms within the Roman Catholic
Church that resulted from Vatican II and the 1970 Novus Ordo of
Pope Paul VI.  These schismatics insist that the Tridentine Mass
is the only valid and legitimate Mass.  A good website that
summarized the fallout of these schismatic groups is at the
URL:
http://www.geocities.com/confiteor_deo/latin_masses.html

Unfortunately, many internet news groups and discussion list
have become infiltrated and run by schismatics posing to be
Roman Catholic but who are in fact schismatics.  The great
danger in this phenomenon is the deception they produce and
influence on ill informed Catholics whom they seek to attract for
financial support in order to keep themselves in business.



I.  WHO ARE THE SSPX?


Who are the SSPX?  This is an abbreviation for a schismatic
group of former Roman Catholics who are members of the
Society of St. Pius X.  This is an organization that was founded in
1970.  On the 1st of November 1970 Mgr Charrière, Bishop of
Lausanne, Geneva, and Fribourg approves and confirms the
constitutions and proceeds to the canonical foundation of the
International Priestly Society of Saint Pius X in his diocese.  Its
initial founding was sanctioned by the Church, however, this
soon changed in June of 1971 when it became apparent that it
was becoming the center for dissenting clergy.   The schismatic
tenets became clear by the schismatic bishop Marcel Lefebvre
(1905-1991) and Bishop Emeritus Antonio de Castro Mayer.

Marcel Lefebvre was born in Tourcoing, France, November
29,1905, Ordained priest September 21, 1929, entered the
novitiate of the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1931, on the 18th of
September 1947, he was consecrated bishop in his home town
by Cardinal Liénart, Bishop Fauret and Bishop Ancel.  As first
Archbishop of Dakar and Apostolic Delegate of Pope Pius XII for
all French speaking Africa, he created four Episcopal
conferences, twenty-one new dioceses and apostolic
prefectures and opened seminaries in the countries under his
extended jurisdiction. In July, 1962, elected as Superior General
of the Holy Ghost Fathers for twelve years.   It was during his final
years of tenure as Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers
that Lefebvre became a schismatic bishop.


Roman Catholics are warned to stay away from this group and
their liturgies.  For those who wish to attend an authorized
Tridentine Mass they are here advised that they are sanctioned
by the Holy See under the Commission called Ecclesia Dei, and
officiated (celebrated) by authorized Catholic priests who are
members of the FSSP (Fraternal Society of St. Peter).  The
Ecclesia Dei and FSSP are the only authorized Catholic
organization that can celebrate the Tridentine Mass.  If you plan
to attend a Tridentine Mass please call your local chancery office
and check to see if the Mass you plan to attend is an authorized
Ecclesia Dei liturgy.  If not inquiry where the nearest one is to
you.  The Ecclesia Dei have a website called "una voce".
http://www.unavoce.org/


The SSPX official site gives their history.
This schismatic site is at the URL:
http://www.fsspx.org/eng/consecration_sermon.htm


This is a link to a website in French on Marcel Lefebvre.
http://www.clic.net/~lefebvre/

From the Office of the Congregation for Bishops, 1 July 1988,
decreeing a formal excommunication of Marcel Lefebvre:
http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/l-excomm.htm

A website dedicated to sound information regarding the SSPX as
schismatic is found at the URL:
http://www.sspx-schism.com/main.htm



II.  TRUE CHURCH SCHISMATICS

Another Catholic schismatic group is called the True Church.
This schismatic sect is a branch of the Sedevacantists
discussed below in III. Sedevacantism.  has elected an antipope
called Pope Pius XIII was born Earl Pulvermacher, elected on
October 24, 1998, consecrated 4 July, 1999 at Kalispell,
Montana, USA.  His antipapal residence is in Springdale,
Washington, USA.  He was born April 20, 1918.  He  made
solemn vows in the Capuchin Order on August 28, 1942, and
was ordained a priest on June 5, 1946.

http://www.truecatholic.org


III. SEDEVACANTISM

Another schismatic sect is called Sedevacantism.  This
extremist sect claims the papacy has been vacant since the
death of Pope Pius XII in 1958.  They engage in bashing the
popes beginning with Pope John XXIII up to our current pontiff
Pope John Paul II.  They do not recognize the legitimacy of
Vatican II or the current Magisterium.

Their website is at the URL:
http://www.sedevacantism.org



PRAY THE ROSARY DAILY FOR THE CONVERSION OF THE
WHOLE WORLD AND FOR CHURCH UNITY

"during this important time, as the eve of the new millennium
approaches . . . unity among all Christians of the various
confessions will increase until they reach full communion." John
Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 16