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NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: This is our second issue of Catholic Youth 2000! Newsletter. Response to
both our website and subscribers have increased dramatically for the last
month. If you have any comments about anything going on in the society,
we ask that you write a letter to the editor at editor@cyc.faithweb.com.Me, the editor, wishes to apologize for the delay in releasing this issue
of CY2k!. As some of you might know, I attended World Youth Day in Rome, and I just got moved in at Oklahoma State University. Thank you for your understanding.
Somewhere in Cyberspace - CY2k! Newsletter is currently looking for people to help with the newsletter. If you are in any way able to contribute, please contact us at catholicyc@hotmail.com.
We are looking for for people to write articles, draw comics, write jokes, make a crossword puzzle, and make a word search. If you think you could contribute at least every once and a while, that would be great!
Thanks!
Pope Opens World Youth Day Celebration
From CWNews.comVATICAN, Aug. 16 (CWNews.com) -- Pope John Paul II officially inaugurated
the celebration of World Youth Day on August 15, greeting young pilgrims in
two separate appearances-- first outside the Basilica of St. John Lateran, then
in St. Peter's Square."Be not afraid," the Holy Father told the hundreds of thousands of youngsters
at St. John Lateran. Repeating the words that he had uttered in the first
public appearance of his pontificate, he went on to urge the young people to
"open wide the doors to Christ. Open your hearts, your lives, your doubts,
your difficulties, your joys and sorrows, to his saving power, and let him
enter into your hearts."The Pontiff thanked the dioceses of Italy for their work in preparing for the
events of World Youth Day, and arranging accommodations for the many
thousands of young people who are flocking to the Eternal City. He urged the
Italian hosts to "make their stay in Rome joyful.""O happy Rome!" the Pope cried out in a loud voice. "Happy, because you
have been consecrated by the witness and the blood of the Apostles Peter
and Paul! Happy, because that you have preserved that witness and kept it
alive, offering it to the world, and in particular now to the world of the
rising
generation!"The Pope exchanged a few pleasantries with the crowd at St. John Lateran
before entering his Popemobile for the ride across Rome to St. Peter's Square,
where he greeted a second large crowd of young pilgrims. When the crowd
began chanting, "Viva la papa," he replied with a smile: "The Pope is very
much alive!"The crowd in St. Peter's Square spilled out onto the roads outside the
Vatican, and all the way to the Tiber River, as the Pope arrived there for his
second formal greeting. He was greeted in turn by several representatives of
the young people in the crowd, each making his remarks to the Pontiff in a
different language."Young people of the entire world, welcome to Rome!" the Pope said. He then
went on to list the 159 countries from which pilgrims have come for World
Youth Day-- eliciting shouted responses from the young people of each
country in turn.As darkness began to envelop St. Peter's Square, the Pope asked his young
audience a question: "What have you come to seek? Or, better, whom have
you come to seek?" Then he responded to his own question: "There can be
only one answer. You have come to seek Jesus Christ!"The Pope closed his remarks by urging the young people to model their lives
around the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Then he left St. Peter's Square for a
helicopter ride back to his summer residence in Castel Gandalfo, where he
will remain until he joins the youngsters again for the final events of World
Youth Day on Saturday and Sunday at Tor Vergata outside Rome.Authorities in Rome estimated the crowd in St. Peter's Square at 350,000. As
the Pope left, that enormous crowd dispersed, headed for lodging in and
around the city. A similar crowd also left the Basilica of St. John Lateran,
where they had remained to watch the Pope's second greeting ceremony on
large outdoor video screens.[reprinted with permission from Catholic World News Services Aug. 16, 2000]
World Youth Day Concludes--Past All Expectations
From CWNews.com
VATICAN, Aug. 21 (CWNews.com) -- The largest single gathering of
the Jubilee Year concluded on Sunday, August 20, when Pope John
Paul II told a group of 2 million World Youth Day participants--
whom he described as "my joy and my crown"-- to bring the
message of the Gospel into the 21st century.Organizers of the event had expected 1.2 young pilgrims to come to
Rome for World Youth Day, but their actual figures exceeded their
expectations, and their estimates were steadily revised upward until
on the concluding weekend 2 million young people converged on Tor
Vergata, an open-air site on the outskirts of Rome.The young pilgrims, characterized by the media as "the Pope's
children," endured crowds, heat, long lines, and cramped
accommodations in order to join the Holy Father for the World Youth
Day celebration. Thousands of youngsters slept under the stars in the
fields outside Rome; thousands more stayed awake through the night
of the final weekend. (The Pope joked sympathetically about the
many youngsters who had served as "watchers for the dawn.")
Although there were about 1,000 people were treated for minor
physical ailments-- mostly related to heat-- the largest gathering in
the history of the Eternal City otherwise passed without any incident.Some shopkeepers in Rome complained that the huge influx of World
Youth Day participants had not been particularly good for their trade;
these young visitors were not spending money as freely as ordinary
tourists. But the Vatican had consistently warned that these were not
ordinary tourists. They were pilgrims: young men and women
motivated by a desire for conversion rather than consumption.Ordinarily Rome is a quiet city during the month of August, but this
year's plans for World Youth Day required special planning by the
city and the Italian government as well as the Holy See. On August
19, as the pilgrim army descended on Tor Vergata, Cardinal Camillo
Ruini offered thanks, on behalf of the Vatican and the Rome diocese,
for the cooperation of government authorities. Italian President Carlo
Azeglio Ciampi responded with a statement that "Rome is happy to
have been conquered" by the young pilgrims.Cardinal Ruini had led an estimated 400,000 young people in the
Way of the Cross on Friday evening, ending the dramatic observance
in the Coliseum by recalling the suffering of Christians in recent
years-- in Rwanda, Palestine, El Salvador, and Indonesia-- at the site
where Christians were once put to death by the Roman regime.By Saturday evening, most of the 2 million pilgrims had made their
way to Tor Vergata-- many having walked several miles from the
closest available transportation. The scorching summer heat was
finally easing in the early evening when Pope John Paul II arrived,
carried by helicopter from his summer residence at Castel Gandalfo.
Greeted by thunderous applause, the Pontiff rode through the site on
his Popemobile before finally coming to the stage.The evening's program included dances, songs, and the testimony of
young people from countries that have been scarred by violence in
recent years. When he finally addressed the crowd, the Pope took up
the theme of suffering and witness.The faith, John Paul II said, "demands of us-- as it did in the past--
that we take our stand for Jesus Christ, even sometimes to the point
of martyrdom." He added that martyrdom can take many forms, and
in most cases "you will not have to shed your blood, but you will
certainly be asked to be faithful."Against that solemn backdrop, the 2 million young pilgrims
concluded the evening's events with a solemn profession of faith.On Sunday morning, the World Youth Day celebration reached its
conclusion with a solemn Mass at Tor Vergata. About 6,000 priests,
including over 500 bishops, concelebrated with the Holy Father.In his homily, the Pope urged the young people to recognize the
person of Jesus Christ as the ground of their faith, and so to center
their lives on the Eucharist. He encouraged them to be generous in
bearing witness to Christ. "Our society has an immense need for that
witness," he observed. And he pointed out their responsibility to the
Church, "You will bring the message of Christ to the new millennium."As the celebration concluded, Pope John Paul announced that the
new observance of World Youth Day will take place in Toronto in
2002. After wishing the pilgrims a safe trip home, the Holy Father
announced that he was not saying "Goodbye," but hoped to seem
them again in Toronto.
[reprinted with permission from Catholic World News Services Aug. 21, 2000]
Church Is Essential To Salvation: New Vatican Document Says
From CWNews.com
VATICAN, Sept. 5 (CWNews.com) -- The Vatican today published a new text from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on the unique role of the Church in
the economy of salvation.Dominus Jesus is a 36-page statement, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and
Archbishop Tarcisio Bertone, the prefect and secretary respectively of the
Congregation. It is designed to answer a series of questions about the
importance of the Catholic Church, answering questions that have arisen in the
context of ecumenical activities. The document was approved by Pope John Paul in
June.Addressed to "bishops, theologians, and all the Catholic faithful," Dominus
Jesus is structured as a response by the Holy See to theories that have been
raised by contemporary theologians, particularly in Asia. The Congregation for
the Doctrine of the Faith warns against "shortcuts" in theology that tend to
diminish the importance of the Catholic Church. Because it is primarily a
response to such "erroneous or ambiguous opinions," the document frequently uses
phrases such as "it must be firmly believed" or "it is contrary to the faith of
the Church."The text emphasizes the essential role of the Church, as opposed to
"relativistic theories" that would suggest all religions are equal. The new
Vatican statement also rejects an approach which would claim a "radical
opposition" between "the logical mentality of the West and the symbolic
mentality of the East." That attitude, the text points out, could lead to the
conclusion that the Catholic Church is not the best route to salvation for the
peoples of Asia.Dominus Jesus is divided into six chapters. The first chapter asserts that the
"full revelation of divine truth" comes through Jesus Christ and his Church.
Thus it is wrong to suggest that the Catholic Church is "complementary" to other
religions.Chapter Two refutes the views of theologians who say that the Holy Spirit has "a
more universal breadth" than the Church. Citing the teachings of Vatican II,
Dominus Jesus points that that there is only one economy of salvation, and "the
action of the Spirit is not outside or parallel to the action of Christ."Chapter Three carries that message further, emphasizing that salvation can come
to mankind only through the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. The document
rejects the notion that the Catholic Church should avoid claiming that Jesus is
the "unique," "universal," or "absolute" means to salvation. The use of such
language, the document says, is simply a matter of faithfulness to the message
which has been entrusted by God to the Church.In the fourth and fifth chapters, Dominus Jesus notes that the salvation
promised by Jesus Christ comes through the Catholic Church, his "bride" and
Mystical Body. The document warns against a relativistic approach, which would
suggest that all religions contain some elements of God's saving message, or
that no institutional religion is a perfect representation of God's will for
mankind. The Catholic Church-- defined as the Church that has maintained
apostolic succession-- is the one true Church, the document asserts.Dominus Jesus acknowledges that some Orthodox churches, which have maintained apostolic succession although they do not accept the primacy of Peter, represent the true Church. But other Christian bodies do not enjoy the same status.
Through Baptism, the members of these Christian ecclesial bodies maintain "a
certain communion, albeit imperfect," with the Church, the document says.The final chapter of Dominus Jesus sketches the implications of these Church
teachings for ecumenical dialogue. The Vatican statement upholds the ancient
teaching that "the Church is necessary for salvation." While Jesus opened the
path to salvation for all mankind, the statement teaches, "the fullness of means
to salvation" can be found only in the Catholic Church. For this reason, the
Church has a special mission "ad gentes"-- that is, to non-Catholics; the Church
seeks to bring them into full communion, and offer them the full opportunity for
salvation.In ecumenical dialogue, then, it is never accurate to suggest that "one religion
is as good as another," Dominus Jesus cautions. The Church engages in ecumenical dialogue, treating other partners with equal respect, out of recognition for "the equal personal dignity of the parties in dialogue, not the doctrinal
contents" of their beliefs.[reprinted with permission from Catholic World News Services Sept. 5, 2000]
By: Amy Welborn
Publisher: Our Sunday Vistor Press
Available: September 1, 2000Over the nine years I taught high school theology, I was, like all teachers,
constantly on the lookout for the perfect textbook.Or at least an adequate one.
I didn't have much luck. Oh, there are a few bright spots out there, but for
the most part, the textbooks that are produced for the purposes of teaching
religion in Catholic high schools are even worse than textbooks in other
disciplines.So, like all teachers, I had to supplement, and that was okay. But over the
years, another problem began to gnaw at me: why were these textbooks taking
so much for granted? Why, simply put, did they all assume that the students
believed in God?I'm not talking about rank atheism here, although there's plenty of that in
every high school classroom, Catholic or not. I'm talking about the quite
normal near-agnosticism of many adolescents: "Sure there's a God. There must
be. There is, right?"It's as if whoever's been writing textbooks since the Second Vatican Council
has simply assumed the first statement of the creed: "I believe in God."
There's no talk about Who or What God is (or is not - the via negativa most
theologians, including Aquinas - say is about the best we can do when we
attempt to talk about God) further than "God is Love." There's not a word
about the reasonable evidence for believing in God. Not a peep about how to
talk about God in a world that's hostile, ignorant and indifferent.That last point was very important - kids who knew they believed in God, but
couldn't articulate why were desperate for help - how could they explain
what they knew in their heart was true to their friends?In other words, what I decided was absent was the most basic level of
apologetics.I really came to believe that in the absence of very serious God-talk, and
talk that took into account dealing with issues of absolute truth in a
relativistic world, most of the religious education we were attempting was
useless: all we were doing was presenting kids with one more choice in the
endless buffet of modern opinion, with no sense that believing in God was
any more or less of a legitimate menu choice than not.So I wrote this book.
It's not very long (a little over 120 pages), it's written in my trademark
breezy, cheeky style, well-honed over all of those years of teaching and
writing for teens, it's got illustrations, lots of good quotes from smart
people, and discussion points at the end of each chapter. I'm hoping parents
and grandparents will buy it for their progeny. I'm hoping kids will buy it
for hemselves. I'm hoping catechists will find it the adolescent resource
they've been yearning for. And maybe some adults might sneak a peek at it
too, for no one's benefit but their own.To let you get a taste of how the books deals with these issues, I'll share
with you some of the chapter titles:*I don't believe in God because no one can prove He exists.
*I don't believe in God because science has shown that the universe can
exist without God's help.
*I don't believe in God because people could have just made up all the stuff
in the Bible.
*I don't believe in God because it's so difficult to find Him.
*I don't believe in God because people have so many different ideas about
who God is.
*I don't believe in God because there are so many hypocrites in Church.
*I don't believe in God because people do such horrible things in the name
of religion.
*I don't believe in God because innocent people suffer.There are a few more, but you get the idea.
If you're interested in ordering a copy (or two!) of the book, please call OSV
at 1-800-348-2440 and wait for a prompt to a sales representative.And when you do read it, please email me and let me know what you think! I'm
currently at work at the second book in the series, which will deal with the
questions Catholic kids get asked about the Church by fundamentalist friends:
"You're not a Christian because....." That should be a fun one, too.~~~
You can visit Amy Welborn's website at:
http://www.geocities.com/amywelborn/current.htmlTo See the page about her book, visit:
http://www.geocities.com/amywelborn/proveit/bookinfo.html
The Holy See, the official title of the governing body of the Catholic
Church, is the sole occupant of the world's smallest sovereign nation, the
Vatican City State. The country derives it's name from being located on the
Vatican Hill, one of the seven ancient hills of Rome. Historically, it is
the remnant of what was once a country administered by the Church that
stretched across the whole of central Italy, with influence far into Western
Europe. Having long since abandoned any pretense to of temporal government,
the Vatican City now serves exclusively as the headquarters for a world-wide
faith community of 960 million people spanning the globe. Its status as a
sovereign nation was formally ratified in 1929, ending centuries of
territorial disputes with the old Kingdom of Italy. Approximately one square
mile in size, the Vatican City has everything one would expect from a
sovereign nation, including it's own telephone system, postal service, a
Secretary of State, labor unions, and an army. The Italian Lira, however, is
accepted as the standard currency, and a mutual defense treaty exists between
the two countries. In addition to the territory of the Vatican City proper,
the government of Italy also recognizes the land occupied by several ancient
churches and palaces scattered throughout the city of Rome as part of the
Vatican City State. The Head of State of this tiny country is the Catholic
Bishop of Rome. His title of Pope actually reflects more his function as a
Head of State than as the head of the Catholic Church.Within the Vatican's ancient walls, some dating back to the days of the
Ceasars, resides the administrative arm of the Catholic Church called "The
Holy See." Composed of several departments this administration assists the
Bishop of Rome in the government and policy-making of the Catholic Church.
Individual departments, called "Congregations," exist for every major aspect
of church life; liturgy, theology, clergy, laity, social concerns, family
life, communications, education, etc. The various Congregations of the Holy
See also answer questions from Catholic bishops around the world and issue
rulings on disputed matters. All of their administrative actions are subject
to the approval of the Bishop of Rome, who alone enjoys full authority over
the whole Church as the successor of St. Peter.That Rome's Vatican Hill is the headquarters of the Catholic Church is not an
accident. St. Peter, to whom Jesus entrusted the care of his Church,
traveled here after having first established the faith in Antioch. It was
here that he met his death as a martyr and here he is buried. The Emperor
Constantine, who had converted to Christianity, built a church over St.
Peter's tomb. That church, St. Peter's Basilica, having been destroyed by
fire, was later rebuilt under the administration of Pope Julius II, with most
of the exterior design being the work of his favorite artist, Michelangelo.
Even so, it was not until excavations ordered by Pope Pius XII in the 1950s,
that it was confirmed the bones of St. Peter were actually there. St.
Peter's Basilica remains the most recognizable building in the Vatican City
State. While the Church of The Most Holy Savior, St. John Laterin, outside
the Vatican serves as the official Cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the
first church of Christendom; St. Peter's Basilica normally serves as the site
of most official functions of the Pope.With the most impressive museums in the world, a vast collection of art
spanning the centuries, and a library so ancient that it even holds original
manuscripts of some parts of the Bible, the Vatican City receives hundreds of
thousands of visitors every year. But most of those who visit come to see
their Pope, pray for world peace, and to celebrate their Catholic heritage.
On August 10 to the 23 I visted Rome on a pilgramage for World Youth
Day. What an experience! The Event started on August 15 with the
Openning Ceremony at St. Peter's Basillica and closing August 19 with
a Vigil and August 20 for Sunday Mass with the Pope.The Vigil was held at a college campus on the outskirts of Rome on a
giant field occupying about 2.5 million youth from around the World.
We camped out here and attended Mass in that same spot with the Pope.
All I can say is it was a wonderful experience.There were about 40,000 Eucharistic Ministers. They were given a
special umbrella so you knew where they were. I have two complaints:
one, the heat. It was terrible. (And that would be an understate-
ment). The second complaint is a little less serious, we were able
to give Communion to over 2 million people in less time than it takes
at my church. Seriously. Honestly, that was not a complaint but
rather a shock. I had assumed it would take forever.After the Mass, we hiked back to Subway of Rome. My group actually
Chose to walk because it was so busy. We walked with a lot of
suprising support from the Rome inhabitants. Many streets were
blocked off for us to walk and we were greeted with bottled water and
hoses offered by the Romans. It was really a relief to see Catholic
support which is hard to find in Oklahoma.This was such a wonderful experience it is hard to put into words.
In fact, it may be impossible (one of those things you must simply do
yourself.)The next World Youth Day will take place in the year 2002 in Toronto,
I encourage all who can to go. You will never experience something so
great.
The Eucharist And Abortion
Writen By: mcd28_kenosha@yahoo.comThe Eucharist is such a beautiful thing, especially in Adoration. In most
churches, perpetual Adoration is offered. How blessed are we to have the
opportunity to look into the Lord's face every day in this blessed
sacrament! Of course, if we are not attentive, we may miss that Christ is
truly present. His Real Presence is hidden behind the veil of bread and
wine. In the same way, infants are concealed in the womb of their mother,
and if we are not attentive, we may miss that a very unique person which
God created is truly present.I like to ask you to reflect on Christ's conception. The Angel Gabriel
came to Mary to ask her to sacrafice her own needs for the sake of God's
eternal plane of salvation. Her decisive and immmediate response was
"Let it be done unto me according to Thy Word."Let us, too, pray for the same acceptance of God's Will; especially in
young parents who discover today that they have been called to care for a
new young life.
About a century or two ago, the Pope decided that all the Jews had to
leave Rome. Naturally there was a big uproar from the Jewish community.
So the Pope made a deal. He would have a religious debate with a member
of the Jewish community. If the Jew won, the Jews could stay. If the
Pope won, the Jews would leave. The Jews realized that they had no
choice. So they picked a middle aged man named Moishe to represent them.
Moishe asked for one addition to the debate. To make it more interesting,
neither side would be allowed to talk. The Pope agreed.The day of the great debate came. Moishe and the Pope sat opposite each
other for a full minute before the Pope raised his hand and showed three
fingers. Moishe looked back at him and raised one finger. The Pope waved
his fingers in a circle around his head. Moishe pointed to the ground
where he sat. The Pope pulled out a wafer and a glass of wine. Moishe
pulled out an apple. The Pope stood up and said, "I give up. This man is
too good. The Jews can stay."An hour later, the cardinals were all around the Pope asking him what had
happened. The Pope said, "First I held up three fingers to represent the
Trinity. He responded by holding up one finger to remind me that there was
still one God common to both our religions. Then I waved my finger around
me to show him that God was all around us. He responded by pointing to the
ground and showing that God was also right here with us. I pulled out the
wine and wafer to show that God absolves us from our sins. He pulled out
an apple to remind me of original sin. He had an answer for everything.
What could I do?"Meanwhile, the Jewish community had crowded around Moishe. "What
happened?" they asked."Well," said Moishe, "First he said to me that the Jews had three days to
get out of here. I told him that not one of us was leaving. Then he told
me that this whole city would be cleared of Jews. I let him know that we
were staying right here.""Yes, yes, and then?" asked the crowd.
"I don't know," said Moishe, "He took out his lunch, and I took out mine."
The Crossword Puzzle will not be published this month because of the editor's trip to Rome for World Youth Day and him moving to Stillwater, Oklahoma to attend college as a freshman at Oklahoma State University.
The Crossword Puzzle will not be published this month because of the editor's trip to Rome for World Youth Day and him moving to Stillwater, Oklahoma to attend college as a freshman at Oklahoma State University.
Please sent Prayer Requests to prayerrequests@cyc.faithweb.com. They
will be posted here if you do not mind. If you have wrote a prayer, poem,
or story, we will be more than happy to post them here.
Br. Richard Lowe, Vocation Director, 600 Alexian Way, Elk Grove Village, IL
60007; (847) 981-3625. Guided by Gospel values, the Brothers continue to
provide care for the poor in all aspects of health care. Some nurse the sick,
others work in laboratories and X-ray departments of major medical
facilities. Some Alexians serve as chaplains, giving comfort and spiritual
renewal to those they serve. Alexian Brothers are engaged in similar health
care ministries in Europe, India, and the Philippines. After one has
prayerfully discerned his call to the Alexian Congregation, he begins his
initial formation. The formation does not cease with the first vows, but
continues throughout the Brother's life as he opens himself to others and the
Gospel, becoming fully rooted in the healing presence of Jesus. This enables
the community and prayer life to serve as a source of strength and spiritual
development for each member of the congregation.
Do you have a band that would like to be featured on Catholic Youth Center
ONLINE or in this newsletter? If so, E-Mail us at music@cyc.faithweb.com and
tell us about yourselves!
Want to say something? Send a letter to us!
Generally, letters that the editor recieves will go here... But for now, this is our first issue, so there isn't one. Will you be the first?
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