The CatholiCity Message

Volume IV, Number 21 – October 3, 2000

Dear CatholiCity Citizen,

Got some primo stuff for you this week. We've got new workers. We've got a joke, a quote, and a group prayer. Because we know you're busy, we're going into rapid fire mode. But first, we've got an amazing announcement...

1. PERFECT PLACE. PERFECT DATE. PERFECT SURPRISE
As promised, we've arranged for a special Mass to be offered for the Citizens of CatholiCity and for the special intentions you submitted during the CatholiCity annual appeal in August. Father Larry Richards (best known for his riveting "Confession" talk) is going to offer a Mass for us...

in the Vatican in the Eternal City of Rome...

on October 7th, Feast of the Holy Rosary during the Jubilee Year...

on the Eve of the Consecration of the Millennium to Immaculate Mary...

...concelebrated with our beloved Holy Father, His Holiness Pope John Paul II !

It simply does not and cannot get any better than that.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"The only bad Rosary is the one not said."
Pope John XXIII

JOKE OF THE WEEK
"There are two kinds of people in this world,
and I'm not one of them."
Bud Macfarlane Jr., Novelist

2. A GOOD CATHOLIC IS HARD TO FIND
The SingleCatholics.com website is (literally) a godsend for single Catholics seeking a devout spouse who is serious about marriage. With close to 3000 members, dozens of marriages and engagements have been fostered here. Two of our closest friends found the perfect Catholic guy there. Accept no substitutes (there's a fairly cheesy site out there called "Catholic Singles"). SingleCatholics.com knows two critical things about being Catholic and being single. First, they realize how frustrating and agonizing dating can be for a faithful Catholic in our post-Christian culture. Second, they know that bringing good Catholics together to begin families may be one of the most important missions for helping the Church during the next two generations. For a nominal yearly administrative fee, you or someone you know can meet other Catholics who are serious about marriage and the Church in a relaxing, private, and faith-filled medium. This is not a "dating" service. This is for marriage. This is for the children who will populate the New Springtime:

http://www.singlecatholics.com

3. BUCKING THE BUCKS
For those of you new to CatholiCity, we just want to reiterate an important principle (as opposed to "policy") of how we do things here. Although it's a common practice at other sites on the Net, CatholiCity never has and never will accept "referral fees" or advertising dollars in return for recommending other's goods or services. We never "take a cut." Whether it's praising SingleCatholics.com or the special discounts we often arrange exclusively for CatholiCity Citizens, we recommend books, websites, partners, and apostolates solely on the basis of their merit and how well they complement our own mission. We get lobbied by hundreds of (mostly) worthy folks to plug things here, and 99% of the time we have to turn them down because it would turn this Message into one giant commercial that few of you would wish to read. That said, our philosophy has always been that the spiritual value of the service or item is what makes our recommendations (and therefore, CatholiCity) worthwhile; it's not about financial gain. We know you like the occasional discounts and referrals, but nobody likes spam, no matter how cleverly disguised.

4. SEVEN TO HEAVEN
CatholiCity's own Father C. John McCloskey, author of the wonderfully effective essay, "How to Win New Converts," and the man who played a pivotal role in the Catholic conversion of former abortionist/atheist Dr. Bernard Nathanson, has written another gem, entitled "The Seven Daily Habits of Holy Apostolic People." Read it (print it out and give it away, email it) at McCloskey's Perspectives here:

http://www.catholicity.com/mccloskey/

5. PRAY TIME. In gratitude for offering the CatholiCity Mass with Father Larry, let's all 22,000+ of us pray for Pope John Paul II, beginning with the sign of the cross, and "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Dear Holy Catholic Martyr Saints of China, you who Pope John Paul canonized to begin this month of Mary, please intercede for him, keep him strong, keep him holy. Bring forth from heaven the little consolations of grace which can help him continue to carry the cross so nobly, and lead the Church so courageously. Saint Katharine Drexel, born on the soil of America, you who gave up incredible worldly wealth to pursue the pearl of great price, Jesus, intercede for CatholiCity Citizens, Father Larry, and our Holy Father. Be our patroness, through time and into eternity. O Mary, we love you! Amen."

Wow. What a week! Until next time, we'll remain one with you in the Sacred Heart of Jesus,

Always with Mary,

Your Friends at CatholiCity