FRONT ROYAL, VA — The Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, STL, president of Human Life International, (HLI) has announced the launching of a new email newsletter and website to assist priests, deacons and seminarians to be well informed and able to preach on Humanae Vitae.
The move is part of HLI’s Humanae Vitae Initiative celebrating 40 years since Pope Paul VI released the landmark papal encyclical on birth control.
In the first installment of the newsletter, sent March 6, Father Euteneuer said, “HLI was founded thirty-five years ago—even before Roe v. Wade—primarily to defend the sanctity of marriage from the degradation of birth control. HLI’s Founder, Fr. Paul Marx, OSB, studied contraception carefully and saw the abortion plague coming as an inevitable wave of death that follows in the train of the promiscuity generated by birth control. He predicted with deadly accuracy that the fruit of birth control would be legalized abortion.”
Father Euteneuer has placed the project under the direction of John Mallon, HLI’s PR Director and long-time champion of Humanae Vitae. In 1994, then-editor of the Sooner Catholic, the archdiocesan newspaper of Oklahoma City, Mallon put out an issue of the paper on the 26th anniversary featuring the document on the front page and a special pull-out supplement within. At the direction of Archbishop Eusebius J. Beltran the issue was sent to all American bishops. In 1998 Mallon was responsible for producing a special supplement for Inside the Vatican magazine for the 30th anniversary of the document.
Mallon will write many of the installments and invite world-renowned experts to contribute. Mallon said, “The widespread rejection of this encyclical is perhaps the most tragic error in the Church’s history, an error to which many still cling to this day. We hope to demonstrate how this error launched the culture of death, opening the gate to abortion and myriad other social ills. We also hope to show how, like all of Christ’s teachings, Humanae Vitae is a message of hope, which, once applied in an admittedly hostile culture, can heal our society. But it must be preached in a positive and hopeful way.”
The website and newsletter may be accessed at http://humanaevitaepriests.org.
Gregorian Chant on CatholicTV
Father Jerome Molokie is a Norbertine priest who lives at St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, California. 2 small groups of Norbertine priests fled communist persecution in Hungary about 50 years ago and sought refuge in America. They now have a beautiful Abbey in the mountains of California. The religious order is named after their founder St. Norbert, who was born in the year 1080. A.D. They have been chanting for hundreds of years, but for the first time ever, they are releasing a Christmas CD featuring their beautiful chanting.
This will be the main topic of Fr. Molokie’s interview on CatholicTV’s talk show “This is the Day”. It will be viewable on Tuesday, Nov. 25th live at 10:30AM at www.catholictv.org. Also featured, will be video footage of the monastery and its priests.
Also featured on the show will be Bishop Richard Malone, who is bishop of Portland Maine. Bishop Malone will be discussing how he and the other bishops plan to draw churchgoers closer to Christ through education and the sacraments.
Friday's “This Is The Day” is rebroadcast throughout the weekend (Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 6:30 p.m.). A new live show airs Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The show can also be seen on demand at www.CatholicTV.com or downloaded via itunes.com. The hosts discuss various topics of the week and respond to viewer mail (you may email the show at thisistheday@catholictv.org.
About CatholicTV:
CatholicTV provides family-friendly, religious, news, and educational programming 24 hours daily. Founded over 50 years ago, CatholicTV is available in selected areas on cable in the United States and Canada, via Sky Angel IPTV and online via a live stream anytime, everywhere at the station's web site. Father Robert Reed, a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston, is the Executive Director of CatholicTV.
This will be the main topic of Fr. Molokie’s interview on CatholicTV’s talk show “This is the Day”. It will be viewable on Tuesday, Nov. 25th live at 10:30AM at www.catholictv.org. Also featured, will be video footage of the monastery and its priests.
Also featured on the show will be Bishop Richard Malone, who is bishop of Portland Maine. Bishop Malone will be discussing how he and the other bishops plan to draw churchgoers closer to Christ through education and the sacraments.
Friday's “This Is The Day” is rebroadcast throughout the weekend (Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 6:30 p.m.). A new live show airs Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. The show can also be seen on demand at www.CatholicTV.com or downloaded via itunes.com. The hosts discuss various topics of the week and respond to viewer mail (you may email the show at thisistheday@catholictv.org.
About CatholicTV:
CatholicTV provides family-friendly, religious, news, and educational programming 24 hours daily. Founded over 50 years ago, CatholicTV is available in selected areas on cable in the United States and Canada, via Sky Angel IPTV and online via a live stream anytime, everywhere at the station's web site. Father Robert Reed, a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston, is the Executive Director of CatholicTV.
EWTN Priests Learn the Latin Mass
The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word, based in the Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama, recently sent two of their priests to the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius in Chicago to learn to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass.
The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word were founded in 1987, by Mother Mary Angelica, PCPA, who also founded the Eternal Word Television Network.
Fr. Joseph who serves in Irondale, AL, at the EWTN studios, and Fr. Miguel, who is stationed at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama, where Mother Angelica and the Poor Clare Nuns are cloistered, came to St. John Cantius ready to work intensely on the rubrics and ceremonies of the Traditional Latin Mass, referred to by Benedict as the "Extraordinary Form."
Each day Fr. Joseph and Fr. Miguel took the opportunity to study and observe the various forms of the Traditional Latin Mass with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius.
They attended Low Mass, High Mass, High Mass with Incense, Requiem High Mass with Incesnse and the Absolution over the Catafalque, Nuptial High Mass, Baptisms as well as Solemn High Mass and Solemn High Requiem Mass.
Since the Summer of 2007 the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius have trained almost 175 priests to celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Mass through the "Sancta Missa Latin Mass Workshops."
Future workshops are planned for the Winter and Spring of 2009 to be held on the campus of Mundelein Seminary at the Cardinal Stritch Retreat House. See: http://www.sanctamissa.org/workshops/for-priests/
After one week of intense instruction with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius these priests began to offer Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form. In a short time they were able to offer the High Mass.
They studied certain variations in the celebration of Mass, such as the differences that pertain to the Requiem Mass, Ember days, Rogation days, and Passiontide, and they have each offered Requiem Low Mass.
Priests who are interested to learn Low Mass or High Mass should enroll in the SANCTAMISSA WORKSHOPS offered periodically by the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. Visit this link for details: http://www.sanctamissa.org/workshops/for-priests/
The next Priest-Seminarian Training Workshop is offered at the Cardinal Stritch Retreat House on the campus of Chicago’s Mundelein Seminary from February 9 – 13 , 2009.
In the final week of training for the priests from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word ending November 21st, Fr. Miguel offered his first Solemn High Mass according to the 1962 Missale Romanum. Fr. Scott Haynes, SJC, served as Deacon and Fr. Joseph served as Subdeacon. The brothers of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius served and sang for the special Mass.
Rev. C. Frank Phillips, Founder of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius delivered the homily at Fr. Miguel’s First Solemn Mass on the Feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary.
Also in attendance was Fr. David McLeod of the Military Archdiocese of Canada, who sat in choir for the Solemn Mass. Fr. McLeod arrived recently to study the celebration of the Extraordinary Form under the tutelage of Fr. Bartholomew Juncer, S.J.C.
On Friday, November 21, 2008, Fr. Joseph offered his first Solemn Mass according to the 1962 Missale Romanum. Fr. Miguel served as Subdeacon and Fr. Scott served as Deacon.
To thank the Blessed Mother, who is the mother of all priests, for the rich graces bestowed upon these priests learning the Traditional Latin Mass, Solemn Vespers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary was chanted in Latin from the 1962 Liber Usualis. Fr. Scott Haynes, S.J.C. was the celebrant and Fr. Joseph and Fr. Miguel served as coped assistants.
For photos of these events go to:
http://www.canons-regular.org/go/news/read/final-week-of-training-for-ewtn-priests/
http://www.canons-regular.org/go/news/read/priests-from-ewtn-continue-latin-mass-training-at-st-john-cantius/
http://www.canons-regular.org/go/news/read/latin-mass-training-for-the-franciscan-missionaries-of-the-eternal-word/
To learn more about the SANCTAMISSA WORKSHOPS FOR PRIESTS in the Extraordinary Form go to:
http://www.sanctamissa.org/workshops/for-priests/
The Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word were founded in 1987, by Mother Mary Angelica, PCPA, who also founded the Eternal Word Television Network.
Fr. Joseph who serves in Irondale, AL, at the EWTN studios, and Fr. Miguel, who is stationed at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, Alabama, where Mother Angelica and the Poor Clare Nuns are cloistered, came to St. John Cantius ready to work intensely on the rubrics and ceremonies of the Traditional Latin Mass, referred to by Benedict as the "Extraordinary Form."
Each day Fr. Joseph and Fr. Miguel took the opportunity to study and observe the various forms of the Traditional Latin Mass with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius.
They attended Low Mass, High Mass, High Mass with Incense, Requiem High Mass with Incesnse and the Absolution over the Catafalque, Nuptial High Mass, Baptisms as well as Solemn High Mass and Solemn High Requiem Mass.
Since the Summer of 2007 the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius have trained almost 175 priests to celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Mass through the "Sancta Missa Latin Mass Workshops."
Future workshops are planned for the Winter and Spring of 2009 to be held on the campus of Mundelein Seminary at the Cardinal Stritch Retreat House. See: http://www.sanctamissa.org/workshops/for-priests/
After one week of intense instruction with the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius these priests began to offer Low Mass in the Extraordinary Form. In a short time they were able to offer the High Mass.
They studied certain variations in the celebration of Mass, such as the differences that pertain to the Requiem Mass, Ember days, Rogation days, and Passiontide, and they have each offered Requiem Low Mass.
Priests who are interested to learn Low Mass or High Mass should enroll in the SANCTAMISSA WORKSHOPS offered periodically by the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius. Visit this link for details: http://www.sanctamissa.org/workshops/for-priests/
The next Priest-Seminarian Training Workshop is offered at the Cardinal Stritch Retreat House on the campus of Chicago’s Mundelein Seminary from February 9 – 13 , 2009.
In the final week of training for the priests from the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word ending November 21st, Fr. Miguel offered his first Solemn High Mass according to the 1962 Missale Romanum. Fr. Scott Haynes, SJC, served as Deacon and Fr. Joseph served as Subdeacon. The brothers of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius served and sang for the special Mass.
Rev. C. Frank Phillips, Founder of the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius delivered the homily at Fr. Miguel’s First Solemn Mass on the Feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary.
Also in attendance was Fr. David McLeod of the Military Archdiocese of Canada, who sat in choir for the Solemn Mass. Fr. McLeod arrived recently to study the celebration of the Extraordinary Form under the tutelage of Fr. Bartholomew Juncer, S.J.C.
On Friday, November 21, 2008, Fr. Joseph offered his first Solemn Mass according to the 1962 Missale Romanum. Fr. Miguel served as Subdeacon and Fr. Scott served as Deacon.
To thank the Blessed Mother, who is the mother of all priests, for the rich graces bestowed upon these priests learning the Traditional Latin Mass, Solemn Vespers in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary was chanted in Latin from the 1962 Liber Usualis. Fr. Scott Haynes, S.J.C. was the celebrant and Fr. Joseph and Fr. Miguel served as coped assistants.
For photos of these events go to:
http://www.canons-regular.org/go/news/read/final-week-of-training-for-ewtn-priests/
http://www.canons-regular.org/go/news/read/priests-from-ewtn-continue-latin-mass-training-at-st-john-cantius/
http://www.canons-regular.org/go/news/read/latin-mass-training-for-the-franciscan-missionaries-of-the-eternal-word/
To learn more about the SANCTAMISSA WORKSHOPS FOR PRIESTS in the Extraordinary Form go to:
http://www.sanctamissa.org/workshops/for-priests/
The Catholic Truth: Reaching out to Catholics over the Internet
For many years, Gary Zimak of Cinnaminson, NJ attended Sunday Mass, but knew very little about his Catholic faith. Five years ago he felt the need to learn more about what the Church teaches and began exploring the Internet for answers. “What I found was a lot of information, but much of it didn’t represent the true teaching of the Catholic Church. Some websites were radically conservative and some terribly liberal”, says Zimak. He continues, “After much research I was able to discover several websites that accurately stated the Magisterial teaching of the Church. These websites opened the door to Catholic books, magazines, newspapers and radio/tv programs, all of which assisted me in learning more about what the Church teaches”.
This quest inspired him to found the Catholic Truth lay apostolate, a group dedicated to helping Catholics learn about their faith. The mission of the apostolate is carried out over the Internet, using their website (www.thecatholictruth.info) as the main vehicle of evangelization. Contained on their website is a simple 10-step plan that is “guaranteed to bring you closer to Christ”, according to Zimak. These steps involve traditional Church practices such as the Mass, Confession, the Rosary, Catholic reading, prayer and Bible reading. Recommendations are also made for reading material and Internet sites. Additionally a daily blog is provided that features inspirational thoughts and news. All of their services are provided free of charge.
“The techniques that we present are based on methods that have worked in my life and in the lives of other Catholics that I’ve known. It’s a great tragedy that many Catholics are not aware of the great treasure that they have in their Faith. We want to reach out to those folks and let them know that Jesus Christ is still alive in His Church today. Knowing more about your faith will allow you to get closer to Him and bring you greater peace.” says Zimak.
For further information visit the Catholic Truth website (www.thecatholictruth.info) or e-mail them at (thecatholictruth@yahoo.com).
This quest inspired him to found the Catholic Truth lay apostolate, a group dedicated to helping Catholics learn about their faith. The mission of the apostolate is carried out over the Internet, using their website (www.thecatholictruth.info) as the main vehicle of evangelization. Contained on their website is a simple 10-step plan that is “guaranteed to bring you closer to Christ”, according to Zimak. These steps involve traditional Church practices such as the Mass, Confession, the Rosary, Catholic reading, prayer and Bible reading. Recommendations are also made for reading material and Internet sites. Additionally a daily blog is provided that features inspirational thoughts and news. All of their services are provided free of charge.
“The techniques that we present are based on methods that have worked in my life and in the lives of other Catholics that I’ve known. It’s a great tragedy that many Catholics are not aware of the great treasure that they have in their Faith. We want to reach out to those folks and let them know that Jesus Christ is still alive in His Church today. Knowing more about your faith will allow you to get closer to Him and bring you greater peace.” says Zimak.
For further information visit the Catholic Truth website (www.thecatholictruth.info) or e-mail them at (thecatholictruth@yahoo.com).
New Audio Bibles Released
Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry, recently released 12 Audio New Testament recordings.
Audio Bibles in the following languages are now available for ministry efforts around the world and online:
• Arabic, Egyptian Spoken – Egypt
• Burmese – Myanmar (Burma)
• Chin, Cho – Myanmar (Burma)
• Kachin – Myanmar (Burma)
• Karen S’Gaw – Myanmar (Burma)
• Higgi – Nigeria
• Awadhi – India
• Kashmiri – India
• Koreguaje - Colombia
• Kekchí– Guatemala
• Khmer – Cambodia
• Hiligaynon – Philippines
These new offerings, which represent more than 126.4 million people on three continents, bring the total number of Audio New Testaments available to 330 languages.
These recordings wouldn’t be possible without Bible translations, said Morgan Jackson, international director for Faith Comes By Hearing.
“One of the greatest honors and joys for our ministry is working alongside Bible translators,” he said. “We can’t do what we do without the Bible translation organizations.”
“Wycliffe Bible Translators, The Seed Company, and the Bible Societies send translators who dedicate years of their lives to complete a New Testament translation. Then Faith Comes By Hearing sends in a team, equipped with digital audio equipment, and they’ll go into the village areas and turn even a mud hut into a recording studio.”
“The recording teams are all nationals who work with their own people,” said Jackson. “They’ll recruit the voice talent to record the speaking parts for the Audio New Testaments. In about three months, we’ll have all the voices done and begin working on adding the sound effects and music.”
The recordings undergo a thorough quality screening, and before being mastered, the Faith Comes By Hearing audio technology team prepares the recordings for different ministry tools, such as the BibleStick and the Proclaimer. The end result is the same – a heart language Audio Bible in a format people can use and understand.
The Proclaimer is a self-powered audio player that can be used in the most remote and rugged locations. The Proclaimer’s embedded microchip is pre-loaded with the New Testament in the heart languages of the world. Indigenous believers take these Audio Bibles into their own villages and begin Faith Comes By Hearing listening groups. Villagers gather to listen and then discuss what they’ve heard. By interacting with the pure Word of God, people come to know and follow the God of the Bible.
The ministry also produces an MP3 version of the Audio New Testament recordings for web download. From www.FaithComesByHearing.com, visitors can download these new recordings or any of the ministry’s other Audio Bibles.
Faith Comes By Hearing’s goal is to record Audio Bibles in 2,000 languages by 2016, reaching 97 percent of the world’s population.
Currently, New Testament recordings are being used in Bible listening programs in over 100 countries. Faith Comes By Hearing’s free Audio Bibles are also being used by many well-known ministries (see list below) for evangelism, discipleship, church planting and leadership development in villages, slums, shanty towns, hospitals, orphanages, house churches and mega-churches.
To learn more about what God is doing through Audio Bible ministry efforts, visit www.FaithComesByHearing.com.
Audio Bibles in the following languages are now available for ministry efforts around the world and online:
• Arabic, Egyptian Spoken – Egypt
• Burmese – Myanmar (Burma)
• Chin, Cho – Myanmar (Burma)
• Kachin – Myanmar (Burma)
• Karen S’Gaw – Myanmar (Burma)
• Higgi – Nigeria
• Awadhi – India
• Kashmiri – India
• Koreguaje - Colombia
• Kekchí– Guatemala
• Khmer – Cambodia
• Hiligaynon – Philippines
These new offerings, which represent more than 126.4 million people on three continents, bring the total number of Audio New Testaments available to 330 languages.
These recordings wouldn’t be possible without Bible translations, said Morgan Jackson, international director for Faith Comes By Hearing.
“One of the greatest honors and joys for our ministry is working alongside Bible translators,” he said. “We can’t do what we do without the Bible translation organizations.”
“Wycliffe Bible Translators, The Seed Company, and the Bible Societies send translators who dedicate years of their lives to complete a New Testament translation. Then Faith Comes By Hearing sends in a team, equipped with digital audio equipment, and they’ll go into the village areas and turn even a mud hut into a recording studio.”
“The recording teams are all nationals who work with their own people,” said Jackson. “They’ll recruit the voice talent to record the speaking parts for the Audio New Testaments. In about three months, we’ll have all the voices done and begin working on adding the sound effects and music.”
The recordings undergo a thorough quality screening, and before being mastered, the Faith Comes By Hearing audio technology team prepares the recordings for different ministry tools, such as the BibleStick and the Proclaimer. The end result is the same – a heart language Audio Bible in a format people can use and understand.
The Proclaimer is a self-powered audio player that can be used in the most remote and rugged locations. The Proclaimer’s embedded microchip is pre-loaded with the New Testament in the heart languages of the world. Indigenous believers take these Audio Bibles into their own villages and begin Faith Comes By Hearing listening groups. Villagers gather to listen and then discuss what they’ve heard. By interacting with the pure Word of God, people come to know and follow the God of the Bible.
The ministry also produces an MP3 version of the Audio New Testament recordings for web download. From www.FaithComesByHearing.com, visitors can download these new recordings or any of the ministry’s other Audio Bibles.
Faith Comes By Hearing’s goal is to record Audio Bibles in 2,000 languages by 2016, reaching 97 percent of the world’s population.
Currently, New Testament recordings are being used in Bible listening programs in over 100 countries. Faith Comes By Hearing’s free Audio Bibles are also being used by many well-known ministries (see list below) for evangelism, discipleship, church planting and leadership development in villages, slums, shanty towns, hospitals, orphanages, house churches and mega-churches.
To learn more about what God is doing through Audio Bible ministry efforts, visit www.FaithComesByHearing.com.
SQPN.com Wins Four Podcast Awards
The Catholic new media network SQPN.com has won four awards in the 2008 People’s Choice Podcast Awards.
Food, music, health and religion
- The video series ‘Grace Before Meals’, hosted by the Catholic priest and chef Fr. Leo Patalinghug won the award in the Food and Drink category.
- George Leite won the award in the Music category for his show ‘Catholic Rockers’.
- Dutch priest Fr. Roderick Vonhogen won the Health/Fitness award for his show ‘Healthy Catholic’, a weekly show about physical and spiritual health.
- Fr. Roderick also won the Religion/Inspiration award for his morning show ‘Daily Breakfast’, a mix of catechesis and popular culture.
The awards will be presented during an international online Awards Ceremony early December.
Evangelization
"This is the fourth year in a row that our Catholic shows have won awards in this predominantly secular contest," says Fr. Roderick Vonhogen, CEO of SQPN. "It is a strong sign that our programs reach a broad audience, not just Catholics. And that is exactly why we started SQPN: to reach out and evangelize the world through new media".
SQPN has a unique approach to new evangelization. By looking for connections between the secular culture and the rich tradition and culture of the Catholic Church, the organization builds communities around certain popular themes like cooking, entertainment, music, health and fitness.
"These communities are like online mini-parishes where people share their faith and their lives," says Fr. Vonhogen. "We see a constant stream of new people joining these communities, many of whom are not Catholic".
Impact
Meeting place for these communities is the forum on the SQPN website (www.sqpn.com), where podcast fans share their experiences. "I have been listening since Januari of this year," says Jon, "I am returning to the Church after 22 years."
"I have been a lapsed Catholic for the past 9 or 10 years," says Eliana, "listening to the Daily Breakfast was has really helped me in my decision to return to the Church."
Another listener recently decided to to lose 200 lbs, and 'Healthy Catholic' helps him to keep on track: "I am continuing to work on eating healthy and exercising, and am motivated by the SQPN community and their support and prayers."
Migli writes how the SQPN podcasts broke negative stereotypes: "I found out how much these Catholic people are just like me. It's been a good ride. Hopefully I will officially be one of them someday."
About SQPN:
SQPN, the Star Quest Production Network, is a non-profit Catholic apostolate dedicated to evangelization and formation through the use of new media.
Just as the star of Bethlehem emerged within the foreign culture of the three magi, and invited them to start an adventurous journey to the newborn Savior, the programs of SQPN tap into popular culture to invite people on a journey of discovery towards an encounter with Christ.
SQPN produces on-demand audio and video programs, also known as podcasts, and offers a portal for a select number of affiliated Catholic podcasters that share the vision and media strategy of SQPN.
More information about SQPN and the Podcast Awards on the following websites:
www.sqpn.com
www.podcastawards.com
Food, music, health and religion
- The video series ‘Grace Before Meals’, hosted by the Catholic priest and chef Fr. Leo Patalinghug won the award in the Food and Drink category.
- George Leite won the award in the Music category for his show ‘Catholic Rockers’.
- Dutch priest Fr. Roderick Vonhogen won the Health/Fitness award for his show ‘Healthy Catholic’, a weekly show about physical and spiritual health.
- Fr. Roderick also won the Religion/Inspiration award for his morning show ‘Daily Breakfast’, a mix of catechesis and popular culture.
The awards will be presented during an international online Awards Ceremony early December.
Evangelization
"This is the fourth year in a row that our Catholic shows have won awards in this predominantly secular contest," says Fr. Roderick Vonhogen, CEO of SQPN. "It is a strong sign that our programs reach a broad audience, not just Catholics. And that is exactly why we started SQPN: to reach out and evangelize the world through new media".
SQPN has a unique approach to new evangelization. By looking for connections between the secular culture and the rich tradition and culture of the Catholic Church, the organization builds communities around certain popular themes like cooking, entertainment, music, health and fitness.
"These communities are like online mini-parishes where people share their faith and their lives," says Fr. Vonhogen. "We see a constant stream of new people joining these communities, many of whom are not Catholic".
Impact
Meeting place for these communities is the forum on the SQPN website (www.sqpn.com), where podcast fans share their experiences. "I have been listening since Januari of this year," says Jon, "I am returning to the Church after 22 years."
"I have been a lapsed Catholic for the past 9 or 10 years," says Eliana, "listening to the Daily Breakfast was has really helped me in my decision to return to the Church."
Another listener recently decided to to lose 200 lbs, and 'Healthy Catholic' helps him to keep on track: "I am continuing to work on eating healthy and exercising, and am motivated by the SQPN community and their support and prayers."
Migli writes how the SQPN podcasts broke negative stereotypes: "I found out how much these Catholic people are just like me. It's been a good ride. Hopefully I will officially be one of them someday."
About SQPN:
SQPN, the Star Quest Production Network, is a non-profit Catholic apostolate dedicated to evangelization and formation through the use of new media.
Just as the star of Bethlehem emerged within the foreign culture of the three magi, and invited them to start an adventurous journey to the newborn Savior, the programs of SQPN tap into popular culture to invite people on a journey of discovery towards an encounter with Christ.
SQPN produces on-demand audio and video programs, also known as podcasts, and offers a portal for a select number of affiliated Catholic podcasters that share the vision and media strategy of SQPN.
More information about SQPN and the Podcast Awards on the following websites:
www.sqpn.com
www.podcastawards.com
Bishops Bring Concerns about Same-Sex Unions to YouTube
WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops have taken their concerns about same-sex unions to YouTube, the popular video-sharing Web site.
Both videos are available on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh_81zsW6U8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwCAXQhqd-Q
http://www.usccb.org/bishops/marriagedefense.shtml
The English-language video features Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage. Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio, chair of the bishops' Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, speaks on the Spanish-language video.
The USCCB seeks "to promote and protect marriage for the gift that it is and for the blessings that only it can bring to the world. For this reason," the bishops state, "we come forward in defense of marriage."
"Certain groups and individuals are trying to make same-sex unions the equivalent of marriage," they state also. "This is a false idea being proposed and, in some cases, imposed by a minority. This is nothing less than the radical redefinition marriage -- denying the truth that it is exclusively the union of a man and a woman."
The bishops warn that if successful, "this effort of redefining marriage to include same-sex unions will bring confusion to what marriage actually means. This confusion could spread and have enormous legal consequences for the rearing of children, public education, employment, and religious freedom. Children would be forced to learn that marriage is merely one kind of loving relationship among many. Churches would be prevented from witnessing to and teaching about the necessary and singular role of love between a man and a woman."
"Same-sex unions and marriage are completely different realities," they state also. "Reaffirming the traditional understanding of marriage is neither discrimination nor the denial of rights. Like all people, homosexual persons have the right to be treated with respect and to live in peace with the support of their loved ones. But it is to the benefit of all members of society that the institution of marriage be preserved as the relationship of a man and a woman that serves the common good in a distinct way. Society needs marriage in order to establish and sustain that basic unit of society in which men and women love each other and transmit life to their children who are the fruit of that love."
The video is the latest in a series of activities to emerge from the Defense of Marriage Ad Hoc Committee. The Committee assists the bishops and State Catholic Conferences in education, catechesis, public policy advocacy and communications strategies and their implications for society and the culture.
Both videos are available on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh_81zsW6U8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwCAXQhqd-Q
http://www.usccb.org/bishops/marriagedefense.shtml
The English-language video features Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Kentucky, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage. Archbishop José Gomez of San Antonio, chair of the bishops' Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, speaks on the Spanish-language video.
The USCCB seeks "to promote and protect marriage for the gift that it is and for the blessings that only it can bring to the world. For this reason," the bishops state, "we come forward in defense of marriage."
"Certain groups and individuals are trying to make same-sex unions the equivalent of marriage," they state also. "This is a false idea being proposed and, in some cases, imposed by a minority. This is nothing less than the radical redefinition marriage -- denying the truth that it is exclusively the union of a man and a woman."
The bishops warn that if successful, "this effort of redefining marriage to include same-sex unions will bring confusion to what marriage actually means. This confusion could spread and have enormous legal consequences for the rearing of children, public education, employment, and religious freedom. Children would be forced to learn that marriage is merely one kind of loving relationship among many. Churches would be prevented from witnessing to and teaching about the necessary and singular role of love between a man and a woman."
"Same-sex unions and marriage are completely different realities," they state also. "Reaffirming the traditional understanding of marriage is neither discrimination nor the denial of rights. Like all people, homosexual persons have the right to be treated with respect and to live in peace with the support of their loved ones. But it is to the benefit of all members of society that the institution of marriage be preserved as the relationship of a man and a woman that serves the common good in a distinct way. Society needs marriage in order to establish and sustain that basic unit of society in which men and women love each other and transmit life to their children who are the fruit of that love."
The video is the latest in a series of activities to emerge from the Defense of Marriage Ad Hoc Committee. The Committee assists the bishops and State Catholic Conferences in education, catechesis, public policy advocacy and communications strategies and their implications for society and the culture.
Text BIBLE (80672) for Daily Audio Gospel
Look around …everywhere you go, people are on their cell phones, chatting with others, playing video games and texting their friends.
In fact, texting is now one of the most common ways to communicate. In the U.S. alone, people send around 530 million text messages every single day.
Faith Comes By Hearing, the world's foremost Audio Bible ministry, is now using text messaging to deliver God's Word in audio.
By texting "BIBLE" to 80672, people can have the encouraging Word of God sent directly to their mobile phone. Once subscribed, people will receive a chapter a day of the Audio Drama Bible. In less than a year, people can listen through the entire New Testament.
"The cell phone is a perfect way to deliver God's Word," said Troy Carl, national director for Faith Comes By Hearing. "What do you do with a phone? You put it to your ear and listen. Phones are inherently made for listening, so it just makes sense."
Carl said people can easily get into God's Word wherever they are.
"Now you can listen to God's Word while getting ready for your day, while commuting to work or walking to class," Carl said. "Every day you get a text message containing a link that contains a chapter of the Audio Drama New Testament."
Faith Comes By Hearing launched this outreach effort because of the potential number of people that can only be reached through mobile devices.
"Mobile phone distribution is a critical element to spreading the gospel," said Carl. "Here in the U.S., and worldwide, cell phones are actually growing at a more rapid rate than internet access and capability."
"Research shows more than 298 million people in the U.S. own cell phones," he said. "That's not the future; that's right now. We can reach millions of people with the Word of God right now."
In 2009, the ministry will add over 300 languages to this new text messaging outreach.
Standard text messaging and data transfer rates apply as provided in your wireless plan (contact your carrier for pricing plans and details). For more information, please contact Faith Comes By Hearing at 800-545-6552 or info@fcbhmail.org
New Website Promotes Vocations through the Internet
BERWYN, IL (NOVEMBER 6, 2008) - Carrying out Vatican II’s request that the Church use the modern means of communication, a website has been launched that helps religious communities and dioceses use the internet to promote vocations.
“My information covers the importance of blogs, newsletters and search engine ranking without sounding too technical,” states Kevin Banet, president of TreeFrogClick, Inc., which built the website. “I find that many religious communities are intimidated by the technology, and I want to change that.”
Banet, who founded TreeFrogClick in 2003 mainly to put religious communities on the web, says that there is a tremendous opportunity for those promoting vocations to the priesthood, religious and consecrated life to use the internet to their benefit. “Rather than shy away from it, religious should know that youth grow up with the web and are heavily influenced by it,” Banet said.
“A community’s website is very important — second in importance behind personal contact,” Banet said, citing a recent study by a vocation organization. “Many religious communities are stuck in a print mode and spend thousands on brochures and print ads, but what do they get for it?”
Pope John Paul II urged Catholics to use the internet in 2002, when he issued a Church document, “Internet: A New Forum for Proclaiming the Gospel.” He said, “We must enter into this modern and ever more replete communications network with realism and confidence.”
The new vocation website, at www.vocationpromotion.com, contains regular entries and covers topics such as blogs, enewsletters, tips on search engine ranking, and videos.
TreeFrogClick, at www.treefrogclick.com, located in the Chicago area, offers web-building and search-ranking services to religious communities, dioceses and small businesses.
“My information covers the importance of blogs, newsletters and search engine ranking without sounding too technical,” states Kevin Banet, president of TreeFrogClick, Inc., which built the website. “I find that many religious communities are intimidated by the technology, and I want to change that.”
Banet, who founded TreeFrogClick in 2003 mainly to put religious communities on the web, says that there is a tremendous opportunity for those promoting vocations to the priesthood, religious and consecrated life to use the internet to their benefit. “Rather than shy away from it, religious should know that youth grow up with the web and are heavily influenced by it,” Banet said.
“A community’s website is very important — second in importance behind personal contact,” Banet said, citing a recent study by a vocation organization. “Many religious communities are stuck in a print mode and spend thousands on brochures and print ads, but what do they get for it?”
Pope John Paul II urged Catholics to use the internet in 2002, when he issued a Church document, “Internet: A New Forum for Proclaiming the Gospel.” He said, “We must enter into this modern and ever more replete communications network with realism and confidence.”
The new vocation website, at www.vocationpromotion.com, contains regular entries and covers topics such as blogs, enewsletters, tips on search engine ranking, and videos.
TreeFrogClick, at www.treefrogclick.com, located in the Chicago area, offers web-building and search-ranking services to religious communities, dioceses and small businesses.
Bishops Congratulate Barack Obama on Historic Election
Urge Him to Defend the Weak, Heal Divisions
WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops congratulated President-elect Barack Obama, the first African-American elected President of the United States, and called the event "historic" and coming at a difficult time.
"Our country is confronting many uncertainties," the bishops said. "We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person."
The bishops offered their remarks in a November 4 letter to President-elect Obama from Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The letter follows.
Dear President-elect Obama,
I write to you, in my capacity as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to express our congratulations on your historic election as President of the United States. The people of our country have entrusted you with a great responsibility. As Catholic Bishops, we offer our prayers that God give you strength and wisdom to meet the coming challenges.
Our country is confronting many uncertainties. We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person.
May God bless you and Vice President-elect Biden as you prepare to assume your duties in service to our country and its citizens.
Sincerely yours,
Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago
President
WASHINGTON—The U.S. bishops congratulated President-elect Barack Obama, the first African-American elected President of the United States, and called the event "historic" and coming at a difficult time.
"Our country is confronting many uncertainties," the bishops said. "We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person."
The bishops offered their remarks in a November 4 letter to President-elect Obama from Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The letter follows.
Dear President-elect Obama,
I write to you, in my capacity as President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to express our congratulations on your historic election as President of the United States. The people of our country have entrusted you with a great responsibility. As Catholic Bishops, we offer our prayers that God give you strength and wisdom to meet the coming challenges.
Our country is confronting many uncertainties. We pray that you will use the powers of your office to meet them with a special concern to defend the most vulnerable among us and heal the divisions in our country and our world. We stand ready to work with you in defense and support of the life and dignity of every human person.
May God bless you and Vice President-elect Biden as you prepare to assume your duties in service to our country and its citizens.
Sincerely yours,
Francis Cardinal George, OMI
Archbishop of Chicago
President
EWTN Presents “Catholic Canvas”: Inside the Vatican Museums
EWTN Presents “Catholic Canvas”: Inside the Vatican Museums
Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network, with the support of the Primavera Fine Art Foundation, was given unprecedented access to the Vatican Museums to film a 10-episode original series called “Catholic Canvas.”
“We were granted four days of filming inside the Sistine Chapel – a privilege that has never been granted to any other network,” said EWTN President Michael Warsaw. “The Sistine Chapel is the backbone for the series because it conveys so beautifully in art the stories of our salvation.”
Rome Producer Mary Shovlain explains the concept behind the series.
“Catholic Canvas is a journey through salvation history as seen in the art of the Vatican Museums,” she said. “We begin with the Angels – the first to be created, the first to fall – which sets the stage for a journey through the Old Testament, from the creation to the fall of man, to our need for redemption and the promise of a redeemer, Christ.”
Entire episodes are dedicated to Mary, to the Epiphany, to Christ’s earthly ministry, His Passion, death and resurrection, St. Peter, and the Saints. “Of course, our journey ends, as will all of our journeys, with a look at the Last Judgment,” Shovlain said.
Primavera Chairman and Co-founder Earnest Bentley is thrilled with the program that resulted with the help of his Foundation’s support.
“Primavera Fine Art Foundation is committed to creating a renaissance of fine theological art in the Church,” Bentley said. “As our Art Advisor has said, ‘Every great work of art is a window between time and eternity. When we learn to contemplate art or come in contact with it, we actually come in contact with God, a little piece of His glory.’
“For this reason, the Foundation believes bringing the treasures of the Vatican Museums into the viewers’ living room is both a privilege and an opportunity to share with EWTN in this work for the Church.”
Episode 1, a visual feast called “The Angels,” will be hosted by Elisabeth Lev, Professor of Christian Art and Architecture at Duquesne University’s Italian campus. Lev’s expert commentary provides viewers with an in-depth explanation of the artistic genius behind the representation of the Cherubim and Seraphim as represented in Costanza’s Sarcophagus, Rafael’s Madonna of Foligno, and many other masterpieces.
At the conclusion of each show, viewers also have the opportunity to see Father Mark Haydu, L.C., International Director of the Vatican Museums’ Patrons of the Arts who gives a short presentation about one of the many gorgeous restoration projects being financed by the Patrons.
Episode 1 of “Catholic Canvas” will air 6:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, Nov. 6 and 11 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Nov. 11.
Irondale, AL (EWTN) – EWTN Global Catholic Network, with the support of the Primavera Fine Art Foundation, was given unprecedented access to the Vatican Museums to film a 10-episode original series called “Catholic Canvas.”
“We were granted four days of filming inside the Sistine Chapel – a privilege that has never been granted to any other network,” said EWTN President Michael Warsaw. “The Sistine Chapel is the backbone for the series because it conveys so beautifully in art the stories of our salvation.”
Rome Producer Mary Shovlain explains the concept behind the series.
“Catholic Canvas is a journey through salvation history as seen in the art of the Vatican Museums,” she said. “We begin with the Angels – the first to be created, the first to fall – which sets the stage for a journey through the Old Testament, from the creation to the fall of man, to our need for redemption and the promise of a redeemer, Christ.”
Entire episodes are dedicated to Mary, to the Epiphany, to Christ’s earthly ministry, His Passion, death and resurrection, St. Peter, and the Saints. “Of course, our journey ends, as will all of our journeys, with a look at the Last Judgment,” Shovlain said.
Primavera Chairman and Co-founder Earnest Bentley is thrilled with the program that resulted with the help of his Foundation’s support.
“Primavera Fine Art Foundation is committed to creating a renaissance of fine theological art in the Church,” Bentley said. “As our Art Advisor has said, ‘Every great work of art is a window between time and eternity. When we learn to contemplate art or come in contact with it, we actually come in contact with God, a little piece of His glory.’
“For this reason, the Foundation believes bringing the treasures of the Vatican Museums into the viewers’ living room is both a privilege and an opportunity to share with EWTN in this work for the Church.”
Episode 1, a visual feast called “The Angels,” will be hosted by Elisabeth Lev, Professor of Christian Art and Architecture at Duquesne University’s Italian campus. Lev’s expert commentary provides viewers with an in-depth explanation of the artistic genius behind the representation of the Cherubim and Seraphim as represented in Costanza’s Sarcophagus, Rafael’s Madonna of Foligno, and many other masterpieces.
At the conclusion of each show, viewers also have the opportunity to see Father Mark Haydu, L.C., International Director of the Vatican Museums’ Patrons of the Arts who gives a short presentation about one of the many gorgeous restoration projects being financed by the Patrons.
Episode 1 of “Catholic Canvas” will air 6:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, Nov. 6 and 11 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Nov. 11.
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