Audio Bible Ministry Releases The Easter Story Podcast

“As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.’”

This exciting announcement is part of “Easter: The Story,” a special Easter podcast produced by Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry. From the ministry website, www.FaithComesByHearing.com, listeners can download and enjoy this Audio Bible story in either .MP3 or .wav format.

Taken from the New Testament book of Mark, this realistic audio recording was produced using multiple character voices, musical backgrounds and sound effects, adding excitement and emotion to the Scriptures. Faith Comes By Hearing produced this short program, which runs less than 12 minutes, to help people engage in the Bible and hear the Easter story in a dramatic, audio format.

“The Bible tells us about Jesus, why He came, how He lived and why He died,” said Jon D. Wilke, organizational spokesperson. “But the story doesn’t end there; this special Easter podcast also shares the Biblical story of Jesus’ resurrection. This Easter, commemorate this moving Bible story by listening to the Word of God in audio.”

Faith Comes By Hearing records and uses Audio Bibles to reach and disciple the world’s poor and illiterate people with the Gospel message. The ministry’s mission is to record the Audio Drama New Testament in 2,000 languages and to start 1.8 million Bible listening groups by 2016 to reach the 50% of the world who cannot read and are poor. To learn more, visit www.FaithComesByHearing.com.

2nd Annual Catholic New Media Celebration Announced

Roswell, GA (March 31, 2009) - In his message on the 2009 World Day of Communications, Pope Benedict XVI called on Catholics, especially young Catholics to "... to introduce into the culture of this new environment of communications and information technology the values on which you have built your lives." He also wrote, "It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this 'digital continent'."

Following the encouragement of Pope Benedict, as well as Pope John Paul II before him, the second annual Catholic New Media Celebration will be held in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday, June 27, 2009.

To be held in the magnificent Sky Room of the University of the Incarnate Word, the Catholic New Media Celebration (CNMC) is an international conference which focuses on evangelization of the Roman Catholic faith using new media. It is a day to Learn, Share, and Explore how New Media can help the Catholic Church in the New Evangelization called for by Pope John Paul II.

"It will take place during the final weekend of the year dedicated to the apostle Saint Paul," says Fr. Roderick Vonhögen, CEO of SQPN. "Just like Saint Paul who traveled the world to tell the nations about Jesus, Catholic new media evangelists reach out to a worldwide audience with the message of the Gospel. At this year’s CNMC, we will explore how we can follow in his footsteps," he says.

SPECIAL GUESTS
Keynote speakers for this year's Catholic New Media Celebration will include Fr. Dave Dwyer, CSP and Mr. Patrick Madrid. The celebration will close with a special concert featuring Ms. Sarah Bauer.

FATHER DAVE DWYER, formerly of MTV Networks and Comedy Central, is director of Busted Halo, and host of The Busted Halo Show with Father Dave Dwyer on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio.

PATRICK MADRID is the publisher of Envoy Magazine, a journal of contemporary Catholic thought, and director of the Envoy Institute of Belmont Abbey College. He is also an author, apologist, and a host of several shows on the EWTN network.

SARAH BAUER is a Catholic singer-songwriter from Indiana with a special calling through her "Dare to Dream" ministry, to challenge young people to dream big and to recognize the great plans that God has for their lives.

PROGRAM
The CNMC program will include the keynote presentations by Fr. Dave Dwyer and Mr. Patrick Madrid, a Friday night reception for conference attendees, break out sessions by notable producers of Catholic new media, and the closing concert by Ms. Sarah Bauer.

SUMMARY
The Catholic New Media Celebration is a festive, educational, and spiritual one-day event to help all Catholics live out the "great relaunching" of evangelization called for by Pope John Paul II. In the spirit of the Holy Father's writings regarding the New Evangelization, the CNMC is a day of sharing the latest technologies used to creatively and effectively invite others to grow in the Catholic faith through new and modern ways.

New media includes podcasts and online video, games and software, websites and blogs, mobile technology and all things interactive. The Catholic New Media Celebration is a gathering of today's new media producers within the Catholic Church, as well as of those who simply enjoy and have a desire to learn more about new media content, to grow as a community in an effort to more effectively create and share powerful and unique content for the benefit of the universal Catholic Church.

Anyone interested in New Media is invited to attend. Registration and additional information is available online at http://celebration.sqpn.com

LOCATION
The CNMC will be held in the Sky Room on the campus of the University of Incarnate Word, 847 E. Hildebrand, San Antonio, TX 78212.

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.

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CONTACT:
Fr. Roderick Vonhögen
Star Quest Production Network
206-202-4455
info@sqpn.com
www.SQPN.com

TESTIMONY DVD Release: The Untold Story of Pope John Paul II

Eclectic Film Sales is happy to announce the USA DVD launch of TESTIMONY: The Untold Story of Pope John Paul II

This 90-minute film adaptation of the book by Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, “A Life with Karol,” is an intimate portrait of the Pope as a man as witnessed by his long-standing secretary and close friend.

Set against never-before-published documentary materials and photographs from the Vatican’s archives and private collections, TESTIMONY reveals for the very first time facts from John Paul’s pontificate.

The film, shot on location in Vatican City, Kraków, and Wadowice, is narrated by British actor Michael York, (Cabaret, Jesus of Nazareth). The music that opens and closes the film is composed by the internationally renowned composer and Academy Award-winner, Vangelis. The remaining original score of Testimony has been composed by Polish musician, Robert Janson.

TESTIMONY tells the tale of an entire century in the history of Poland, Europe, and the world. The movie also portrays John Paul II in the secular context. Defining the historical, political and sociological backdrop to his pontificate, it illustrates the role of one of the greatest people in the history of Europe and the world.

More info: www.testimonythedvd.com