Verbum, the Catholic division of Logos Bible Software, brings a powerful new study tool to the Catholic world. The new Verbum Plus libraries add hundreds of relevant books and resources to the already powerful Verbum libraries, in addition to new tools like the Catholic Topical Index, exclusive to Verbum.

New Plus libraries from Verbum

Verbum integrates liturgical documents like the Roman Missal and Catholic Lectionary, Scripture, and hundreds of other Church documents, like the Catechism of the Catholic Church, to provide a new approach to studying the Faith. Scott Hahn, professor of theology and Scripture at Franciscan University of Steubenville, said, “As Catholics, we are called to read the Scriptures from the heart of the Church, from within the living Tradition, and to be transformed by our encounter with the Living Word—Verbum is an amazing tool toward this end.” He added, “I use Verbum myself, and I whole-heartedly recommend it to all Catholics who are looking to grow deeper in their faith and understanding.”

Andrew Jones, PhD, director of Verbum, said that “The new Catholic Topical Index was a massive project. It contains over 500 doctrinal topics selected carefully by scholars here at Verbum to provide comprehensive coverage of the Faith. The result is that anyone can simply type a passage into Verbum and instantly see all the topics that the Church has associated with the passage.” He added, “This topical index was a massive undertaking, and nothing like it exists digitally or in print.”

The leader in Catholic software innovation, Verbum has provided top-level research software for priests, catechists and the lay Faithful since 2011. These brand-new libraries introduce a huge leap in the realm of Catechetical and theological tools available to Catholics everywhere.

Verbum’s range of libraries lets users choose the size and scope they want, and the software works on Mac, PC, iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire and Android devices.

Pope Francis and Person of the Year: Is it Right?

Time magazine announced recently that its 2013 Person of the Year is Pope Francis. Radhika Jones, deputy managing editor of Time, explained why he was chosen.

“The Pope came onto the scene in March with … fanfare, and almost the opposite of fanfare, and immediately made his presence felt in a way that seemed different from popes in recent memory. … He’s in a position of immense power, but he introduced himself as a man of great humility. Even in a very short amount of time — he’s only been pope for nine months — he really has refocused a conversation that’s global, putting more emphasis on poverty and the poor.”

Pope Francis stood out “as someone who has changed the tone and perception and focus of one of the world's largest institutions in an extraordinary way,” Time managing editor Nancy Gibbs said. It’s the third time the magazine has named a pope its person of the year.

But do the people who know Pope Francis agree with this distinction, and further, is the Pope pleased with being singled out in this way?

Available to discuss those very ideas are the people who know him:

Alejandro Bermudez, author of POPE FRANCIS: OUR BROTHER, OUR FRIEND, which presents the personal insights of ten Jesuits, many who have known Jorge Bergoglio since his first days as a Jesuit, and were interviewed for this book shortly after he was elected the Pope. Non-Jesuits, including an Argentine senator, a prominent rabbi, a priest working in the slums of Buenos Aires that Bergoglio often visited, also were interviewed. Bermudez can address topics including the Pope’s longstanding simplicity and authentic spirituality; his concern for the individual and the poor; his desire for the Church to go out to the street to meet the needs of the people; abortion; and same-sex marriage. Bermudez is the director of the largest Catholic news Agency in Spanish, ACI-Prensa, and the executive director of the Catholic News Agency. He translated Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio's book, On Heaven and Earth, into English.

Andrea Tornielli, author of FRANCIS: POPE OF A NEW WORLD, is the first biographer of Pope Francis and knows personally the former humble pastor of one of the world’s largest archdioceses; a cardinal who took the bus, talked with common folk, and lived simply. He knows the story of why the cardinal electors of the Catholic Church set aside political and diplomatic calculations to elect a pope to lead the renewal and purification of the worldwide Church of our time. Tornielli is a Vatican correspondent for the highly regarded Italian newspaper La Stampa who has collaborated with numerous Italian and international publications

For the full list of books and pamphlets Ignatius Press has published on Pope Francis, please visit http://bit.ly/1kDePQA.

A Message from Catholics Come Home

Come Home for Christmas

12 Days of Christmas: DaVinci Code Mystery Solved - Video Interview

Today, on Catholic Online, three different videos were uploaded that provide first person eyewitness testimony about 17th Century Jesuit letters which enumerated the 12 Days of Christmas as a code or catechism for Irish Catholics.

Father H. Stockert’s first person testimony cuts through the raging and erroneous internet debate on whether the song “The 12 Days of Christmas” was originally a code for Catholics at a time of persecution in the 17th century.

Fifty years ago, Father Stockert, a Byzantine priest, stumbled upon these17th century letters from one Jesuit priest in Dublin, Ireland to another in Douai, France while researching his doctoral thesis at Georgetown University. The letters enumerated the 12 Days of Christmas, formerly thought of as merely a children’s nursery rhyme, as a code for Catholics to teach their children the faith.

Thirty years ago, Father Stockert released this “juicy tidbit” on the internet. The text of the story went viral and an ugly internet debate began. With complete disregard for the history of Catholic persecution at this time in history, one writer mused “Why would Catholics need to write a code at that time, Protestants and Catholics basically believe the same thing.”



Author Rebecca Even of Prayersongs Publishing released the videos along with a song, a book, and an ornament kit reflecting the Catholic meanings behind the lovable and popular song. Even’s version of the song, “Our Father Gave To Us The Twelve Days of Christmas,” takes the traditional song and transforms the words to reflect the true spiritual meanings.

Rebecca said, “It is kind of a real life musical Da Vinci Code!” She also stated, “I am hoping and praying that the message of Living All Twelve Days of Christmas goes viral to our worldwide Catholic community.” Especially for Americans who struggle with consumerism like no one else, “celebrating all 12 days of Christmas can be completely transformative in cutting through the chaos of consumerism.”

Even stated “for years now, we have displayed our Knights of Columbus car magnet and have tried to keep “Christ in Christmas”. However, it was not until we began celebrating all 12 days of Christmas that our family figured out HOW to do to this.” Even, hopes her song, book and ornament kit, all available digitally, will help families “Keep Christ in Christmas”. Christmas is not a day it is a season and when celebrated that way brings the peace which surpasses all understanding!

You Tube Links: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWfChdCylZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjyWNE39YO0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP4GDlwK4cQ
URL: www.LiveTheTwelveDays.com
Song available on Itunes

Awesome! Pope Francis Named Time's Person of the Year

 

Pope Francis Named Time's Person of the Year

Pope Francis, who has grabbed headlines for befriending a rabbi, sneaking out to help the homeless, and hanging out with kids, is Time's "Person of the Year." Read more.

Born in Buenos Aires as the son of Italian parents, Bergoglio worked briefly as a chemical technician before entering seminary. He was ordained a priest in 1969. From 1973 to 1979 he was Argentina's Provincial superior of the Society of Jesus. He became Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, and a cardinal in 2001. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013, on 13 March 2013 the papal conclave elected Bergoglio, who chose the papal name Francis in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Francis is the first Jesuit pope, the first pope from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European Pope since Pope Gregory III, 1272 years earlier. (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis)

Francis: The Pope From the New World is available at Amazon.com. The hour-long film traces the remarkable rise of our new Holy Father and features interviews from around the world, with close friends, fellow priests, co-workers, his biographer and the poor of Buenos Aires.

 

Pope Francis: The Pole from the New World

Chart-Topping Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles

The Missouri-based contemplative nuns Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles were named Billboard magazine’s Classical Traditional Artist 2012 and 2013. It’s the first order of nuns to ever win an award in the history of Billboard magazine. The Sisters were recognized for their two bestselling albums, ANGELS AND SAINTS AT EPHESUS, which spent 13 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Classical Traditional Music chart, and ADVENT AT EPHESUS, which spent six consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the same chart.

Advent at Ephesus

The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles bested a group of popular classical music artists to secure the award, including Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.

“How does a community of Benedictine Sisters who follow the rule of St. Benedict in the most monastic sense, never leaving their Priory in the rolling hills of the Midwest, accomplish this achievement of Billboard’s Classical Traditional Artist 2012 and 2013 for two years and counting?,” said Monica Fitzgibbons, cofounder of De Montfort Music. “Many music industry vets would like to know. It is truly their heavenly purity and FIAT that will provide the clues. We are so grateful that this music is being embraced by many hearts on a wide scaled basis. Congratulations, Benedictines of Mary, and congratulations, world!”

Founded in 1995, the Benedictines of Mary offer their lives in prayer and sacrifice for priests. The work of their hands is devoted primarily to the making of priestly vestments. They also take care of gardens, an orchard and a small farm. The community follows the monastic horarium as laid out in the rule of St. Benedict. They partake of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass and also chant the Divine Office in Latin according to the 1962 Breviarium Monasticum.

USCCB: A Tradition of Advent and Christmas Resources

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) continues the tradition of providing online resources for the Advent and Christmas seasons with daily suggestions for prayer, reflection and action beginning on the first Sunday of Advent, December 1. The content is presented in a clickable calendar format, with each date opening a page of suggestions and links.

The calendars feature audioretreats in English and Spanish for the four Sundays of Advent and the three Sundays of the Christmas season. The retreats were produced by Franciscan Media and made possible by the bishops' Catholic Communication Campaign. The half-hour audio retreats feature music, a Scripture reflection and Q&A from a different bishop each week.

The bishops hosting the retreats are Auxiliary Bishop Alberto Rojas of Chicago, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock, Arkansas, Bishop David J. Walkowiak of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, Illinois. Bishops Rojas, Taylor and Malloy recorded their contributions in both English and Spanish for the first, second and fourth Sundays of Advent, respectively. Bishop Walkowiak is featured in the English retreat for the third Sunday and Archbishop Broglio is the guest for the Spanish retreat for that week.

There are threefeast day Sundays in the brief Christmas season. The retreats for the feast of the Holy Family (December 29) feature Bishop John M. Quinn of Winona, Minnesota (English) and Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros of Brooklyn, New York (Spanish). Auxiliary Bishop Christopher J. Coyne of Indianapolis is the guest for the English retreat on Epiphany (January 5) and Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio L. Elizondo of Seattle is featured in the Spanish retreat for Epiphany. For the final Sunday of Christmas, the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, Bishop Richard J. Malone of Buffalo, New York, is featured in the English program and Archbishop Thomas G.Wenski of Miami, the Spanish.

The calendar is interspersed with excerpts from Pope Francis' audiences and homilies from the first year of his papacy and observations on Catholic doctrine and practices from the ForYour Marriage website's "Catholic101" series. Other resources highlighted on the calendars include a Festivalof Lesson and Carols podcast, alist of recommended holiday-themed movies from USCCB, and prayers and blessings from the USCCB publication Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers.
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Francis: A Pope for Our Time (Humanix Books)

As the first Advent season begins and former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio prepares for his first Christmas Midnight Mass, take an incisive look at Pope Francis’s rise through the ecclesiastical ranks all the way to Saint Peter’s Throne. “Francis: A Pope for Our Time, The Definitive Biography,” authored by two highly-esteemed Argentine journalists, provides an in-depth analysis of Pope Francis’ youth, influences, doctrine, and potential to inspire a renewal of faith, not only within the Catholic Church, but the world-over.

From Bergoglio’s coming of age in the Peronist era and his role in Argentina’s darkest period, the Dirty War, to his volatile relationship with the Kirchners, and his views on everything from same-sex marriage and abortion to women’s issues and the crisis of world poverty, this book addresses the all of the key issues facing the new leader of the largest religious organization in the world.
“Francis: A Pope for Our Time” provides a concise look at the history and politics that have consumed Latin America, Argentina, and the Church, breaking the cult of secrecy that has long plagued the region as well as the institution. As Pope Francis has ignited a profound sense of pride in his compatriots, the authors describe the tremendous influence that Latin America stands to bring to the world stage.

This treasury of prayers, now released on Kindle, will help you go to the Lord with courage and pray to receive God's grace.

Known as the “Black Pope” (for his Jesuit garb), the “Pope of the Poor,” and the “Third World Pope,” such monikers exemplify Pope Francis’ commitment to society’s most underprivileged and disenfranchised. In “Francis: A Pope for Our Time,” the authors bring clarity to the man and his work: his dedication to interreligious dialogue, accessibility to his community, and rejection of lavish excess in favor of simplicity that promises to bring real-world leadership to a modern Church desperate to emerge from old-world precepts.

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What is Advent? Glad You Asked.

Advent (Lat. ad-venio, to come to), according to present usage, is a period beginning with the Sunday nearest to the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle (30 November) and embracing four Sundays. The first Sunday may be as early as 27 November, and then Advent has twenty-eight days, or as late as 3 December, giving the season only twenty-one days. With Advent the ecclesiastical year begins in the Western churches.

During this time the faithful are admonished to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord's coming into the world as the incarnate God of love, thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world.

from The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913

24 Hours That Changed the World : An Advent Study for Youth