Nuns' Breakout Album Tops Billboard's Classical Music Chart

ADVENT AT EPHESUS, the Advent album from the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles, is No. 1 on Billboard magazine’s Traditional Classical Music Chart for the fourth straight week and is proof that the culture desires more of the sacred and divine in these preparatory weeks leading to the celebration of Christ’s birth. Rising above a group of Classical albums that includes Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, Fifty Shades of Grey Classical, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Once Upon a Christmas, and the London Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas Classics, ADVENT AT EPHESUS is a verified hit that will remain a classic for Advent seasons to come!

“Purchase your copy of ADVENT AT EPHESUS today to experience the sublime musical masterpiece contained in this holy album…and head to benedictinesofmary.org for a special end of Advent promotion and grab a copy for someone you love to enjoy for years to come. It’s clear that with a No. 1 ranking for the fourth straight week, ADVENT AT EPHESUS is here to stay and is a must-have for the collection! Even in these final Advent days leading to a grand celebration of Christ’s coming to earth, we hope the music and peaceful reflections found in ADVENT AT EPHESUS will continue to be loved by and shared with as many as possible!" said Monica Fitzgibbons, co-founder of De Montfort Music.

Since its Nov. 20 worldwide debut from De Montfort Music and Decca Records, ADVENT AT EPHESUS has blessed the world with the sacred and sublime music of a hidden and contemplative religious order tucked away on Missouri’s rural countryside. Hidden in prayer and sacrifice, their music now is available worldwide. In addition to the CD, the album is available as a digital download for all devices at a variety of online retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the iTunes Store.

Captivating diverse audiences, ADVENT AT EPHESUS, which also captured an impressive top 200 ranking in Billboard’s mainstream chart, holds its spot this week amid all album categories.

The breathtaking release that has taken the world by surprise also ranks No. 9 on the Contemporary Christian chart, No. 10 on the Gospel chart, and No. 20 on the Internet Album chart.

“We want to again express our sincere gratitude to everyone who is supporting the album. We hope everyone will purchase this beautiful masterpiece, a labor of love given to the world by The Benedictines of Mary, which goes to help the sisters in their many needs as a growing contemplative community,” said Fitzgibbons.




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


Sometimes, the Pope said of prayers and devotions, one goes to the Lord "to ask something for someone;" one asks for a favor and then goes away. "But that," he warned, "is not prayer," because if "you want the Lord to bestow a grace, you have to go with courage and do what Abraham did, with that sort of tenacity."

This comprehensive treasury of Catholic prayer includes everyday prayers, devotionals, how to pray the rosary, litanies, the Stations of the Cross, Eucharistic prayers, prayers to prepare for confession, prayers to the saints, Marian prayers, family prayers, and more.

Looking for great Catholic books? CNM resources offers a one-stop source to browse Advent and Christmas books as well as new and classic Catholic books.

In addition to classics and contemporary books, find many of the familiar books you've grown up with and loved. You'll also find biographies, history books, novels, and story books for all ages, including many lives of the saints for students and adults.

Here's a small sample of the kinds of books you can find.

Advent and Christmas With the Saints

From the Advent & Christmas Wisdom Series Features Advent meditations from many saints Details Advent and Christmas with the Saints offers spiritual sustenance from holy men and women whom we honor because of their close spiritual relationship with God. Readers walk day-by-day with the saints, recalling the Scriptures they read, meditating on the thoughts they had, praying as they might have prayed, and talking openly with God. Christians looking for a way to re-spiritualize their Christmas practices, prayer groups, small-faith communities, Bible study classes, teachers, clergy, and religious will cherish this guide to refocusing on the "reason for the season," the birth of the Messiah.

Advent Calendar

For each of the first 24 days of December, there is a mini board book that relates a Bible story, offers a special prayer or Psalm, or features a Christmas song. After reading each little book, you can hang it on your Christmas tree by its golden loop. A beautiful and unique way to celebrate Advent at home or school year after year. Full color. 10 pages per mini-book. Closed size case 14 1/8 x 13.

Advent of the Heart

Fr. Alfred Delp,S.J., was a heroic German Jesuit priest who was imprisoned and martyred by the Nazis in a Nazi death camp in 1945. At the time of his arrest, he was the Rector of St. Georg Church in Munich, and had a reputation for being a gripping, dynamic preacher, and one who was an outspoken critic of the Nazi regime. He was an important figure in the Resistance movement against Nazism. ' ' Accused of conspiring against the Nazi government, he was arrested in 1944, tortured, imprisoned, and executed on Feb 2, 1945. While in prison, Fr. Delp was able to write a few meditations found in this book, which also includes his powerful reflections from prison during the Advent season about the profound spiritual meaning and lessons of Advent, as well as his sermons he gave on the season of Advent at his parish in Munich. These meditations were smuggled out of Berlin and read by friends and parishioners of St. Georg in Munich. ' ' His approach to Advent, the season that prepares us for Christmas, is what Fr. Delp called an "Advent of the heart." More than just preparing us for Christmas, it is a spiritual program, a way of life. He proclaimed that our personal, social and historical circumstances, even suffering, offer us entry into the true Advent, our personal journey toward a meeting and dialogue with God. Indeed, his own life, and great sufferings, illustrated the true Advent he preached and wrote about. '' From his very prison cell he presented a timeless spiritual message, and in an extreme situation, his deep faith gave him the courage to draw closer to God, and to witness to the truth even at the cost of his own life. These meditations will challenge and inspire all Christians to embark upon that same spiritual journey toward union with God, a journey that will transform our lives.' ???As one of the last witnesses who knew Fr. Alfred Delp personally, I am very pleased this book will make him better known in America. The more one reads his writings, the more one clearly recognizes the prophetic message for our times! Like his contemporary, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Delp ranks among the great prophets who endured the horror of Nazism and handed down a powerful message for our times.

Angel Advent Candleholder Set

Advent candleholder display 4 Advent candles included Copper angel heralding the Lord Great for any table or counter Details This Advent candle holder makes a stunning centerpiece with its rich, antique copper tones and decorative detail. The candle holder is formed into the shape of an angel blowing a trumpet, with the words, "Prepare the way of the Lord" carved at the center. The angel figure heralds the arrival of The Savior with four taper candles (three purple, one pink). An Advent pamphlet is also included to help you celebrate the joy of lighting the Advent candles this Christmas season.

Advent/Christmas CD and Prayer Book: God With Us

New prayer book and CD: God With Us, by OCP composer Dan Schutte, reminds Catholics everywhere that amid the busyness of the Christmas and Advent seasons, God is all around.

“Because of the distractions and hectic pace of Christmas preparations, many of us find it difficult to keep our minds and hearts on the real Christmas story,” says Schutte. “I created God With Us to help people pause and remember that this is the season of hope…to open their hearts to receive God’s love.”

The 84-page prayer book consists of 12 different exercises that contain inspirational images, a reflection, prayers, a scripture passage and lyrics for a corresponding song. Additionally, God With Us includes self-reflection questions and keystone phrases to keep the reader introspective throughout the day.

God With Us is bundled with a companion CD featuring 12 songs (corresponding to the prayer exercises) written and recorded by acclaimed Catholic composer Dan Schutte.

“We’re surrounded every moment by God’s love. And, if people are inspired to do a bit more to nourish their spiritual selves, perhaps this little prayer book—with its music, scripture, images and reflections—can provide some structure and guidance” says Schutte.

The printed book and companion CD are available at ocp.org/GodWithUs. An iBook edition will be available through iTunes in winter of 2012.

Catholics Come Home Launches New Website

Catholics Come Home® announces the complete graphic and functional overhaul of its interactive website, CatholicsComeHome.org, along with new campaigns for Advent and the Year of Faith. The new site is easier to navigate, more appealing in design, and more robust in content, putting it at the forefront of cutting-edge Catholic websites.

The website launch comes as Catholics Come Home® begins its first international airing of evangomercials™ in the Archdiocese of Vancouver this Advent. A Catholics Come Home® campaign is also underway in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, beginning on Dec. 14.

These diocesan campaigns will air in conjunction with the new Catholics Come Home® “mini campaigns” this Advent and January. In response to the Vatican announcing the Year of Faith in October, Catholics Come Home® is offering its original diocesan partners the opportunity to continue their momentum of evangelization by airing TV and radio “mini campaigns” featuring its evangomercials™. A number of dioceses are participating, including the Archdiocese of New Orleans, the Diocese of Colorado Springs, and the Diocese of Venice, Fla., which means more souls will be reached in regions across the U.S.

“We hope that our updated website, Advent campaigns, and Year of Faith mini-campaigns will contribute to a greater revitalization of the Catholic Faith during this year in the Church,” says Tom Peterson, founder and president of Catholics Come Home®.