Catholic New Media

Advent 2011 Resources: Readings, Homilies, and Reflections

Several excellent Advent resources are just a click away. These resources offer simple ways to participate fully in the Advent season, week by week, as Christmas approaches.

EWTN
Advent 2011 devotionals

USCCB
Video, text, and audio readings and reflections

Mobile Gabriel
Mobile access to daily Scripture readings

American Catholic
Daily reflections for Advent
American Catholic blog

from Saint Ann's Media
Daily Mass

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.

photo courtesy Per Ola Wiberg

The New Catholic Mass? There's an App for That!

Toronto, Canada (November 22, 2011) - The new English translation of the Catholic Mass? There's an app for that.

On Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent, Roman Catholic parishes around the world will begin using the new English translation.

The New Mass app by Cale Clarke, director of The Faith Explained Seminars (www.TheFaithExplained.com), for iPhone and Android devices, explains the changes in an attractive, easy-to-use interface. The New Mass is available now on the Apple App Store and Android Market.

Archbishop Thomas Collins of Toronto calls the app “Simply wonderful…great for helping Catholics learn about the new English translation of the Mass.”

Pauline Books and Media Releases iMassExplained App in Preparation for the Implementation of the Third Roman Missal

BOSTON, MA (November 16, 2011) - Pauline Books and Media and the Daughters of St. Paul are pleased to announce the release of their newest Catholic app: iMassExplained. Emphasizing the people’s parts at Mass, iMassExplained is a handy app to help you understand and follow the new translation of the Third Roman Missal.

The latest addition to Pauline Books and Media’s collection of Catholic apps offers users access to explanations of what is changing with the revised translation of the Mass, information to deepen their understanding of what we do at Mass and why, and brief reflections of the Holy Fathers on the importance of the Mass and what it can mean for their everyday life. The app—available for download through iTunes for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad—features:

* Clear, easy to follow format for learning and understanding the people’s parts of the new translation, as well as for use during Mass.
* Over 70 clear explanations positioned next to the texts they explain.
* Color-coded and easy to understand explanations for all ages, accessible by tapping on the highlighted words
* New translation changes marked in bold.
* Nine brief reflections on the meaning of the Mass in our lives from John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Leo XIII.

iMassExplained is a great tool for priests, pastoral ministers, music directors, teachers, catechists, and parents. A great app whether someone is thinking of becoming a Catholic, participating in RCIA, attending Mass regularly, or just plain curious.

iMassExplained is available for download on iTunes. For more information visit www.pauline.org/catholicapps.

‘Don’t give a !#@?#’ about curse words on TV? You should

Have you noticed all the “harmless” curse words on TV and in video games? If so, it should come as no surprise that studies are showing children who hear that cursing pick up the profanity themselves – and tend to exhibit more aggressive behavior than youngsters who don’t watch profane TV or play video games containing curse words.

“It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that children are going to emulate what they see and hear on TV, in the movies, and in video games,” said Teresa Tomeo, the bestselling author and syndicated radio host whose newest book is EXTREME MAKEOVER. “When we talk about violence in the media for example, we know that there are a number of studies that show at least a casual connection to violence in the media and aggressive behavior in children.”

One of the most recent, from Brigham Young University, revealed that youngsters who are exposed to profanity in the media tend to use it themselves, and exhibit more aggressive behavior. After studying a sample of 223 middle-school students in Missouri and applying statistical models to the results, the BYU researchers concluded that exposure to profanity was little different than exposure to violence on TV or in video games.

“This latest report regarding the impact of children’s exposure to bad language in media is alarming,” Tomeo said. “Not only are those children exposed to profanity more likely to use it themselves, but they are also likely to become more aggressive toward others. This is just another strong reminder for parents to develop and enforce media guidelines in the home."

In EXTREME MAKEOVER, Tomeo discusses the pervasiveness of media in today’s culture and talks about ways that women and their families can make an “extreme media makeover” to rid themselves of the messages and toxic images that bombard them daily and seek to destroy their basic human dignity.

G-Rated ‘The Mighty Macs’ Draws Audience, Critical Praise

PHILADELPHIA, PA (October 26, 2011) – THE MIGHTY MACS – a G-rated, inspiring story of finding the courage to chase your dreams – debuted last weekend, drawing praise from critics and audiences alike. Based on the true story of Hall of Fame coach Cathy Rush (CARLA GUGINO), THE MIGHTY MACS charts the rise of a team of over-achieving young women from Immaculata College as they claimed the first U.S. women’s collegiate basketball crown. It premieres as the highest-grossing independent film in the country and the No. 1 film in theaters for the entire family—perfect for parents and all the kids, regardless of their ages!

Critics from across the spectrum are “Backing the Macs”:

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times and RogerEbert.com
“It has an innocence that today’s movies have almost lost.”

Neil Ganzlinger, The New York Times
“. . . you have to love seeing nuns shouting basketball strategy from courtside. And the updates on the team’s players that flash by at the film’s end drive home why this is a sports story that deserved to be told.”

Joseph Airdo, Examiner.com
“THE MIGHTY MACS truly is a movie of magnificent morals. It is the very definition of wholesome entertainment.”

Bob Waliszewski, Plugged In, Focus on the Family Online
“The family-friendly pic, MIGHTY MACS, transports us back in time to 1972 girls college basketball, reminding all of us that while dreaming big is important in life, so are passion, perseverance and grind-it-out hard work and dedication.”

Vanessa Barnes, Gulf Coast Catholic
“Go! Take your family and enjoy a heart-warming film telling a story filled with good old-fashion life lessons. . . . The writing, directing and acting are superb. The story refreshing and the time well worth spending.”

Dick Rolfe, Dove Foundation
"Best inspirational sports film of the year!"

Beyond the critics’ praise, the film’s G rating, exciting basketball action, touching personal stories and overall entertainment value draw “thumbs up” from families, school officials and the world of sports.

In Sacramento, 400 students, staff and parents from the local Catholic diocese attended the opening. "THE MIGHTY MACS was a true inspiration to all and is a must see for Catholic school students both former and current,” said Rick Maya, the diocese’s director of Catholic schools.

The film’s intertwined personal stories of young women playing without scholarships, in antiquated facilities and often with limited family support touched Coquese Washington, Penn State’s women’s basketball coach.

“I can truly say that I was blown away watching this film,” Washington said. “It touched me in so many ways; but mostly, to watch in action the sacrifices so many people made in the early ‘70s simply for the love of the game was quite inspirational." 

Audience members shared their enthusiasm in messages to THE MIGHTY MACS’ Facebook page. Just a few examples include:

“Go see this movie if you want to be inspired! . . . We need more movies like this!”

“We need to get the message out there . . . there is a better way to achieve your goals, there is a better way to fulfill your hopes and dreams. God will honor you as you honor Him. LOVE IT!”

“I have never been to a movie before where people applauded throughout the whole thing. Amazing!”

THE MIGHTY MACS, playing now, features Carla Gugino (NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, SPY KIDS) as Cathy Rush and David Boreanaz (FOX TV’s Bones, Angel) as Cathy’s husband and NBA referee Ed Rush. Oscar-, Tony- and Emmy-winner Ellen Burstyn (Academy Awardâ, Best Actress ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE) plays Mother St. John, the mother superior at Immaculata. Marley Shelton (Eleventh Hour, PLEASANTVILLE) plays Sister Sunday, a novice who becomes Rush’s assistant coach.

New Roman Missal Examples at USCCB Website

Cardinal George Announces Vatican Approval of New Roman Missal English-Language Translation, Implementation Set for First Sunday of Advent 2011

U.S. Adaptations to Mass Prayers Also Approved Parish Education Efforts Urged To Precede Implementation Resources Available Through USCCB

WASHINGTON—Cardinal Francis George, OMI, Archbishop of Chicago and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has announced that the full text of the English-language translation of the Roman Missal, Third Edition, has been issued for the dioceses of the United States of America.

The text was approved by the Vatican, and the approval was accompanied by a June 23 letter from Cardinal Llovera Antonio Cañizares, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The Congregation also provided guidelines for publication. More

USCCB Roman Missal Examples

Please feel free to post any other Roman Missal resources you've found online.

CatholicVote Launches New App!

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Little i Apps, LLC, makers of Confession: A Roman Catholic App, is proud to announce their collaboration with CatholicVote.org in the development of CatholicVote Mobile, an app that helps mobilize and unify the Catholic voting community. Features include mobile access to the CatholicVote.org blogs and videos, and a unique method for contacting federal representatives and senators.

Little i Apps developed a one-touch method that will, for the first time, allow Catholic voters to more easily participate in political activism. Based on a user’s GPS location or zip code, the app generates the contact information for their congressional representative and senators, including name, state and party, phone, fax, website, e-mail, office address, Facebook ID, Twitter ID, and YouTube channel. Users can select to automatically add this information to their contact lists or simply tap to connect.

“It was an incredible opportunity for Little i Apps to be a part of this project. We are excited about the potential impact an app like this could have on American politics” says Patrick Leinen, co-founder of Little i Apps. “Imagine what could happen if every Catholic voter used the Contact My Representative option to contact their congressional representative or senator before a critical vote. With the launch of this app, CatholicVote.org has given voters an incredible tool. We can’t wait to see how they use it!”

CatholicVote.org President Brian Burch said that Little i Apps was the perfect partner to create this new tool for Catholic activism.

“Catholics must engage the political and cultural issues of our day using the best technology available. That’s why we’re excited to launch the CatholicVote.org App. The app is only the first phase of a larger mobile strategy we are implementing to maximize the impact of the Catholic vote nationwide,” said Burch.

CatholicVote Mobile is available for free on the Android Market and the iTunes Store for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

EWTN to Premiere "Vianney Speaks"

IRONDALE, AL (October 10, 2011) - St. John Vianney was such a holy priest, he knew a penitent’s sins even before he confessed them, he was attached by the devil almost every night, and he converted every single soul in his parish – so people came to Ars as much to experience his parishioners as the saint himself.

Hear this saint’s life-changing sermons in the EWTN Original Co-Production, “Vianney Speaks” with acclaimed Actor and Filmmaker Leonardo Defilippis. The program will air 1 p.m. ET, Friday, Oct. 14, and 5 a.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET, Saturday, Oct. 15 – exclusively on EWTN. (Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.)

“The majority of people have never heard any sermons like this from the pulpit,” Defilippis said. “They are very moving. Vianney was known to weep in front of people; he would also be thunderous; he would shake people up! I decided to take some of these sermons and put them into a dramatic format. I could have done it in [an EWTN] studio with a simple set, but we decided to go even further and put it into a cinematic format so you felt as if you were in Ars itself.”

Defilippis calls Vianney one of the most important saints in our Church and in Christianity. “I say that because he is directly connected with the very structure of the Church itself. He’s a priest, pastor, and patron saint of all priests, all bishops, all pastors. The parish is the foundation from which every saint comes. St. Francis, Mother Teresa, all grew up in a parish. They got their sacraments, their vocation, from priests.”

The sermons selected for this program are true masterpieces and include Vianney’s warnings about the enemies of our salvation. “[Satan] said to St. John Vianney himself, ‘I’m with you even in the Mass, as you’re doing the consecration, when you’re in the confessional. When a penitent leaves, I’m with them.’ [The devil] does the same with families; he goes after the mother and the father. He told John Vianney, ‘When the parents are mine, the children are mine.’ Our greatest weapon [against the devil] is the rosary.”

To learn more about the television special and to view movie trailers and videos, visit www.vianneyspeaks.com.

To learn more about the Curé of Ars, check out the many resources available from EWTN Religious Catalogue. There you will find the “Vianney Speaks” DVD, http://bit.ly/nxUGuT; an episode of EWTN’s award-winning “My Catholic Family” animated children’s TV series on St. John Vianney (in both English and Spanish), http://bit.ly/p3tD5T; a classic book by Abbe Francis Trochu entitled “The Cure D’Ars: St. Jean-Marie Baptiste Vianney,” http://bit.ly/pnSTvb; and many other related items. Just go to http://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com and search for “Vianney” and “St. John Vianney.”

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 30th year, is available in over 160 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories. With its direct broadcast satellite television and radio services, AM & FM radio networks, worldwide short-wave radio station, Internet website www.ewtn.com, electronic and print news services, and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world.

Fr. Robert Barron on Catholicism

CatholicTV Launches Live Streaming via iPad

8/12/2011 - 6:21 AM PST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY
Catholic PRWire

WATERTOWN, MA (August 12, 2011) - Starting August 12th, the CatholicTV Network began offering live streaming on the iPad. Accessing the programs is as simple as going to CatholicTV.com on an iPad or iPhone.

CatholicTV has increased the mobility of its award-winning programs a priority for 2011 in support of Pope Benedict XVI’s invitation to share the Good News through all means. President of the CatholicTV Network, Fr. Robert Reed said "So many people expect their mobile devices to serve them well. I am personally thrilled not only for myself but for so many of our viewers that we can now watch and enjoy CatholicTV.com on an iPhone or iPad or Android device." Executive Vice President Jay Fadden said of the increased availability “It is important to CatholicTV to be available in all social media platforms. The message of Christ cannot be contained and needs to be shared in every available way.”

Over the past twelve months CatholicTV has expanded it’s offerings on the nation-wide Verizon FiOS on-demand platform, increased the number of videos available on CatholicTV.com and established an online interactive community called iCatholic.

About CatholicTV
Founded in 1955, CatholicTV Network is a national broadcast television network streaming a live feed 24 hours a day at CatholicTV.com. Heeding Pope Benedict XVI's call to greater utilize the power of television and new media, CatholicTV Network offers a wide range of programs aimed at children and adults, from uplifting advice shows to international news, game shows to travel, CatholicTV has something for everyone. Based in Watertown, MA, CatholicTV is available in over 10 million homes nationwide.

Stunning New Film: The Greatest Miracle, October 14 Release

HOLLYWOOD, CA (September 26, 2011) - Movie to Movement (M2M), in partnership with Dos Corazones Films, is proud to announce the release of a stunning new faith-based film, The Greatest Miracle, which will forever change people's understanding of how the spiritual and temporal worlds interact.

"In our frenetic world, where the average person struggles just to keep their head above water, people seldom take time to consider the spiritual forces that interact in their daily reality," said Jason S. Jones, founder of Movie to Movement. The Greatest Miracle follows the lives of three strangers -- Monica, whose husband has recently died; Chema, whose child is facing a deadly diagnosis; and Cata, an elderly woman seeking peace -- whose lives intersect one morning at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. There, each person meets their guardian angel and is given the gift to see the world through spiritual eyes and take full account of their blessings. "It's the finest artistic tool I've ever seen to explain the truth and beauty of the Mass," Jones stated. "You'll never experience the Mass the same way again."

The movie premiers the weekend of Oct. 14, 2011, at select theaters across the nation, and will open for wider release in December 2011. For every ticket sold on www.MovieToMovement.com for this film, HERO (M2M's parent organization) will donate more than 400 days of clean water to one person in the South Sudan through DigDeepWater.org.

"This is a very exciting project. We get to share a beautiful movie about the miracle that is the Mass while providing water -- the fundamental building block of human life -- to those most in need," Jones expressed. "We have some partnerships in place to help bring this film to the marketplace and will be announcing those soon. But we hope to secure more in the coming weeks to ensure the widest release possible."

Organizations, non-profits, parishes and media outlets interested in such partnerships can learn more by visiting www.MovieToMovement.com/TheGreatestMiracle.

ABOUT M2M: Movie to Movement harnesses the appeal and power of the silver screen to help change the culture by producing and promoting films that promote a culture of Life, Love and Beauty.
Contact: Public Relations
http://www.movietomovement.com/thegreatestmiracle VA, 22314 US
Stella Harrison - Consultant, -

CatholicTV Begins New Season of Programming

WATERTOWN, MA (September 8, 2011) - The CatholicTV Network’s family-friendly, faith-filled programming featuring Catholics from around the world and around the corner begins a new season this month. Beginning September 5, the station’s 24-hour lineup premieres new shows for several returning series and introduces new CatholicTV original series as well as new programming from the universal church’s television providers.

The station’s longest-running series (besides "Daily Mass" and "The Rosary") is Father Dan O’Connell’s "We’ve Got To Talk", featuring inspiring talks based on finding the holy in everyday life and will air all new shows this season. A different guest priest joins Father Chris Hickey and Father Paul Rouse every week on "Going My Way" for a comedic interview followed by musical performances featuring oldies and spiritual songs. Father Chip Hines and Father Bill Kelly return for a new season of “Spotlight” a program of movie reviews.

Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m., CatholicTV’s live talk show "This Is the Day" welcomes prominent Catholics into the CatholicTV living room for interviews about Catholic life. The series is hosted by Father Robert Reed and Jay Fadden with Kevin Nelson providing news and events and rebroadcasts air all week. A favorite segment is a monthly interview with a member of the military. CatholicTV’s "Daily Mass" celebrates its 38th anniversary this month. Celebrated live at 9:30 a.m. weekdays, "Daily Mass" is also rebroadcast at 7:30 p.m. and 11:30p.m.; anytime on CatholciTV.com and CatholicTV’s You Tube channel.

"One Billion Stories" is a new CatholicTV series with Seth J. DeMoor offering his encounters with Catholics on his bike travels from Colorado to Florida. "Waypoints in Church History” is another new series with Dr. Ann Orlando, professor of Patristics and Church History at Saint John Seminary. “Waypoints” serves as an introduction to the history of the Catholic Church using locations along the way to a final destination, to illustrate the development of Catholic, secular, and dogmatic history. These waypoints are where especially important events and people shaped the direction of the Church’s pilgrimage. Rabbi Samuel Chiel begins his fourth original CatholicTV series, "Deuteronomy", examining the first book of the Bible.

CatholicTV continues its mission of bringing viewers the best in Catholic programming from all areas of the US. This season, the station highlights a Catholic production from Nashville, Tennessee called “We Believe” and familiar favorites return with all-new episodes of “Roots of Faith” from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, “Real Faith TV” from Trenton, New Jersey and “Our Daily Bread” from Buffalo, New York. Viewers will see a host of hosts from all over the country and from the universal church. Thanks to national and international programming relationships, CatholicTV brings you to and from dioceses all over the globe, from Vatican City to inner cities.

"Choices We Face" with host Ralph Martin of Renewal Ministries. Each week he leads his guests and viewers on an exploration of some of the most important and inspiring themes of our times. "The CatholicTV Kids Club" features the Saints and Heroes series from CCC of America productions: The Day the Sun Danced – The True Story of Fatima, Francis the Knight of Assisi, Nicholas – The Boy Who Became Santa, Bernadette – The Princess of Lourdes, Columbus – Adventures to the Edge of the World, Ben Hur – A Race to Glory, Odyssey – A Journey Back Home, Xavier – Francis Xavier and the Samurai’s Lost Treasure, Patrick – Brave Shepherd of the Emerald Isle, My Secret Friend – A Guardian Angel Story, Juan Diego – Messenger of Guadalupe

The September issue of the CatholicTV Monthly magazine offers detailed information on the station’s new season of programming including a 24-hour programming grid. In addition, this month’s issue features information about the station’s coverage of the Papal journey to Germany. The magazine is free of charge and anyone may request a copy online at www.CatholicTV.com.

About CatholicTV:
CatholicTV® is a 24-hour cable television station and an international broadband network. The station provides family-friendly, religious, news, and educational programming. Founded over 50 years ago, CatholicTV is available in over 10 million homes on cable in selected areas in the US and Canada; and online via a live stream anytime, everywhere at CatholicTV.com, where archived programs are on-demand. Father Robert Reed, a priest of the Archdiocese of Boston, is the President of the CatholicTV Network.

CatholicTV Launches Live Streaming via iPad

WATERTOWN, MA (August 12, 2011) - Starting August 12th, the CatholicTV Network began offering live streaming on the iPad. Accessing the programs is as simple as going to CatholicTV.com on an iPad or iPhone.

CatholicTV has increased the mobility of its award-winning programs a priority for 2011 in support of Pope Benedict XVI’s invitation to share the Good News through all means. President of the CatholicTV Network, Fr. Robert Reed said "So many people expect their mobile devices to serve them well. I am personally thrilled not only for myself but for so many of our viewers that we can now watch and enjoy CatholicTV.com on an iPhone or iPad or Android device." Executive Vice President Jay Fadden said of the increased availability “It is important to CatholicTV to be available in all social media platforms. The message of Christ cannot be contained and needs to be shared in every available way.”

Over the past twelve months CatholicTV has expanded it’s offerings on the nation-wide Verizon FiOS on-demand platform, increased the number of videos available on CatholicTV.com and established an online interactive community called iCatholic.

About CatholicTV
Founded in 1955, CatholicTV Network is a national broadcast television network streaming a live feed 24 hours a day at CatholicTV.com. Heeding Pope Benedict XVI's call to greater utilize the power of television and new media, CatholicTV Network offers a wide range of programs aimed at children and adults, from uplifting advice shows to international news, game shows to travel, CatholicTV has something for everyone. Based in Watertown, MA, CatholicTV is available in over 10 million homes nationwide.

Preview New York Times Best Sellers with new Google Gadget.

Pauline Kids to Publish Booklet on the New Mass Translation

Boston, MA (July 20, 2011) - Pauline Kids is excited to announce the upcoming release of "The Mass Explained for Kids," a booklet to help children transition smoothly into the new Mass translation. This booklet not only explains the changes occurring in 2011, but enables children ages 7–11 to understand what we do and say at Mass and why.

By linking liturgical texts with corresponding explanations, this colorful booklet helps kids become active and enthusiastic participants at Mass. "The Mass Explained for Kids" is affordable for any budget and will help parents, priests, teachers, and other adults explain the changes to the Mass this November with ease.

"The Mass Explained for Kids" features the official texts of the new translation. The booklet will also prove to be a helpful tool for clarifying questions from parishioners. The clear and concise explanations will draw people to be fully engaged in the Liturgy and to gain a greater understanding of the Catholic faith and their relationship with God.

To request a review copy of this booklet, please contact Sally Feller, Senior Marketing Associate at sfeller@paulinemedia.com.

Pauline Books & Media will also be publishing updated editions of the Daily and Sunday Missals with the new 2011 Mass translation. All titles pertaining to the new translation will be available at www.pauline.org, in Pauline Books & Media centers across the United States, and through other leading distribution channels.

Pauline Kids is a division of Pauline Books & Media, the publishing house of the Daughters of St. Paul, an international Congregation of women religious whose mission is evangelization through the means of social communication. They operate thirteen retail book centers in North America and a publishing and distribution operation in Boston, Massachusetts. Arriving from Italy in 1932, the Daughters of St. Paul have been in America providing the best in Catholic media for nearly eighty years.

Finding Fatima Brings Marian Apparitions to Life

This summer, Finding Fatima introduces one of the most important Marian apparitions in Church history to a new generation – and in a new and unique way. Producers Ian and Dominic Higgins have created a docudrama that follows up their highly acclaimed feature film “The 13th Day” with a fresh and complete look at Our Lady’s appearances to apparitions to Lucia dos Santos and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta Marto. Finding Fatima is available now from Ignatius Press.

The film uses archival footage and dramatic reenactments to take viewers to that Blessed time and place, and the Higgins include original interviews with Fatima experts and relatives of eyewitnesses to tell the entire story of Our Lady of Fatima and world events related to her appearances throughout 1917 – including a truly miraculous event that occurred almost 30 years later halfway around the world.

With high production values and a beautiful look, the film covers all of the crucial details about the importance of the 1917 appearances and messages of Our Lady in Fatima – messages or prayer, penance and conversion that are desperately needed today.

“As much as I love watching documentaries, I was just going to give this a quick perusal, but I got hooked and couldn’t stop watching,” said Sr. Helena Burns in a review posted on her “Hell Burns” blog. “‘Finding Fatima’ could be called ‘Fatima Then and Now’ because it brings us up to speed on the Fatima story as it continues to unfold in our present day.”

This week marks the 84th anniversary of one of the most powerful of Our Lady’s Fatima apparitions. It was during her July 13th appearance that she showed the three peasant children a horrifying view of Hell; and she foretold the end of World War I, the promise of a second, more devastating world war, and the spread of Communism throughout the world. She also provided the Third Message, which Blessed Pope John Paul II came to believe foretold the 1981 attempt on his life.

Fatima experts call it one of the two most powerful of her apparitions – the other being the October 1917 “Miracle of the Sun,” which also included apparitions of St. Joseph and the child Jesus, in his arms, blessing the world.

“Even now there is tribulation,” Pope Benedict XVI said in discussing Fatima, “in every conceivable form, and power threatens to trample down faith. Even now, then, there is a need for the answer about which the Mother of God spoke to the children of Fatima.”

Finding Fatima is a 90-minute film that emphasizes those feelings and will encourage all who see it to take heed of Our Lady’s critical messages from Fatima. The DVD is produced in widescreen format with English narration, and includes English and Spanish subtitles.

Reel Faith set to Kick off Second Season

Where can Catholic moviegoers turn for reliable information on current films from a faithful Catholic perspective?

BROOKLYN, NY (June 22, 2011) - This Summer, they can tune into REEL FAITH, a weekly, half-hour movie review program, now in its second season, airing exclusively on New Evangelization Television (NET), which is available to cable viewers in New York on Cablevision channel 30 and Time Warner Cable channel 97. It is also always available online at www.netny.net/reelfaith/.

Returning as co-hosts are David DiCerto, former film critic of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office for Film and Broadcasting, and Steven Greydanus, film critic for the National Catholic Register and creator of decentfilms.com.

Each week, REEL FAITH takes a look at Hollywood’s biggest films, as well as smaller independent releases, all “through a Catholic lens.” With the help of film scholar Fr. Robert Lauder, REEL FAITH also introduces viewers to motion picture classics from the Vatican’s “Great Films” list, and a new feature for the coming season highlighting “Movies with a Message.”

“Movies are much more than mere entertainment; they have the power to influence ideas and attitudes,” says DiCerto. “I’m thrilled to be able to provide Catholic moviegoers – especially parents – with a voice they can trust, in a way that’s fresh, informative and, hopefully, entertaining.”

“Catholic film reviewing has been around for as long as the movies themselves, but we've been slow to bring it to the screen, which is ideal for a visual medium like movies. The Church has always been aware of the power of images, and on Reel Faith we can interact with the movies we're reviewing in a way you can't do in writing. It's almost a more Catholic way of reviewing movies.” said Steven Greydanus.

Movies being reviewing this season include highly anticipated sequels like “Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides,” “Transformers 3,” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2;” big-budget action-adventures like “Thor,” “Captain America,” and “Cowboys and Aliens;” and family fare like “Cars 2” and “Kung Fu Panda 2.”

Labeled the “Catholic Siskel and Ebert,” the duo see REEL FAITH as an innovative opportunity for evangelization and spreading the Gospel message, while encouraging greater film literacy among Catholics, using a format that appeals to mainstream viewers.

Launched in 2008, NET is available to more than 1.8 million homes throughout New York City on Cable Vision channel 30 and Time Warner Cable channel 97, as well as streaming online at www.netny.net.

“Bible App” for Mac OS X on Mac App Store

SALT LAKE CITY, UT, (June 1, 2011)—The Divine Office Catholic Ministry in partnership with Surgeworks, a Salt Lake City-based application developer and graphical interaction design firm, has announced a new app for the Apple Mac App Store based on 20 versions of the Bible in six different languages.

The Bible App features scriptures in English, German, Italian, French, Spanish and Croatian. Users can access twenty English, Latin and Greek versions of the Bible:

- American Standard Version (ASV)
- American King James Version (AKJV)
- Darby Bible (DBY)
- Douay-Rheims Bible, Challoner Revision (DRB)
- King James Version (KJV)
- World English Bible (WEB)
- Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)
- (Latin) Biblia Sacra Vulgata (Latin Vulgate)
- (Greek) New Testament 1550
- (Greek) New Testament 1894

In addition, the Bible App allows users to compare multiple translations in different windows. An internal search engine searches for a specific keyword, an exact phrase or a passage using a standard notation (such as John 1:1-18). Users can highlight verses and access all selections from convenient, dedicated screens where searches and highlights are organized by bible version and date.

“We are extremely pleased to bring the Bible app to our devoted community of Catholics and Christians around the world. It is the perfect complement to the Divine Office Catholic Ministry’s suite of prayer apps for Mac computers and Apple iOS mobile devices,” Dane Falkner of Divine Office commented.

The Divine Office Catholic Ministry currently offers several apps:

- Bible App for Mac —20 searchable versions of the Holy Bible in 6 languages

- Divine Office—complete resource for praying the Liturgy of the Hours, available for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Android and Mac

- Prayers for iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch—reference of Catholic prayers in several languages

- Divine Office: Morning Prayer (Lauds), Evening Prayer (Vespers) and Night Prayer (Compline) for iPhone and iPod Touch—audio Liturgy of the Hours

- The Bible App is scheduled for release in the Mac App Store on June 1st, 2011.

Award-Winning Children's Literature

CHANDLER, AZ (June 14, 2011) – The judges of the 2011 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which recognizes excellence in children's literature, have spoken. Our Treasure, written by Michele Elena Bondi and illustrated by Kristina Marie Pope, is the winner of two second place awards in the Educational/Instructional and Religion categories, and three honorable mentions in the Children’s Picture Book, Best Cover Design, and Best Illustrations categories.

“Winning any place in the Purple Dragonfly Contest is a huge honor because in order to maintain the integrity of the Dragonfly Book Awards, a minimum score of 72 out of 80 must be earned for a 1st Place award, 64 out of 80 for a 2nd Place and 56 out of 80 for an Honorable Mention,” explains Linda Radke, president of Five Star Publications, the sponsor of the Dragonfly Book Awards. “Competition is steep, too, because there is no publication date limit as long as the book is still in print.”

In Our Treasure, children learn that there is priceless Treasure waiting for them whenever they want to become very rich. Do you know where “Our Treasure” can be found? The beautiful hardcover keepsake picture book about the Eucharist, published by Joseph Karl Publishing (2010), retails for $16.00 and can be purchased at Joseph Karl Publishing, Amazon.com, Baker & Taylor, Quality Books Inc., and Faith @ Work. For a complete list of winners including all 1st and 2nd places and Honorable Mentions, visit www.FiveStarBookAwards.com and click on “Winners.”

The Chocolate Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which is open to any and all books about or relating in some way to food, is already underway with an August 1 deadline for entries; as is the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards, which honors all genres of books in 50 categories, with a February 1, 2012 deadline. However, Royal Dragonfly submissions postmarked December 1, 2011 or earlier are eligible for the Early Bird reward: a free e-copy of The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing or Promote Like a Pro: Small Budget, Big Show. The 3rd Annual Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest will launch following notification of the Chocolate Dragonfly winners.

For complete winners' lists including 2nd Place and Honorable Mention wins, rules and entry forms for any of the Dragonfly Book Awards contests, visit www.FiveStarBookAwards.com. For more details on Five Star Publications, email info@FiveStarPublications.com or call 480-940-8182.

Also by Michele Elena Bondi, Your Personal Apostolate: Accepting and Sharing the Love of God.

Visit Fatima Online

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (May 13, 2011) - Ninety-four years ago today, three Portuguese youngsters were contemplating the miraculous apparition they’d just experienced. From that day forward, those children – and the tiny village of Fatima – offered the world a new message of hope through the Virgin Mary’s fervent call to prayer, penance and conversion.

On the 94th anniversary of Our Lady’s first appearance to Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin, Lucia dos Santo, Ignatius Press today launched a website, FatimaForToday.com, devoted to Our Lady of Fatima and available resources for anyone interested in exploring the mysteries and blessings of Fatima.

FatimaForToday.com provides quick access to a variety of books and videos on Our Lady of Fatima, and it enables parishes and organizations to schedule Fatima-related events – including visits by Fr. Andrew Apostoli, C.F.R., one of the world’s foremost experts on Fatima.

“We are thrilled and humbled by the opportunity to bring FatimaForToday.com to life on the 94th anniversary of Our Lady’s first appearance at Fatima,” said Ignatius Press President Mark Brumley. “The message of Fatima is as relevant and important today as it was when Mary first presented it to the children. We hope that the new website will support that message by serving as the source for information and resources covering every aspect of Fatima.”

“The message of Fatima has often been described as a brief summary of the essentials of Christian living,” Fr. Apostoli writes in his new book, Fatima for Today. “Our lady of Fatima has given us a great reminder of these essentials for our difficult times.”

In addition to Fr. Apostoli’s book, the new website provides access to the groundbreaking film The 13th Day and the follow-up docu-drama Finding Fatima. Also available is information on a booklet What Happened at Fatima, published by Catholic Truth Society, and a variety of other books and videos that will bring Fatima to life for people of all ages. There’s even a Fatima coloring book for children!

Fr. Apostoli, a founding member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, has been teaching and preaching retreats and parish missions for several decades. He hosted the EWTN TV special “Our Lady of Fatima and First Saturday Devotion,” and Catholic TV developed and aired a three-part series on Fatima for Today earlier this year.

More resources for visiting Fatima online:

www.fatima.org
www.ewtn.com/fatima/index.htm

www.culturalcatholic.com/LadyFatima.htm

Pope Benedict XVI and Fatima

Catholic Apps: Free Mobile Apps for Download from Pauline Books & Media

Boston, MA (May 26, 2011) - Pauline Books & Media and the Daughters of St. Paul are excited to announce the release of a new series of free mobile apps for iPhones, iPads, and Android phones. Called “Catholic Bookmarks,” these apps offer peace, solace, comfort, and hope to those in need of reassurance in God’s unconditional love and mercy.

Pauline Books & Media Catholic Bookmarks smartphone format offers users a unique way to explore the Catholic tradition on-the-go, right in the midst of their daily lives.

Each app features:

25 excerpts from a popular Pauline Books & Media book with the same title as the app
Message from the author
Handy navigation
Intuitive and beautiful interface
Integration with e-mail, Twitter, etc. for easy sharing with others

These latest additions to Pauline Books & Media’s growing collection of Catholic apps continues to demonstrate the publishing house’s passion for the mission of evangelization through all modern means available.

The following apps are currently available in Catholic Bookmarks for download on Android Market and iTunes: Surviving Depression, Making Peace with Yourself, and See Yourself through God’s Eyes.

We hope that these free app downloads will be helpful aids to guide users to deepen their faith and discover the love God has for them. If you enjoy these downloads, please consider posting reviews/ratings on the iTunes app store and Android Market.

Ignatius Press: Four New and Inspiring Films

PORTLAND, OR (May 20, 2011) - Top liturgical publisher OCP and renowned Catholic recording artist, John Michael Talbot have announced the digital release of the new CD Worship and Bow Down, available at OCP.org.

This past February, Worship and Bow Down received national attention when Talbot and OCP took Facebook fans behind the scenes of the recording process by posting videos, pictures and updates of the actual CD recording sessions. Due to the overwhelming fan interest garnered by the Facebook previews and touring by Talbot, OCP has opted for an online release of an MP3 playlist of the album—over a month before the actual CD release, set for June 21, 2011.

Worship and Bow Down, a lush mix of 17 contemplative tracks and a ‘contemporary-chant’ Mass setting (Mass of Rebirth), features rich orchestral instrumentation and multi-layered choral arrangements alongside John Michael’s unmistakable vocals and solo guitar.

Of the album’s use of ancient texts and melodies—like in the track, “Kyrie,” alongside modern favorites including “Sacred Silence”—Talbot says, “I pray that Christians everywhere will find that this project brings together the ancient and the new, the traditional and the progressive, the East and West through music that, I hope, facilitates genuine worship and praise.”

Fans are encouraged to visit ocp.org/30105658 to purchase the MP3 playlist for Worship and Bow Down. Those wishing to pre-order the CD (release date set for June 21, 2011) may visit ocp.org/30105240 or call OCP at 1-800-LITURGY (548-8749) to place their order.

For additional information, media requests or questions please contact Erin McClellan, 503.460.5363, erinm@ocp.org

Lent 2011 Resources: Holy Week Readings and Homilies

EWTN
Lent and Easter 2011
Devotions

USCCB
Video, text, and audio readings and reflections

Mobile Gabriel
Mobile access to daily Scripture readings

AmericanCatholic.org
Lenten calendar with daily meditations

EWTN Holy Week Readings and Homilies

New Ignatius Press Films: Fr. Kapaun, Edith Stein, Pope Paul VI, The Nun

Ignatius Press is well-known for having a broad selection of faith-filled, appealing, family friendly movies. Four new films have recently been added to their collection: The Miracle of Fr. Kapaun, Edith Stein: The Seventh Chamber, The Nun: The Story of a Carmelite Vocation, and Paul VI: The Pope in the Tempest.

The Miracle of Fr. Kapaun

Servant of God Fr. Emil Kapaun may not be well-known - but he should be. The son of Czech immigrants, Fr. Kapaun grew up on a small Kansas farm. This seemingly ordinary farm boy became one of the most inspiring heroes of the Korean War - but unlike many war heroes, this military chaplain is also on the road to sainthood. His cause for canonization has been opened by the Diocese of Wichita, and two medical miracles attributed to him are being investigated by the Vatican. He has also been nominated for the highest military medal, the Medal of Honor.

In this powerful documentary, learn his inspiring life story, his heroic work as a chaplain during battle, and his leadership and comfort of fellow American prisoners after capture and torture by the Communists. This imprisonment under incredibly harsh conditions that ultimately led to his death at 35 years of age in 1951. The film features interviews with the soldiers who were imprisoned with Kapaun in Korea, as well as with church officials, military historians and the Kansas family who is convinced Kapaun’s miraculous intercession saved their son’s life. This full color DVD comes with a prayer card.

Edith Stein: The Seventh Chamber

This is a moving, artistic portrayal of the life of Jewish philosopher, Catholic convert and Carmelite martyr, Edith Stein, capturing the interior struggles of this extraordinary woman, as well as the great conflicts from her decision to convert to Catholicism. Deeply influenced by the writings of St. Teresa of Avila, she joined the Carmelites and took the name of Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She was put to death in Auschwitz in 1942, and canonized by John Paul II in 1998. This film shows how two worlds were united within her, the Jew and the Christian, in absolute coherence in her search for truth.

Edith Stein has become one of the most beautiful symbols in a horrifying period of history. She sought to transform her sufferings under the Nazis into a journey through the “interior castle” as the way to mystical union with God. One phrase, “Love Conquers Fear” embodies her philosophy of life. Shot in a kind of a rich expressionist realism, it is backed by poignant chant music that makes every frame haunting and alive. Actress Maia Morgenstern (The Passion of the Christ) stars in a powerful performance as Stein.

This DVD includes a 16 page collector's booklet by Steven Greydanus and Carl Olson. Greydanus, a film critic for Decent Films and the National Catholic Register, says, “A challenging, often fascinating film, The Seventh Chamber is a gratifying tribute to a great saint. It shows that for Edith Stein it is only by knowing God that we know ourselves; only through Jesus that we know God; and only through the cross that we can know Jesus.”

The Nun: The Story of a Carmelite Vocation

This is an award-winning documentary that tells the beautiful story of Marta, a young Catholic woman in Sweden and her counter-cultural choice to follow a calling to become a cloistered Carmelite nun, and to live her life for God alone. Documentary filmmaker Maud Nycander followed Marta and her family for ten years to tell the story of her vocation, and the Carmelite convent made a unique exception to its strict regulations by allowing the filmmaker to meet with and interview Marta both before and after her five-year postulant period. The Carmelite convent in Glumslöv in the south of Sweden is normally closed to outsiders.

Marta comes from a large Catholic family, one of nine children, a close-knit family who live on a farm in Sweden. Marta lived a very happy family life, and had an active social life with many friends in school, but yet felt the call to leave all that for the challenging life of a cloistered contemplative Carmelite nun. This film explores that decision that is seen as a radical one in the eyes of the world, and follows Marta and her family during that period of her life before and after her becoming a Carmelite.

Pope Paul VI: The Pope in the Tempest

Pope Paul VI was a leader in the Catholic Church as a priest, bishop, cardinal and pope through one of the most difficult periods in its history—from the Fascist regime and World War II to the constitution of the Italian Republic, from the Second Vatican Council to the protests and the terrorist attacks of the 1960s and 1970s. His papacy ran from 1963 to 1978, during which he wrote the prophetic, controversial document Humane Vitae that strongly proclaimed the Church’s teaching on the sacredness of married love and human life, and the evil of contraception which the Pontiff said would open the door to abortion if allowed. He was the first travelling Pope who began to visit the dioceses of the 5 continents like no pope had ever done before.

This exciting and insightful film covers fifty years of history that changed the Catholic Church and the world. Paul VI: The Pope in the Tempest is a story that draws emotion and lessons from history itself, dramatically mixing stunning reconstructions and real film footage. Special features include a documentary on Pope Paul VI featuring interviews with historian James Hitchcock and Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ and a16 page Collector’s Booklet written by Carl Olson.

Two-Part Program About Bullying Featured On Maryknoll Fathers And Brothers Radio Show

“Voices of Our World” Addresses “Bullying: K Thru Life”

Maryknoll, New York (January 11, 2011) – The first segment of a two-part radio program that discusses the growing problem of bullying from the schoolyard to the digital world to the workplace now is available online at www.voicesofourworld.org.

The first part of Bullying: K Thru Life was broadcast nationally last October on Voices of Our World, the award-winning weekly public affairs radio program produced by Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers. The show features discussions with a high school student who has been bullied and a relational aggression (RA) expert. On the second segment, the RA expert answers specific questions about bullying that were posted on the Voices Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/voicesofourworld). The program will air on radio stations across the country during the second half of February and it also will be available online.

“From grade school through college and beyond, bullying has been allowed to go way too far, far too often,” said Kathy Golden, producer, Voices of Our World. “Statistics indicate that 43 percent of all teens have experienced online harassment. The U.S. is averaging 28 teen suicides per week.”

During the program, Dr. Cheryl Dellasega, the relational aggression expert and a professor of women’s studies at Penn State University, explains that RA often is dismissed as teasing by school personnel. She indicates that many people may feel that anything short of physical violence is non-threatening. But, she adds, all forms of RA are considered to be bullying, a form of violence with short and long-term consequences.

Voices of Our World is heard on about 90 radio stations across the country. The program features human rights issues, the plight of the world’s under-represented people and the environment.

Maryknoll’s two radio programs, Voices of Our World and the Spanish-language Voces de Neustro Mundo, garner a worldwide audience through weekly broadcasts, downloading and podcasts. All programs and a list of radio stations airing the shows can be located on the shows’ website (www.voicesofourworld.org). The programs also can be found on iTunes.

Follow Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MaryknollNews and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/maryknollsociety.

Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers is the overseas mission outreach of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, following Jesus in serving the poor and others in need in 27 countries. All Catholics are called to mission through baptism, and Maryknoll’s mission education outreach in parishes and schools throughout the country engages U.S. Catholics in mission through prayer, donations, as volunteers and through vocations.

During 2011, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers will commemorate its centennial with a theme of The Gift of Mission – The Maryknoll Journey. These missionaries will celebrate as they continue their journey into the next 100 years to share God’s love and the Gospel in combating poverty, providing healthcare, building communities and promoting human rights. Learn more at www.maryknollsociety.org.

New “Word on Fire” to Air in January: Fr. Barron's answers to YouTube Heresies

Starting in January, CatholicTV will air new episodes of the show “Word on Fire”. These new episodes will include Fr. Barron’s answers to what he calls the “YouTube Heresies”.

These YouTube Heresies are common arguments which Fr. Barron often sees expressed on YouTube by viewers of his videos. In these YouTube Heresies episodes, Fr. Barron responds to the following views:

• scientism-suggests that reality is restricted only to what scientists can explain

• “ecclesial angelism”-the suggestion that the Church and every Church member must be utterly perfect in every way

• Biblical fundamentalism- the view that the bible on the surface, literally read is the word of God

• Marcionism- argues amongst other things that the Old Testament should be completely disregarded

New episodes of Word on Fire will also include interviews of actor Eduardo Verástegui, professional golfer Chip Beck, and discussion about creationism, the fall, and much more.

Word on Fire airs each week at the following times at CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV cable outlets: Tuesday 9 a.m., Friday, 2 p.m., and Saturday at 1:30 a.m. Starting in January, Word in Fire will also air at 7:30 p.m. (all times Eastern)

Pope Benedict XVI Vatican Midnight Christmas Mass

Watch live streaming video from cbsnews at livestream.com

http://www.livestream.com/cbsnews

Tristan's Travels: Great Catholic Reading for Children

PHOENIX, AZ (November 23, 2010) - What happens when a shy girl brings together a seagull who’s afraid to fly, a mysterious rabbit, and a squirrel loaded with more energy than brains?

The answer is a journey of friendship and faith rivaling big-budget cartoon movies. Tristan's Travels, by Karl Bjorn Erickson, is a Catholic children's book that will rivet young minds to the pages of this "delightful depiction of anthropomorphous beasts," according to Joseph Pearce.

A timid seagull frightened of nearly everything around him -- and afraid to fly -- travels on a rescue mission with a detective rabbit and a dimwitted squirrel. Just before the climax of the story, they encounter a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi and ponder his words of wisdom. Children will be enthralled as they follow Tristan the seagull in his harrowing rescue.

The newest release from Rafka Press, Tristan's Travels is a "beautifully illustrated, lovingly written fable," according to Sean Astin, actor in major Hollywood movies. Father Timothy Mockaitis said the book is an "allegory on friendship and faith" and "a delightful tale."

Rafka Press produces high-quality, solidly orthodox Catholic books for both children and adults. Tristan’s Travels is for ages 8 through adult and features the majestic illustrations of artist Kimberly Erickson, daughter of acclaimed illustrator and sculptor John Carroll Collier. This hardcover book is available directly from Rafka Press and local bookstores for $13.95. Rafka Press is offering free shipping. Ordering information is available from http://www.rafkapress.com.

Contact: Rafka Press
http://www.rafkapress.com AZ, 85066 US
Michael Rayes 602-291-6263

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.

###

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

EWTN’s New Series Features Joanna Bogle, a Catholic 'Julia Child'

When you first see Joanna Bogle cooking on the set of her newest EWTN television series, “Feasts & Seasons,” you might be reminded of Julia Child. It’s not so much a physical resemblance. It’s more that Bogle’s English accent and witty, breezy style are reminiscent of Child’s upper-crust American accent and style. But, unlike Child, Bogle is the first to admit that she isn’t a great cook.

She is, however, a first-rate journalist, who has written for England’s top newspapers; and a politician, who became a local councilor in her native England years ago, despite being the youngest candidate ever to be elected at that time, not to mention a female. She is also a prolific freelance writer and author, whose book, “Feasts & Seasons,” was made into a radio series for the BBC. All of which helps explain the concept behind this unique show.

“I do cook, but I’m not a great cook,” Bogle says. “What I do love are history, traditions, customs, and heritage.”

For example, on one show, viewers learned the origin of the symbol of the crossed keys, which is especially popular on English pubs, many of which are named “The Crossed Keys.” So what is their origin?

“They were originally the keys of St. Peter,” Bogle says. “Today’s public doesn’t know that.”

This example is true. Others may or may not be.

“‘Mary had a little lamb’ is clearly a reference to Our Lady,” Bogle said, with the lamb being the “Lamb of God” or Jesus. But she adds, “I don’t want to be dogmatic about it because I may be wrong.”

What makes Bogle’s series popular with viewers? It’s not just the simple dishes she features, which anyone can prepare. It’s her explanation of the history behind the dishes, her vivid portrayal of the celebrations during which the food is eaten, and her gleeful demonstrations of the crafts, songs, decorations and other customs that make a day like Christmas or a season like Lent special.

Bogle first got interested in this subject as a young Army wife. She had left the glamour of London, where she had been working as a journalist and a politician, to marry Jaime Bogle, whom the Army promptly sent to Germany. Joanna, who had also busied herself writing a series of books on local history in England under her maiden name of “Nash,” suddenly found herself with time on her hands.

“When you get married and are running your own home, you slowly realize what a feast of interesting things this is – so much to learn,” she says. “We also made the decision to be a Catholic couple. How do you do that? I decided to celebrate properly.

“We made German friends and they told us how they celebrated Christmas. I also realized if Easter was going to happen [in my home], it would happen because of me. I picked up German traditions, French traditions, and American traditions. My husband was Australian and had reverse seasons and other traditions. A lot of ideas came from children too.”

Now that she’s completed three of the six planned series for EWTN on “Feasts & Seasons,” ideas also come from viewers, who may email her at auntiejoanna@yahoo.co.uk.

“Every broadcaster loves contact with the audience,” Bogle says. “‘Feasts & Seasons’ is the thing I’m most interested in. It’s a hobby that has become a driving passion.”

Gospel of Mark To Be Explained in New Free Online TV Show

Starting in April, www.CatholicTV.com will stream episodes of the new show “Parables of Mark” each week. The new show stars Monsignor John Zenz, a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit, and special guest, Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell.

Monsignor Zenz serves as Pastor of Holy Name Parish in Birmingham, Illinois and has a doctorate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University. Monsignor has extensive experience in working with the Catholic Television Network of Detroit, with the writing of the Jublilee 2000 Archdiocesan spiritual renewal program, and has been a frequent presenter in the popular Theology on Tap series since 1999.

Ernie Harwell is a former American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called balls, strikes, and home runs on radio and television. In January 2009, the American Sportscasters Association ranked Harwell 16th on its list of Top 50 Sportscasters of All Time

Starting in April, the new show will be streamed at www.CatholicTV.com and will also be available on CatholicTV where available at these times (EST):

Monday 3:30 PM,
Wednesday 12 Noon
Friday 5:30 AM
Saturday 11:30PM

iMissal Launches on iTunes – The first Catholic Missal / Missalette for iPhone and iPod Touch

Just in time for Easter! iMissal is the first true Catholic Missal / Missalette application for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Have you ever been sitting in church and wished you could more easily follow along with the Mass Readings without having to lookup the reading and deal with those bulky books. Have you ever been unable to attend a Mass and wished you could easily get access to the Mass Readings to read via your iPhone or iPod Touch? Now you can!

Whether you are a life-long Catholic or new to the faith, this application is for you! iMissal presents the liturgical year's worth of Sacred Scripture, allowing the faithful to follow and delve further into the Church's holy celebration.

The liturgical texts provided in iMissal are used with the permission of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine and the International Committee on English in the Liturgy. They are the official texts approved for use in the dioceses of the United States by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

iMissal includes the following features:

1) Liturgical Calendar - Full calendar displaying all of the liturgical seasons. The calendar is color coded based on liturgical season and shows Holy Days of Obligation, Solemnities, Major Feasts, etc.

2) Mass Readings - All the Mass Readings for every liturgical cycle (A,B,C,I,II) are included! This includes First Reading, Palsm, Second Reading, Alleluia, and Gospel for all Sunday and Weekday Masses. Reading text is always available for every day, no WIFI connection necessary. Uses translations officially approved for Mass in the U.S.

3) Daily Bible Verse - Hundreds of popular bible verses are available. Each time application is accessed a new verse is displayed to reflect upon.

4) Prayers - Over 50 of the most popular Catholic prayers are included.

5) Order of Mass – Follow along in Mass and have all the prayers, and responses available.

Great for all Catholics and RCIA candidates. Thousands of pages of scripture all on your iPhone/iPod Touch.

Notre Dame Switchboard Overwhelmed

As of late Friday night, hundreds of callers had overwhelmed the switchboard at Notre Dame as news began to circulate that Obama had been invited to give the commencement address at Notre Dame on May 17th. Sources at Notre Dame as well as the White House late Friday afternoon confirmed the invitation had been extended and accepted.

ND operators said the calls simply became too much to handle. Voice mails of the University President, Vice-President, Provost, assistant-provost and PR director were all full by 10pm EST. Operators were suggesting that callers try again on Monday when university officials would be back in their offices.

All the calls were expressing outrage. None supported the decision.

Two Notre Dame alumni who own and operate the world’s first Catholic internet TV station www.realcatholictv.com both immediately denounced the university’s decision to award Barack Obama honors and give him a stage from which to speak.

Marc Brammer, ND Class of ’74 and MBA’76 and Michael Voris ’83 each called the move a disgrace and a smear on the University’s reputation of being a Catholic school.

Voris discovered the news while live on the air with Relevant Radio’s Drew Mariana while he was being interviewed about the week’s news. “While I was actually on the air with Drew”, Voris said, “I shot off an email to Fr. Jenkins (ND President) expressing my deep anger that the carnage done to the Faith by Notre Dame is continuing.”

Voris shared the text of his email – It is beyond sinful that a University dedicated to the Mother of God, in whose womb the salvation of the world became incarnate, would give a platform to the biggest enemy of life in the womb this country has ever seen.

“This is a direct slap in the face to all who venerate the Mother of God. To be honoring a man who continues to do everything in his power to destroy the fundamental essence of motherhood through abortion,” said Brammer, “shows just how much the University has lost its moral bearings.”

RealCatholicTV.com has pledged its support to encouraging protests and condemnation of the Obama visit.

Courtesy www.catholic.org

Online/Audio Bibles Spread Gospel Message

Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry, recently released six more Audio Bible recordings.

The Audio Drama New Testament is now available in the following languages:

• Azerbaijani, North – Azerbaijan
• Hadiyya – Ethiopia
• Quiché Joyabaj – Guatemala
• Ekegusii – Kenya
• Turkana – Kenya
• Kivunjo – Tanzania

These new offerings represent more than 10.1 million people on three continents. Currently, Faith Comes By Hearing has 419 Audio Scripture recordings available in 355 languages. More than 380 of these Audio Bibles are available at www.FaithComesByHearing.com for free download or online streaming.

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.

Jerry Jackson, Faith Comes By Hearing’s founder and president, said he’s seen how Audio Bibles recorded in a dramatized format are highly effective and help people comprehend the Gospel message.

“Audio Drama recordings for oral peoples are absolute necessities,” Jackson said.
“Studies show that orality-based people groups process information differently. For example, stories told in linear fashion can be more difficult to digest and remember, but when told in a dramatized fashion oral people understand the Bible stories.”

“When these recordings go out, many people will be able to understand Scripture for the very first time,” Jackson said.

Faith Comes By Hearing approaches the Great Commission through a variety of programs using Audio Bibles. God's Word in audio is provided free of charge to churches and people groups all around the world.

For audio and online bibles visit Faith Comes By Hearing.

Recruiting Priests and Religious through the Internet

When it comes to finding youth who will become tomorrow’s Catholic priests, brothers and sisters, things have moved to the internet.

Eighty percent of new vocations now come from the internet, a vocations director of a major men’s religious said recently at the annual Here I Am Lord youth conference this past weekend in St. Charles, IL.

Hundreds of youth converged March 6 – 8 at St. Patrick’s Catholic parish in this western Chicago suburb to hear top Catholic speakers and musicians help youth find their calling in life, whether it be marriage, the single life, or a religious calling.

Among priests and sisters staffing the booths, some were very experienced in using websites, enewsletters and online advertising, while others were just getting their feet wet, perhaps feeling a little behind in things.

“I know I have to learn about these things,” one priest said. He knew how to use a word processing program, but that was about it. Kevin Banet, TreeFrogClick president, was happy to explain to him about enewsletters, and how the popular social media site, Facebook works.

Once a person signs up with Facebook as a member, which is free, one can invite others to become a friend. When they agree to accept the invitation, they can see one's profile and what other friends have written on the profile “wall.”

A religious brother at the conference said, “When I get an email from someone on Facebook asking me to be their friend, I naturally assume that it is because they are interested in a vocation. So I say yes.”

Promotion is all about relationships, and the internet helps greatly. It is something that is not easy, but it takes knowledge, experience and persistence.

For help in designing your business or non-profit website, or in promoting your cause or small business, go to www.treefrogclick.com.

Courtesy www.catholicprwire.com