BENEDICT XVI ANNOUNCES OF THE YEAR OF FAITH

The Year of Faith is a “summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world” (Porta Fidei 6). In other words, the Year of Faith is an opportunity for Catholics to experience a conversion (Read more)

 

Our society is struggling with what Pope Benedict has called "profound crisis of faith that has affected many people." In response, the Holy Father has called us all to a Year of Faith from October 2012 to November 2013. We see the signs all around us: the demand for science to prove everything before we can believe it, the role of media and celebrities who deny the existence of God and denounce the role of the Church, and the ease in which we can all isolate God and faith into only one part of our life. In a follow-up to his best selling St. Paul Bible Study for Catholics during the year of St. Paul, Fr. Mitch Pacwa once again leads Catholics to a deeper understanding of Pope Benedict's call to action for the year. Perfect for individual or group study, this book is a wonderful guide to experiencing a conversion, growing in faith, and following Jesus Christ more closely. It shows us how to integrate every component of our life – relationships, morality, work, recreation, and all – into a meaningful whole. Make the most of Pope Benedict's Year of Faith, walking hand in hand with Fr. Pacwa as he guides you through the beauty and insights of Scripture in relationship to your everyday life.




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.

Pauline Books & Media: Innovative Children's Book on the Whole Human Person

Pauline Books & Media is excited to announce the upcoming November 2012 release of Forever You: A Book About Your Soul and Body. At the most basic level, this picture book awakens young children ages 4–8 to the joy and mystery of being human. Simply structured sentences, engaging text, analogies that children can easily relate to, and whimsical illustrations create a view that embraces the whole human person. Sparking conversation with children about who they are, how they can love, and the eternal value of each person, this resource provides the foundations for Christian faith formation through exploring the meaning of the soul while subtly introducing children to insights from John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

Emerging author Nicole Lataif combines her extensive training in writing for children with her inspirational experiences as a certified chastity speaker for middle-school students in the Archdiocese of Boston. Since graduating from Florida Atlantic University with a degree in Rhetorical Studies, Nicole has been active in various children’s writing circles, including membership in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), participation in invitation-only children’s book writer’s critique groups, and attending children’s writing conferences and workshops. Over the past eight years, Nicole has been heavily involved in the Catholic Church. She has taught Sunday school, edited a chastity curriculum, organized Catholic conferences, founded two Catholic young adult groups, and served as the project lead for Boston’s Papal Pilgrimage to attend Holy Mass with Pope Benedict XVI.

To request additional information regarding Forever You or to schedule an author interview, please contact publicist Holly Kalinski at (617) 676-4490 ext. 4271 or hkalinski@paulinemedia.com. To purchase this Pauline Kids title, please call (800) 876-4463.

Pauline Books & Media is 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 facility in Boston, Massachusetts.

Bishop Ricken Offers ‘10 Ways Catholics Can Live The Year Of Faith’

To honor the fiftieth anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the twentieth anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict XVI has announced a Year of Faith, starting October 11 and ending November 24, 2013. The goal is to strengthen the faith of Catholics and draw the world to faith by their example.

Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, chairman of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, offers “10 Ways Catholics Can Live the Year of Faith.” Rooted in guidelines from the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, some of these suggestions are already requirements for Catholics; others can be embraced by Catholics at all times and especially during the Year of Faith:
1. Participate in Mass. The Year of Faith is meant to promote the personal encounter with Jesus. This occurs most immediately in the Eucharist. Regular Mass attendance strengthens one’s faith through the Scriptures, the Creed, other prayers, sacred music, the homily, receiving Communion and being part of a faith community.
2. Go to Confession. Like going to Mass, Catholics find strength and grow deeper in their faith through participation in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Confession urges people to turn back to God, express sorrow for falling short and open their lives to the power of God’s healing grace. It forgives the injuries of the past and provides strength for the future.
3. Learn about the lives of the saints. The saints are timeless examples of how to live a Christian life, and they provide endless hope. Not only were they sinners who kept trying to grow closer to God, but they also exemplify ways a person can serve God: through teaching, missionary work, charity, prayer and simply striving to please God in the ordinary actions and decisions of daily life.
4. Read the Bible daily. Scripture offers first-hand access to the Word of God and tells the story of human salvation. Catholics can pray the Scriptures (through lectio divina or other methods) to become more attuned to the Word of God. Either way, the Bible is a must for growth in the Year of Faith.
5. Read the documents of Vatican II. The Second Vatican Council (1962-65) ushered in a great renewal of the Church. It impacted how Mass is celebrated, the role of the laity, how the Church understands itself and its relationship with other Christians and non-Christians. To continue this renewal, Catholics must understand what the Council taught and how it enriches the lives of believers.
6. Study the Catechism. Published exactly 30 years after the start of the Council, the Catechism of the Catholic Church covers the beliefs, moral teachings, prayer and sacraments of the Catholic Church in one volume. It’s a resource for growing in understanding of the faith. Another helpful resource is the U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCA).
7. Volunteer in the parish. The Year of Faith can’t only be about study and reflection. The solid grounding of the Scriptures, the Council and the Catechism must translate into action. The parish is a great place to start, and each person’s gifts help build up the community. People are welcome as ministers of hospitality, liturgical musicians, lectors, catechists and in other roles in parish life.
8. Help those in need. The Vatican urges Catholics to donate to charity and volunteer to help the poor during the Year of Faith. This means to personally encounter Christ in the poor, marginalized and vulnerable. Helping others brings Catholics face-to-face with Christ and creates an example for the rest of the world.
9. Invite a friend to Mass. The Year of Faith may be global in its scope, focusing on a renewal of faith and evangelization for the whole Church, but real change occurs at the local level. A personal invitation can make all the difference to someone who has drifted from the faith or feels alienated from the Church. Everyone knows people like this, so everyone can extend a loving welcome.
10. Incorporate the Beatitudes into daily life. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) provide a rich blueprint for Christian living. Their wisdom can help all to be more humble, patient, just, transparent, loving, forgiving and free. It’s precisely the example of lived faith needed to draw people to the Church in the year ahead.     
More information on the Year of Faith is available online: www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/index.cfm

Bring home FOR GREATER GLORY today

Bring home FOR GREATER GLORY on DVD and Blu-ray today – and start planning to show this action epic film in your area through a one-year site license!

FOR GREATER GLORY is available now in stores and online retailers with suggested retail prices of $26.99 for the DVD, $32.99 for the Blu-Ray and $32.99 for the DVD/Blu-ray combo pack. Site licenses also are available now through The Maximus Group. For more information, call 1-877-263-1263 or visit www.ForGreaterGloryEvents.com.

Public-screening opportunities are varied:
• Any group can benefit from public exhibitions of a film that enjoyed national buzz – but in limited theatrical release. Many moviegoers never got a chance to see this amazing film because it didn’t come to their town. Now, through a site license, it can!
• Priests and other parish leaders can organize a parish movie night. They can buy a site license package and host one (or multiple) parish viewing nights.
• Movie nights and public screenings sponsored by Knights of Columbus councils. Several Cristero martyrs were Knights, including a priest.
• Diocesan and parish Hispanic Ministries can bring this story to audiences that are extremely interested in and excited about FOR GREATER GLORY. This film is the legacy of many Mexican-American Catholics.
• Groups for young adults and men will find the film very compelling because of its message, production values and cast. The film stars Andy Garcia and Eva Longoria, two of most popular actors in today’s culture, and it’s an adventure, romance and action film all rolled into one!
• Faith formation and prayer groups get an opportunity to see the true story of 20th Century martyrs on the American continent. Several of the martyrs depicted in this film were beatified just five years ago. A great film to see on the faith and the heroic witness of our Catholic Saints.
• FOR GREATER GLORY also tells a great story of female strength and service through the depiction of the Feminine Brigades of St. Joan of Arc, which grew to more than 25,000 strong in support of the Cristero fighters.

Catholic leaders have praised FOR GREATER GLORY for its message and production values.

“FOR GREATER GLORY is a top-flight production whose message of the importance of religious freedom has particular resonance for us today,” said Most Rev. José Horacio Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles. “It is my earnest hope that people of faith throughout our country will rally behind FOR GREATER GLORY, and in doing so, will highlight the importance of religious freedom in our society.”

“FOR GREATER GLORY is ‘must-see’ viewing for all those who care about faith and liberty today,” said Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson.

“The power of this film is matched only by the timeliness of its message,” said CatholicVote.org President Brian Burch.

“Every person of faith should draw courage from the tragically heroic witness of the Cristeros,” said Fr. Andrew Small, National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies. “Their sacrifice reminds us that unless we learn from history, we risk repeating it. Besides being an important movie, it is extremely well done.”

About the film

FOR GREATER GLORY follows the true story of the 1920s Cristero War – the daring people’s revolt that rocked 20th Century North America. Directed by Dean Wright and produced by Pablo Jose Barroso, FOR GREATER GLORY stars Academy Award® nominee Andy Garcia, Golden Globe winner Eva Longoria, Oscar® Lifetime Achievement winner Peter O’Toole, rising star Oscar Isaac (DRIVE), recording star and actor Ruben Blades (SAFE HOUSE), Bruce Greenwood (STAR TREK, SUPER 8), Nestor Carbonell (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, “Lost”), Bruce McGill (LINCOLN), Santiago Cabrera (“Heroes,” CHE), Oscar®-nominated Catalina Sandino Moreno (MARIA FULL OF GRACE) and Eduardo Verástegui (BELLA). It introduces teenager Mauricio Kuri, who plays Cristero martyr Blessed José Sanchez del Rio. Released in theaters on June 1, the epic action film earned more than $5.6 million at the domestic box office.
Visit the official website at www.ForGreaterGlory.com.