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

New Plus libraries from Verbum

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Message from Catholics Come Home

Come Home for Christmas

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

 

Pope Francis Named Time's Person of the Year

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

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

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

 

Pope Francis: The Pole from the New World

Chart-Topping Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles

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

Advent at Ephesus

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

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

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

USCCB: A Tradition of Advent and Christmas Resources

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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What is Advent? Glad You Asked.

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

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

from The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913

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

Ignatius Press to Release Pope's First Apostolic Exhortation

Pope Francis is an evangelist, someone who spreads the good news about God’s love for us in Jesus Christ. Francis’ humble, compassionate style and direct, yet thoughtful, manner of speaking has won him an audience among Catholic and non-Catholic alike.

In his The Joy of the Gospel (Evangelii Gaudium), Pope Francis challenges all Christians to participate in the work of evangelizing — of sharing Christ’s love with others. This book is Francis’ first Apostolic Exhortation, a teaching document on a particular theme to encourage and challenge people. The Joy of the Gospel addresses the key subjects of the recent Synod of Bishops, which focused on the New Evangelization, an essential topic for the recent popes.

Ignatius Press is slated to release the book as a high-quality, hardcover, deluxe edition in December.


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



“Pope Francis is an evangelist extraordinaire,” said Ignatius Press President Mark Brumley. “He challenges us to grow in faith and to share our faith with others. That's what the ‘joy of the Gospel’ is all about. Ignatius Press is honored to make available Pope Francis' first apostolic exhortation in this special deluxe edition.”

The highly anticipated The Joy of the Gospel will answer a number of evangelization-related questions, including: How to foster conversion in the Church in order to make her people more faithful and effective in communicating God’s love to others? Why is the place of missions in the modern world? What are the obstacles believers’ own lives sometimes place in the way of others’ coming to faith? What are the questions people have about faith? What attitudes make it hard for people to be receptive to the Christian message? How does Jesus answer the most fundamental questions of human existence? Is there a difference between evangelizing and proselytizing, between proposing faith and imposing it?

Pope Francis’ presentation of the Gospel is both timeless and timely. He proclaims the perennial Christian message in ways that engage the contemporary world. He calls upon all followers of Jesus to be humble and yet bold in sharing the Gospel with others and to embody that teaching in their own lives.

Masters of Greek Thought: Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle - CD course For more than two millennia, philosophers have grappled with life's most profound issues. It is easy to forget, however, that these "eternal" questions are not eternal at all; rather, they once had to be asked for the first time. It was the Athenian citizen and philosopher Socrates who firstasked these questions in the 5th century B.C. "Socrates," notes award-winning Professor Robert C. Bartlett, "was responsible for a fundamentally new way of philosophizing": trying to understand the world by reason.

Digital Edition of Spirit & Song Released

On the heels of the successful debut of the new Spirit & Song hymnal, OCP (Oregon Catholic Press) launches the All-Inclusive Digital Edition of Spirit & Song.  Giving subscribers any-time access to downloadable sheet music and MP3s, along with the ability to send a customized song list—accompaniments included—to musicians, this online resource is set to revolutionize Catholic music ministry around the world.

“The All-Inclusive Digital Edition of Spirit & Song is what our customers have been looking for and everything that a music minister needs,” says OCP’s Publisher, John Limb. “We created a tool that is a compliment to the hardcover edition of Spirit & Song but also stands alone, serving the ever-growing need for digital worship resources.”

A must-have resource for any parish musician, the All-Inclusive Digital Edition of Spirit & Song features MP3 recordings and unlimited downloads of full-sized accompaniments for guitar, keyboard and solo instrument (coming spring 2014), chords-over-text options and lyric sheets in a variety of formats—a key tenant for those using Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Keynote to create worship aids or projection.

Even more than a resource for finding and downloading music, the “My Lists” feature allows subscribers to organize songs and create lists based on topic or season or for specific services or rehearsals. Once a song list is created, it can be shared via a unique URL. When the musicians follow the link, they can download all the accompaniments, for each song, customized to fit their part in the ensemble.

An added bonus, permission to use and reprint the music (for projection, worship aids, etc.) is part of the subscription, so there is no need to report song usage to ensure fair compensation for composers—it’s all included.

Robert Feduccia, General Manager of Spirit & Song elaborates, "the music ministers I speak with understand the importance of reporting their song usage, but also find it to be a very difficult task. Now, you get the best of both worlds. You get the flexibility of a license without the hassle of reporting which songs you used and how many times you used them."

The All-Inclusive Digital Edition of Spirit & Song rolls out on November 15, 2013. To experience this groundbreaking resource first-hand, visit LicenSingOnline.org/Spirit-Song. The subscription is free to explore.

Pure Faith App by Totus Tuus Press

Pure Faith

Pure Faith is a beautifully designed Catholic prayer app that includes all of the prayers from the best-selling book Pure Faith, plus daily Mass readings, Saint of the Day, Liturgy of the Hours, the entire Bible, and the monthly prayer intentions from the pope. Use it to prepare for Mass or confession, or do an evening examen before bedtime.

Need a reminder to pray the Angelus, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy . . .




Online Studies: Get Paid Up to $75







More Catholic apps


The Catholic Directory – free
This is probably the app I use the most because I’m terrible at remembering mass times. My favorite feature is that you can find churches by using your current location. This is super helpful when traveling, or when your schedule requires you to find another parish to go to mass/confession. The only down side of this app is that it requires parishes or users to help keep the information up-to-date. As an added bonus, they have added the daily readings.

Laudate – free
Similar to iPieta, this is a Catholic mashup app. Laudate has the daily readings plus the saint of the day. It includes the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, multiple podcasts for daily meditation and the New American Bible. My two favorite features are the gospel reflections and the interactive rosary. For those of you who don’t have a Magnificat subscription, these reflections are a wonderful free alternative. True, you will get odd looks when you whip your iPhone out after communion (it happens to me all the time). Just be confident in the fact that you’re not texting or tweeting but rockin’ some deep meditation. For those onlookers, this is a good time to introduce them to the 21st century when mass is over.

Source: http://patrickpadley.com/blog/2012/09/07/top-5-best-catholic-iphone-apps/

GoBible: Scripture Just Got More Accessible

The Word of God has never been more accessible than it is today. With a largely literate society, the explosion of the Internet and the variety of devices to let you access the Web, there’s no reason not to read Scripture. But for some Catholics, actually reading Scripture can present some challenges.

The Original GoBible is a digital audio device about the size of deck of cards that can be tucked anywhere – purse, backpack, even a diaper bag or medical pouch. It even fits comfortably in a pocket. With the addition of the GoBible’s Voice Menu feature, the device will be particularly useful to the disabled and the Catholic ministries that serve them, particularly the sight-impaired, and to the elderly, who may find reading the Bible difficult because of illness or physical challenge.

GoBible gives Catholics the chance to take the Bible with them almost anywhere, and to be able to follow by audio each day’s readings. The Catholic version has the imprimatur of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and is narrated by Emmy Award-winner Stephen Johnston. One of the most important new features in this Catholic version is a daily reading plan accessible by voice menu to both the year and cycle, which are important to Catholics who regularly attend daily Mass.

The Original GoBible is preloaded with over 80 hours of audio; the entire Old and New Testaments and it is searchable by any of the 35,000 plus verses in the Catholic Bible. The unit also has a Story Index of 230 popular Bible storeis, a Topic Index, a Holiday/Event Index and Bookmarks. The Catholic GoBible also features a narrated rosary and common prayers, including the Apostles Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, and Act of Contrition.

A simpler version of the unit was released last year and sold several thousand copies to date. This expanded version is expected to be a best seller.

Public Opinion Doesn't Change Church Teaching

Response to a new story out of the Vatican has many in the media making it sound as if the Catholic Church has issued a poll to Catholics worldwide to consult on Church teaching.

At a press conference Nov. 5, the Vatican released the official preparatory document for the 2014 Synod of Bishops on the Family, providing an overview of topics to be discussed in the meeting. Included in the document is a series of questions, which are to be distributed to Bishop’s conferences around the world.

News outlets around the world picked up on the story with headlines such as “Vatican polls Catholics on gay marriage, contraception, divorce ahead of major meeting” from the Associated Press.

According to Catholic author and media expert, Teresa Tomeo, the reality is that the questionnaire is meant to help solidify church teaching, not change it.

"The Church is doing just the opposite of what some media outlets are claiming; this is reaffirmation of teaching, not a change in teachings.” Tomeo said, adding “All it takes is a closer look at the actual statement and questionnaire released through the Vatican press office.”

With regard to the questionnaire portion, the document states: “The following series of questions allows the particular Churches to participate actively in the preparation of the Extraordinary Synod, whose purpose is to proclaim the Gospel in the context of the pastoral challenges facing the family today.”

As Tomeo puts it, “While the Church wants to learn more about the challenges of contemporary family life, She can't change unchangeable teaching. And in fact wants to continually show how God's plan for the family is the best plan."

Tomeo addresses the teaching authority of the Church in her new book, God’s Bucket List (Image, Nov. 5, 2013), “The teachings of Scripture and the Church don’t depend on us,” writes Tomeo. “They aren’t true because we believe them. People of faith believe and practice theses teachings because they are true.”

In God’s Bucket List, Tomeo also addresses the issue of free will, saying “God does give us free will, but He also gives us plenty of evidence that His way is the high way – or the highest way – if only we would start paying attention.” She goes on to say that the teachings of the Catholic Church are “not backward or oppressive but instead give us the best chance for real freedom and happiness.”

A Complete Catechism of Catholic Beliefs: Book Preview

Catholic Christianity: A Complete Catechism of Catholic Beliefs Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church For the first time in 400 years the Catholic Church has authorized an official universal catechism which instantly became an international best-seller, the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Using this official Catechism, the highly-regarded author and professor Peter Kreeft presents a complete compendium of all the major beliefs of Catholicism written in his readable and concise style. Since the Catechism of the Catholic Church was written for the express purpose of grounding and fostering catechisms based on it for local needs and ordinary readers, Kreeft does just that, offering a thorough summary of Catholic doctrine, morality, and worship in a popular format with less technical language. He presents a systematic, organic synthesis of the essential and fundamental Catholic teachings in the light of the Second Vatican Council and the whole of the Church's Tradition. This book is the most thorough, complete and popular catechetical summary of Catholic belief in print that is based on the universal Catechism.

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Pope Francis and the Myth of Efficiency

At a time in history when technology gives us all means of maximizing efficiency, Pope Francis reminds us of the "myth of efficiency." Simply because we have the means, it is not all up to us. Instead, we live in a time in which the "myth of efficiency" pervades.

In Pope Francis: His Life in His Own Words, Pope Francis says that we should "travel in patience" with the Lord.

He tells the story of one afternoon when he is headed for the cathedral but first has to catch a train. He thought he would miss the train, but in the end, the train was delayed so he made it to the cathedral on time. He says it is as if the Lord is telling him, "See, I am the one who will sort out the story."

Pope Francis encourages us to slow down and not try to fix everything at once. Although you have to make an effort, you have to put things in perspective and recognize that one person cannot do everything.

Is it possible to let go of efficiency and still accomplish what you hope to accomplish? Do you find yourself believing that you have the means to accomplish all with new media technology? Where do we draw the line between using technology and letting it go to let God work in our lives?

What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

EWTN Files New Suit Against Contraception Mandate

EWTN Global Catholic Network filed a new lawsuit October 28 in Federal Court against the Department of Health & Human Services, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and other federal agencies seeking to stop the government from imposing the HHS contraception mandate as well as asking the court to find that it is unconstitutional. The State of Alabama, through its Attorney General Luther Strange, has joined EWTN as a co-plaintiff in the lawsuit.

“EWTN has no other option but to continue our legal challenge to the mandate,” said EWTN Chairman and CEO Michael P. Warsaw. “The revised rules, published by the government in July, have done nothing to address the serious issues of conscience and religious freedom that EWTN has been raising since the mandate was first published last year. The government has decided that EWTN is apparently not religious enough to be exempt from the rule.It has still placed us in a situation where we are forced to offer contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs as part of our employee health plan or to offer our employees and their families no insurance at all. Neither of these options is acceptable. The mission of EWTN is not negotiable.”

EWTN’s original lawsuit opposing the mandate was filed Feb. 9, 2012, but was dismissed by Federal Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn on March 25, 2013. In her order dismissing the original suit, Judge Blackburn noted that the government had promised to implement a new rule addressing the issues raised by EWTN. Blackburn’s opinion stated that “common sense weighs in favor of withholding judicial review until new regulations are created and finalized. At that point, if EWTN still has objections, it may then file suit.”

The Department of Health and Human Services issued a new set of rules on July 23, 2013 which Secretary Sebelius claimed addressed the concerns of EWTN and other similar organizations.
“When the government opened up a period for public comment earlier this year in advance of publishing its revised rules, EWTN submitted extensive remarks and an explanation of its moral objections to the mandate,” Warsaw continued. “We sincerely hoped that our concerns would be addressed. Instead, the government ignored our comments entirely and pressed forward with a rule that changed nothing. We are in the same position today as we were when the mandate was first published.

“As an organization that was founded to uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church, we do not believe that contraception, voluntary sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs constitute health care. We simply cannot facilitate these immoral practices,” said Warsaw.

"Version 2.0 of the mandate is just as bad as version 1.0,” said Lori Windham, Senior Counsel at the Becket Fund, which filed both the original and new lawsuits on EWTN’s behalf. “It would still force the world’s preeminent Catholic network to betray publicly the very teachings it was founded to promote, and which it promotes on a daily basis.”

In 2012, shortly after the first EWTN lawsuit was filed, Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange petitioned the court to join the EWTN complaint. In this new lawsuit, the State of Alabama has joined EWTN as a co-plaintiff from the start.

Commenting on this new lawsuit, Attorney General Strange said, “I am proud to stand with EWTN to oppose this unconscionable mandate. … The freedom of religion, and to believe as one sees fit, is our ‘first freedom’ under the United States Constitution. The people of Alabama have recognized the importance of this freedom and have enshrined it in their Constitution as well. Alabama law does not allow anyone to be forced to offer a product that is against his or her religious beliefs or conscience.”
“EWTN is extremely grateful to Attorney General Strange for his support on this important issue. The Attorney General clearly understands what is at stake here, not just for EWTN, but for all people who feel that government cannot take away the right to religious freedom,” said Warsaw.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 32nd year, is available in over 230 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.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. The Becket Fund has a 17-year history of defending religious liberty for people of all faiths. Its attorneys are recognized as experts in the field of church-state law, and they recently won a 9-0 victory against the federal government at the U.S. Supreme Court in Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC.

7 Secrets of the Eucharist

Pope John Paul II referred to the Holy Eucharist as "the greatest treasure of the Church," and yet even many devoted Catholics have a very limited understanding of this powerful sacrament. This book will change all that. The reader will come away with a completely new awareness that the Eucharist is not just about receiving Communion; it's about transforming your daily life. '''' Deeply based on the Scriptures, the writings of the Saints, and the teachings of our two most recent Popes, this profound and remarkably readable book will introduce you to some of the "hidden" truths of the Eucharist " truths that have always been embraced by theologians, saints, and mystics, but have rarely been passed on to the average person in a meaningful way. In 7 Secrets of the Eucharist , these truths are finally made accessible to all, as author Vinny Flynn shows how each reception of Holy Communion can be a life-changing experience. '' No matter how much or how little you already know about the Eucharist, the "secrets" revealed here will bring you to a new, personal "Emmaus" experience, again and again. Perfect for personal devotion, catechesis, study groups, book clubs, and theological studies, 7 Secrets of the Eucharist will rekindle the "Eucharistic amazement" called for by Pope John Paul II.

Celebrate Day for the Family with Pope Francis

On Sunday, October 27, 2013 LIVE at 5:30AM ET, the CatholicTV Network will air Holy Mass on the occasion of the Day for Family with Pope Francis from St. Peter’s Square. The Mass will rebroadcast at 8:00PM ET on CatholicTV and CatholicTV.com

On the Thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time Pope Francis welcomes families to St. Peter’s Square for Mass on the Day for Family. Similar to the World Youth Day schedules the Mass for Family is celebrated annually and every three years the World Meeting of Families is held at a different location. Blessed Pope John Paul II initiated the World Meeting of Families in 1994.
Just prior to his resignation on February 25, 2013, Pope –Emeritus Benedict XVI announced the selection of Philadelphia as the location for the 8th World Meeting of Families in 2015 which takes place September 22-27. Archbishop of Philadelphia Chaput thanked Pope Benedict "for choosing Philadelphia and for setting these dates before he concludes his ministry as pastor of the universal church." Previous host cities include Rome, Rio de Janeiro, Manila, Valencia, Mexico City and Milan.

Organizers for the Meeting of Families in Philadelphia have launched a website and logo for the event, which is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people. CatholicTV will provide coverage of the events from the city of Brotherly Love . To learn more about the plans for the event visit http://worldmeeting2015.org/

Catholic Diocese App in 5 Minutes: Tell Your Pastor

Jeff Geerling describes the easy five-minute process of downloading, configuring, and building the Catholic Diocese App for iOS for your diocese or organization. In just five minutes, you can have a fully-native, easy to use app that shows your organization's locations, news, and prayers.

Visit the Catholic Diocese App website for more information, and help us make the project even better by contributing code, documentation, and information on GitHub!

New book on Pope Francis: Days in Argentina

These days there is no shortage of conversation on the thoughts and actions of Pope Francis. No matter what side of the ideological spectrum one finds themselves aligning, the Pope is sure to draw both support and criticism for the person (and Pope) people think that he is. But the best predictor of future behavior for any person is almost certainly always past behavior.

For the first time, a collection of little-known stories about Pope Francis has surfaced. Veteran journalist Alejandro Bermudez presents personal recollections from twenty individuals in Argentina who personally knew the man who became Pope Francis in the new book, POPE FRANCIS: Our Brother, Our Friend.

Ten Jesuits were interviewed for this book shortly after Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was elected the Pope. Some were his professors, some his peers and some younger Jesuits who were his students. Also interviewed for this book are non-Jesuits, including an Argentine senator, a prominent rabbi and a priest working in the slums of Buenos Aires that Bergoglio often visited.

Their remarks are focused on different aspects of the life of Pope Francis, including his family background, his abilities and his personality as administrator, friend, teacher and guide. Some of the predominant aspects of his personality to emerge are his longstanding simplicity and authentic spirituality; his concern for the individual and the poor; and his desire for the Church to go out to the street to meet the needs of the people. More controversial issues discussed include his dealing with the topic of “Liberation Theology” and his relationship with the military regime in Argentina.



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


Father Enrique Laje, S.J., a former professor of Jorge Bergoglio, says Bergoglio was adamantly opposed to the Argentinian government’s stance in favor of abortion and same-sex marriage.
“[Bergoglio] also entered into conflict [with the Argentinian government] by defending issues like the right to life of the unborn and the unique nature of marriage between a man and a woman, said Laje. “He defended this when the minister of health was an abortionist. The Church is always going to criticize this because she is in favor of life, in favor of the Gospel and of moral and natural law. In this, the cardinal did nothing more than be Catholic.”
Father Fernando Cervera, S.J., whose spiritual advisor was Bergoglio, describes the many ways in which the future pope impacted his fellow Jesuits.

“He was a person who went from giving spiritual assistance to someone to speaking on the phone with a bishop or some important person to washing clothes in the laundry or to the kitchen or where they raised the ‘hogs,’ as we called the pigs, and then later went back to see what was going on in the classroom — and he was involved in every detail with each one of us,” said Cervera. “At the same time, he was a person who was permanently concerned about the individual process and the personal situation of each person. Bergoglio, at this time, had a deep impact on our formation because he was very demanding about our studies, our spiritual life, and our community life.”

A Must-See DVD: Keep Your Kids Catholic

Do you know where your kids are?

Through a series of talks, this 2 DVD set reveals both the challenges that face Catholic families and how families can respond to the call of faith.

 The Family as the Domestic Church 

The Fathers of the Church and the Second Vatican Council teach that the family is the domestic Church. If we understand what the Church really is, the implications are enormous. This talk lays out the vision of what the Catholic family is called to be in a way both challenging and inspiring.

The Art of Catholic Parenting: A Balancing Act

So practically, how do we make it happen? How do we raise kids who are truly Catholic, with a commitment to holiness and mission? This talk abounds with nitty gritty suggestions on how to strike the balance between formal religious education in the home, and teaching by example, between affection and discipline, the role of parents and the help of other adults. You'll walk away with clear strategies that you can implement in your own family life.

Click below to find out more.

The Word Among Us App Review Plus Kindle New Releases

The Word Among Us began as a magazine in 1981 as a way for Catholics to contemplate the daily readings, even if they didn’t have access to daily Mass. Today, the magazine features not only the daily readings for Mass with meditations on them, but also articles on faith that are meant to assist us in living out the Gospel daily.

The app for The Word Among Us (available in the Newsstand app on your iPhone or iPad) is a simple way to access the magazine’s content for a mere $1.99/month. Read more at Catholic Mom.

This treasury of prayers is now available on Kindle (and readable on iPad or on your computer). You do not need a Kindle to enjoy this book. The prayers within this treasury 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.

Catholic Treasury of Prayers: New eReader (Kindle) Edition

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.

Pope Francis and Our Crisis Today

I'm not one to quote popes, but these words from Pope Francis deserve to be spotlighted as a positive indication of the man he may be and the tone he might set.

“If investments in the banks fail, ‘Oh, it’s a tragedy,’ ” he said, speaking extemporaneously for more than 40 minutes at a Pentecost vigil last weekend, after a private audience with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, the architect of Europe’s austerity policies. “But if people die of hunger or don’t have food or health, nothing happens. This is our crisis today.”

In a recent speech to diplomats accredited to the Holy See, Francis also spoke of the need for more ethics in finance.

Pope Francis, Saint Benedict Press

“The financial crisis which we are experiencing makes us forget that its ultimate origin is to be found in a profound human crisis,” he said, adding: “We have created new idols. The worship of the golden calf of old has found a new and heartless image in the cult of money and the dictatorship of an economy which is faceless and lacking any truly humane goal.”

Ethics in finance. The cult of money akin to worship of the golden calf. And "the dictatorship of an economy which is faceless and lacking any truly humane goal.” To indicate these weren't throwaway lines, Francis told Father Lombardi before the speech to diplomats, "Pay attention, this is important. I want people to understand it’s important."

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

The War against Catholicism, an Important Study

After the defeat of liberalism in the Revolution of 1848, and in the face of the dramatic revival of popular Catholicism, German middle-class liberals used anti-Catholicism to orient themselves culturally in a new age. Michael B. Gross 's study shows how anti-Catholicism and specifically the Kulturkampf—the campaign to break the power of the Catholic Church—were not simply attacks against the church, nor were they merely an attempt to secure state autonomy. Instead, Gross shows that the liberal attack on Catholicism was actually a complex attempt to preserve moral, social, political, and sexual order during a period of dramatic pressures for change.
By offering a provocative reinterpretation of liberalism and its relationship to the German anti-Catholic movement, this work ultimately demonstrates that in Germany, liberalism itself contributed to a culture of intolerance that would prove to be a serious liability in the twentieth century. It will be of particular interest to students and scholars of culture, ideology, religion, and politics.
Michael B. Gross is Associate Professor of History at East Carolina University.

Praise / Awards

"A lucid, innovative work of top-flight scholarship. Gross shows us the depths of anti-Catholicism in nineteenth-century Germany; he explains why the German Kulturkampf had such force and why prominent liberals imagined it as a turning point not only in Germany but in world history."
---Helmut Walser Smith, Vanderbilt University

"A marvelously original account of how the Kulturkampf emerged from the cultural, social, and gendered worlds of German liberalism. While not neglecting the 1870s, Gross's analysis directs historians' attention to the under researched 1850s and 1860s---decades in which liberals' anti-Catholic arguments were formulated against a backdrop of religious revival, democratic innovation, national ambition, and the articulation of new roles for women in society, politics, and the church. The drama of these decades resonates in every chapter of Gross's fine study."
---James Retallack, University of Toronto

"Michael Gross has put the culture back into the Kulturkampf! Integrating social and political analysis with illuminating interpretations of visual and linguistic evidence, Gross explores the work of religious cleavage in defining German national identity. An emerging women's movement, liberal virtues, and Catholic difference come together to explain why, in a century of secularization, Germany's Catholics experienced a religious revival, and why its liberals responded with enmity and frustration. Vividly written and a pleasure to read, this groundbreaking study offers real surprises."
---Margaret Lavinia Anderson, University of California, Berkeley

"Gross has read all the pertinent archival sources for this trenchant, revisionist study of nineteenth-century German liberalism and the Kulturkampf. His sensitivity to such varied, often neglected aspects of the topic as the role of women in the community and the impact of Catholic missionaries on German Protestantism, is a refreshing expansion of focus."
---American Catholic Historical Association, announcing The War Against Catholicism as the 2004 John Gilmary Shea Prize winner

"Michael Gross has written a fascinating account of the centrality of confessional polemic to the development of nineteenth-century German liberalism, offering not only new and important insights into the nature of the liberal 'imagination' between the 1850s and 1870s, but also demonstrating with impressive verve, the extent to which the scholarly study of religion in modern Germany has progressed over the past couple decades."
---German Studies Review

"Whatever the course of future debate, it is certain that all future discussions of Germany's conflicted, confusing path to modernity will have to take note of Gross's powerful, outrageous, and disturbing exploration of the troubled liberal imagination."
---American Historical Review

"The studies of Catholic piety, associational life, and political movements have...promoted major revisions in our understanding of modern German society, culture, and politics. Historians have devoted much less attention, however, to the equally impressive reaction to this Catholic revival, namely, the unleashing of a lively and wide-ranging anti-Catholic polemic...a thoroughgoing analysis of nineteenth-century anti-Catholicism has long been lacking. With the publication of Michael B. Gross's [book], this lacuna has been finally addressed, and in a first-rate fashion."
---Journal of Modern History

Winner: 2004 John Gilmary Shea Prize from the American Catholic Historical Association
from the University of Michigan Press by Michael B. Gross

Dominican Sisters of Mary: Billboard Hit

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist’s debut CD, MATER EUCHARISTIAE, has once again toppled Billboard magazine’s charts, securing the No. 1 spot on the Classical Overall and Classical Traditional Charts for the third consecutive week, and landing the No. 9 spot on the Christian Contemporary and Christian Gospel charts.

The album also is No. 10 on the bestselling albums on the Internet chart and No. 149 overall of every recording on the Billboard magazine chart.

“To say we are amazed at this outpouring of affection for the music of The Dominican Sisters of Mary is an understatement,” said Kevin Fitzgibbons, cofounder of De Montfort Music. “To hold these incredible chart positions proves that this collection is one that is connecting with hearts everywhere.”

The Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles’ album, “Angels and Saints at Ephesus,” still is holding steady on the Billboard magazine Classical Traditional Chart, landing the No. 3 spot.

Please tune in to watch the Dominican Sisters discuss their hit debut album on “Fox and Friends” on Fox News at 8:20 a.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013, the feast of The Nativity of Our Lady.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist are a young, vibrant community of consecrated women. Through the witness of their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and a life of prayer and of apostolic service, the Dominican Sisters of Mary seek to transform the world for the good of souls.

Pope Calls for World Peace, Prayer & Fasting