25-Year-Old Who Biked 2,400 Miles To Document Catholic Stories Will Tell His Story of One Billion Stories During Live CatholicTV Interview

25-Year-Old Who Biked 2,400 Miles To Document Catholic Stories Will Tell His Story of One Billion Stories During Live CatholicTV Interview

WATERTOWN, MA- On November 12th, Seth DeMoor will be interviewed on the live CatholicTV talk show "This is the Day". 

Seth is a recent college graduate who captured national attention earlier this year after biking about 2,400 miles across the Southern United States interviewing Catholics he met along the way and posting their stories in brief videos online. 

Seth's website, www.onebillionstories.com has hundreds of video-recorded interviews he took during his trip in early 2010. These videos cover a wide range of topics such as conversion, testimonies, faith stories by athletes, and much more. 

This is the Day airs at 10:30AM ET at CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV cable outlets. The show is rebroadcast at 7:30PM and other times during the week.

During his 3-month-long trip across the Southern U.S., Seth did not carry a GPS unit, or even a map. In an interview with the Denver Catholic Register, Seth said, "That's the beauty of pilgrimage and pedaling by faith," he said. "You simply have to trust that ‘The Big Man' will see you through to the end."

Thanks to the assistance of people he met during his trip, Seth only spent $100. "People just kept feeding me," he said. "And after Mass, some would hand me $20's and $50's to help me get home."

In January 2011, Seth will travel across the U.S. again (by car) to gather more stories, mostly from young Catholics at Fellowship of Catholic University Students conferences. 

About CatholicTV

Founded in 1955, CatholicTV 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 outside of Boston, CatholicTV is available in 5.7 million homes nationwide. For access to CatholicTV programs, go to CatholicTV.com or download the CatholicTV mobile app for iPhone or iPad. 

www.Facebook.com/CatholicTV                                                     Twitter@CatholicTV

 

 

"This is the Day" can also be seen on demand at www.CatholicTV.com or downloaded via iTunes.com.and SQPN.com  The hosts, Father Robert Reed, and Jay Fadden discuss various topics of the week and respond to viewer mail (you may email the show at thisistheday@CatholicTV.com)

 

Help bring CatholicTV to your area and home, visit: www.CatholicTVeverywhere.com.

Prayer to the Mother of God

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O, Mother of Mercy! You understood the Mercy of God when you cried out in the Magnificat--"His mercy is from generation to generation.' Obtain for all sinners a childlike confidence in the Mercy of God!."

This is a prayer Blessed Seelos shared during his missions he gave on behalf of the Redemptorists on the East Coast. "He wanted to save every soul, no matter how low it had fallen."

Cheerful Ascetic by Michael J. Curley, C.Ss.R.

Book Review - Little Star

Little Star is Anthony DeStefano's newest book. Many of you may be familiar with other of Mr. DeStefano's books, especially the popular A Travel Guide to Heaven. His newest book is a children's book but one that even adults will enjoy reading. I found it to be amusing and very touching as it tugged at my heartstrings.

Little Star is the smallest of all the stars in the universe. He was so small that he was virtually ignored by all the other stars. He is made to feel as if he did not matter.  Yet on one special night, he encounters a king like no other and learns about love and sacrifice.

I do not want to give away much of the story. However, for those of you who may want to learn more about the book and the story behind it, you can click here for the press release.

This book may soon become a family favorite for Christmas. The illustrations by Mark Elliot give an old-fashioned quality to the story, especially in the family scenes.  I particularly liked the way Little Star was drawn.  I thought that the little tuft of hair on top of Little Star's head was rather whimsical.

I think this darling little book would make a wonderful gift for Christmas to give to someone you love. 

To order, click here.

Mahalo Mr. DeStefano for the early Christmas treat!

New Series by Father Gordon MacRae - When Priests are Falsely Accused

St. Maximilian Kolbe

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I ask that you not only read each one of Father Gordon's posts but also share them. Please help make others aware of the plight of falsely imprisoned individuals, especially our innocent priests.

Part One: The Mirror of Justice Cracked

Part Two: Why Accusers Should be Named

Part Three: The High Cost of Innocence

Benedict XVI: "Decriminalizing abortion is a betrayal to democracy"

The Holy Father's message also includes voting for life.

Happy Belated 94th Birthday to Father Peter Rookey!

Thank you Ed for letting us know it was Father's birthday recently.

Friends and family sing happy birthday to Fr. Peter Rookey at his 94th birthday party on Oct. 17, 2010. Niece Anne Rookey led the tribute with her beautiful voice. The celebration took place at Palermo's Italian restaurant in Oak Lawn, IL.

Pray the Miracle Prayer with Fr. Rookey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtuS8a-MAb8

Prayer Request: http://www.saintmichaelusa.org/prayer_request.php

Phone: 708-748-6279

On What it Takes to be a Good Bishop

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The following is from a letter the very humble Father Francis Xavier Seelos wrote to Pope Pius IX as a way of preventing any consideration of him being appointed bishop.

"...it is absolutely necessary that a bishop have a strong mind and be altogether above human respect. He must root out what should be rooted out, build what should be built, and not fear the face of men, whether they be clerics or laypeople. He should defend himself and his good cause before judges and adversaries. The bishop chosen for that diocese should be as a fortified city, a pillar of iron and a wall of brass..."

- Cheerful Ascetic: The Life of Francis Xavier Seelos, S.Ss.R. by Michael J. Curley, C.Ss.R.

I again take this opportunity to remind you that our bishops need our prayers. If you haven't already signed up, please consider offering up a Rosary for your bishop. You can find more details at Rosary for the Bishop.

Bl. Jerzy Popieluszsko - New Movie Coming Soon

Bl. Jerzy Popieluszsko

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Bl. Jerzy Popieluszko (1947-1984)
Priest and Martyr

The Eucharist sums up all the teaching, passion and death of Jesus. Luke's passion narrative is about the Lamb, who goes to his death rejecting violence, loving enemies, returning good for evil, praying for his persecutors. The Eucharist, therefore, is truly the sacrament of nonviolence. The way of Jesus to conquer evil and violence must be the Christian way: the way of nonviolence, of love and forgiveness. The nonviolent way of Jesus is historically at the heart of his teaching, and at the same time at the heart of his passion and death.

Read the rest here at the EWTN Library



Trailer Source





Thanks to Mary Jane for sharing.

Often it is the woman who makes marriage a domestic Church, says Pope

The Holy Family by Claudio Coello

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Marriage can be a real path of holiness and "many times it is the woman who succeeds in taking her husband on a journey of faith." This was the case with St. Bridget of Sweden, "an eminent figure in the history of Europe", a "holy woman who still has much to teach men, the Church and the world," but still today quite often it is the "women who, with her religious sensibility, delicacy and gentleness, succeeds in taking her husband on a journey of faith. I think with gratitude of the many women who, day after day, still light up their families with their witness of Christian life. May the Spirit of the Lord inspire the sanctity of Christian spouses even today, to show the world the beauty of marriage lived according to Gospel values: love, tenderness, mutual support, and fecundity in the generation and education of children, openness and solidarity to the world, participation in the life of the Church"...

AsiaNews: Often it is the Woman Who Makes Marriage a Domestic Church says Pope

We Are The Catholic Vote

H/T to Fr. Daren

My Rosary

My friend Philip gave me a prayer card with this lovely poem on it. I thought I would share it with you.

EWTN Family Prayer - For Our Nation

A Catholic Blogger Defends Catholic Bloggers

In response to a recent article written by Rachel Zoll for the Associated Press, Catholic bloggers aim to purge dissenters, my blogger friend Lisa Graas a regular columnist for David Horowitz's NewsRealBlog, has taken issue with the portrayal of Catholic bloggers in the AP article and is taking it upon herself to set the story straight.

A new article by Associated Press [AP] writer Rachel Zoll claims “Catholic bloggers aim to purge dissenters” and includes a quote comparing us to the Taliban because we use “stark language.” The leftist media shows here a disturbing inability to distinguish between (a) the use of speech to debate ideas and (b) burning heretics. Do Catholic bloggers really want to kill people who disagree with them?

You can read Lisa's excellent commentary at AP Claims Catholic Bloggers Want to Purge Dissenters.

One man to save rejected babies

EWTN Media Missionaries

It is very easy to be a Media Missionary for EWTN. It is also a fulfilling apostolate.

EWTN Family Prayer - For Those with Same Sex Attraction

3-Part Television Series Gives Unique Look at New Cardinal-Designate Donald Wuerl- Available at CatholicTV.com

WATERTOWN, MA- A three-part series hosted by Cardinal-designate Donald Wuerl is now viewable at CatholicTV.com

The series, called "Gospel in Mosaic", gives viewers a unique look into the spirituality of one of the two American Archbishops named Cardinal-delegates by Pope Benedict XVI on October 20th.

Gospel in Mosaic can be viewed now by visiting: www.CatholicTV.com/Catholic-Television

Gospel in Mosaic explores the mysteries of the Rosary using the elaborate mosaics in America's largest church, The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

During the show, Cardinal-designate Wuerl, who has a doctorate in theology, explains in detail all four sets of the mysteries of the Rosary.

This series, produced by CatholicTV, offers a unique look at Cardinal-designate Donald Wuerl. This unique Archbishop of Washington, D.C. was one of only 3 non-Cardinal's permitted inside the conclave which selected Karol Wojtyla as Pope John Paul II.

Wuerl was ordained bishop on January 6, 1986 at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy by Pope John Paul II. Wuerl is no stranger to television. He hosted a television program, The Teaching of Christ, in 1990 and wrote an adult catechism with the same name.

Gospel in Mosaic also offers viewers a detailed look at the interior of the Basilica which houses an incredible 70 chapels honoring Mary.

The main seating area of the Basilica is surrounded by chapels which have images of well-known Marian apparitions such as Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, and many others. These chapels in the main seating area all contain beautiful mosaics which are rarely seen in the modern churches in the United States.

About CatholicTV

Founded in 1955, CatholicTV 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 outside of Boston, CatholicTV is available in 5.7 million homes nationwide. For access to CatholicTV programs, go to CatholicTV.com or download the CatholicTV mobile app for iPhone or iPad.

EWTN Family Prayer - For Alcoholics

Novena for Election Day Should be Started Today

You can choose any Novena of your liking. The Novena will end on Election Day, November 2nd. Some suggestions are as follows:

1. Rosary for nine consecutive days for the intentions of electing pro-life, pro-traditional individuals.

2. Attending Mass for nine consecutive days with the above intentions.

3. Pray the Priests for Life Prayer found here for nine consecutive days.

4.  Joining Ian in his Novena for Elections here at iCatholic

Why Marriage Can't Be Anything Other than What It Is

Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula speaking recently in Hawaii

Photo by Dann Ebina

Marriage is a permanent, faithful union between a man and a woman. It is necessarily open to life, creating the proper setting not only for sexual union between spouses, but also for giving birth to, raising, and educating children. As such it is a natural institution and genesis of the family, the most basic element of any society. No matter how some may clamor that this natural view of marriage is somehow oppressive or restricting, they cannot change its basic biological, societal and spiritual character.

This fact, as we know, doesn't stop them from trying. Indeed, this attack has been underway for some time now, and is only increasing in its aggression. There are now several television shows (which we will not dignify by naming or linking to) that campaign feverishly for alternative views of marriage and family. Homosexual "marriage," polygamy, cohabitation, infidelity and divorce on a whim-all these and other attempted corruptions of natural marriage are featured not only as normal, but often as even preferable to the real thing.

Notice that every one of these corruptions has a different fundamental character than marriage: each one is based on mutual use, not mutual gift. Each has the self, not the other, as the primary source of motivation. None has true gift, fidelity and openness to life as desired ends.

Yet one in particular is poised to be elevated to the level of natural marriage in American law, and indeed has already been given sanction in several states by bypassing the will of the people: homosexual "marriage". These two words cannot meaningfully occur next to one another. Proponents of this offense to sanity would have us believe that marriage is only what the whims of society happen to hold today; it has no essential character. And anyone who says otherwise is being unjust, perhaps even hateful, and thus must be silenced.

This increasingly common theme is a perfect example of what the Catholic scholar Monsignor Michel Schooyans refers to as "The Totalitarian Trend of Liberalism." The last thing the proponents of homosexual unions are interested in is rational dialogue; they only care about getting their way and will use the state to enforce their corrupt views.

Their enablers in the mainstream media cannot report on the controversies around homosexual unions without presenting their limited view of the Church's position with a detached scorn, analogous to those who don biohazard suits to handle something that they really don't want to touch.

Amid this growing cacophony the Church continues to charitably speak out and defend these basic truths about the essential nature of natural marriage, basic truths that are necessary for the common good to be achieved.

A 2003 document from the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith has a wonderful response to all those who seek to undermine natural marriage:

No ideology can erase from the human spirit the certainty that marriage exists solely between a man and a woman, who by mutual personal gift, proper and exclusive to themselves, tend toward the communion of their persons. In this way, they mutually perfect each other, in order to cooperate with God in the procreation and upbringing of new human lives.

Precisely. The same document gives direction to Catholic politicians who waver on the marriage issue in the face of ever increasing pressure to erase traditional marriage from among the natural institutions that still enjoy the protection of the state. I would encourage you to give careful consideration to this brief instruction, as it very concisely lays out not only a summary of the Church's understanding of sexuality and marriage, but the basic arguments against the confusion that we are force-fed every time we see the media treat the issue. The document's conclusion sums things up nicely:

The Church teaches that respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions. The common good requires that laws recognize, promote and protect marriage as the basis of the family, the primary unit of society. Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on the same level as marriage would mean not only the approval of deviant behavior, with the consequence of making it a model in present-day society, but would also obscure basic values which belong to the common inheritance of humanity.

In Spirit & Life the last several weeks we have been focusing on our political responsibility as Catholics and Christians to exercise our right to vote in a way that is consistent with our faith. Since the moral and social teaching of our Church stands far above the meager political options we face in the upcoming election, this is necessarily a non-partisan effort. Truth is like that: if there were a party of Truth we would have no objection whatsoever to declaring our partisanship. So we must carefully examine the positions on marriage held by those who are asking for our vote, and side with the truth.

We are partisans for Truth and the common good. We reject the distortions surrounding the topics of sexuality and marriage, and we gladly proclaim the truth, in season and out of season. And in this political season, we proclaim it all the louder, grateful for the teaching of the Faith that unites us in the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula
Interim President, Human Life International

Congratulate Archbishop Raymond Burke

Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke

Congratulate Burke You can leave a message for the Archbishop at that site.

CatholicTV Widget Now on 154 Different Websites Including Websites of 33 U.S. Dioceses

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CatholicTV Widget Now on 154 Different Websites Including Websites of 33 U.S. Dioceses

WATERTOWN, MA- In November 2009, CatholicTV launched its widget "CatholicTVjr". Currently 154 different website owners have reported adding the widget to their websites. It's so easy to add that many agencies and parishes add the standard player to their websites.

The widget is a video player which can be embedded onto any website and allows website visitors to instantly watch over 30 different television programs by CatholicTV without charge. CatholicTV is a non-profit corporation.

Of the 154 websites which have added the widget, 33 are the websites of various dioceses across the United States including the Dioceses/Archdioceses of Miami, New Orleans, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Boston, Omaha, Gallup (TX), and many others.

CatholicTVjr has also been added to the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and the websites of several chapters of the Knights of Columbus.

The offering of so much free television programming on the widget is unprecedented. All 4 major national television networks offer widgets, but only CatholicTV offers full-length programs for free. The President of the CatholicTV Network, Fr. Robert Reed came up with the idea because he had "the desire to share CatholicTV's content with dioceses, parishes, schools, and anyone who has a website. It's the world's first Catholic television widget", said Reed.

CatholicTVjr can be added to any website by visiting www.CatholicTVjr.com. This URL offers the code that can be easily pasted into any website in about as much time as it takes to say a "Hail Mary". In addition, CatholicTV invites interested parties to request a customized version of CatholicTVjr which will only include the shows requested. CatholicTVjr is also available in 3 different sizes.

Most available programs are original CatholicTV programs and these include the Catholic movie review show "Spotlight", the Catholic reality-television series "House+Home", Vatican programming, the Catholic game show "WOW: The CatholicTV Challenge", Catholic news, Catholic Spanish programming and more.

CatholicTV also invites anyone who has professional quality video that exhibits the life of the Church in their local area to send it to CatholicTV where it just might be featured on CatholicTVjr around the globe.

About CatholicTV
Founded in 1955, CatholicTV is a national broadcast television network streaming a live feed 24 hours a day at www.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 outside of Boston, CatholicTV is available in 5.7 million homes nationwide. For access to CatholicTV programs, go to CatholicTV.com or download the CatholicTV mobile app for iPhone or iPad.

Important Message to Hawaii: Vote for the Right Politicans

Hawaii March for Life

Thanks to Hawaii Right to Life and the Pearson Foundation of Hawaii, Inc., Hawaii is privileged to hear the interim president of Human Life International speak at several appearances this week.

Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula

Photo by Dann Ebina

During the first talk held this past Friday at St. Ann's Church in Kaneohe, Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro-Carámbula, gave a powerful talk on the sanctity of life from beginning to end. He enjoined Catholics in good conscience not vote for any politician who is pro-abortion. In fact, Monsignor stated emphatically, that any person who votes for a pro-abortion candidate is endangering his own soul. We therefore have to duty to only vote pro-life. It is also our obligation and responsibility to inform others of the consequences of voting for anyone supporting abortion.

There are so many candidates running for office in Hawaii, who are pro-life, pro-traditional marriage and who are challenging pro-abortion incumbents. There is no excuse or reason for a Catholic Christian to vote for anyone not pro-life and pro-traditional marriage. 

For more help in choosing the right candidates to vote for, check out:

1. Vote for Life Hawaii HRTL Executive Director Janet Grace, has personally interviewed each candidate and those who signed the pledge for life, have received Hawaii Right to Life's endorsement.


2. Hawaii Family Forum Voters Guide

3. Catholic Vote

4. Faithful Citizenship

Do not be misled by the local media who is trying to confuse Catholics by portraying the late Governor Burns as a strong Catholic who refused to push his personal beliefs on others in order to be a good governor. 

..."Most notable was Burns' deeply conflicted decision in 1970 to allow a bill allowing abortion to become law in Hawaii without his signature. Burns was a committed Roman Catholic who personally considered abortion murder. But an elected governor, he said, "must never let his private political and religious convictions unduly influence his judgment as governor of all the people..."

Read today's article What would Jack do?


Regardless of his faith, as governor to the state of Hawaii, Governor Burns had a duty to protect all Hawaii residents, especially the most vulnerable, the unborn.

In order to do my part to get the message of voting pro-life and pro-traditional marriage, which Monsignor also stated we have the duty to defend, I invited my son to be a guest blogger and to explain the importance of voting for life.

Message from Joey:

In this time of economic uncertainty and downturn, people may be voting solely on the basis of who has the best plan for raising the state or country out of the recession. It's a tempting thing to do, especially if you have been greatly affected by unemployment or inflation. I have to remind you all, however, not to put issues of money before the greater, more important, issue of abortion.

As Catholics, we believe that life begins at the moment of conception. It is at that moment that that a human being begins to exist, and, given nurturing and the safe environment of the mother's womb, is able to be born. As such, we find it to be a heinous crime against humanity to abort a child. An unborn child has committed no crime, yet is sentenced to death without due process: a violation of the fifth amendment. Abortion is similar to a lynching; it is the murder of an innocent human being just because someone doesn't want him or her alive.

A further tragedy is that many abortions are done specifically for financial reasons. Children are killed just because the parents feel they cannot afford to raise him or her. Despite alternatives to abortion, such as offering the child up for adoption, and the plethora of free support groups available for pro-life alternatives, women subordinate the importance of the right to life their child has to currency.

1. OptionLine 1-800-395-HELP

Option Line consultants refer each caller to a pregnancy resource center in her area for answers to questions about abortion, pregnancy tests, STD's, adoption, parenting, medical referrals, housing, and many other issues. The toll-free number is available to callers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Callers from across the country can reach a trained, caring person and then be connected to a pregnancy resource center near them for one-on-one help.

2. National Love Center 1-800-848-LOVE

National Life Center's 24-hour hotline directs you to the closest Crisis Pregnancy Center in the United States and Canada.

For more numbers, websites and places to go for help with pregnancies can be found at Priests for Life - There are Alternatives to Abortion!

This is what voters do when they vote for a candidate who they know is pro-abortion but whom they believe will help the economy more. They place the value of life below that of the value of money and finances. They've placed a numerical value on the life of an adult, not just an unborn child's. If an unborn child's full life with unlimited potential is worth a few years income and a vote, imagine how much less your own life is worth with your significantly diminished potential and years remaining.

The economy is important, yes, but protecting the life of the unborn is a much higher responsibility for not just Catholics, but all people. Neglecting such responsibility constitutes a grave sin against life.

"2272 Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae,"77 "by the very commission of the offense,"78 and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law.79 The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society."
Catechism of the Catholic Church: Abortion

I'm not going to give a lecture on economics here, but I can say that there are more Republicans who are both pro-life and have agreeable economic plans than there are Democrats with the same ideals. Do your research and make sure you do your part in protecting the right to life of the unborn children. In this year's election there are an unprecedented number of pro-life candidates. Do not diminish the value of life. Do not value money above the lives of the unborn children. Do not support abortion or politicians who support abortion. Life takes precedence above economic and financial issues.

Lastly, as you may know, Hawaii's only daily paper has endorsed pro-abortion candidate for governor, Neil Abercrombie. [Read Abercrombie's Voting Record on Abortion]  In a recent poll they stated that Abercrombie is leading Aiona, the pro-life candidate. They stated: 

"...But some were wary about Aiona's role as part of the Lingle administration and his ability to separate his strong Catholic faith from decisions on social policy...." from Abercrombie retains lead over Aiona.

What is wrong with a governor who respect life at all stages, from conception to natural death?