NECN Program Featuring Haiti, American Bishops, and Post-Earthquake Recovery Efforts Will Air on CatholicTV

WATERTOWN, MA (MetroCatholic) – On Tuesday, March 9th, CatholicTV will air a special program called “The Heart of Haiti”. The Heart of Haiti was filmed during the first week of March when a committee of Catholic Bishops and one priest travelled to Haiti to assess the needs of the Church there.

The Heart of Haiti features detailed footage and imagery of Haiti, including the ruins of the Cathedral, where Archbishop Serge Miot and many others died during the earthquake of January 12th. More people died during the Haiti earthquake than at Hiroshima.

The Heart of Haiti will air at CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV on March 9th at 11:30AM ET and again at 8:30PM.

The Heart of Haiti also includes footage of Catholic Relief Services’ efforts and interviews of local people, doctors, volunteers, and numerous thoughts and reactions from Cardinal Séan O’Malley Archbishop of Boston and other clergy.

The committee of clergy asked to go to Haiti to access the needs of the Church there include: Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of San Antonio, Bishop Guy Sansaricq, the only Haitian-born U.S. Bishop, Bishop Tom Wenski of Orlando, Cardinal Séan O’Malley, and Fr. Andrew Small of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Details about the visit can also be found at Cardinal Séan O’Malley’s blog at http://www.CardinalSeansblog.org/  

The Heart of Haiti was produced and reported by RD Sahl for New England Cable News (NECN). Photographer Michael Bellwin shot and edited video. Lauren Kleciak edited video for this special. Rob Edwards and Tom Kraus created the special’s graphics package.

CatholicTV broadcasts across the US on Sky Angel channel 142, and selected cable outlets in New England and in Chattanooga (TN) where CatholicTV is available on FiTV channel 153. To find out where to watch CatholicTV visit: http://www.CatholicTV.com/schedule/where-to-watch.aspx  

CatholicTV is a nationally-broadcasted 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, the CatholicTV Network features its cable TV station, Catholic web site, mobile apps and widget. Celebrate Mass online; pray the Rosary; enjoy programs on prayer, the saints, the Scriptures and the Catholic Church on America’s Catholic Television Network.

EWTN Radio to Broadcast Liam Neeson CD on Good Friday

DENVER, CO (MetroCatholic) – On Good Friday, April 2, EWTN Radio will be broadcasting in its entirety this much-beloved Lenten production, Praying the Way of the Cross, featuring the beautiful yet rarely-heard sacred hymns of St. Alphonsus Liguori, sung and performed here by some of the world’s finest musicians and vocalists.

St. Alphonsus Liguori is the founder of the Redemptorists and the great Marian doctor of the Church.

Liam Neeson, the celebrated Irish-American actor, lends his remarkable voice to the words of St. Alphonsus. The Reverend Byron Miller, C.Ss.R., executive director of the National Seelos Shrine and Museum in New Orleans, LA, recites the prayers of
St. Alphonsus.

The text is taken directly from the book, The Way of the Cross According to the Method of St. Alphonsus Liguori, the popular classic used by Catholic churches around the globe for their Lenten devotions.

This remarkable production will air twice on Good Friday, first at 2 p.m. eastern time and then again at 10 p.m. eastern time. It will be heard around the country on most if not all of EWTN Radio’s many affiliates. A complete list of the radio stations, by state, can be found by going to www.ewtn.com/radio/amfm.htm.

The two broadcasts will precede and follow Pope Benedict’s Good Friday service from the Vatican.

EWTN Radio has called this one of the finest productions they have ever heard and have pledged to play it every year in its entirety on Good Friday.

To order a copy for your Good Friday observances, go to www.littlelambmusic.com or call toll free 888.753.0333. Praying the Way of the Cross retails for $16.95.

Alice in Wonderland (Review)

The prospect of being led through Lewis Carroll’s looking-glass by director Tim Burton is liable to fill Catholic moviegoers with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

While eagerly anticipating how the talented Burton will render the world imagined in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) and “Through the Looking-Glass, And What Alice Found There” (1872), one also fears Burton might overwhelm Carroll’s literary touchstones with his macabre sensibility.

Very loosely inspired by, but not recklessly departing from, those two influential books, “Alice in Wonderland” (Disney) — which mixes animation and live action — is neither an occasion for dread nor a cause for elation. Presented in 3-D, the movie’s aesthetic impact is lessened by the lack of a coherent style and visuals that never take your breath away.
On the plus side, it’s not as dark or unsettling an entertainment as might be expected from the filmmaker behind the unrelentingly bloody “Sweeney Todd,” the morose “Corpse Bride” or the ghoulish animated feature “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

Even so, the youngest audience members are likely be frightened at times; and the potential exists for viewers of all ages to be flummoxed by certain passages. Such is the nature of Carroll’s nonsense classic. But — besides being a visual hodgepodge and not especially dazzling to the eye — the movie also underwhelms by obscuring the verbal whimsy. Though there are humorous bits, the fairy tale’s gobbledygook charm has been muted in favor of an adventure story line centering on a brave, grown-up heroine.

In contrast to Burton and his technical collaborators not being able to find their footing designwise, screenwriter Linda Woolverton succeeds in fashioning a proto-feminist story, albeit one that generally retains Carroll’s Christian outlook. The first step Woolverton took toward that end was making Alice (Mia Wasikowska) a 19-year-old. Prior to tumbling down the rabbit hole, Alice is shown being pressured into an arranged marriage with an aristocrat. Fleeing the garden party where the engagement is to be announced, she arrives in a subterranean realm called Underland, a truly strange environment yet one familiar from the recurring dreams she’s had since she was a child.

There, Alice encounters Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp, in his seventh collaboration with Burton), and various frazzled fauna such as the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Dormouse and the Blue Caterpillar. The Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) is in power, having feuded with her sister, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway). Aided by the Knave (Crispin Glover), this childish despot has enslaved the animals and visited a chaotic blight upon Underland.

Alice is compelled to end the Red Queen’s reign of terror by vanquishing a dragon called the Jabberwocky. Much as the Pevensie children are in the two recent “Chronicles of Narnia” movies, she is a savior figure with latent martial skills. Alice is also an intellectual rebel who challenges convention, all the while concerned about her own mental stability, given the bizarre experiences she’s having.

Lewis Carroll was the pen name of the Rev. Charles Dodgson, an Oxford mathematician, and the broad strokes of Rev. Dodgson’s High Anglican faith are discernable in the film. Most prominently, well before Alice — clad in armor and blond locks flowing — appears to fell the Jabberwocky, parallels to St. Joan of Arc are unavoidable. In addition to the French warrior, Alice can be interpreted as the female equivalent of England’s dragon-slaying patron, St. George. Her story comes to a more pleasant earthly end than either martyr’s did, however. At the conclusion of “Alice in Wonderland,” she is depicted as an intrepid explorer with an innovative, entrepreneurial streak.

Along with the overhauled plot, the movie’s Disney imprimatur may account for Burton’s restraint. For example, he refrains from teasing out any drug references or otherwise indulging in the more surreal, avant-garde qualities that have drawn many artists to “Alice in Wonderland” over the years.
 
The film contains many elements of fantasy action and violence that might scare young children, including a skewered animal eyeball, human characters striking one another, images of mild animal cruelty, some discussion of beheadings, as well as a character smoking a water pipe and one instance of light profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

 

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Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The reviews can be heard by calling 1-800-311-4CCC. The movie review line is updated each Friday and includes information about six theater releases and a Family Video of the Week. For a full review of recent films, check your local Catholic diocesan newspaper.–>The classifications are as follows:

• A-I — general patronage;
• A-II — adults and adolescents;
• A-III — adults;
• A-IV**
• L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
• O — morally offensive.

** Discontinued classification. All archived movies that were originally in the A-IV category are now classified as L.

USCCB – OFB

This Week on Television

The following are capsule reviews of theatrical movies on network and cable television the week of March 7. Please note that televised versions may or may not be edited for language, nudity, violence and sexual situations.

Monday, March 8, 8-11 p.m. EST (AMC) “The Pelican Brief” (1993). With her life in grave danger after figuring out who was behind the assassination of two Supreme Court justices, a New Orleans law student (Julia Roberts) turns to an investigative reporter (Denzel Washington) to get her incriminating brief in print. Abetted by exceptional performances from a fine supporting cast, director Alan J. Pakula’s spiky thriller maintains suspense despite a convoluted plot. Some restrained violence and an instance of rough language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Tuesday, March 9, 8-10:30 p.m. EST (TCM) “Ikiru” (1952). Universal tale from Japan in which a petty municipal bureaucrat (Takashi Shimura) learns he has stomach cancer but can find no solace either from family or empty diversions until he determines to give some meaning to his life by cutting through the red tape of city agencies to build a children’s playground in a poor neighborhood, as told in flashbacks at the man’s wake. Directed by Akira Kurosawa, the production turns the story of a dying man into a convincing affirmation of life as he recovers the lost sense of his own human worth by helping others, in a movie filled with compelling performances and honest emotions, including its touching theme song, “Life Is So Short.” Subtitles. Focus on terminal illness and some sexual references. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-III — adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.

Tuesday, March 9, 10-11:30 p.m. EST (PBS) “Young@Heart” (2008). Often funny and ultimately moving documentary about a Northampton, Mass., senior citizens’ chorus whose repertoire includes rock, R&B and punk selections as they rehearse over a two-month period for a hometown concert and cope with the death of one member and the ill health of others. Director-narrator Stephen Walker’s film quickly engages viewers by introducing a winning array of real-life characters and charting their struggles to master the music and carry on with the show. Frank sexual discussion, innuendo, occasional crass language; possibly acceptable for older teens. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Thursday, March 11, 8-10:30 p.m. EST (AMC) “Jeremiah Johnson” (1972). Robert Redford stars in the story of a 19th-century mountain man from his arrival in the Rockies through his years as a self-sufficient trapper, then as family man and, finally, a Crow Indian fighter of legendary proportions. Director Sydney Pollack’s story offers the awesome natural spectacle of the mountain locales, the swift frontier action, intense cultural conflict and colorful characters rendered without the burdens of sentimentality and contrivance. Stylized violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Saturday, March 13, 8-9:45 p.m. EST (HBO) “Monsters vs. Aliens” (2009). Affable animated comedy-adventure in which a trio of kindly monsters (voices of Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie and Will Arnett) led by a once-ordinary woman (voice of Reese Witherspoon) who became a giant after being struck by a meteor, are released from government captivity in the custody of a gung-ho general (voice of Keifer Sutherland) and commissioned by the president (voice of Stephen Colbert) to combat an evil alien (voice of Rainn Wilson) whose schemes threaten humanity. Co-directors Rob Letterman and Conrad Vernon create a lavish 3-D homage to 1950s-era sci-fi B-movies that also celebrates friendship, teamwork and the heroic potential of everyday people. Moderate action violence and a bit of vaguely sexual and slightly crude humor. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-II — adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Saturday, March 13, 8-10 p.m. EST (ABC) “Over the Hedge” (2006). Computer-animated comedy about a rascally raccoon (voiced by Bruce Willis) who offers to “help” a group of woodland creatures (humorously voiced by Steve Carell, Wanda Sykes, Garry Shandling, William Shatner and Eugene Levy, among others) stockpile food for the coming winter by raiding the suburban housing development that has sprung up on their forest doorstep, but not telling them that he intends to use the purloined provisions to save his own fur. Based on a comic strip, directors Tim Johnson and Karey Kirkpatrick’s good-naturedly entertaining and visually cheery fable relies on nutty sight gags over story, but imparts a commendable message about family and acting unselfishly, while offering some funny commentary on our consumer society. Some mildly crude humor, a few rude expressions and innuendo, and recurring comic action violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was A-I — general patronage. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG — parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.

Saturday, March 13, 10-11:35 p.m. EST (Cinemax) “Taken” (2009). Formulaic and contrived but effectively tense thriller about an ex-government operative (Liam Neeson) hunting for his missing teenage daughter (Maggie Grace) who has been kidnapped by Albanian sex traffickers in Paris. Director Pierre Morel keeps things moving with a flashy visual style, and Neeson plays his role with a genuine intensity that almost, but not quite, makes you overlook the improbable setup and ludicrous plot developments. Intense but nongraphic action violence including torture, multiple killings, vigilante justice, some crude language and expressions, and a single profanity. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification of the theatrical version was L — limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating was PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

TV program notes — week of March 7

Here are some television program notes for the week of March 7 with their TV Parental Guidelines ratings if available. They have not been reviewed and therefore are not necessarily recommended by the Office for Film & Broadcasting.

Sunday, March 7, 8-10 p.m. EST (Discovery) “Superswarm.” From hundreds of thousands of mice overrunning the Australian countryside to the army ants and locusts that swarm by the millions with a single-minded purpose and intensity, this special looks at massive animal gatherings all over our planet to find out what a swarm really is, to understand what makes animals form these massive groups, and to see how they are able to act and think as they do — and why.

Sunday, March 7, 8:30-11:30 p.m. EST (ABC) “The Oscars: The 82nd Annual Academy Awards.” Live broadcast from the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles of the ceremony honoring the outstanding film achievements of 2009. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin co-host.

Sunday, March 7, 9-10:30 p.m. EST (check local listings) (PBS) “The Priests in Concert at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral.” The Priests, three Catholic clergymen who have become a worldwide singing phenomenon, perform a special concert at the historic Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King in Liverpool, England, before an audience of more than 2,000. Their inspirational classics include “Amazing Grace,” “Danny Boy,” “Bring Him Home,” “The Rose” and “You’ll Never Walk Alone” (TV-G — general audience).

Wednesday, March 10, 8-9:30 p.m. EST (check local listings) “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling: An Irish Parade of Stars (My Music).” This nostalgic journey back to the 1950s and ’60s presents long-unseen footage of celebrated performers singing classic Irish songs. Hosted by Patty Duke and written by Malachy McCourt, the program features performances by the late Frank Patterson, considered by many around the world as the ultimate Irish tenor (TV-G — general audience).

Thursday, March 11, 9-10 p.m. EST (History) “Italian Dinner.” In this episode of the series “Food Tech,” host Bobby Bognar travels from coast to coast exploring the creation of pasta, the production of wine and fine vinegar, the difference between gelato and ice cream, and the origins of other ingredients in a traditional Italian feast.
 
Saturday, March 13, 8:30-10 p.m. EST (check local listings) (PBS) “Benise: The Spanish Guitar.” Dubbed “The Latin Riverdance,” this show, spearheaded by flamenco guitarist Benise, combines soaring music with an epic tale that transports the audience to exotic places with video, new songs and an ever-changing set (TV-G — general audience).

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USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting

Some disturbing news on Catholic youth

There has been some disturbing news of late regarding young Catholics and their moral formation.  First, 65% of Catholic young adults (18-29) believe that homosexual sex is either a moral good (!!) or morally meaningless.   This is contrary to what the Church teaches on this subject.  Look, if you want to believe gay sex is a good thing, fine, but that’s not the Roman Catholic viewpoint, and actively engaging in such acts has always been viewed as a serious sin.   So, these ‘millenial’ Catholics are conflating a serious sin with something morally good or ambivalent.  This is a failure of formation, pure and simple.  While the culture, influenced by a wealthy and highly effective lobby, has been shouting to the rooftops that homosexual activities are natural, normal, and even chic, the Church obviously has not gotten it’s 2000 year teaching through to most young people.   There are good signs however – these millenials are opposed to abortion and adultery. 

But not opposed to premarital sex.  This brings me to the second, more concerning article – Catholic female college students, enrolled in nominally Catholic colleges, are far more promiscuous than students enrolled at non-religious colleges, and waaay more so than those enrolled at evangelical colleges that take their faith very seriously.  This is like a punch to the gut, but it confirms what we’ve heard before.   Catholic colleges, with a very few exceptions, are no longer places that support, defend, and strengthen the faith of its students, but have become wordly to an extent that they actively destroy the faith of those who enter under their rooves.  

It’s important to note that this study was not conducted by an organization that may have an agenda, but by researchers at Mississippi State.  The most damning statement of the study’s authors: “our findings might instead suggest that not all religiously affiliated colleges and universities constitute ‘moral communities.”  What does this mean?  While Catholic colleges may call themselves Catholic, that is nothing more than a name, and those colleges do not constitute a moral center, or a center of the faith.  There are exceptions, Wy0ming Catholic College, Franciscan in Steubenville, Benedictine College in KS, even the University of Dallas still has a fairly vibrant Catholic ethos, despite Milam Joseph’s worst efforts.  But at all of the really famous Catholic colleges – DePaul, Loyola, Xavier, Boston College, Georgetown, Notre Dame, and many, many others – the Catholic faith is either an occasional appendage worn to attract donations, or has been shoved into a dusty closet never to be thought of, let alone talked about.  Such is the fruit of the dreadful ‘Land O’ Lakes conference.’  A vibrant system of faithful colleges was turned, intentionally, into a set of CINO institutions.  All in the name of pride and prestige. 

Oh, and 80% of Catholic college students think contraception is A-OK, which may come from the universities, or their parents.  Kinda hard to tell at this point.

Cross posted at http://veneremurcernui.wordpress.com/

Significant Financial Response of Catholics to Haitian Earthquake Victims Will Be Discussed

WATERTOWN, MA (MetroCatholic) – Significant Financial Response of Catholics to Haitian Earthquake Victims Will Be Discussed During CatholicTV Talk Show

On March 12, the response of Catholics to the earthquake victims in Haiti will be discussed on the CatholicTV Talk show “This is the Day”. Tiziana Dearing, President of Catholic Charities in Boston will discuss recent developments and responses of Catholics and of Catholic Charities. Tiziana is the first woman to serve in this role in Boston, she has held the post since September 2007.

On Wednesday, February 24th, The Archdiocese of Boston announced that collections gathered for Haitian earthquake victims had already reached $1.767 million and were estimated to reach $2 million.

This is the Day airs at 10:30AM ET at CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV.

Father Larry Snyder, President of Catholic Charities USA will also be interviewed on This is the Day. He will discuss the efforts and mission of Catholic Charities, and will also talk about the history of Catholic Charities, which dates back to 1727 when the French Ursuline Sisters opened an orphanage in New Orleans.

CatholicTV regularly airs programming related to charitable work and Catholic social teaching. This programming includes a show called “Where God Weeps” which shows the plights and struggles of suffering Catholics who are victims of political, financial, and social suffering. The series follows the work of an organization called Aid to the Church in Need. Aid to the Church in Need works with the impoverished in 145 countries around the globe. Where God Weeps airs each week on CatholicTV at the following times: Monday 3:30AM, 8:30 PM; Wednesday noon; and Saturday 6:00 AM

More information on Catholic Charities USA can be found at http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/  

Episodes of This is the Day are posted on the site’s archives starting the same night of the broadcast day. All videos at the website are viewable in full-screen. Paste this URL into your browser in order to access the “This is the Day” video archives. http://www.CatholicTV.com/shows/default.aspx?seriesID=72  

CatholicTV broadcasts across the US on Sky Angel channel 142, and selected cable outlets in New England and in Chattanooga (TN) where CatholicTV is available on FiTV channel 153. To find out where to watch CatholicTV visit: http://www.CatholicTV.com/schedule/where-to-watch.aspx  

CatholicTV is a nationally-broadcasted 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, the CatholicTV Network features its cable TV station, Catholic web site, mobile apps and widget. Celebrate Mass online; pray The Rosary; enjoy programs on prayer, the saints, the Scriptures and the Catholic Church on America’s Catholic Television Network.

“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 )

Pauline Books & Media Produces Catholic iPhone App

BOSTON, MA (MetroCatholic) — Pauline Books & Media released an iPhone/iPod Touch application called Saint-a-Day. The app gives users a biography for a different saint each day along with a prayer to that saint. Also available is the option to search for a particular saint to find out for whom or what they are the patron saint. Users may also search for an occupation or need to find their patron saint and offer a prayer to the saint or discover more about him or her. The application also includes a full liturgical calendar, a reflection for the day at the end of each biography. Additionally, you can email prayers to friends and those in need and/or e-mail a prayer request to the FSP community.

Cantcha, Inc. (makers of iMissal) and the Daughters of St. Paul have partnered to produce the Saint-a-Day app, now available through iTunes. The Saint-a-Day app can also be accessed through http://www.pauline.org under the “Downloads” tab.

Pauline Books and 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 fourteen retail book centers in the United States and English-speaking Canada and a publishing and distribution operation in Boston, Massachusetts. Arriving from Italy in 1932, the Daughters of St. Paul have been in America for over seventy-five years.

MetroCatholic Launches New Downloadable Browser Toolbar

McKinney, TX (MetroCatholic) – MetroCatholic, the publisher of MetroCatholic – Dallas/Ft. Worth Edition, just launched a new internet browser toolbar to make accessing both DFW are Catholic news but also quick access to Guadalupe Radio Networks North Texas English language station KATH 910 AM.  The toolbar also allows quick access to social networking tools like Facebook and Twitter as well as email.  Recent headlines from MetroCatholic will appear in a news ticker as well.  Click here to download this free toolbar.

Pro Life Film ‘Sarah’s Choice’ has World Premier Feb. 27th on TBN

NASHVILLE, TN (MetroCatholic) –  The film, “Sarah’s Choice,” starring Grammy Award winning Christian singer Rebecca St. James in the controversial role of a young single career woman facing the decision of ‘choice’ in the life of her unborn child, will make its’ television debut this Saturday, February 27th on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN).

The film will air uncut and commercial free at 9:00 P.M. Pacific/11:00 P.M. Central and will reach the entirety of TBN’s global viewership.

Released this past November by Pure Flix Entertainment, “Sarah’s Choice” has had a major national impact with its’ profound message in support of pro life. St. James herself recently promoted the film on a guesting on the Fox News Network’s “Hannity,” as part of her national media campaign in support of pro life. She is also throughout 2010 set to appear in a series of national speaking/performing events for CareNet and Crisis Pregnancy Center organizations who are showing the film in conjunction with St. James’ appearances.

“Messages have come back to me that through viewings of the film, a number of young women have opted for the choice of life for their babies,” noted St. James in a recent interview. “This is the ultimate success in what we had hoped the movie would achieve,” she added.

An important theme throughout Sarah’s Choice is God’s forgiveness and redemption for those who have had an abortion.

Rebecca felt it was crucial that this message be portrayed. “Obviously everyone wants a redemptive story, but the truth is that 43 percent of child-bearing age women today have abortions–a figure much higher than what most people are aware of,” notes the Australian born singer-turned-actress. “People need to know that there is forgiveness and grace for them in the midst of all.”

Rebecca feels a personal passion for the pro life message. “I have two very dear friends who have had abortions, and have told their stories to me through regretful tears. Their stories impacted my life on a very personal level. I want to be a part of helping other women avoid this pain in their own lives. Life is a beautiful gift from God.”

St. James is thrilled with Saturday’s world premier television airing of the film by TBN. “Knowing the amazing reach of the Trinity Broadcast Network, it will give ‘Sarah’s Choice’ a vast television audience of untold numbers of people,” she noted. “I’m praying it will positivity impact countless hearts and minds on the important issue of pro life.”

“Sarah’s Choice” is available now on DVD at national retail from EMI-CMG Distribution.

Installation Mass of New Bishop of Austin, Texas Will Air on CatholicTV

WATERTOWN, MA (MetroCatholic) – On March 8th, CatholicTV will air the installation mass of Bishop Joe S. Vasquez as the new Bishop of the Diocese of Austin, Texas. Bishop Vasquez will be the fifth bishop of Austin and the first Mexican-American to lead the diocese, which is home to approximately 500,000 Catholics.

The installation Mass will air at CatholicTV.com and on CatholicTV at 8PM (Eastern) and will be rebroadcast the following day at noon.

Bishop Vásquez, 52, was ordained as a bishop in January 2002 and has served as Galveston-Houston’s auxiliary bishop since then. Since 2006, Bishop Vasquez has been the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s Vicar General/Chancellor, overseeing the administrative operations of the largest diocese in Texas and the 11th largest diocese in the U.S. He has also served as Episcopal Vicar for Hispanics and he has been the Archdiocesan Liaison for Youth during his years in Galveston-Houston.

Bishop Vasquez studied theology at the University of St. Thomas in Houston from 1976 to 1980. He attended the Gregorian University, North American College, in Rome from 1980 to 1985. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of San Angelo on June 30, 1984 by Bishop Joseph A. Fiorenza.

Bishop Vásquez succeeds Bishop Gregory Aymond who was appointed Archbishop of New Orleans by Pope Benedict XVI last year.

The installation Mass will also be added to the CatholicTV.com archives and once added, will be viewable anytime without charge. CatholicTV broadcasted many major events in the American Catholic Church in 2009 and 2010. Video footage of these events can be found at http://www.CatholicTV.com/shows/default.aspx?seriesID=111. The CatholicTV.com archives include the Memorial Mass for Servant of God Fulton Sheen with Archbishop Timothy Dolan presiding, the 2009 Eucharistic Congress from Washington, D.C., and much more.

CatholicTV broadcasts across the US on Sky Angel channel 142, and selected cable outlets in New England and in Chattanooga (TN) where CatholicTV is available on FiTV channel 153. To find out where to watch CatholicTV visit: http://www.CatholicTV.com/schedule/where-to-watch.aspx  

CatholicTV is a nationally-broadcasted 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, the CatholicTV Network features its cable TV station, Catholic web site, mobile apps and widget. Celebrate Mass online; pray The Rosary; enjoy programs on prayer, the saints, the Scriptures and the Catholic Church on America’s Catholic Television Network.

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