The Digital Catholic Library represents a leap forward in Catholic publishing. Instead of being entirely dependent on publishers to keep timeless treasures in print, Catholics will be able to keep, research, and print their own copies of the great works of…

The Digital Catholic Library represents a leap forward in Catholic publishing. Instead of being entirely dependent on publishers to keep timeless treasures in print, Catholics will be able to keep, research, and print their own copies of the great works of…

Told by Fr. Joseph Campbell

There was a couple who was extremely generous. They had eleven children, and the dinner table often had others seated along with them. The house at any given time was a home to others in need. They…

Motherhood Interrupted: Stories of Healing and Hope after Abortion is a book of sixteen stories. Everyone, including the author's is a heartbreaking account of how abortion affected the lives of women. These revealing stories underscore the impact of abortion on each individual, on her relationships and on her family. These courageous women have overcome their shame and guilt to witness to the devastating aftermath of their choice.

The author, Jane Brennan, MS, details in her story how the scars of early childhood sexual abuse to promiscuity and drug and alcohol abuse. Finding herself pregnant as a young college student, Jane chose abortion because it was easily obtained, readily available, and seemed to be the best way out of her "problem." This choice led to a life filled with more pain, sadness, and depression along with a very strong attachment to militant feminism. She became a member of NOW, NARAL and a volunteer at Planned Parenthood helping young women procure birth control and abortions.

With the coming of spring, our attention turns to Easter, First Communions, Confirmations, and weddings.

And the age-old dilemma-what is a good Catholic gift to give a child, young person, or adult to celebrate the occasion and help them continue to grow in their faith?

Here are the top five gifts for this spring from the Catholic bishops in the U.S.

Number 5 . . . Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church

Give this book to young adults or adults.  It's also a great gift for parents who have children who are famous for asking questions about Church and faith that can sometimes be challenging to answer. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church takes away the challenge and makes those questions easy to answer.

World Wide Web–Writers, editors, agents, and other publishing professionals from around the world are gearing up for the first annual Catholic Writers' Conference Online, which will be held May 2-9, 2008, and is sponsored by the Catholic Writer's Guild and Canticle magazine. The online conference is free of charge and open to writers of all levels for those who register by April 25.

Tim Drake, veteran journalist who will be presenting at the conference, says he thinks the conference is worthwhile for all faith-based writers. "I think writers of every stripe, from beginners to seasoned veterans, can always stand to learn something new. This conference provides an opportunity to learn a few tricks of the trade, without having to spend an arm and a leg to get there."

Sally Strle, had often petitioned God for guidance about starting a home business. She especially wanted something that would make use of her interest in sewing and that would allow her to spread the Catholic faith.

When the idea came to her of creating a line of pillowcases imprinted with images and prayers - like lovely holy cards you can lay your head on - she felt her payers were answered. Rest On His Word was born in her imagination. But it would take more than a good idea for this grandmother, active in volunteer work but without any business experience, to bring the plan to life.

With a few extra clicks of a mouse, GivingCart can change ordinary Internet shopping into timely acts of generosity — a response to Catholic financial needs close to home and throughout the world.

"The idea is that Catholics spend money every single day, and this Web site is a place where everything can be bought and you earn a percentage of what is spent for a Catholic cause," Ben Olsen explained in a telephone interview from Steubenville, Ohio, where he graduated from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Olsen helped develop GivingCart, The Catholic Way to Shop, an online fundraising tool designed to support approved Catholic parishes and organizations connected to the Catholic Church, or that serve the Church.

For example, if a consumer goes to the GivingCart Web site and purchases $100 worth of merchandise from Amazon.com, that company will give a $4 (4 percent) commission to GivingCart which, in turn, will give 80 percent of that to the consumer's designated Catholic organization.

Other businesses on the Web site offer different commissions, ranging up to 40 percent.

More than 350 businesses are already included on GivingCart, and more are always being added. Currently, consumers can shop online through GivingCart at such places as 1-800-Contacts, Staples, Gap, Brookstone, Golf Galaxy, Hotels.com, Sony and Amazon.com.

Making a purchase through GivingCart does not cost anything extra.

There are currently more than 22,000 Catholic organizations and causes listed as potential beneficiaries of GivingCart. They include churches, youth groups, schools, colleges, religious orders, seminaries and pro-life leagues.

Olsen said Justin Schneir of California, GivingCart executive director, got the idea for GivingCart while working on a fundraiser for a pro-life group and realizing the organization spent more time raising funds than doing ministry.

Olsen and Schneir are friends who have an "entrepreneurial streak," Olsen said. They work with Ben Dunlap of California who deals with GivingCart's technology.

GivingCart is owned and operated by GivingCart Foundation, a joint project of Olsen, Schneir and Dunlap who want their work to help change the world for their fellow Catholics and the Roman Catholic Church. GivingCart Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity incorporated in the state of California.

The site, http://www.givingcart.com/, opened to the public in November.

In response to a sharp decrease in tithing and the coincidental emergence of e-commerce technology, GivingCart helps the Church thrive and grow in the modern world, its Web site notes, adding, "The potential for revenues generated by GivingCart is virtually unlimited."

As of Feb. 7, GivingCart had raised $4,500 for Catholic organizations. Checks are mailed to recipients quarterly.

"I like this site because it gives friends of [our school] the opportunity to buy what they need, and give to the school at the same time," said Jon P. Hughes, development director at Bishop Marshall School in Morrisville, Vermont. "I know several people who have expressed that they would like to support BJAMS more financially but their budgets are limited, so they buy some items online for the same price or less than they would pay traveling to Burlington, and they support Bishop Marshall (School) at the same time without impacting their own tight personal budgets. It's a win-win situation."

Other Web sites have a similar system of generating funds for charitable causes, but GivingCart is unique because all its beneficiaries are Catholic organizations, Olen said. "We're earning money from big, giant corporations and we put it in Catholic hands."

Some of the organizations listed as beneficiaries are umbrella organizations for Catholic groups such as a Newman Club, Olsen noted.

Asked why he and his friends launched GivingCart, he replied, "It's what God put on our hearts to do."

Hughes said he thinks "it's wonderful that a group of young people, in love with the Church and her mission, got together and created a site aimed at supporting Catholic charities across the country."

On a cold winter day, probably not much different than today, a young French girl named Bernadette made her way, with two young friends, to the edge of her village to gather some wood for kindling along the banks of…

I saw Michael the Archangel in the Garden of Gethsemane. It began to unfold in my mind like a movie reel as I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

It was one of the first times I'd ever prayed with the new CD…

Hot on the heels of being featured on the front page of the Christmas issue of the National Catholic Register, Holy Heroes is making news again with a new product package to be released for Lent. "We had tremendous response to…

What do you get when you combine the talents of the creators of the Catholic radio show Glory Stories, the producer of the motion picture Therese, a virtuoso pianist, and a handful of former Disney artists?  A great stocking stuffer…

Catholic families have developed Mission San Miguel, a new neighborhood in the beautiful eastside of Tallahassee, Florida. It has been built on former mission land. Three hundred years ago, it was the home to the Spanish Franciscan Friars and Apalachee…

The Ten Commandments tells the Biblical story of Moses from the Book of Exodus. It begins with Pharaoh issuing a decree to kill all of the baby Hebrew boys, including the infant Moses. Moses' family manages to hide him in a…

Winning-at-all-cost coaching, sports specialization and parent "sports rage" are just a few of the problems occurring within youth sports today. The Center for Ethical Education at the University of Notre Dame has developed a new approach. The Play Like A…

Steven Spielberg once said that part of the reason he tells stories in his films is to leave something behind for his children. Stories, which can bring tears one minute and a smile the next, become a thread connecting one…

Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City, CA is offering a Master Teacher Certificate in Media Literacy for catechists, youth ministers, clergy and spiritual directors.

The course starts Saturday, September 22, 2007 (and on the 3rd Saturday of each…

Until recently, construction was the main activity on Ave Maria University's permanent campus. In the past week, however, the focus has shifted: the first phase of construction is ending, and we're moving in! Student workers have replaced construction workers in…

About Saving Christian Marriage…

• "Our people should be reading this before they go to pre-Cana classes." — M.L., New York

• "Many thanks for your good work." — A.B., California

• "Essential reading for all Catholics." — E.R., Indiana

• "My husband is a marriage counselor…it will help…

About Saving Christian Marriage…

• "Our people should be reading this before they go to pre-Cana classes." — M.L., New York

• "Many thanks for your good work." — A.B., California

• "Essential reading for all Catholics." — E.R., Indiana

• "My husband is a marriage counselor…it will help…

You're waiting in your pew while the people in front of you are lining up for Communion. It will probably be one, maybe two minutes before your pew starts moving. What do you do?

We have a good idea of what…

"God respects man's decision to ask Him to leave the stage of life and as He leaves the podium, Satan takes over the puppet show that is left."

Isn't that the truth? Dr. Reginald Gallop, who wrote the chapter, "Children, the…

Feminists for Life is conducting a nationwide search for a few feminists who share our passion for women-centered solutions and are able to convey FFL's "Women Deserve Better"® message and solutions to various audiences, primarily collegians — pro-life and pro-choice.

We…

Come and learn, pray, make friends and have fun! In addition to the Summer Youth Program in New Hampshire, Magdalen College is now hosting a two-week Summer Youth Program at Durward's Glen in Baraboo, Wisconsin. The dates are from July…

Catholic Men's Quarterly, a one-of-a-kind magazine for Catholic men, is celebrating the completion of its third year by offering a free autographed kid's book to anyone who subscribes to the magazine online at HouseOnTheMoor.com between now and Father's Day. "This is…

Professor Michael Barber, the John Paul the Great Catholic University Professor of Theology, Scripture and Catholic Thought, will be teaching a Bible study on the Gospel of Matthew. The 6-week-long lecture series, which begins May 8 in Covina, CA, and May…

Ave Maria will offer three summer programs, two at our campus in Naples, Florida and one in Rome Italy.

From Friday, June 1 through Friday, June 15, 2007 Ave Maria will sponsor a summer program in Rome open to rising high…

Catholic Exchange (CE) seeks an experienced fundraising professional to manage major gift fundraising, including large private donations, foundations and grants.

Catholic Exchange
PO Box 231820
Encinitas, CA 92023

POSITION TITLE:  Director of Development
REPORTS TO:  Vice President
STAFFING SUPPORT:  Access to two Full-Time staffers
SALARY:  Negotiable, based on…

Catholic Exchange (CE) seeks an experienced fundraising professional to manage major gift fundraising, including large private donations, foundations and grants.

Catholic Exchange
PO Box 231820
Encinitas, CA 92023

POSITION TITLE:  Director of Development
REPORTS TO:  Vice President
STAFFING SUPPORT:  Access to two Full-Time staffers
SALARY:  Negotiable, based on…

"Faith is given to us so that we may communicate it" (Monsignor Luigi Giussani).

On Good Friday, April 6, 2007, the city streets of San Francisco will become the Via Dolorosa of Jerusalem, as the traditional Way of the Cross processes from Coit…

"I'm a good husband — I love my wife and family. But I find myself thinking about other women, regularly. I know better — I'm not questioning whether this is right. Oh, I have all the Scriptures down, but Scriptures…

There is a certain poetic beauty and fruitfulness that are brought about by the interplay of the old and the new. The new greets the old and somehow the old becomes new again in time.

The students at Ave Maria University…

In a letter to artists in 1999, Pope John Paul II said, "In order to communicate the message entrusted to Her by Christ, the Church needs art…Art has a unique capacity to take one or other facet of the message…

As this year's Colloquium Director, it is my pleasure to announce an exciting development. In addition to lectures, seminars, and cultural activities, the H.Lyman Stebbins Colloquium [at Magdalen College] has inaugurated a four-year, revolving cycle of readings, events, and excursions…

If you are looking for one-stop shopping for the Catholic men on your list this Christmas season, visit www.houseonthemoor.com for great reading material.

Dad will love Catholic Men's Quarterly, a 48-page print magazine featuring outstanding articles on a wide variety of topics.

Does…

Overview:

Human Life International seeks a highly organized and motivated contract Grant Writer to oversee all aspects of researching, identifying, soliciting, and stewardship of foundations supporting HLI's mission. Responsibilities include proposal writing for new and recurring grants, prospect research, and coordination…

Scripture and the Church speak eloquently about how a greater good can come from every trial and suffering that we face. The bigger the trial, the bigger the blessing that's just around the corner.¹

So, from a Catholic perspective, what good…

Whether it is television, movies, Internet or music, people today are surrounded by negative messages, messages of hopelessness and darkness. But one group of musicians is working to do their part to change that.

"32 of today's Catholic artists illuminating the…

The Nativity Story chronicles the arduous journey of two people, Mary and Joseph, a miraculous pregnancy, and the history-defining birth of Jesus. This dramatic and compelling story comes to life in a major motion picture starring Academy Award® nominee Keisha Castle-Hughes…