Via CBS News: TONAWANDA, N.Y. – For Kim Vaillancourt, pregnant while staving off aggressive brain cancer, it comes down to this: “The baby saved me. Now it’s my turn to save him.” Vaillancourt was diagnosed with glioblastoma after going to the hospital for headaches and nausea that came on over Christmas. Were it not for concern for the boy she’s carrying, she and her husband, Phil, said it was a life-saving trip she would not have made. They believe the... Read more
Pope Francis posted this message on Twitter today. I have no idea if it has anything to do with us, but we at The Christophers applaud the statement. RELATED: About The Christophers Stay in touch! Like The Christophers on Facebook: The Christophers Read more
One of the people I had the opportunity to meet during my days producing the TV version of our “Christopher Closeup” show (circa 2006) was baseball broadcasting legend Joe Garagiola, who passed away today at age 90. What I observed was that Garagiola was a down-to-earth, gregarious, friendly man who was happy to chat with every crew member who approached him. He conveyed a genuine joy of life. I was also familiar with an interview he had done with our... Read more
Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection – the event that makes our redemption possible and allows us to rejoice in the fact that we will be able to reunite with our family and friends some day in heaven. That’s a powerful and comforting thought for anyone who’s lost a loved one—and who among us doesn’t fit into that category? Jay Fagnano and his wife Mary sure do. And they’ve experienced the most devastating loss possible: the death of a... Read more
Last night, Fox aired “The Passion: Live,” a re-enactment of the story of Jesus’s final days, death and resurrection told in modern-day New Orleans with pop stars and songs that reflect what was going on in the minds and hearts of the participants at the time. No doubt, this approach will not appeal to all, especially those who prefer their biblical productions more authentic and traditional. (I enjoy those, too. My go-to is the 6-hour “Jesus of Nazareth” starring Robert... Read more
(Photo property of Fox/AmericanIdol.com) On last night’s “American Idol,” viewers got to see videos featuring the contestants’ supporters from their hometowns. Top five finalist MacKenzie Bourg, age 23, was shown to be a graduate of St. Cecilia Catholic School in Broussard, Louisiana – and and St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette, Louisiana. It was also revealed that Bourg almost died several years ago due to a virus that caused him to go into heart failure. That may be... Read more
Network television has found success in recent years by airing live musicals such as “The Sound of Music” and “Grease.” And at the box office, faith-based films like “Heaven Is For Real” and “War Room” have won over large audiences looking for affirmation of their religious beliefs. This Sunday – Palm Sunday – the genres of TV musical and faith-based entertainment will be combined in the live production of “The Passion.” Unlike some TV Jesus coverage around Christian holidays, this... Read more
The movie “Spotlight,” about the Boston Globe’s investigation into the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, has received rave reviews in general and a Best Picture win at the Academy Awards. But one of the people not happy with his depiction in the film was Jack Dunn, who is on the Board of Trustees of Boston College High School. His reason is that the “Spotlight” script put damning words in his mouth that were the opposite of his actual... Read more
(Photo property of Sony Pictures) The movie “Miracles From Heaven” starring Jennifer Garner opens today. As the official synopsis states, “it’s based on the incredible true story of the Beam Family. When Christy Beam (Jennifer Garner) discovers her 10-year-old daughter Annabel (Kylie Rogers) has a rare, incurable disease, she becomes a ferocious advocate for her daughter’s healing as she searches for a solution…After Anna has a freak accident, an extraordinary miracle unfolds in the wake of her dramatic rescue that... Read more
(The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Guilt – and What to Do About It” (which was written by a freelancer). If you’d like a pdf or hard copy, see the end of this post.) In the words of humorist Erma Bombeck, “Guilt is the gift that keeps on giving.” And although guilt is often viewed as a primary pre-occupation for people of faith — with jokes about Catholic, Baptist, and Jewish guilt abounding — guilt is... Read more
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