NEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2015 – The Christophers are once again offering high school and college students the opportunity to win cash prizes in their annual contests for young people. The Christophers’ annual Poster Contest for High School Students invites young people in grades 9 through 12 to interpret the theme “You can make a difference.” In a similar vein, the annual Video Contest for College Students asks students to create a film or video (five minutes or less in... Read more
The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Building a Relationship with Jesus” (which was written by a freelancer). If you’d like a pdf or hard copy, see the end of this post: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” You’ve likely seen this famous Bible quote from John 3:16, but to explore its depth, let’s personalize the... Read more
Scott Weeman started drinking as part of a social routine. Ironically, that routine drove him to a life of isolation because it developed into drug and alcohol addiction. Now, he has started a website and ministry called CatholicInRecovery.com to help others going through similar struggles. During an interview on “Christopher Closeup,” Weeman explained that, in the beginning, drinking offered him a release from the stresses of everyday life and the pressure he put on himself to succeed. After moving from... Read more
(Photo property of ABC News) Last week, 18-year-old freshman Anastasia Boylan was shot by the deranged murderer (whose name I will not use) at Oregon’s Umpqua Community College, but survived to tell her tale by playing dead. ABC News got an exclusive interview with Boylan, who is now recovering. “Last thing I remembered praying was that my family and my loved ones and that the family and loved ones of my peers would somehow know that we’re all OK,” she... Read more
(Photo property of Parade magazine) In this week’s issue of “Parade” magazine, actor Hugh Jackman offers a variety of fascinating insights about his life while promoting his latest movie, “Pan.” He discusses his mother leaving his family when he was eight, the Wolverine-type anger that produced inside him, the peace that acting provides, and why he’s sensitive to the cause of adoption as both the sibling of – and parent of – adopted children. Jackman also discusses his religious faith:... Read more
(All images property of the Society of the Little Flower) 2014 was a dark and difficult year for Father Bob Colaresi, O. Carm., Director of the Society of the Little Flower which honors the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux. In the Society’s newsletter “Between Friends,” he explained, “I had many losses, deaths, disappointments, and surprising challenges…I found myself doubting. Doubting God. Doubting myself. Doubting others. It felt like an eternal winter – my soul was cold and hardened. I... Read more
(Photo property of WCBS TV) When Pope Francis arrived at Kennedy Airport last week, 12-year-old Julia Bruzzese of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, waited on the tarmac with many other spectators, hoping to get a blessing from the beloved pontiff. Actually, Julie was hoping for a miracle because doctors couldn’t determine the cause of her paralysis and therefore couldn’t provide any treatment. They suspected it might be Lyme disease, but there was no actual evidence to confirm their suspicion. As I said in... Read more
Ninety-two-year-old Millie Martin is confined to her bed due to congestive heart failure, but her mind is still sharp so she spends the time praying for her family, especially the new great-granddaughter her son Scott was expecting with his wife Jennifer. That granddaughter, named Penelope, was born recently and, at two days old, was introduced to Millie. Scott took a picture of that first encounter with great-grandmother and baby just contemplating each other for a few minutes. He then posted... Read more
(Photo courtesy of The Tablet) Before the euphoria fades from the visit of the People’s Pope to the United States, I’d like to suggest some new nicknames for Francis based on what I observed while he was here. 1. The Confounding Pope. Following his speech to Congress, some conservatives took to social media to criticize Pope Francis for not condemning abortion more explicitly. Planned Parenthood, on the other hand, denounced Pope Francis for condemning abortion TOO explicitly. The irony would... Read more
(Photo property of ABC News) There was a lot of hand-wringing by conservatives on social media yesterday because they feel Pope Francis delivered a speech to Congress that sided more with Democratic issues than Republican ones. Democrats, on the other hand, were crowing that the Pope is on their side. In reality, the despair of conservatives and jubilation of liberals is both unseemly and kind of wrong because the Pope included plenty of conservative – or at least neutral –... Read more
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