The following letter was sent to The Christophers by Jeff Daws in response to a request for stories that could be used for our “Leadership in Mercy” initiative: My wife had a medical conference in Philadelphia in February, 2015. I tagged along with her and while she was attending the conference one day, I was walking around the area, taking in the sights, etc.. It was a bitterly cold day, one where the wind (which was blowing hard at times)... Read more
I interviewed John Schlimm one year ago about his memoir “Five Years in Heaven.” It was inspired by his friendship with an 87-year-old nun named Sister Augustine and the ways in which she changed his life. Since that time, The Christophers have honored the book with a Christopher Award; “Five Years in Heaven” has just been released in paperback (with the Christopher Award medallion on the cover); and John has heard from people around the world about the positive effects... Read more
(Photo via VisualHunt.com) NEW YORK, April 28th, 2016 – Today, The Christophers announced the winners of their 28th Annual Video Contest for College Students in which entrants were asked to create a film or video that communicates the belief that one person can make a difference. Jake Spivack, a freshman at Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, won the top prize of $2,000 for his piece entitled “Embracing Psychological Differences.” The video begins with a group of... Read more
Garan Santicola, a freelance writer for The Christophers, recently penned an article for the website narrative.ly about how lacrosse programs in Albany, New York, are attracting a roster of tweens and teens from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds. Among them are Native American brothers Lyle and Miles Thompson (appropriate since lacrosse is originally a Native American sport) and Mike Banks, “one of the relatively small number of African Americans to ever play Division I college lacrosse.” For Banks (pictured above),... Read more
NEW YORK, April 20, 2016 — At the 67th annual Christopher Awards ceremony here on Thursday May 19th, Emmy Award-winning broadcaster Ernie Anastos will receive the Christopher Life Achievement Award, while the family-friendly Hallmark Channel series “When Calls the Heart” will be honored with the Christopher Spirit Award. The Christopher Life Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose personal and professional contributions to making the world a better place have left an indelible mark on our culture. Previous winners include jazz legend... Read more
“Love doesn’t die.” That’s a quote from a letter we received at Christopher headquarters recently from a woman named Jean, and the story she told is one I’d like to share with you. Jean is a longtime supporter of The Christophers, who found inspiration in our Christopher News Notes. She often quoted them in letters she would write to the sick members of her parish in order to lift their spirits. Today, Jean is living in a retirement facility herself,... Read more
(The following is the text of the Christopher News Note “Choose Hope…Share Hope” (which was written by a freelancer). If you’d like a pdf or hard copy, see the end of this post.) “I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” —Jeremiah 29:11 Hope. That one small word can evoke so much emotion, so much power. Yet in our darkest moments it... Read more
(Artwork/Photo property of Fox) On last night’s series finale of “American Idol” (yes, it pains me to write that), a lot of Idol alums returned to sing and pay tribute to the show that gave them a leg up in their music careers. There were some outstanding performances, including the country segment featuring Season 10 winner Scotty McCreery and runner up Lauren Alaina. The segment introduced by Harry Connick Jr., focusing on the importance of lyrics and melodies in popular... Read more
(Photo property of Fox) If God were a regular TV watcher, I suspect “American Idol” would qualify as one of His favorite shows (or at least make it onto His DVR). That’s because since it debuted in 2002, “American Idol” has featured many contestants who come from a background of singing in church, either as a member of the congregation or part of the choir. That doesn’t mean these contestants necessarily sang Christian songs on the show, but they often... Read more
67TH ANNUAL CHRISTOPHER AWARD WINNERS HIGHLIGHT FAMILY, FAITH, COMMUNITY, AND SOCIAL ISSUES NEW YORK, March 30, 2016 — Country music icon Dolly Parton, silver screen legend Sylvester Stallone, and popular comedian Jim Gaffigan are just a few of the creative forces behind the 21 feature films, TV/Cable programs, and books for adults and young people that will be honored at the 67th annual Christopher Awards, to be presented in New York City on May 19th, 2016. The Christopher Awards were... Read more
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