Catholics Come Home In the News

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CCH Recommends…

An oldie but goodie! Even if you have already read Rome Sweet Home by Dr. Scott and Kimberly Hahn, it is certainly worth another read…or…perhaps you can think of someone in your life who could greatly benefit from reading their powerful conversion stories. Either way, this book is a must-have on your bookshelf!

Rome Sweet HomeRome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism

By Scott Hahn, Kimberly Hahn

“The well-known and very popular Catholic couple, Scott and Kimberly Hahn, have been constantly travelling and speaking all over North America for the last few years about their conversion to the Catholic Church. Now these two outstanding Catholic apologists tell in their own words about the incredible spiritual journey that led them to embrace Catholicism. Scott Hahn was a Presbyterian minister, the top student in his seminary class, a brilliant Scripture scholar, and militantly anti-Catholic … until he reluctantly began to discover that his “enemy” had all the right answers. Kimberly, also a top-notch theology student in the seminary, is the daughter of a well-known Protestant minister, and went through a tremendous “dark night of the soul” after Scott converted to Catholicism…”
Find this book and more great Catholic books on CatholicsComeHome.org!

Steubenville's "Defending the Faith" Conference – Tom Peterson's Talk Now Available Online

Tom PetersonCatholicsComeHome.org founder and president, Tom Peterson, was honored to be included among the presenters at the 2010 “Defending the Faith” Conference in Steubenville, OH:

Tom Peterson’s talk, “Love Someone to Heaven: Today’s Need for Authentic Catholic Heroes” is now available at the online Franciscan University Book Store.

About the Conference:

Defending the Faith
Be Transformed By the Renewal of Your Mind

“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2

“When friends and colleagues find out we’re Catholic and ask us, ‘Do you really believe all that?’ and we respond, ‘Yes, I do,’ a new moment begins,” said Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia.  “Our yes inherits all the grace of every yes uttered throughout salvation history.  Our ‘yes’ is an echo of the fidelity of faithful men and women in every time and place.”

Nearly 1300 conferees packed Finnegan Fieldhouse at Franciscan University of Steubenville’s 20th annual Defending the Faith Conference “Be Transformed By the Renewal of Your Mind,” July 30-August 1.

Co-hosted by Franciscan University theology professors Dr. Alan Schreck, founder of the conference, and Dr. Scott Hahn, founder of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and serves as a member of the CatholicsComeHome.org Theological Advisory Board, the conference attracted people from 39 states and 8 foreign countries, including India, South Africa, and Portugal. Participants were drawn by a unique opportunity to sit at the feet of some of the greatest apologists laboring in the world today.

Speakers were clear eyed about the challenges facing the Church.

“We simply cannot confine ourselves to strategies of neutrality,” said Cardinal Rigali, who opened the conference with a keynote address titled “His Name Is Jesus. “The skepticism of today arises out of a lost sense of meaning.  Our friends and family are told the undeniable yearning in the human heart is only a superficial emotional affect.”
read entire article

Many Catholics “don’t know what they don’t know” regarding their Catholic faith.  Visit the CatholicsComeHome.org website and explore the most common misunderstood Church teachings and questions about the faith.

And remember to:  “keep the faith….but not to yourself!”


CCH Featured Apologetics Question

Why do Catholics confess their sins to a priest, rather than going directly to God?

reconciliationFind out the answer to this question here.

Also, check out the great articles on Confession, the priesthood, and more on CatholicsComeHome.org!

“Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin. All hope consists in confession. In confession there is a chance for mercy. Believe it firmly. Do not doubt, do not hesitate, never despair of the mercy of God. Hope and have confidence in confession.” -St. Isidore of Seville


Happy Feast of St. Matthew!

caravaggio-call-st-matthew

Today is the Feast of St. Matthew, tax collector turned apostle of Christ. In his Gospel, we read: “…’Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard it, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but the sick.'” (Matthew 9:11-12)

Read more about St. Matthew and the Gospel of Matthew here: Roman Catholic Saints–St. Matthew and Catholic Answers New Testament Guide: Matthew.

St. Matthew, pray for us, that we may have the courage to answer God’s call, leave all behind, and follow Him!


CCH Radio Commercials Inspire Sarah from Missouri…

We received the wonderful message below from Sarah in Missouri.  Hope her words inspire your Monday as much as they have inspired our CCH team at the start of our work week!:

Ecards“Hi! I frequently hear the CCH commercials on our local Catholic radio station.  I tear up each time I hear them – even if it’s one I’ve heard several times before!  I grew up a cradle Catholic and ‘reverted’ when I was in High School about 10 years ago.  There is something so fantastic about being a part of something bigger than myself; the Catholic Church. Your commercials encourage me and remind me of that!  Thank you for showing the world the beauty of the Church! God Bless You! -Sarah”

Visit CatholicsComeHome.org each day to enrich your day and grow in your faith!


Words of Wisdom from St. Cyprian c/o CatholicsComeHome.org

confession
Today the Church Celebrates the feast day of Saint Cyprian.  May these words of his inspire you when approaching the Sacrament of Reconciliation:

St Cyprian of Carthage“To him who still remains in this world, no repentance is too late.  The approach to God’s mercy is open.”
-St. Cyprian

Are you a little “rusty” and in need of some information on how to make a good confession? Have you ever wondered why as Catholics we go to a priest for confession?  Visit the CatholicsComeHome.org website to grow in a deeper understanding and enthusiasm for the beautiful Sacrament of Reconciliation.

St. Cyprian, Pray for Us!


Could your child use a $23,000 scholarship from Belmont Abbey College? If so, act now.

“That’s right. There’s some serious ‘money on the table’ right now for college-bound Catholic kids who apply early for the Belmont Abbey College ‘Hintemeyer Cgot-scholarshipsatholic Leadership Program.’ The scholarship amount is normally $17,000, but if you apply before October 20, 2010, under the college’s “early decision” program, you may be eligible to receive an additional $3000 in scholarship money if selected for the program. So, click here to apply today and start the ball rolling. You don’t want to miss out on this big of a possible financial break for your child’s college expenses, now do you?…” Read more on Patrick Madrid’s blog.


Share the faith and the CCH website with evangelization cards!

Order a pack of evangelization cards today!

CatholicsComeHome.org Evangelization cards are designed for you to share with those you want to encourage to visit and benefit from the CatholicsComeHome.org website and advertisements. The cards are designed to easily be carried along in your wallet, and also work great to hand out to church groups, friends, coworkers, and family. Cards are designed with a blank reverse side for any contact information of your own you might want to write when you are sharing the card with another.

A few months ago, Tom Peterson helped invite a flight attendant back to Church using one of the evangelizationEvangelization Cards cards… “Prior to landing,” Tom said, “I felt led to take out one of our CatholicsComeHome.org evangelization cards. On the back of the card, I wrote, ‘The hope you are seeking can be found only in Jesus and His Church.’ I signed my name…and handed her the CCH evangelization card and note, asking her to read it when she got home. Thanks to God’s abundant grace,…our office received a wonderful letter from that flight attendant!  She went on to say that she desperately needed that Catholics Come Home card and hopeful note on the back…”

Help support the mission of Catholics Come Home and the work of evangelization with a pack of 50 evangelization cards from CatholicsComeHome.org.


Catholic New World Newspaper for the Archdiocese of Chicago reports 'Catholics Come Home, Round Two'

Following the success of their original CatholicsComeHome.org Diocesan Partner Initiative a year ago in Advent 2009, the Archdiocese of Chicago is partnering with CCH once more to air a second round of commercials this Advent 2010.  The Catholic New World reports below:

CatholicNewWorld

August 15, 2010

Catholics Come Home, round two

By Joyce Duriga

EDITOR

There’s a way of life where simplicity brings joy, and humility leads to happiness. Where we learn that less is more and in giving we receive.” So begins the new 60-second television commercial “Home” that will lead the archdiocese’s second Catholics Come Home initiative, which is expected to run in late Advent through the Christmas season.

This second round of Catholics Come Home will be a semi-scaled down version from last year, said Nancy Polacek of the Office for Evangelization.

“This one is more about living your faith. It’s much more personal,” said Polacek.

The new 60-second commercial, produced by Catholics Come Home Inc., an independent, non-profit based in Georgia, will run in English, Spanish and Polish and will be supplemented with commercials from last year, which will be edited to include footage of the Catholic Church in Chicago.

Last year the commercials ran every day for 5 1/2 weeks but this year they will be targeted toward best viewing times in the Chicago area.

The dioceses of Joliet and Rockford joined in the last Catholics Come Home initiative. At press time, talks were ongoing with those dioceses about participation this year.

New this year will be a multi-media component with YouTube videos and social networking. Support for Hispanic Catholics also will be strengthened.
click to read entire article

Visit CatholicsComeHome.org each day to grow in your faith and knowledge of Christ’s Catholic Church


CCH Recommends…

Looking for some inspirational, encouraging videos and stories about the Catholic faith? Check out this growing website, OneBillionStories.com. Videos are added every day to help spread the world’s “one billion Catholic stories.”

“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you…” (1 Peter 3:15).


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