Catholics Come Home, an
organization based in the Atlanta suburb of Roswell, will premiere a new
TV series that features individuals who have joined the Catholic Church
or returned to the Catholic faith after many years away. The "Catholics
Come Home" series, which was filmed in more than a dozen locations in
the U.S. and Canada, will debut Sept. 4 at 10 p.m. Eastern time on the
Eternal Word Television Network. The series consists of 13 30-minute
episodes, each featuring an interview with someone who recently returned
to the church as a result of a Catholics Come Home campaign and in
response to "the call of the Holy Spirit," said a news release on the
series. Catholics Come Home, whose founder and president is Tom
Peterson, has worked with dozens of U.S. dioceses on TV ad campaigns,
especially at Lent and Christmas, to invite inactive Catholics to get
more involved in the church, fallen-away Catholics to return to the
church and non-Catholics to join the church. In the series, Peterson
interviews a variety of guests, including former atheists, agnostics,
Protestants and fallen-away Catholics. Each of the half-hour episodes
also will include segments on the Catholic Church's new evangelization,
which encourages Catholics to renew their faith and be willing to share
it. Episodes will air every Thursday night at 10 p.m. Eastern time, with
additional airings on Sundays at 6 p.m. Eastern time. More information
on the show can be found at www.catholicscomehome.org. The EWTN website,
www.ewtn.com, has scheduling information.
I am just beginning to dive into the beautiful, ancient devotion to the Five Wounds of Jesus, and I wanted to share a bit of the journey with you. It can feel a little overwhelming at first to look at the Crucifix this closely, but I’ve found such a gentle guide in St. Bernard of Clairvaux . In his Jubilee Rhythm on the Passion, Bernard doesn't treat the wounds of Jesus as distant historical facts or sights to be avoided. Instead, he approaches them with the tenderness of a friend, speaking directly to the feet, hands, side, and face of our Lord. For someone like me who is just starting out, his rhythm teaches that prayer isn't just about reciting words; it’s a holy hide-and-seek. Bernard invites us to literally hide ourselves within these wounds, seeing them as clefts in the rock where we can find shelter when our own lives feel turbulent or heavy. As I start this process, I’ve been practicing what I call gazing and greeting. Following Bernard’s lead, I look at the Crucifix an...