A Pilgrim Guide to Educational Media & Media Literacy
Don't believe everything you hear. One day you may discover ... THEY LIED TO US!
with Rick Stanley -- Elvis Presley's step brother!
In our search for answers to questions about values, relationships and spirituality, are we listening more to what society says than what God says?
We want to fit in. We want to be happy. Society tells us how we should look, what we should do, and where we should go to have it all. But does society really know?
This emotional and moving video poignantly explores the lives of several young people, including Rick Stanley, younger brother to Elvis Presley, who bought the lies purveyed on television, movies, music and in print... and suffered the consequences.
This 45 minute (NTSC) video ($19.95) provides a direct and honest approach for young people, showing them how they can distinquish between the world's lies and God's truth.
Gospel Films, Inc.
Box 455
Muskegon, MI. 49443-0455
1-(800)-253-0413
www.gospelcom.net
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Discover the Message in the Music in this fast-paced 70 minute presentation from 15 of today's best contemporary Christian artists. From Pop to Alternative, these videos reflect the diversity which is Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). A feast for soul and eyes!
The Chordant Distribution Group
P.O. Box 5084
Brentwood, TN 37027
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Our national anthem, the "Star Spangled Banner", was originally a British drinking tune until Francis Scott Keyes raised it to a nobler function by tying the melody to new lyrics. Not surprisingly, for some in the early Church, music was often associated with pagan, orgiastic rites. The Deacon Ephraem the Syrian (Doctor of the Church -- "The Harp of the Holy Ghost"--Feast Jan 28th in the West) in the third century A.D. (died 373 A.D. at Edessa) recognized the importance of secular tunes, however, in communicating the theological concepts of his day. He adapted the lyrics and thereby transformed popular songs into teaching tools. Ever since that time, the Church has appreciated the influence and importance of secular music in either promoting or pulling down the culture of the day. Ironically, as you know, in the past couple of years, the contemporary world has "re-discovered" Gregorian Chant and even the Holy Father has hit the top of the recording lists with his recitations of the rosary, etc.!
Similarly, in a recent segment of the TV series, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" Mr. Robin Leech highlighted the career of John Michael Talbot who went from being a "hippy" rock star of the '60s to the founder of a unique Franciscan community and a popular Christian recording artist of the 1990's!
[Theodoret testifies (Hist. eccl. 4.29.3) that Ephraem's hymns 'lent luster to the Christian assemblies and Sozomen reports (Hist. eccl. 3.16.7) that the Christians sang them to the music of Hormonius, son of Bardesanes] New Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 464 (EAD-FOY)
"Lay me not with sweet spices, For this honor avails me not,
Nor yet use incense and perfumes, For this honour benefits me not.
Burn ye the incense in the holy place;
As for me, escort me only with your prayers.
Give ye your incense to God, And over me send up hymns.
Instead of perfumes and spices
Be mindful of me in your intercessions...
The decree has gone forth that I can tarry no longer.
Give me as provisions for my journey,
Your prayers, your psalms and your sacrifices.
When the number of thirty days is complete
Then, O my brothers, make remembrance of me,
For the dead truly derive succor
From the sacrifices offered up by the living."
taken from the Testament of St. Ephraem
quoted in Butler's Lives of the Saints p. 577
Christus Rex et Redemptor Mundi has put together a magnificent collection of art works from the Vatican including "Vatican City", "Raphael", "Vatican Exhibit: Rome Reborn", "Vatican Library Exhibit", "Vatican Museums", and "Splendors of Christendom" which is a worldwide tour of churches. Don't miss it!
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If you feel you have artistic talents, contact:
United Catholic Artists
P.O. Box 2436
Hendersonville, TN. 27077
(617)-822-4937
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IHS Records/ICON Media
In the same neighborhood, just south of Nashville--the home of country music--a new form of music called "Modern Catholic Music" is being born which encompasses a variety of sounds--from pop, rock and soul, to instrumental and music for children. "ICON Media Group, Inc." was founded by Catholics Tom Ehar, Herb Busi and Todd Sylvester to popularize this new style. ICON Media is the distribution arm of its sister label, IHS Records. ICON Media's premier release is "Blessed and Broken," a compilation of 10 Modern Catholic Music songs performed by IHS artists. In addition, IHS recordings has signed up musical evangelists like Tom Ehart, Patsy Kelly, and Lou Napoli. Interested listeners can sample the music, free, by calling the ICON Media information line at (800)-840-4822. The toll-free number plays a three-to-four minute recording of current releases.
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GIA has just released Catholic Classics, a collection of the best-loved hymns of the American Church. Presented in a two-volume set, Volume I features favorites such as "Blest Are They," "Eat This Bread" and "We Remember." Also present are such well-known hymns as "On Eagle's Wings," "How Great Thou Art" and "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace," among others.
Equally as popular are the songs on Volume 2 which include "To Jesus Christ, Our Sovereign King," "Be Not Afraid," "Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones," "You Satisfy the Hungry Heart" and the always standard "Amazing Grace." Each volume is sold separately at Catholic bookstores or by calling GIA at (800)-GIA-1358.
They list for $15.95 on compact disc and $9.95 on cassette.
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For an extensive listing of liturgical music, contact;
World Library Publications (WLP)
A Division of J.S. Paluch Co., Inc.
3825 N. Willow Road
Schiller Park, IL. 60176-0703
(1-800-566-6150)
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Gloriae Dei Cantores (Singers to the Glory of God) is a 44-voice American choir whose members range in age from 19 to 65. The choir is dedicated to bringing the best professional standard to quality choral literature from Gregorian chant to 20th century compositions. Their repertory includes American, British, European and Russian master composers. They have performed for audiences in North America, Eastern and Western Europe, and the former U.S.S.R. with critical acclaim.
Mechanics Hall -- Worcester, MA.
"The showpiece of a city were the arts thrive." That is how this handsomely restored 19th century hall was described by Horizon Magazine. It was built before the Civil War by a group of artisans and tradesmen and was for many years the favored place where people of the city gathered to hear authors -- Henry David Thoreau, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain; politicians like Teddy Roosevelt; and world-class musicians -- Enrico Caruso, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, Antonin Dvorak, and Artur Rubinstein.
The Hall, built in 1857, is now regarded as one of the world's finest concert halls. Its most outstanding assets are impeccable accoustics, a very friendly ambience, an architectural design that is a work of art in itself, and the Great Organ. Built by the Hook brothers in 1864, this mechanical (tracker) instrument of 52 stops is considered the oldest unaltered four keyboard organ in the Western Hemisphere. At the time of its building, it was also the second largest pipe organ in the United States.
"Be Glad Then America" -- a collection of liturgical pieces can be obained from;
Paraclete Press Orleans, MA. USA 02653
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and "Visions of Gregorian Chants" which are available from:
Oblate Media & Communications Corp.
1944 Innerbelt Business Center Drive
St. Louis, MO. 63114-5718 or telephone:
(1-800-233-4629)
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"Christianity.Net" which is found in the "links" below has a database of 1500 resources which includes hundreds of references to music, artists, broadcasters, and record labels. "Christian Resources--Music" also has a rich list of sources.
Other resources, listing mostly secular music collections on the internet is:
Berry, Colin. A Pocket Tour of Music on the Internet. (Sybex Books; Alameda, CA.), 1995. (ISBN 0-7821-1695-7) and
Gurley, Ted M. and W. T. Pfefferie. Plug In: The Guide to Music on the Net. (Prentice-Hall; Upper Saddle River, N.J.), 1996. (ISBN 0-13-241050-8)
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Sigrid Undset, the Nobel laureate, and Flannery O'Conner are among the outstanding Catholic writers/poets of this century. The latest to be recognized as worthy of this illustrious company is Seamus Heaney who was cited "for works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past." The WWW "links" below allow you to learn more about his background, the Nobel Foundation, and even to hear the audio file of the poet reciting his famous work, "From Lightnings" -- a portion of which is quoted below:
"The annals say: when the monks of Clonmacnoise
Were all at prayers inside the oratory
A ship appeared above them in the air.
The anchor dragged along behind so deep
It hooked itself into the altar rails
And then, as the big hull rocked to a standstill,
A crewman shinned and grappled down the rope
And struggled to release it, But in vain.
'This man can't bear our life here and will drown,'
The abbot said, 'unless we help him.' So
They did, the freed ship sailed, and the man climbed back
Out of the marvelous as he had known it."
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John Michael Talbot was recognized in 1986 as one
of only nine recording artists to ever receive the
President's Merit Award by the National Academy
of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) for his
"special efforts and contributions in supporting those
programs that work toward the elimination of
starvation and suffering in our world." Others
recognized by NARAS include Kenny Rogers, John
Denver, Bob Geldorf, John Cougar Mellencamp,
Willie Nelson, Kenny Kragen and Harry Belafonte.
In 1988, John Michael was honored with Mercy
Corps International's "Humanitarian of the Year
Award", and at the ceremony received letters of
commendation from George Bush, Ronald Reagan,
Billy Graham, Jimmy Carter, Cardinal Bernard Law,
Pat Boone and many other noted leaders and
celebrities. For nearly a decade John Michael has
been an Honorary Co-Chairman of Mercy Corps
along with entertainer Pat Boone.
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Sister Wendy Beckett is a British TV star and best selling author. On January 26,
1997 she was the focus of a feature article in the New York Times Magazine written by
Mr. Marshall Sella. This is only one of several news articles highlighting her work.
After 50 years in the Sisters of Notre Dame Sr. Wendy has discovered a ‘vocation
within a vocation’ in the art world. Amazingly, her two major TV series, 'Sister Wendy’s
Odyssey' and 'Sister Wendy’s Grand Tour' have attracted a 25% share of the British
viewing audience becoming the most popular BBC cultural event since Kenneth Clark’s
'Civilization' series in the late 1960’s.
In addition, she recently published her 15th book, 'The Mystery of Love' (Harper
Collins), which is a survey of saints in art and her 10- part series, 'The Story of Painting,'
is scheduled to debut on America’s PBS stations this fall.
No wonder Sr. Wendy has become an international celebrity, meeting with Prime
Minister John Major and other well-known figures. None the less, she insists on attending
daily Mass even while taping video segments and was even invited to attend a private
Mass with the Pope at the Vatican where he commended her for presenting a positive
image of the Catholic church on television.
[c.f. ‘You Have a Cold Heart Degas’ by Marshall Sella in The New York Times Magazine
-- January 26, 1997 pp. 22-25]
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They are: rock gospel album, Jesus Freak, DC. Talk; pop/contemporary gospel album, Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch, various artists; Southern gospel, country gospel or bluegrass gospel album, I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns, Andy Griffith; traditional soul gospel album, Face to Face, Cissy Houston; contemporary soul gospel album, Whatcha Lookin' 4, Kirk Franklin and the Family, and gospel album by a choir or chorus, Just a Word, Shirley Caesar's Outreach Convention Choir.
[taken from GOSHEN: Religious News Today for 2/28/97]
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