I haven’t seen the film yet, but based on this great trailer, I can’t wait to pop a bowl of popcorn, gather my family and enjoy this together.

I hope you’ll view the trailer and please consider sharing it on your blogs, websites and with your social networking contacts.  We need to support and encourage programs like this if we hope to have more acceptable choices in the future for our families.  So tweet, share, and facebook this and ask your friends to do so as well!  Happy viewing!

A Walk In My Shoes – 2:33 TRLR from Moms4FamilyTV.com on Vimeo.

Here’s some additional information on “A Walk in My Shoes”:

“A Walk in My Shoes” makes viewers stop and think, “What would I learn if I stepped into someone else’s life?” Stressed-out high school teacher Trish Fahey (Nancy Travis, “Three Men and a Baby,” “Becker”) can’t understand her students’ lack of effort in the classroom and why their parents don’t seem to care. This is especially true of Justin Kremer (Cameron Deane Stewart), a popular, skateboard-loving, basketball star who is underperforming in her class. Trish has him suspended from the basketball team and quickly chalks up the situation as a case of bad parenting.

This perspective dramatically changes when Trish meets Molly (Yara Martinez, “My Own Worst Enemy”), a mysterious stranger intent on helping her see things differently. After a car accident, Trish wakes to find herself living the life of Cindy Kremer, the woman she has rashly judged and criticized. Molly helps Trishdiscover that there is more to the story and learns a powerful lesson that affects everyone she interacts with, including her husband, daughter and the Marine next door. No one is left unchanged.

“When I read the script for ‘A Walk in My Shoes’ I was instantly drawn to the character of Trish Fahey, because I think many of us have found ourselves in similar situations,” stated Nancy Travis. “It’s important to remember that today many families, especially those with members serving in the military, are balancing many pressures, so I was happy to work on a project that not only brought family-friendly programming to television, but addressed these life lessons.”

“A Walk in My Shoes” will take viewers on an inspirational journey, as they experience how families can come together in the face of adversity. The film’s main characters are forced to confront their pasts and learn valuable life lessons in an uplifting manner that families can enjoy together. This emotional story is an expansion into the dramatic genre for P&G and Walmart as the first two films, “Secrets of the Mountain” and “The Jensen Project” were family adventures.

Yara Martinez, best known for her work in CBS’s “The Unit,” plays the role of Molly. Philip Winchester, who starred as the title role of Robinson Crusoe in the NBC action series “Crusoe,” plays Jake, a Marine who lives next door to the Kremer family. The roles of Cindy and Justin Kremer are played by Jana Lee Hamblin and Cameron Deane Stewart, respectively.

“A Walk in My Shoes” will also feature a soundtrack produced by music mogul Randy Jackson that includes songs from artists such as Michael Johns, Judgment, and Walking In Space. The “A Walk in My Shoes” DVD and soundtrack will be sold together in a bonus pack exclusively at Walmart startingSaturday, Dec. 4. For more information visit www.awalkinmyshoes.com.

Cool It is a bold, new approach to looking at the environmental issue that everyone is talking about. The film explores real solutions to our world’s environmental concerns and considers the fact that saving the planet is really about saving its people.

For Catholics, its exactly what the Church’s social teaching is all about – stewardship of one another.   It looks at important issues such as poverty, world hunger, access to education, clean drinking water, as well as demonstrating how careful solutions to the climate change problems can save the planet.

The film comes out Nov 19th but there are a few special ADVANCE screenings and we have several free tickets available.

Click here for some sneak peeks, a chance to win in a sweepstakes, bible study and more:

http://reeltruths.com/cool-it/

To RSVP:

http://www.flypropeller.com/rsvp/

Please pass this along to others in your area who would be passionate about the role of stewardship to people and planet.

Roland Joffe, the director who brought us the highly acclaimed and deeply spiritual film The Mission has returned to his roots with the epic movie There Be Dragons, a powerful story of war, tragedy, love and redemption. Featured in the NY Times, the $35 million Dragons is rated PG-13 and planned for release in theaters worldwide in Spring, 2011. Set during the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War (early 1900s), Dragons tells the story of two childhood friends who become separated during the political conflict to find themselves on opposite sides as war erupts. One chooses the path of peace and becomes a priest while the other chooses the life of a soldier driven by jealousy and revenge. Each will struggle to find the power of forgiveness over the forces that tore their lives and friendship apart.

The film is based upon the life of St. Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei.  My online friend Marcel LeJeune recently wrote about his experience of seeing a sneak peek at the film on his blog here.  I am looking forward to seeing the film when it’s released.  The trailer below shows it to be action packed but also quite dramatic.  Learn more about the film at www.ThereBeDragonsMovie.com.

Video Link

While at a recent conference, I met Marlena Shell, the producer of the three part DVD series Little Steps through the Eyes of a Child. Marlena was kind enough to share the following information about the series:

Have you ever dreamed of taking them to the Holy Land?  As the primary teacher in your children’s faith formation a trip to Israel would allow you to show your children the holy sites that they read about in the Bible. You could show them the actual places where Jesus Christ traveled, performed miracles, was crucified and even the tomb from which He arose.

We are all curious about our heritage.  Where did out grandparents, great-grandparents and other early family members live? How did they live? What was life like for them? What places are important to our family’s history??

As Christians, we are inquisitive about our faith heritage. What was life like 2000 years ago?  Where was Christ born and where did he grow as a child??  What would it be like to view the Holy Sites described in the Bible where Jesus traveled, performed His miracles and lived out His ministry??

“Little Steps…Walk With Jesus” takes you on this journey without having to leave your home. This three disc DVD series was filmed entirely on location and at some sites not accessible to the general public.

Accompany Rachel and Rebecca as they visit the Holy Sites that are most significant to our Christian faith. In the first DVD, you will walk with these precious children on the path that Joseph and Mary took on their way to Bethlehem, leading to the Church of the Nativity see where Christ was born. You will also visit a period village to explore what life was like 2000 years ago during Christ’s childhood.

The second DVD takes you to the Wedding Church at Cana where Jesus performed His first miracle, then on to Holy Sites where He fed the 5000 and delivered His Sermon on the Mount.  Next you are on to Galilee where He lived with His disciples and taught us through His ministry.

In part three, you will accompany Rachel and Rebecca to the Garden where Christ was betrayed, travel with them to Jerusalem where Christ was condemned and tortured. You will witness Christ’s Passion, where He was crucified, the tomb in which He was laid and from which He rose to meet His disciples on the road to Emmaus.
You will visit the Church of the Primacy of Peter where Christ Instructed Peter to” throw His net on the other side of the boat” after His resurrection.  You will see the place where the disciples witnessed the ascension of Jesus into Heaven.

“Little Steps…Walk With Jesus” is appropriate for children and can be yours to share with your family for only $29.95 (plus S&H). These three beautiful 30 minute DVD’s will show your children that the stories and places they read about in the Bible are real and exist still today in the Holy Sites of Israel. What better way to help strengthen their faith and help them understand the Love that Christ has for each of us?

For more information or to purchase the Little Steps DVDs, visit www.LittleStepsCollection.com.

Since my boys are older teens, I made the decision that we would watch this film as a family.  I’m so glad we did that, as both boys enjoyed the film and it prompted an interesting family conversation about the realities of high school life.  For those who haven’t yet seen the film, here is a summary from IMDB:

Teacher François Marin and his colleagues are preparing for another school year teaching at a racially mixed inner city high school in Paris. The teachers talk to each other about their prospective students, both the good and the bad. The teachers collectively want to inspire their students, but each teacher is an individual who will do things in his or her own way to achieve the results they desire. They also have differing viewpoints on the students themselves, and how best to praise and discipline them. The administration of the school tries to be as fair as possible, which includes having student representatives sit on the student evaluation committee. Marin’s class this year of fourteen and fifteen year olds is no different than previous years, although the names and faces have changed. Marin tries to get through to his students, sometimes with success and sometimes resulting in utter failure. Even Marin has his breaking point, which may result in him doing things he would probably admit to himself are wrong. But after all is said and done, there is next year and another group of students.

The film is based upon a book written by François Bégaudeau, who plays the fictional teacher M. Marin in the film.  Much of the film takes place within the four walls of Mr. Marin’s French classroom, so we are party to an ongoing banter between teacher and students.  For the most part, Marin seems to be the “cool teacher” who bends over backwards to reach his students, to connect with them, and to see things from their perspective.  But everyone has their breaking point, and Mr. Marin reaches his and indeed crosses the line in an altercation that involves the use of a derogatory slang term.  We don’t use the word in question around our home, but the altercation and our family’s perception of what really happened in the classroom spurred a great conversation about respect between teacher and students, as well as the mistaken perceptions people can have when language is involved.

The Class highlights the challenges faced in racially charged environments, as well as the difficulties faced by immigrants and their families.  If you didn’t already think that high school teachers deserve a one-way ticket to heaven, you may think so after spending a few hours as a fly on the wall in The Class.

I’m not altogether positive why this film was selected as one of the Top Ten of 2009 by the USCCB.  Perhaps this statement from their full review could give a bit of insight:  “The film’s positive values and relevance for high-school students, as well as its potential to serve as the basis for fruitful family discussion, may outweigh the concerns listed below, making it acceptable for older teens.” This perspective on the film’s message along with it’s positive reception by film critics and its nomination for an Academy Award likely brought it to the top of the list.  I enjoyed the film, and I think our viewing of it together will stick with our family for the years we are “stuck” in high school.  I wouldn’t recommend this film for children and parents would be wise to pre-screen the film prior to sharing it with younger teens.

Next up on my Summer Movie Challenge – Fantastic Mr. Fox. Here’s the trailer for those who are watching along with me:

In our ongoing look at the USCCB’s Top Ten Movies of 2009, we take a look at The Class, a French language docu-drama.  Next week’s movie is Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Please join me in thanking our Catholic Moments contributors by visiting their sites:  Deacon Tom Fox, Lisa Mladnich, Avery, Sarah Reinhard.

This episode of Catholic Moments is sponsored by CatholicMatch.com, the Leading Catholic Singles Community.  Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

Thanks to Rebecca Havens of the wonderful new site CultureGauge.com for providing me with a free preview of their services for parents.  I enjoyed poking around the website, taking a look at their very informative and faith-filled reviews on the latest new releases in secular media.  Rebecca has provided the following overview of the site.  I hope you’ll check it out at www.CultureGauge.com and consider subscribing to their Weekly Briefing.

CultureGauge.com is a membership website that serves Catholic parents by keeping them current on the popular media messages directed at their kids. Each Saturday, CultureGauge.com posts a new Weekly Briefing that provides intelligent analysis from a Catholic worldview on a popular song, television show, video game, a new movie at the theatre, and a new movie on DVD/Blu-ray. This Weekly Briefing keeps parents informed on what is happening in the youth culture and capable
of encouraging their children toward the good, and protecting their children from the bad. The Weekly Briefing also includes an artist profile (a biography of a popular recording artist) and a media recommendation to highlight a piece of positive media that is out there to help parents.

Along with the Weekly Briefing, members also receive a few bonus items: free access to exclusive audio interviews with some of the best Catholic speakers around (Fr. Corapi, Teresa Tomeo, Patrick Madrid, etc.), and free access to “Facing the Challenge: 12 Frequently Asked Questions About the Popular Media” and “Planning for Victory: 12 Practical Things You Can Do to Strengthen and Protect Your Kids Right Now.”

You might think that a membership to a site like this would be expensive, but it is actually very low cost: only $29.95 for a full year. Become a member today and you will soon find out what a tremendous value this is.

Close to the opening of the movie, Ramona (wonderfully played by newcomer Joey King) shares the priceless line, “If you can’t be brave at recess, how can you do it when it really counts?” This pearl of wisdom is shared as her imagination takes her far away from the playground monkey bars to a perilous climb over a computer generated canyon – it’s the first of many fun CGI scenes in the film that give us a peek into little Ramona’s “overactive imagination”. I loved these whimsical moments in the film that remind you what a wonderful thing it can be to daydream, to visit faraway lands, and to see the bigger, bolder version of yourself – the version who’s ready to take on the world.

There are many laugh-out-loud moments in Ramona and Beezus, and I’ll admit to shedding a tear once or twice too. As a “Daddy’s girl” myself, my favorite scenes in the film occurred between Ramona and her father (John Corbett), who tries to keep a brave face in the midst of being downsized into unemployment. I also love Ramona’s scenes with her adorable Aunt Bea (Ginnifer Goodwin), and also loved the unfolding gentle love story between Bea and her old high school flame Hobart.

A consistent theme in Ramona and Beezus echoes with Ramona’s telling words, “I can be extraordinary” – this is a little girl whose exuberant energy frequently gets her and her family into trouble – big and little! But the truth is, Ramona keeps trying to help her family and to be a better version of herself. Her teacher, wonderfully played by Sandra Oh, has a regrettably small role in the film but a big impact on the Quimby family in the end.

Sadly, I’m unable to speak to the film’s treatment of the Ramona books. But I will say that if you’re looking for a nice family film, or a special date with your favorite little girl, Ramona and Beezus looks like a winner. Grace, who is a truly extraordinary nine year old, would definitely concur!

Let me preface my remarks by saying that I sort of consider myself a “football mom”.  Although Eric now plays musical instruments instead of lineman, I spent way too many hours standing next to fields watching my son get hit.  Nothing can put fear into a mom’s heart like watching her kid get pulverized by a bigger, stronger player.  I’m also a big college football fan, and could definitely be called a “booster” of my alma mater.

I watched the film last weekend, surrounded by my family on a road trip.  They began to laugh at me within minutes of starting the film, as I was alternating between hearty laughs and sniffling sobs.  Some of our readers’ comments about the film had piqued my interest and made me ask myself, “How would I respond if a ‘Big Mike’” came into my life?”

The truth is, I don’t think I could have had Leigh Anne Tuohy’s openness of heart.  I might have had the best of intentions.  I likely could have written checks to help with tuition, bought clothes, and fed a child like Michael.  But would I really be Christian enough to open my home to a troubled teen so greatly in need?  Perhaps that would put me in the class of Leigh Anne’s obnoxious friends, who made light of her willingness to take in one so different from themselves.  In truth, it’s likely that my protectiveness of my own teens might keep me from taking a risk — and in turn would likely keep me from teaching them the important lessons that Sean and Leigh Anne modeled for their children.  You really can’t watch this film without asking yourself, “What would I have done?”  I’m sad to say I would have failed the test…

This film is one I’ll definitely watch again, probably multiple times.  The characters are lovable and the storyline plays out in gripping fashion.  Bullock’s Leigh Anne can be spicy at times, so I do feel that the Bishop’s AIII rating (for adults) is merited.

Next up on my list:  The Class.  Here’s the trailer:

This episode of Catholic Moments is sponsored by CatholicMatch.com, the Leading Catholic Singles Community.  Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

First up is The Blind Side and I’ll be posting about it on Saturday or Sunday this week.  See the entire list here.

Drop a comment here to let me know you’ll be watching too!  See you at the movies!

Here’s today’s first installment of the CatholicMom.com News Roundup:

• Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Screening in Rome – The amazing Lisa Wheeler invites those who may be in or around Rome to attend the screening of a wonderful new film on the life and work of Archbishop Sheen on April 26 and 27 in Rome.  To register, visit http://www.catholicscreenings.com/.  And if you’d like to take a friend, I’m available!
• Win The Handbook for Catholic Moms – Blogger and friend Mary Ellen Barrett is offering her readers the chance to win a copy of my book.  Register to win by tomorrow at Mary Ellen’s site, Tales from the Bonny Blue House.
• Children’s Music – If you’re looking for some great music to use in your Children’s Religious Education classes, homeschooling, or just for easy listening, check out Children for a Peaceful World, which offers free downloads of some very uplifting tunes for kids.
• Department of Labor Outlook for Writers – For those interested in writing and editing professionally, check out this link shared by my friend and fellow blogger Roxane Salonen.  Projections look relatively good for writers, but not so great for editors…
• Spiritual Direction - Looking for a spiritual director?  Twitter friend Patty messaged me to share her services.  Check her out here.
• CatholicTV Wins Big – Congratulations to CatholicTV for their Gabriel Award as “Religious Television Station of the Year” – no surprise with the great work being done by Fr. Reed and his awesome crew!
• Jonas Mom – Guideposts wrote to share this interesting article written by Denise Jonas, the mom of the famous Jonas Brothers.  Check out some of her words of wisdom – I concur on the Drum Set advice.

That’s it for today – stay tuned for future installments of the CatholicMom.com News Roundup and please help us spread the word by sharing these items on your blogs and networks.

Please introduce our readers to yourself and your family.

I am Adrianne Powell Price and have been blessed with my husband, Thom, for 23 years.  We have been blessed with our son, Spencer, who is a graduate of homeschooling and is a freshman at the University of Dallas.  We live in Birmingham, AL, where Thom is the Program Director for EWTN’s radio network.  We are blessed with 7 Godchildren and several “adopted Godchildren”.

Please tell us a bit about your musical training and educational background.

I started singing at 12 years of age, began singing professionally at about 15 and graduated from the Univ. of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a BM in Vocal Performance.  Here is where the REAL story of how the Lord has blessed me:  from age 18 – nearly 38, I was plagued with vocal nodules from too much singing (4-5 hours of daily practice at the Conservatory).  It took me 6 years to get my undergraduate degree because I was forever having to go on voice rest.  When I graduated, my professors and doctors told me I’d never be a soloist.  I could lightly sing in choruses, but not have a solo career. That’s what they told me.

I have read that your faith journey took you through a time of separation from the Church.  Would you please expound upon this and let us know how you came back into the fullness of the Church.

I went through a crisis of faith, left the Catholic Church, got into doing regional and national voice overs, went to Los Angeles and got into the film industry, and sang in a choir under Gregorian Chant master, Dr. Paul Salamunovich.  Spencer was born while we were living in LA and it was an older woman who babysat for us who helped to bring us back into the Catholic Church by her zeal for the Church and by her example.

How have you come to focus on the type of music you now perform?

We moved to Minneapolis for awhile, had an incredible conversion experience while being parishioners of Holy Family Church, in St. Louis Park, MN.  Within 1 1/2 years of living in Minneapolis, the Lord answered our prayer of him finding work in a Christ-centered company.  EWTN hired him to come work for the radio network.  On the feast of St. Blaise in 1998, I surrendered my singing voice and nodules and begged the Lord to heal me of the nodules.  I prayed, “Lord, if the healing of my voice aids in the salvation of my soul or anyone who hears me, through the intercession of St. Blaise, please heal me.”  To this day, I have had no sign of ever having nodules.  There are no scars.  The Lord healed me and this CD is my way of saying “Thank You, Jesus, for hearing my prayer.  For You, I will only sing sacred music to thank You for all You have done for me.”

What type of music do you enjoy personally?

I enjoy listening to a variety of music.  It all depends on what my mood is.  I really enjoy Sacred polyphony and Gregorian chant, but I also enjoy Pop Classical music (like Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Il Divo, and the Swingle Singers); Renaissance and Baroque music (a GREAT singer of that genre is Julianne Baird); and oldies (Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima, Rosemary Clooney).

With Lent coming up, how does music play a part in your family’s devotions?

Music plays an important part of Lent, as it should throughout the year.  I decorate my home with touches of purple during Advent and Lent; white during Christmas and Easter; and green during Ordinary time, usually with colored candles that are kept lit most of the time.  I try to do the same with the music I play.  This is a time of solemn reflection and anticipation.  When we go to the market or other stores, we’re bombarded with loud secular Christmas music.  Our homes should be a refuge from the world, where peace and prayerfulness is something we try to experience within ourselves and provide for those around us.  Hopefully, we can carry that prayerful peace out into the world.  Soft Gregorian chant is helpful.  I also enjoy an album I found by the Van Trapp family that I play all year round.

A bit of advice I’d like to pass on to parents of teens:  playing sacred music softly in the background helps to keep everyone’s moods calm and I believe the devil just hates it when we play that kind of music, too.  It sure helped us get through a couple of difficult years with our teen!

How can listeners learn more about your music and order your CD?

For more information about “Sacred Classics” go to:  www.adrianneprice.com

I teased Father Rafael that he should go into the car sales business – when he first invited me to speak, I must admit that I doubted how many people would show up to church on Saturday night to watch a black and white film about Our Lady of Fatima.

Well, Fr. Rafael and the families of St. Joachim’s proved me wrong!  Over three hundred tickets were sold and the parish hall was packed  to capacity to watch this amazing movie.  After the film, we were treated to a very informative question and answer session by another of the Oblate priests from the parish.

If you haven’t already heard Catholic Moments Podcast #129, be sure to check out a press conference that provides a tremendous overview of the making of The 13th Day.

I love visiting parishes and must say that my trip to St. Joachim’s gave me an even greater desire to do more of this in the year ahead.  I want to congratulate Fr. Rafael and his TOBers on an outstanding event.  You managed to raise funds while providing a fun, inspirational, and educational evening for your entire parish family.  I hope I’m invited to your next Movie Night!

To contact me about speaking at your parish or organization, email LisaHendey@gmail.com.

Realizing then that this film is for mature viewing audiences only, I have to say I completely loved it.  The chemistry between Downey Jr.’s Holmes and Jude Law’s Dr. Watson was palpable.  Their friendship and partnership was a central component of the film’s plot and truly worked for me.  Being a lover of London, I found the movie to be lavishly filmed and beautiful to watch.  Most incredible for me was the intelligent way in which the story played out, with Holmes’ incredible attention to even the most minute of details as a key to his success in unlocking the mystery at hand.

Satanic activity and the occult are a key part of the mystery here, and I don’t want to spoil the ending for you.  But I will say that the film in no way glorifies the occult, and that the movie’s conclusion removes any doubt that the dark arts hold absolutely no real power.  But there’s a lot of sleuthing work that leads to this conclusion, and keeping up with Holmes’ intuitive skills can be mentally challenging.  This is not an easy film — expect to put a little brain power into figuring out the twists and turns along the way.  I could easily watch the film again, since I’m sure I missed some key pieces of evidence that didn’t get past Sherlock.

The film earns its ratings for some intense action scenes that had me squirming and covering my eyes, but the violence never seemed overly gratuitous and in fact could likely have gone farther.  There is one scene in the film which is sexually suggestive, but as a whole adult themes are relatively minor.  It’s likely that this film could have taken a few more liberties and easily earned an R rating, so I was pleased that it was a film I could share with my older teens.

If you would like to read a complete, professional review by written from a Catholic perspective, I recommend this one by John Mulderig of the USCCB.  As for this mom, I enjoyed the movie immensely and would definitely recommend it to adults who love a good mystery and don’t mind a fight scene or two thrown in.  I’ll share the film’s trailer below and would love to hear from you about your take on what you thought if you’ve seen the movie for yourself.  No spoilers please!

Honestly, not being a scientifically minded person, I was concerned that this film might be a bit too “deep” for me, but I must say that I found the arguments presented to be both compelling and quite fascinating.  Here’s a brief synopsis of the film:

Scholars debate whether the Star of Bethlehem is a legend created by the early church or a miracle that marked the advent of Christ. Is it possible that the star was a real astronomical event?  From Producer Stephen McEveety of MPower Pictures (The Passion of the Christ) comes an amazing documentary on the Star of Bethlehem. This presentation has been viewed by tens of thousands in the U.S. and in Europe and this new DVD reveals the evidence for God’s existence as seen in the stars above. Presenter Rick Larson walks you through biblical and historical clues revealing the eternal significance of this celestial event as well as the vastness of God’s creativity. Discover the secret of the Star…a secret of magnificent beauty.

I hope you enjoy the following trailer and that you will take a look at purchasing The Star of Bethlehem for your family this Christmas season.  We need to support films like this that inspire, inform and entertain!

• Natasha Howes, Producer of The 13th Day; live from the United Kingdom
• Ian and Dominic Higgins, WRITERS and DIRECTORS of The 13th Day; live from the United Kingdom
• Actress Jane Lesley, who plays Maria dos Santos in The 13th Day; live from the United Kingdom
• Actress Filipa Fernandez, who plays Lucia in The 13th Day; live from Portugal
• Anthony Ryan, Marketing Director for Ignatius Press, North American distributors of The 13th Day
• Mark Brumley, CEO for Ignatius Press, North American distributors of The 13th Day
• Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR, an expert on Our Lady of Fatima

I hope you enjoy this fruitful conversation about the making of the film, its mission, its impact upon the producers and actors, and the special features contained in the special The 13th Day DVD collection.

Have you ever heard Fr. Tom Forest? He’s one of the great preachers and leaders in the Charismatic Movement. Deacon Tom honors him during this Year of the Priest.

Sarah Reinhard shares another special Mary Moment discussing the Marian title “Cause of Our Joy”.  May Mary help us see the joy her son Jesus brings to our lives!

This episode of Catholic Moments is sponsored by CatholicMatch.com, the Leading Catholic Singles Community.  Share your feedback at 206-339-9272, comment here on the blog or email lisa@catholicmom.com.

Links for this Episode:

• The 13th Day DVD
• The 13th Day website
• SQPN Giving Campaign
• Yoursphere
• Current CatholicMom.com Contests – Pregnancy Product Giveaway
• CatholicMom.com Book Club
• The Catholic Company
• Lisa’s Facebook Profile, SQPN Connect Page, Plurk, Twitter
• Catholic Mom Logo Store

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Nancy Krebs has long been one of my favorite Catholic musicians.  With the recent release of her latest CD, Moved by God, and the launch of her newly redesigned website at NancyKrebs.com, Nancy has been one busy woman!  I’m happy to share my recent conversation with this talented recording artist, actor, teacher and producer.

Please introduce yourself and your family to our readers.

Lisa, Thanks for giving me the chance to share my story and my music with your readers.  I am a Catholic singer-songwriter and recording artist, having released now seven full-length CDs of original meditational/inspirational music.  I currently serve as cantor/music provider for my home parish of Ascension in Halethorpe, Maryland (outside Baltimore), Holy Trinity in Glen Burnie, the Shrine of St. Anthony in Ellicott City, and occasionally St. Jude Shrine and other church venues throughout the metro area.  I have been married to Pete Baden since 1983 and we have one adopted son. I teach voice production at the Baltimore School for the Arts as well as in my own studio, The Voiceworks.  I also am a dialect/vocal coach for professional theatres in my region, and am a professional actor/singer myself.

Congratulations on the release of your latest CD, Moved by God.  Tell us a bit about the creation of this project and how your music has evolved with this CD.

This has been a wonderful experience of ‘branching out’ to include far better arrangements than I ever could have imagined.  I contacted David Smith of Icon Studios to provide the arrangements, and to make my songs more contemporary-sounding.  He was just the guy for the job.  David has a knack and a talent in so many ways, and his work on this collection of songs has catapulted my music into a whole different realm, for which I’m very grateful.  The collaboration between him and the other contributing musicians worked very well, and I think the sound, the feel and the fullness of the music on this CD will surprise some folks–in a good way, I hope.

Moved by God was created with the assistance of one of my favorite producers, David C. Smith.  What was it like to work with David and how has the experience helped shape your recent musical style?

Well, as I said above–he’s tops.  He was easy to work with, had great ideas, was willing to change his initial reactions to a song, and certainly took my ‘style’ into consideration.  He knew going in that I favor thoughtful meditation and reflection, and he sought to complement my songs with that kind of arrangement, as well as challenge me to move into a more contemporary vein, which is exactly what I wanted to accomplish. He and his wife Teresa also added back up vocals, which brought yet another dimension to the songs.

I would love to hear the stories behind a few of the songs you’ve written for Moved by God.  What inspired you to write “Welcome Me Home” and “Mary Knew” or any of your other favorite songs from this CD?

Welcome Me Home…is based on the parable of the Prodigal Son.  It has a kind of bluesy-jazzy feel.  I call it my ‘Girl from Ipanema’ entry.  I love what David has done with the arrangement.  I often get inspiration for songs from the readings on any given Sunday.  Since I usually provide the Offertory or Communion meditation, I look for a different perspective that might continue the lessons of the day.  This song was written for that purpose.

Mary Knew has a great back-story.  I was in Fargo, North Dakota conducting a voice workshop for a university there, and friends of mine, a married couple, were taking me back to the airport.  They happen to be Lutheran.  Suddenly, out of nowhere, Pam, my dear friend, turns around in her seat (she was in the front passenger seat), and very intently asked:  ‘What’s the deal with Catholics and Mary?  Why is she so important?’  Her intent look gave me pause.  I silently prayed to the Blessed Mother during my intake of breath to answer. ‘Please give me the right answer to this question, Blessed Mother!’  I calmly responded: ‘Mary was the greatest apostle of her Divine Son.  She was the one who never failed Him, she was always there for Him, and always believed in Him, no matter what.  She was His first disciple, the first person in His life to believe in Him.  That’s why she’s important.  We don’t ‘worship’ her–we revere her.’  I’m sure that Mary herself gave me that answer, it didn’t come from me, that’s for sure.  This response seemed to make sense to Pam, and was accepted by her and her husband as very logical.  I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.  Later, at the airport, I felt this overwhelming need to write down some lyrics.  It was as if the Blessed Mother herself sat down next to me–and dictated the words to Mary Knew.

When He was born,
He was so beautiful.
He took her breath away,
He stole her heart away.

I was in tears by the time I finished it.  And it took only about 10 minutes–the fastest song I’ve ever penned.  The melody came to me while the lyrics were being written, believe it or not–on a cocktail napkin.  When it was completed and refined later, I felt like it was my answer song to the wonderful ‘Mary, Did You Know?‘ by Mark Lowry and Buddy Green. It has become one of the most requested songs that I sing.

I know you just returned home from a trip to Europe.  How was this adventure for you?

I was the dialect/vocal coach and faculty chaperone for a joint production presented by our senior acting ensemble of the Baltimore School for the Arts and Songtime Theatre Arts of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town.  It was a great experience, working with teenage actors on such a project.  We were in Surrey for 10 days, and in that time, we rehearsed every day, all day, and presented the show for audiences on the 7th through the 9th day!  Our students and the British kids had to learn a New Hampshire dialect for the show, and I was amazed at how focused the British students were, and how quickly they learned.  Of course, I knew my own students, and had taught them beginning sessions on the accent before leaving for England, but the British kids had a blast with the accent, and working with their American ‘cousins’.  I fell in love with the beautiful English countryside, the people, the parents of the British students, and the whole experience.  The weather was fabulous the whole time–very strange, since we always hear about the rainy weather in June.  But we didn’t have that–sunny days, with temps in the 70′s.  You can’t beat that!  I made a lot of new friends with those wonderful kids, and now we’re all pals on Facebook!

You keep an active tour schedule.  What do you enjoy about performing your music in person?  How can readers contact you if they are interested in having you perform at their parish or organization?

Oh boy, I love everything about performing in person.  It’s a whole different experience for an audience to see and well as hear the music being shared.  My concerts are very ‘theatrical’ with lights and sound, and liturgical banners.  The mood is changed with every song, different lighting and such, and I give a little background on the song about to be sung.  Since I am an actor, the songs most likely take on a personal feel for those watching, and seem to affect people deeply.  It’s such a joy to be able to share the songs that God has given me with others.  My main mission is to share this music with as many people as I can.  if anyone would like more info about getting a concert at his or her church, just either call me or email me at 410-987-4861 or nkrebsbj@aol.com or just visit my website at NancyKrebs.com.

Are you working on any upcoming songwriting projects?

Yes, right now I’m preparing for the St. Gabriel festival Mass at St. Leo the Great church in Little Italy in Baltimore.  We have a wonderful Italian community who brought the devotion to both St. Anthony of Padua and St. Gabriel Possenti to Baltimore when the people emigrated here from their region in Italy. This festival is two days long and includes a procession through the community with the statue of St. Gabriel;  complete with a little Italian band playing traditional songs, and food, games etc.  It’s terrific for the whole family.  I’ve been writing two songs about his life and his special attraction for young people.  I also plan to move forward on developing a song I was blessed to write while in Italy last October.  It’s a Christmas song, and maybe it’ll be a single before this coming Christmas season.

Are there any additional thoughts or comments you’d like to share with our readers?

I would like to encourage your readers to continue to support Catholic artists and their music.  Find a way to begin a concert series in your church, or a reason to bring an artist to your parish for a retreat, a mission or as part of a special Season of the Church Year.  Often our pastors don’t think of music as a way to evangelize or to bring parishioners together, but music has a special power and can add so much to the lifeblood of a parish.  So think about how you might include music from one of your favorite Catholic artists in your parish!

Visit Nancy Krebs at NancyKrebs.com.