• Kinect – One of this year’s most popular gifts is the Kinect Sensor with Kinect Adventures! for Xbox360, which has already sold 2.5 million units in less than a month.  If you have a gamer in your house, there are some great websites to help you familiarize yourself with products before and after purchasing them.  I recommend:
  • GetGameSmart.com – Learn to set parental controls
  • PluggedIn.com – Game reviews from Focus on the Family
  • TheOnlineMom.com – Weekly video game reviews written by a “wired” mom
• Tech firms work online programs to keep kids safe – USA Today on Internet Safety for Kids
• Jumo – A Social Networking site aimed at letting users discover and support charitable causes, now in Beta
• Connecting with Youth Via Facebook - A great article for parishes and youth ministers looking to really reach teens with social networking efforts that work and have meaning
• A Parent’s Pledge to Raise a Responsible Digital Citizen – Have you discussed this important part of your role as a parent?

• Facebook Messaging - This week, social networking giant Facebook announced a new messaging platform that will incorporate email, texting, and Facebook messages as they currently exist on the site.  The ramification for parents:  this will allow your child to receive contacts and communications from anyone that they have “friended” on Facebook, and may also let them receive contacts from “friends of friends” and others, depending upon how they configure their privacy settings.  Some teens also have their Facebook linked with mobile devices and could begin receiving even more texts than usual.  We’ll watch this story as it unfolds over the next few months, but — as always — parents need to be very vigilant about their teens’ use of social networking sites and privacy settings.
• Bishops Urged to Embrace Social Media - At this week’s Fall Assembly of the USCCB, Bishop Ronald Herzog of Alexandria, Louisiana, a member of the USCCB Communications Committee delivered an important address urging his brother bishops to embrace the potential of social media.  This doesn’t necessarily mean more “Facebooking” bishops, but hopefully it means that their staffs will receive the funding and policy permissions necessary to effectively utilize social media in ministering to Catholic families.  As parents, we need support and guidance from our spiritual shepherds in forming our children’s consciences around the use of these tools.
• Parents Television Council Report – From the PTC website, news on this newly released look at the prevelance of television programming online: “In a new report, the Parents Television Council™ found that four of the most popular online distributors of commercially-generated video are failing to protect kids from explicit content. PTC’s report, “Untangling the Web of Internet Video” is the most comprehensive on the matter to date and includes Hulu (NBC/Universal, Fox and Disney/ABC), Fancast (Comcast), /Slashcontrol (AOL) and AT&T. Each provider was graded on the effectiveness of its content ratings, homepage content decency, advertiser accountability and parental controls.”  Read the report here.
• Cell Phones and Cancer Risks - The New York Times reported again this week on cell phone manufacturers advising consumers to hold mobile devices at a distance from their head and ears.  Pregnant women are also advised to keep phones away from the abdomen.  Children’s use of these devices should also be limited to avoid radiation exposure.

Check back next Wednesday for our next Tech Notes update and be sure to join me Thursday at 8:50 am ET/5:50 am PT on the Son Rise Morning Show with Brian Patrick.

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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 emaillisa@catholicmom.com.

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Their first app launched is the CatholicTV app, which offers you a video version of their daily mass, a lovely daily Rosary from a variety of special places around the world, “What’s New” programming updates, insightful daily reflections, and additional news updates.  If you enjoy viewing the daily mass or praying the rosary with an audio aid, this app will become one of your favorites!

Also new out are their iCatholic Magazine – Mobile iPhone and iCatholic Magazine iPad apps.  These two free apps give you free and easy access to Catholic TV’s great monthly magazine.  Recent versions of the full color magazine are filled with super articles with national interest.  If you’re lucky enough to own an iPad, the iCatholic Magazine iPad is really fantastic on the iPad.

Kudos to Fr. Reed and the entire CatholicTV team for being on the cutting edge of Catholic New Media and Evangelization, and for providing tools for us that make it fun and enjoyable to learn more about our faith!

Have a favorite app?  Tell me about it in the comments below!

I’m still discovering all of the great resources contained within the iPieta app, but at the price of $2.99 I would say it’s a terrific resource for anyone looking for a quick and easy devotional tool and a resource for research.  I will say that I’d love to see an NAB version of the Bible, but that’s the only limitation I’ve seen for iPieta.

• To purchase iPieta English click here.
• To purchase Pieta Español click here.

Here are a few screenshots of this great tool in action:

• To purchase iPieta English click here.
• To purchase Pieta Español click here.

While at the Catholic Writers Guild conference in August, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Craig Glantz, the owner of a great web design and photography company called E-Glantz.  Craig has created a business that is truly using his talents to serve our Church and help others to use technology to help spread the gospel message.  He’s shared the following information about their services:

E-Glantz, LLC is a start-up Catholic communications company (specializing in web development/design and photography) based in Philadelphia, Pa. Over the last year we have helped many Catholic organizations primarily on the East Coast with their web-based needs. Our portfolio includes sites for parishes, Catholic apostolates/businesses, and pro-life organizations. We are in the process of finishing sites for Fr. Stan Fortuna, CFR and the Kings’ Men. We have also done photo shoots for the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, the Kings’ Men, the Catholic Business Professionals of Greater Philadelphia (www.catholicpros.com whose website we also built) and several other individuals. We also manage close to 10 social media sites.

Our philosophy is simple, we offer affordable rates (at times free for those in need) for the Catholic community with the hope of promoting our Catholic faith via the World Wide Web. While we do create websites for people outside of our faith, our main focus and desire is to promote our Catholicism as Pope Benedict XVI urged us to do his 44th World Communications Letter. Check out our portfolio and feel free to contact us at info@eglantz.com if you are ever in need of our services. ‘E-Glantz, LLC serving the Catholic community and beyond’!

Visit E-Glantz to learn more.

I am deeply honored to be moderating a panel at this year’s Theology of the Body Congress. The good news that this year’s Congress sold out months ago prompted conference organizers to make the events available via live streaming.  The following information tells you about the streaming and how to register. I hope if you’re not able to join us in person that you’ll consider supporting the Congress by registering for the live stream.

Unable to attend the National Theology of the Body Congress?

The Theology of the Body Institute announces Live Streaming of content for this Premier event!

Due to the overwhelming response to this first-ever Theology of the Body Congress, we have opened a live-streaming option!

You can still be a part of this historic gathering!

Live-streaming of the Congress’ key presentations is available for only $79! Register here for Online Access!

Click here to see some of the presenters and featured talks you’ll be able to watch when you sign up for this outstanding offer.

This is a great lineup of some of the most well-known experts on Theology of the Body, the landmark teaching of Venerable Pope John Paul II.

Among the 450 attendees are 42 priests, 16 sisters and five deacons. Thirty-five U.S. states and 10 countries are represented. This Congress has truly attracted worldwide attention and response.

This live-streaming option is sponsored by our friends at MyCatholicVoice, and it’s designed and intended to give you opportunities to watch this memorable Congress live with:

• Your parish’s Theology of the Body group
• Your university or college enrichment group
• Your parish’s religious education or faith formation groups
• Other members of your parish in the church or appropriate venue
• Members of your parish organization
• High school staff and interested parents
• Everyone who shares your passion for the Theology of the Body

Become a part of this life-changing event!

Register Now!

Live-Streaming of the National Theology of the Body Congress is sponsored by

Most of people who participated in the survey were effusive in their praise of the social connectivity already being leveraged globally online. They said humans’ use of the internet’s capabilities for communication – for creating, cultivating, and continuing social relationships – is undeniable. Many enthusiastically cited their personal experiences as examples, and several noted that they had met their spouse through internet-borne interaction.

They asked respondents to agree or disagree with statements such as:

“In 2020, when I look at the big picture and consider my personal friendships, marriage and other relationships, I see that the internet has mostly been a positive force on my social world. And this will only grow more true in the future.”

In trying to project forward ten years, I’m wondering how I would respond to that statement.  By that point, I’ll likely be an “empty nester” and could even potentially be a grandmother (CatholicGrandma.com anyone?).  Who knows what my little corner of the world will look like, and it’s hard to imagine that I could be any more wired than I am these days.  I will say that if I were to comment on the statement today, I would agree.  I look at the ways in which I use the Internet to communicate with family and friends and see many benefits.  I am also connected with countless friends around the world who bring me great joy and emotional support – I may never meet them in person, but their friendship feels like a real, tangible part of my life.

Will the Internet enhance or detract from communications in the future?  I guess the jury is still out, but in my book, the future looks bright.

Read the entire study here.

My friend Maria Riz Marsella is the creative genius behind SacredVerse.com, a service that employs technology to respond to the call for the New Evangelization.  Riz and her partners have created a weekly service that you can enjoy yourself or gift to someone special in your life.  The three services currently offered include:

• SACRED BIBLE VERSES – Sacred Bible Verses will be texted to your cell phone every Monday for 52 weeks.
• INSIGHTS OF GREAT SAINTS – Inspiring Insights of Great Saints will be texted to your cell phone every Wednesday for 52 weeks.
• PAPAL REFLECTIONS – Spiritually rich Papal Reflections will be texted to your cell phone every Friday for 52 weeks.

For busy moms and dads on the go, receiving this type of “byte sized” inspiration via text (but not while you’re driving!) can be a perfect “pick me up” for your spiritual life.  This is also the perfect way to share the faith with our teens and young adults, who love their cell phones.

For subscription information visit www.SacredVerse.com.

I questioned whether or not I really needed another Rosary app on my iPhone – I already had two but really wasn’t completely satisfied with either of them.  I’m so glad to have this new application, which seems absolutely perfect to me.  I have to preface my remarks by saying that I am a major fan of the Daughters of St. Paul and Pauline Media – they always seem to be on the forefront of media advances and continually deliver high quality products.

This Rosary Application is a continuation of that trend.  According to the iTunes store, the features for this app include:

• audio of the sisters praying the rosary: listen to the rosary or pray with the group
• never say the rosary alone again! Feel the comfort of praying with others.
• scripture introduction to each mystery with a meditative reflection.
• 18 sets of images to choose from for visual meditation while praying: vibrant photos, stained glass windows, icons, and religious art
• option to view images of the mysteries of the rosary or meaningful photos
• unique way to enter the rosary through the lens of your daily life, praying the needs of your heart
• scripture choices for each mystery for further reflection
• suggestions for prayer intentions for each mystery
• share miracles you receive and read those of others on associated website: rosarymiracleprayer.spruz.com.
• clear, easy to follow diagram for how to pray the rosary
• introduction to the praying of the rosary: meditation on the lives of Jesus and Mary, prayers of the rosary
• e-mail a friend or loved one that you have prayed for them
• hymns sung by the internationally acclaimed Daughters of St. Paul Choir

The cost of the application is $2.99.  Having seen many Catholic iPhone apps lately, I’d have to say that this one is my new favorite.  I hope it helps you draw closer to Jesus through His Mother Mary and that you enjoy it as much as I do!!

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Rosary Miracle Prayer by Pauline Books and Media

As a Kindle, and now an iPad owner, I have enjoyed many free eBooks from Amazon’s Kindle store.  And you don’t need an ereader device to enjoy these books – you can access them via any computer with the right setup.  Be sure to check out Kim’s article, which will walk you through the process.  Happy Reading!

• E Abundance – Faith Formation for the Facebook Generation (Updated) – Friday, March 19, 2010
• Incredible i-Abundance (Updated) – Sunday, March 22, 2010

Are we friends?  Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter soon!

I don’t text while driving, but am guilty of checking my iPhone at red lights – this campaign reminds me that I am setting a bad example for my kids that could lead to life and death circumstances.  Email and phone calls can wait too!

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In other news, the Catholic News Service takes a fascinating look at “Who’s Tweeting for the Vatican?” in this post.

Raise your hand if you’d follow the REAL Vatican on Twitter! I’ll bet an official Vatican Twitter account could give Ashton Kutcher a run for his money…

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The long and short of the story is that the following message (or a version of it) floated around Facebook for a few days:

Hi everyone,  Some fun is going on…. just write the color of your bra in your status. Just the color, nothing else. And send this on to ONLY girls no men …. It will be neat to see if this will spread the wings of cancer awareness. It will be fun to see how long it takes before the men will wonder why all the girls have a color in their status… Haha

Being rather quick with the delete finger, I got rid of at least twenty copies of this message quickly before really tuning in to what was going on.  Let me say up front that I’m a pretty tidy Facebook user – I post status updates about my work and family, share photos, and keep up with friends and contacts.  I’m not a big group signer-upper, I don’t care for farm animals, and I’m not a gamer.  So when things like this come around, I usually delete and move on.

I honestly didn’t even give this issue much thought until Friday morning, when I tuned into my favorite Catholic radio show, The Catholics Next Door with Greg and Jennifer Willits.  On the show, Greg was sharing with callers his reaction to the phenomenon of women posting their undergarment colors for all to see.  He had commented upon this on his own Facebook page with the simple remark, “There’s a little too much info on Facebook today.” What ensued was a two daylong debate in the comments of Greg’s page (and likely on countless other sites too) with a thoughtful discussion of the facts at hand.  Greg’s position was that for some men, knowing this type of intimate information about women could be problematic.  Greg thoughtfully referenced teaching points from the Catechism of the Catholic Church to support his efforts to defend modesty.

Listening to the radio show and reading the comments on Facebook led me to ponder my own reaction to the Facebook trend.  In my mind, modesty issues aside, there is some minimal value in “raising awareness” about healthcare issues.  But let’s do so in a way that can be taken seriously by both genders, with factual information and a respectful tone.  Breast cancer has affected both men and women, and cancers of all types continue to be a universal health care issue.

What I’d truly prefer to see rather than awareness raising measures are real actions of support and compassion.  My fear is that we tend to take the easy way out with trends like these, thinking that we “gave at the office” because we tied a pink ribbon on our shirts or engaged in a trend on our favorite social networking site.  How about, if we truly want to make a change, contributing $5 to cancer research, driving a bedridden patient to her radiation appointment, or making dinner for a family whose mom is undergoing chemotherapy?

Raising awareness is fine, but next time I’d prefer that we raise compassion.  A caring attitude and a helping hand look good in any color.

Deacon Tom reminisces over a visit with old friends in Colorado and about Colorado author and youth ministry expert Jim Beckman. The theme of this Deacon Moment is submission to the Christ Child.

Sarah Reinhard asks us to look at our Advent wreath and think of Mary, inspired by a recent Mary Vitamin.

Please consider joining us in support of the SQPN.com Giving Campaign.  Your donations will help us to continue in this important evangelization work.

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.

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