The Higgins brothers’ background in photography, as evidenced by their use of the Chiaroscuro technique, in which faces emerge from darkness into light, emphasizes the theme of light that is central to The 13th Day. Character’s faces emerge from shadowed darkness, to black and white, to muted color and as they respond to the heavenly messenger portrayed in blinding light. This technique may not appeal to those who prefer a traditional portrayal of this story, yet it has a haunting quality achieving an arresting emotional impact. Interestingly, not only are Our Lady and the children flooded with light and color, but those who come to accept the apparitions also take on a tinge of color. Clearly, this technique evokes the phenomenon of rainbow light that washed over the eyewitnesses in Fatima on the 13th of August 1917

The portrayal of Our Lady is breathtaking, and there is a stunning ‘holy card moment’ pausing to show the traditional portrait of the three children kneeling at her feet at the base of the shrub oak. The high point of the film is the miracle of the sun, showing the brilliance of its colors, its wildly erratic movement, and its menacing plunge towards earth, terrifying tens of thousands of witnesses. The film captures this with intense realism, focusing on the intensity of terror and joy felt by the witnesses. The 13th Day shows in passing the Third Secret of Fatima, where a figure in white (assumed to be Pope John Paul II) ascending a hill amidst the devastation of famine and war towards a cross where he is shot.

The musical score is lush, adding tenderness to the rare moments of innocent joy what is a somewhat unsettling film. Hints of Allegri’s “Misere” add a touch of transcendence to the emotional soundtrack, and it is one of the best features of the film.

The young Portuguese actors who play Lucia and Francisco convey a mixture of simplicity and emotional strength for their roles as innocent souls entrusted by Our Lady with the most critical and terrifying of secrets. Jacinta is seen for the innocent six year old she was and has a minor role.

The vivid visions of hell and trials endured by the children are harsh for younger viewers, though profoundly important to the story. One forgets that the Fatima children accepted suffering for the sake of sinners, and the filmmakers remind us that Lucia and her cousins were immediately put to the test with their family members. Children dealing with broken families and schoolyard violence might welcome a film which shows children who see through the darkness into the light of heaven. In fact, all children raised in today’s Godless public square would benefit from the message, which calls them to lift up their eyes to heaven where a loving Mother awaits their prayers. Two generations of Catholics, who have been raised on ‘Catholic lite’ CCD programs, need a wake-up call on what it means to be the Church Militant. In the face of a darkening world landscape, The 13th Day is just that.

The 13th Day reminds viewers not only of the message of Fatima, but of the price paid by the young visionaries so honored by Our Lady, and draws striking parallels between hostile governments and media of 1917 and persecution of the Church in our own time. It is a somber film for a sobering message. Recommended for age 8 and up. No language or nudity, but scenes of hell and children being persecuted may be disturbing for younger viewers.  Highly recommended.

Purchase The 13th Day and Support CatholicMom.com

Copyright 2009 Leticia Velasquez

As I read more about Patrice and her music, that’s when I realized just how inspired she was. Patrice sits at the piano and plays. The music you hear on the CD is improvised. Patrice admits that some of the songs do stick and she can come back to some of the songs. Others are simply spoken through her and are never heard again. This improvisational style is the key thing that sets this album apart for me. Many of the tracks on this album are very melodic and its amazing when you realize that many of these songs were played in a one hour sitting.

I have tremendous respect for Patrice’s fresh approach to music ministry. She does play for services and out in public, in fact I know she was at a conference in Dallas recently. I am personally of fan of improvisation and to hear this album to know the story behind it reminds me that all music is a gift. I feel like sometimes music ministers get so caught up in the recording process that they sometimes lose the energy and the spirit that brought them into music in the first place. Patrice’s music is a reminder to me as to what it means to be filled by the Spirit.

Reviewed by Rob Ayoub

Not so with Rick Rieser’s first children’s book.

I have to say that this little gem really impressed me. It’s your basic story about individuality and uniqueness…how we are all different but special, BUT Rick Rieser doesn’t succumb to platitudes. He weaves a tale of one tough little bird and his wise momma who teaches him that perfection doesn’t exist. The illustrations are absolutely stunning.

Rick, you clearly know how to talk to kids without speaking down to them and that really carries in Percy, making the message about self-esteem and self-acceptance more authentic.  Will there be more stories about Percy?

There will be more stories about Percy and the changes that occur in the henhouse.  I believe that the “reformed hens” should get a chance to show their true selves now that they have been freed from perfectionism.  Also, there are some unanswered questions about Percy’s origin.  I would like to further explore the relationship between Percy and his loving mother.  I see the next book as a prequel/sequel.

I really like the role the mother hen plays in Percy.  She’s very wise and a good example for parents.  How did you come up with her?

I know from experience that parents and family are the most influential and important element of a child’s life.  Regardless of what we read or think, friends, television, and movies rank a distant second, third, and fifth to the power of families.  I have a wonderful Mom and had a fantastic Grandma.  It was just intuitive for me to portray the wisdom of Mama Hen.  We will learn more about Percy’s Papa in the sequel.

What advice would you give to parents so they can foster inner strength and nourish potential in their children?

I believe that freedom from perfectionism is ultimately a legacy every parent will want to leave their children.  It is tough being a parent in today’s world.  With good intentions we try to push our children to succeed. We need to remember, however, that even though they are our children, they were born to follow their own star.

What is your greatest hope for your book?

My greatest hope for Percy is that it makes a difference in the lives of children who need the message.  Striving for perfection and not accepting differences puts children at risk.  It is a primary cause of both being a victim or a bully at school.  It can also lead later in life to depression or other unhealthy ways of thinking.

To purchase a copy of Percy The Perfectly Imperfect Chicken, please visit RickRieser.com



LISA BARKER reviews children’s books for ages 0-12 on www.BiblioReads.com.  For book reviews, author interviews, content for your website/publication and advertising on BiblioReads.com please contact Lisa at BiblioReads.info@gmail.com.

Teddy Bear hat by Shannon of Organic Mama's Shop

Nursing Bracelet by Shannon of Organic Mama's Shop

Visit Shannon’s Organic Mama’s Etsy Shop

Enter our November Pregnancy Product giveaway for your chance to win!

This album was produced and recorded both in Nashville and California by Andy Allen and Ron Robinson. The quality of this project far exceeds what one might expect from a debut album. There is a common myth about Catholic music many listeners claim that it doesn’t sound professional enough – but albums like Beautiful Brokenness go a long way towards dispelling that myth. There is talent on this album, lots of great instrumental work guitars, bass and drums lay a solid foundation for Sues warm vocals.

There’s plenty of emotional and lyrical variety on this CD. Songs like Parce Domine, Sanctify Us, and Full of Grace all speak of mercy, grace, and forgiveness but they approach the topics in a heartfelt and personal way. The CD doesn’t ever feel stale, each track being additional insight into Sue’s life.

If you are looking for a contemporary Catholic artist with a rock/pop sound that will keep you involved in the CD for start to finish then check out Sue Peters. Sue is in tune with contemporary music and has a very real story to share that can touch you deeply and still remind of the many blessings God gives us. Sue’s new CD and music can be found at SuePetersMusic.com (online store) and MySpace.com/SuePetersMusic.



Reviewed by Rob Ayoub

Singing the lead vocals is Dew, a young lady originally from Tinidad, who now resides in the UK. She sings annually at the New Dawn Conference, a UK Catholic Festival, as well as other functions.

The songs reflect a variety of themes – “Awake Awake” is a praise song in honor of God, praising His Holy Name. The song “From Far And Wide” was composed for our Blessed Mother, Mary. There are two verions–the original and an acoustic version. The song “Temple” is a Eucharistic song, encouraging people to “Come into My Temple”. “Come Into My World” speaks of our desire for God to come into our lives. “Angel” is a beautiful instrumental piece, with a guitar solo by Paul Griffin.

This 6-song EP is very well-crafted, and Dew’s ethereal voice makes this a beautiful tribute to God.

Track Listing:

1. Awake Awake
2. From Far & Wide
3. Come Into My World
4. Temple
5. Angel
6. From Far & Wide (Acoustic version)

Visit Vision-Music.biz to learn more.

Featuring DEW, Lyrics by Stanley Jamieson
Music by Paul Griffin
Produced by Vision UK 2009 – www.vision-music.biz



Reviewed by Jim Logue, Jr.

For those unfamiliar with the Theology of the Body, it was a series of lectures given by Pope John Paul II, upon arrival to his pontificate, about understanding sex–in all its fullness–in light of the Catholic Gospel. George Weigel, the biographer of Pope John Paul II, called this series a “theological time-bomb” which would soon “reshap[e] the way Catholics think about our embodiedness as male and female, our sexuality, our relationships with each other, our relationships with God–even God himself.” (Forward, Theology of the Body Explained, Christopher West).

Disseminating such knowledge to the level that a non-theologian can grasp its truths is hard enough for an author or a public speaker… but a rock group? Music has a language all its own, and popular music disseminates thoughts with a series of sentence fragments�oftentimes speaking to the lowest-common denominator, building to a repetitive and hook-y chorus, with the option to incorporate a bridge�an alternate melodic and lyrical detour�if need be. Popular music today can be used as an effective teaching tool, especially when the music gives the lyrics a voicing that provides emotional depth to the cut-and-dry images contained in the lyrics.

Musically, Critical Mass is up to the challenge. After following this band for many years, I believe this is the best they’ve ever sounded. There is clarity and musicality in its guitar riffs, accompanied by solid production chops that are equal to what I hear on secular radio. The style veers from hard-rock (”Body is a Language,” “No Consequence”), to joyous pop-rock (”Alone,” “Walk You Home”) to rock balladry (”Devotion”) to praise and worship (”Body and Blood (Adoremus version)”). Regarding this last song, a reworking of an earlier song, it stands head and shoulders above the praise and worship musical landscape, improving upon the original with a wonderfully ethereal tone, and incorporating traditional Latin lyrics to the final product. I really appreciate it when Critical Mass lets it all out, taking musical chances and coming up golden.

Lyrically, David Wang and company have stretched their craft and raised the bar; there are stories here that speak to teenagers about the sexual permissiveness in society (”No Consequence”), the Steve Taylor-esque slam on artificial contraception (”Contraception Interception”), and the joys of committed celibacy (”Alone”). You may be hard-pressed to find a musical project that works this hard to shine the light of God’s grace with this much minute detail in the darkened corners of our sexually saturated society.

Taking into account that this is Critical Mass’s finest musical testament to date, with deep, detailed lyrics that are this faithful to a pertinent and applicable aspect of Catholic teaching today, I am hesitant to say that, to my ears, the marriage between lyrics and music do not entirely work.

One of the problems is that the melodies sometimes project an anger, a roughness, that runs contrary to the tone of some songs. Granted, this isn’t a problem when singing about the corruption of today’s media, or the problems within artificial contraception, but hearing the angry guitar riffs for “Friend” (a plea for compassion) and “Body is a Language”, which lays the foundation for the glorious teaching of the Theology of the Body, is disconcerting. Not to mention that most of the lyrics are barely audible underneath the band’s wall of sound (admittedly not a problem for those who have the liner notes on hand).

But even reading the lyrics and the liner notes, you read words that are more likely associated with PhD dissertations than in popular rock songs. Phenomenology. Phylogeny. Manichaeism. Pyres. There is a certain novelty in hearing such words used in a popular song format (in which the first of these words was vocally truncated into four syllables). In fairness, the band tries very hard to explain these concepts to the average listener in the liner notes; but it’s still got a ways to go.

Even though I have reservations about the final product, I wish all bands choose to not play it safe, and take the educated risks that Critical Mass has done. They ought to be commended for helping advance Catholic music and raise the listener up with knowledge and wisdom of our faith. This is most especially true for the sonic blast that accompanied this theological time bomb of the Theology of the Body.

You can purchase Body Language at the Critical Mass website, CatholicRock.com.

Reviewed by Nick Alexander

Prize Pack 1:

• 1 copy of Erin O’Brien’s Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set
• 1 Bella Band
• 1 copy of the complete Laugh and Learn DVD package including Laugh and Learn about Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Newborn Baby Care;  1 Laugh and Learn T-shirt; 1 copy of Sheri Bayles’ Laugh and Learn about Childbirth book
• 1 copy of Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers to Be by Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle
• 1 copy of Margo B. Smith’s CD “Sending Up A Prayer”
• 1 Nursing Bracelet from OrganicMama’s Etsy Shop

Prize Pack 2:

• 1 copy of Erin O’Brien’s Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set
• 2 boxes of Organic Preggie Pop Drops
• 1 copy of the complete Laugh and Learn DVD package including Laugh and Learn about Childbirth, Breastfeeding, and Newborn Baby Care; 1 Laugh and Learn T-shirt; 1 copy of Sheri Bayles’ Laugh and Learn about Childbirth book
• 1 copy of Prayerfully Expecting: A Nine-Month Novena for Mothers to Be by Donna Marie Cooper O’Boyle
• 1 copy of Margo B. Smith’s CD “Sending Up A Prayer”
• 1 Hand knit “Teddy Bear” newborn hat from Organic Mama’s Etsy Shop

Visit Kate Wicker at Momopoly for a detailed review of the Complete Pregnancy Fitness DVD set.  Visit Anne McClure at Catholic Mommy Brain for reviews of the Bella Band, Laugh and Learn package, and Prayerfully Expecting.  For additional information and products by Shannon and Organic Mama’s visit their adorable Etsy shop.

To enter to win this contest, you must leave a comment on this post with a valid email address (which won’t be published or shared) before Midnight PST on November 30, 2009.  I’ll draw two random winners and announce the winners when the contest has ended.

Editor’s Note – A HUGE Thanks to Anne McClure of Catholic Mommy Brain for coordinating this giveaway!

The music of Sarah Hart is generally classified as folk/rock or folk/pop. I would simply call it delightful. The slick Nashville production, which I find sometimes drains the heart right out of a project, serves the album well. The instrumentations are rich and authentic.

I also personally love it when a CD has a concept and it is carried through the entire album, and SaintSong, for the most part, does just that. In the age when more and more music is purchased digitally one track at a time, it is nice to hear a CD that is really best heard in its entirely. With the enhanced CD including printable devotions to complement the songs, there is all the more reason to own a physical copy. The only misfire of this great concept is the inclusion of “Our Blessing Cup (Psalm 116)”. Although King David’s words might be well considered as words of a saint, this well-known “Mass psalm” seems out of place on this album.

SaintSong by Sarah Hart is available from SpiritAndSong.com as well as iTunes.

Reviewed by Fr. Kent O’Connor

The instrumentation is very rich on this CD. Being such a talented acoustic performer, the wide variety of instruments shines through on all the tracks. The title track shows some of Russ’ tremendous arranging skills, but I think it’s especially obvious on the track “Sing of Mary”.

Russ’ music is phenomenally peaceful – but the depth of his lyrics is not to be overlooked either. Russ is a true storyteller through his music – he cites artists such as Bob Dylan, John McCutcheon and Walt Michaels as major influences in his style. I think his storytelling ability is highlighted in the song Jewel of the Caribbean telling of the hopelessness and faith that wells up in a man during a missionary trip to the Caribbean.

Russ is such a tremendously talented person and humble as well. If you like folk or Celtic inspired music, if you like lots of acoustic music and if you like music that weaves a tale, you will like Russ Rentler. Check him out at RussRentler.com.

Reviewed by Rob Ayoub

Songs include:

“Open My Eyes Lord” – We are often blind to God coming into our lives. We need God to open our eyes, that we can see Him in our every lives.

“I Turn To You (Psalm 32)” – a nice version of this psalm of prayer.

“Only This I Want” – composed by Daniel Schutte, focusing our eyes on God and God alone.

“Refiner’s Fire” – as a refiner burns away the dross to find the precious gold within, God burns away the sin to cleanse our hearts for Him.

“The Lord Is My Shepherd” which has a beautiful cello intro.

“Prayer of St. Francis” – An instrumental version of the Sebastian Temple classic. Piano and guitar take turns as the solo instruments.

John Michael Talbot’s “Only in God (Psalm 62)”, beautiful meditative song.

“The Lord Is My Light (Psalm 27)”

“Be Thou My Vision” – Starts out with a haunting A Capella 1st verse – goes into instrumental from there. Song got its start in 433 AD Ireland, when St. Patrick defied the king’s order and lit a fire on the night before Easter. The song was later turned from a folk song into the hymn we know now.

“Eye of the Storm” – contemporary song, trusting in God during difficult times.

“Taste and See (Psalm 34)” – Given a choir treatment.

“Hail Mary: Gentle Woman” – We hear many of the titles of our Blessed Mother, Mary, with the Carey Landry classic.

“How Can I Keep from Singing”

“The Path of Life (Psalm 16)”

Available on CDBaby.com.



Copyright 2009 Jim Logue

The star of the movie, Ellen Bry, is an energetic mother of three grown children, including two sons with autism. I spoke with Ellen the day she dropped off her daughter, Hannah, at Wesleyan University for her senior year. Ellen’s son Max, 20, is in his second year at UCLA Pathways, a two-year postsecondary educational program for those with developmental disabilities, which offers a range of classes in vocational, social, and life skills. Sam, 18, is at home.

Like many children with autism, Max and Sam will never live entirely on their own, says their mother. This has required a lifetime of adjustment for the whole family. “When you are first expecting, you don’t go into motherhood thinking your child will be anything but normal and typical. And when that doesn’t happen, there is grief and anger. It has been a very different experience for all of us. Sometimes crummy … but other times extraordinary and miraculous.”

One of the greatest challenges of parenting the special-needs child is managing one’s own expectations. “There’s a kind of smugness among very bright, accomplished people, an engrained bias that being bright and accomplished is somehow being ‘better.’ When you have special-needs kids, you realize immediately that intelligence in merely another gift that you’re lucky enough to get – but not a God-given right. It’s surely as much of a fluke as being good-looking. A sharp intellect is a gift, nothing you deserve, just something you’re lucky to have. Other human qualities are more important – love, decency, compassion, goodness, and kindness. My two special-needs kids have those in abundance.” When parenting the special-needs child, love means learning to appreciate each child for who he is, rather than what he can or cannot do.

Stress and the Special-Needs Parent

Ellen doesn’t sugar-coat the difficulties of special-needs parenting; the staggering, unrelenting stress ultimately contributed to the breakdown of her marriage, increasing Ellen’s sense of isolation and loss. Being around “normal” parents was especially difficult. “It’s difficult not to feel completely estranged from a group of parents stressed about fitting in a manicure or getting dinner on the table while juggling the demands of work and soccer practice.  Parents of special needs children long to have such “fancy” problems!

One of the greatest challenges parents of special-needs children face is getting the services, including therapies and educational support, a child with disabilities requires. State agencies, insurance companies, and school administrators often seek to limit the benefits to which a child is entitled because of budget limitations.

“When you talk to your child’s school, they may tell you, ‘We have to offer your kid a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment. But what we can afford to offer you is a Buick, not a Cadillac.’  That’s not good enough!  As a parent, go for the Rolls Royce, so that even if you don’t end up with the Rolls, you’ll get something closer to the Cadillac.  You would like to think you’re on the same team – you are not. They are looking to save money, and they are going to see if they can cut back on the services they offer your kid. Many school systems are beginning to reduce or eliminate special education resources, and parents of kids on the autistic spectrum need to be their children’s strongest and best advocates. You can’t worry about being liked – you must do everything possible to get your child what he needs.

“You have to get over the stigma of having a special-needs child if you have some discomfort. There are a lot of special-needs children who are isolated because the parents are ashamed or uncomfortable. That doesn’t help anyone.”

One of the most important ways to do this, says Bry, is to get the support of other parents whose children are dealing with similar challenges. Ellen recommends finding a child advocate or an attorney who advocates for special-needs families, either locally or through an online resource such as the Autism Society of America or Autism Speaks.  Another great source of information is parent support groups, either in person or online.

“Acts of Love: Pioneers”

One of the ways Ellen advocates for autism awareness and research is by participating in an annual fundraiser for Autism Speaks called “Acts of Love,” through the Word Theatre. This year’s benefit, entitled “Acts of Love: Pioneers,” was held October 3, 2009 at the Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica, California. Ellen Bry joined celebrities Adam Arkin, Benjamin Bratt, Carla Gugino, Alfred Molina, and Lynn Whitfield to celebrate the pioneers of our age, who “strike out into the unknown to make a better future.”  Acts of Love: Pioneers is created, produced, and directed by Cedering Fox.

The money from this event directly benefits Autism Speaks, cofounded by Bob and Suzanne Wright. Autism Speaks is dedicated to the research funding, prevention, treatment, and advocacy for those who suffer with autistic spectrum disorders, including autism and Asperger’s syndrome. Autism Speaks has contributed $128 million toward autism research, treatment, and prevention.


Copyright 2009 Heidi Hess Saxton

“In the Silence of the Heart” – guitar, violin, finding God in the silence, in the desert. Reflects Danielle’s pursuit of God in her own heart.

“Pursue Me” – guitar, light percussion. A song asking God to “pursue me”, to come into my life. “You stretched Your loving arms across the world into my heart.” Sometimes we keep running away from God, trying to go after our own selfish prizes. God comes to pursue us, to bring us back to Himself.

“Nothing Compares to You” – light waltz. Unlike other songs with a similar name, this one is not about “you” going away and me being sad. Nothing in this world can separate us from the Love of God, as in the passage from Romans.

“Hail, Mary” – In honor of our Blessed Mother. The beautiful prayer to Mary expanded, a devotion to the Mother of God, mixed with the Doxology.

“Abraham’s Offering” – a song written about the story of Abraham being asked by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac. A song about true faith, obedience, and trust in God.

“Anointing at Bethany” – midtempo 6/8 song about Jesus’ annointing with the expensive oil by the woman, as told from the perspective of the woman.

“Follow Me” – “If you lose your life for the sake of my name…”, this is a song about God calling us to follow Him. “I call you by name, I call you my friend. From now on I call you a fisher of men.” Beautiful choir arrangment on this one.

“Walk on Water” – song about Jesus’ walking on water, the apostles’ fear when they saw him, “Come to me and walk up on the water; Come in faith my grace will be enough. If you believe you come to know love’s power, come to me and I will hold you up.” The harmonies give the right touch.

“Psalm 139 (Wonderfully Made)” – “Lord, You search me and you know me.” A beautiful setting of the psalm. A haunting piano accompaniment accentuates this song.

“Sing a New Song” – A definite Bluegrass tempo, “I will sing a new song, to a new song. I will sing a new song to the Lord. He has turned my mourning, turned it into dancing, silence ends in melody.” Turning everything over to Jesus. This is the song that gives her that Alison-Krause-like quality.

“See You In the Eucharist” – a light ballad, a song about Jesus’ True Presence in the Eucharist. Something that even Catholics need to be reminded about, that the Eucharist is not just a symbol of Jesus, it IS Jesus!

“Gates of Heaven” – A light bluegrass/folk song, duet with her father, Dr. Daniel Skorich. “…and if I never see you face again, we will meet at the gates of Heaven.” Reminds me a little of some of the Irish ballads I’ve heard. Danielle said she cried for two hours after first hearing this song.

While we will definitely miss Danielle’s music, she is being called to a different life. We offer our prayers for Danielle in her vocation in the convent. 100% of the royalties of this project will go towards vocations.

The CD can be purchased at the WLP Website: WLP.JSPaluch.com.

Copyright 2009 Jim Logue

“Cry of the Beloved” – An uptempo song based on the Song of Solomon, describing God as the King as we, His people, the beloved.

“Conquer Me” – a song praying for God to conquer us with His love, His mercy, His truth. Turning ourselves over to God completely.

“The Ring” – a beautiful song for weddings, this is a beautiful duet between Alicia and Martin Doman. Talks of the lifelong committment of love that marriage is. “The ring is the symbol of my love for you.”

“You’re the One” – this song is of a woman singing of the love she has for her husband. “You’re the one for me”.

“Talitha Cumi” – song of a mother, whose child has died. “Little girl, arise”, what Jesus said to the little girl who died. Another verse is from the perspective of the child, who recognizes Jesus as the one who calls to her, “Talitha cumi”.

“Up to the Moon” – I love you up to the moon, as big as the sky. The song is a mother singing of her love for a child, watching a child grow “like a beautiful tree”…”You’ll always be my little child”.

“As I Kneel” – A song for Mary, with a little girl singing on this with Alicia. This song appears in the “Canticle” hymnal at Franciscan University.

“Give Thanks to the Lord” – more uptempo, with choir, “Give Thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever”. Great contemporary arrangment of the psalm.

“Maria” – I first heard of this song in the Canticle hymnal (used by Franciscan University). Alison wrote the songs several years ago during a visit to the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. On her blog, she writes: “I remember perfectly the moment that the idea for this song came to me. I was at the annual March for Life in January of 1992 with other students from Franciscan University and we were visiting the National Shrine in Washington DC. I was walking around the catherdal praying and looking at all the beutiful architecture that drew one’s mind to spiritual realities. I noticed around the top of one of the arches there were written the titles of Mary. “Star of the Sea”, “Tower of Ivory”, “Vessel of Divinity”…. and I just started thinking and singing to myself right there in the church.”

“Scripture Medley” – Alison gets the kids involved in this one, with a song to help kids in learning Scriptures. A great way to help the young ones to learn about the Word of God.

A very well-produced project, the musical background is very professional, a great debut CD!



Copyright 2009 Jim Logue

Now Kevin has recorded a solo CD: We All Bow Down. This CD features ten songs that showcase his strong vocal talents. The album is produced by Darren Rust and includes musicians Tommy Barbarella and Sonny Thompson, who have worked in the past with Prince and Janet Jackson.

The purpose of this CD, the songs and the styles, is to lead the listener through life’s journey. Songs include Michael W Smith’s All I Want, thanking God for everything we have; Lenny LeBlanc’s We All Bow Down, offering praise to God; Michael Card’s El Shaddai and The Nazarene; Josh Groban’s Remember When It Rained; DeGarmo & Key’s In His Love; Twila Paris’ How Beautiful; Julie Hoy’s Wait For the Moment; and Brenda Russell’s The Last Day.

The songs all offer praise to God, express our trust in His care, and the hope of one day sharing eternal life with Him. Kevin gives a truly inspired performance with a solid musical background to his voice.

You can learn more about Kevin John Smith at his website KevinSings.com.

Reviewed by Jim Logue, Jr.

The biggest weakness of the album is the lyrics. Too often it felt as if Mr. Tonnis wrote “to the rhyme.” Sometimes he sacrifices faithfulness to Scripture and good sentence structure for the sake of the rhyme. I would have liked to hear Mr. Tonnis either “dig deeper” to find better rhymes (some of his “rhymes” don’t even rhyme), or write songs that have no rhyming pattern at all. This might have also eliminated the “singsong” quality that occasionally appears in his melodies.

Many people have been touched by the ministry and music of Bill Tonnis, and I am confident that Live to Love will serve his ministry well. The songs “Come to Jesus” (track 2) and “Heal Me” (track 4) can be used for those needing healing of body and spirit, “Take Me Now, Forever” (track 10) is a lovely song for a wedding, and “God is the Goal” (track 7) is great for those who need a little “pick-me-up” sometime during the day.

For more information on Bill Tonnis and to purchase Live to Love go to BillTonnisMusic.com.

Reviewed by Fr. Kent O’Connor

And not to be understated are the professional musicians (Dreux Montegut – piano, Anne Chabreck – flute and Vince Woolf – trumpet) she surrounds her
beautiful vocals with, that add their own special dimension to these songs, thereby enhancing them even further.

This is a mixed collection of traditional Latin classics such as “Laudate Dominum” by Mozart and “Panis Angelicus” by Franck along with new contemporary favorites like “How Beautiful” by Twila Paris, “Wherever You Go” by David Haas and a particular favorite of mine, “How Great Thou Art” by Hine.

Trish spent her life growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana with a supportive, faith filled family and extended family who nurtured her growth in her gifts and her faith so that when she suffered a stroke in her 20’s it did not deter her from God’s call for her. She has made her name known throughout the south as well as across the country. She was featured on EWTN in October, 2008 and shared her musical gifts at the UCMVA (United Catholic Music and Video Association) Unity Awards ceremony.

“This wasn’t the plan I had for my life,” she said. “It was important for me to teach music at a Catholic school and be a mom. The part where things
(a music career and raising a family) work so well together is his (God’s) design. This is his plan.”

When asked why she chose the Catholic music genre to share her undeniable talent, she states, “To me there was no other way. Everything I have learned prepared me for this. Catholic music is just who I am. It’s my calling…it’s what I’ve done all my life.”

This is a great CD with so much to offer. I am anxious to hear her previous recordings, Inspired, In the Stillness, After the Rain and In His Presence (the Gift of Christmas) to see what other graces can be found there.

You can purchase Inspired Classics as well as all of Trish’s CDs at www.tfotigenco.com.
Reviewed by Sally Bolderson

Mercy Is . . .

The vocals throughout the CD are pleasantly humble. The clear, sincere voices draw the listener into the depth of the songs. The melody of the Divine Mercy Chaplet is soothing and I believe it would be well suited to congregational prayer. I was also pleased to have the pre and postlude prayers of the Chaplet included in this recording.

The overall selection ranges anywhere from old hymns such as an acoustic arrangement of “The Old Rugged Cross” sung by 16 year old, Jenna Kate Hall to a more contemporary sound of Jon Hazelwood of an original song, “Tear Me Down” to Schubert’s “Ave Maria.” As with any compilation project where there is a diverse selection of types and voices, you will find some to be stronger than others and that is the case with this CD.

What tugged at my heart strings the most was the song “We Want to See the World” written by David Burke. This song is a dialogue between an Angel of God (sung by Camille Selano) and unborn children (sung by a family of children that regularly go to a local abortion clinic for prayer vigils who are known to break out in song while praying for the innocent lives of the unborn). This is probably the most powerful Pro-Life song I’ve encountered. The tender voices of the children brought to life the innocence of the unborn children whose lives are never able to reach their full potential.

The CD ends with a beautiful song entitled “Healer of my Soul” in remembrance of Catholic Musician, Bob Murphy who sang God’s praises in the San Diego area for many years.

In conclusion, I found Mercy Is . . . to be a very pleasant listening experience of many gifted musicians singing their praises for our merciful God.

You can purchase Mercy Is . . . at www.mercyis.com.

reviewed by Sally Bolderson

Canadians are admirably represented with solid cuts by Tuesday Bloom (”My Everything”) and Chris Bray (”Finally Let Go”). American artist, Milo, contributes a great song, “Rekindled” and SALT, from Malta, has another winner with “Jars of Clay”.

There are also some artists who are new to North American listeners. “Sapientia” by Vox Nova is a real winner, mixing a chant feel with ambient techno.

Popple contributes a song that has a great sense of humor, similar to that of the Bare Naked Ladies. Billie Tarascio, who contributed to the first CD, shows how much of a difference a producer can make with her song “Send Me”, produced by David Smith. Smith also was responsible for the production of this CD which has very good production values on average.

This is definitely one of the stronger compilation CDs out there and is well deserving of a listen. Check out www.rockingromans.com to check out the other resources and artists that are on this great new resource for Catholic music. Well done.

Reviewed by Dave Wang

Leap of Faith

Sharmane is known for her energetic performances and the songs showcased on Leap of Faith bear that out. I can just imagine audiences standing and dancing to “Life is More” and “Stand Up.” Voices from the crowd would sing along with the on the infectious “No Matter What,” a hit single if I ever heard one.

Sharmane throws in a couple of older top ten cover tunes and puts a fresh new perspective on them, most especially Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now.”

Production values are top notch as are Sharmane’s vocals. She shows a new confidence in her singing that really sets this project apart from her other CDs.

While the majority of songs are of the nature of “Life is More” and “Stand Up,” Sharmane also included a lovely and thoughtful song about grandmothers, mothers and daughters in “Generations.” This is a song she co-wrote with Alyson Bleistine. Out of the ten songs on the CD, she co-wrote six.

Anyone who still maintains that the quality of Catholic music cannot compete with CCM or the secular market needs to hear Leap of Faith. It and many of the releases from 2009 clearly demonstrate that Catholic artists are catching up and keeping pace.

You can purchase Leap of Faith from Sharmane’s website, www.sharmane.com.

Copyright 2009 Susan Bailey