This week on our Catholicism Live! program, we follow-up EWTN Live (which proceeds our program) as they interview Terry Polakovic, Executive Director of ENDOW (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women). Details on that program are below. Join us for our program at 8pm CST with a panel of women discussing the Church’s empowering teaching on the dignity and vocation of women.

Our Program:  Tune in to Catholicism Live! on Wednesday, July 28 at 8pm CST to learn more about what the Church really teaches about women, including John Paul II’s Letter to Women. Watch on TV (via Time Warner Cable Channel 15) or listen on radio (89.7 FM in South TX) or online via the Guadalupe Radio Network.

How you can participate:  Call in live during the program at (210) 734-5371 or email us your questions before or after the show at live@catholic.org

Preceeding Program: Tune in to EWTN Live on Wednesday, July 28th at 7pm CST to see a special interview highlighting ENDOW! Both Terry Polakovic, ENDOW’s Executive Director and founder, and Brigid Sweeney, ENDOW’s Youth Program Coordinator will be interviewed for the live taping of the television program EWTN Live. One of EWTN’s longtime favorite hosts, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, interviews a variety of guests on the EWTN Live program seeking to teach and prepare us for evangelization.

How you can participate: Viewing live: Tune into your local EWTN television channel at 7pm CST to invite ENDOW into your living room. Click here to find the EWTN channel in your area. Viewing later: Encores will be run on Thursday, July 28th at 1am and 9am and Sunday, August 1st at 4pm. Also, following the taping, a copy of the show can be purchased here. Listening: Click here to listen to EWTN live from your computer. Calling-in: If you’d like to be part of the program, call EWTN Wednesday at 7pm CST at 1-800-221-9460.

This week’s topic is another interesting one! A Catholic High School teacher and two students speak about their experiences in reading the story of a Palestinian priest who grew up in the Galilee area. His book, Blood Brothers tells about growing up in Galilee and in 1948, at the age of 8, experiencing the tragedy of his poeple – to be evicted, along with his whole village, by the Israeli authorities and become a refugee in his own country. Today, Archbishop Chacour has become an ambassador for non-violence and someone, who not only preaches, but lives the Sermon on the Mount taught by the Lord Jesus. To learn more about Elias Chacour; go to www.pilgrimsofibillin.org.

PEARL OF THE WEEK: “Blood Brothers” by Elias Chacour. Available at the Pilgrim Center of Hope for $10.00. Call us now for your copy! 210-521-3377.
To read more about the Holy Land Christians go to: www.hcef.org.

SAINT OF THE WEEK: Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified (August 23 – Feast Day). : 1846 – 1878 (Feast Day: August 26th)
Blessed Mary of Jesus Crucified was born of the Baouardy family, Catholics of the Greek Melchite Rite, Abellin in Galilee in 1846.

In 1867 she entered the Discalced Carmelites at Pau in France and went with the founding group to the Carmel of Mangalore in India where, in 1870, she made her profession.
She return to France in 1872. In 1875 she went to the Holy Land where she built a monastery in Bethlehem and began planning for another at Nazareth.

Noted for her supernatural gifts, especially for humility, for her devotion to the Holy Spirit, and her great love for the Church and the Pope, she died at Bethlehem in 1878.

How do we answer questions our family, friends, co-workers may pose to us on the issues of life?  “Catholicism Live!” on July 7th will give you answers and resources to help you!  Pope John Paul II said,  “all human life is sacred, for it is created in the image and likeness of God.”  The Church’s mission to defend human life applies over the entire course of life, from conception to natural death. 

For additional information on LIFE – ABORTION – and resources: San Antonio Coalition for Life at  www.sacfl.org or call them at 210-737-2235. 

Also look at PROJECT RACHEL – a confidential program for spiritual and emotional healing after abortion.  210-342-HOPE or 1-800-651-HOPE. 

PEARL OF THE WEEK  -  For a tri-fold pamphlet that easily expresses the beauty of life and dignity of the human person titled “WHY YOU MATTER”:    http://www.usccb.org/prolife/programs/rlp/2009/bartunekpamphlet.pdf

SAINT OF THE WEEK   -   St. Maria Goretti (1890-1902).  * Feast Day is July 6th.  She is patron of youth, young women, purity and victims of rape.   Maria refused to submit to an attack on her virginity by 20 year old Alessandro Serenelli.  Not yet 12 years old, she shouted, “No, it’s a sin! I will not do it!”   So Alessandro stabbed her to death. Maria forgave him and became a saint because she loved God above all else. It was, and is, Love’s Bravest Choice.

The beautiful message of purity and forgiveness demonstrated by St. Maria inspires people of all ages, and in any place or time, because it is an ageless story of rare and heroic courage.

Read more about this young saint;  www.mariagoretti.org.