In this week’s episode of The Break, Fr. Roderick reviews the movie The Avengers and talks about the need for Catholics to assemble and promote Catholic Media on Catholic Media Promotion Day 2012. Plus, a simple Tuna wrap recipe for days when it’s just too warm to cook.

Click on the player to listen, or go here to subscribe to the podcast!

In his message for World Communication Day on May 20th, Pope Benedict XVI stressed the importance of silence in our life:

Silence is also the theme of the 2nd Annual Catholic Media Promotion Day starting this Wednesday and Thursday. The purpose of this day is explained on the New Evangelizers Website:

On Wednesday, May 23, we’re asking you to take a one-day break from posting on blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Pinterest, etc… and use that day to reflect on the Pope’s words about the role of silence in communication and evangelization.

Then, on Thursday, May 24, please share the fruit of that day of prayer and silence with everyone, by posting (here) your answer to the question: “What in Catholic Media has had an impact on me during the past year?

Click here to read more about Catholic Media Promotion Day!

John Clem also posted a great article about Catholic Media Promotion Day on his blog ‘Call to Holiness‘

Your vocation in life can help you with 'priority triage'

In a new episode of Health and Holiness, Fr. Roderick talks about how to combat procrastination and stress by making quick decisions on everything based upon a clear set of priorities. Your vocation in life is your first priority. However, for many people, it’s something they hardly ever think about. However, if you regularly ask yourself what God wants you to do, you have a great criterium to help you decide what should go to the top of your daily to-do list.

Click on the player to listen and go here to subscribe to the podcast and get new episodes as soon as they are posted.

In this week’s episode of The Break, I talk about the photo above. We all know that Pope Benedict loves cats, but is this photo real, or Photoshopped?

Also in this week’s episode: Monks, beer and opera; House MD; praying for a good death; The Office, Pan-Am cancelled; Fringe; TRON uprising; Once Upon a Time; going back to Greece; learning Portuguese for WYD 2013; Lifehacker; Diablo III; Vegemite; and a question from one of our listeners: can a Pope quit?

Click on the player to listen or go to http://thebreak.sqpn.com to subscribe!

Fr. Roderick’s 12 part series about truth and fiction in Dan Brown’s Angels & Demons, recorded on location in Rome and in the Vatican, is back online! Visit the locations mentioned in the story and discover the true story of the Secret Archives, the Swiss Guards and the Conclave!

Click here to visit the new website of Secrets of Angels and Demons!

In this week’s episode of Catholic Weekend, Catholic Dad Sean McCarney, Maria Johnson, Steve Nelson and Fr. Roderick talk about James Bond, air traffic control, tricorders, priests in space; favorite board games, the SQPN Easter Egg Challenge, Blogworld NY, the Catholic New Media Conference and about the youngest catholic to ever go viral on YouTube!

Click on the player to listen or click here to watch the video with Isaiah and to subscribe to Catholic Weekend!

Seven years ago, on April 19,  white smoke announced the election of a new Pope. Fr. Roderick was on location, podcasting live from St. Peter’s Square. Hear the excitement of the crowds when the doors of the balcony open and when Pope Benedict XVI addresses the world for the first time!

Click on the links to hear the podcasts recorded during the conclave leading up to the live recording of the ‘Habemus Papam’ on Saint Peter’s Square!

• Live from St. Peter’s Square: The Conclave
• The Conclave Live, Day Two
• Habemus Papam! First Blessing by Pope Benedict XVI, Live from Saint Peter’s Square

Mike Kuypers wrote a nice recap of Saturday’s 2012 Divine Mercy Podcast Marathon:

It was a long day. And an enjoyable one. The SQPN Podcast Marathon began with Catholic Weekend and Fr. Roderick hosting Capt. Jeff, Maria, Steve, Greg Willits and Jimmy Akin. This was followed by the prayerful Pat Gohn who led us all in the rosary and the Divine Mercy prayer. She also offered several incentives for donations.

Then we were among men. Specifically Capt. Jeff and Jimmy Akin. Jimmy fielded tough Catholic questions with ease.

After the guys came David, Allyson and their brood — of chickens. The Sweeneys auctioned off the right to name their birds. Capt. Jeff graciously made a bid in honor of Denyse and me!

By 3:00 Fr. Roderick was back, this time hosting David Handlos and Shelly Kelly for Secrets of Once Upon a Time. Love the show. Love the podcast.

Then we were ushered into the Catholic Lab where Ian Maxfield gave us lessons (and quizzes) in history and science. Seeing him answered the nagging question, does Ian wear a Catholic lab coat? The answer is no.

Next came an informal hour in which Fr. Roderick, Sean McCarney and Inge dissed other countries’ food and drink. If you value your life don’t offer to share your fries with Sean, your beans with Father or your coffee with Inge.

If you were to ask what the highlight of the marathon was I guess I’d have to say Fr. Roderick’s “horror smoothie” segment.

What were the ingredients?

• apple juice
• Tabasco sauce
• condensed milk
• hazel nut paste
• raw, chopped onion
• whipped cream
• raw mushrooms
• spicy French mustard

The combination looked lethal.

Judging by Father’s discomfort after downing the contents of his glass it wasn’t far from poison. In the chat room we were actually urging him to not drink the entire glass. But he was determined to give the bidders their money’s worth.

After Father (who ducked out in a hurry) came Secrets of Harry Potter with Jim, Lyn, Ariadnaand Denise,

The marathon ended the way it began, with Catholic Weekend. But this time Capt. Jeff was back in the pilot’s seat. The show was fun and informal, and a great way to go out.

In the end the marathon earned $8000 and the Giving Campaign earned over $100,000. I know this is short of the original $140,000 goal but I was proud of the way our chat room came through today.

Speaking of the chat, here’s the final tally of Facebook friends who showed up for the marathon: Steph, Clifford, Dani, David Handlos, Jim, Jared, Waterbug, Maria, Liam, Joann, Capt. Jeff, Barb, John Brunton, Jennifer, Denyse, Sean McGaughy, Steve, David Sweeney, Lyn, Pat Gohn, Greg, Terry, Dan, Pat Padley, John Villacrusis, Shelly, Zina, Dee, Inge, Anne, Ian, Sean McCarney, Laura, Ariadna and Deborah.

Mike

The Star Quest Production Network (SQPN) is pleased to announce those expected to speak at the 2012 Catholic New Media Conference.

The 5th annual Catholic New Media Conference will be held at the Arlington Convention Center (Arlington, TX) on August 29-31, 2012.  For the first time, the CNMC will be meeting in the same location as the Catholic Marketing Network trade show and the meeting of the Catholic Writers Guild.

 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

The Catholic New Media Conference is once again blessed by a talented and enthusiastic program of Keynote Speakers.  We know that you will enjoy the expertise they bring to the world of Catholic New Media.

Jennifer Fulwiler is a writer and speaker from Austin, Texas. She’s a blogger for the National Catholic Register, a regular guest on various national radio networks, and her story has been featured on EWTN television. She has a degree in Advertising with a focus on New Media from the University of Texas, and has an award winning personal blog, ConversionDiary.com

Elizabeth Scalia is a Benedictine oblate and managing editor of the Catholic Portal at Patheos.com, where she blogs as the Anchoress. She is also a weekly columnist at First Things, and a featured columnist at The Catholic Answer Magazine.  She is the author of Caring for the Dying with the Help of your Catholic Faith (Our Sunday Visitor), and was a contributor to Disorientation: How to Go to College Without Losing Your Mind (Ascension Press).

Cliff Ravenscraft, is founder of the Generally Speaking Production Network (gspn.tv). Podcasting since 2005, Cliff has turned a hobby into his full time business. Among his many shows are Family From The Heart, and Pursuing a Balanced Life.

ALSO SPEAKING
Also speaking during the conference are the following individuals, each with their own unique perspective and expertise in the use of new media in the Church.  Please check this list often as we expect to include more exciting and talented media experts, bloggers, and Church leaders.

Bishop Christopher Coyne, Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.  Bishop Coyne is an avid user of new media.  He blogs at Let Us Walk Together: Thoughts of a Catholic Bishop (thoughtsofacatholicbishop.blogspot.com), and frequently posts on Twitter and Facebook.

Fr. Roderick Vonhögen co-founded the Star Quest Production Network (SQPN) with the mission of ‘Leading the Way in Catholic New Media’. He hosts and produces several audio, video and live streaming shows including The Break, Health and Holiness, Catholic Insider, The Secrets of Once Upon A Time, Secrets of the Hobbit, and more. Fr. Roderick is regularly sought by the international press, cable news and entertainment shows for his expertise in Catholic New Media and for his opinions on popular topics. He hosts a television show on Dutch national TV as well as a weekly radio show.  Fr. Roderick lives and works in Amersfoort, The Netherlands.

Brandon Vogt, is a Catholic writer and speaker who blogs at The Thin Veil (http://www.thinveil.net). He’s also the author of The Church and New Media: Blogging Converts, Online Activists, and Bishops Who Tweet.

Patrick Padley is a Kansas City-based new media creator, digital strategist, podcaster, musician, coffee addict and online marketing thinker.  As a Social Media Consultant at Digital Evolution Group, a digital consultancy in Kansas City, Pat advises clients on their online initiatives and marketing strategy.

Additional speakers will be announced as that information becomes available.

CLICK HERE FOR THE CATHOLIC NEW MEDIA 2012 WEBSITE WITH ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONFERENCE!

Catholic Podcasters Join Forces in Divine Mercy Podcast Marathon for
New Media Evangelization

On Saturday, April 14 2012, Catholic podcasters from all over the world will join forces in a 12 hour long podcast marathon to raise money for SQPN’s New Media evangelization efforts.

The podcast Marathon will begin on Saturday, April 14 at 10 am EST and will end on the eve of Divine Mercy Sunday at 10 pm EST. In addition to streaming video and audio, viewers will be able to chat and interact with the podcasters via a live chatroom.

Fun and Festive

“Every year, we end our giving campaign in a fun and festive way with a podcast marathon,” says Fr. Roderick Vonhogen, CEO of SQPN. “We are still about $7000 short of the amount we raised last year. Hopefully, people will help us to meet our goal so we can continue to evangelize with new media. As a non profit organization, we completely rely on donations from our listeners.”

SQPN was founded to answer blessed John Paul II’s appeal to Catholics to use new media and the internet for the new evangelization. With over a quarter of a million downloads each month, the organization has been able to reach tens of thousands of mostly young people all over the world.

Reach

This year, Fr. Roderick hopes not only to continue the existing initiatives, but also to substantially expand SQPN’s reach by building a new studio and by hiring extra people to help with the production of new programs.

“However, to expand our work and build a new production studio, we would need an additional $40,000,” says Fr. Roderick. “It seems impossible, but we trust in God’s providence. If it’s His plan, He will somehow make it all work.”

More information about how to support SQPN with a one time gift or a recurring donation is available on SQPN.com/donate.

Happy and blessed Easter to all of you! Each day during this Easter week, we will hide a couple of Easter eggs on the SQPN websites.

Each egg comes with a letter. Together, and in the right order, those letters will form a word. If you are able to guess the word, you can send it to info@sqpn.com before the end of Sunday, April 22 and we will pick a winner from the correct answers.

The prize is a

Follow us on Twitter (@sqpn) and on Facebook (link) for hints where these eggs are hidden. The hints are also posted below.

Happy Easter Egg Hunt!

HINTS:

• Hint #1: one egg can be found on the main SQPN.com website (easy, right?)
• Hint #2: the Easter bunny likes the weekend. Especially the Easter Weekend.
• Hint #3: The Easter Bunny lives a healthy life
• Hint #4: Do Hobbits celebrate Easter?
• Hint #5: Once Upon an Easter Day..
• Hint #6: Lots of rabbits and bunnies in Disney movies!
• Hint #7: This Belgian reporter and his dog are always looking for clues..
• Hint #8: Where would you hide Easter eggs in Middle-earth?
• Hint #9: Only an insider will find all the eggs..
• Hint #10: Give that Easter Bunny a Break!

Happy Easter to all our listeners! May the Light of Christ’s Resurrection shine on you and on your loved ones and fill you with joy!

Maria, Steve and Fr. Roderick recorded a special Easter episode of Catholic Weekend! As usual, we talk about a million things and this time, we are getting some trouble from a gnarly Easter bunny

Click on the player to listen or go to http://catholicweekend.sqpn.com to subscribe!

Jimmy Akin recorded a special Resurrection Special of his podcast with the title “Our Resurrection & the Fate of the World”. Listen by clicking the player or go to http://jimmyakinpodcast.com to subscribe!

Blessed Pope John Paul II died 7 years ago on April 2, 2005. What did he mean to you? How do you remember him? Share your thoughts in the comments.

On April 2, 2005, Pope John Paul II died. I was in Rome when it happened, and I went over to Saint Peter’s Square to record a podcast at that historic moment in the history of the Church. You can go back in time and relive those extraordinary events by listening to the Catholic Insider episodes recorded seven years ago:

CI#20 – Pope John Paul II is Close to Death
CI#21 – Pope’s Condition Quickly Deteriorating – Live Report from Rome
CI#22 – Farewell to Pope John Paul II – Live from Saint Peter’s Square
CI#23 – Waiting for the Inevitable – Live Report from the Vatican
CI#24 – The Pope has Died
CI#25 – The Night the Pope Died

The links will open a new window in your browser in which you can play each episode.

Photo credit: Osservatore Romano

Catholic Weekend looks back on the Papal visit to Cuba with Maria Johnson, William Newton, Stephanie Weak and Fr. Roderick. Click on the player to listen to this week’s show!

Click here to visit the Catholic Weekend website!

The movie ‘The Hunger Games” is on its way to break a lot of box office records. Fr. Roderick reviews the movie in his latest episode of The Break. Click on the player to listen or click here to subscribe!

Have you seen the movie? What did you think?

Our newest SQPN affiliate podcast, Station 15, explores the role of bishops in industrial disputes, Jesus’ ability to heal diseases and the Pope’s upcoming trip to Cuba, not to mention one of the most frivolous court cases you might ever hear about!

Listen to the episode by clicking on the player or go here to listen to more podcasts and to subscribe!

Laetare Jerusalem: et conventum facite omnes qui diligitis eam: gaudete cum laetitia, qui in tristitia fuistis: ut exsultetis,et satiemini ab uberibus consolationis vestrae. Laetatus sum in his quae dicta sunt mihi: in domum Domini ibimus.

Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation. I rejoiced when they said to me: “we shall go to God’s House!

What is for you a reason to rejoice today?

This week, Catholic Weekend was all about St. Patrick’s Day. And about Green Beer, the Green Lantern and more. Click on the player to listen to the episode! What do you do on St. Patrick’s Day? Do you celebrate it or not? What’s your favorite St. Patrick’s Day activity? Let us know in the comments!

Participate in SQPN’s Saint Patrick’s Day Photo Contest and win a T-shirt!

Post an original Saint Patrick’s Day photo on our Facebook page and you could win an exclusive T-shirt!

Click here to visit our Facebook page, and don’t forget to click ‘like’!

Today’s episode of The Break celebrates international ‘Pi Day‘: 3/14

How do Catholics celebrate Pi Day? With a contest! which Catholic words or expressions contain the word ‘Pi’? Post them in the comments!

In this week’s episode of ‘Catholic Weekend’, Sarah Reinhard, Billy Newton, Lisa Hendey and Fr. Roderick talk about a surprising initiative by a young priest in the Netherlands: To boldly go where no priest has gone before.

Fr. Anton ten Klooster hopes to become the first priest in space. That is, if he gets picked out of the thousands of candidates that participate in the ‘Race for Space’ of the international newspaper ‘Metro’.

Candidates that gather the most votes heighten their chances of getting sent into space.

“If METRO is sending someone into space, why not a priest?” says Fr. Anton. “Priests already maintain regular contact with the heavens anyway,” he jokes.

You can vote for Fr. Anton (twitter.com/fatheranton) by following the link below and by clicking on the yellow button (‘STEM’).

Click here to vote!

You can listen to the entire episode of Catholic Weekend by going here.

Yesterday, Tim Cook presented the ‘new iPad’ to the world. A better screen, faster graphics, an improved camera and some new software. Is it worth upgrading if you already have an iPad? Is it an ‘iNeed’ or just an ‘iWant’? Or perhaps an ‘iDontCare’?

Fr. Roderick discusses the question on his newest episode of The Break. Click on the player to listen!

You would think that Pope Benedict XVI hardly watches TV, and that if he does, it’s mostly Catholic media or news. Or is it? Listen to this week’s episode of Catholic Weekend to discover the Pope’s favorite TV show. We also discuss the tornados in the US, the death of Davy Jones, the controversial mobile euthanasia team in the Netherlands, the Oscar nominated documentary ‘Bigger than Elvis’, Brandon Vogt’s Internet Fast and give you the recipe for Lenten Pretzels. And we play our weekly trivia quiz!

Enough reasons to listen to this week’s show? Click the player and chime in via the comments!

Subscribe to the feed | Subscribe with iTunes

Join Fr. Roderick, Lisa Hendey, Maria Johnson and Steve Nelson for a live broadcast of this week’s Catholic Weekend show. Video and chatroom are open from 10 am Eastern!

http://live.sqpn.com

Voting for the finalists for the About.com Catholicism Readers’ Choice Awards has begun:

• Lisa Hendey is up for Best Catholic Book of 2011 for A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms: 52 Companions for Your Heart, Mind, Body and Soul
• Catholic: Under the Hood is up for Best Catholic Podcast of 2011
• Lino Rulli is up for Best Catholic Radio Show of 2011 for The Catholic Guy Show
• Greg and Jennifer Willits are up for Best Catholic Radio Show of 2011 for The Catholics Next Door

Let’s try to these great authors to the top of the charts! Click here to cast your vote!

Who will be the next Pope and who will win at this weekend’s Academy Awards? How can you make the most of Lent and who will score during this week’s trivia? Listen to this week’s episode of Catholic Weekend to know it all!

Subscribe to the feed | Subscribe with iTunes

Today’s new shows on SQPN: Secrets of the Hobbit #37; Health & Holiness #71 and Secrets of Pan Am episode 14!

Link to the podcast episode

“On February 7th of 2005, I plugged a microphone into the side of my notebook and began reading the Scriptures for the day. Seven years later, Verbum Domini is the longest-running Catholic Podcast on the Net.”

Click here to read the rest of Brian Noe’s article on the seventh anniversary of the podcast ‘Verbum Domini’

Click here to subscribe to Verbum Domini in iTunes!
Click here to subscribe via the website of Verbum Domini

In the newest episode of ‘Just A Catholic Dad’ there are some hair-raising exploits at the McCarney house, Sean shows why he doesn’t do drains, and there’s a question about how you come back to the church if you feel like an outsider. There’s also a slightly mad cyclist and a plea from a Canadian listener! The 60 Second Saint is back and there’s some more ‘Holy Homework’ to while away the winter evenings……

Click here to listen and to subscribe!

This month is Oscar Month, and the member of the SQPN Movie Panel will watch or rewatch the blockbuster ‘Titanic’ as the first movie of the month.

Why do you think the movie was such a huge success? What did you like, what didn’t you like? What was the most memorable scene? Are you going to watch the 3D rerelease when it hits theaters this year?

Post your thoughts and reviews in the comments!

Who doesn’t like to cuddle up on the couch during cold winter nights and watch a good movie? And isn’t it fun to chat with friends about a movie you just saw?

Starting today, you can do both by joining the SQPN Movie Panel! Every week, we will pick another movie to watch, and chat about it on Twitter and on the SQPN website.

Each month will have its own theme (‘Shark Month’, ‘Disaster Month’, ‘Spy Month’, ‘Magical Month’), and Februari is ‘Oscar Month’. We will watch the four movies that won the most Academy Awards in history: Titanic, Ben Hur, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and West Side Story.

This is how it works: make sure you follow @moviepanel on Twitter to chat and to talk about the movie of the week, and follow SQPN on Facebook and on this website to post your comments on each movie.

We might actually get together in other ways in the future for an even more lively discussion, but we want to start as simple as possible.

The movie to watch this week is the one with the current all-time record in terms of Academy Awards: Titanic! Looking forward to hear your reviews and thoughts about this movie!

Click here to go to the @moviepanel Twitter feed and subscribe!

The team of ‘Secrets of Disney’ is back with a new podcast episode, this time analyzing the Disney movie ‘Enchanted’! Click here to listen and to subscribe:

Enchanted – Part 1

On her blog ‘Another Cup of Coffee’, Catholic Weekend co-host Maria Johnson wrote a review of the classic movie Groundhog Day:

I woke up to a number of faux-concerned Tweets about hearing Sonny and Cher’s I Got You, Babe. Thanks, Bill Murray, for this iconic film, but I could really care less about the little rodent…and his Southern counterpart, General Beauregard Lee. I just usually send the weather dog outside in the morning. If she comes back wet, it’s raining. If she won’t go out, it’s cold. I’m good with that.

But I do love the film. It’s funny, in that way that Bill Murray could issue a death sentence and it would sound funny. Maybe it’s the smirk. Delivery is everything in comedy, no?

Naturally there’s more to it than that. Murray’s character is a giant ball of ego. His arrogance is beyond off-putting; it clearly has made him a miserable person, disliked by his colleagues, and cause for his punishment to live groundhog day over and over again.

However, according to Maria, “this punishment is really no punishment at all…” Click here to read why!

In their latest episode of ‘Catholic in a Small Town’, Mac and Katherine debate the Pros and Cons of getting an iPhone, their boys lose Pinewood derby with really great looking cars, Mac’s iPod disappears, Rise of the Apes underwhelms, Justin Bieber wears his heart on his sleeve, they bemoan a lack of the sacred in little Jesus cups, and ask you to keep an eye out for Chick Tracks.

Click here to listen!

In the latest episode of ‘Secrets of Once Upon a Time’, Deborah, Lisa, David and Fr. Roderick talk about the biblical and moral themes in the episode “7:15 A.M.” of the ABC Hit series Once Upon a Time.

Is true love about following your feelings or is there more to love? What would Thomas Aquinas advice the fairy tale characters in this episode? And which Old Testament story inspired the portrayal of Prince Charming and Princess Abigail?

Click here to listen!

Pope Benedict XVIth has released his message for the 46th World Day of Social Communications which falls on May 20th. The theme he has chosen this year is “Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization”.

Our friends over at Vatican Radio have the full text!

On today’s episode of Catholic Weekend, Sarah Reinhard, Steve Nelson, Fr. Jay and Fr. Roderick talk about the YouTube video “Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus” (viewed over 15 million times) and about some of the best Catholic reactions to it, like this one:

Click here to listen to Catholic Weekend 105, “Texting Toddlers”!

I posted new podcast episodes of The Break, Secrets of Pan Am and Secrets of Once Upon a Time!

Check them out:

http://thebreak.sqpn.com

http://panam.sqpn.com

http://onceuponatime.sqpn.com

In his newest iPadre podcast, Fr. Jay Finelli talks about the scavi, the ‘city of the dead’ underneath Saint Peter’s Basilica.

Click here to listen: http://www.ipadre.net/2012/01/ipadre-243-the-scavi/

Does Contemplation sound like a ‘faith vitamin’ for mystics or holy-holy types? Join us as we discuss this Catholic Vitamin with Father John Putka, a Marianist priest from the University of Dayton. Fr. John really does know our show topic: he imitates the example of Archbishop Fulton Sheen as he spends one hour a day in prayer and contemplation before the Blessed Sacrament.

Click here to listen and to subscribe:

http://catholicvitamins.com/catholic-vitamin-c-contemplation/

In the fifth episode of the SQPN podcast ‘Secrets of Tintin’, Fr. Roderick and David Handlos discuss the story and the background of one of Tintin’s most exciting adventures that takes him from Egypt to India: “Cigars of the Pharaoh”.

Vatican newspaper ‘Osservatore Romano’ recently called Tintin a typical “Catholic hero”. Following the international release of the new Tintin movie by Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, the SQPN podcast has quickly grown its audience, now reaching more than 15,000 listeners per episode.

Check out the podcast here: http://tintin.sqpn.com

Join airline pilot captain Jeff, flight attendant Marsha, Pan Am blogger Monique and Fr. Roderick for a new episode of the Secrets of Pan Am, or travel to Middle-earth with Inge and Laura to explore the mysterious Mirrormere and the depths of Moria. And Dave and Fr. Roderick discuss the trailer for The Hobbit in a new episode of Secrets of the Hobbit!

Pope Benedict XVI met a rare 60cm crocodylus rhombifer crocodile from Cuba this week. If crocodiles could talk, what would this one have said to the Pope? Share your captions below!

Google.com showed a special ‘Doodle’ today as a tribute to the father of geology, blessed Niels Stensen.

The Google logo appears in the form of a cross section of the earth’s crust to commemorate the Danish geologist and anatomist’s 374th birthday.

Stensen became a Catholic in 1667 and was made a bishop in 1677. He died at the age of 48 on November 25, 1686. Hear about his amazing life on the SaintCast:

Click here!

Everybody knows Hans Brinker. Except for.. the Dutch! Fr. Roderick talks about the floods in the Netherlands, about the upcoming Consistory in the Vatican and about some crazy goals for SQPN.

Click here to listen and to subscribe to the podcast!

Paul Camarata is back with a new episode of the SaintCast in which he takes listeners to ancient Athens, touring the Acropolis, and especially the Areopagus hill, where St. Paul preached his sermon on the unknown god, found in the Acts of the Apostles.

Click here to listen and to subscribe!