Publicity
What people are saying about CatholicsRead.org
Here is quote from the archbishop that CBPA can use in any and all promotion about CBPA and CatholicsRead:
"I am delighted to serve as Episcopal Moderator for the Catholic Book Publishers Association. Although many other important sources of information and faith nourishment are now available, from CD-ROMs to the Internet, the Bible and other books remain indispensable for Catholics who seek to grow in their faith. The CBPA’s CatholicsRead program is an innovative and exciting effort to bring this truth to the attention of Catholics who may have forgotten."--Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Previous Press Release
Online Program Answers Pope’s Call to Rediscover Importance of Reading the Bible
According to Vatican City news sources, Pope Benedict XVI said he hoped the preparation for and celebration of the 2008 world Synod of Bishops would help Catholics realize how important the Bible is in their lives and the life of the church. The synod, to be held October 5-26, 2008, will focus on "The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church." Pope Benedict said he hoped the entire synod process would help Catholics "rediscover the importance of the Word of God in the life of every Christian, every ecclesial community and even every civil community.”
To help Catholics answer this call, the Catholic Book Publishers Association (CBPA) supports the free national reading program CatholicsRead. Those who wish to participate in the program individually or as part of small or large group (such as a parish Bible study group) can find the texts of the featured books of the Bible in English and Spanish online at www.CatholicsRead.org. Also included are questions for group discussion or individual reflection and links to more than 100 supplemental books and other resources to enhance the scripture-study experience. To purchase the supplemental resources, participants can easily enter their zip code to view a list of local Catholic/Christian bookstores or link directly to publisher websites.
Launched in 2003, the CatholicsRead program has grown exponentially. Its website now has more than 4000 unique visitors per month. In May, CBPA announced the CatholicsRead featured books of the Bible for the 2008 liturgical year: Matthew, Wisdom and 1 Corinthians. Booksellers, national catechetical organizations, dioceses, parishes, schools, and individuals all currently participate in the program.
Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati endorses CatholicsRead: “Although many other important sources of information and faith nourishment are now available, from CD-ROMs to the Internet, the Bible and other books remain indispensable for Catholics who seek to grow in their faith. The CBPA’s CatholicsRead program is an innovative and exciting effort to bring this truth to the attention of Catholics who may have forgotten."
For more information about CatholicsRead and how to get started using it yourself or in your faith community, visit www.CatholicsRead.org.
The following is a reproduction of an article for the Winter 2003 – AIM Magazine
CatholicsRead for more Catholic literature
What did a survey by the United States Bishops’ Committee on the Laity, the Chicago Public Library’s “One Book, One City” program, and the work of the Catholic Book Publishers Association (CBPA) have in common? These are all factors that led to the creation of a simple imitative by the CBPA to encourage Catholics across the country to read more Catholic literature. CatholicsRead.org premiers this fall to do just that.
An on-line survey by the Committee on the Laity during the spring of 2001, which garnered over 59,000 responses, found that Catholics want more access to Catholic reading materials for themselves and their families. They wanted to know how to find Catholic books. In conversation with the committee’s staff, the CBPA began to investigate how it could help publicize available materials. They turned to the model of the One Book, One City Program, but soon found it was not so simple as suggesting one book for all Catholics to read. What has emerged is an exciting but simple program that can be implemented with minimum effort and expense, yet offers the possibility of a revolution in adult formation on many pastoral levels.
The CatholicsRead program is easy. The CBPA is asking that all Catholics read three books during the year 2004. The three titles are books of the Bible: the book of Job, the Letter to the Romans, and the Gospel of Luke. And almost every home will have these books in its library- the family Bible. CatholicsRead is that simple. In each year after 2004, three other books of the Bible will be highlighted.
But the CBPA has done its work and provided much more to enhance the program. First, at the CatholicsRead.org web site, the texts of the three books of the Bible: Job, Romans, and Luke are provided in three formats: The New American Bible version, the New Revised Standard Version, and a Spanish translation version. If someone does not have a Bible, they can read the books free on the web site.
Second, the CBPA has asked its member publishers to list three books related to these Bible books on the web site to encourage additional reading about either the Bible books themselves or the themes of faith contained in those books. The books are categorized by specific audiences and topics. Discussion questions and suggestions for group study are also available on the site. So, too, are suggestions for implementing the CatholicsRead program in parishes, in diocese, and in bookstores. These suggestions are all free.
The last facet of the program is information on how to obtain additional reading materials. By entering their zip code, visitors will be able to locate the religious bookstore nearest to their home that stocks the books. In addition, the publishers will have links to their own web sites and instructions for purchasing materials directly from publishers or from on-line sources such as Amazon.com and Catholic On-line. Everything you will need to implement this program in your family or parish will be ready by the beginning of Advent in 2003.
World Library Publications has already chosen the following books for inclusion in the program: Living the Word 2004, Scripture Soundings 2004, and Sonnets to the Unseen: A Life of Christ. You can order them on line at www.wlpmusic.com.
For more information visit the CBPA web site at www.cbpa.org. Also find out more about the work of the Committee on the Laity by visiting www.usccb.org.
John Wright, the Director of Marketing for WLP, has been active in the CBPA for several years and was recently elected to a third two-year term as President of the Board of Directors.