We had received all our sacraments and were married in the church. Then after being married 11 years and having 2 young sons, in 1997 I heard about a Catholic Family Conference.
I thought, “Well we should be a Catholic family!” But we really weren’t. Mass seemed optional to us, we didn’t pray together, we never read the bible, we just did the minimal.
I wasn’t able to attend the Catholic Family Conference, but I did order the cassette tapes from it. The presenters were Dr. Scott and Kimberly Hahn. I listened to their conversion stories from the Presbyterian faith and the way they described the Catholic Church. I couldn’t believe it. They made the faith come alive for me.
I ordered more and more cassette tapes and then CDs by the Hahns and other speakers. I started learning my faith as an adult. I fell in love with Jesus Christ and His Holy Catholic Church. I was so thirsty to learn more.
Learning my faith better made me get more involved in the parish. I got involved is a couple ministries, became convicted about tithing and being open to new life. The Holy Spirit inspired me to start a bible study in 1998 using the tapes and CDs that I had acquired.
In 2006 I got connected with Lighthouse Catholic Media. They had this idea to bring CDs to parishes so that people could get CDs inexpensively to educate and inspire themselves and their families.
The CDs are audio talks by well known speakers like Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Dr. Scott and Kimberly Hahn, Mother Teresa, Jeff Cavins, Fr. Larry Richards, Steve Ray, Matthew Kelly and many others.
The CDs cover all topics of the faith; the sacraments, the Pope, Mary and the saints. And there are practical topics too; how to handle anger and forgiveness, how to become the best version of yourself, how to succeed in business without losing your soul.
There are CDs of peoples’ conversion stories to the Catholic faith from other faiths, excerpt from encyclicals, historical accounts of the Catholic Church and more!
The CDs also are a tool for evangelization. How often does someone ask a question or make a comment about the faith, and you don’t know how to reply? The CDs make it so easy to share the faith. Just like you would tell a friend about a nice dinner at a new restaurant you just ate or a great movie you just went to see, you can tell them about a great CD you just listened too and then you can give them the CD to listen to too!
The greatest thing to me is that these CDs can reach people who may never walk through the doors of a church. We all are called to share our faith and with a CD it is simple and easy!
In Florida, more than 100 parishes now have the Lighthouse kiosk display stand and the CDs. Every day I hear comments of how the CDs have helped people learn their faith better.
At St. Raphael, the CDs are in a stand and on a table in the entrance. New titles are put out continually. It is a self service ministry. Just pick up the CDs you like and put donations in the box attached to the kiosk. Any excess donations help the parish continue the ministry.
Everyone in the parish can participate in this ministry either by listening to the CDs yourself or by sharing them with others.
If you're interested: Julie Musselman would love to hear your comments about the CDs. Send her an e-mail at jkmuss@tampabay.rr.com
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