(September 21, 2008) Holly Inuretta, an aid worker in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, discusses the response of Catholic Relief Services to the recent hurricanes in Haiti and Cuba. In "Election 2008 – The Issues," Deirdre McQuade of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, discusses the topic of abortion. Deirdre relates abortion to the US Bishops' document Faithful Citizenship and the importance for Catholic voters to form their consciences. In Catholic News Service's Rome Report, John Thavis reports on a Vatican official who is asking if brain death is really death. In his "Fact of Faith," Paulist Father Larry Rice explains the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults which welcomes new members into the Catholic faith every Easter Vigil. In the Catholic News Service Spotlight, Regina Linskey reports on a kidnapping crisis in Mexico. Franciscan Father Greg Friedman previews the documentary, "Assisi Pilgrimage: Walking in Faith with Francis and Clare," which he wrote and produced. The film captures the spiritual journey of pilgrims to mark the eight-hundredth anniversary of the Franciscan order. John Mulderig of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting reviews the film "The Women."

(September 14, 2008) Tim Horner, a professor at Villanova University, describes what he learned on a visit to Rwanda sponsored by Catholic Relief Services' college partnership program. In the Catholic News Service Spotlight, Regina Linskey reports on renewed interest in the Aramaic language and some programs that have been developed to teach it in Syria. In another installment of our series to help Catholic voters discern the important issues in the November general election, Rick McCord of the USCCB Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life & Youth discusses the Catholic Church's position on same sex marriage. Susan Wills of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities discusses a report from the American Psychological Association that challenges the findings of other studies that have identified a link between abortion and mental health problems among women who have suffered both. In his "Fact of Faith," Paulist Father Larry Rice explains what a "personal prelature" is in the Catholic Church and introduces the only organization that the Vatican has recognized as one to date, Opus Dei. In Catholic News Service's Rome Report, John Thavis looks back at the short but significant pontificate of John Paul I. John Mulderig of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting reviews the latest installment in the "Star Wars" saga, which departs from the previous films by relying totally on animation.

(September 7, 2008) In the third in a series of expert interviews to help Catholic voters discern the important issues in the November general election, Richard Doerflinger of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities discusses Catholic teaching on stem cell research and cloning. In the Catholic News Service Spotlight, Regina Linskey reports on the plans put forward by both major party presidential candidates for health care reform. Laura Sheehan of Catholic Relief Services discusses what the agency is doing to aid Georgian citizens who have been displaced by the recent Russian assault on the country. Franciscan Father Greg Friedman reflects on the readings for the 23th Sunday in Ordinary Time in this week's "Sunday Soundbite." In his "Fact of Faith," Paulist Father Larry Rice discusses the gradually improving relations between the Vatican and the government-recognized Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. Sister of Notre Dame Susan Wolf previews a first-of-its-kind online evangelization conference organized by the Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association. In Catholic News Service's Rome Report, Carol Glatz explains what Vatican library staff members will be doing while their institution undergoes some major renovations. USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting Director Harry Forbes reviews the timely new Kevin Costner film "Swing Vote," which is about a man whose single vote will determine the outcome of a presidential election.

(August 31, 2008) In the second in a series of expert interviews to help Catholic voters discern the important issues in the November general election, Tom Shellabarger, policy advisor on urban and economic issues for the USCCB Department of Domestic Social Development, talks about workers' rights and the state of the U.S. economy. Catholic News Service's Rome bureau chief John Thavis explains why Pope Benedict XVI is becoming known as the "green pope." Mary McClusky of the USCCB Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities relates the unfortunate experiences of two cancer patients whose quest for treatment revealed a shocking side effect of the Oregon assisted suicide law. Franciscan Father Greg Friedman reflects on the readings for the 22th Sunday in Ordinary Time in this week's "Sunday Soundbite." In his "Fact of Faith," Paulist Father Larry Rice explains what is meant by "proper form" when it refers to a valid Catholic marriage. Father Allan Figueroa Deck, Executive Director of the USCCB Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church, discusses how his new office will help bring Catholics from a wide variety of cultures into fuller participation in the faith life of the church. In the Catholic News Service Spotlight, Regina Linskey reports on the day-to-day struggles of many Palestinians in the face of an annual summer water shortage that is becoming more severe every year. John Mulderig of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting, reviews the new 3-D animated film "Fly Me to the Moon," which uses special effects to convey the excitement of space flight.

(August 24, 2008) Scott Branschweig, Catholic Relief Services' representative in Kabul, discusses the current food crisis in Afghanistan and what the agency is doing to help with both short and long term solutions. Catholic News Service's Carol Glatz reports from Rome about a recent statement of Pope Benedict XVI recommending a more equitable distribution of the world's water supply to ensure that all people have access to clean, fresh water. As the political conventions begin, we kick off a series of interviews with USCCB experts who will help Catholic voters discern the important issues in the November general election. This week, Father J. Brian Bransfield of the bishops' Secretariat of Evangelization and Catechesis, explains the importance of forming conscience. Franciscan Father Greg Friedman reflects on the readings for the 21th Sunday in Ordinary Time in this week's "Sunday Soundbite." In his "Fact of Faith," Paulist Father Larry Rice explains what "pauline privilege" means in some rare marriage annulment cases. Two young participants in World Youth Day 2008 comment on their memorable experiences as they recall the week-long event that was held in Sydney, Australia, last month. In the Catholic News Service Spotlight, Regina Linskey introduces us to a Franciscan priest whose unusual hobby of participating in triathlons has earned him the nickname "Iron Friar." Harry Forbes, Director of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting, reviews the film "Henry Poole is Here," which he says is a "little gem of a film with its truthful emotions, likable characters, and themes of faith and community concern."

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