The CatholiCity Message
Volume V, Number 27 – November 19, 2001
Dear CatholiCity Citizen,
As most of you know, every once in a while we arrange for exclusive special discounts and free offers for you and your friends by tapping our contacts in the Catholic world and the "buying power" of the 70,000+ families who read this message. In the coming weeks, people will spend billions of dollars on "worldly" gifts and this last CatholiCity Discount of 2001 is a way of bucking the commercialization trend. It's also our way of thanking you by helping you keep "Christ" in your Christmas gift-giving.
And please note: CatholiCity never takes a "cut." The entire "discount" is going to you, and the apostolates below are either breaking even or losing money. There's no pressure–just browse through the incredible offers below and decide if there's something for you or someone you love. These offers are only available to CatholiCity Citizens and your friends and relatives to whom you forward this email to until next Friday, November 30th.
We've got something exciting for everyone–readers, big kids, little kids, video, music, education, thinkers, and anyone who loves Our Lady:
1. THE REAL THING FOR THINKERS
Two months ago, our favorite Catholic monthly magazine, Crisis, courageously published an issue with "The Price of Priestly Pederasty" on the cover. Instead of the detestable scandal-mongering found in secular reports, it was the first truly sober and mature treatment of the scope of sexual misconduct in the Church during the past two decades and the incredible fiscal toll it has been taking on our dioceses. Crisis regularly deals with these kinds of issues–issues which diocesan newspapers and feel-good magazines overlook or simply won't touch, along with the best-written analysis and review of Catholic culture, art, and politics in print, period. The movie reviews and Deal Hudson's column are our favorites.
Crisis is must reading if you're a Catholic who is serious about growing in faith and reason. It's also just plain fun to read. We want you to try it for one year for only $17–roughly 50% off the regular price, 60% off the cover price–pretty much the best offer anywhere, ever. And while limited supplies last, Crisis will also send you a free copy of the "Priestly Pederasty" issue with your subscription. It will also make a great gift for your fallen-away or snobbish friends or relatives who don't think Catholics can think. Just call 800.852.9962 during business hours and mention "CatholiCity Offer" or send your mailing address via email with "CatholiCity Offer" in the subject field to:
(OFFER EXPIRED, VISIT WEBSITE FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS)
http://www.crisismagazine.com/
2. AND NOW FOR THE KIDS
We're totally excited about this next offer because it's been completely Boy-Tested in our own homes for the past four years. Christian Soldiers action figures/book/tape toy sets have wholly entertained and edified our children for hours at a time and are easily the best-kept secret in the Catholic world. Each set contains 12 high-quality, hand-painted "Fontanini-style" polymer figurines depicting Old Testament
"battle heros," a large matching hardback children's book, and a super-duper
"radio drama" audio tape that children listen to while playing and is so riveting that they will insist on hearing it time and again during long family car trips. You simply have to see, hear, and hold this set in your hands to appreciate the quality. There are three sets: Daniel and The Lion's Den, David and Goliath, and the Nativity Christmas Story. Trust us on this: every Catholic family with children under eight should own them. Tired of the same old high-priced legos, gory action figures, and superficial godless children's books?
By special arrangement with CatholiCity, Christian Soldiers, which is owned by a large, loving Catholic family, will send you ANY set, each containing the 12 figures, the hardback book, and audio drama for only $20, postpaid. And you can order all three sets together for an amazing $50! (Keep in mind that we just found Fontanini figures on Google that cost $10 and $15 for each figurine!). This is the best value we've ever arranged for CatholiCity Citizens for Christmas gift-giving. Don't be shy: stock up for your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and order extra sets for gifts during the coming years because this offer will never be available again. The family which owns this company basically want you to have these in your homes, so they're giving these to you at the "raw" manufacturing cost. Here's how to order: send a check or money order for $20 per set (or $50 for all three sets), made out to "Christian Soldiers" to Christian Soldiers, 3102 West Division Street, Arlington TX 76012.
(OFFER EXPIRED BUT SETS STILL AVAILABLE)
3. AND NOW FOR THE OLDER KIDS
We know you also need affordable gifts for your older children, so e called Matt Pinto, our longtime "Catholic co-conspirator" at Ascension Press, and asked him if he would give you a wonderful discount on his brand-new Friendly Defender apologetics flashcards, which are pretty much the hottest new teaching tool for reading-aged children, as well as great fun for your whole family (this means you adults are going learn something too as you enjoy these with your children and grandchildren). Each packet contains 50 (yes, fifty!) large, weighty, full-color cards featuring cool young Catholics who "defend" the Faith by answering questions thrown at them by their well-meaning but misinformed Protestant friends. (In fact, we know about these cards because Matt asked to us to help write the "biographies" of Persistent Penny, Curious Connie, and the other Friendly Defenders.) The graphics are top-notch, as is the Bible-based theology. Matt has set up a special page for you on his website for more information here:
(OFFER EXPIRED. VISIT WEBSITE FOR PRICING.)
http://www.friendlydefenders.com/index2.htm
4. AN NOW FOR THE ADULTS
It only gets better. This one really is free. Like many of you, we always wondered whether rock and roll could ever really be "Catholic" until we heard the incredible songs of Mike Mergler, a family man from Dayton, Ohio, who was on his way to fame and fortune in California during the 70s before undergoing a gradual but powerful conversion to the faith in the 80s and 90s. Mike came to us while he was still in production of his life's work, a double CD album called "A Long Nights Journey into Day." We've been enjoying his music ever since. His songs work the way good novels work. These are not warmed-over "holy roller" tunes about perfect saints, but gritty, honest songs that tell the story of one man's struggle to find God in the Catholic Church. They're catchy, meaningful, energetic, and sometimes downright moving.
The production values are top shelf–Mike spent years and invested every ounce of experience from his secular career into perfecting the songs. We find ourselves humming his tunes for weeks after we hear them. Three songs in particular, "Gimme' Ten," "Salt Spray in My Eyes," and "You're the One Who Got Away," are as good as anything by the Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkle, the Doors, or more contemporary bands like the Journey or Genesis. Like all good pop music, if you listen to it 3 times, you'll want to listen to it 300 times. The Catholicism flows subtly, naturally. They're not so much Catholic songs as songs about a Catholic. We have to warn you, though, that Mike deals with the real adult issues of his conversion (that is, the stuff you've dealt with in your life), and even though there is nothing suggestive in his lyrics, we don't recommend this for children.
Why did Mike originally contact us? He wanted to learn how to give his music away to help souls. Mike's company Saint Michael Records will send you one copy of his 2-CD album (including a 100-page companion booklet with his personal story) free of charge if you include $3 for shipping and handling. An additional free will donation will be gratefully accepted but isn't required. Make your check or money order to "St. Michael Records" and send to SMR CatholiCity Offer, PO Box 2912, Dayton OH 45401. If you want more than one album for gift-giving, include a donation of $10 each for each extra copy. You can also order online here:
(EXPIRED. CONTACT WEBSITE FOR CURRENT OFFER)
http://www.stmichaelrecords.com/order.html
5. THE BEST FOR LAST: IMMACULATE MARY Last year hundreds of CatholiCity Citizens made the de Montfort 33 Day Consecration to Jesus through Immaculate Mary using the Friends of Our Lady's free Total Consecration Packet, which includes Saint Louis de Montfort's classic 33-Day Preparation Prayerbook, a free audio tape explaining the Consecration, and same consecration prayer our Holy Father adopted for his own Marian Spirituality. The Friends of Our Lady have already sent out 6300 of these packets. We cheerfully urge you to get this free packet and join in this powerful movement to recruit 10,000 consecrated souls for Our Lady by sending your mailing address to Dick Sohm at (allow 2-4 weeks for delivery):
6. STOCKING STUFFERS
Whew! We're worn out. Of course, our novels and our Mary Foundation CDs and tapes and CDs, which are always free, have always been popular "stocking stuffers" for CatholiCity Citizens. Many a "Christmas Convert" has been made over the years using our tapes and books. You can get them here:
Free Novels: https://secure.catholicity.com/order.html
Free Tapes: https://secure.catholicity.com/order.html
Let's end with a little prayer of Thanksgiving, all 70,000 of us in union with each other and Our Lord:
"Dear Jesus. We love you! We love you! We love you! Thank you for all that we have, and all that we will ever have: our life, our country, our families, our friends, our jobs, our health, our homes, our talents, and our beloved Church. Thank you for those who love us and those whom we love, and for every blessing under the stars, above the earth and below the earth, all of which comes from Your Father, through the Holy Spirit, Amen."
See you next year.
With Christ,
Your Friends at CatholiCity
