American Catholic Radio strives to keep your listeners in touch with Catholic life. This fall, two events occupy American Catholics. The national election involves Americans in a diversity of issues, illustrated by the U.S. bishops’ emphasis on seven great themes for voters to consider. One of those issues is our “care for creation.” We celebrate the feast of St. Francis—just in time to focus on this important value for your listeners.

Another event Catholics will be hearing about this fall is the world synod of bishops and the role of Sacred Scripture in the life and mission of the Church. We’ll speak with one of the American bishop-representatives to the synod about the Bible itself as well as what the bishops will be talking about in Rome this fall.

Make sure your listeners are talking about things central to their lives as Catholics! Bring our ACR weekly inspiration and information into their homes!

Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.

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Highlights from this episode include:

St. Bonaventure was a Franciscan theologian and Church leader who lived right after the time of St. Francis himself. He left us a body of philosophical and theological reflection which scholars today are rediscovering.

Thirteen-year-old Jennifer Sekar of Fremont, California, has a goal of keeping everyone off the roads for one day, October 4, for the sake of the environment. That date also happens to be the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, a strong advocate of caring for the earth.

Father Greg Friedman responds to questions:
• What is the significance of the altar stone?
• May the American flag be draped over the coffin of a military veteran during the funeral Mass?
• Is there a deadline by which extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist must take communion to the sick?
• When we talk about the Church does that usually refer to the people of God or to a governing body?

In observance of the Year of St. Paul, Father Norman Langenbrunner explores one of Paul’s toughest missionary challenges: his ministry to the Gentiles. Were they to observe the Jewish Law?

Franciscan Sister Joan Brown, president of the Partnership for Earth Spirituality in Albuquerque, New Mexico, helps to promote the care of creation inspired by Sts. Francis and Clare of Assisi. In an interview, she addresses how the care of creation is a value voters need to keep in mind as they evaluate candidates in this fall’s election campaigns.

Highlights from this episode include:

St. Jerome was a doctor of the Church whose life work was intimately bound up with the study and translation of the Sacred Scriptures.

Deacon Patrick Moynihan left a lucrative career as a commodities trader and manager to become a missionary and serve the poorest of the poor in Haiti, helping them attain an education and ensuring a more positive future.

Father Hilarion Kistner responds to questions:
• What is the scriptural basis for speaking in tongues?
• Should Jesus' command to leave family and possessions to follow him be taken literally?
• What's the meaning of the Beatitude “Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied”?

In observance of the Year of St. Paul, Father Norman Langenbrunner examines the head-to-head confrontation between two great Church leaders—Sts. Paul and Peter—over the issue of how to treat Gentile converts.

Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., is one of the American representatives to the world synod of bishops examining the role of Sacred Scripture in Christian life. In the first of a two-part interview, he offers his own reflections on the place of the Bible in Catholic life and the goals of the synod.