CRY OUT
NOMINATED FOR TWO UNITY AWARDS- PRAISE AND WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR AND PRAISE AND WORSHIP SONG OF THE YEAR FOR ‘MY SOUL REJOICES.’ This new release by John Flynn and his worship band will have you dancing with wild abandon one moment and lifting your voice in prayer the next. A veteran of Youth 2000, Life Teen, and World Youth Day events, John has put together a collection of original Catholic liturgical songs with a contemporary music style and lyrics that pull the listener into the heart of worship. Solo and background vocals are accompanied by guitar, piano, B3 organ, drums, bass, and Irish small pipes. Includes Won’t You Give Him Praise, Cry Out, Sanctus, Your Grace Brings Me Back, Give to the Lord, Forsaken, Give Thanks to the Lord, My Soul Rejoices, Prepare My Heart, Our God Reigns, Gloria, In the Sight of the Angels. (Hidden Track at the end is a pure delight!). 52 minutes.

KISSING THE HEART OF GOD
Contemporary praise and worship songs by Life Teen Music Director John Flynn that will delight and inspire you. All the songs – from the foot-stomping strains of Every Move I Make and Come in Glory to the tender hush of Holy is our King and Arms of Love – are addressed to God in very intimate, personal prayer. The album features several of John’s original songs and some beautiful duets with his sister, Colleen Free. Instrumentation ranges from John’s solo accoustic guitar to a full band sound with guitars, bass, drums, and keyboards. Other songs include Everywhere, Sweet Mercies, Holy and Anointed One. Jesus, I Trust in You, Better Than, I Will Exalt Your Name, Great God, and Lord, I Lift Your Name on High. Great Catholic music that will especially appeal to youth and young adults. 47 minutes.

We have been especially gratified by the many priests and deacons who have shared with us how much the book has renewed and deepened their own appreciation of the Eucharist and helped them in their preaching.

We’d like to celebrate this 5 years of blessings by reaching out to even more people — and you can help. There are still so many people who have never even heard about the book! Whenever we travel to different churches, we try to give copies to any priests and deacons we meet, but we can’t be everywhere. We need your help to reach more people, especially priests and deacons who can then more effectively inspire and instruct others. So, if you know any priests or deacons — or any family members or friends — who you think could benefit from reading this book, please help us in this Eucharistic ministry by getting copies for them!

by Jason Free

Raising terrific, happy Christian kids doesn’t happen by accident.

All too often Christian parents end up raising their kids by default. It just happens while we’re busy trying to survive. We want our kids to be happy and to be good, responsible Christians, “in the world but not of it.” But we don’t know how to help them get there.

In Parenting on Purpose, Jason Free provides you with all you need to develop a personal plan for leading your kids to a clear awareness of their Christian identity, so that Christian values, beliefs and attitudes will become as natural to them as breathing.

This is no dry, philosophical treatise about parenting. It’s a “how-to” book, a straightforward, conversational, “in-your-face” sharing of specific ways to bring joy to your family and raise your children as real Christians. Often funny, sometimes sad, and always engaging, Parenting on Purpose will give you a whole new sense of direction as a parent and help you guide your children to a lasting and fulfilling relationship with God.

About the Author

Jason Free is a popular writer, speaker, and master of ceremonies at conferences and retreats. Former general manager of the National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, MA, he has taught Marriage and Family Counseling at the graduate level and has done extensive work with couples and families. He and his wife Colleen are the proud parents of eight children.

You can read more about The Free’s here.

More Information on the New Book!

Parenting on Purpose Now Available!
Read the Forward From Danielle Bean…
Behind the Scenes: The story behind the book
What folks are saying about Parenting on Purpose!

It seemed especially fitting that this man, who had spent a lifetime waging battle against the forces of what he called the “culture of death,” should offer such a fearless, contrasting example of embracing suffering at the end of his life.  John Paul II was the only pope I ever knew. I was just
six years old when white smoke wafted from the chimney in the Sistine Chapel and my mother stood before the television, mesmerized and clutching a dishtowel, as Karol Wojtyla was elected pope decades ago. Though I paid little attention at the time, the famous opening lines of John Paul II’s inaugural sermon came to have more meaning for me as I grew older:

“Be not afraid. Open wide the gates to Christ. Open up to his saving power the confines of the state, open up economic and political systems, the vast empires of culture, civilization and development.  … Be not afraid!”

It can be hard not to fear.  As parents raising the next generation of Christians in a world that often mocks our values and offers all manner of godlessness presented in seductive packages, it can be very hard not to fear.  That day in the hospital, when my unborn son’s heart-beat slowed unexpectedly and became erratic, one nurse ran to the hall and shrieked for the doctor while two others threw me roughly onto my side and forced an oxygen mask onto my face. When my eyes met my pale-faced, stoic husband’s, fear pressed hard against my heart.  Hours later, when I held my healthy, pink-faced new-born son, traced my finger along the gentle curve of his dimpled elbows, and felt his sturdy legs kick hard against the swaddling, I thought of our beloved, dying pope.

I recalled his abiding love for families and unfailing confidence in the next generation.  John Paul II once said, “As the family goes, so goes the
nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.”  Sometimes that makes me tremble. We are the families in whom he had such confidence. Ours was the generation he predicted would bring about a “new springtime” in the Catholic Church.

I am no pope. How can I raise up a new generation to wage war against a culture of death that devalues human life, promotes impurity, scorns faith, and forgets its dependence on God?  John Paul II had no patience for such paralyzing fears.  I think this is what he had in mind when he reminded us, “The future starts today, not tomorrow.” He intended that we should establish a culture of life by forgetting our fears, “opening wide the doors to Christ,” and letting Him take care of the more worrisome details.

I am grateful for that reminder.

And Jason Free reminds me too. Parenting On Purpose is an easy read, but don’t be fooled by its simplicity.  Ostensibly, this humble book offers readers “7 Ways to Raise Terrific Christian Kids,” but I think what it really offers is something much greater than that. Here, in straight-forward language, with personal examples, practical wisdom, and honest humility, Jason Free offers every Christian parent real hope for the future and an infectious form of optimism.

You can do this, I hear God’s voice through these pages. I have called you to Christian parenthood, and though it might not always be easy, you are up to this task.  Specifically, Free reminds us to nurture our marriages, bless our children, simplify our lives, celebrate life, speak carefully, protect purity, and create a legacy of love for our families. But the most precious gift in this book is that of parental empowerment. The future of our children’s faith is in our hands, but that is not cause for panic. It is cause for great joy. The encouraging, joy-filled chapters of this book will light your heart afire with renewed gratitude for the awesome gift of our faith, and inspire you with confidence as you take on the task of passing on that gift to future generations.

Recently, my son Raphael, born into this world just as John Paul II was leaving it, approached me with a hand-hewn wooden sword his older brother whittled for him from a tree branch.  “Can you attach this to my belt?”  As I worked the sword through his belt loops, Raphael wiped his sun-kissed face with a dirty hand and squinted toward the trees.  “Where can I find some bad guys to fight?” he wondered aloud.  I watched Raphael march boldly into our open field with his sword at his side.  Be not afraid, John Paul II once reminded us, and now Jason Free reminds us too. If we raise up soldiers for Christ, and if we place the future of our Church in such capable hands and hearts as these, we will have nothing
to fear.

Danielle Bean
Editorial Director, Faith & Family

More Information on the New Book!

Parenting on Purpose Now Available!
Read the Forward From Danielle Bean…
Behind the Scenes: The story behind the book
What folks are saying about Parenting on Purpose!

At that time, Jason and my daughter Colleen had been married for sixteen years and had seven children. Since then, another child has arrived — and so has the book.

Over the years, I have been so impressed (and, frankly, amazed) at what Jay and Colleen have done with their kids that I’ve often found myself wishing that Donna and I could start over with raising our own seven kids. There are so many things that just never occurred to me, so many little and big things that I never thought about doing— but would gladly have done with excitement and enthusiasm if I had known.

I know I’m not alone in this. Kids just don’t come with instruction manuals, so we’re all pretty much playing it by ear as parents. I’ve often thought about how many good, Christian couples there are who want to do the right things with their kids, want to help them live happy and holy lives, and would really benefit from learning about the simple, creative, and practical things Jay and Colleen have done with their kids.

From time to time, I had casually suggested to Jay that he should put some of these things in a book so he could share them with other couples. But last year, I finally got specific, telling him that I wanted to publish a book on parenting and I wanted him to write it.

I couldn’t be happier with the results. Parenting on Purpose is an extraordinary book — a book you will not be able to put down. I guarantee that you will alternately laugh and cry your way through it and that your mind will be flooded with new ideas and a growing excitement about raising your kids to be happy, holy, terrific Christian people.

I invite you to read the wonderful forward by Danielle Bean, editorial director of Faith & Family magazine, and to browse through the endorsements we have received from so many other great Catholic writers and speakers.

And I encourage you to get a copy of the book. As soon as you start reading it, you will begin thinking of a whole lot of people you’d love to give it to, so you can help them raise terrific Christian kids — on purpose.

More Information on the New Book!

Parenting on Purpose Now Available!
Read the Forward From Danielle Bean…
Behind the Scenes: The story behind the book
What folks are saying about Parenting on Purpose!

“A truly delightful read, this book offers prayerful insights and practical steps to becoming great Christian parents with terrific Christian children. As a priest, I highly recommend this book both to those who are preparing for marriage and those who are already married.”
— Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC
Author of No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy

“Dad and Mom, you will not be able to put down this beautifully written book. It will startle you with its fresh and unanticipated wisdom based on the author’s professional training and experience in raising his eight children. You will benefit especially by implementing the practical advice in the ‘ Let’s roll up our sleeves…’ section at the end of every chapter.”
— Bert Ghezzi
Granddad of fourteen and author of Adventures in Daily Prayer

“What a beautifully written book, filled with wisdom, wit and encouragement for Christian parents! Jason Free speaks with candor and compassion about the challenges and rewards of ‘ parenting on purpose.’ As mother of four and grandmother of five, I learned valuable lessons I can still apply to my own parenting. Get ready to be inspired and to enjoy!”
— Patti Mansfield
Author of As By A New Pentecost, International Conference Speaker.
www.ccrno.org

“This is a fantastic book! — a highly readable and practical guidebook on how to raise great Christian kids — on purpose! I highly recommend it!”
— Fr. Larry Richards
Author of Be a Man!: Becoming the Man God Created You to Be
Founder, The Reason for Our Hope Foundation

“I truly enjoyed Parenting on Purpose. It is a great read — a true gift to Christian parents young and old. The stories shared within are as moving as they are practical. With every turn of the page I was boldly affirmed and gently challenged in my own parenthood. This is a great gift for any Christian parent who takes their vocation seriously… and a needed gift for any who (sadly) might not.”
— Mark Hart
Best-selling Catholic author and speaker
Executive Vice President, Life Teen International

“Over the past 30 years of a happy marriage and parenting 11 children, my wife and I have been astonished at how a surprisingly large number of Christian parents tend to rely much more on “experts” and much less on common sense than they should. Parenting on Purpose can help tilt things back in the right direction for those who take to heart its simple, time-tested, God-centered, common-sense advice on how to effectively ‘ train up a child in the way he should go.’ No gimmicks, tricks, or empty pop-psychology platitudes here. Just plenty of excellent reminders and encouragements regarding those important things that, deep down, you already know in your heart to be true.”
— Patrick Madrid
Director of the Envoy Institute of Belmont Abbey College
Author of Search and Rescue: How to Bring Your Family and Friends Into (or Back Into) the Catholic Church

“Parenting on Purpose by Jason Free comes right from the heart of a dedicated Christian dad. It is a must-have guide on the essentials for raising Christian kids in today’s challenging world.  This versatile guide is fun to read, chock full of practical ideas, and based on solid biblical principles that will keep moms and dads on track through the lifelong adventure of bringing up terrific Christian kids.”
— David Came
Executive Editor, Marian Helper magazine
Author of Pope Benedict’s Divine Mercy Mandate

“It is refreshing to read a book that not only points you in the right direction but gives you practical ideas on how to get there. Parenting on Purpose is filled with insights on parenting that will change lives for eternity.”
— Jeff Cavins
Speaker and author of The Great Adventure: A Journey through the Bible

“At the beginning of Parenting on Purpose, Jason Free says that his book is not a manual for
Christian parenting. I wholeheartedly disagree. Free gives Christian parents a formula for parenting that will, with God’s grace, produce happy, well-adjusted, faith-filled children.  His warm, personal, easy-going style is engaging and at the same time challenging. He calls readers to greater holiness and fidelity to the Lord and their spouse, all the while forming the reader in biblically based parenting. Parenting on Purpose made me laugh and cry, but more importantly it made me rethink the way I parent my own children. I am a better dad for having read this book.”
— Patrick Novecosky
Editor of Legatus Magazine; correspondent for the National Catholic Register; contributing writer for Faith & Family Magazine

“An easy and enjoyable read, full of great practical advice for Christians of all denominations. The principles Jason presents are so universally true and scripturally-based that this book is a veritable Mere Christianity of Christian parenting and should prove of great value to all who follow Christ. I highly endorse Parenting on Purpose for all parents, and indeed, for grandparents too. In fact, I can hardly think of a more perfect gift for parents and for couples awaiting their first (or next) special arrival.”
— Kevin Vost, Psy.D.
Author of Memorize the Faith!, Fit for Eternal Life, Unearthing Your Ten Talents, and From Atheism to Catholicism

“With Parenting on Purpose, Jason Free has offered parents some of that elusive ‘ magic formula’ we’re all seeking when we become parents, or when life becomes even more complicated as our families grow. Jason’s insights and perspectives will help any parent to do his or her job more intentionally, with greater care and with an increased reliance upon prayer and scripture for guidance. Written from the trenches of family life, this book will uplift you, inspire you, and help you to see the blessings inherent in raising faith-filled kids.  Kudos!”
— Lisa M. Hendey
Founder and editor of www.CatholicMom.com
Author of The Handbook for Catholic Moms

“Parenting on Purpose belongs on every Christian parent’s bookshelf. Culling from his own fathering experiences, Jason Free combines practical tips, theological truths, and good ole’ common sense to give readers a sense of direction and a sense of confidence about their parenting skills. His candor, wit, and wisdom make this an engaging read even as he challenges parents to ‘ roll up their sleeves,’ take stock, and take action. The bottom line —buy it!”
— Johnnette S. Benkovic, EWTN Host, founder of  Women of Grace® and Living His Life Abundantly® International, Inc.

“This is no dry, philosophical treatise about parenting. It’s a ‘ how-to’ book, a straightforward, conversational, ‘ in-your-face’ sharing of specific ways to bring joy to your family and raise your children as real Christians. Often funny, sometimes sad, and always engaging, Parenting on Purpose will give you a whole new sense of direction as a parent and help you guide your children to a lasting and fulfilling relationship with God.”
— Vinny Flynn
Author of 7 Secrets of the Eucharist
www.MercySong.com

“Wow! Finally a book offering practical ways to raise your children as Christians. A first-class spiritual trainer, Jason Free challenges you to decide now what legacy you want to leave to your children.”
— Fr. George W. Kosicki, CSB
Speaker and author of John Paul II: The Great Mercy Pope

“Both refreshing and essential for today’s Christian parent — Parenting on Purpose will make your heart soar! Through vivid anecdotes, honest insights, and wisdom gained in the trenches of raising eight children, Jason Free guides us to move closer to the family hearth, pare down on technology, and get serious about family prayer and all that is crucial to raise our kids Christian — on purpose!”
— Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle, Catholic author and EWTN host of “Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms”

“Do yourself a favor and spend one short afternoon reading this captivating book. Jason Free first entertains, then provides you with common sense methods to change your child’s eternity — on purpose! It’s never too late to give your children a legacy. … What will it be?”
— Colleen Hammond
Speaker and author of Dressing with Dignity and The Gossip’s Guide

With a warm, conversational tone, Jason Free encourages mothers and fathers to consider seven principles of good Christian parenting. He inspires new parents and veterans alike to thoughtfully, intentionally, and actively love their children well every day. This easily read volume blesses us with practical suggestions for prayerful consideration and sound advice for raising a Christian family that is everything God intended it to be. I highly recommend it!
— Elizabeth Foss
Author Small Steps for Catholic Moms and Real Learning: Education in the Heart of my Home
www.elizabethfoss.com

More Information on the New Book!

Parenting on Purpose Now Available!
Read the Forward From Danielle Bean…
Behind the Scenes: The story behind the book
What folks are saying about Parenting on Purpose!

The presenter’s voice reflects the excitement that hangs over the hall: “The nominees for “2010 Praise & Worship Album of the Year”… The names are read, and the audience waits in quiet anticipation as the envelope is opened: “And the recipient is … ‘Beyond the Veil’ by Brian Flynn!”

Such fun at the Awards show! When we arrived and looked at the schedule for the gala evening of awards and performances, we found that Donna and I were to be the presenters for the first award. Instant stress! I’ve always hated being first (icebreaking just isn’t my strong suit) — plus Brian was one of the finalists for that award, so that really didn’t help the state of our nerves. But after Donna had announced the nominees and I opened the envelope, I sure enjoyed announcing the results:

“And the recipient for the ’2010 Liturgical/Sacramental Song of the Year’ is … Brian Flynn for ‘Panis Vere.’”

And it got better. Brian’s CD “Beyond the Veil” not only went on to receive the cherished award for “2010 Praise and Worship Album of the Year,” but received a 3rd award as well: “2010 Devotional Song of the Year” for his song “You are a Priest Forever.”

Towards the end of the program, Brian returned to the stage, this time to perform. He began by playing a haunting introduction on tin whistle, and then, as the Celtic echoes lingered in the air, he put the whistle down and accompanied himself on the keyboard as he sang the now award-winning song, “You are a Priest Forever.”

And there was some “icing on the cake,” too, as our 2-CD set, the “Mother of Mercy Scriptural Rosary, received the award for “2010 Spoken Word Recording of the Year.” Alleluia!

But beyond the presentations, awards, and performances, there was something far more significant, emphasizing the reason these are called “Unity Awards.” We were part of an international gathering of Catholic recording artists, producers, and designers representing every music and video genre from classical to rap. There was such a feeling of camaraderie and of shared purpose. We weren’t there just to compete for honors and awards, but to meet and affirm and encourage each other, rejoicing together in the reality that no matter how diverse we were, no matter how different our styles of music, we were all dedicated Catholic artists responding to a single call: to use our talents and gifts to give glory to God and help lead others closer to Him. This became most obvious at the end of the evening when, after a full day of rehearsals, a long evening program, and a gala celebration, we gathered in the quiet hush of a local church at 11:30 at night to celebrate Mass together and say, “Thank you, Lord. It’s all about You!”

You can check out the two award-winning CDs here!

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