Jesus in the Streets: Corpus Christi

This weekend Catholics will celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi with processions all across the country. 

If you happen to be in Omaha, Neb., you won't have to look very far to see Jesus in the streets. Jesus, in His Eucharistic Presence, will leave the confines of several churches in Omaha and be carried into neighborhoods and city streets.

One parish continuing the centuries-old devotion of Eucharistic procession is St. Peter Catholic Church, the subject of StoryTel's documentary Where Heaven Meets Earth: Restoring the Sacred at St. Peter Church. On Sunday May 29, St. Peter will host its 11th annual Corpus Christi procession from Our Lady of Lourdes Church to St. Peter Church, a distance of 1.4 miles.

Decorated altars will provide places for benediction at points along the route, which winds through a historic residential area and park. At the end of the procession, fireworks and flower petal showers will greet the Blessed Sacrament and participants as they climb the steps of St. Peter Church. An ice cream reception will follow final benediction. See their website for more details.

StoryTel Film Inspired New Corpus Christi Devotion
To document this public display of faith, StoryTel filmed the St. Peter Corpus Christi procession and made the video available online, where it could serve as a model of this devotion and an example of faithful people restoring the sacred.

After viewing the video online, members of Holy Infant Parish in Ballwin, Mo., decided to host a Eucharistic procession of their own last year. On June 4 the parish will again bring Jesus into the streets of Ballwin. StoryTel's work formed a direct link between the two parishes and spread a vision of the sacred to another community hundreds of miles away.

See for Yourself
Watch the short video below to preview the St. Peter Corpus Christi procession and prepare to walk with Jesus in the streets this weekend.

Happy Mother's Day from StoryTel

Today we celebrate our mothers, grateful for the love they've shown us and the sacrifices they've made for us. We also celebrate adoptive mothers and spiritual mothers. Finally, we celebrate mothers who have courageously chosen life despite nearly impossible circumstances. 

The film below is our favorite of our five pro-life films from the StoryTel archives. Today we offer you the chance to view the film in its entirety for the first time online. Although filmed 16 years ago, its message of hope is still relevant today. 

As you watch the film, discover the wonderful work being done at The Women's Center in Chicago. Witness the courage of these young women who chose life for their children despite opposition from all involved. And meet the kind and generous staff and volunteers—ordinary people collaborating with God to do something extraordinary for these beautiful mothers and their babies.

We know you will enjoy this film. Happy Mother’s Day.

Don promotes upcoming TV series on Spirit Catholic Radio

Check out this clip from Don's in-studio guest appearance on Spirit Catholic Radio this morning. He talks about StoryTel, working with family members on film shoots, and our upcoming series, On Assignment Magazine.

At around 12 minutes, they play an audio clip of a sample of our in-development story about the annual Thanksgiving feast. Bruce, the co-host, said the clip gave him goosebumps. Check it out.

Sneak peek at our new TV series

Announcing On Assignment Magazine

On Assignment Magazine is an on-the-road TV series investigating true stories of hope around the country. Here at StoryTel Foundation, 2015 has been dedicated to the creative development of Season One, as well as a few side projects God put on our agenda. We're excited to present to you our Season One trailer, which shows what the new series is all about. 

As you travel with us on the series, the StoryTel crew will be your personal detectives, scouring the country for clues that lead to the conclusion that God is present and operating in our world after all. In a culture that often obscures God's work, On Assignment Magazine is a magnifying glass uncovering a true vision of hope to compel all of us to unlock the sacred. 

In each episode we'll investigate several cases of ordinary people doing extraordinary things for God. We'll share their stories with numerous people through various TV and Web channels and inspire more audiences than ever to trace God's footprints on their own roads. 

Please help us bring our new TV series to the airwaves!

But our ongoing investigation will stall without sidekicks. We need financial support to keep the van running and the cameras rolling. Please send us on the road to capture these stories for you, your family, your friends, and, most importantly, for God.

Miles Christi Film Now Available for Streaming

StoryTel Foundation is pleased to announce our latest documentary is available for free via online streaming.

Our film Miles Christi: Soldiers of Christ in America premiered one year ago today on EWTN. Since then it has been rebroadcast 18 times, in 75 countries and on 3 television networks, reaching over 260 million households. We've also distributed 840 DVDs of the program.

The film's message of seeking God's will and pursuing personal holiness has already resonated with many audiences. But, since widespread distribution is a part of our mission, we want to ensure it reaches even more people. The entire full-length documentary is now available to watch on our Website and our YouTube channel.

Catch the joyful, lively spirit of Miles Christi all over again and share it with everyone you know. As founder Fr. Yannuzzi says of Miles Christi in the film, "It's worth it."

Watch the full film now:

Jesus Sighting in Ballwin, Mo.

What if I told you Jesus was seen walking in Ballwin, Mo., this summer? Would you believe me?

Perhaps you would if you've attended a Corpus Christi procession. Jesus, in His true Eucharistic presence, was carried by parishioners of Holy Infant Catholic Church around the parish grounds as a public witness of faith. StoryTel played a behind-the-scenes role in spreading devotion to this liturgical custom and sharing a real experience of the sacred with Ballwin residents.

This is how the encounter unfolded. Holy Infant parishioner Jim Rolwes remembered attending Corpus Christi processions as a youth, but his parish hadn't hosted one in over 10 years. Not sure how to start, Rolwes searched online and discovered StoryTel's video of the Corpus Christi procession hosted by St. Peter Catholic Church in Omaha, Neb.

"This is tremendous!" Rolwes said after viewing the video. He knew he had to get his parish to host a procession of its own, but getting his parish to support the effort took some work.

"I was just amazed at how many people didn't know what a [Corpus Christi procession] is," Rolwes said. He contacted StoryTel for assistance. StoryTel repurposed the St. Peter procession footage and made a new video relevant to Holy Infant Catholic Church to help them educate organizers and advertise the event.

Rolwes shared the video with the Holy Infant Knights of Columbus, the heads of all parish ministries and many parishioners. Rolwes was impressed with the quality of the video and said it was very effective in garnering support. "It really made a big difference," he said. "It was very important."

On the Feast of Corpus Christi, Holy Infant hosted its own procession in honor of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. First communicants dressed in their white attire, families processed behind them and various parish groups walked together. Everyone followed Jesus around the parish and school property, stopping at three altars decorated by parish groups.

"The procession went really well," Rolwes said. "Everyone was pleasantly surprised and pleased with the turnout. We hope to expand the route next year."

Following the procession, everyone enjoyed free hamburgers, hotdogs and ice cream courtesy of the Holy Infant Knights of Columbus and Men's Club.  

If you would like to restore the sacred in your parish and neighborhood, consider hosting a Corpus Christi procession of your own. StoryTel would be happy to create a video to help your parish plan and advertise your procession.

Watch the video:

Tonight at 6:30 PM ET on EWTN: Where Heaven Meets Earth, Restoring the Sacred at Saint Peter Church

March 24 marks the 8th EWTN broadcast of the StoryTel film Where Heaven Meets Earth since its premiere in April 2013.

In this documentary, ON ASSIGNMENT investigates how a poor Catholic church became a thriving and vibrant parish again after more than 40 years of steady decline.

Watch the trailer

StoryTel Remembers Professor Charles Rice of Notre Dame

StoryTel Foundation was sad to learn of the death of Notre Dame law professor emeritus Charles Rice last week. But we are glad to have had the chance to meet and interview him nearly 20 years ago. 

In 1996, well before the name StoryTel was conceived, Don and I were asked to interview Professor Rice when he was visiting Southern California. He was a big proponent of Thomas Aquinas College and actively sought graduates to attend Notre Dame Law school. He particularly appreciated their analytical minds and predictable commitment to the Faith. 

He generously offered to share his comments on video so TAC sent us out to capture them over the summer of 1996. Here are the highlights:

Rest in peace, Charles Rice.

StoryTel Featured in This Week's National Catholic Register

We're so excited to have our story told in the oldest nationally distributed Catholic newspaper in the United States!

We've always made sure to keep StoryTel out of the spotlight in our documentaries and focus the attention on the parishes, religious orders, organizations, and individuals across the country collaborating with God to restore the sacred.

Today we're grateful to have the spotlight on us. We hope this National Catholic Register article will build more support for our mission to inspire through film.

You can find the article in the Arts & Entertainment section of this week's paper or read it online: Restoring the Sacred, One Documentary at a Time.