Transcript of CS#103: Summer Media and Bible Conferences

Transcript of Interview with Jeff Cavins and Dr. Paul Camarata about two Catholic conferences this summer. This interview and others like it can be found at http://www.catholicspotlight.com

Listen Now to the audio version of the show.

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Chris Cash: Welcome to Catholic Spotlight. This is the Catholic Spotlight, the podcast that we talk about what’s new, true and exciting in the Catholic marketplace. I’m your host Chris Cash director of E-Commerce from catholiccompany.com, your source for all your Catholic needs.

And today, in the spotlight we have two guests. First off, we’re going to have Jeff Cavins; he is talking about the National Catholic Bible Conference. And then, after the break we’ll be talking with Dr. Paul Camarata our favorite neurosurgeon and Saint expert about the Catholic New Media Celebration. Both of these conferences are happening on the same weekend, so you’re going to have to choose which one to go to. But they are both very different and I think they’re going to appeal to a lot of different people. So, Jeff and glad to have you on. And let’s hear a little bit about what’s going on at the National Conference Bible Conference?

Jeff Cavins: Well, Chris, it’s good to be with you once again. And yes, that’s going to be an exciting weekend. We’re going to have the National Catholic Bible Conference coming up June 26th and 27th in Denver, Colorado. And we’re really, really excited about this one as it’s entitled the Scripture in the Life and Mission of the Church, which is the title that the Synod Scripture sent *** [01:35] last year in Rome. So, we’re following up on that in trying to bring the essence of that Synod two people in their daily life. So, we’ve got quite a line up of speakers and workshops.

Chris Cash: Now, who are the type of people that are going to be attending this conference?

Jeff Cavins: Well, you name it you know. We have already pre-registered close to 600 people who are coming from all over the country. In fact, there is people coming from around the world. And they are from all backgrounds; we have priests, deacons, religious. We have laity’s from every stripe and every branch of society. And I think the common denominator for people who are coming in, that people are hungry. They are hungry to know God. And the Catholic Church tells us of course that the scriptures – it’s a source of God’s family plan that the scriptures tell us about God’s family plan.

And Chris, you know from being in media that people are hungry to know the plan of God for their life. First of all, they are hungry for a plan. They are looking for a plan. And this is evidenced by Television, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Phil, the book stores; every person that goes to Amazon.com is looking for a plan. Every person that turns on the television is looking for something that will work in their life. And here’s what’s beautiful, the Catechism tell us in paragraph one right away that “God has a plan of sheer goodness.”  And that plan is laid out in the Old Testament with the plan of the father, in the New Testament, the son fulfills that plan. And now, in the – with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit helps us to walk in that plan in victory. And so, we have this incredible plan for life, not only here on earth but for eternity. Our goal is to be with God forever and ever and ever. The question is how are we going to achieve that goal.

Well, the Bible Conference is really an answer to that. What we want to do is present God’s word to the average person out there in a way that they understand and that they can *** [03:53], they can put it into practice in their life and really, really make a difference. So, this is – you know you ask whose it for? It’s for anybody looking for a plan for their life, anybody that wants to make sense out of their life. That’s what the scripture is all about. It’s not just an academic pursuit; it’s not something for the theological elite. It is for everybody, and that’s our audience. That’s what we’re going to tailor this conference to.

Chris Cash: So, I’m not going to have to be an arm chair theologian in order to keep up with what you’re talking about at the conference, right?

Jeff Cavins: No, not an arm or anything. You got to get out of that seat, put the word into practice and make it different. That are – that’s how your life is going to change, that’s how this world is going to change.

Chris Cash: Now, who are the speakers that are going to be there?

Jeff Cavins: Well, you know what we have quite a line up, starting with Archbishop Charles Chaput, the Archbishop of Denver. He is going to be hosting us and saying mass, celebrating mass. We have Dr. Tim Gray who is the president of the Augustine institute, which is the fastest growing Masters program in America for scripture, along with him is his colleague at the Augustine institute Dr. Ed Sri, Dr. Ed Sri. Dr. Mary Healy, down in Florida. She is going to be also joining us. Dr. Peter Williamson over Ann Arbor, Michigan. Wonderful scholar, just a dynamite scholar. He is going to be joining us. Dr. Brant Pitre, Curtis Martin, Sarah Christmyer, Thomas Smith, Deb Holiday and myself. So, we have quite a few speakers, about 10, 11 speakers are going to be joining us in bringing a whole host of experience with them an insight.

Chris Cash: And if I’m interested in attending, where would I find information on how to sign up to come?

Jeff Cavins: Well, you can go to our Website, that’s really the easiest. The Website is catholicbibleconference.com.

Chris Cash: It sounds simple and…

Jeff Cavins: Catholicbibleconference.com is…

Chris Cash: Unfortunately, I am already committed to being at the other conference, sorry but I won’t be able…

Jeff Cavins: Well, what can we do to convince you, let’s see now? Like you got another exciting conference too. Well, this one is the catholicbibleconference.com, you know you were asking about who would be interested, who is going to be coming to it? You know that we have divided up this whole conference into sections and we’re trying to follow Synod is that we have three tracks of types of talks that you could attend at the conference. One is knowledge, we call it knowledge. And that’s – what’s it all about? How do you read the bible? What are the tools to read the bible? How do you gather the – all of this information so that it makes sense? The second track, Chris, is transformation, and that is – those are talks that help you take Gods word and appropriate in your life in such way that it transforms your life. And then, the third track of talks is called the mission. We don’t want to just study for knowledge, we just don’t want to study for our benefit, we want to study because we want to see the world change for Jesus Christ, we want to see his church grow. So there is a whole track on mission, how to take this word to the end of the earth. And we know that we can do that. We know that we can do that, God has given us he mission – when I say us, the Catholic Church is what I mean, he has given us the mission, he has given us the power to accomplish that mission. He’s just looking for availability, not ability but availability to do this. We have great examples of people who’ve done this type of thing. Mother Theresa, Mother Angelica, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, others have all you know picked up the call and made a difference in your time.

Chris Cash: Now, is this a conference for the whole family or is it something that you’re going to want to leave the kids at home?

Jeff Cavins: Well, that we – this is going to be a conference that primarily involves adults at this National Catholic Bible Conference. We don’t have per se a track for kids at this one, but we do have coming this summer a cruise a Great Adventure Cruise that we’re going to be focusing on teens and children that’s to Alaska. So, we’re going to be taking some of this and bringing it on a ship if you will and sailing with the song this summer as we go to Alaska.

Chris Cash: Well, you know why don’t you share a little bit about the cruise little quick since we got ‘em in here you know, I have always wanted to go an Alaskan cruise. I haven’t     found a good enough excuse yet to be able to you know.

Jeff Cavins: I know. Well, it is exciting. We’re going to Alaska, and what we’re going to do is – that’s – by the way the date, that is July 29th to August 5th. And Father Mike Schmitz is going to be joining us. He is going to be talking to the teens. And he works a lot with focus. And then, my wife along with a number of other people are going to be working with children on the cruise. And then, I’m going to be teaching songs on the cruise. We’re going to go to Alaska, the inter-pass and – what they call the inside pass. And on the days when they were at – out in sea, we are going to have teaching, and then you know of course we have *** [09:29] family can enjoy themselves on a vacation. But I’ll tell my wife and I, we’ve gone on quite a few cruises teaching cruises, we absolutely love it. It is the most relaxing time. And you not only get to meet great Catholics around the country, but you get teaching and it is just a relaxing atmosphere, and it’s not that expensive surprisingly. So, we’re excited about that.

Chris Cash: Cruise is definitely is our – some of the best valued per dollar among vacations, so.

Jeff Cavins: They are. They really are. And if you want more information on that, you can just simply go to cavinstours.com, cavinstours.com and that will give you all the information about the Alaskan Scripture Cruise.

Chris Cash: All right, that sounds professional.

Jeff Cavins: Yes, I hope you can come?

Chris Cash: Unfortunately, those dates I also have other commitments, so. But it sounds like…

Jeff Cavins: We only – we need to talk about how to switch your schedule.

Chris Cash: Oh, this one is actually on my wife’s schedule. She has a business conference that she is going to be attending that week and I don’t think I can sneak away during…

Jeff Cavins: Oh, you’re doing good work Chris. You’re working hard and I really appreciate what you are doing with New Media, and I think that’s the future.

Chris Cash: Well, it’s not just the future, it’s the now so.

Jeff Cavins: Exactly. That’s right.

Chris Cash: You know we’ve been – I’ve been doing this show for two years now, this – I believe this is show 103 now, so pray we’re still going strong.

Jeff Cavins: Very good. Very, very good.

Chris Cash: Well, thank you Jeff for coming on and sharing about the Bible conference and your cruise. All of you interested – what were those Websites, again real quick?

Jeff Cavins: Well, the Websites for the cruise is cavinstours.com that is cavinstours.com. And if you’re interested in the National Catholic Bible Conference, you can simply go to catholicbibleconference.com, catholicbibleconference.com and all the information is there.

Chris Cash: And with over 600 people already registered, you know we’re still a month and a half away from the conference when we’re recording this. You know its going to be a big crowd and there is going to be a lot of energy at the conference, so it sounds like it – it’s just going to be a lot of fun.

Jeff Cavins: It will be.

Chris Cash: So, go on over and check it out. And we will be right back after the break to talk with Dr. Paul Camarata about the Catholic New Media Celebration. And this is the Catholic Spotlight.

[Break]

Chris Cash: And we’re back on the Catholic Spotlight and this time we are talking with Dr. Paul Camarata about the Catholic New Media Celebration. This event is also taking place on the weakened of June 26th, just like the Catholic Bible Conference with Mr. Cavins and with Tim Gray, so, competing conferences, but very different focus. Dr. Paul, can you tell us about what is going on at the Catholic New Media Celebration?

Dr. Paul Camarata: Sure, Chris. This is – first of all, thanks so much for having me on the Spotlight. I really appreciate it. And we at SQPN and the New Media are hoping that we can get a big crowd down at San Antonio, Texas on June 27th. Now, it will start on the 26th with the reception at night and then, the 27th at the Incarnate Word University. We’re going to have our second Annual Catholic New Media Celebration, and this is all about using new media, podcasting, blogging, video casting et cetera to help with evangelization. So, we’re real excited about hosting people again. This will be our second annual celebration, last year it was in Atlanta. And we like to encourage as many people to come    out as possible, especially if you’re down on the south you down have to go too far. We love to have you. And we’ve got a real exciting program down there, Chris.

Chris Cash: And for all you fans of the Catholic Spotlight, I will be down there as well. And the Catholic Company is sponsoring part of the conference, we are sponsoring the networking dinner on Friday the 26th. Actually we’ve signed a dinner, I should scratch that, it’s more of a reception. But that is one of the great places where we can just have a chance to rub elbows and mingle very informally with all of the other fans as well as the speakers and podcast and content producers out there.

Dr. Paul Camarata: Well, Chris, we’re really happy and very grateful to the Catholic Company for your sponsorship of this event this year. And we’re really excited to spread the word and get more people interested and involved in new evangelization through New Media. I tell the speakers this year are going to be incredible and are bringing in people just you know – just because of their presence. We’ve got Patrick Madrid, you know just a fabulous Catholic blogger, writer of course, incredible speaker, radio, TV personality. *** [15:55] he and Patrick’s going to share his words of wisdom with us, and he’ll be there for these events on Friday night as well. And then, of course we’ve got the other part of, Father Dave Dwyer. And remember the Paulist Father who is on the nationally syndicated ‘Busted Halo show’ on Sirius Satellite Radio and the ‘Busted Halo’ podcast. So, Father Dave and Patrick are headlining our day with keynote addresses. And we have an incredible Catholic music artist Sarah Bauer who will be there to edify the whole day as well. Many of you know Sarah from her Catholics songs, one of the most popular Catholic singer, song writers out there today. So, we’re real excited to have those three superstars with us through the entire weekend, as well as certainly a number of podcasters, bloggers that – those of you who use Catholic *** [16:51] will recognize. A lot of the SQPN, podcasters from the Star Quest production network. Father Rodrique of course from Amersfoort in the Netherlands will be there, as well as the number of other of your favorites.

Chris Cash: Anybody else in particular whose names stands out?

Dr. Paul Camarata: Well, there is you know – there is Father Rodrique’s from the Netherlands, Father Bill Kessler, the ‘Technopriest’. There will be Father Beshoner who’s the host of the program called ‘Catholic Under the Hood’. A Franciscan Third Order regular priest who currently is residing in Gaming, Austria. Father Jay Finelli the ‘ipadre’. So, we have a number of *** [17:32] in new media’s who will be down there as a part of this conference. David Sweeney from the Catholic Family Podcast. David and Katherine, his wife Lisa Hendey who has a very, very popular Website. She is from the Catholic Moments Podcast, however her Website many of you will know as the Catholic Mom. Mac and Katherine Barron will be there from Catholic in a Small Town. Joe McCalne, the Texas boy himself, the Catholic will be down there. Steve Nelson, the host of the popular ‘On the U’ Catholic podcast for university kid. Of course, Chris Cash from the Catholic Spotlight podcast will be there. Jeff Vista, Jeff hosts the podcast where the Liturgy of the Hours of praying there, Pray Station Portable. And I will be down there, and I host the Saint Cast. And I tell you, there will be a lot of people that want to learn about using new media in catholic evangelization. And that’s kind of what this is all about, it’s sort of networking, getting together, figuring out how to best share our resources to the end of catholic new evangelization.

Chris Cash: Now, is there a specific focus for the conference workshops this year? You know last year it was kind of on, how do we get started? What’s the focus is going to be more this year?

Dr. Paul Camarata: Well, the focus – we were taking a – since this is sort of the closing weakened of the year of Saint Paul. In other words, you know the feast of Saint Peter and Paul on the 29th of June, this will be really be kind of a last blast of this year of Saint Paul, as our holy father pronounced last year. So, its going to be actually using New Media in evangelization, so we’re going to put together a kind of sessions of you know – for instance podcasting, blogging, one-on-one. We’ll have sessions on how you can use the internet to evangelize, and how so that the whole theme of the weekend would be you know seeing us as part of the evangelization as Saint Paul went out to the Gentiles 2000 years ago.

Chris Cash: So, what kind of workshops are there going to be? So, there is podcasting, one-on-one, anything else in particular that’s been laid out yet?

Dr. Paul Camarata: You know I don’t have the program in front of me right now Chris, but yes there is a – there will be a *** [20:19] sessions running, three sessions at a time in three different rooms. In addition, to the keynote sessions, one by Patrick Madrid and one by Father Dave Dwyer.

Chris Cash: So, whose is the – so who is going to get the most out of coming to this conference?

Dr. Paul Camarata: I think you know there will be a lot of people to gain from this conference. First of all, people who already have an effort at new evangelization will be able to share with other people and network and learn sort of the pitfalls and the things that work well for others. I think if you are totally a newbie, a novice at using new media, you will benefit from this. I think you know youth ministers, certainly the people that are using new media most or the young people around the world today, so catholic youth ministers, we certainly hope to have a number of them involved. There will be a big presence from the San Antonio Archdiocese. In fact, we hope to have the bishop with us for our dinner on Saturday night and to celebrate mass with us on Sunday morning. So, I think no matter where you are in the spectrum of new media, you know you’re interested to learn about it, you’re already into it and you want to take a step further, I think there will be something for you at CNMC.

Chris Cash: And I also know that The Knights of Columbus are getting involved with this conference as well, because the Knights are really trying to push ways that we can evangelize through new media as well.

Dr. Paul Camarata: That’s correct. We are very grateful to the Knights for their sponsorship as well as this event. And the Knights will have a big presence there on Saturday.

Chris Cash: Well, was there anything else you wanted to share with our listeners about the CNMC?

Dr. Paul Camarata: No, I think that’s it, Chris. I just want to encourage anybody; especially you know certainly if you can take off the weakened and want to meet some of your favorite internet Catholic new media personalities, you can come down from wherever you are. We will have people there coming from Europe, there will be people certainly from Eastern West Coast. But in particular, if you’re within for instance driving range of San Antonio or the Texas Lone Star, *** [23:04] come down for the day. I tell you where we need to be – you would need to go to celebration.sqpn.com. The Website once again is celebration.sqpn.com that will take you to the Website where you can learn more about it. You can actually register from that Website or by going to the SQPN homepage, sqpn.com either of those will get you to on a registration for the CNMC. And it costs $50, just 50 bucks for the day. I think it’s a $125 for an entire family of up to 6 people. So, real bargain, you’re going to get a nice lunch or have refreshments throughout the day. You’re going to hear and probably meet two of the best known Catholic media personalities in the World today. Patrick Madrid and Father Dave Dwyer and you’ll get to hear one of the best and not the best Catholic singer, song writer out there today, Sarah Bauer. All that and more fore only $50, so again celebration.sqpn.com is the Website. And I thank you very, very much Chris for allowing us to come on a Catholic Spotlight.

Chris Cash: And we will have a link to that in the show notes of course. Thank you very much Dr. Paul for all the effort that you and the board of SQPN have put into putting this conference together for the second year. You know I personally think that this is a great community building thing for everybody who’s interested in new media out there. And I am very grateful that you guys have put the work and effort into putting this together. So, thank you as well as all your board members out there.

Dr. Paul Camarata: You’re welcome Chris and thanks for all you are doing on a Catholic Spotlight and with the Catholic Company.

Chris Cash: All right, this – that will wrap our show for today. Also everybody be sure to head on over to catholicspotlight.com/vote, so that you can vote for all your favorite Catholic podcasts and on iTunes and on the podcast Alley. Help us get up in the rankings and bring more fans in. You guys have a great day out there and God bless.

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Transcript of Interview with Jeff Cavins and Dr. Paul Camarata about two Catholic conferences this summer. This interview and others like it can be found at http://www.catholicspotlight.com

Listen Now to the audio version of the show.