Countdown to release of Pope Benedict XVI's new book, "Light of the World"

 Light of the World: The Pope, The Church and The Signs Of The Times, the much anticipated book-length interview with the Holy Father by Peter Seewald, is scheduled to be released next Wednesday, November 24th. The book can, of course, be ordered online, or look for it in your local Catholic bookstore, as well as in major bookstores.

Those looking for more information can visit:

• The book's Facebook page
• The book's site, www.LightOfTheWorldBook.com, which will soon be running at full speed

The book will be available in hardback. It also will be available in a Spanish edition, Luz Del Mundo: El Papa, La Iglesia Y Los Signos de los Tiempos, and as an Audio Book, read by Kevin O'Brien and Jim Morlino.

Also, look for interviews online or in print featuring bishops, theologians, and noted Catholic commentators:

Leading Catholic Clergy and Theologians Set to Comment on Historic Book

Book-length exclusive Seewald interview of Pope Benedict XVI set for Nov. 24 worldwide publication

Contact: Lisa Wheeler, 678-990-9032, ext 102, [email protected]; Christine Schicker, 404-610-8871, [email protected]; both with The Maximus Group 

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 17 /Christian Newswire/ -- Leading Catholic clergy and theologians are making themselves available for comment on and analysis of Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times.

Never before in history has a Pope answered a journalist's wide-ranging, personal, and controversial questions in a direct, one-on-one, book-length series of interviews. But for six days this past July, Pope Benedict XVI did just that with journalist Peter Seewald. The result is a no-holds-barred, 239-page book of candid, explicit, and often surprising questions and answers.

The book will be released globally on Nov. 24. Ignatius Press will publish the book in English for North America. There is an embargo in place for press until 4:30am ET on Nov. 23, but Catholic Bishops who have read the manuscript and other prominent Catholics are available for comment in advance of the book's release. Ignatius Press and The Maximus Group have assembled a number of commentators, including over a dozen U.S. Bishops. The following is a brief description of several clergy members and others available to comment on and analyze this historic book:

Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio, the publisher of "Light of the World", and friend and former student of the Pope and the founder and editor of Ignatius Press

George Weigel -- Weigel has written 20 books on issues related to the Catholic Church and Christianity. He is a Vatican analyst for NBC News. His weekly column, "The Catholic Difference," is syndicated to 60 newspapers around the United States.

George Neumayr -- Neumayr is editor of Catholic World Report, an international monthly news magazine from the Catholic perspective. It is the leading Catholic journal of news, analysis and perspective.

Mary Eberstadt -- Eberstadt is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and consulting editor to Policy Review, the Hoover Institution's bimonthly journal of essays and reviews on American politics and society. She has written widely for various magazines and newspapers, including The Weekly Standard, Los Angeles Times, London Times, Newark Star-Ledger and The Wall Street Journal.

Fr. Robert Barron -- Fr. Barron is a prominent theologian and founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Since 1992, he has taught Systematic Theology at the nation's largest Catholic seminary, The University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill.

Amy Welborn -- Welborn is a prolific writer and blogger whose work appears in The New York Times, USA Today, Our Sunday Visitor and other well-known publications. She has written full-time since 1999, and is generally recognized as founder of one of the first Catholic-themed blogs. Her latest book is Come Meet Jesus: An Invitation from Pope Benedict XVI.

Dr. Janet Smith -- Dr. Smith holds the Father Michael J. McGivney Chair of Life Ethics at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. She speaks nationally and internationally on the Catholic teachings on sexuality and on bioethics, and has published numerous articles on sexuality and bioethics. She is serving a third term as a consultor to the Pontifical Council on the Family. She is author of The Right to Privacy, a study of Roe v. Wade and related court cases.

For more information about Light of the World, to obtain a list of the Bishops and others available for comment or to schedule an interview with Fr. Fessio and others who have been given access to the book prior to release, please contact Lisa Wheeler or Christine Schicker with The Maximus Group at 678-990-9032.

Comments

[xavier]

Carl:

The Spanish edition will be published by Editorial Herder in Spain (do you guys have the Spanish edition right for North America?) as well as the Catalan edition too.

I might buy the Catalan edition though I'd live to get my hand on the edition to read George's preface :)

[Ed Peters]

This is going to be really, really cool. Gotta dig out my Ratzinger Report now...

[Mark Brumley]

We're distributing Herder Mexico's Spanish-language edition.

[Mary B.]

Gosh, I sure hope the spate of headlines like "Pope says condoms okay" and "Catholic Church changes teaching on condoms" caused by the media using something said in the book makes people buy it and actually read what the Pope really said.

I am trying to find something positive in this situation!

[xavier]

Mark:

Thanks! Do your distribution rights also include the Spanish ebook version as well?

xavier