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Catholics Come Home Targets Bowl-Game Audiences
The National Catholic Register ^ | 1/5/13 | Jim Graves

Posted on 01/07/2013 7:35:33 AM PST by marshmallow

Former Notre Dame coach Lou Holtz is featured in a commercial that will air in conjunction with the Notre Dame-Alabama BCS Championship game.

MIAMI — Tom Peterson, founder of Catholics Come Home, announced that his Catholic evangelization organization will be airing a new national television commercial featuring retired college football coach Lou Holtz during college football week and ending with the BCS National Championship (Notre Dame vs. Alabama) on Jan. 7. The 30-second ad features Coach Holtz delivering a half-time “pep-talk” reminding viewers to keep focused on life’s goal: heaven.

“Faith is not a spectator’s sport; it must be lived. … It’s interactive,” said Peterson in a press release. “We’re trying a creative game plan, with the goal of winning loyal fans for Jesus and the Church.”

He continued, “All viewers who follow the wisdom of Coach Holtz … will be the true winners when the final down is played.”

Using a locker room as a backdrop, Holtz reminds viewers of the importance of doing God’s will, loving others, prayer, discipline, gaining strength through God’s word and receiving the sacraments. And, when we “fumble due to sin,” the sacrament of confession “puts us back on the field,” the Catholic retired coach reassures viewers.

The Holtz ad will be aired in various markets and programming throughout the United States, reaching an estimated 70 million households. Peterson said he wrote the spot more than a year ago and, “by God’s grace,” met Holtz by accident at Los Angeles International Airport and invited him to star in the ad. Holtz agreed.

(Excerpt) Read more at ncregister.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Ministry/Outreach; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 01/07/2013 7:35:41 AM PST by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

When will The University of Notre Dame come home to the Catholic faith it has abandoned?


2 posted on 01/07/2013 7:42:58 AM PST by wideawake
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To: marshmallow


3 posted on 01/07/2013 7:46:53 AM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: wideawake

Once the Pope does a bigtime cleanout of ND.


4 posted on 01/07/2013 7:49:22 AM PST by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
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To: marshmallow

This Catholic says, “Roll Tide!”


5 posted on 01/07/2013 7:52:27 AM PST by dfwgator
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To: marshmallow

ND is to real Catholicism as the Obamadork is to real intellect.


6 posted on 01/07/2013 8:00:41 AM PST by Da Coyote
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To: marshmallow

I can’t understand 3/4 of what Lou Holtz has coming out of his mouth anymore. It’s all spittle.


7 posted on 01/07/2013 8:09:08 AM PST by gdani
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To: wideawake

When will The University of Notre Dame come home to the Catholic faith it has abandoned?””

Exactly my first thought. Well stated.


8 posted on 01/07/2013 8:13:58 AM PST by Neoliberalnot (Marxism works well only with the uneducated and the unarmed.)
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To: marshmallow

Although I love the message I think all the cutesy football puns/metaphors cheapen it.


9 posted on 01/07/2013 8:15:31 AM PST by circlecity
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To: marshmallow
I've seen the commercials that Lou Holtz has been doing and I really appreciate the effort. I hope some of the ND administration and faculty see them and decide to rejoin the Church as well.

For now this Catholic says 'Roll Tide'!

10 posted on 01/07/2013 8:19:07 AM PST by pgkdan ( "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~Thomas Jefferson)
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To: circlecity

There are a lot of people whose most passionate interest in life is spectator sports. It’s possible that an ad connected to that interest while draw some people’s attention from the idol to the true God.

Sports were a passion in St. Paul’s day, too, and openly connected with pagan worship as well. (In our day, the pagan worship is less overt ;-). Perhaps some readers/hearers of his sports metaphors found them cheap and cutesy, while others said, “Wow, he’s right! I never thought of it like that ... it makes sense!”


11 posted on 01/07/2013 9:19:55 AM PST by Tax-chick (The paint is in the basket with the skulls in there. Don't tell me you can't find it!)
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To: Tax-chick
"while others said, “Wow, he’s right! I never thought of it like that ... it makes sense!”

Perhaps. I'm never seen such a reaction in 40 years but anything is possible. It's just as, or more, possible that people won't attach a lot of attention to a Gospel that's brought down to the level of importance of a ball game.

12 posted on 01/07/2013 9:26:05 AM PST by circlecity
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To: circlecity

This ad is aimed at inactive Catholics, not at people who have never been exposed to the Gospel (unless they happen to be the same people). People stop practicing their faith for a lot of reasons, many of them very shallow. We don’t know what a testimony from an admired sports figure might mean, to how many people. The Holy Spirit is very powerful!

I don’t give a flying freep about sports, myself, so I understand where you’re coming from, but these ads and all the ads from this producer aren’t aimed at me.


13 posted on 01/07/2013 9:32:56 AM PST by Tax-chick (The paint is in the basket with the skulls in there. Don't tell me you can't find it!)
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To: marshmallow

This former Catholic left “home” 35 years ago, and I’m not coming back. I’ve been saved by grace, through faith. Not by a denomination and all of it’s legalistic rules for “salvation”.


14 posted on 01/07/2013 3:12:55 PM PST by crosshairs (They are only assault weapons in the hands of tyrannical governments and criminals. Ban both.)
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To: crosshairs

Amen ...


15 posted on 01/08/2013 6:05:32 AM PST by dartuser ("If you are ... what you were ... then you're not.")
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