FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For More Information: Kevin Wandra, 404-788-1276 or [email protected]

17 Cardinals and Counting Seventeen prominent Cardinals from around the world address problems concerning marriage and the family in a series of new books prepared in advance of the October Synod on the Family

SAN FRANCISCO, August 31, 2015 – The Synod of Bishops on the Family will meet in October to discuss marriage and the family, two hotly debated topics that have caused a crisis in the . In preparation for the highly anticipated event, seventeen prominent cardinals from around the world have written powerful essays for a series of books to be released in September through Ignatius Press.

The first book will be ELEVEN CARDINALS SPEAK ON MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY, which addresses some of the problems that will be discussed at the Synod:

• the challenge of providing adequate marriage preparation in a secularized world; • the need for evangelization and conversion; • the relationship between charity and truth; • the situation of divorced and civilly remarried Catholics; and • the demands of authentic pastoral care.

The second is titled CHRIST’S NEW HOMELAND – AFRICA, and is written exclusively by African prelates, seven of which are Cardinals. In this book, this coalition of African bishops demonstrates that despite some comments coming out of last year’s Synod, that the African voice will have a number of contributions to make against any proposals that suggest a deviation in the Catholic Church’s long held teachings on divorce and same sex unions.

The third is titled GOD OR NOTHING, and is an autobiographical interview hosted by French journalist Nicolas Diat with Robert Cardinal Sarah, an African cardinal who leads the of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of Sacraments. Vatican insider John L. Allen says of this book, “If you want to understand the forces shaping the Church’s future, you need to read this book.”

The contributing Cardinals to ELEVEN CARDINALS SPEAK ON MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY include , Carlo Caffarra, , , , Joachim Meisner, , Antonio María Rouco Varela, Willem Jacobus Eijk, and Jorge L. Urosa Savino.

The seven Cardinals who contributed to CHRIST’S NEW HOMELAND – AFRICA are Sarah, , Philippe Ouedraogo, , Theodore-Adrien Sarr, Jean-Pierre Kutwa and Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel.

ELEVEN CARDINALS SPEAK ON MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY, CHRIST’S NEW HOMELAND – AFRICA are scheduled to be released Sept. 15, 2015, but are available for preorder now. GOD OR NOTHING is available now.

For more information, to request a review copy or to schedule an interview with commentators on these books, please contact Kevin Wandra (404-788-1276 or [email protected]) of Carmel Communications.

###