And the Christopher Goes To....

The winners of the 2007 Christopher Awards will be honored at a dinner tonight in New York. No suspense, however -- the honorees were announced earlier in the week by the society that seeks to encourage a positive message in the church and the world.

Some might wonder why, with media in the church garnering an ever-higher level of prominence and influence, the Christophers don't command the attention they used to. And then one's reminded of their aim to be positive and encouraging -- which, sadly, explains the lack of exposure....

Speaking of positive and encouraging (and likewise unheeded), in his Sunday Angelus this week, no less than B16 intriguingly ended his talk by quoting the Gotham-based group's "credo" that "it's better to light a candle than curse the darkness." Benedict emphasized the line, calling it a "happy sentence."

Coincidence, or just another instance of Papa Ratzi -- i.e. he who misplaces no words -- doing a sly bit of hand-showing?

Speaking of lights, one Christopher winner is Jesuit Fr Jim Martin, whose My Life with the Saints (now in its eighth? ninth? printing after but a year of release) nabbed the prize in the adult book category.

Keeping with his rep as our age's media light-bearer in the steps of the great Fulton Sheen, the Christopher laureate has returned to the airwaves, with an NPR take on the "shocking discoveries" this time of year always tends to make manifest in the media... that, just by chance, attempt to discredit Christianity.

Congrats to Martin and the other winners, and as our beloved Pennsylvan-ia tips off against the Aggies, Go Quakers!

-30-