The New American Bible

Free Shipping on All Orders Over $500!

For the entire month of July we are offering Free Shipping on all orders over $500! This is the time to stock up on your favorites, like our New American Bible Revised Edition, and any other big purchases that you have wanted to make like chalices, ciboria, and vestments. Many churches last year stocked up on Bibles to prepare for their school year starting in August. Others purchased all of their Advent and Christmas supplies early and at one time, so they didn’t have to worry about paying extra for rushed shipping or if items would be still have stock during November and December. My mom even participated in our Christmas in July promotion. She purchased a different Nativity Set for each of her siblings, Christmas gifts for my entire family and arts & crafts for the Sunday School class that she teaches. When I told her we were doing the promotion again, she got really excited and raved about “how much time she saved from conventional shopping” and “how less stressful the Christmas season is… and you don’t have to worry about last minute shopping, because you have been done for 5 months!” She also added, “When I shop on Autom.com, I know I am going to get quality, affordable, and inspirational gifts that glorify Jesus Christ.”

We have also included over 600 new items to the 2011 summer and fall catalogs. We have added a ton of new Christmas and Advent items including tote bags, lapel pins, Nativities, and so much more! In addition to the Christmas and Advent items, we have also added new hand-painted Greek Icons, jewelry, and many, many more entire lines.

Follow any of the links in this blog to enjoy the Christmas in July savings: Free Shipping on all orders over $500. Visit us online at Autom.com, your one stop shop for affordable Catholic Church supplies, clergy apparel, wholesale rosaries, New American Bibles, and everything else to help you grow in your Catholic faith!

*Also, a special thank you to my mom for the candid interview, and I hope you don’t mind I quoted you!

Greetings from Arizona! As most of you know Arizona is really hot during the summer. Today is slated to reach only 107 degrees Farenheit. That's a bit cooler than the 115-118 temperatures we were having the last few weeks. But the heat isn't slowing us down one bit! We are approaching our busiest months of the year and we wanted to give you all a little bit of an update on everything Autom.

Did you know that Autom has a retail store?  If not, now would be the time to come and explore our newly relocated and expanded superstore.
After nearly 62 years in Central Phoenix, we have moved our retail location right next door to our corporate office.  Its new address is 5210 S. 31st Place, Phoenix, AZ, 85040.

As much as we loved the central location and all of our neighbors, things were getting a little crowded. In our new location we have doubled our space and added a more modern design. All of the extra space has allowed us to expand our product offering, which make shopping at Autom second to none.   If you would like to see how the retail store came to life, view our pictures of the construction progress at www.facebook.com/automcatholic.  If you have been to our new retail store location, please comment below and let us know what you think.

Other exciting news is that our Christmas in July free shipping event has been a huge success. We are offering free freight on all orders over $500 before July 31st at 11:59 PM EST. Customers are taking this opportunity to stock up on their fall and winter supplies. Save at least $75 with this free freight opportunity!

Are you getting ready to send the kids back to school?  If so, what a better way than with a bag full of Autom supplies. Keep your eyes open for our upcoming back-to-school bible and book sale. Churches and RED's do not want to miss out on this one! We are lowering prices on our already low-priced, best selling books and bibles. Our #1 seller, the New American Bible will be offered at our lowest prices in years. Sound enticing? We will also be offering free shipping on top of that! We understand that the economy is effecting everyone, but that shouldn't impact a child's opportunity to experience the love of the Lord. Check your email on August 3rd!

As most of you know, the BP oil spill has finally been "contained." The sealing cap system has been in place for a few days and it looks as if it is holding. We can only hope and pray that no more oil leaks into our beautiful seas. Join all of us at Autom as we pray for those affected by these events.

"When the just cry out, the LORD hears
and rescues them from all distress."
Psalm 34:18 (The New American Bible)

Dear Heavenly Father,

We adore You and praise You God. You truly care for all Your people. Your Word tells us, “The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers” (Psalm 24:1-2).

We belong to You, Lord! All of us—people, animals, birds, the very seas and the earth itself—were formed by Your Word. You call us to be stewards of Your beautiful creation, with a stewardship that serves, is generous, and brings honor to Your name.

Have mercy on the departed and their families. Guide and protect those working to end the flow of oil into the Gulf and to clean up its effects on land and sea. Console all who have suffered and restore them and their livelihoods. Help us all to return to You.

"Let Your mercy, O Lord, rest upon us, even as our hope has rested in You."
Psalm 33:22

We pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

“I love you with all my heart!”

This weekend we celebrate the feasts of two Hearts that beat as one: the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

In 1673, Jesus chose a young nun, Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque, to receive the revelations of His Sacred Heart and bear them to a world desperately in need of His warmth and fire. Jesus wanted to remind us of His personal passionate love and to arouse our love in return.

How do we return His love? By obeying His commands, consecrating ourselves daily to His Sacred Heart, and offering our prayers and sacrifices in union with Him in atonement for sin.

Jesus told Saint Margaret Mary, “Behold this Heart which has loved so much, and yet is so little loved in return. Through you My divine Heart wishes to spread its love everywhere on earth.” Jesus promised He would bless every home in which an image of His Heart was honored. 

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was conceived without Original Sin. God gave her this great favor because He had chosen her from all eternity to bear our eternal Savior. In response, Mary gave her whole life to God, and at the Cross Jesus gave her to us to be our Mother as well.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary focuses our attention on her purity. Mary’s whole being was pure, completely free from any stain of sin for her entire life. This feast celebrates a fellow human who was so devoted to God that she overcame every temptation to sin.

In 1942, Pope Pius XII consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and her feast is celebrated the Saturday after the feast of the Body of Christ.

If you are looking for resources to learn about the amazing love of Jesus or to help celebrate the month of the Sacred Heart, Autom offers a great selection Sacred Heart and Immaculate Heart devotional items, including Catholic prayer books, rosaries and beautiful statuary.  

“Love never fails.”
1 Corinthians 13:8
The New American Bible
 

Sunday May 23rd marks this years celebration of Pentecost

Pentecost: The Gift of the Holy Spirit!

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you,
and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem,
throughout Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.”
- Acts 1:8 (The New American Bible)
 

The Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, is the love God shares between Father and Son. The Prophets testified that this mighty yet gentle Spirit would rest upon the Messiah and His people. God sent His Holy Spirit upon Mary, who conceived Christ—the Anointed One—in her womb. Jesus proclaimed:

 

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me!"
- Luke 4:18-19 (The New American Bible)

It was the power of the Spirit that enabled Jesus to preach, to heal, and ultimately, to lay down His life for us and to rise again in glory on the third day!

Before His Ascension, Jesus commanded His Apostles to wait for “the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 1:5 (Catholic New American Bible)

 
On Pentecost, the Jewish harvest festival commemorating the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, Mother Mary and the disciples were all in one place together. Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, filling the house. Tongues as of fire appeared, which parted and rested on each one of them! They were al filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. 

The disciples went out of that room filled with a power and zeal hitherto unseen in the world—the power of God Himself! They boldly and confidently proclaimed God’s mighty works, His love and forgiveness. Three thousand people were baptized that very day! The apostles and the early Church spread the Kingdom by passing on all the gifts Jesus had entrusted to them, including the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

Jesus wants to fill you with the same Spirit that came upon the disciples that first Pentecost. Jesus calls you first of all to Himself, that you would find in Him a true friend, who knows your hopes and dreams, your struggles and successes. Jesus wants you to feel His personal love for you, and then to share this love with others. Jesus died, rose, and sent His Spirit so all people could receive His salvation, live a fully human and holy life, and enjoy eternal life with the Blessed Trinity in heaven. And that’s Good News!

Autom, the leader in Catholic church supplies wants to say,
"Happy Birthday, Church of God!"

Visit our website at www.autom.com for a great selection of affordable church supplies. 

 

Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima! Let us celebrate!

"This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad."
- Psalm 118:24 (Catholic New American Bible)

Below is a brief history of the events that lead to the recognition of today as the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima:

In a mountainous region near the town of Fatima, Portugal, the Mother of God appeared six times between May 13th and October 13th, 1917, to three shepherd children, Lucia Santos and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto. Mary told the children that she had been sent by God with a message for every man, woman and child in our century. Coming at a time when civilization was torn asunder by war and violence, Mary promised that Heaven would grant peace to all the world if her requests for prayer, reparation and consecration were heard and obeyed.

Mary explained that war is a punishment for sin. She warned that if people continued to disobey God’s Will, they would suffer consequences of war, hunger and persecution of the Church. She also prophesied that Russia would “spread her errors" of atheism and materialism across the earth.

Our Lady of Fatima repeatedly emphasized the necessity of praying the Rosary daily, of wearing the Brown Scapular, and of performing acts of reparation and sacrifice. She also promised a sign as proof of her messages.

On October 13, 1917, a crowd of 50,000 people at Fatima, including many noted skeptics, saw the sun rotating and spinning in the heavens; then, leaving its orbit, it plunged toward the earth. The “Miracle of the Sun” is fully documented. On May 13, 1982, Pope John Paul II was shot in St. Peter’s Square. He credits his miraculous escape from death to the intervention of Our Lady of Fatima. In November of 1989 the Berlin Wall came down and the Iron Curtain of Communism fell without a shot being fired. Our Lady of Fatima's words have stood the test of time. Let us continue to pray the Rosary and obey Our Lady's requests as we face new threats in our own time.

Autom offers a wide range of Catholic Church supplies including rosaries and Catholic prayer books to help in your celebration of the Feast Day of Our Lady of Fatima. So head over to our website and pick up a cord rosary or glass rosary to follow in the words of our Blessed Mother. We at Autom have provided the Catholic community with affordable church supplies since 1948, and continue to do so today. Thank you for over 62 years of your loyal support!

The month of May is a season of new growth, of Spring in full blossom, of life reborn after Easter. It is also, appropriately, the month which the Church especially dedicates to Mary, the mother of Jesus and our spiritual mother.

During May, many Catholic Christians draw closer to Mary and honor her as our mother in ways both old and new. Pope Paul VI wrote that, “In this month, too, the benefits of God’s mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance.”


The practice of honoring Mary in May arose near the end of the 13th century. A few centuries later, Jesuit students at the Roman College fervently embraced this custom, and from there it spread to the entire Church. Over the centuries, the popes have continually recommended May devotions to Our Blessed Mother, such as praying the Rosary, wearing the scapular and Marian medals, and consecrating ourselves and our families to Our Lady.

Mary was most likely a teen when the angel Gabriel announced that God had chosen her to be the mother of His Son, the Messiah, the Redeemer of the world. Mary asked how this could happen, since she was a virgin. Gabriel replied that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and overshadow her, and her child would be called holy, the Son of God. Mary believed God and accepted His invitation.
 

   
“Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’ Then the angel departed from her” (Luke 1:38)--The New American Bible. 

Mary’s “Yes” didn’t stop there. She obeyed God faithfully all her life, caring for Jesus and preparing Him for His mission. At the Cross, even though she loved Jesus more than any other person ever could, she offered him up to the Father—out of love for us. And it was on the Cross that Jesus gave her to us, in the person of Saint John, to be our spiritual mother, to bring us all home to heaven. 

As spouse of the Holy Spirit, Mary quietly and resolutely mothered the early Church, until she was assumed, body and soul, into heaven to reign forever with Jesus. Mary is our model and mother in our journey of following Christ to heaven. Pope Benedict urges us to ask Mary’s help in following Jesus, and to “do whatever He tells you.”

We hope you have a blessed May and if you are looking for resources to help you honor Our Blessed Mother this month, Autom offers an expansive selection Marian items including great Catholic prayer books, beautiful rosaries and Miraculous medals. 
 

Dear God,

You created us through Your Son to be good, joyful, and true. When the darkness of sin tried to overshadow us, You sent Jesus to become one of us, to suffer and die for us, and to rise from the dead, to give us new life. His light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness cannot overtake it, seize it, or lay hold of it.

Lord Jesus, You promised You would be with us always, until the end of the age. Your Resurrection from the dead is our hope—proof that death does not have the last word, that Life will be victorious at the end. We rejoice today not simply because we have Your memory living within us, but because we have YOU living within us!

As we sing our triumphant Alleluias this Easter, Lord Jesus, surrounded by the radiant colors and aromatic scents of Spring, may our hearts awaken to a new life and a longing for eternity.

Help us to establish Your victory in our world through Your gifts of righteousness and truth, mercy, forgiveness, and love. Dear Mother Mary, Star of our hope, lead all people into the safe haven of salvation which is the heart of your Son. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Alleluia!

    What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:4-5
The New American Bible
 

On behalf of our Autom family we wish you a Blessed Easter!

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the holiest week in the year for Christians. We travel with Jesus this day as He enters Jerusalem in an honor that will ultimately unravel and end in His death on Good Friday.

One day, while traveling to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the nearby village, where you will find a donkey tied up, that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here to Me. If anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The Master needs it.’” The two disciples found the donkey and brought it to Jesus, covered it with their cloaks, and helped Him to mount.

As they headed into Jerusalem, a great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming. They went out to meet Him. Some of the people laid their cloaks on the ground where He was passing; others cut down palm branches to strew on the ground. Still others waved palm and olive branches as Jesus passed by, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna!”

- Adapted from the New American Bible

In ancient Israel, palms were always the symbols of victory. The people of Jerusalem hailed Jesus as their King, but tragically, they misunderstood His Kingdom. Even so, God used all that happened that unforgettable week to bring about the complete defeat of Satan, sin, and death. Truly God loves us, and through the Cross shows us how to achieve the ultimate triumph in our own lives as well. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

Autom wishes you a blessed Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
 

Top o' the mornin to ye!

Today the Church celebrates the feast of Saint Patrick. The following brief story of his life is taken from our book, Autom's Saints For Boys, Item Number CS020.

Patrick was born around 389.  At 16, he was carried as a captive to Ireland where, though treated harshly, he stayed close to Jesus and the Catholic Faith. Six years later he escaped, and after many trials made his way home. While there, Patrick saw in a dream all the children of Ireland, stretching out their hands and crying to him for relief from the wombs of their mothers. God showed Patrick that he was to return to Christianize Ireland.

At age 42, Patrick returned to Ireland where he was made Bishop. This tireless saint traveled the Emerald Isle bringing the Faith everywhere despite the hostility of the Druid priests. Saint Patrick established many monasteries for men and women, founding centers of spirituality and learning. He restored sight to the blind, health to the sick, and raised the dead to life. He died March 17th.

SAINT PATRICK'S BREASTPLATE

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me.
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Saint Patrick loved bringing God’s Word and His Spirit to all. His life encourages each of us to learn more of our faith and share it with others. The New American Bible and beloved Catholic prayer books are two great ways to help us grow closer to God and bring His presence to our world.

May the Good Lord take a liking to you, and may you be in heaven a half hour before the Devil knows you’re dead!

Lent is upon us once again! The Church calls us to this ancient season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to rekindle our faith in Christ Jesus and prepare us for the Resurrection. Mary Magdalene invites us to sit with her at the feet of Jesus and receive His love for each of us. Pope Benedict calls us to then walk in love, to give our world a "renewed witness to the Resurrection of Christ." Our fellow humans are suffering, and they need us to allow Christ to love them through our acts of mercy. 

Through His wounds, Jesus overcame evil at its roots, and He anoints us with power to do the same. Saint Paul calls us to stand against the evil one by rejecting sin and putting on the armor of light (see Ephesians 6:10-20).

This Lent, let's ask Our Lord, "What do You want of me?" Lent is not so much giving up as giving in, surrendering to Jesus, allowing Him to have more of us so He can do more to us and through us! Let's seek to let go and let God, by spending more time with Him in prayer, fasting from legitimate pleasures, and sharing our treasure, time, and talents, so we can be more fervent instruments of His peace and mercy to others.

Here are some practical ways to carry out your Lenten resolutions:

• Pray using good Catholic Prayer Books
• Read the Scriptures, such as the New American Bible
• Pray the Rosary. If you need a good glass rosary or cord rosary, we can help!

If we cooperate with Jesus' abundant Lenten grace, we can be confident He will rise again in us on the morning of the Resurrection. Glory to God!