Cover Story: Let’s celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Let’s all take this opportunity to learn more about our neighbors—even as the White House quits honoring these groups

We’ve got “Top 10 Books” to learn more about Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders living among us

COVER STORY—There’s no one better than Michigan State University School of Journalism “Bias Busters” founder Joe Grimm to bring us this story—and to tell us about 10 books we all should be reading—and sharing with friends this month.

Please consider joining our community of writers in this simple “good deed” this month. We know that a lot of our readers are looking for ways to do something good in our troubled world. Well, that’s easy this month: Buy a book! Then, buy another book for a friend! Then, start a discussion group to talk about these books. Just because the White House wants to erase these opportunities to learn more about our neighbors—we don’t have to obey that executive order. Instead, let’s be peacemakers this month and continue to honor these friends in May—as millions of Americans have since the 1970s.

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Yes, there is an American Cardinal who might be pope—

Please, meet Cardinal Joe Tobin

THANKS TO AUTHOR, JOURNALIST AND CATHOLIC HISTORIAN PATRICIA MONTEMURRI, viewers nationwide are watching an inspiring 9-minute documentary about Detroit-born Cardinal Joe Tobin, who currently is Archbishop ofNewark, New Jersey. In addition to the public television video, you can read the text of Montemurri’s profile of Tobin as well. Tobin’s story is showcased on this Detroit PBS web page.

AND—Don’t miss the news (below in our Faith & Film section) about the upcoming film that Martin Scorsese made with Pope Francis.

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Celebrating our authors’ No. 1 New Release flags on Amazon

IN OUR FRONT EDGE PUBLISHING COLUMN, this week, Marketing Director Susan Stitt explains how we follow what’s now a best practice across the publishing industry to show eager reader interest in newly released books.

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Holidays & Milestones

Are you ready for Mother’s Day?

Did you know—It’s one of the biggest days for churches

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS COLUMNIST STEPHANIE FENTON reports on Mother’s Day and reminds us of the roots of this very popular observance, which started in churches. In fact, today, Stephanie reports that Mother’s Day yields the highest U.S. church attendance after Christmas Eve and Easter.

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WANT TO SEE ALL OF THE UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS? It’s easy to find our annual calendar of global observances. Just remember the web address: InterfaithHolidays.com

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Faith & film

 

Stay tuned—you won’t want to miss Pope Francis’s Martin Scorsese movie

HAVE YOU SEEN PHOTOS FLOATING AROUND THE INTERNET of Martin Scorsese and Pope Francis smiling as they hold up an ‘Aldeas’ movie clapboard?

Well, please stay tuned for future news about this feature-length documentary that Pope Francis invited filmmaker Martin Scorsese to produce—including an interview the two conducted at the Vatican. A release date has not been announced, but—for now—here’s an Associated Press update, headlined: Martin Scorsese and Pope Francis teamed to produce a documentary called ‘Aldeas — A New Story’

As we learn more about this film’s roll out—we’ll be sure to let our readers know.

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Our online magazine has specialized for many years in covering news about religious and cultural diversity as reflected in new books, holidays & festivals and films. In 2024, our long-time film critic Edward McNulty died. In 2025, we continue to publish important reviews—sometimes by drawing on Ed’s considerable body of work and sometimes by welcoming other writers.

 

 

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