Did you notice?

Over at the right ... the PayPal button?!   We're trying something new ... making it possible for our readers to purchase print copies online,  thus eliminating the wait time involved in sending in postal orders.  But this is our first time ever using a Pay Pal account ... so we're sending up a prayer that things are set up correctly and your purchasing/order experience will go smoothly.  If you find glitches in the process, please let us know by sending an email.  We really want to make it work!  Thanks.

And speaking of "thanks" ... wishing all our readers a blessed Thanksgiving holiday.  We have so MUCH for which to be grateful!  God bless you~

Another little preivew...

This weekend we hope to take the last photos for our December issue, and then it's just a matter of final layout and proofing ... soon you'll be able to read a copy online, or receive one in print.  But until then, here's another little preview of the Vox Populi article:

COMMERCIALIZING CHRISTMAS

 In the recent centuries it seems there is a new aspect to one of the many wonderful holidays that we enjoy each year. This new aspect, the commercialization of Christmas, is one in which money, buying presents, or having the best decorations, is at the forefront. Many of the businesses today rely on Christmas profits to get them out of the red for the year.  On average, about half the money that goes into advertisement for the year is spent during the Christmas season or on Christmas related advertisements. Another part of the commercialization of Christmas is the significance of giving gift cards and what it implies. So is Christmas really about buying and receiving presents, or is there a deeper, more solemn purpose?

Interesting!

We are getting ready to publish the results of our Christmas survey and one thing we found interesting was  the replies for the question about your favorite Christmas Song.  There were 19 different songs among the responses!  The winning title (so far) is only ahead of the second place song by a single vote!  If you haven't voted yet, your vote could change things!  Encourage family and friends to cast a vote, too!  And then watch for the results of all the survey questions in December.

Maybe you are wondering ...

... wondering about what will be in our December issue?   Good things!  Here is a sneak preview of the article for the Mary's Militia column.

 Innocence

 Christmas is a season that should bring out the best in us, but for some people it brings out the worst. If we consider the true meaning of Christmas, I’m sure everybody would see past the gifts and focus on true virtue. Innocence is a virtue that is closely associated with Christmas and it should be more promoted today. Innocence is defined as freedom from sin or moral wrong. Is this what it means to you? When people mention innocence do you think about innocent people, like the infant Jesus or the Virgin Mary? They are perfect models of purity and innocence...

 

Time's running out ...

We are getting serious about the December issue, and will soon begin to tabulate results from the Christmas survey.  If you haven't had a chance to answer the survey questions yet, please do!  And please also encourage your friends and family to participate ... there are just four questions, so it takes only a minute.

Looking forward to sharing the results in the December issue!

Our Story

Surprise!  We wanted to share a bit of the background about
The Voice of Valor, and how it came to be.  Feel free to pass along the link to friends who might be interested.

Holy Rosary Sunday

This feast is a great opportunity to remind our readers of a stirring piece of literature ... G. K. Chesterton's epic poem Lepanto.  The poem commemorates the miraculous victory of Don Juan and the Catholic fleet over the Turks in 1571; a victory obtained through the intercession of Our Lady and a rosary crusade preached throughout Christendom by Pope St. Pius V.  If you are not familiar with the story or the poem, or if you'd just like to read it again, you can find it here.

Please remember our writers and staff in your rosaries during this month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary (and the Angels!).  We have a few new things that we're almost ready to share with you ... stay tuned to the blog!

And don't forget to take our survey and/or send us your Christmas poetry, stories, and pictures for the December issue of The Voice of Valor~