Pray Tell’s own coming to CNN October 13th!

I am very excited to report that one of Pray Tell ’s contributors, Rita Ferrone, will appear on CNN. She was interviewed by CNN International for a special film on Pope Francis, “Pope Francis:  Man of Many Firsts.” It airs this coming Sunday, October 13th at 7:30 PM EST (check local times).

Here is a two minute teaser.

The program presents an overview of the first six months of Francis’s papacy. It aired first in CNN’s Asia-Pacific region on September 13th, and has been updated following Francis’s address to world leaders about Syria and his big interview for the Jesuits. Click here for our commentary on that interview.

CNN’s footage includes a look out from the balcony over St. Peter’s Square, aerial views of the World Youth Day Mass at Copa Cabana beach, as well as close ups of the Pope at Holy Thursday liturgy and his interview on the plane after World Youth Day. It also covers most of the hot-button issues surrounding his papacy.

Becky Anderson narrates, with on-screen commentary by Christopher Belitto (of Kean University), Rita Ferrone (writer, Commonweal magazine), John Allen (CNN analyst, NCR writer), and Cardinal Theodore McCarrick (retired Archbishop of DC). Rita was filmed at her parish church, Sacred Heart, in Mount Vernon, New York.

Not shying away from controversy, the program’s overall assessment of Pope Francis is quite positive. The program looks toward the firsts that have already happened, while hoping for more firsts to come.

Tune in to CNN on Sunday, October 13th to see our very own Rita Ferrone talk about the impact of the first six months of Pope Francis’s papacy!