NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      NEW YORK (CWNews.com) - The recording label Sony Classical said last week that a new music CD featuring Pope John Paul II praying shipped triple Platinum in Argentina, Platinum in Poland, and Gold in Chile and Peru, and debuted at No. 2 in the US on Billboard's Classical Crossover chart.

      The recording also went Gold in Switzerland and Colombia within a week of its international release on March 23. The CD's US release was last Wednesday where it also debuted at No. 10 on Billboard's Top New Artist Albums chart.

      "Abba Pater" combines the Holy Father's spoken words and chanted prayers with contemporary music from an array of international recording artists. The title track of "Abba Pater" has also been made into a music video, which will be available on Sony Classical's Web site (http://www.sonyclassical.com). The video includes film footage from the archives of Vatican Television featuring the Pope's many international pilgrimages and travels.