FRANKLY: A Game-Changer in Catholic Parish Life

Bursting onto the Catholic scene in parishes this Christmas, FRANKLY is a fresh new publication that will be a power house in evangelisation and a counter-balance to secular negativity about the Church.

Visually rich in photography and design, and modelled on the warm and conversational style of Pope Francis, FRANKLY is designed to be given as a gift to people on the margins of Catholic faith and practice.

The 128-page bookazine includes articles written by Catholic contributors from Australia and overseas that speak to people’s everyday lives about topical issues including the environment, infertility, money, relationships, and hot-button topics from the Synods on the Family.

“This new publication is a game-changer,” says popular Catholic evangelist Jonathon Doyle of Choicez Media. “It’s modern, relevant, family-focussed and supportive of a new level of connection in the parish and beyond.”

Bishop Peter Comensoli (Diocese of Broken Bay) commended FRANKLY for answering a need for Catholic publications “that present the freshness of the Gospel and are attendant to its beauty and goodness”.

FRANKLY features input from Archbishop Anthony Fisher (Sydney), Bishop Eugene Hurley (Darwin), Archbishop Mark Coleridge (Brisbane), Robert Falzon (MenALIVE), entrepreneur Catherine Harris AO and others. It is published by LivingWell Media (a not for profit organisation) for bulk sale to parishes, schools, and other Catholic organisations.

According to concept developers, Francine and Byron Pirola, FRANKLY was created to respond to the call of Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium to joyfully proclaim the Gospel.

“We wanted to support the Church in starting a new conversation about the joy of Catholic living,” says Byron.

“Unfortunately what the average Catholic on the margins hears about the Catholic Church is mediated by secular media. Those messages are mostly negative and overlook the best parts of our story. We, the Church, want to tell our own story; to celebrate the richness and beauty of our faith and the joy of Catholic living even amid the very real challenges.”

FRANKLY is respectful and supportive of Church teaching and has a touch of playfulness to it. From the title itself, to topics and pictures, it talks frankly about real issues with warmth and humour.

Although FRANKLY can be purchased through retail outlets, it is available at cost-recovery prices, enabling Catholic organisations to purchase it cheaply in bulk. “The real power of FRANKLY is the physical gifting of the book to Mass-goers especially on Christmas Eve”, notes Francine. “This is when our churches are full of ‘once-a-year’ visitors like our non-Catholic spouses, family, and friends. It is literally the world’s biggest birthday party and what better way to share our faith than with a gift that people can take home and be enriched by over the coming year”.

FRANKLY can also be used in other ways, such as for parents at the start of the new school year or for families preparing for a Sacrament.

“FRANKLY has a quality look and feel so will hang around people’s homes for a while, be passed onto family and friends and picked up by visitors”, says Francine. “We expect that it will play a part in helping people think differently about the Catholic faith and help them to reconnect with their parish community.”