FrontGate is working with the Believe Distribution and Marketing service based in Italy to expand the U.S. market distribution of Pope Francis’ successful Wake Up! album, now with deeply discounted pricing for use as a fundraising premium or retail special item. This is just one example of how FrontGate is unique in serving as “Your Gateway to the Christian audience” where we are bridging the gap in the church body while delivering both the Evangelical/Protestant Christian audience and the Catholic audience to our clients. We were excited to handle the faith-based market PR for this album last year, and now are expanding our role to help with distribution.

Wake Up! – Music Album with His Words and Prayers is a spoken word and music album by Pope Francis.  The album is formed of speeches by Pope Francis recorded in numerous locations worldwide between 2013–15 with accompanying music tracks of prayers and hymns by various Italian artists and producers.  The album sets papal prayers and speeches to pop, rock, and classical music.  The messages vary from Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and English with the title track “Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward!” in English. The style has been described by Rolling Stone as “new age neoclassicism.”

With a beautiful CD booklet under the art direction of Don Giulio Neroni that includes translations of all the messages, various Italian artists and producers also contributed to the music like Giorgio Kriegsch, Mite Balduzzi, Giuseppe Dati, Lorenzo Piscopo, the orchestral director Dino Doni, and former member of Italian progressive rock band Le Orme Tony Pagliuca.

We will be placing this album with Catholic and Evangelical ministries, churches, events, radio shows or other partners who would like to distribute the album for profit or as a fundraising premium, along with and the free ecumenical companion 7 Day Devotional PDF that helps Christians around the world to engage with these messages in the context of their own personal faith journey.   This album is perfect for causes, churches, businesses, events, email databases, or other organizations whose audiences have an interest in the Pope and would purchase or make donations to obtain this inspirational album from him. While there are certainly areas of disagreement across the Christian faith family, this album and the related devotional are a blessing of unity within the body of Christ.

The devotional was curated by Scott A. Shuford at FrontGate Media.  While working on the project, Scott had the idea to create a devotional that would deepen users’ engagement with the album’s messages and musical themes of unity and the common good, and began reaching out to leaders in both the Evangelical and the Catholic communities.

In the forward, Shuford commented on the vision behind the devotional, “We created this devotional for you. Whatever your belief or situation, you are a member of the worldwide family of God: created by our Father, redeemed through his Son and within reach of the Holy Spirit.  We hope you will not just listen to and enjoy the words and music from the “Wake Up!” album, but that you will engage with and grow from Pope Francis’ message of unity, charity, and hope that transcends all the issues that separate God’s children.”

Contributors to the devotional in order of related album track include:

Rick Warren, who has helped people live with hope and purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including “The Purpose Driven Church” and “The Purpose Driven Life,” read by more than 100 million people in 137 languages.

Marcus Hathcock is the Executive Editor of NewReleaseToday.com, the largest Christian music and entertainment site, offering the most complete and up-to-date info on faith-based arts and entertainment, and home to the NRT Radio Network with five unique stations featuring dance/electronic, worship, rap/urban and more.

Jaci Velasquez has produced sixteen #1 radio hits across 17 albums, winning 7 Dove Awards, 3 RIAA Gold Records and 3 RIAA Platinum records. Jaci has also been the co-hostess on Salem Broadcasting Network’s nationally syndicated “Family Friendly Morning Show with Doug and Jaci Velasquez” for five years.

Matthew Willkom is the Morning Show Host and Program Manager of Spirit Catholic Radio Network.  Matthew holds a Master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from Ave Maria University. Spirit Catholic Radio is heard in the U.S. throughout the Upper-Midwest and worldwide online.

Matt Maher has become a staple in the artistic and songwriting community. An eight-time GRAMMY® nominee, he has garnered multiple radio successes writing and recording songs like “Lord, I Need You,” “Your Grace Is Enough,” “Because He Lives (Amen),” and more. In 2013, Maher performed on stage with Pope Francis in front of more than three million people at World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, and at World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow, Poland.

Olujimi (Olu) Brown is the founding lead pastor of Impact Church, the fourth fastest-growing congregation in the United Methodist Church-USA. Impact, located in the East Point community of Metropolitan Atlanta, GA, is committed to sharing the love of Christ with the world. Olu is a graduate of Gammon Seminary/ITC.

Keith Fournier is the Editor in Chief of Catholic Online, one of the world’s largest integrated media platforms dedicated to presenting the Catholic Christian worldview in this new missionary age. Keith is a Deacon of the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A., Constitutional lawyer, speaker, teacher and published author. He holds a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Theology, a Juris Doctor Degree in Law and is completing his PhD in Moral Theology.

One of the most recognized people in the world, Pope Francis has been called a forward-thinking spiritual leader who has given the Catholic Church a new energy. The Pontiff has millions of followers all of whom turn to Francis for prayers, requests, and intercession to which he responds personally and graciously. The album is connecting spirituality and the modern ideals of the collective by bridging faith and the common good through contemporary music.

If you are interested in this opportunity, please go to our contact form and mention Pope Francis’ album in your note.