Contact: Louie Verrecchio, www.harvestingthefruit.com, 443-340-9615, info@harvestingthefruit.com

HAMPSTEAD, Maryland, June 20 /Christian Newswire/ -- American author, Louie Verrecchio, whose conciliar document study series "Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II" was endorsed by George Cardinal Pell in 2006, is now being featured as a regular columnist in The Catholic Weekly, the official newspaper for the Archdiocese of Sydney, Australia. The weekly columns, which highlight some of the more misunderstood and timely elements of the Council's teachings, made their debut in the June 1, 2008 edition.

"Mr. Verrecchio is providing readers of The Catholic Weekly with keen insights into the teachings of the Second Vatican Council," said Managing Editor, Kerry Myers. "The 'Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II' columns state Catholic beliefs clearly and informatively. They are a welcome addition to our publication."

Mr. Verrecchio plans to make the column, through which he intends to take some of the mystery out of the Council, available to other Catholic media outlets via syndication.

"Readers are going to be pleasantly surprised to discover just how straightforward and approachable the teachings of Vatican II really are," he said. "The column's content is globally relevant, and long overdue."

Vatican Council II ran from October 1962 to December 1965.

Since 2004, the "Harvesting the Fruit of Vatican II" study guides, one of the only works of its kind to bear an Imprimatur, have been used by parish based study groups and individuals in various parts of the U.S, and as far away as Singapore. Mr. Verrecchio's work also enjoys the endorsement of a number of high profile American Catholics, including syndicated columnist Russell Shaw; and well known theologians Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio, and Fr. Peter Stravinskas, who wrote the Foreword to Part I one the series.

Mr. Verrecchio remains most proud of the enthusiastic support he’s received from the Archbishop Down Under.

"Cardinal Pell was remarkably generous in taking the time to review my work and to give us permission to publish his endorsement. His support has helped Catholics everywhere feel more confident about approaching the material. That's why I'm so thrilled to launch the syndication in Sydney," said Mr. Verrecchio. "My hope is that the columns will in some small way begin to repay the gift that Cardinal Pell has given to me by helping the people of his Archdiocese grow in their faith."