Are you frustrated with the current culture, and want and "easy and effective" way to help change things? Then the Changing Hearts apostolate is for you!  This is the message that women like Kay Dodds and Rose Schaeffer are trying to get across to Regnum Christi members, and to the Catholic Church and beyond. 

The goal of the Changing Hearts apostolate is to “return the culture to God,” offering a simple prayer to pray daily, printed on a bookmark for easy distribution.  The apostolate produces a weekly newsletter for participants discussing current events in the culture, both good and bad.  It contains suggested areas of the country to offer up in prayer, and ideas for fasting and sacrifices to offer to the Lord in reparation for sin and to bring about change through God’s grace. 

“I think we’ve all experienced the frustration of feeling overwhelmed and inadequate in addressing the myriad of problems in our culture today,” said Rose, who serves as the national chairman for RC members for the Changing Hearts apostolate. 

Kay, who founded Changing Hearts in 2009, felt a strong call to start the initiative and “awaken people that they have a part to play in changing the culture.” Recently, Rose joined her initiative,

	Changing Hearts prayer bookmarks were distributed at this recent rally for religious freedom

and plans are to bring the prayer apostolate to everyone in Regnum Christi. 

“The goal was to get bookmarks to RC members in the US – at least one bookmark to each member,” said Rose.  She said Regnum Christi members can be a “seed” to spread the apostolate far and wide. 

“Rather than just wringing our hands in worry,” Rose said, participants can be “part of the solution.” 

 “Just imagine, if every RC member prayed this prayer of repentance, begging for God’s mercy on our nation, daily,” she said.  “What a chorus we’d have in heaven.” 

Since the first article ran on the RC website in 2011, Changing Hearts has been spreading its message to more and more people.  So far all the heads of the RC women’s section have been contacted, and attempts are being made to contact the coordinators for the RC Pilgrim Queen apostolate.  Kay said that Changing Hearts gave away 1,200 bookmarks at Regnum Christi Women’s Conference in April 2012.  Rose gave a presentation for those in attendance.  Since then, bookmark orders have risen.  

Rose and Kay are also making an appeal for more volunteers.  Currently there is a need for people to contact churches with Eucharistic chapels.  Kay has an existing list with phone numbers and names.  She can easily get started anyone who is interested.  

Kay said that, at the 2011 National Youth Day in Indianapolis, 500 bookmarks were distributed to eager young people.  

“The kids seem to be very on fire for this," she said.  "As I told them, ‘We are depending on you to change the culture.’ They responded back with an enthusiastic, ´Oh we can do this!´” 

“We are hoping to send bookmarks out to youth groups through their leaders at the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministers’ Conference,” said Kay.  She also is working to translate them into Portuguese for the next World Youth Day in Brazil.  “If anybody is going, let us know!  Just e-mail us.” Bookmarks are available in both English and Spanish now. 

Beside Regnum Christi, the apostolate continues to reach into areas inside and outside the Catholic Church.   Protestant churches and pastors have also been involved in the apostolate since its beginnings.  Kay said the prayer is being translating into Creole by some of her Protestant friends who wish to share it as soon as they visit Haiti as missionaries. 

To request bookmarks with the Changing Hearts prayer, send your request to changingheartsus@gmail.com.  The apostolate is self-supporting so donations are always welcome to cover the costs for printing and mailing.  Kay said a tiny portion is also used to maintain the website. The group is hoping to soon get a tax-exempt status as a 501c3 organization.  Regnum Christi members who would like to participate can contact Rose at rosensch@insightbb.com