Here’s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

Singing praises. Congratulation to the monastic sisters of Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles in rural Missouri. For five weeks now their CD album Advent at Ephesus (which debuted on Nov. 20th) has topped  Billboard magazine’s Classical Traditional Music Chart. That put singing nuns on pace to become the bestselling new classical music act of 2012. The sisters  have held onto the lofty chart position challenges from Andrea Bocelli, Placido Domingo, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Once Upon a Christmas, the London Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas Classics and even Fifty Shades of Grey Classical.

Icing on the cake, on top of the strong sales come anecdotal reports of the positive practical import the recording is having on listeners. Monica Fitzgibbons, the co-founder of De Montfort Music which produced the CD along with Decca Records, says  “It has been wondrous to hear the many testimonies of those who have found comfort and joy during Advent and Christmas by listening to the ethereal sounds of Advent at Ephesus. We have heard from anyone from a parent of a severely autistic young man who has found soothing calm by listening to the peaceful music on this collection to a young woman who found stillness and consolation during chemotherapy while listening. Still others have been listening during their last moments of this life and others while giving birth. For so many already, this music has undoubtedly inspired tranquility and uplifted hearts and for that we are truly humbled and grateful!”

In addition to the CD, the album is available as a digital download for all devices at a variety of online retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the iTunes Store.

Suggestion: Some smart TV network executive should give the sisters a TV special next Christmas. It would probably result in very impressive Yule-time ratings.