Some of you have seen Fr. Robert Barron's new "Catholicism" on PBS recently. Did you know that PBS only agreed to air some of the episodes? That's still good, but if you want to see all of the episodes, on EWTN. Read and follow the links below. It begins tomorrow.
From EWTN:
Irondale, AL – It’s almost here! “Catholicism” Week starts Wednesday, Nov. 16 and continues through Saturday, Nov. 19 – exclusively on EWTN! You won’t want to miss a single episode of Father Robert Barron’s lavishly-produced multimillion dollar series of faith and history, which was filmed at more than 50 locations in 16 different countries. Catholic Commentator George Weigel calls this series "the most important media project in the history of the Catholic Church in America." For an episode list with times, dates and more, please click here: http://www.ewtn.com/series/shows/catholicism/index.asp. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.
Catholic Commentator George Weigel calls Fr. Robert Barron’s “Catholicism,” "the most important media project in the history of the Catholic Church in America." See it this week – exclusively on EWTN! For an episode list with times and dates and more information, please click here: http://www.ewtn.com/series/shows/catholicism/index.asp. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.
Don’t miss Father Mitch Pacwa’s interview with Robert Barron about his epic series, “Catholicism.” Airs on “EWTN Live” at 8 p.m. ET – exclusively on EWTN. Find EWTN at www.ewtn.com/channelfinder.
Here's a promo clip:
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In the opening paragraph of his article, A New Generation of Theologians, Ryan N.S. Topping, D. Phil., sums up the reason why I have hope for the future of the Church.
Much of the animosity felt by older theologians toward the Vatican or, more generally, toward episcopal authority, has disappeared. Such skirmishes that do occasionally play out the old ‘free-thinking theologian’ versus the ‘heavy-handed bishop’ script simply bore. To young eyes media events dramatizing the conflict between freedom and authority look tired, and to be a pastime for the retiring. (A case in point is the recent vitriolic over the Bishops’ censure of Elizabeth Johnson’s Quest for the Living God.) By contrast, the majority of young Catholic philosophers and theologians that I have met through my teaching—in England, Canada, and America—are eager to serve the Church, to imbibe her customs, and to perpetuate her faith. For the most part, where frustration is felt it is not at being restricted by authority; it is at not being confidently commissioned. Being a bishop is not for cowards. Failure of episcopal leadership in the post-Vatican II era has typically not been in the clumsy exercise of power, but in their reluctance to support those who defend authentic Catholic teaching. This trend is passing.
Speaking of the attitude of younger theologians and philosphers, I agree that the trend is passing. While there is still some reluctance among the bishops yet as Topping describes, I see that trend passing too. Note, that I did not say, that it has passed.
This is why you won't see me getting all up in arms the way I might have 10 or 15 years ago. In fact, I don't think that nonsense would have survived for as long as did had there been an internet and new media the way we have it today.
Often times I've reflected on those seminary libraries during 70's to 90's, many of which were stocked with books full of namby-pambyism masquerading as Catholicism. Young men back then were dependent on whomever fed them information. They could not just hop on a computer and see what the Pope just said 6 hours ago, 6 months ago, or even 6 years ago. It all depended on who was in control and what they wanted controlled. Today, when the Pope speaks, his words are up on the web within minutes and it's rapidly translated into other languages. In fact, it's not uncommon for the Pope's words to get out before the Pope speaks these days. Other than those living oppresive countries with some heavy technology controls, no one can block it (not that they would be "intolerant")
Young Catholics enthusiastic about the faith are absorbing Pope Benedict's words like thirsty sponges. They are also spending serious time studying the Church Fathers and Doctors, and getting to know Church documents intimately, not casually in such a way as to get a perverted sense of what is being communicated. Some older Catholics are tickled pink to finally see it happening, and many in the middle are leaning more with this group in getting annoyed with a dwindling, aging group who continue to press dissidence over assent. Even St. Paul had his own thorn to deal with. This new generation of Catholics has vigor to learn what the Church teaches because they want to live it and pass it on, rather than challenge it.
While the world around us is more secularized and ready to persecute Christians, especially Catholics, these days, I also see a very strong Church emerging. It's still small, but I see it growing. Deo gratias!
To an era controlled by stodgy, anti-ecclesial dissidency....
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Some of the biggest buzz in Catholic circles is Fr. Robert Barron's new series, Catholicism. Portions of it will be debuting on PBS in Chicago on October 13th and it sounds like there will be other cities in the mix. Detroit will be among the cities offering it, starting on October 30th at 6 pm. See if it will be available in your area here.
In March 2010, you questioned PBS’ decision to not air religious programming and used examples to demonstrate that they exclude one type of evangelization but allow another type. Now it turns out that PBS has agreed to air your series on more than 80 public-television stations this fall. How did that come about?
We approached WTTW over a year ago in Chicago with the documentary. I was aware that I had done this piece on YouTube, and I stand by it. I wasn’t expecting much from PBS, but they called us down, and we met with their people. To my infinite delight and surprise, they said they thought it was well done, that it was visually compelling, that it would be interesting to non-Catholics and any religious seekers, and that they loved it. We went to lunch afterwards and wondered, How did that happen?
They watched all 10 episodes and chose four — the first episode on Jesus, the episode on the mystery of God, the episode on Mary, and the one on Peter and Paul and the missionary outreach of the Church. It will begin airing during prime time in Chicago on Oct. 13 and will air in successive three Thursday evenings. PBS Chicago marketed around the country, and they’ll be airing it on just over 80 stations.
The other episodes we sent to EWTN, and they’ll be playing them starting in the beginning of November. We’re thrilled.
This looks quite exciting. Here is a webpage dedicated to the series with a lot more info. I never understood why educational channels do not permit people of certain faiths to tell their own story.
There is much more to read about this, and of course, I recommend Father Barron's website, Word on Fire, and social media he engages in, which you can pick up from there. He has his own YouTube channel for Word on Fire which I also recommend visiting. Follow Fr. Robert Barron on Twitter, as well.
The "Barry Sanders" of Catholic Social Media
I find myself gravitating more and more to Fr. Barron's material. You can try drive change by negative means (i.e., angry complaints, too much emphasis on what is not being done or focusig on things going wrong, etc.); or, you can try to win hearts through postiive means (i.e., appealing to people's sense of reason with intellectual discourse devoid of anger, acknowledging what is wrong without over-emphasizing it, and offering hope). In my humble opinion, Fr. Robert Barron has mastered the latter. Some may be perplexed as to why he may choose certain topics in his Word on Fire videos. This is a man who is not just going after fallen away Catholics and non-Catholic christians. He's engaging atheists, agnostics and other non-Christians, and he is taking the high-road, completely unphased by some of the nastiness that can be out there.
Fr. Barron is to Catholic social media what former Detroit Lions running back, Barry Sanders was to football. Sanders, with his small stature against the many giant men he played against was unphased by the odds against him. He weaved in and out, dodging the multitudes, throwing them into confusion as to where he was going next. Sanders could make a good run, take a beating and come out of the pile trotting to the next play, repeating it over again until he punched through to the end zone. Then he would get up and just hand the ball over to the referee like it was no big deal. He never trash-talked that I recall and was very restrained in how he talked about others. This is how I see Fr. Barron taking on this culture of secularism, relativism, subjectivism, etc. It is with this lack of emotionalism and hyperbole that Barron teaches. his positive approach is working and what he teaches goes deep, not just on the surface. When some of them see he's interested in dialogue, they let go of the edge and get down to talking. You can see where things like philosophy, history, anthropology, literature and other subjects all come in to play. It is wise for seminarians, consecrated persons, and lay people to study up if they want to win souls. Fr. Barron shows how well such seemingly benign things are needed to understand others. This is what is needed to have intelligent discourse.
You can buy the entire series on DVD. Father also has a book by the same name, and a study guide. Find a few other interesting items by him in below.
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Barry Sanders fans can take a moment to smell the roses...
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There is an article in the National Catholic Register by Fr. Dwight Longenecker. He converted to the faith some 13 years ago and has been a regular blogger.
The article is a "must read". I believe he has captured something of significance, in a simple explanation. In fact, I can tell you that I have lived on both sides of the fence and I would rather be where I am at now, than where I was. When I lived in the world Father describes which was focused on "happy here", my spiritual life was a mess. It was devoid of thoughts about sin, sacrifice, mortification, hell, confession. I thank God daily for the priests we have at Assumption Grotto and how they assist us in focusing on the "happy hereafter".
I'll start you out with a teaser here and you'll have to follow through to the National Catholic Register website to read the whole article. Links will follow below.
The Tale of 2 Churches
BY Father Dwight Longenecker
February 10-16, 2008 Issue Posted 2/5/08 at 12:00 PM
I have been a Catholic now for 13 years. Like most converts, I described my reception into the Catholic Church as “coming home.” However, the homecoming was not all that the sentimental phrase implies.
It is true that in coming home we received a warm welcome from many Catholics. It is also true, that in coming home we soon sensed that there were strangers in the family homestead. There seemed to be interlopers — aliens who had sneaked into the family home and taken it for their own.
I was quite prepared to find fellow Catholics with different tastes in music, church architecture and liturgy. I was also prepared to encounter Catholics with different opinions concerning politics, history, education and social matters.
I knew I would also encounter a good number of poorly catechized Catholics who simply didn’t know their faith, and I was prepared for “dissenting” Catholics who knew the faith but disagreed with the teachings of the Church while still remaining within her.
What I was not prepared for was to find two churches within Holy Mother Church.
These two churches are very difficult to identify and define because the two groups cannot be separated according to outward criteria alone.
It is too easy to divide these two groups according to “liberal” or “conservative,” “charismatic” or “traditionalist,” “right wing” or “left wing.”
The two groups I am talking about exist within all these preferences.
Built Upon a Rock?
The two groups are distinguished not so much by what they do, the way they worship or the causes they espouse, but by their underlying understanding of just what the Catholic Church is for.
We receive our foundational assumptions from those who first educated us.
These underlying assumptions, like the foundations of a building, are invisible yet they support everything else.
Two very different sets of underlying foundations have created the two churches within the Church. The two opposing views can be called “Happy Here” and “Happy Hereafter.” Those who hold the first believe that the point, not only of the Church but of the whole of human existence, is to produce human happiness here in this life.
The second is concerned with finding eternal happiness. According to this basic assumption, this life is a vale of tears. This mortal life is hard because it is a place to battle against sin and to produce those diamond-hard souls called saints.
