The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture - Bishop Robert Barron

Latest Episodes:

WOF 395: Knowing Jesus Personally Jul 17, 2023

Show notes

Friends, Christians often speak of "having a personal relationship with Christ" or "knowing Jesus personally," but what does this actually mean? Is it possible? How do we go beyond knowing about Christ to truly knowing him? That's what Brandon Vogt and I discuss on today's "Word on Fire Show."

A listener considering conversion to Catholicism asks, how do I go about looking for a parish?

Links

Why They Follow: Lessons in Church Communication from That One Lost Sheep by Matthew Warner

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a patron and get some great perks for helping, like free books, bonus content, and more. Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners…like you! So be part of this mission, and join us today!

WOF 394: The Beauty of Sainthood w/ Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla Jul 10, 2023

Show notes

In this talk from the 2022 Good News Conference, Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla shares the story of her mother, St. Gianna Beretta Molla, patron saint of mothers, physicians, and unborn children. She also discusses her parents' love through their many letters and their devotion to Our Lord, which solidified their union.

St. Gianna's holiness had everything to do with her beloved husband, Pietro. They were both dedicated to working for the salvation of their spouse's soul, and this commitment to love and holiness inspired their children to trust in divine providence.

Learn more about the Good News Conference and sign up to attend this year's conference at https://goodnewsconference.com.

Links

Good News Conference

WOF 393: Mrs. Davis, Algorithms, and God Jul 03, 2023

Show notes

Friends, my favorite current TV show, "Mrs. Davis," features an adventurous nun, a search for the Holy Grail, and an all-powerful algorithm. It also raises many interesting questions about artificial intelligence, God, free will, and our mystical union with Christ.

In today's "Word on Fire Show," Brandon Vogt and I discuss these themes and more.

(NOTE: This episode does not contain any major spoilers so it's safe to listen before watching the series.)

A listener asks, is artificial intelligence a threat or an opportunity for evangelization?

Links

The Mystical Body of Christ by Fulton Sheen w/ introduction by Brandon Vogt and foreword by Bishop Barron

WOF 392: Poetry, Beauty, and the Shock of Grace w/ Fr. Paul Murray, OP Jun 26, 2023

Show notes

In this talk from the 2022 Good News Conference, Fr. Paul Murray reminds us that the God whom we are seeking is endlessly seeking us. It is through beauty that our hearts can be pierced with the desire to know God more deeply, and it is often by stories and poetry that God communicates his message. Our God is a lover, a poet, and he goes after the least of us.

Learn more about the Good News Conference and sign up to attend this year's conference at https://goodnewsconference.com.

Links

Good News Conference

WOF 391: Why Modern Men Look Elsewhere for Spiritual Wisdom Jun 19, 2023

Show notes

Friends, an interesting article was published at The Gospel Coalition titled "Savior or Stoics? Why Modern Men Look for Spiritual Wisdom Outside the Church". The author observed how a growing number of young men are filling a moral and spiritual void in their lives by turning to modern self-help books based on ancient Stoic thinkers. Authors such as Jordan Peterson, Ryan Holiday, and Navy SEAL Jocko Willink have won large followings of men by translating the principles of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus into modern advice.

Why is Stoicism so appealing to many young men today? And what lessons might Christians learn from this development? That is what Brandon Vogt and I discuss on today's episode of "The Word on Fire Show."

A listener asks for recommendations before receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time.

Links

"Savior or Stoics? Why Modern Men Look for Spiritual Wisdom Outside the Church" by Shane Morris (The Gospel Coalition)
Word on Fire Eucharist resources
This is My Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival by Bishop Robert Barron ($2 per copy)

WOF 390: Finding Beauty in the Loss of Control w/ Britt Fisk Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

In this talk from the 2022 Good News Conference, Britt Fisk, shares her wisdom on what it means to hand over complete trust to the Lord, particularly in times of great suffering. Though we may feel like we're at a loss when we are not in control, this is the moment when the Lord meets us and asks us to hand over control and trust his will for our lives. As Britt affirms through her story of suffering, untold beauty comes from that surrender of control.

Learn more about the Good News Conference and sign up to attend this year's conference at https://goodnewsconference.com.

Links

Good News Conference

WOF 389: Catholics and the Culture of Contempt Jun 05, 2023

Show notes

Friends, what fuels our modern "culture of contempt," so prevalent online? And how can Catholics resist it?

A helpful new book by John Allen, Jr., Catholics and Contempt, seeks to answer those questions, and on today's "Word on Fire Show" I discuss the book with Brandon Vogt.

A listener asks, do the three transcendentals include unity?

Links

Catholics and Contempt: How Catholic Media Fuel Today's Fights and What to Do About It by John Allen, Jr.
Word on Fire Bible, Vol III: The Pentateuch
This is My Body by Bishop Robert Barron
Word on Fire Rosary Initiative

WOF 388: What Is the Laity's Role in Evangelization? May 29, 2023

Show notes

Friends, in February 2023, at the Sharing the Church's Story Conference in London, I reflected on the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and how these counsels can be lived out by the laity.

Vatican II wanted great Catholic parents, great Catholic lawyers, great Catholic politicians, great Catholic writers and journalists, great Catholic business leaders, great Catholic bankers and investors, and more living their faith vibrantly and publicly. How do we accomplish that? By living out the evangelical counsels.

Links

WOF 387: It's Time for Eucharistic Revival May 22, 2023

Show notes

Friends, a recent study from the Pew Research Center found that nearly seven-in-ten Catholics (69%) believe that during Mass, the bread and wine used in communion "are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus Christ." Only one-third of U.S. Catholics believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation, which says the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus.

This is a spiritual crisis, and in response, the United States bishops have launched a three-year Eucharistic revival to help Catholics understand the truth and beauty of this sacrament. On today's episode of "The Word on Fire Show," Brandon Vogt and I discuss our hopes for the revival and the special resource Word on Fire created to accompany it.

A listener asks, if the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, is the Eucharist a person?

Links

National Eucharistic Revival
Word on Fire Eucharist resources
This is My Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival by Bishop Robert Barron ($2 per copy)

WOF 386: Christianity, History, and the Modern Age w/ Tom Holland May 15, 2023

Show notes

Friends, in February 2023, award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster Tom Holland and I discussed Western culture, the intellectual and moral aspects of Christianity, and the doctrine of original sin, among many other topics, at the Sharing the Church's Story Conference in London.

Links

Sharing the Church's Story Conference
This is My Body: A Call to Eucharistic Revival by By Bishop Robert Barron

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Word on Fire Show – Catholic Faith and Culture – Bishop Robert Barron

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected