Today, we’re thrilled to share with you the newest episode in our “Bishop Barron Presents” series. In this discussion, Bishop Barron talks with well-known Hollywood actors Ethan and Maya Hawke. Ethan has starred in many excellent movies while Maya is probably best known for her roles in the BBC adaptation of Little Women and the hit Netflix series Stranger Things.
But more recently, Ethan and Maya joined forces to produce a new film titled Wildcat, a biopic about the Catholic writer Flannery O’Connor. Ethan wrote and directed the film, while Maya stars as Flannery herself.
Bishop Barron and the Hawkes enjoy a delightful and wide-ranging conversation about the film, Flannery O’Connor’s stories, and so much more.
So sit back and take in this latest conversation in our series “Bishop Barron Presents”. Enjoy!
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Friends, why are we so tempted to scapegoat people, especially online? And how do we escape that trap?
On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss the great Catholic philosopher René Girard and his theory of scapegoating.
A listener asks, what does Bishop Barron think of classical education?
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J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, is one of the best-selling books ever, selling over 150 million copies. In a 1999 poll of Amazon.com customers, The Lord of the Rings was judged to be their favorite “book of the millennium”.
However, few people know that Tolkien was an ardent Catholic. Holly Ordway has written a fascinating new volume titled Tolkien’s Faith: A Spiritual Biography, which shows how his faith and his fiction were related, though in subtle and complex ways. This long-overdue spiritual biography gives new insight into his works by shedding fresh light on their author’s deepest-held convictions.
Brandon Vogt recently sat down with Holly to discuss her new book and the depth of Tolkien’s Catholic life.
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Friends, is work something good or bad? Is it central to being human, or a punishment resulting from sin? And how do we understand our work theologically, tying it to God?
On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss the Catholic Church’s view toward the dignity of work and the rights of workers, learning from Dorothy Day, St. Josemaría Escrivá, and several recent popes.
A listener asks, what do you mean by the term “transcendence,” and how does it differ from immanent?
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Today we share with you Bishop Barron’s keynote talk from the 2023 Wonder Conference, hosted by Word on Fire.
His keynote addressed scientism, the view that authentic truth claims can be made only in regard to those matters treatable through the scientific method, and offered three paths of scape: the intelligibility of the world, the immateriality of the mind, and the inescapability of metaphysics.
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Friends, death is a topic most of us try to avoid. So, why does Catholicism teach we should meditate regularly on our death?
On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss the ancient Christian practice of memento mori (remember your death), and how Christ solves the four problems that death poses to each of us: identity, futility, loss, and the end of earthly joys.
A listener asks, what should Catholics think about near death experiences and stories?
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Today we share Bishop Barron’s 2023 Commencement Address at Hillsdale College, delivered on May 13, 2023.
In his address, Bishop Barron examined not the question of what we are to do in life—important as that is—but rather what kind of person we ought to be? Do we hunger and thirst for righteousness or do we seek our own advantage? In a way, he says, there is no question in the moral and spiritual order more fundamental than that.
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Friends, what makes great leaders great? Why do certain men and women seem to lead with such effectiveness?
On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss several great leaders including Jesus, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Jr., Pope St. John Paul II, and Queen Elizabeth II.
A listener asks, how can I be sure if I’m acting out a theo-drama or an ego-drama?
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We know Church leaders need to be trained well in theology, morality, scripture, liturgy, and pastoral ministry. But if we want them to be able to wield those skills as effective leaders, they must also be great communicators.
After all, sharing the Good News is, at its heart, the task of communicating. Communication is a linchpin skill that unlocks the full potential of all other skills, and church leaders often get very little training in it.
That’s why most parishes fail to engage 93% of parishioners, and it’s why Matthew Warner wrote his excellent new book titled Why They Follow: Lessons in Church Communication from That One Lost Sheep, which was just published by Word on Fire.
Today, Brandon Vogt sits down with Matthew to discuss the book and the communications tips and strategies he recommends.
The Church needs great communicators. This book will teach you to be one. It belongs on every church leader’s desk.
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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?
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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.
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!
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?
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.
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!
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.
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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.
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!
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?
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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.
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!
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?
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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.
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!
Friends, many people are familiar with the Thomistic tradition, following St. Thomas Aquinas, but what about the Franciscan intellectual tradition, following St. Francis? Who are some of the great Franciscan theologians, and what can they teach us today? That’s what Brandon Vogt and I discuss on today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show.”
A listener asks, does God the Father love us as much as he loves Jesus and the Holy Spirit?
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!
Friends, does Christianity still have a place in the public square? What can it contribute to the broader culture?
On today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show,” Brandon Vogt and I discuss some of the unique ways that Christianity has shaped the modern world.
A listener asks, what is the Catholic response to post-modernity, specifically the claim that everything is predicated on power?
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Friends, in his talk at the 2022 Good News Conference, Fr. John Riccardo speaks about the unwavering trust and hope that Christians are called to.
When tempted to despair, we are challenged to hope that the Lord is addressing the storms in our lives, the lives of others, and the life of the Church.
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Friends, what are the liberal arts, and why are so many schools getting rid of them? A recent article in The New Yorker titled “The End of the English Major” revealed that during the past decade, the study of English and history at the collegiate level has fallen by a full third.
Do the liberal arts still matter? Why should people study them? That’s what I discuss with Brandon Vogt on today’s episode of “The Word on Fire Show.”
A listener asks, what is your response to the claim that more blood has been shed in history over the name of Jesus Christ than any other individual?
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In his keynote talk at the 2022 Good News Conference, Bishop Barron speaks on the evangelical power of beauty in the Catholic tradition. True beauty leads by steady steps to the ultimate source of beauty, Christ.
To evangelize, we can show the Sistine Chapel or Chartres Cathedral; show someone how to read Brideshead Revisited, the stories of Flannery O’Connor, or the poetry of T.S. Eliot; listen to Beethoven’s “Seventh Symphony.” This great tradition of beauty has the power to draw people in.
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!