Premier New Catholic Study, CATHOLICISM, being revealed today at the USCCB Conference in Baltimore

A new premier Catholic study program, CATHOLICISM, for parishes across the country and throughout the world is being introduced tonight at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore.

Answering the call for New Evangelization, this multi-media educational program reveals the truth, beauty and richness of the Faith in an unprecedented way. 

With creator and host Father Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Ministries,  participants will learn what Catholics believe and why by exploring the art, architecture, literature, music, and all the riches of the Catholic tradition. Filmed in 50 locations throughout 15 countries, CATHOLICISM is on-location and in the streets, illustrating the splendor of the global Church-- all in original, high-definition cinematography.

The CATHOLICISM journey includes a compelling, ten-part DVD series, a 300-page companion book, a thought-provoking study guide and will be available in the Fall of 2011.

“A central conviction of the Catholic Faith is that it is through the Church one comes to know Christ. Introducing Christ to the world is not just a question of presenting texts, but of inviting people into the Church.” said Father Barron, “The story of Catholicism, is the most compelling story that has ever been told; it is bold, deeply intelligent, historically rich, and full of both beauty and mystery. My purpose in CATHOLICISM, is to tell this story in a bold, new way.”

“What we as Catholics need most is a clear grasp of the Catholic faith.  Father Barron is one of the Church’s best messengers.” said Francis Cardinal George,  the Archbishop of Chicago and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Over the past several years, the Word on Fire team has traveled around the world exploring the great artistic and cultural patrimony of the Church.  These expressions of the Catholic Faith all serve as reference points for a thematic presentation of the essentials of the Church’s teachings.  The CATHOLICISM series will not only tell people what the Church believes and why, but show the Faith in all of its stunning visual impact.  The filming of the series took place in major locations that have contributed to the life of the Church throughout the centuries, including visits to Jerusalem, Rome, Krakow, Florence, New York, Mexico City, Sao Paolo, Paris, Kampala, Calcutta, Cologne, Philadelphia,  and Manila

“CATHOLICISM could well become one of the most significant efforts ever to advance what Pope John Paul II called ‘The New Evangelization.’ said George Weigel, author of  Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II, “Truth, goodness, beauty – they’re all here, in a stimulating and compelling exploration of the spiritual, moral, and intellectual riches of the Catholic world.  This is the Catholic story told from inside, with knowledge, sympathy, and passion, rooted in friendship with Jesus Christ.”

Father Robert Barron holds the Francis Cardinal George Chair of Faith and Culture at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois.  He received his Doctorate from the Institut Catholique de Paris in 1992.  Ordained an Archdiocesan priest of Chicago in 1986, he has published numerous books including “The Priority of Christ:  Toward a Postliberal Catholicism,”  “And Now I See…A Theology of Transformation,” “Bridging the Great Divide,” and “Thomas Aquinas Spiritual Master”. He has also published a number of CDs and DVDs on theology and the spiritual life.

Father Barron lectures extensively in the United States and abroad and has been a visiting professor at the Pontifical North American College at the Vatican, the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome and The University of Notre Dame.  He is a sought after speaker on the spiritual life and lectures extensively in the U.S. and abroad.  Father Barron is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, a non-profit organization using the new media to evangelize the culture. 

Press Info:
Nanette Noffsinger
Burke Hollow Media
Nanetten@aol.com
615-776-4230

For more information, go to www.WordOnFire.org.

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