The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture

Join Bishop Robert Barron for a weekly podcast on faith and culture. Find more episodes at http://WordOnFireShow.com and submit your questions at http://AskBishopBarron.com.

WOF 541: “Heaven in Stone and Glass”—A New Feature Film by Bishop Barron 08/03/2026

WOF 541: “Heaven in Stone and Glass”—A New Feature Film by Bishop Barron Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. We’re delighted to announce that a new feature film by Bishop Robert Barron will be hitting theaters—yes, theaters—soon. The full-length documentary, entitled Heaven in Stone and Glass, draws on the collective shock and sadness the world experienced watching Paris’s Cathedral of Notre-Dame burn in 2019 to explore the enduring philosophical, theological, aesthetic, moral, and evangelical significance of the great Gothic cathedrals of France. Recognizing the potential destruction of Notre-Dame—happily, it has since been restored—as much more than the loss of a historic building, Bishop Barron personally walks us through Gothicism’s soaring architecture and richly detailed symbolism to explain everything from the unity and diversity of creation, the nature of the human person, the objectivity of beauty, the meaning of the incarnation, the living communion of saints, and the hope of the beatific vision, and how all of this matters more than ever for a rapidly secularizing West at risk of losing its Christian civilizational identity. Here to share the story behind the making of the film, and what he hopes audiences will take away from it, is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:24 | Bishop Barron ordains new priests 02:57 | The role of film in the early days of Word on Fire 06:04 | Connecting Heaven in Stone and Glass to Word on Fire’s other films 07:26 | Why a new film on cathedrals? 09:00 | Personal origins of the new film 11:23 | Unpacking the film’s title 15:18 | Explaining the full meaning of a church and cathedral 19:20 | Theological reflections within a cathedral 24:11 | Medieval times and the so-called Dark Ages 25:51 | The objective reality of beauty 28:44 | The role of the profane in the Gothic cathedrals 32:33 | Overcoming blindness through appreciation and emulation 33:36 | Evangelical opportunities for Heaven in Stone and Glass 34:56 | Listener question: How can the laity advance beauty today? 36:53 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Links: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/42234405

WOF 540: How the Virtues Help Us Respond to an Increasingly Vicious Online Culture 07/20/2026

WOF 540: How the Virtues Help Us Respond to an Increasingly Vicious Online Culture Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. From Bishop Barron’s very first social media post close to 20 years ago, he and Word on Fire as a whole have recognized that the online world is a rough-and-tumble place. While most, over the years, have interacted with our content with charity and respect, even if they disagree, there’s always been a gallery of trolls who traffic in insults and profanity and are only interested in taking potshots at the ministry rather than engaging in conversation. So it goes—that’s just part of the price of entry into the digital world, especially when evangelization is your goal. The internet culture, however, seems to have taken a dark turn recently. Whatever limited restraint people used to show in their online interactions seems to have evaporated in a toxic cloud of mob-fueling—and mob-fueled—rage, replete with distortions, deceptions, and sometimes even explicit calls for violence. Exacerbated by the rise of the use of AI, bots, and anonymous accounts often based in foreign countries, it is increasingly difficult to know with whom you are engaging online or what their motives are. And sadly, physical threats from online sources are now also something we must take very seriously. So how should we move forward from here? Is it still possible to make evangelical headway in this increasingly noxious online environment? If so, what principles should guide the way? Here to discuss the challenges and possible solutions to the current state of the online world is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:46 | Bishop Barron celebrates 40 years 02:50 | Bishop Barron’s early days online 06:58 | Online changes in recent years 12:16 | Anonymity online 17:42 | Applying the cardinal virtues: 1) Temperance 22:23 | 2) Fortitude 24:05 | 3) Justice 26:15 | Recognizing sins of speech 29:23 | 4) Prudence 31:23 | How we move forward 34:23 | Listener question: How would you define respect? 36:23 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Links: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/42026055

WOF 539: Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday 07/06/2026

WOF 539: Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. The United States is celebrating its 250th birthday, marking two and a half centuries since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. That a country as expansive and diverse as ours has remained united under a single Constitution for two and a half centuries—passing through multiple existential wars, including a civil war, and numerous periods of traumatic political and economic upheaval—is a monumental achievement by any historical standard. How might we assess this moment from a Catholic perspective? What is it about the United States of America that is politically and morally distinctive? What binds us together as a people? Is it accurate to say that we are a Christian nation? If not, what conception of “God” is operative in the founders’ references to the divine? If so, what should we make of the future of America given the dramatic decline of Church attendance among both Catholics and Protestants in recent decades? Perhaps most importantly for this moment, what can we learn from our collective past as Americans to guide us into the future? Here to address these questions, and to share his experience participating in the recent Rededicate 250 event on the National Mall in Washington, DC, is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:28 | Bishop Barron visits Orlando (The US bishops consecrate the nation to the sacred heart of Jesus 02:50 | Rededicate 250 in Washington DC 04:01 | Is this a Christian nation? 07:10 | How did the Founding Fathers view God? 08:51 | Mere Christianity or Protestant theology? 12:30 | The founding documents and God 14:38 | The Declaration of Independence: a declaration of dependence on God 16:07 | Connecting freedom with human dignity 22:33 | Relating equality with freedom 24:21 | Can patriotism and piety agree? 27:04 | Responding to the post-liberal critique of the American experiment 34:01 | Evangelism and the American Republic 35:28 | Listener question: Is praying for politicians effective? 37:49 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Links: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/41911795

WOF 538: Bishop Barron's Work on the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission 06/22/2026

WOF 538: Bishop Barron's Work on the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. Bishop Robert Barron has long defended religious freedom as a universal human right. As part of his ongoing advocacy—which includes a new book on how to confront persecution against Christians—he has recently completed serving on a presidential religious liberty commission charged with ensuring that people of all faiths can participate fully in society without fear of violence or unjust discrimination. One of the few Catholic ecclesial voices on the commission, his work addressed multiple abiding and practical questions. For example, at the conceptual level, what is religious freedom, and what role should the government play in protecting it? How can we define religious freedom in a way that prevents one religion’s exercise of their freedom from infringing upon the freedom of other religions, or on those who claim no religion at all? And at the more concrete level, where, right now, are the greatest threats to religious freedom and what can we do both legislatively and individually to combat them? Here to address these and related questions, and to discuss his experience serving on the presidential commission, is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:16 | Bishop Barron visits diocesan schools 02:26 | How Bishop Barron came to join the Religious Liberty Commission 04:03 | The makeup of the Religious Liberty Commission 05:00 | Basic structure of the meetings 07:38 | Being a Catholic bishop on the commission 09:51 | The privatization of religion 10:36 | Where does religious liberty originate? 12:36 | The public nature of religious liberty 13:51 | Why religious liberty is the first freedom 15:11 | Is religious liberty just religious license? 16:36 | The role of government in religious liberty 18:00 | Separation of church and state? 22:33 | Principal threats to religious liberty 26:26 | Testimonies shared with the Commission 27:30 | How we move forward 28:18 | The question of religious exemptions 30:53 | Religious liberty and evangelization 32:17 | Listener question: To what extent do denominations matter? 35:07 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Links: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/41655135

WOF 537: How to Keep the Momentum in the Surge of New Conversions 06/08/2026

WOF 537: How to Keep the Momentum in the Surge of New Conversions Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. A wave of fresh converts has entered the Catholic Church in the United States, Australia, and parts of Europe. The evidence for this surge is far from anecdotal; even secular media outlets that are historically inclined to downplay positive stories about Catholicism widely reported packed sanctuaries this past Easter, the day those who have been preparing to enter the Catholic Church typically receive their first sacraments. This is welcome news for a Church that has grown accustomed to a half-century narrative of religious disaffiliation and cultural decline. So what’s behind this uptick in conversions? What factors are leading young people—and young men in particular—to buck the trend of secularization and become Catholic? What is happening both in the world and within the Church that is making the faith become so attractive? Perhaps most importantly, what can and should Catholics, clergy and laity alike, do to both continue the momentum and help new converts to stick with faith? Here to offer his insights on what’s driving this new growth and why, now more than ever, we should double our efforts to proclaim Christ in the culture is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:34 | Bishop Barron’s recent confirmation season 04:34 | Recent growth in Catholicism 06:13 | What cultural factors are contributing to these numbers? 19:11 | How the liturgy and a renewed interest in the Mass attract members 23:08 | Mysticism and attraction to the Church 24:27 | Is “modernizing” the Church necessary for growth? 26:08 | Evangelical efforts to support 30:20 | How we maintain momentum without perpetuating a trend 31:09 | Advice for new converts 32:48 | Listener question: Should I baptize my kids before myself? 34:24 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Links: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/41538180

WOF 536: Bishop Barron’s New Book on Persecution Against Christians 05/25/2026

WOF 536: Bishop Barron’s New Book on Persecution Against Christians Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. Although not widely reported in legacy media outlets, Christianity is, by far, the most persecuted religion in the world. From the Middle East and Africa to India, China, North Korea, and elsewhere, Christian communities regularly experience widespread humiliation, imprisonment, kidnappings, expulsions, and even murderous mob violence. While not as severe, Christians in parts of Europe and even right here at home, in the US, also often endure discrimination, exclusion, and ridicule. There is no ambiguity about who is carrying out these attacks or what motivates them. Like the martyrs of past centuries, millions of our Christian brothers and sisters are currently suffering because they profess faith in Jesus Christ. In response to this ongoing outrage, Bishop Robert Barron has released a new book called What Do Their Deaths Demand? Christian Persecution Today. Intended for widespread distribution, the book spotlights heartbreaking stories of the continued targeting of Christian communities throughout the world, offers a theological explanation for why Christianity has been under assault since its inception, and, most importantly, provides actionable ideas for what all of us can do to respond. Here to discuss the book—and why its message is more urgent than ever—is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:38 | The final meeting of the Religious Liberty Commission 02:51 | Why this book, and why now? 05:16 | Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa’s foreword 06:46 | Aid to the Church in Need 07:47 | Why Christian persecution is largely ignored 09:00 | Part 1: The Most Persecuted Religion 15:36 | Part 2: Why the Persecution of Christians? 22:41 | The fundamental quandary 25:09 | Part 3: So What Can We Do? 32:09 | Listener question: Should we present the crucifixion more positively? 34:38 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Links: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/41354705

WOF 535: Bishop Barron on Bishop Fulton Sheen 05/11/2026

WOF 535: Bishop Barron on Bishop Fulton Sheen Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. The faithful recently rejoiced at the news that Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the great American evangelist who lived from 1895 to 1979, has moved forward in the canonization process. The Vatican recently announced that he will soon be beatified, which is one step away from being declared a saint. This is an especially happy development for Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, which, as an apostolate dedicated to evangelization, has a special devotion to Archbishop Sheen; in fact, his portrait hangs just beyond the studio doors where we are recording this show, next to our other patrons, St. Thérèse of Lisieux and Pope St. John Paul II. Looking back, what kind of enduring impact has Fulton Sheen had on evangelization and the Church? Looking forward, what can we continue to learn from him today, especially given the fact that the evangelical landscape has so drastically changed, both culturally and technologically, since Sheen’s time? Here to celebrate Sheen’s legacy, and how the great communicator continues to shape Word on Fire’s own evangelical mission, is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:22 | Winona-Rochester’s confirmation season 02:19 | What is beatification? 04:44 | Who was Fulton Sheen? 07:15 | Sheen’s theology of the Church as mystical body of Christ 11:38 | Sheen’s theology of grace 15:10 | The quiet influence of Fulton Sheen in Bishop Barron’s life 20:44 | The Pivotal Players: Fulton Sheen 21:59 | Examining Sheen’s universal appeal 26:22 | Fulton Sheen and social media 29:49 | Word on Fire and Fulton Sheen 30:20 | Listener question: How do I best use social media to evangelize? 32:23 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/40994345

WOF 534: The Evangelical Power of the Old Testament 04/27/2026

WOF 534: The Evangelical Power of the Old Testament Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. The Old Testament is about three-quarters of the Bible. It is theologically and morally impossible for Christians to understand God’s relationship with the world, the nature and purpose of human beings, original sin, salvation history, the person of Jesus Christ, and the foundation of the Church without it. Indeed, as far back as the second century AD, the Church condemned the heresy of Marcionism, which sought to distinguish the God of the Old Testament from the God of the New Testament and to lop off the Old Testament from the biblical canon. There is and never has been, in short, Christianity without the Old Testament. Nevertheless, much of the text remains difficult for the faithful to understand and, even more so, to explain to others, especially to those who know nothing about it. To make matters more complicated, secular critics of the faith often try to use the Old Testament against it, arguing—like the Marcionites of the past—that belief in the Old Testament is both irrational and immoral. So how should Catholics respond? What are some strategies we can employ not only to make the Old Testament accessible but also evangelically compelling? Here to help us understand the Old Testament and its enduring evangelical power, especially in a highly secularized culture, is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:33 | Bishop Barron visits Washington 03:38 | How many Catholics read the Bible 09:37 | Understanding the Bible through the interpretive tradition of the Church 11:13 | The historical critical method of the Old Testament 13:10 | The influence of Joseph Ratzinger on Bishop Barron's biblical approach 16:00 | The otherness of God 20:28 | Why God's self-sufficiency matters for reading the Old Testament 22:57 | God as radically transcendent and personally involved 25:25 | God, creator of all people and the father of Israel 26:43 | Critique #1: The Old Testament God is violent 30:09 | Critique #2: The Old Testament God is a moody, jealous diva 32:52 | Critique #3: The Old Testament God is not the New Testament God 34:53 | Critique #4: The Old Testament is just a collection of myths 37:23 | Advice for evangelists regarding the Old Testament 39:34 | Listener Question: What is the Bible's role for Catholics 40:45 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/40916705

WOF 533: Hollywood & Catholic Priests 04/13/2026

WOF 533: Hollywood & Catholic Priests Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, senior director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. Hollywood is not known for being friendly to Christianity in general or Catholicism in particular, especially nowadays; unfortunately, there is no shortage of storylines and characters that mock and even demonize believers. At the same time, however, whenever the film industry wishes to depict a “religious looking” scene or add a transcendent element to the plot, it frequently employs Catholic architecture, Catholic sacramentals, and even Catholic priests to do so. What should we make of this ambivalence to the faith? What does Hollywood get wrong, and what, perhaps to our surprise, does Hollywood get right about Catholicism and the priesthood? What do these portrayals tell us more broadly about potential openness within the entertainment industry to God’s existence, the divinity of Christ, good and evil, and life after death? Here to take a look at some pivotal classic and contemporary films that prominently feature Catholicism and Catholic priests, with an eye to unpacking their significance for the wider entertainment culture, is Bishop Robert Barron. WOF 533 00:00 | Introduction 01:19 | Bishop Barron’s recent watchlist 02:44 | What movies have meant to Word on Fire 04:06 | Artificial intelligence and cinema 05:10 | Hollywood and the Catholic priesthood 07:06 | Examining the evangelical strategies of Christian studios 08:43 | Boys Town (1938) 12:10 | The Exorcist (1973) 21:13 | True Confessions (1981) 24:42 | The Mission (1986) 29:07 | Calvary (2014) 32:51 | How best to portray Catholicism and the priesthood in movies 34:17 | How best to watch movies depicting the priesthood 36:04 | Listener question: How did St. Thérèse help on CATHOLICISM? 38:26 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/40797035

WOF 532: The Suffocating "Warmth" of Marxist Collectivism 03/30/2026

WOF 532: The Suffocating "Warmth" of Marxist Collectivism Welcome back to the Word on Fire Show. I’m Matthew Petrusek, Senior Director of the Word on Fire Institute and the host of the Word on Fire Show. Thank you for joining us. Marxism, unfortunately, seems to be making a comeback. Despite its economically disastrous, politically oppressive, and horrifically inhumane track record, the atheistic philosophy that produced the Communist revolution and eventually led to the deaths of tens of millions of people has wheedled its way back to the center of our political culture. On the surface, this may sound surprising: Since the fall of the Berlin Wall over three decades ago, few public figures have openly identified as Marxist, and Communist political parties have typically occupied the outermost fringes of political influence. However, Marxist ideas–especially in the form of contemporary identity politics–have not only continued gathering momentum beneath the surface in universities, NGOs, the media, corporate HR departments, and government bureaucracies; high profile politicians, including the mayor of New York, Zohran Mandami, and Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, now seem to be openly advocating for Marxist policies. So how did this morally and historically discredited ideology remerge in mainstream politics? Equally important, how should Christians and all people concerned with basic human rights and the common good respond? Here to discuss the dark history of Marxism, its contemporary forms, and how the Catholic Church has, and always will, stand against it, is Bishop Robert Barron. Topics Covered 00:00 | Introduction 01:48 | Winona-Rochester’s record catechumen year 02:53 | A brief overview of Karl Marx 04:55 | What is dialectical materialism? 06:40 | Class conflicts in Marx’s day 08:01 | Marx’s early critique of capitalism 10:55 | Marx’s critique of religion 17:12 | Marxism’s pursuit of Utopia 20:06 | Rerum Novarum: Pope Leo XIII responds 23:08 | Reducing history to an economic substructure 24:20 | The legacy of Marxism 26:16 | Shared views between Marxism and contemporary identity politics 28:52 | Why harmful ideas take fair guises 31:23 | Critiquing collectivism 33:08 | US politicians and Marxist ideas 36:03 | Weren’t early Christians fundamentally communist? 38:08 | Shouldn’t we just try Marxism? 39:26 | Thomas Merton responds to Marxism 41:07 | Is it partisan to critique Marxism? 42:51 | Listener question: How do we respond to “my truth”? 45:12 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/40624330

WOF 531: Social Media in Light & Darkness (pt. 3) 03/16/2026

WOF 530: Catholic Ministry & Social Media (pt. 2) 03/02/2026

WOF 529: The Art & Means of Communication (pt. 1) 02/16/2026

WOF 528: The Early Days w/ Bishop Barron & Fr. Steve (pt. 2) 02/09/2026

WOF 527: Reason and Authority (12 of 12) 02/02/2026

WOF 526: The Early Days w/ Bishop Barron & Fr. Steve (pt. 1) 01/26/2026

WOF 525: The Illative Sense (11 of 12) 01/19/2026

WOF 524: The Dangers of Life Becoming Too Easy 01/12/2026

WOF 524: The Dangers of Life Becoming Too Easy In a recent episode of the Joe Rogan show, evolutionary biologist and public intellectual Bret Weinstein observed that two emerging features of contemporary societies, especially, though not exclusively in the West, are challenging the very meaning and purpose of human life: 1) the decoupling of human sexuality from human reproduction—defining sex primarily as recreational and 2) with the rise of AI and robotics, the real possibility that having a job will become entirely optional in the future. By secular standards, pursuing both of these goals seems entirely rational, if not laudable: raising children and going to work are, indeed, challenging, so why shouldn’t we live in a world in which both become increasingly rare? Weinstein, however—who doesn’t profess adherence to any religious tradition—suggests that humanity may lose something important, if not essential, if we continue down this path. Is he right to be concerned? Is it, in fact, wise to relegate having children and going to work—which defined how most people spent most of their adult lives throughout history—entirely to the realm of subjective preference? Or, in seeking ever greater freedom from these responsibilities, are we undermining what it means to live a fully human life? A listener asks: How can I respond to “God loves me the way I am”? Topics Covered: 00:00 | Introduction 01:39 | Bishop Barron’s Christmas season 02:48 | Examining Bret Weinstein’s grim assessment 06:36 | Procreation as a sign of the covenant 09:34 | Why not frame children through the lens of lifestyle choice? 13:23 | The valorization of personal choice 16:31 | What about celibate priests? 17:52 | Work and technology 23:42 | Can AI or robotics truly replace the human genius? 25:48 | Limitations for using AI 28:06 | The necessity of work in giving a gift 30:02 | Why can’t technology help us create heaven on earth now? 33:01 | The active dimension of rest 37:03 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Papal Encyclical, Humanae Vitae: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/39529870

WOF 523: The Grammar of Assent (10 of 12) 01/05/2026

WOF 522: What’s It Like to Be a Catholic Bishop? 12/29/2025

WOF 522: What’s It Like to Be a Catholic Bishop? St. Pope John Paul the II memorably observed that the Catholic Church comes from the eucharist and that the eucharist, in turn, comes from priests. As Bishop Barron noted in a recent letter to his diocese, “by an inescapable logic [therefore] no priests, no Church.” We should add, however, that priests come from bishops, which expands the ecclesial logic to this: no bishops, no priests; no priests, no eucharist; no eucharist, no church. In other words, bishops not only hold an important administrative position within the Church; tracing their authority back to the apostles and, ultimately, to Jesus Christ himself, they constitute the very sacramental and liturgical foundation of Catholicism itself. That, to say the least, is a weighty responsibility. So what is it like to be a bishop? How does one come to hold this office? What, specifically, do bishops have authority over–and what don’t they have authority over? What kind of relationship do they have with each other and with the Holy Father, the pope? What are their day-to-day obligations and activities? And what are some challenges they face that both clergy and laity may not be aware of? A listener asks what made Bishop Barron want to be a priest. Topics Covered: 01:38 | Bishop Barron’s Thanksgiving in Chicago 02:45 | The origins of the office of bishop 04:51 | The theological dimension of the bishop’s role 06:41 | The liturgical symbols of the office 10:45 | Bishop Barron’s coat of arms 12:12 | How does one become a bishop? 16:10 | How are dioceses formed? 17:20 | Relating bishop to archbishop 18:51 | Understanding the bishop’s authority 20:03 | What is a chancery? 21:03 | Essential tasks of the bishop 29:38 | Bishop Barron’s approach to his official duties 33:01 | The meaning and authority of a conference of bishops 37:19 | Myths about Catholic bishops 40:06 | Listener question: What made you become a priest? 41:41 | Join the Word on Fire Institute United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/39464955

WOF 521: The Philosophical Habit (9 of 12) 12/22/2025

WOF 520: Defending Religious Freedom 12/15/2025

WOF 520: Defending Religious Freedom Religious freedom, especially for Christians, is under attack across the globe, including in the West–including right here in the United States. Whether insidiously in the form of diversity, equity, and inclusion programs that block Christians from employment and advancement opportunities, or, overtly, like vandalism against churches, or, in some parts of the world, murderous violence against Christians themselves, in terms of sheer numbers–and this fact is often ignored–Christians are, by far, the most persecuted religious group in the world. While defending religious freedom is important for people of all faiths, or no faith at all, it is thus especially urgent for believers in Christ. How, then, can we work together as a church and as a society to make progress on this front? Taking a step back, what, specifically, is religious freedom and why is it a universal human right? What is the relationship between the free exercise of religion and freedom of speech? And how can we respond to the secular charge that religious freedom is merely a backdoor means for the faithful to impose their beliefs on others? A listener asks how we can grow in confidence that Catholicism is the one true religion. Topics Covered: 00:00 | Introduction 01:36 | Concluding Winona-Rochester’s diocesan synod 03:24 | The work of the Religious Liberty Commission 07:33 | Responding to Religious Liberty Commission criticism 09:11 | The inherent priority of religious liberty 12:32 | Distinguishing the freedoms of religion, conscience, and speech 14:26 | Is religious liberty necessary for worship? 16:33 | Understanding “due limits” to religious liberty 19:33 | Proposition or imposition? 20:24 | Civil authority and religious authority 22:40 | Truth and relativism 27:25 | How poor conceptions of religion undermine religious liberty 28:27 | Advocating for religious liberty 30:06 | Religious freedom in society 31:36 | Why religious liberty matters for evangelization 32:48 | Listener question: How can we know Catholicism is true? 36:01 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Dignitatis Humanae: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/39386890

WOF 519: The Queen of the Sciences (8 of 12) 12/08/2025

WOF 518: What Is the Christian Way of Caring for the Poor? 12/01/2025

WOF 518: What Is the Christian Way of Caring for the Poor? Poverty is not only a complex problem to address economically–not to mention sociologically, psychologically, and culturally; it is also often caught up in political and ideological currents, both domestically and internationally, that run counter to a Catholic understanding of human dignity and the common good. So what, then, is the authentically Catholic way of caring for the poor? What does it mean to say that Catholicism has a preferential option for the poor? How, moreover, can the Church coherently both advocate for reducing poverty on the one hand while praising the embrace of voluntary poverty on the other? A listener asks advice on how God being in a non-competitive relationship with human beings applies to his mission as an evangelist. Topics Covered: 00:00 | Introduction 01:53 | Bishop Barron at the annual meeting of US bishops 03:39 | The three essential tasks of the Church 07:48 | The necessity of charity in true worship 09:04 | Understanding and identifying poverty 10:58 | The margins, the marginalized, and Catholic social teaching 16:08 | Understanding institutional sin 18:40 | The salvific dimension of poverty 21:17 | The voluntary poverty of the Church 22:57 | What about spending money on cathedrals? 26:03 | Beauty as service to the poor 27:11 | Defining “preferential option for the poor” 31:16 | The Church, policy, and the poor 35:18 | Right to private property or universal distribution of goods? 37:42 | The evangelical dimension of caring for the poor| 40:06 | Listener question: If God exists noncompetitively, does my mission matter? 41:45 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Dilexi Te: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/39104185

WOF 517: The Idea of a University (7 of 12) 11/24/2025

WOF 516: How to Have a Civil Debate in a Polarized World 11/17/2025

WOF 515: Developments Contrasted with Corruptions (6 of 12) 11/10/2025

WOF 514: Celebrating St. John Henry Newman Becoming a Doctor of the Church 11/03/2025

WOF 514: Celebrating St. John Henry Newman Becoming a Doctor of the Church Pope Leo XIV has recently formally declared St. John Henry Newman—who was canonized only in 2019 by Pope Francis—a doctor of the Catholic Church, a recognition given only to 37 other saints in Catholicism’s over 2000 year history. This places Newman among great figures like St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great, St. Jerome, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Theresa de Avila, St. Catherine of Sienna, and the Little Flower, St. Therese of Lisieux. What is the significance of giving St. John Henry Newman—an Englishman and Anglican convert to Catholicism who was born over 200 years ago—this title? What is it about Newman’s approach to communicating the faith that earned him this great honor—and why now? Equally important, how can contemporary evangelists draw inspiration from his work to proclaim the Gospel in a drastically different world, religiously and morally, from Newman’s 19th century Victorian England? A listener asks for advice on how to give better homilies at Mass. 00:00 | Introduction 01:26 | Bishop Barron’s recent domestic travels 03:20 | Defining “Doctor of the Church” 04:55 | Distinguishing doctors from saints 05:50 | John Henry Newman’s brief biography 12:18 | Understanding the development of doctrine 17:41 | Safeguards against corruption 22:33 | The wholeness of the truth 25:34 | Newman: “To live is to change” 29:28 | The “illative sense” of the mind’s assent to propositions 34:10 | Difficulties vs. doubt 35:54 | How Newman speaks to England now 37:55 | Listener question: How can priests improve preparation for homilies? 39:58 | Join the Word on Fire Institute Links: Word on Fire Institute: NOTE: Do you like this podcast? ! Word on Fire is a non-profit ministry that depends on the support of our listeners . . . like you! So become a part of this mission and to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity. /episode/index/show/wordonfire/id/38869240

WOF 513: The Play of Lively Minds (5 of 12) 10/27/2025

WOF 512: The Development of Christian Doctrine (4 of 12) 10/20/2025

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