"Father Bob Barron, my good friend, reminds me of Archbishop Sheen," says Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York.
"We were so proud of Fulton Sheen because he embodied the truth, the beauty, the light, the warmth of Catholicism. He was able to present the timeless truths of our beloved Catholic faith in a very timely manner and able to tie in art, architecture, news, humor, sports and you name it - to bring that to bear in the Gospel, and the teaching of Jesus and his Church. He did it in a dynamite way. I think we've got a winner in Fr. Bob Barron. He speaks with that same eloquence and that same pizazz and same conviction."
Barron is an author and theologian who holds the Francis Cardinal George Chair of Faith and Culture at The University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. His global media ministry called "Word On Fire" has a simple but revolutionary mission - to evangelize the culture.
Archbishop Fulton John Sheen (May 8, 1895 – December 9, 1979) was known for his preaching as one of the first televangelists. His cause for canonization for sainthood was officially opened in 2002, and so he is now referred to as a "Servant of God".
For 20 years, Archbishop Sheen hosted The Catholic Hour (1930–1950) on radio before moving to television and presenting Life Is Worth Living (1951–1957) and the syndicatedThe Fulton Sheen Program (1961–1968), which earned Sheen an Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Television Personality.
“The faith of the Church is our strength,” says Barron. “Our program will strive to show viewers the richness of the Catholic faith and how it is a treasure to be shared now and with future generations. The faith imbues our life with meaning and imparts to all a renewed sense of purpose.”
Father Robert Barron is a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and lectures extensively in the U.S. and abroad. He has published numerous books, essays and DVDs. Word on Fire, a non-profit organization, has attracted millions of viewers and listeners to its website www.WordOnFire.org and its programs on various media outlets, including EWTN and Relevant Radio.
Tune in to WGN America TV nationally Sunday mornings at 9:30 am Eastern/8:30 am CST for “Word On Fire with Father Barron“ (the WGN TV Chicago broadcast airs at 9:30 am CST). Funds for the program are being raised through private donations.
Media inquiries: contact Nanette Noffsinger at nanetten@aol.com or 615-776-4230.