CATHOLICISM Fact Sheet

CATHOLICISM Fact Sheet
 

CATHOLICISM is a groundbreaking documentary Series and multi-media Study Program being released by Word on Fire in the Fall of 2011. The ten-part DVD series takes viewers around the world and deep into the Faith, spanning more than 50 locations in 15 countries, and stunningly filmed in high-definition cinematography.

CATHOLICISM illustrates the truth, goodness, and beauty of the Catholic Faith in an epic media experience. Viewers will witness a vision of the Catholic Faith, which has never before been seen. From the lands of the Bible to the great shrines of Europe, from the heartland of America to the mysteries of Asia and the beating heart of Africa, see the passion and glory of the Faith that claims over a billion of the earth’s people.

This magnificent television event is created and hosted by Bishop Robert Barron. Fr. Barron is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and recognized as “one of the Church’s best messengers” and great teachers of the Faith. He is a prominent theologian, author, speaker, and cultural commentator.NBC Today Show correspondent Mike Leonard is the Executive Producer of CATHOLICISM.

A priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Bishop Barron holds the Francis Cardinal George Chair of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary. He received his Master’s Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America and his doctorate in theology from the Institut Catholique de Paris. His many books include The Priority of Christ, And Now I See: A Theology of Transformation, Thomas Aquinas: Spiritual Master, The Strangest Way: Walking the Christian Path, and a compilation of his life-changing sermons entitled Word on Fire. His numerous articles on theology and culture appear in a variety of journals, blogs, newspapers and magazines.

CATHOLICISM Content:

– Journey across the planet and see how the Catholic Church’s influence on humanity has created a truly global culture.

– See the artistic and architectural splendor of the Catholic Faith interpreted in light of the mystery of God revealed in Jesus Christ.

– Hear for yourself from one of the great spiritual teachers of our time precisely what the Church believes and why.
– Feel the depths of conviction that touch the heart, illumine the mind, and stir the soul.

Funds for 

 have been raised through private donations. For more information, go to 

and 

. Word On Fire is an independent, nonprofit global media group.

EPISODES –

Episode One: “Amazed and Afraid – The Revelation of God Become Man”
Journey with Bishop Robert Barron as he visits the mysterious sites and sacred places of the land of Israel. From the lush region of ancient Caesarea Phillipi, to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, to the holy city of Jerusalem and finally to the eternal city of Rome, Bishop Barron will use his pilgrimage to illuminate and explain the Catholic Faith’s conviction that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah and the revelation of God become man.

Episode Two: “Happy are We – The Teachings of Jesus”
The revelation of Jesus as God is accompanied by a stunning invitation to a unique new way of life. Bishop Robert Barron will journey from the magnificent cathedral of Amiens in France, to the stalwart cities of Kracow and Warsaw in Poland and to the cosmopolitan center of New York. He will use these sites to show how the Catholic Church is a living culture which gives witness to the inviolable dignity of the human person. This episode will also present reflections on some of the greatest examples of Christian art with visits to the Colmar Museum in Germany and the galleries of The Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

Episode Three: “That Which Nothing Greater can be Thought – The Ineffable Mystery of God”
Bishop Barron climbs to the heights of Sinai and makes his way to mysterious Istanbul, walks the glittering streets of Paris and then captivates the viewer with the glories of the Sistine Chapel in Rome – all to provide a vision of the ineffable majesty and mystery of God.

Episode Four: “Our Tainted Nature’s Solitary Boast – Mary, the Mother of God”
In this episode, Bishop Barron masterfully correlates the Catholic Faith’s testimony to the revelation of God in Christ with the vivid practices of reverence offered to his Mother. Bishop Barron will journey to the humble remains of Mary’s house in Nazareth, to the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus and to the great Marian shrines of Lourdes and Guadalupe. This episode will also feature commentary on some of the most remarkable imagery of the Mother of God created by the world’s greatest artists.

Episode Five: “To the Ends of the Earth – Peter, Paul and the Missionary Adventure”
Bishop Barron will journey to some of the farthest and most obscure outposts of the Church’s missionary enterprise and then take us back to where it all began with the adventures of Peter and Paul. From the edge of the Arctic Circle to the blue waters of the Mediterranean to the green hills of Ireland to the colorful regions of Latin America – from Jerusalem to Corinth to Athens and to Rome and beyond! Bishop Barron will follow the trail left by the apostles that inspired the Church to reach out to the ends of the earth.

Episode Six: “A Body Both Suffering and Glorious – The Mystical Union of Christ and the Church”
Bishop Barron explores the Catholic Faith’s unique understanding of the relationship of Jesus Christ and the Church and presents the reality of the Church as a truly global culture. From the Church’s center in Rome to the cities of New York, Lagos, Manila, and Rio de Janeiro, Bishop Barron explores the Catholic conviction that the life and presence of Christ continues to embrace humanity in all its joys and sorrows through the presence of the Church.

Episode Seven: “Word Made Flesh, True Bread of Heaven – The Mystery of the Church’s Sacrament and Worship.”
Bishop Barron explores the ancient practices of the Church’s worship that endure to this very day. Considered by the Catholic Faith to be “the source and summit” of its identity and mission, the Eucharist is the central practice of the Church’s culture. Bishop Barron will reflect on the nature of this reality and present how the Church’s practice of worship in such diverse places as Jerusalem, Rome, Chicago, Orvieto and Mexico City show the Faith that unites a global diversity of peoples.

Episode Eight: “A Vast Company of Witnesses – The Communion of Saints”
The story of the Church is told in the examples of those men and women who dedicated their lives to knowing and serving Jesus Christ. The Catholic Faith is made visible in real human lives. Bishop Barron gives consideration to some of the Church’s greatest heroes and demonstrates how their extraordinary examples display both the passion and creative potential of the Catholic Church. Bishop Barron journeys to Assisi and Avila, Lisieux and Auschwitz, Philadelphia and Calcutta – each of these extraordinary places providing a backdrop to tell the story of the Church as a vast company of witness who believe themselves to be called by Christ to be a communion of Saints.

Episode Nine: “The Fire of His Love – Prayer and the Life of the Spirit”
The Catholic Faith imparts to the world a new way of life. Those who accept this way embark on an adventure that brings them face to face with the challenges of loving both God and neighbor with a radical intensity and devotion. In this episode Bishop Barron explores the multiple ways the Catholic Faith engenders the transformation of the human person through prayer and the depth of spiritual commitment engendered by the mystery of vocation. Featured: Jerusalem, Monte Cassino, Egypt and much more.

Episode Ten: “World without End – The Last Things”
The Catholic Faith offers a vision of life in this world directed by a supernatural destiny. The vision of the Church sees beyond this world and invites us to consider a world without end. Explore with Bishop Barron the Church’s conviction that life here and now is preparation for an extraordinary world that is yet to come. Bishop Barron presents this vision in his journeys to Florence, Ireland and Rome and then returns to the holy city of Jerusalem to offer his profound reflections on the mystery and truth of the Resurrection of Jesus.