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More About Fr. Robert Barron's Documentary
Catholicism

Fr. Robert Barron's highly acclaimed Catholicism documentary series has been described by one reviewer as "simply the most vivid catechism ever created," the series examines what Catholics believe and why in a stunning visual format which illustrates the art, architecture, literature and practices of the Catholic tradition.

Catholicism was filmed in 50 locations and 15 countries; it features the unique style and wisdom of one of America's most successful Catholic evangelists.  The ten-part documentary series was released in the fall of 2011 and is airing on the Eternal Word Television Network and public television stations across the United States.

Each video presentation in our Winter at the Cellar series will be accompanied by an opportunity for discussion coordinated by a pastor and pastoral staff member from one of the Waterloo parishes.

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Summary of Episodes

1. Amazed and Afraid--The Revelation of God Become Man
Fr. Barron illuminates and explains the conviction of the Catholic Faith that Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah and the revelation of God become man.  He shows how Jesus fulfills the four tasks of the Messiah according to the Old and New Testaments and how the living legacy of Christ, God and Messiah, is proclaimed by the Church.

2. 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, explained in the teachings of Jesus.  To every generation, the words of Jesus have proven fascinating,sometimes confounding, deeply transformative and always unforgettable.

3. The Ineffable Mystery of God--That Than Which Nothing Greater Can Be Thought
Fr. Barron considers St. Anselm’s description of God a “that than which nothing greater can be thought” and explains St. Thomas Aquinas’ arguments which support the claim that God truly exists.  He also speaks about the nature of God, as well as the challenging question of evil and the existence of God.

4. Our Tainted Nature's Solitary Boast--Mary, the Mother of God
This segment correlates the Catholic faith’s testimony to the revelation of God in Christ with the vivid practices of reverence offered to his Mother.  Mary is explained as “an on-going presence, an actor in the life of the Church.”

5. The Indispensible Men--Peter, Paul and the Missionary Adventure
Fr. Barron calls Peter and Paul “two indispensible men, the ones without whom the Church never would have emerged and survived.”  In telling each man’s story, Fr. Barron shows how the Holy Spirit worked through the apostles and disciples to build the Church.

6. A Body Both Suffering and Glorious--The Mystical Union of Christ and the Church
Clearly answering the question, “What is the Church?”  Fr. Barron presents the reality of the Church as “one, holy, catholic and apostolic.”  The Body of Christ can be seen all over the earth, while still escaping total understanding as the mystical union between Christ and his Church.

7. Word Made Flesh, True Bread of Heaven--The Mystery of the Liturgy & the Eucharist
Fr. Barron explores the notion that “all value is summed up in the liturgy, the supreme act by which we commune with God.”  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.

8. A Vast Company of Witnesses--The Communion of Saints
Fr. Barron gives consideration to some of the Church’s greatest heroes and demonstrates how their extraordinary examples display both the passion and the creative potential of the Catholic Church.  This lesson tells the story of the Church as a vast company of witnesses who are called by Christ to be a Communion of Saints.

9. The Fire of His Love--Prayer and the Life of the Spirit
In this segment Fr. Barron explores Catholic spirituality, which is centered on prayer.  As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Prayer is the lifting up of the mind and the heart to God.”

10. World Without End--The Last Things
This lsegment explores the Church’s conviction that life here and now is preparation for an extraordinary world that is yet to come--a supernatural destiny.  Fr. Barron presents the Catholic vision of death, judgment, heaven, hell and purgatory.

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Critical Acclaim for Catholicism

"In Catholicism we meet the "Word made Flesh" not only in theological formulations, but also in saints and poets, cathedrals and chants, priests and prophets. What makes Catholicism so compelling are the ways in which Father Barron shows how the Incarnation goes on in the true, the good, and the beautiful."
-- Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

"Clarity, intelligence, passion and elegance - these are the marks of a writer in top form, and Father Barron brings all these gifts to bear in this extraordinary reflection on the Catholic faith. If you read one book this year on what Catholics believe and why, this is the book to read - and to share with others."
--
Charles J. Chaput, OFM Archbishop of Philadelphia

"[Catholicism is] the most important media project in the history of the Catholic Church in America."
--
George Weigel, Biographer of Blessed John Paul II

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Click here to read a review of Catholicism.
Click here to watch a preview of Catholicism.

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About the Author and Host

Fr. Robert E. Barron is a highly acclaimed Catholic author, speaker and theologian, the founder of "Word on Fire" Evangelization Center and the Cardinal Francis George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary in Chicago.  He received his Masters Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America and his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Institut Catholique in Paris.  He has served as a visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and as scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.  Fr. Barron lectures widely in the United States and abroad and is the author of numerous books, essays and DVD programs as well as commentary, blogs and podcasts which are available at the Word on Fire website.  He is a frequent commentator of faith and culture on various major media outlets, including NBC Nightly News, Fox News and Our Sunday Visitor.

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Posted: 12.22.11  •  Last Update: 01.12.12

OUR COMMITMENT TO ADULT FORMATION
The Catholic parishes in Waterloo are committed to providing life-long faith formation and spiritual growth for adults of all ages. We value individual life experience, respect the diversity of personal convictions, and welcome the wisdom of every participant. We encourage conversation and dialogue. We will never intentionally embarrass or offend participants.

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