CATHOLICISM: Overview

Discover the rich heritage of the Catholic Church in an epic media experience. Word on Fire Catholic Ministries offers a vision of the Catholic Faith, which has never before been seen. This vision seeks to explore, through a global journey, the living culture of the Catholic Church. From the lands of the Bible, to the great shrines of Europe, to the shores and heartland of America, to the mysteries of Asia, to the rich landscapes of Latin America, to the beating heart of Africa - and beyond, witness the passion and glory of the faith that claims over a billion of the earth’s people as its own. Now in production. Ten part series for TV and DVD: Production has be released this Fall of 2011.

This magnificent television event is hosted by Father Robert Barron.

Church of the Visitation has secured the Study Program version of the series and will be running the series as their Movie Night program throughout 2012

The CATHOLICISM STUDY PROGRAM includes:

• Ten compelling episodes from the series on DVD. Filmed in 50 locations throughout 15 countries, the CATHOLICISM DVDs reveal these truths in a visually-breath taking and compelling way, with original, high-definition cinematography.
  

• A companion study lesson written by Carl Olson for each DVD, complete with extensive commentary, questions for understanding and also questions for application to each participant’s own life.

Morning or Evening sessions will be offered

Episode 1: “Amazed and Afraid – The Revelation of God Become Man”
Journey with Father 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, Father 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. 
Download Handout #1

Episode 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, disorienting, sometimes confounding, deeply transformative, and always unforgettable.
Father Barron highlights the Beatitudes, the path of non-violence and lessons of forgiveness, care for the poor and our relationship with God as presented in the parables. Jesus’ teachings are illuminated during Fr. Barron’s pilgrimages to Poland, Germany, Spain and New York City. Commentaries at these sites also show how the Catholic Church is a living culture, which gives witness to the inviolable dignity of the human person.
Download Handout #2

Episode 3
“That Which Nothing Greater can be Thought - The Ineffable Mystery of God”
Father Barron considers St. Anselm’s description of God as “that than which nothing greater can be thought,” and goes on to explain St. Thomas Aquinas’ arguments which support the claim that God truly exists. He also speaks from the Catholic tradition about the nature of God and the challenging question of evil and the existence of God.

To provide a vision of the ineffable majesty and mystery of God, Father Barron invites us to the heights of the Sinai desert 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.
Download Handout #3

Episode 4
“Our Tainted Nature’s Solitary Boast - Mary, the Mother of God”
In this episode, Father 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. Mary is explained as “an on-going presence, an actor in the life of the Church.”

Father Barron journeys 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 to explain the Church’s teachings about Mary as the Mother of God, the Immaculate Conception and the dogma of the Assumption.

Click here for information on additional episodes in the series.