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

• Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! 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 join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.

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

• Word on Fire Institute: https://institute.wordonfire.org/

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! 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 join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.

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: https://institute.wordonfire.org/

NOTE: Do you like this podcast? Become a Word on Fire IGNITE member! 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 join IGNITE today to become a Word on Fire insider and receive some special donor gifts for your generosity.