Chicago, July 31, 2009 – Fr. Robert Barron is one of theworld’s great and innovative teachers of Catholicism. Chicago’sCardinal George calls him one of the Church’s best messengers. He is aprominent theologian, author and sought-after speaker, and now thepriest from the Archdiocese of Chicago is using today’s technology toevangelize the culture. Barron founded Word On Fire CatholicMinistries, a global media organization, and hopes to attract millionsinto or back to the Catholic faith.
At the hub of Word On Fire is an interactive website (www.WordOnFire.org) with newly launched features which invite visitors on a journey and into a conversation about faith and life. “Our website is incredibly dynamic,” raved Fr. Barron. “Everyday, every where, visitors can visit our site to deepen their faith andbring the peace of Christ to their otherwise chaotic worlds.”
Resources can be found in a variety of formats from articles andbooks, to CDs and DVDs, as well as YouTube videos, radio sermons andtelevision programs. Visitors to the Word On Fire website can take avirtual pilgrimage with Fr. Barron as he films his most ambitiousventure, The CATHOLICISM Project. A landmark epic series about theCatholic faith, The CATHOLICISM Project takes visitors to Rome, theHoly Land, Mexico, France, Poland, Germany and Spain.
“People spend a mammoth amount of time at their computers every day,” stated Barron. “Andjust as Christ took the message of the Gospel to the people of histime, we have harnessed the use of emerging technologies to go out intothe four corners of the globe.”
The mission of Word On Fire is to draw people into the Body ofChrist, which is the Church, and thereby gives them access to all thegifts that Jesus wants his people to enjoy. Word On Fire places anemphasis on the use of innovative communication technologies andcontemporary forms of media. The website is a one-stop shop wherevisitors can learn about and be inspired by the Catholic faith.
“We have designed an interactive site where people can gainknowledge about the faith from not only our content, but they can alsolearn from one another,” said Fr. Barron. “New content is being developed and produced every day and we invite people to visit WordOnFire.org and explore everything it has to offer.”
The website was originally launched in 1999 and currently draws over 300,000 visitors each year from every continent.
Fr. Barron is available for interviews. Please contact Christine Schicker with The Maximus Group at 404-610-8871.
For more information on vocations please visit www.vocationboom.com
WASHINGTON—The U.S. Bishops’ Secretariat forClergy,Consecrated Life and Vocations has set up a Web site to mark theYearfor Priests, to be celebrated June 19, 2009-June 19, 2010,throughoutthe world.
Pope Benedict XVI has designatedtheyear-long celebration to begin on the Feast of the Sacred HeartofJesus, a day of prayer for the sanctification of all priests. Thepopealso has designated St. John Vianney as the Universal Patron ofAllPriests on the occasion of the 150th Anniversary of the saint’sdeath.The saint, who also is known as the Cure of Ars, is the patronofparish priests.
The Year for priests Website can be found at http://www.usccb.org/yearforpriests/index.shtml.
Elementsofthe site include Pope Benedict’s message for the occasion andtheannouncement of the plenary indulgence in both English and Spanishinconjunction with the celebration. Additional elements includeprayersthat have been commissioned for both priests and laity. PDFdocumentsof these prayers (English/Spanish) can be downloaded andprinted fordiocesan and parochial use.
During the year, theSecretariat willprovide monthly articles by prominent Catholic womenwho will writeabout their faith and trust in the priesthood.
Otheractivities forthe Year for Priests will include a gathering of priestsin Rome forthe culmination of the Year for Priests, as well as retreaton thenational level. Information on the retreat will be providedthrough theWeb site.
Dioceses and organizations may linkthe Yearfor Priests website. Instructions under the tab for“PromotionalMaterials”http://www.usccb.org/yearforpriests/promote.shtml indicatehow to linkto the site.
Loving Father,
I praise you, I love you, I adore you.
Send your Holy Spirit to enlighten my mind
to the truth of your Son, Jesus,
Priest and Victim.
Through the same Spirit guide my heart to his Sacred Heart,
to renew in me a priestly passion
that I, too, might lay down my life upon the altar.
May your Spirit wash away my impurities
and free me from all my transgressions
in the Cup of Salvation,
Let only your will be done in me.
May the Blessed Mother of your dearly beloved Son,
wrap her mantle around me and protect me from all evil.
May she guide me to do whatever He tells me.
May she teach me to have the heart of St. Joseph, her spouse,
to protect and care for my bride.
And may her pierced heart inspire me
to embrace as my own your children
who suffer at the foot of the cross.
I humbly cry to her:
please be my consoling mother,
and help me to be a better son.
Lord, make me a holy priest,
inflamed with the fire of your love, seeking nothing
but your greater glory and the salvation of souls.
I humbly bless and thank you, my Father,
through the Spirit, in Christ Jesus,
your Son and my brother.
Amen.
O Mary, Queen of priests, pray for us.
Saint John Vianney, pray for us.
Dear Lord,
we pray that the Blessed Mother
wrap her mantle around your priests
and through her intercession
strengthen them for their ministry.
We pray that Mary will guide your priests
to follow her own words,
“Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5).
May your priests have the heart of St. Joseph,
Mary’s most chaste spouse.
May the Blessed Mother’s own pierced heart
inspire them to embrace
all who suffer at the foot of the cross.
May your priests be holy,
filled with the fire of your love
seeking nothing but your greater glory
and the salvation of souls.
Amen.
Saint John Vianney, pray for us.
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