Bishop Robert Barron

Word On Fire

Bishop Robert Barron is an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

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Many Things Are Not Permitted; Everything Can Be Forgiven

The washing of the feet on Holy Thursday, the veneration of the cross on Good Friday, the journey through the pivotal readings from the Old Testament during Saturday’s Easter Vigil, […]

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Don’t Give Up on the Liberal Arts

It has just come to my attention that Marymount University, a Catholic institution in Arlington, Virginia, has announced its intention to cut 10 traditional majors from its program, including philosophy, […]

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Inclusion and Exclusion

I would like to follow up on an earlier article I wrote on the notions of “inclusivity” and “welcome,” which have come to dominate the Catholic conversation in the lead-up […]

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Why Catholic Schools Matter

At the beginning of February, the Church in the United States celebrated Catholic Schools Week. I would like to take this opportunity to sing the praises of Catholic schools and […]

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Farewell To Pope Benedict

One of the most consequential churchmen of the last hundred years has died. Pope Benedict XVI (formerly Joseph Ratzinger) leaves a remarkable legacy in both the Church he served and […]

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God Became a Baby

There is just something about a baby. If a baby is introduced into a crowded room, everyone will want to see him. Conversations will stop, smiles will spread across people’s […]

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David and Goliath

Certainly, in the biblical framework, an important dimension of leadership is skill and courage in battle, and David’s possession of these qualities is presented as unambiguously as possible in his […]

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Mother Alfred and Women Religious

My new hero is Mother Alfred Moes. I realize that she is not a household name, even among Catholics, but she should be. She came on my radar screen only […]

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Let Us Double Our Seminarians!

It was fully my intention to have all of the Winona-Rochester seminarians stand at one point during my installation Mass homily. I had told the people that, in the words of St. […]

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The 60th Anniversary of Vatican II

I am composing these words on October 11, 2022, which is the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, easily the most momentous ecclesial event of the 20th century. […]

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Four Ways to Grow the Church

Last week, I met with the deans of our diocese to discuss a number of issues, the most prominent of which was the ongoing process of merging some of our […]

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Queen Elizabeth II: Faithful Disciple

I was in Rome last week to give a presentation to the Pontifical Academy of the Sciences. I was supposed to go the following week with my Word on Fire team […]