The Word on Fire Show - Catholic Faith and Culture

WOF 432: Who is Dante Alighieri?

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we are excited to bring you the first lecture from Bishop Barron's popular course, "Dante's Catholic Imagination," which is available in its e...

WOF 431: Euthanasia & the Culture of Death

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Pope St. John Paul II used the term "culture of death'' in his 1995 encyclical Evangelium Vitae to capture the secular world's dark confluence of pois...

WOF 430: A Full Witness to Jesus Christ

25 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we bring you Bishop Barron's keynote address from the recent Good News Conference. In it, he speaks in depth about what it means to be a full ...

WOF 429: Is There a Catholic Antidote to the Crisis in Higher Education?

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

According to Fortune magazine, overall undergraduate enrollment experienced the steepest rate of decline on record from 2019 to 2022, and it has onl...

WOF 428: Talking Politics & Religion w/ Ro Khanna

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we are bringing you a recent conversation from the "Bishop Barron Presents" series between Bishop Barron and Congressman Ro Khanna. Congressman...

WOF 427: Hearing the Voice of God

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, the Book of Jonah is one of the shortest books of the Bible, yet it's packed with profound truths about hearing and obeying the voice of God...

WOF 426: Democracy and the Catholic Church

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, what's the proper relationship between liberal democracy and the Catholic Church? Many smart and reflective people, on either side of the C...

WOF 425: Understanding the Mental Health Crisis

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, we are in the midst of a mental health crisis, with many calling it another pandemic. Record-high numbers of Americans are facing depression ...

WOF 424: Freedom and the Disciplining of Desire

12 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're excited to share with you Bishop Barron's recent talk at the 2023 Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Conference held in Londo...

WOF 423: Simply Catholicism is the Answer

05 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, the Catholic Church seems locked in constant disagreements, often between so-called liberal and conservative Catholics. But is there a third ...

WOF 422: Being Formed by Ratzinger, De Lubac, and Balthasar w/ Fr. Joseph Fessio

29 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we're excited to share with you the newest episode in our "Bishop Barron Presents" series. In this discussion, Bishop Barron talks w...

WOF 421: 7 Ways to be Spiritually Great

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, we all strive to be spiritually great. We want to be magnanimous, great-souled men and women. But how do we get there? The Church offers a co...

WOF 420: The Catholic Intellectual Tradition

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're excited to share with you Bishop Barron's recent talk at Harvard University titled "The Catholic Intellectual Tradition," sponsored by ...

WOF 419: How to Become a Person of Love

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, each of us wants to be a good person. But how do we actually do that? How do we truly become a person of love? That's what Brandon Vogt and I...

WOF 418: In the Beginning Was the Word

25 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, the prologue of the Gospel of St. John is one of the richest and most densely textured writings in the scriptures as John expresses the very ...

WOF 417: The Baby King Who Takes on Caesar

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, is the Christmas story little more than a sweet, saccharine tale about a cute baby being born? Or do the Gospels present something more subve...

WOF 416: The Philosophical Roots of Wokeism

11 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're excited to share with you Bishop Barron's keynote talk from the 2023 Acton University conference, hosted by The Acton Institute. "Woke...

WOF 415: Mind, Meaning, and the Materialists

04 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, can everything in the world be reduced to atoms bumping against each other, and chemical reactions in our brains? Or is there something more ...

WOF 414: What Makes a University Catholic?

27 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're excited to share with you a talk that Bishop Barron recently gave at the University of Notre Dame titled "What Makes a University Catholi...

WOF 413: "Nones" Rediscovering the Bible

20 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, an exciting group of psychologists, scientists, and thought leaders are rediscovering the beauty and brilliance of the Bible. What's causing ...

WOF 412: The Evidence for God from Science w/ Fr. Robert Spitzer

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're excited to share Fr. Robert Spitzer's keynote talk from the 2022 Good News Conference on "The Evidence for God from Science." Fr. Spi...

WOF 411: America's Cultural Revolution w/ Chris Rufo

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're excited to share with you the newest episode in our "Bishop Barron Presents" series. In this discussion, Bishop Barron talks with writer...

WOF 410: It's Time for Catholics to Embrace Halloween w/ Fr. Steve Grunow

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we share a discussion between Brandon Vogt and Fr. Steve Grunow, Word on Fire's CEO and resident Halloween expert. Several years back, Fr. ...

WOF 409: The Rise and Fall of the New Atheism

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, the New Atheism movement rose quickly in the early 2000s, led by vicious critics of religion such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens...

WOF 408: Great Catholic Kids Books w/ Haley Stewart

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we share a fun discussion between Brandon Vogt and Haley Stewart, Editor of Word on Fire Spark, our new imprint of books for young readers. ...

WOF 407: What's Next for the Word on Fire Institute?

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, five years ago, we started what has become the largest online community of Catholic evangelists: the Word on Fire Institute. Where did this ...

WOF 406: The Genius of G.K. Chesterton's "St. Francis"

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we share Bishop Barron's keynote talk from the 2023 Chesterton Conference from July 27, 2023, in Minneapolis, MN. The theme of the conference ...

WOF 405: Why We Love Distractions

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, why do we love being distracted from the important things of life? The great French philosopher Blaise Pascal observed, "The sole cause of ma...

WOF 404: Understanding Flannery O'Connor w/ Ethan and Maya Hawke

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we're thrilled to share with you the newest episode in our "Bishop Barron Presents" series. In this discussion, Bishop Barron talks with well-k...

WOF 403: Scapegoating in the Digital World

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, why are we so tempted to scapegoat people, especially online? And how do we escape that trap? On today's episode of "The Word on Fire Show," ...

WOF 402: The Faith of J.R.R. Tolkien w/ Holly Ordway

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

J.R.R. Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, is one of the best-selling books ever, selling over 150 million copies. In a 1999 poll of Amazon...

WOF 401: A Theology of Work

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, is work something good or bad? Is it central to being human, or a punishment resulting from sin? And how do we understand our work theologica...

WOF 400: Three Paths Beyond Scientism

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we share with you Bishop Barron's keynote talk from the 2023 Wonder Conference, hosted by Word on Fire. His keynote addressed scientism, the vie...

WOF 399: Why You Should Ponder Your Death

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, death is a topic most of us try to avoid. So, why does Catholicism teach we should meditate regularly on our death? On today's episode of "Th...

WOF 398: The Most Important Decision in Life

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we share Bishop Barron's 2023 Commencement Address at Hillsdale College, delivered on May 13, 2023. In his address, Bishop Barron examined not t...

WOF 397: What Makes Great Leaders Great?

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, what makes great leaders great? Why do certain men and women seem to lead with such effectiveness? On today's episode of "The Word on Fire Sh...

WOF 396: Why Parishes Fail to Engage 93% of Parishioners w/ Matthew Warner

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We know Church leaders need to be trained well in theology, morality, scripture, liturgy, and pastoral ministry. But if we want them to be able to wie...

WOF 395: Knowing Jesus Personally

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, Christians often speak of "having a personal relationship with Christ" or "knowing Jesus personally," but what does this actually mean? Is it...

WOF 394: The Beauty of Sainthood w/ Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this talk from the 2022 Good News Conference, Dr. Gianna Emanuela Molla shares the story of her mother, St. Gianna Beretta Molla, patron saint of m...

WOF 393: Mrs. Davis, Algorithms, and God

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, my favorite current TV show, "Mrs. Davis," features an adventurous nun, a search for the Holy Grail, and an all-powerful algorithm. It also r...

WOF 392: Poetry, Beauty, and the Shock of Grace w/ Fr. Paul Murray, OP

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this talk from the 2022 Good News Conference, Fr. Paul Murray reminds us that the God whom we are seeking is endlessly seeking us. It is through be...

WOF 391: Why Modern Men Look Elsewhere for Spiritual Wisdom

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, an interesting article was published at The Gospel Coalition titled "Savior or Stoics? Why Modern Men Look for Spiritual Wisdom Outside the ...

WOF 390: Finding Beauty in the Loss of Control w/ Britt Fisk

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this talk from the 2022 Good News Conference, Britt Fisk, shares her wisdom on what it means to hand over complete trust to the Lord, particularly ...

WOF 389: Catholics and the Culture of Contempt

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, what fuels our modern "culture of contempt," so prevalent online? And how can Catholics resist it? A helpful new book by John Allen, Jr., Ca...

WOF 388: What Is the Laity's Role in Evangelization?

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, in February 2023, at the Sharing the Church's Story Conference in London, I reflected on the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and o...

WOF 387: It's Time for Eucharistic Revival

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, a recent study from the Pew Research Center found that nearly seven-in-ten Catholics (69%) believe that during Mass, the bread and wine use...

WOF 386: Christianity, History, and the Modern Age w/ Tom Holland

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, in February 2023, award-winning historian, author, and broadcaster Tom Holland and I discussed Western culture, the intellectual and moral as...

WOF 385: The Franciscan Intellectual Tradition

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, many people are familiar with the Thomistic tradition, following St. Thomas Aquinas, but what about the Franciscan intellectual tradition, fo...

WOF 384: Bishop Barron and Jonathan Roumie: A Conversation

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

WOF 383: What Christianity Brings to the Public Conversation

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, does Christianity still have a place in the public square? What can it contribute to the broader culture? On today's episode of "The Word on ...

WOF 382: The Beauty of Hope w/ Fr. John Riccardo

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, in his talk at the 2022 Good News Conference, Fr. John Riccardo speaks about the unwavering trust and hope that Christians are called to. Whe...

WOF 381: Why the Liberal Arts Matter

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, what are the liberal arts, and why are so many schools getting rid of them? A recent article in The New Yorker titled "The End of the Engl...

WOF 380: The Evangelical Power of Beauty

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In his keynote talk at the 2022 Good News Conference, Bishop Barron speaks on the evangelical power of beauty in the Catholic tradition. True beauty l...

WOF 379: Pope Francis and the Dangers of Technocracy

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, one major theme appearing throughout the teachings of Pope Francis is the danger of technocracy. In his 2015 encyclical, Laudato si', he coi...

WOF 378: Bishop Barron, Fr. Mike Schmitz, and the Priesthood

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, in this conversation at the 2021 Good News Conference, Bishop Robert Barron and Fr. Mike Schmitz share about their vocation stories. This is ...

WOF 377: How to Live with Joy w/ Chris Stefanick

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share with you Chris Stefanick's talk from the 2021 Good News Conference. In a world fraught with fear, anxiety, and denial, Chris e...

WOF 376: Peter Kreeft on Socrates vs. the Sophists

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, in today's episode of "The Word on Fire Show," we share Lecture 1 from Peter Kreeft's new 12-part video series on "Socrates' Children: The G...

WOF 375: The Liturgy and Social Justice

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, we often find two groups in the Church in tension with each other: those concerned with the liturgy and those concerned with social justice. ...

WOF 374: The Baptismal Priesthood and Evangelization w/ Fr. Stephen Gadberry

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share Fr. Stephen Gadberry's keynote talk from the recent Good News Conference in Orlando, Florida. As Fr. Gadberry explains, every ...

Why is Your Religion the Right One?

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, there are thousands of religions out there. So, why think Christianity is the right one? And why Catholic Christianity in particular? On toda...

WOF 372: Christianity and the Crisis of the Universities w/ Jessica Hooten Wilson

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, when universities turn to the secular narrative of the ego drama, which views education as directed to self-advancement alone, they suffer a ...

WOF 371: The Rise of Euthanasia

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, do we have a right to choose how and when we die? Should we be worried about the rapid rise of euthanasia, including in the United States? Eu...

WOF 370: Source and Summit of Evangelization w/ Abbot Jeremy Driscoll

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. In the Mass, God is glorified and humans are sanctified. In his keynote address...

WOF 369: Was Vatican II a Failure?

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, we just marked the 60th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II, the Second Vatican Council. Six decades later, can we say the Council was a...

WOF 368: Educating the Whole Person w/ Sr. Josephine Garrett

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, how do we educate the whole person? Religious sister and mental health counselor Sr. Josephine Garrett talks about this question in her keyno...

WOF 367: The Case for Kids

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, did you know that the birth rate in America is the lowest it's ever been? Why have families stopped having so many kids, and what can we do a...

BONUS: 5 Enduring Lessons from Pope Benedict XVI

31 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the 265th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, has passed away at the age of 95 years old. In this special "Word...

WOF 366: Natural Law, Family, and Happiness w/ Ben Shapiro

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, when society dismisses the natural law tradition, is it any wonder we see voluntarism take its place? I recently spoke with Ben Shapiro on hi...

WOF 365: What is Synodality?

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, many people in the Church, including the Holy Father, have been talking about "synodality." But what is it? What does it mean? How can it hel...

WOF 364: Joy is the Gigantic Secret of Christians w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share Fr. Mike Schmitz's keynote talk from the recent Good News Conference in Orlando, Florida. As Fr. Mike explains, joy is a choic...

WOF 363: Why Art Matters

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, why is art important? An uptick in vandalism against famous pieces of art, calling to mind outbreaks of iconoclasm throughout history, has ra...

WOF 362: Humility, Stability, Work, and Prayer: Bishop Barron at Benedictine College

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share Bishop Barron's 2022 Commencement Address at Benedictine College, which he offered on May 14, 2022. Well aware that he was on ...

WOF 361: What's Our Church's Growth Strategy?

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, in many parts of the world the Catholic Church is shrinking. Parishes are closing or merging, pastors are devising strategies of consolidatio...

WOF 360: With All Her Mind w/ Rachel Bulman

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A new Word on Fire book titled With All Her Mind: A Call to the Intellectual Life features essays by Catholic women who offer a call to pursue what ...

WOF 359: Religion, Politics, and Intolerance

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, what is the role of religion in civic life? Must we bracket religion from the political sphere? Those are pressing questions as we near the m...

WOF 358: Bishop Barron and Larry Chapp on Vatican II

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share a recent discussion between Bishop Barron and the theologian Larry Chapp about Vatican II. The conversation ranges over severa...

WOF 357: Athens, Jerusalem, and Silicon Valley

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, Tertullian famously asked in the third century, "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?" What does philosophy have to do with theology, or rea...

WOF 356: When Protestants Consider Catholicism

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share Lesson 1 from our new Word on Fire Institute course titled "Evangelizing Protestants." The course is taught by Andrew Petip...

WOF 355: How to Make a Holy Hour

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, what is a Holy Hour? How do you do it, and why should you start? On today's episode of the "Word on Fire Show," Brandon Vogt and I discuss on...

WOF 354: Bishop Barron at Biola University

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share a conversation I had with leaders at Biola University on proclaiming and encountering Christ. It was wonderful to sit down w...

WOF 353: God, Elon Musk, and Space

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, on today's episode of the "Word on Fire Show," Brandon Vogt and I discuss some comments recently made by Elon Musk, founder of Tesla and Spac...

WOF 352: Angels and the Air Force Academy

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share a talk I recently gave to the service men and women at the United State Air Force Academy. After previously speaking at the N...

WOF 351: Recapping Lex Fridman and Shia LaBeouf

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, on today's episode of the "Word on Fire Show," Brandon Vogt and I recap two recent discussions I shared with Lex Fridman and Shia LaBeouf....

WOF 350: Finding the Way to God w/ Shia LaBeouf

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share my recent "Bishop Barron Presents" discussion with Shia LeBeouf. Shia is an actor famous for his roles in Transformers, Hon...

WOF 349: Understanding the Present Moment #4 (Michel Foucault)

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today on the "Word on Fire Show," we conclude our series of discussions called "Understanding the Present Moment." Brandon Vogt and I have ...

WOF 348: The Power of Mimetic Desire w/ Luke Burgis

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this new "Bishop Barron Presents" discussion, Bishop Barron sits down with bestselling author Luke Burgis to discuss his new book, Wanting: The Pow...

WOF 347: Understanding the Present Moment #3 (Jean-Paul Sartre)

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today on the "Word on Fire Show," we continue our series of discussions called "Understanding the Present Moment." Brandon Vogt and I are e...

WOF 346: The 3 Tasks of the Church

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share the homily I gave for my installation Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Rochester, Minnesota. Celebrating...

WOF 345: Understanding the Present Moment #2 (Friedrich Nietzsche)

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today on the "Word on Fire Show," we continue our series of discussions called "Understanding the Present Moment." Brandon Vogt and I are e...

WOF 344: Seeking the Good and the Beautiful

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we share the second half (listen to the first half here) of Bishop Barron's presentation titled "Breaking Through the Buffered Self," which he o...

WOF 343: Bishop Barron's New Diocese in Minnesota

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, as you may have heard, Pope Francis recently appointed me the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester (Minnesota). I will be formally...

WOF 342: Breaking Through the Buffered Self

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we share Bishop Barron's presentation entitled "Breaking Through the Buffered Self," which he offered for the prestigious 2022 Albert Cardinal M...

WOF 341: Understanding the Present Moment #1 (Karl Marx)

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today on the "Word on Fire Show," we kick off a new series of discussions called "Understanding the Present Moment." Brandon Vogt and I wil...

WOF 340: Strange New Religions w/ Tara Isabella Burton

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this new "Bishop Barron Presents" discussion, Bishop Barron sits down with bestselling author Tara Isabella Burton to discuss her new book, Strang...

WOF 339: The Dangers of Self-Determination

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, our culture is obsessed with self-determination: finding our own voice, setting our own agenda, doing things according to our own lights. But...

WOF 338: Evolution and the Modern World w/ Bret Weinstein and Heather Heying

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this new "Bishop Barron Presents" discussion, Bishop Barron sits down with evolutionary biologists Dr. Heather Heying and Dr. Bret Weinstein, the b...

WOF 337: Evangelize Like Benedict

06 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

  Friends, what can St. Benedict, a sixth century monk, teach us about evangelization today? That's what Brandon Vogt and I discuss in today's epi...

WOF 336: The Christ Who Knocks

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, in the book of Revelation, Jesus says, "Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in t...

WOF 335: To the Peripheries

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, today we share a sample lesson from another great Word on Fire Institute course titled "To the Peripheries!," taught by Fr. Damian Ference. ...

WOF 334: Religion and Science

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, did you know that nearly 60% of religious believers agree with the statement that "religion and science conflict with one another"? This trag...