Thursday, 05 January 2012 12:49

CHICAGO (CNS) — Television viewers across the country will get a glimpse into the rich history, culture and tenets of the Catholic faith this fall when 90 public television stations across the country air episodes of a series called “Catholicism” that was developed by a Chicago priest.
The series is hosted by Father Robert Barron, who runs the Chicago-based Word on Fire ministry. It includes 10, hourlong DVDs, leader and group study guides and a 300-page stand-alone book of the same title. Episodes also will be broadcast on the Eternal Word Television Network.
The priest’s goal was to show the history and treasures of the Catholic Church. The series was filmed in high-definition and spans more than 50 locations in 15 countries.
The global media ministry Word on Fire — which aims to “educate and engage the culture” — pitched all 10 episodes of “Catholicism” to PBS, but the network opted to run four shows: the revelation, God becomes man; the mystery of God; Mary, the mother of God; and Peter and Paul as missionaries. (Check local listings.)
No money was exchanged under the agreement, Father Barron said, and Word on Fire will promote the full DVD set and program at the end of each episode.
Father Barron, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and a professor of faith and culture at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, said he was surprised PBS agreed to air “Catholicism.”
“I thought that maybe they would think it was too Catholic. They loved it right away,” he told the Catholic New World, Chicago’s archdiocesan newspaper.
The goal of “Catholicism” has always been to evangelize the culture, and media seemed the best vehicle to accomplish that, he added.
The priest also wants to reach people outside of the Catholic Church, such as fallen-away Catholics, secularists, non-Catholics and disinterested Catholics.
“That’s why I love that PBS is broadcasting it,” he said.
The program has a good chance of reaching people who are not part of the church because it is a high-quality series done in an inviting way, said Eileen Daily, assistant professor at the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University Chicago.
“One of the biggest issues with evangelization is getting people not to put up a wall before your message gets to them,” said Daily, whose study includes using art for religious education. People will be more open to the message in “Catholicism” because it looks like the rest of the shows they are used to seeing on television, she said.
The program airing on PBS also lends it credibility, she said, noting that the network isn’t going to “accept something that is proselytizing.”
More information about the series is available at www.wordonfire.org and www.catholicismseries.com.

Diocese of Wichita sponsoring the presentation
Shelly Bole, who works in the diocesan Office of Faith Formation, said she is excited that the diocese is sponsoring “Catholicism” on KPTS.
“Using modern cinematography, Fr. Barron takes viewers on a pilgrimage through time and to places across the globe which we otherwise may not have the opportunity to travel,” she said. “Viewers will get a powerful experience of the universal church.”
Bole added that the series is unique because it appeals to everyone. “It is an accurate history of Christianity and the Catholic Church, making it perfect for someone who loves history. It is a catalyst of conversion for faithful Catholics as well as those who have left the church, and will be a source of inspiration for all Christians.”

Want to watch it?
The four-part series, “Catholicism,” began Thursday, Jan. 5, and will continue on KPTS, Wichita, at 7 p.m. on Thursdays. Here is a schedule:
• Jan. 12: That Which Nothing Great Can Be Thought: The Ineffable Mystery of God
• Jan. 19: Our Tainted Nature’s Solitary Boast: Mary, The Mother Of God
• Jan. 26: The Indispensable Men: Peter, Paul And The Missionary Adventure