Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
 

The archdiocese hosted the Pallium Lecture series featuring Fr. Robert Barron. The Cousins Center was jammed with approximately 1,200 people. It was the largest crowd ever attending a Pallium Lecture and a wonderful tribute to the popularity of the speaker, whose Word on Fire broadcasts and Catholicism series have inspired so many. It was also an indication of the level of interest that people have in their faith.

The Chapel holds approximately 700 people. It was completely filled. The auditorium received the overflow. As I surveyed the two areas, it was apparent to me that the crowd represented a cross section of the young as well as seniors from our community. Fr. Barron’s message was an articulation of the Gospel of Jesus rooted in His Church.

I believe that many attendees were parishioners of Fr. Barron’s Multimedia Church. In some sense, they were there to see “their” pastor. Fr. Barron effectively uses every aspect of new technology to reach people who might never come to a Church.

Interestingly, Fr. Barron mentioned Bishop Fulton Sheen during his presentation. Bishop Sheen was the dominant Catholic religious communicator of the fifties and early sixties. He used television, which was the new medium then, to inform and form people in their faith. He didn’t use any great gimmicks, just a blackboard and chalk. But he helped people to understand God and the world in which they lived.

Today we live in a world of “instants,” instant food, instant gratification and instant communication. We get what we want and we move on to whatever is our next interest. Fr. Barron has caused people to stop and think.  Like Bishop Sheen before him, he has captured the imagination of today’s generation by introducing them to the person of Christ and the beauty of His Church.

In this world filled with “instants,” Fr. Barron has caused us to pause and rediscover the excitement of our relationship with Jesus and the Church He founded. The greater our sense of God’s love for us, the more we desire to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

To view a video recording of Fr. Robert Barron's presentation, "Proclaiming Christ to a Secular Culture,” simply click here.

Note: This blog originally appeared as the September 25, 2012 "Love One Another" email sent to Catholics throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. If you are interested in signing up for these email messages, please click here.