Telling Our Story

I recently came across The Catholicism Project, an effort by Fr. Robert Barron. While the trailer is a bit melodramatic - some might say cheesy or jingoistic - I think it has a lot of promise. Most importantly, Fr. Barron has put his finger on a major problem facing Catholicism (and Christianity generally): "The Catholic story is being told, but being told by the wrong people in the wrong way."



The Church is usually portrayed in the media as a corrupt and decaying institution of wealthy and ignorant white men. Fr. Barron sets out to offer a counter-narrative: "Catholicism is smart. Catholicism is beautiful." From the trailer and the episode guide, it is clear that this series seeks to show that the Church is international, young, vibrant, cultural and intellectual, rich and poor. At the heart of the effort seems to be a desire to share the truth about the Gospel, rather than letting its detractors tell the story.

I applaud Fr. Barron and The Catholicism Project, and hope that it lives up to this lofty goal.