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Servant of the Word banquet, workshop to honor Father Robert Barron
By Julie Filby
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RELATED Official Conference Website: When: Feb. 17-18, 2012
Photo provided courtesy Word on Fire |
Father Robert Barron will be in Denver next month to receive this year’s Servant of the Word Award from the Catholic Biblical School.
He considers it a great honor to serve the word of God.
“I’m not here to preach a word of mine, my own philosophical musings, or my own perspective,” he said by telephone from his office at the Mundelein Seminary near Chicago. “When you’re a servant of the word, it’s the word of God that’s given to you—and you have the privilege of searching out its meaning, then searching out its relevance for our time.”
On Feb. 17-18, the Biblical School will host the Servant of the Word banquet Friday night, followed by a workshop on Saturday with presentations from Father Barron; Jonathan Reyes, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Denver; and Father John Riley, faculty member at Denver’s Augustine Institute and St. John Vianney Theological Seminary.
Ben Akers, director of the school, expects 300 guests at the banquet at Pinehurst County Club; and said they can accommodate up to 1,000 at the workshop at J.K. Mullen High School.
“Because of Father’s recognition, we expect big crowds,” Akers said. “He unselfishly advances the Gospel and does an excellent job of communicating the truths of the Catholic faith through teaching at the seminary, the articles and books he writes, his sermons on podcast … basically anything Word on Fire does.”
Father Barron launched Word on Fire ministry in 1999, a media apostolate that broadcasts on television, radio and Internet. The ministry offers daily blogs, commentaries, and weekly sermon podcasts on YouTube and their website, www.wordonfire.org.
“His online presence is amazing,” said Akers. “He’s not afraid to engage on an intellectual level with the arguments of atheism then give a commentary on the most recent movie at the box office, and everything in between.”
Last year his “Catholicism” documentary series, shot at 50 sacred sites in 16 countries, was released. At the banquet, Father Barron will discuss how it visually represents the Bible.
“The series was meant to show the visual and cultural richness of the Church, alongside the central message,” Father Barron said. “The central message is always biblical because the Bible is the soul of theology.”
He believes the Vatican II call to revive the Bible is just getting under way.
“For a long time it wasn’t really achieved,” he said. “And now through the efforts of a lot of great people—including past (Servant of the Word) award winners—the Bible is coming back to life.”
He suggested lay Catholics “really get to know (the Bible)” by getting involved in study programs.
“Study it, know it, learn it,” he said. “Then let the Bible inform your life … become a person shaped by a biblical consciousness … and see the world with biblical eyes.”
In addition to Scripture, Saturday’s workshop will highlight Catholic history and the impact of cinema.
Both events are open to the public. The banquet and auction at Pinehurst County Club, 6255 Quincy Ave. in Denver, starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $99 per person or $175 per couple.
The workshop at J.K. Mullen High School, 3601 S. Lowell Blvd. in Denver, starts at 9 a.m. The cost is $45 per person or $80 per couple. Mass will be celebrated at 8 a.m. at Holy Name Church at 3290 W. Milan in Englewood, five blocks from Mullen.
Discounts are available to those attending both events. For more information or to register, visit www.sjvdenver.edu/biblical-school/ or call 303-715-3195.
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