Bishop Robert Barron Addresses Overflow Crowd at SMC

Catholic author, theologian, and evangelist Bishop Robert Barron brought his Word on Fire ministry to the Saint Mary’s College Chapel on Wednesday, March 21, urging Catholic intellectuals to “see reality through the lens of Jesus Christ.” Quoting Paul, he called Jesus “the icon of the invisible God.”

“All things were made through him and for him,” Barron said. “All things hold together in him. To be a Catholic intellectual is to acknowledge this fact.”

An expert in evangelizing with new media (his Facebook page alone has over 1.5 million followers), Barron outlined the role of Jesus in our tradition, saying that he shows us who God is and reveals “very deep truths about creation...about the world.” He said it also teaches us about salvation.

“What is the path to salvation?” asked Barron. “Every single person in this room wants to know that. Seeing the world through the lens of Jesus will help us.”  

Fresh off a widely publicized address at Google, Barron said God does not compete with the world. Instead, he is closer to us than we are to ourselves. “Everything in this room, right now, is coming forth from the sheer power of God’s being. Your whole life will change if you let that idea take root in your heart.”

Barron’s ability to draw a crowd was evident. More than 300 people, including off-campus community members, filled SMC’s Chapel to its capacity. The evening’s talk resonated with senior Jacob Turnrose, a Collegian editor who asked Bishop Barron how we could see the Church’s stand on contraception through the lens of Jesus.

“I was happy that Bishop Barron affirmed the importance of Humanae Vitae,” said Turnrose, adding that Barron called for the Church to maintain its teaching on contraception but also to extend forgiveness to those who fall short. “This is a good reminder for Saint Mary’s College as it strives to live out its Catholic identity,” said Turnrose, whose introduction to the Catholic intellectual tradition in Father David Gentry’s Foundations of Theology class led him to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.

As the spearhead behind Bishop Barron’s visit, Gentry said Barron has a gift for articulating the beauty and wisdom of the Catholic Church, which he hopes religious educators can share with their students. “He gives them ways of articulating things that they find powerful and hope the young people in their care can find powerful.”