Friends, there is a suspicion of Vatican II from both the “left” and the “right” in the Church. Some think that the Church should be constantly open to revolution and change. Others believe that the Church should turn backward and inward on itself. But Vatican II avoids both extremes by emphasizing both doctrinal stability and a robust missionary zeal. The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), a gathering of Catholic bishops from around the world, was one of the most significant cultural and eccle

Friends, I have often critiqued what I call "beige Catholicism," a Catholicism which has lost its verve, its sense of self, and its missionary focus. Poor liturgical implementations of this great Council, the rise of secularism, and the emergence of a hyper-individualistic culture have left many Catholics detached from the transcendent. Watch future videos on the "Bishop Barron on Vatican II" playlist: https://www.facebook.com/watch/BishopRobertBarron/2752026988409664/ Videos produced in coopera

Friends, in this video clip, I discuss the actual purpose of Vatican II. The Church, at certain periods, had crouched behind medieval walls, keeping its treasure to itself. But through the council’s missionary focus, the Church’s gates have been opened—not so much to let the modern world in, but to let the beauty and holiness of the Church out. Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rIuHQ_fhQk | Bishop Robert Barron

Friends, even in the desert landscape of postmodernism, you can find many references to the sacred, to the good, to the holy. Now, these things won’t be right out of St. Thomas’ playbook; they will be in a somewhat twisted form. And this doesn’t mean we can’t be critical of the culture. But we cannot hate the culture, for you cannot effectively evangelize that which you despise. Watch future videos on the "Bishop Barron on Vatican II" playlist: https://www.facebook.com/watch/BishopRobertBarron/2

Friends, ever since I was a young man and throughout my academic career, my touchstone has always been the great St. Thomas Aquinas. I hold to an "open Thomism," one that welcomes Augustinianism, Bonaventurian thought, and contemporary thinkers like Newman, Balthasar, and Ratzinger. To incorporate these frameworks together is to follow a very integrated Catholic spirit. Watch more videos on the "Bishop Barron on Vatican II" playlist: https://www.facebook.com/watch/BishopRobertBarron/275202698840

On this feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas I have great news and a special announcement. | Bishop Robert Barron

Friends, the political nests within the moral, which nests within the sacred. We know that there are social wrongs which need to be made right, but our civic engagement must have a spiritual and moral center, grounded in the ideas of Martin Luther King Jr. and Thomas Aquinas. ———EPISODE LINKS——— Bishop Barron on Why Martin Luther King Jr. Still Matters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueg9FN4K6hE Bishop Barron on Pope Francis and His Four American Heroes: https://www.wordonfireshow.com/episode1/