Bishop Robert E. Barron
Photo: CNS Our physical isolation is no excuse for failing to grow in faith, writes Jason Osborne
With the latest announcement from the Government confirming total lockdown until at least March 5 it is finally setting in, at least for me, that we’re not getting back to normal any time soon. That fact probably evokes a range of emotions in us, but our Faith forbids us from condemning this time as hopeless, much as we might like to. As is the way with God, what often appears bleak and colourless is actually full of potential for moving closer to him. The present situation is no different, with God offering each of us endless paths toward himself.
Much the same as everyone else, I quickly tired of the online world to which we’ve been relegated. Despite that, I’ve been realising afresh lately just how important exposure to good, healthy content is. I generally prefer reading to watching videos or listening to podcasts, but sometimes the simple fact is I’m too tired to do anything other than press play and listen to something interesting.
The news cycle and the world of current affairs are particularly wearing these days, and so I’ve been increasingly drawn to the world of ‘online ministry’, if it could be called that. As Catholics, we’re sitting upon a treasure trove of informative, insightful and edifying resources. We have more access today to the extensive and varied teachings of the Church than ever before. As such, if you find the mood at home to constantly be dipping lately, whether it be the adults or the children, I recommend some of these aids to you on your walk with God.
Mass
As we are currently deprived of the public celebration of the sacraments, an obvious first stop is the exemplary Mass-streaming services that have provided many people around Ireland a haven over the tumultuous months of 2020 and 2021. While online attendance at Mass cannot ultimately compare to or replace physical attendance, it is a service to be grateful for as it has allowed the most vulnerable among us to maintain a link to one of the key pillars in their lives. In Ireland, MCN Media and Church Services TV are the go-to streamers of Mass, offered in and streamed from churches all over the island.
Scripture
Many of the online resources I’ve been referencing come in the form of podcasts and videos and they deal with every aspect of our Faith, both Scripture and Tradition. Beginning with Scripture, I think it’s fair to say that this has not been the Faithful’s strong suit for much of the Church’s history – in many cases through no fault of their own. Access to the Bible has been limited in many times and places for one reason or another: not least because there was no printing press for much of the Church’s history.
At 20-25 minutes per session, this podcast is a manageable, necessary piece of prayer and context in your daily routine”
However, there is now no excuse for remaining in ignorance of one of the Church’s pillars with so much free content to be found online. To begin with, American priest Fr Mike Schmitz recently launched The Bible in a Year podcast, which to the surprise of many, soared to the top of the Apple charts and remained there for a number of weeks following its release. As of the writing of this, it remains in the top five.
Fr Schmitz walks listeners through, as the name suggests, the entire Bible in 365 days, in a series replete with commentary and prayer. He’s a very likeable presenter and breaks down the complex symbolism of the Bible in a way accessible to anyone – although the podcast’s website suggests that some of the more “adult themes” to be found in the Bible may not be suitable for children just yet, recommending parental discretion.
His Bible breakdown is inspired by scriptural scholar Jeff Cavins’ new timeline and approach which sees salvation history broken down into distinct segments. At 20-25 minutes per session, this podcast is a manageable, necessary piece of prayer and context in your daily routine.
Ascension Presents
In keeping with Fr Mike Schmitz, the channel that he produces content for on YouTube, Ascension Presents, produces highly informative videos on a range of topics that contemporary Catholics have to grapple with.
The main contributors are Fr Schmitz, Fr Mark-Mary, a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal, and Jackie and Bobby Angel, a married couple heavily engaged in sharing God’s plan for marriage and family life. There are others, such as the aforementioned biblical scholar Jeff Cavins, but the above provide the bulk of the video content on the channel.
As an example of some of the topics dealt in their videos, titles include ‘How to practice the presence of God’, ‘How to pray for your future spouse’ and ‘How to deal with ruined plans’. The topics are dealt with in a manner completely formed by the Catholic worldview and teachings, which make them ideal for communicating the true essence of the Faith to young people, whether you intend to invite your children to watch them, or whether you simply want to brush up on Catholic apologetics yourself.
BibleProject
The BibleProject is a non-profit “ed-tech organisation and animation studio” which produces videos, blogs, podcasts, classes and other Bible resources for a range of platforms, including YouTube and Spotify.
While it is not a Catholic organisation, the main hosts of the channel, Tim Mackie and Jonathan Collins, do a fantastic job of elucidating the Bible without getting into denominational disputes. They explain the origins of words and concepts that we take for granted these days such as ‘sin’ and ‘grace’ by placing them in their original context, describing what these words would have meant to those who were both hearing and using them thousands of years ago in their original Hebrew.
Merely understanding a little more about the language that underpins the Scriptures does wonders for our understanding of the world we live in. Not limited to explanations of words and concepts, they also provide extensive analysis of the different books and themes found in the Bible, such as the ‘Apocalyptic’ literature. The original sense of the “apocalypse” is a little different to the Hollywood ideas we’ve been filled with, we come to see.
Matt Fradd/ Pints with Aquinas
Another slick production, Matt Fradd is a prominent Catholic youtuber who produces apologetic content. He frequently hosts debates on his channel on a range of topics, be they lofty philosophical discussions about the existence of God with atheists, or more practical arguments about the dangers of pornography.
He is often joined by a range of religious, laity and people of different faiths (or none at all). Actor Jonathan Roumie, who played Jesus in the online series The Chosen even joined him for an at-length and in-depth discussion about what it was like to play the Son of God and the effect that it had on his spirituality, so a wide variety of content is guaranteed.
Bishop Robert Barron
Bishop Barron has shot to stardom over the past couple of years, but his base remains on YouTube. Most well-known for his Catholicism series, the auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles continues to produce perfectly discerned content with a more intellectual edge, although that is not to say that he is not accessible.
The prominent youtuber posts homilies, reflections on movies, books and different cultural and political happenings. As mentioned, his reflections are steeped in the rich, intellectual tradition of the Church, with St Thomas Aquinas, St Augustine and the Church Fathers getting frequent mentions, as well as modern theologians like Pope Benedict XVI and Hans Urs von Balthasar.
The common thread throughout all of these resources is that they are realistic about the trials and challenges people and the world currently face without compromising on a solid, Catholic foundation. If you find yourself despairing as lockdown rolls on, you could do worse than turn to these companions along the road.