Brandon Vogt Interview with Archbishop Charles Chaput

The following comes from Brandon Vogt:

The family has always been central for Christians. The Catechism describes it as the “the original cell of social life,” Catholics pay great homage to the Holy Family, and recent popes have taken up the topic, from Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae to John Paul II’s Theology of the Body.

But among Catholic leaders, the family is receiving more attention today than perhaps at any time in the last century. The boost started during last year’s Extraordinary Synod on the Family. Discussions about marriage and the many challenges families face today pervaded the Church. The discussion continues this year as we move toward the Ordinary Synod on the Family, scheduled for October 2015.

However, in between the two Synods awaits the World Meeting of Families, which will take place September 21-25, 2015 in Philadelphia. Held every three years and sponsored by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for the Family, the World Meeting of Families is the world’s largest Catholic gathering of families.

Each World Meeting of Families has a theme, and this year it is “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” emphasizing the impact of the love and life of families on our society. The event always generates great excitement but will garner special enthusiasm this year thanks to Pope Francis, who will be attending the event during his first visit to the United States.

Today, I have the great pleasure of interviewing Archbishop Charles Chaput, archbishop of Philadelphia and official host of the World Meeting of Families. We discuss the upcoming event, the greatest challenges families face today, and how the Pope’s presence will uplift Catholics throughout America.
 

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BRANDON VOGT: Let’s start off with a simple question. What is the World Meeting of Families? Where did it originate and why is it important?

ARCHBISHOP CHARLES CHAPUT: St. John Paul II founded the World Meeting of Families in 1994, building on the success of World Youth Day in Denver and other cities globally. It takes place every three years in a different nation.

The purpose is simple but vital: to help people deepen their Christian understanding and experience of family life. If the family is the foundation of society, and of course it is, then strengthening family life is the surest guarantee of a healthy culture.

BRANDON: The theme of the 2015 “World Meeting of Families,” in Philadelphia, is “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive.” What does that mean?

ARCHBISHOP CHAPUT: The theme borrows from those great words of St. Irenaeus: “The glory of God is man fully alive.” Men and women are most fully alive when they love as God loves, deeply and unselfishly, and for most people the path to that kind of love is through marriage and family.

Read the rest here.

Jesus the Bridegroom: Brandon Vogt interviews Dr. Brant Pitre

The following comes from Brandon Vogt:

Whenever I recommend Dr. Brant Pitre to friends, I describe him as the Indiana Jones of Catholic theology. His books are like treasure hunts. Dr. Pitre guides you through familiar passages, which are often darkened by confusing twists and turns, but like the adventurous Jones he shines light in just the right places to uncover new treasure, riches that leave you surprised and entranced. The most common reaction friends have after reading his work is, "Wow! Why didn't I see that before?"

Dr. Pitre's first book, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist (Image, 2011), illuminated the Last Supper and Crucifixion with the light of first-century Jewish tradition. Widely lauded as fresh and fascinating, the book examined the powerful symbolism behind Jesus' key actions during Holy Week.

His newest book, Jesus and the Bridegroom: The Greatest Love Story Ever Told (Image, 2013), uses Dr. Pitre's same intellectual gifts—his command of the Old Testament, his grasp of first-century Judaism, and his invigorating writing style—to unveil the central key to salvation history: God's marriage to his people. From beginning to end, from Adam and Eve to Revelation, the Bible depicts the story of a wedding, a marriage between the Creator and his creation. And the central figure is the Bridegroom God made flesh, Jesus Christ. When read through this lens, with special attention to Jewish nuptial language, the life and mission of Jesus shines brilliantly in new ways.

I recently sat down with Dr. Pitre to discuss his new book. We chatted about the importance of first-century Jewish tradition to the New Testament, we examined a few key episodes in the life of Christ that highlight his Bridegroom identity, and we explored the implications of this connection for Christians today.

Son of God: A Film Review by Brandon Vogt

Brandon Vogt from Motive Entertainment on Vimeo.
The movie looks impressive and opens on Friday, February 28.  For more on the film "Son of God" please go here.

Strength for the Kingdom: An Interview with Catholic Bodybuilder Jared Zimmerer

Brandon Vogt Interview with Msgr. Charles Pope

The following comes from Brandon Vogt:

What if your pastor stood up next Sunday and said he wanted to double the size of the parish within one year? That's exactly what happened at Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Catholic parish in Washington DC, a predominantly African-American parish. Monsignor Charles Pope made that bold challenge last September and then got to work.

He trained forty parishioners to evangelize door-to-door, had another forty stay at the church and pray, and then asked forty more to cook meals for everyone upon their return. The whole program was a success. They visited more than 1,500 homes and drew many people back to the church.

Msgr. Pope is known for more than his parish work, though. His popular blog at the Archdiocese of Washington website is read across the world and his dynamic preaching inspires countless others.

Msgr. Pope recently sat down with me to talk about blogging, preaching, evangelization, and the unique experiences of serving in an African-American Catholic parish.