LINCOLN (SNR) – St. Joseph Parish in Lincoln will begin a program for young adults Oct. 12, built around Bishop Robert Barron’s “Catholicism” series of videos and discussion, a groundbreaking, award-winning documentary about the Catholic Faith.
Deacon Matt Hecker will be the facilitator for the program.
Prior to ordination and his current work with Catholic schools in the Lincoln Diocese as chief administrative officer, Deacon Hecker spent 30 years working in higher education, most recently as dean of students at UNL.
“In that time, I found many young people have questions about the Church,” he said. “Too often, rather than seeking answers or clarification, young adult Catholics simply leave the Church. Too often in our parishes, we unintentionally overlook the needs of young adults… (and) as a result, many feel isolated in the pews.”
While the Newman Center and FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) do “fantastic work” with college students, he said, many more young adults “either don’t attend college or have graduated and moved beyond their collegiate experience.”
“That’s the population this series seeks to target,” he said.
Bishop Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is the founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and the host of “Catholicism.”
The series, which was created between 2008 and 2010, aired on PBS in 2011.
The 10-part series takes Bishop Barron to more than 50 locations in 16 countries, and explores details, culture, and practices of Catholics and the more than 1 billion who participate in the faith.
Deacon Hecker said Bishop Barron’s pioneering work in evangelizing through the new media combined with his remarkable ability to teach and connect with young adults, promise to make the program “very engaging and worthwhile.”
The “Catholicism” series is scheduled for Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish, beginning Oct. 12. Each session will be 60-90 minutes, and there will be 11 sessions this fall and 11 in the winter.
Participants may attend without registering. The cost for the study guide is $20. For more information, please contact Deacon Matt Hecker: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The series is open to all, even non-Catholics interested in learning about the faith.
