Catholicism: The Pivotal Players — Word on Fire

Bishop Robert Barron is embarking on a journey to uncover the truth behind the Catholic Church's most influential figures. The Pivotal Players is a multi-part film series that illuminates a handful of saints, artists, mystics, and scholars who not only shaped the life of the church but changed the course of civilization. See the places where St. Thomas Aquinas lived, learned, and wrote. Visit the countryside where St. Francis gathered a group of friars and revived the church. See the places where St. Catherine of Siena ministered and prayed. Trek through England to where Blessed John Henry Newman and G.K. Chesterton left their mark and sparked an English Catholic revival. And marvel at the extraordinary art of Michelangelo, from the David statue in Florence, to the Pieta at St. Peter's, to the Sistine Chapel.

The second installment of the Pivotal Players series focuses on two saints from the fourth and fifth centuries. Bishop Robert Barron traces the lives and contributions of these two pivotal saints: St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Benedict of Nursia. St. Augustine, the Teacher, is possibly the best example of how faith in Christ changed a person. Augustine's narrative of personal transformation in his book Confessions provides a timeless template for life in Christ that remains relevant today. Many would argue that St. Benedict, the Monk, contributed more to saving Western Christian culture than anyone else. Born just after Rome fell, Benedict founded the religious community that would, in time, preserve the best of the old and allow for the emergence of an authentic, Christian way of life. (©2016, 2019, 2020)