By Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. • Posted November 11, 2015

As with any other family, life in a local Church goes on, even after a wonderful visit from the Pope and an important world synod of bishops. For most Catholics, faith is learned and lived at the parish level. The diocese exists as a link to the wider Church, as a source of guidance and help, and to provide services and opportunities for spiritual enrichment less easily had at the parish level.

One of those services is the annual Archbishop’s Lecture Series, ably staffed by Meghan Cokeley, which begins this Thursday evening, November 12.

The overall goal of this year’s series is to help Christians think clearly and live with some inner joy in a culture that seems less and less friendly to issues of faith. And our first speaker, Mr. Ken Myers, is the perfect choice to start us on that path.

If you can imagine C.S. Lewis doing NPR-quality audio interviews with the best authors, artists, scholars and musicians from every Christian tradition, then you have an idea of Ken Myers’ work. Raised Presbyterian and now worshiping in the Anglo-Catholic tradition, Myers is “merely Christian” in the classic C.S. Lewis sense: He focuses on what unites, rather than what divides, people who are faithful to the Word of God and the shared basics of Christian belief.

Myers’ bimonthly Mars Hill Audio journal, which he hosts, writes and produces, is one of the finest sources of adult Christian enrichment available anywhere. It’s equally valuable for Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox. Wonderful Catholic voices like Christian Smith, Michael Hanby, David L. Schindler and the late Stratford Caldecott, among many others, have joined Myers in conversation over the years.

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His knowledge of popular culture and great music is especially strong, and best of all, he’s a gifted speaker. Listening to his remarks and joining the discussion that follows will be an evening very well spent.

All lectures are free, open to the public and will take place at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Vianney Hall Auditorium; 100 East Wynnewood Road; Wynnewood, PA 19096 (Montgomery County). The full schedule includes:

Thursday, November 12, 2015 
Speaker: Mr. Kenneth Myers, Mars Hill Audio
Topic:  “Neither Worldly nor Worldless: Faithful Christian Living in a Post-Christian Society”
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Monday, December 7, 2015
Speaker: Professor Michael Hanby, Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family
Topic:  “The Truth Will Set You Free: Liberal Order and the Future of Christian Freedom”
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 11, 2016
Speaker: Professor Melissa Moschella, Catholic University of America
Topic: “Living as a Christian Family in a Culture of Unbelief”
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Monday, March 7, 2016
Speaker: Professor Anthony Esolen, Providence College
Topic: “Themes from Life Under Compulsion: Ten Ways to Destroy the Humanity of Your Child”
Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The Catholic faith is meant to be lived, and to help us do that well, God invites us to constantly deepen our fellowship with other believers, our knowledge of Scripture, Christian culture and history, and the teaching of the Church. This year’s lecture series is a great tool to achieve those things.  I hope to see you there.

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For information on Mars Hill Audio and a free sample issue (highly recommended), please visit:  https://marshillaudio.org/