There is, perhaps, no better place to be a Catholic than the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia. Its founding bishop, Thomas J. Welsh, established a solid foundation at its creation in 1974. He invited contemplative orders to the diocese to pray for the local church, welcomed evangelists of the media age, like the Daughters of St. Paul, assisted in the founding of solidly Catholic Christendom College, and ensured priests of the diocese received an orthodox, fully Catholic formation. The diocese's reputation for orthodoxy has attracted an abundance of priestly and religious vocations, and many parishes have had to expand rectories to accommodate at least three or four resident priests.
A key to the diocese's success has been a rich array of parish-based adult catechesis programs. Pastors have recognized that two generations of American Catholics have suffered from poor formation in the faith. Many Catholics who have moved to the Northern Virginia diocese have discovered a fullness of the faith that they had not even known existed.
Among many great new cathechetical apostolates in the diocese, forming Catholics more knowledgeable and faithful to Jesus Christ and His Church, is the
Institute of Catholic Culture. Founded by Sabatino Carnazzo, a recent graduate of Christendom College, the Institute sponsors lectures on Catholic history, philosophy, and theology "as a way of healing the wounds in the Body of Christ, and reaching out to those who seek knowledge of the Truth." The Institute regularly draws hundreds to hear the best teachers and provides "a social setting where the Faith is not only learned, but lived."
Audio tapes of the
Institute's programs are available on its website, and we will be featuring these exceptional lectures on this blog in the weeks ahead.
Mr. Carnazzo was recently interviewed by Father Benedict Groeschel on EWTN's
Sunday Night Live program. It provides a great insight into this needed and extraordinary new apostolate and its founder.
