On January 24 Catholic Answers was honored to host Bp. Dominique Rey of the diocese of Frejus-Toulon in southern France. Accompanying him were eighteen priests and eighteen laymen, along with members of the local Emmanuel Community, a society formed to help its members grow in sanctity and spread the Faith through Eucharistic adoration, compassion, and evangelization. The visit was arranged by Fr. Scott Borgman, the coordinating secretary for the Pontifical Council for Life and is the second year in a row that Bishop Rey has graced us with his presence. The group met with Catholic Answers staff to discuss innovative ways of renewing the Catholic Church in France.
His Excellency offered Mass in the Catholic Answers chapel, during which our staff was blessed to hear the liturgy sung by beautiful and inspiring French voices. After an outdoor lunch, Bp. Rey and his entourage gathered with members of the Catholic Answers senior management team for some tips on how to start a comprehensive program of Catholic apologetics in France. Christopher Check, president of Catholic Answers, began the discussion with an overview of our fundraising efforts, followed by presentations by senior apologist Jimmy Akin and director of marketing Jon Sorensen on our internet presence and marketing strategies. Catholic Answers Press editor Todd Aglialoro explained the integral part the press has in our work as it appeals to those who like to read their way into the Church; Director of radio Darin DeLozier gave an overview of Catholic radio in America and emphasized our dedication to hosting orthodox guests and being precise in our answers; Catholic Answers Magazine editor Tim Ryland discussed the system behind producing an periodical that is enticing and instructive. The presentations were concluded with the history of Catholic Answers by founder Karl Keating, followed by a Q & A session.
Bishop Rey expressed his desire to create an organization like Catholic Answers in his diocese and also said that, like Catholic Answers, such an organization should be operated by the laity. For someone just beginning to explore the Catholic Faith, he said, clergy are often not the best people with whom to talk. Laity can be more approachable, he felt. Karl agreed that after three decades of Catholic Answers, his experience showed that to be true. Bishop Rey’s diocese is heavily populated by Muslims, so he was particularly interested to hear about Catholic Answers products that made clear the considerable differences between Christianity and Islam. Among His Excellency’s efforts is a program of street evangelization that sends defenders of the Faith to beaches and nightclubs.
After discussing topics ranging from Catholic education to the practical steps for beginning a program of apologetics, it was agreed to pursue a plan of greater cooperation between the two groups.
Reflecting upon the day, Karl said, “I was encouraged to learn about the diocese of Frejus-Toulon and hear how it is thriving under the governance of Bp. Rey, a man who has established over fifty apostolic organizations. The visit was very fruitful and I look forward to hearing about its effects in France.”
During his visit, Patrick Coffin interviewed Bishop Rey for a segment of Catholic Answers Focus, in which his Excellency spoke on the challenges facing the Church in France: including the growth of Islam, the abundance of vocations from his diocese, and the history of how France has been blessed with so many saints. The podcast will be available in mid-February on our podcast page.