Archbishop in Dialogue

ARCHBISHOP IN DIALOGUE is a new digital platform for the Archbishop of Edmonton to teach the Catholic faith in an engaging manner, using thoughtful conversations with a variety of guests from all walks of life. In the fourth episode Archbishop Smith sits down with Theresa Robinson from St. Joseph's College and Jessica Heidenreich-Korchinski. They talk about their experience of preparing for mass as a mother and university student, as well as the role technology has played in their experience of the mass during the pandemic. Is there something you’d like to see addressed on Archbishop in Dialogue? Comments and questions welcome! This project has grown out of Archbishop Smith’s 2017 Pastoral Letter, Living in the Word of God. In it, he offered “some thoughts as to how we, as members of this Archdiocesan family, can together listen carefully to the Word of God and, in a shared commitment, put it into practice.” He also posed a number of reflection questions to help us examine how we can more fully embrace our Christian identity and joyfully follow the Christian way of life. In the first two years after the letter was published, we concentrated on hearing the Word. We were called to make an encounter with Sacred Scripture part of our daily lives, by incorporating it into our Grace at meals, adding it to the beginning of our meetings, gathering for Bible studies, or just reflecting on a Bible passage each day. Now as we enter the third year, we will concentrate on doing the Word; that is, putting the Word of God into practice. “Throughout the history of the Church,” Archbishop Smith wrote, “the Christian response to God's love revealed in Christ has been threefold: worship, witness and service. In these three ways we put into practice the Word of God. ” Even in normal times, in an Archdiocese as large as ours, it was impossible for the Archbishop to be physically present at each parish regularly, and conferences would take up time and resources. Now, as we continue our faith journey amid the challenges of a global pandemic, digital projects are even more relevant. Through Archbishop in Dialogue, we hope to illustrate the Archbishop’s pastoral and catechetical priorities on a regular basis. We plan to release one full episode a month, and release small clips on the weeks in-between that lead/link to the larger conversation.

In the second episode: Why Worship Sacramentally? Archbishop Smith’s guests include Paul Batz, a recent convert to Eastern Orthodoxy from a evangelical protestant upbringing, as well as Dr. Ryan Topping, the Academic Dean at Newman Theological College. Is there something you’d like to see addressed on Archbishop in Dialogue? Comments and questions welcome!

The first episode: Why Worship? Archbishop Smith talks to Brian Holdsworth, a Catholic convert and digital evangelist, and Pastor Phil Kniesel, the head pastor of Hope City Church in Edmonton Alberta, to talk about the fundamental reasons for going to church and worship in general.