Bishop Barron to deliver 2025 Catholic University of America commencement speech

Bishop Robert Barron is the founder of Word on Fire, a media apostolate focused on evangelization. / Credit: Courtesy of Word on Fire

CNA Staff, Apr 7, 2025 / 15:22 pm (CNA).

The Catholic University of America (CUA) has announced that Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, is set to speak at its 2025 commencement ceremony. 

Barron, a university alumnus, is known for his work evangelizing digital media through his nonprofit global media apostolate Word on Fire and his YouTube channel, which has reached nearly 2 million subscribers.

With its campus in the nation’s capital of Washington, D.C., CUA is the national university of the Catholic Church in the United States.

Barron will receive an honorary degree alongside five others: U.S. Rep. Christopher Smith; former March for Life president Jeanne Mancini; Archbishop Vicken Aykazian of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America; Monsignor John Enzler, former president of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington; and Steven Muncy, alumnus and founder of the humanitarian nonprofit Community and Family Services International.

In a statement, CUA President Peter Kilpatrick praised Barron’s work in education and evangelism. “Bishop Barron has spent his life illuminating Catholic teachings and making them accessible to millions of people around the world through his books, videos, and social media presence,” Kilpatrick said.

In addition to founding Word on Fire, Barron is a No. 1 Amazon bestselling author and host of the “Catholicism” documentary series that aired on PBS.

“His ability to engage modern culture while faithfully presenting the richness of the Catholic intellectual tradition embodies what we strive to instill in our students,” Kilpatrick continued. “His call to evangelize through beauty, goodness, and truth will provide powerful inspiration for our graduating class as they prepare to lead with light in their future endeavors.”

Sharing his gratitude for the opportunity to return to his alma mater, where he earned master’s degree in philosophy in 1982, Barron said: “I am honored to accept The Catholic University of America’s invitation to deliver an address during this year’s commencement ceremony.” 

In recent years, Barron has delivered multiple commencement addresses, including at University of St. Thomas in Houston in 2021, Benedictine College in 2022, and Hillsdale College in 2023. Barron has also spoken at the headquarters of Google and Facebook, and has appeared on various networks, including CNN, Fox News, and EWTN. 

Commencement will take place on May 17 at 10 a.m. ET. Approximately 1,300 degrees are scheduled to be awarded to graduate and undergraduate students.