Word on Fire and Fathom Entertainment Announce Heaven in Stone and Glass, A New Documentary From Bishop Robert Barron, Coming to U.S. Theaters September 20 & 23.

An Immersive, Cinematic Journey Through Five of France’s Most Iconic Gothic Cathedrals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROCHESTER, Minn. and DENVER, Colo. — April 29, 2026 — Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and Fathom Entertainment, the leading specialty distributor of theatrical content worldwide, announced Bishop Robert Barron’s Heaven in Stone and Glass, a new feature documentary offering an immersive cinematic exploration of five of France’s most iconic Gothic cathedrals and the spiritual meaning embedded within them. This film is coming to theaters nationwide on September 20 and 23, 2026.

On April 15, 2019, the world watched in horror as flames erupted from the rafters of Notre-Dame Cathedral – an event that captivated global audiences and ignited an overwhelming response of loss, awe, and shared cultural grief. Why did the threat to this sacred space resonate so deeply, even among those with no religious affiliation? Bishop Robert Barron returns to France to answer this question, taking the viewer on a cinematic pilgrimage. Produced in collaboration with Spirit Juice Studios, Heaven in Stone and Glass marks a historic milestone: Word on Fire’s first-ever theatrical release.

Bishop Robert Barron – bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, founder of Word on Fire, and host of the acclaimed CATHOLICISM series – now brings his singular gift for making the transcendent accessible to the grandeur of the theatrical experience. In Heaven in Stone and Glass, he leads audiences inside five of France’s most awe-inspiring Gothic cathedrals, unlocking the theological genius encoded in every soaring arch, blazing rose window, and spiraling labyrinth.

“In our spiritually hungry time, the cathedrals can do what they have always done for those who are open,” said Bishop Barron. “They reveal divine treasures that our secular world has forgotten.”

Heaven in Stone and Glass is for believers and skeptics alike. It is for anyone who has ever stood before something ancient and beautiful and felt, inexplicably, that they were in the presence of something more.

Tickets for Heaven in Stone and Glass will be available online on Friday, July 31 and at participating theatre box offices (theatre locations subject to change). For more information and to be among the first notified when tickets go on sale, please visit Fathom Entertainment.

For Heaven in Stone and Glass artwork and photos, please visit the Fathom Entertainment asset page.

About Word on Fire Catholic Ministries

Word on Fire Catholic Ministries is a nonprofit global media apostolate that supports the work of Bishop Robert Barron and reaches millions of people to draw them into—or back to—the Catholic faith. Word on Fire is evangelical; it proclaims Jesus Christ as the source of conversion and new life. Word on Fire is Catholic; it utilizes the tremendous resources of the Roman Catholic tradition—art, architecture, poetry, philosophy, theology, and the lives of the saints—in order to explain and interpret the event of Jesus Christ. Word on Fire exists to draw people into the body of Christ, which is the Church, and thereby give them access to all the gifts that Jesus wants his people to enjoy. To be most effective in this mission, Word on Fire places an emphasis and urgency on the use of contemporary forms of media and innovative communication technologies.

About Spirit Juice Studios

Spirit Juice Studios is a Catholic film production company, started in 2007 with the purpose of elevating Catholic evangelization through cinematic visuals and masterful storytelling. They have since produced videos with hundreds of clients, growing to a robust team that has won multiple awards, including Emmys, Gabriels, and more.

About Fathom Entertainment

Fathom Entertainment is the leading global specialty distributor of content to movie theatres. For more than 20 years, Fathom Entertainment has pioneered theatrical distribution of events and special engagements across various genres and formats, including feature films, episodic content, documentaries, concerts, and live events. Fathom consistently ranks among the top 10 theatrical distributors in North America and distributes content to cinemas worldwide. Fathom Entertainment is owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), and Regal Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L). For more information, visit FathomEntertainment.com.

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We are honored to share that Meriane’s Story, a film we produced for Aid for Women, received an Emmy Award at the 66th Chicago/Midwest Emmy® Awards.

This powerful short film follows Meriane, a 20-year-old woman whose courage and joy shine through as she shares her decision to choose life and the loving support she received along the way.

Her story is a testament to the strength of motherhood, the dignity of every life, and the life-changing impact of organizations like Aid for Women.

Watch the full video, share her story, and continue praying for mothers everywhere who are walking this journey.

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Twelve years ago, Spirit Juice Studios was filming a musical performance by the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist while the conclave was taking place to elect a new pope.

In the middle of our filming session, someone told them that there was white smoke at the Vatican—a sign that a new pope had been chosen. We kept the cameras rolling and captured this heartwarming video of the sisters reacting to the announcement of Pope Francis as the new successor to St. Peter.

Watch the video above to hear Spirit Juice CEO Rob Kaczmark’s memories of that moment as well his other experiences being up close and personal with Pope Francis while filming projects at the Vatican.

We join the worldwide Catholic Church in praying for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul and for the Holy Spirit to guide the cardinals in their selection of the next pope.

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed that artificial intelligence is everywhere. ChatGPT and other AI tools are helping people accomplish everything from writing emails and creating recipes to generating new images, music, and videos. It’s truly astounding how quickly this technology is evolving and improving.

Last October, Spirit Juice Studios’ Branden Stanley was blessed to attend the Builders Artificial Intelligence Forum at the Vatican, where he joined other Catholic creatives, thought leaders, investors, and researchers for a series of panel discussions about the ethical use of AI and how it can be used to develop tools to serve the Church’s mission.

Watch the video above to hear Branden’s take on the conference and his thoughts on how AI technology intersects with the Church.

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Spirit Juice Studios has worked with the March for Life Education and Defense Fund for several years to promote the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C.

This event is a beautiful witness to the strength and vitality of the pro-life movement in the United States. Spirit Juice produced both the recap video above as well as the Why We March promotional video that is shown at the event.

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The feature-length documentary spotlights the life and work of Father Edward J. Flanagan, founder of the groundbreaking child welfare organization Boys Town. He is known to many for the Oscar-winning 1938 film in which Spencer Tracy portrayed him, but his true legacy is the thousands of children whose lives he saved through the creation of Boys Town and his international work in reforming child welfare laws after World War II.

Heart of a Servant premiered October 8 in a one-night-only Fathom Event screening across the country. Now it is available for anyone to rent or buy through Amazon Prime Video.

Narrated by Jonathan Roumie, best known for playing Jesus in the hit TV series The Chosen, the film was produced by Spirit Juice Studios for the Father Flanagan League Society of Devotion, a Catholic nonprofit devoted to supporting Father Flanagan’s cause for sainthood.

 The movie was filmed on location in Ireland, Germany, Austria, Japan and throughout the United States.

“We are thrilled that Heart of a Servant is now available to stream so more people will come to know the story of this future saint,” said Rob Kaczmark, president and CEO of Spirit Juice Studios, who served as an executive producer of the film. “Father Flanagan’s steadfast commitment to providing a safe upbringing and bright future for thousands of at-risk children is an inspiring example that still resonates today.”

Father Flanagan gained influence and admiration over the course of his life from presidents, CEOs, celebrities and more, in the U.S. and as far as Germany and Japan, but none mattered more to him than that of the children for whom he tirelessly worked. A sobering reminder of this was during World War II, as Flanagan saw droves of former Boys Town citizens go off to war. In fact, so many former Boys Town boys named Father Flanagan as their next of kin that the American War Dads Association named him as America’s No. 1 War Dad.

He was named a “Servant of God” by the Archdiocese of Omaha on March 17, 2012, the first step in the canonization process for the Catholic Church to declare him a saint. Father Flanagan was a hero for his times, and for ours, as well: his approach to child welfare remains a top influence in the field, and his frequent outspokenness against injustice showed he was always willing to tell the truth, regardless of risk.

For more information on the film, visit: https://www.fatherflanaganfilm.com/

To view on Amazon Prime, visit:
https://www.primevideo.com/detail/Heart-of-a-Servant-The-Father-Flanagan-Story/0U6DE3Y6LO546T34HN0OI9NBGO

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The Spirit Juice Studios team attended an exciting red carpet premiere for the new documentary “Heart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan Story” on Friday, September 13 on the campus of Boys Town in Nebraska. Father Edward J. Flanagan is known to many thanks to the 1938 film in which he is portrayed by Oscar-winner Spencer Tracy. But that is only part of his story. The new film produced by Spirit Juice Studios for the Father Flanagan League tells all aspects of Father Flanagan’s story and details the rich legacy he left behind that revolutionized the care of children around the world.

Narrated by Jonathan Roumie, “Heart of a Servant: The Story of Father Flanagan” will be released by Fathom Events exclusively in theaters nationwide for one-night only, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.

Purchase tickets and learn more about the film at www.fatherflanaganfilm.com

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Father Edward J. Flanagan is a familiar name to many Americans, often for the Oscar-winning 1938 film starring Spencer Tracy about Flanagan’s groundbreaking child welfare organization, Boys Town. But he’s best known for living a life of heroic virtue and sanctity, valiantly serving countless at-risk youth as a mentor and protector. The remarkable story of Father Flanagan is told in the new feature-length documentary, “Heart of a Servant: The Story of Father Flanagan,” which will be released by Fathom Events exclusively in theaters nationwide for one-night only, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024.

“Heart of a Servant: The Story of Father Flanagan” is narrated by Jonathan Roumie, best known for playing Jesus in the hit TV series “The Chosen”; produced by Spirit Juice Studios; and co-sponsored by the Father Flanagan League. The movie was filmed on location in Ireland, Germany, Austria, Japan and throughout the United States.

Father Flanagan gained influence and admiration over the course of his life from presidents, CEOs, celebrities and more, in the U.S. and as far as Germany and Japan, but none mattered more to him than that of the children for whom he tirelessly worked. A sobering reminder of this was during World War II, as Flanagan saw droves of former Boys Town citizens go off to war. In fact, so many former Boys Town boys named Father Flanagan as their next of kin that the American War Dads Association named him as America’s No. 1 War Dad.

He was named a “Servant of God” by the Archdiocese of Omaha on March 17, 2012, the first step in the canonization process for the Catholic Church to declare him a saint. Father Flanagan was a hero for his times, and for ours, as well: his approach to child welfare remains a top influence in the field, and his frequent outspokenness against injustice showed he was always willing to tell the truth, regardless of risk.

“Father Flanagan was a virtuous man dedicated to serving God and abandoned and orphaned children,” said Rob Kaczmark, co-director and executive producer of “Heart of a Servant: The Story of Father Flanagan.” “He refused to let any obstacles, including racist laws and institutions, stand in the way of caring for countless youth during his lifetime. We hope our movie shines a light upon the miraculous work of Father Flanagan and furthers his cause of canonization.”

The documentary features expert commentary from:
● Dr.Heather Fryer, former professor of history and director of the American Studies, Creighton University
● Steve Wolf, vice postulator for the cause for the beatification and canonization of Servant of God Father Edward J. Flanagan and a Boys Town alumnus
● DeaconOmarF.A. Guiterrez, notary, cause for canonization of Edward J. Flanagan
● ThomasLynch, director of community programs and curator of archives, Boys Town
● Gloria Purvis, media host and racial justice expert
● Fr.Ryan Lewis, J.C.L., Archbishop’s delegate, cause for canonization of Edward J. Flanagan
● Marilyn “Winkie” Takahashi-Fordney, former Boys Town resident

Purchase tickets and learn more about the film at www.fatherflanaganfilm.com

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We were honored to receive an Emmy Award at the 66th Annual New York Emmy® Awards for a video that we produced for the Knights of Columbus entitled “Hero on the Hudson”.

This is a compelling story of Captain Vince Lombardi, a ferry captain for the New York Waterway, who helped rescue the passengers and crew of US Airways Flight 1549 when it made an emergency landing in the Hudson River in 2009.

For nearly two decades, Vince Lombardi has been a ferry captain for the New York Waterway. January 15, 2009, was like any other day for Vince, ferrying passengers to their destination. That is until a passenger jet came to rest in front of his vessel in the Hudson River. Knowing that every second mattered, Vince mobilized his crew and helped rescue 56 passengers from the wing of the submerged plane. He credits God and putting faith into action with helping accomplish this harrowing feat.

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