Founder of Catholic ministry Word on Fire to attend Trump address to Congress

EXCLUSIVE: A well-known Catholic bishop will be in the audience for President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress, Fox News Digital has learned.

Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Catholic media organization Word On Fire, is coming to the Tuesday night speech as a guest of first-term Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va.

Moore also invited Barron to participate in a Catholic Mass with lawmakers before the address.

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Bishop Robert Barron is founder of “Word on Fire.” (Fox News Digital)

“Through Word on Fire, Bishop Barron has helped countless souls discover, strengthen, or return to the Catholic Church by proclaiming the Gospel ‘through the culture.’ His use of contemporary media to reach people is innovative and highly effective,” Moore said in a statement first shared with Fox News Digital. 

“I am honored to host him as my guest for President Trump’s joint address to Congress, and am equally thrilled to have him celebrate the Mass for my colleagues and me prior to the speech.”

Barron called himself a “student of history” in his own statement shared with Fox News Digital accepting the invitation.

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Rep. Riley Moore invited the bishop to attend Trump’s address to Congress. (Office of Rep. Riley Moore)

“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Representative Riley Moore for his kind invitation to celebrate Mass for Catholic members of Congress and to attend, as his guest, the State of the Union Address,” Barron said.

Barron is bishop of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester in Minnesota. His name has traveled further, however, as a leader in bringing Catholic teachings to more people using digital media.

Trump is making his first speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night since returning to the White House for his second term.

President Donald Trump will speak to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. (Evan Vucci/AP)

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Senior Trump adviser Jason Miller previewed the speech during “Fox & Friends Weekend” on Sunday morning.

Miller said Trump will discuss getting his 2017 tax cuts extended, “Making sure we get to Mars,” our artificial intelligence competition against China, and reversing the high cost of living seen under the previous Democratic administration.

“We need more money for the border to keep it secure,” Miller continued, adding Trump would also discuss “making sure we keep peace and stability around the world, but we have to do it with respect and strength.”