26 Mar 24 – Father Jeffrey Kirby’s Advice to Bishops

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber.

[2] I'm with Virgin Most Powerful Radio, and I'm honored every week, a couple times a week, to talk about the gospel with Bishop Strickland and to really get inspirational stories of, I say lay people especially, but priests to, that are standing up for the faith, which is what we need today.

[3] We need more foot soldiers standing up for the gospel in this culture of death.

[4] And that's what St. John Paul II wrote back in 2001 in a document I can't pronounce in Latin, but he talked about the need for lay people and people in general to know their scriptures and to know their catechism to be able to proclaim the gospel to a world that acts like God doesn't exist.

[5] And he called it a secular world.

[6] We need to proclaim Jesus Christ in season and out.

[7] Welcome Bishop Strickland again to another, I'll call it a holy hour of power with Bishop Strickland.

[8] Thanks, Terry.

[9] Okay, and you can tell I'm in a jovial mood, but you know why I'm so happy?

[10] It's because I just went to confession, okay, on Monday.

[11] And I thought, what a great sacrament that is for me, and getting ready for the week that changed the world, which is right now.

[12] We're talking about Holy Week.

[13] And I want to encourage our listeners, if you haven't gotten to confession, it's a good time to go before, right during Holy Week, too.

[14] Bishop Strickland, I'd like to ask if you could We're going to read the gospel over the day But I want to tease everybody I have a friend who's a priest who's a rector in the seminary So he knows pretty much the formation of priests And he's got some concerns he has about the church And he looks to St. Charles Borromeo as an answer And I thought, what?

[15] I remember him being The guy that started the seminary back in the 16th century What's he going to talk about?

[16] Well, we're going to get that on the second segment, and you've never heard it, and I want to get your response, because he talks to people dressed like you who are bishops, and I think he gives you really good advice.

[17] You're already heating it, but I think the bishops conference and other bishops would be well to take his advice, and he's going to give that in the second segment.

[18] So if we can read the gospel of Matthew chapter 26, that would be grand.

[19] Okay.

[20] Reading from the Holy Gospel, according to John.

[21] I'm wrong one.

[22] Okay, go ahead.

[23] Reclining at table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified.

[24] Amen, amen, I say to you.

[25] One of you will betray me. The disciples looked at one another at a loss as to whom he meant.

[26] One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus.

[27] aside.

[28] So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant.

[29] He leaned back against Jesus' chest and said to him, Master, who is it?

[30] Jesus answered, it is the one to whom I and the morsel after I hand the morsel after I've dipped it.

[31] So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of Simon the Ascariot.

[32] And after Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him.

[33] So Jesus said to him, what you are going to do, do quickly.

[34] Now, none of those reclining at table realized why he had said this to him.

[35] Some thought that since Judas was kept the money back, Jesus had told him, buy what we need for the feast.

[36] or to give something to the poor.

[37] So Judas took the morsel and left at once, and it was night.

[38] When he had led, Jesus said, now is the son of man glorify, and God is glorified in him.

[39] If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once.

[40] my children, I will be with you only a little while longer.

[41] You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, where I go, you cannot come.

[42] So now I say to you, Simon Peter said to him, Master, where are you going?

[43] Jesus answered him, Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.

[44] Peter said to him, Master, why can't I, why can I not follow you now?

[45] I will lay down my life for you.

[46] Jesus answered, will you lay down your life for me?

[47] Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three times.

[48] This gospel passage for the Tuesday of Holy Week, regular Mass, on that Tuesday of Holy Week.

[49] Really, there's a lot there in this dramatic scene there at the Last Supper where Jesus is betrayed by Judas and then has this conversation with St. Peter.

[50] I think this gospel reminds us of the reality of the betrayal of Jesus that continues in the church really throughout the ages.

[51] At least in a small way, whenever we sin, we enter into that betrayal of Jesus that Judas carried out dramatically.

[52] There's several moments in this passage from John's Gospel that are worth reflecting on as we continue this Holy Week and enter into soon the Tritome with the Mass of Holy Third.

[53] which this gospel is depicting as Jesus is there at the table where he will institute the Eucharist that continues to be his sustaining presence in the life of the church, body and blood, soul, and divinity.

[54] I think it's worth spending a lot of time reflecting on the reality that the betrayal of Jesus takes place right there as he is instituting the Eucharist and foreshadowing the pouring out of his body and blood on the cross, his death and resurrection.

[55] And then the conversation with Peter, really, one thing that is striking as Jesus speaks to the disciples and Peter responds, Jesus says, now is the son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

[56] We have to realize that Jesus is saying that right after Judas, his betrayer, is left to begin the betrayal, to begin what will culminate with him being arrested after he prays in the Garden of Gethsemini, with the kiss of Judas being that signal to the soldiers, this is the one that they need to arrest.

[57] So all of that, to me, it's worth really reflecting on that Jesus says now, he is glorified.

[58] It reminds us that the glory that we are called to seek, we are called to seek glory, but not the glory of the world, not the glory of position or wealth or all the ways that the world speaks of glory, but the real glory that is Jesus Christ.

[59] And ironically, Jesus is saying, now is the Son of God glorified, just as he's being betrayed.

[60] I think that teaches us a lot about the kind of glory that we're called to share it, that we might initially think, oh, well, you know, we're to be humble and we're not to seek glory.

[61] not in terms of the world, but we are to seek the glory that is Christ.

[62] And it's a hard one glory.

[63] It is a glory that flies in the face of what the world calls glory.

[64] Here he is being betrayed.

[65] In this betrayal, we know, will culminate in his death on the cross.

[66] And he speaks of being glorified in this hour.

[67] I think it reminds us that the sacrificial love that Christ models, is so different from what the world speaks of, and we are challenged to embrace it.

[68] Then as he goes into this conversation with Simon Peter, Peter says, where are you going?

[69] And Jesus says, where I am going, you cannot follow me, though you will follow me later, certainly alluding to Peter's death on a cross, which we know was an upside down.

[70] cross.

[71] Even that signifying that Peter is not the Savior, but he follows the Savior and becomes the first Pope.

[72] Then ironically, this gospel concludes with a prediction of Jesus that Peter will deny him.

[73] We know, as the gospel tells us, that prediction becomes true that Peter does deny him times.

[74] And Peter is horrified by that, but he does fail in that way.

[75] And just reminds us, just like Judas's betrayal reminds us of the devastating consequences of our sins, also Peter's denial.

[76] It's another image of the sinfulness that we all fall into.

[77] Thankfully, God's mercy is always there, even though we fail in sinfulness.

[78] And we deny Jesus.

[79] And we deny Jesus.

[80] or even betray him to in different ways in our own sinfulness, but the mercy is always there.

[81] And I guess I would finally point to the difference between Peter and Judas, both deny Jesus, both in a sense betray him.

[82] Judas dramatically handing him over to the soldiers to ultimately be crucified, but Peter denying him as well.

[83] And so Peter has, the faithful response embracing God's mercy.

[84] Amen.

[85] Despairs of the mercy.

[86] And that's the stark difference between these two apostles.

[87] One is destroyed because he loses faith.

[88] The other is exalted because he embraces faith.

[89] Stay with us, family.

[90] We'll be back in a moment on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[91] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[92] Welcome back indeed to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[93] I want to introduce a priest to Bishop Strickland.

[94] He's never heard this before, so I'm going to get a reaction.

[95] But Father Kirby is a very good priest who's a rector at a seminary.

[96] I think he has the pulse on the solution in the church with our hierarchy, the priest and bishops.

[97] So if we can play this clip, I'd like to get your response.

[98] Someone asked me, they said, Father, can you explain to me?

[99] This is a prominent member in our church who's doing great work for the Catholic family.

[100] And she said, and she asked, Father, explain to me the American hierarchy, who are her worst enemies, a woman who is fighting for the family according to Catholic teachings.

[101] Tell me, explain to me the Catholic hierarchy.

[102] They should be my greatest supporters and advocates.

[103] I said, well, have you heard of this person who's running for president?

[104] you know the one who wants to kill babies and she said of course I have and so just imagine that instead of pursuing politics he had become a priest and imagine that he had been ordained a bishop that is the vast majority of the American hierarchy that is where their faith is that is where their understanding of dogma is the four last things their understanding of heaven.

[105] Explain so much, doesn't it?

[106] Why are our bishop so silent?

[107] Why do the leaders, the shepherds whom we want to shepherd us?

[108] Why do they not speak so boldly?

[109] Why do we not hear from them?

[110] The devils of hell should most fear the office of bishop, priest, and deacon.

[111] Because those men who are, hold that office, their souls are transformed, molded, and shaped by grace.

[112] We believe as Catholics a special character is given to a priest, a deacon, or a bishop, for the sole purpose to fulfill that office of shepherd well and faithfully.

[113] All that grace, and it squandered, it just sits there.

[114] Where are the voices of our heralds?

[115] Where are our saints?

[116] We have some good bishops among us and some amazing priests and some wonderful deacons like Deacon Doc.

[117] But today we celebrate the Feast of St. Charles Borromeo.

[118] He was a great reformer because he chose to be.

[119] None of the other bishops wanted to be.

[120] If you know your church history, you'll be aware that we had this great council called the Council of Trent.

[121] It reformed a church.

[122] It was our response to Protestantism.

[123] What we don't know is that there was actually a council before that called Fifth Lateran.

[124] It was in the year 15 shortly after the 1505, 1507 and so on.

[125] And it called for reform.

[126] It called for a change in the clergy.

[127] It called for a clarification of doctrine.

[128] But there was no Charles Borromeo at Fifth Lateran.

[129] And the bishops went home after they wrote all these great documents.

[130] and none of them did anything.

[131] And guess what?

[132] October 31, 1517, Martin Luther begins the Reformation, the revolution against Mother Church.

[133] And the greatest struggle is that in terms of the life of the church, he was completely right.

[134] Theologically, completely wrong in the life of the church church completely right.

[135] If we had had reformers in Fifth Lateran, we would never have had the Protestant Reformation.

[136] The greatest scandal to the world today.

[137] But the Christian faith is treated as if it's some type of ice cream shop you can go and just pick the flavor you want.

[138] Oh, I like gay marriage.

[139] I think you should kill babies.

[140] Okay, I'll become an Episcopalian.

[141] Huh?

[142] Oh, I think It's okay that Mary couples look at pornography.

[143] I think it's okay that gay people are parents and adopt.

[144] Okay, I'll become a Methodist.

[145] Don't become a Catholic.

[146] They're crazy.

[147] Oh wait, you know what?

[148] None of them believe that anyway.

[149] I'll become a Catholic.

[150] You laugh.

[151] You laugh.

[152] I did.

[153] So do the devils.

[154] Our church has become a joke.

[155] The faith that was literally given to us by the wound of our Lord's side.

[156] as blood and water gushed forth.

[157] This is the most important message ever given to the human family.

[158] It is the message by which we are saved, by which we will be spared from hell, which we deserve.

[159] It is a powerful message.

[160] But imagine if we had never had Protestantism, if there had been reformers at Lateran 5, but there weren't.

[161] And then here comes Trent.

[162] No one wanted to.

[163] The bishops did it.

[164] want Trent.

[165] It was the leadership, the national leadership, it was the emperor and the kings who demanded for a council of reform because they get tired of the corruption of the bishops.

[166] And they were the ones who insisted.

[167] That's why it took so long to convene Trent and why Trent lasted for so long.

[168] And then right after Trent what happened?

[169] All the bishops went home and no one did anything.

[170] think?

[171] The entire north of Christendom was lost by Protestantism.

[172] The Muslims are attacking from the east, and the bishops just go home and they worry about their secret wives and their plush palaces and their fine clothing and their wonderful food.

[173] The joke of Charles Borromeau.

[174] Charles Borneo went to his archdiocese in Milan and he saw the church, the bride of Christ, wounded and broken and hurt, and he fulfilled his responsibility as a baptized Christian and as an ordained bishop.

[175] And he preached reform.

[176] He wrote the catechism of the Council of Trent in order to teach the faithful the faith, so that they might be spared from superstition.

[177] He demanded holiness among his clergy, so much so that some of them tried to kill him.

[178] He created the first seminary.

[179] which Trent had called for because the clergy were woefully ignorant and did not know how to properly celebrate the sacraments.

[180] Charles Borromeo went and he did what the Holy Spirit was asking to the Council of Trent.

[181] And he became a great reformer and he wrote and he explained what he was doing.

[182] And you would think, dear friends, that looking at our world today in the faith and where our faith is, that we will be training the future shepherds in the spirit of Charles Boroughamil and Robert Bellarmine and Ignatius of Loyola because you train according, you form according to how you train.

[183] But we don't train our priests, our future priests to be reformers.

[184] They're too busy being diplomats.

[185] Do you know some people who have reached out to me over the past couple of days about various homilies I have preached and said, oh, Father, you're so brave.

[186] You're so wonderful.

[187] What?

[188] No, that should not be the exception.

[189] Do you realize that St. Paul tells the priest that the apostolic gift of preaching is given to the priest to provoke conviction?

[190] I'm not here as your clown.

[191] And I'm not here to tell you cutesy stories to make you have warm fuzzies.

[192] If you want that, go to another parish.

[193] There are a lot of them here in this area.

[194] If you're truly worried about where you stand with the Lord Jesus and you want to try.

[195] truly allow grace to form you and make you fit for the kingdom of God.

[196] If you believe in the reality of heaven and hell and you understand the power of grace, and you truly want to allow the Lord Jesus to save you, as we hear in the scriptures today, work out your salvation in fear and trembling, that finds you a good Roman Catholic parish and stay close to the sacraments.

[197] Find a priest who's willing to preach the gospel, even if there are times that it might not make you feel, good or you don't particularly like what he's saying find a priest that doesn't care about that but is more concerned with your salvation that was charles barmeil amen this is why god raised him up you know he worked so hard then his mid -forties he literally dropped dead of exhaustion what a wonderful way to go for the kingdom to literally die from exhaustion for the sake of the kingdom of God.

[198] I think after martyrdom, that's the best way to go, right?

[199] To appear before the gates and say, Lord, I poured out everything for you and for your gospel, for your kingdom.

[200] That was Charles Pormat.

[201] Bishop Strickland, I'm telling you, every time I watch it, it inspires me to fall deeper in love with Jesus Christ.

[202] Your thoughts?

[203] Well, Terry, you shared this with me more than a week ago.

[204] I never did watch it, but thank you for being persistent.

[205] I am.

[206] It says exactly what needs to be said.

[207] This should be presented to every conference of bishops in the world, starting with the U .S. CCB, the U .S. Conference of Bishops.

[208] And for our own sake, as bishops, we're just men.

[209] We're called to be convicted, as the priest said, convicted in Jesus Christ, just like every baptized person.

[210] And too many aren't.

[211] And I don't hold myself up as some wonderful example, but I have, I'm proud to be able to say, well, maybe I've suffered a little.

[212] or I've been I've been pushed back a little because I've tried my best to I mean I'm still alive I'm 65 I lived a lot longer than Charles Borromeo so to die of exhaustion is is a challenge that I face but we need to live the gospel we need to really believe it and this priest I applaud him I'm I hope hope he doesn't get in trouble with his bishop.

[213] But too often, that's what happens.

[214] And it needs to stop.

[215] We need to stop allowing bishops to silence priests for simply proclaiming the gospel and being focused on the salvation of souls.

[216] What are we here for, if not that?

[217] And so I applaud this priest and support him.

[218] I'd love to meet him.

[219] And thankfully, he's not alone.

[220] The priest, ironically, maybe that's where we're headed, where the people will demand.

[221] I mean, certainly not the emperors of our time.

[222] No. Not the world leaders.

[223] They're on the wrong page.

[224] That's right.

[225] But hopefully the people will demand reform.

[226] And I think that's already beginning.

[227] I do too.

[228] I think people are fed up with a, fake church that takes them to hell.

[229] That isn't the church to wallow in this world and to forget we're to repent of our sins.

[230] And as, I mean, this priest really hit the nail on the head several times.

[231] We need to deeply reflect during this Holy Week that we are the church that flowed from the wounded side of Christ in the form of blood and water as he gave his life, poured himself out.

[232] And if we don't honor that, then we should be thanked.

[233] When we come back, I had a couple more questions for the good bishop regarding Father Kirby's homily.

[234] Stay with us, family.

[235] You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[236] We'll be back after a quick break.

[237] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[238] Welcome back.

[239] Indeed.

[240] We just heard Father Kirby's homily.

[241] Now we're listening to Bishop Strickland's response to Father's comments.

[242] And I just wanted to ask you a couple questions because he commented about something on spiritual warfare.

[243] You just recently spoke at our spiritual warfare conference with Father Chad Ripperger and all the guys there.

[244] And we were talking about spiritual warfare the whole weekend.

[245] And Father Kirby mentions that the devil.

[246] should it will shudder with fear if a priest or bishop understand their priesthood in a proper manner the devil would run but i'm just going to say my take on it and i've met bishops who have said i don't want to get into spiritual warfare because i'm afraid of it you know i don't want to i don't want to talk i don't want to deal with this bishop strickland i thought of your comments to the bishop's conference years ago on YouTube, it's still on YouTube, where you called your fellow bishops and said, gentlemen, do we believe in the deposit of faith?

[247] Did we believe in the real presence of Christ?

[248] And you said that.

[249] I got to think that you irritated some of your brothers, but I appreciate you bringing this up because as a layman, we sometimes wonder what these guys actually believe because of the actions or let's say the silence that comes out of the diocese that we are all in and we're wondering what do they believe so here's my question when he commented about the devil did that touch you because it touched me when he said that oh i i think we've got to pay attention um and as he said he said a lot of great things and one thing he pointed out that We all need to remember the power of Holy Order.

[250] Amen.

[251] The power that flows for deacons, priests, and bishops.

[252] And frankly, it should be with fear and trembling that every man who is an ordained, deacon, priest, or bishop.

[253] And the higher, the rank, the more the responsibility.

[254] It should be with fear and trembling that we approach the work of being a deacon, priest, or bishop.

[255] Because, Terry, as we both know, and everyone of faith knows, it's not about us.

[256] No. About Jesus Christ.

[257] It's the church that he established working through the sacraments and working through sinful human beings to unleash the power of.

[258] of his grace, the wonder of his sacrificial love.

[259] And for, as this Father Kirby says, for bishops to fail to live, I mean, I certainly do, but we've got to at least try.

[260] And the evidence suggests that the answer to that question from more than five years ago now is that too many don't believe.

[261] And it's just, as he points out, you know, just, oh, the sort of baskin robbers, we choose, robins, we choose the flavor.

[262] Yeah.

[263] And we just, you know, just act like it's an organization that we belong to, but it's not part of the very fabric of who we are as human beings.

[264] That is dangerous to treat the most important entity, which is the Catholic Church, the mystical body of Christ, to treat it like just another organization that you can leave it or take it or shape it the way you want.

[265] And that is a travesty that we see too much of in the world today, even from the hierarchy, treating the church as something not really very significant at all.

[266] And to do that is devastating for the individuals doing it and for the individuals that are not, called to faith by a church that's weak and a church that's compromised in a church that is too much of the world.

[267] Wow, I won't go on with this because I could go for hours on that homily because he said so many good things.

[268] I will encourage people to get the recording from our show and pass it on to friends.

[269] I'm going to say it right now, Bishop Strickland, maybe you could tweet that homily, you know, to see your friends.

[270] get it to me and I will Okay, I'll do it I'll do it Yeah All right Let's I'm going to shift gears Because we have Another show to do I want to go right to The Catechism Because this is The Week that changed the world And there are people That are being baptized This week And I'd like to just do A quick review From the Catechism The Catechism I'm using It's called The Way of Christ This is the student's book And it's put up by the St. Philip Institute in the Diocese of Tyler, Texas.

[271] And this is chapter 12.

[272] We go through it kind of like a Baltimore Catechism question and answer, which I really like that format.

[273] The title, you know, baptism and confirmation, new life in Christ.

[274] His baptism regenerates a person as a child of God by forgiving all sin.

[275] Whoa.

[276] original and personal, and instilling grace into the soul.

[277] Remember, grace is the life of God in us.

[278] Confirmation expands the graces from baptism and strengthens one's union with Christ and his church to be a witness of the faith.

[279] You know, Bishop Strickland, I hope you can still compliment that you were involved putting this catechism together, but I think they just did a marvelous this job, succinctly stating things on the faith.

[280] I mean, whoever that was, I bet you there were some lay people involved in this.

[281] Is that a fair statement?

[282] It was a whole team of people that worked on it.

[283] Some of the original work was done by a very faithful layman.

[284] Good, good.

[285] All right, question one, what is the sacrament of baptism?

[286] Oh, before I do that, I have to tell you something.

[287] Well, you just said a layman.

[288] We were at the conference and there was an elderly priest.

[289] He was ordained in 1964, so that means 60 years of priest.

[290] And he wanted to come to the conference and meet you, and you met him.

[291] And this priest said to me, Terry, I asked him about how it was when he was a young priest.

[292] Because many times people say, well, these problems in the church came after the council.

[293] Now remember, he was in the seminary before the council.

[294] And he said, as professor said, that be ready that when you're ordained, that that there will be many lay people who will know much more than the Catholic priests that are ordained today.

[295] Now, this was in Ireland.

[296] And out of the 11 priests that were ordained in 1964, only two of them kept their promise of their ordination.

[297] So when people say, oh, no, it was after the council, before the council, no, we had problems going on well before the council.

[298] All right, I just had to say that because today, many lay people, and I know you've met them, Bishop strictly, lay people who have been like Dr. Scott Hahn.

[299] There's a good example of someone who's deeped in Scripture, and he's not a priest, he's not an archbishop, but I dare to say there aren't that many ordained clergymen that could hold a stick to him when it comes to Scripture.

[300] There you go.

[301] All right, number one question.

[302] What is the sacrament of baptism?

[303] Baptism is a sacrament by which we are forgiven all past sins, united in Christ for the first time and enter the church.

[304] This is Holy Thursday, the Easter Tritium coming up.

[305] This is the week which changed the world.

[306] Bishop Strickland, baptism, and I just ask you, when you've baptized, I'm sure thousands of babies or thousands of people over the course of your priesthood since 1985 you were ordained, so that's a long time.

[307] What do you tell people, what do you tell the parents?

[308] If their parents were right here to say, Bishop Strickland, what exactly, what is baptism?

[309] Why do I need to baptize my child?

[310] What would you tell them?

[311] Well, it is how you enter into the body of Christ that is the church.

[312] The entryway is through baptism.

[313] As Christ says, you only come to the father through him and through baptism.

[314] So baptism is necessary.

[315] In baptism, we have the tradition.

[316] my parents were faithful enough that I was baptized at 10 days old.

[317] Wow, that's early.

[318] Yeah.

[319] That is, that's what we need to do.

[320] Yeah, of course.

[321] You know, maybe 10 days is too soon for some, but as soon as possible.

[322] So I would say to parents, baptize your child as soon as possible.

[323] And remember, the reason for their baptism is to be freed from.

[324] original sin.

[325] Certainly an infant child hasn't committed any personal sin, but baptism gives them forgiveness of original sin, welcomes them into the kingdom of God if heaven forbid, but it does happen that a child dies after baptism and before they're old enough to have committed a personal sin, which is classically seven years old.

[326] Some kids are a little precocious and may be able to commit sin earlier, but the church uses seven years old as a basic gauge of when a child is mature enough to choose right from wrong, and that's what we have to be mature enough to do to commit sin.

[327] So baptism washes away original sin.

[328] If we're older, if we're older, if we're older, if we're older, enough to have committed any sin, that washes away any personal sin as well, and gives us the life of grace, sanctifying grace, the life of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit, as you mentioned, is strengthened in confirmation, but originally given in baptism.

[329] Right.

[330] Really, everything we're talking about, Terry, and even for, I would say, even for deacons, priests, and bishops as we talked about Father Kirby's homily.

[331] It's about living as the baptized.

[332] And with holy orders, it's extra grace and extra responsibility that comes because of the role of those in holy orders.

[333] But ultimately, it's about living as the baptized, turning from sin and living in grace.

[334] And that's why we're blessed with so many saints that were never ordained and never took religious vows of consecration.

[335] They just live their baptism, strengthened by their confirmation.

[336] I just want to mention for those who were at the Spiritual Warfare Conference, you'll be getting recordings because you were there.

[337] Those of you who didn't make it and want to get recordings of those talks of Bishop Strickland and Father Chad Ripper and Jess Romero and many others, Chad.

[338] and Dr. Sandoval, you can get them by going to Catholic, excuse me, no, the Virgin Most Powerful Radio's website, that's vmpr .org, or you can call us at 877 -526 -21 -5 -1.

[339] Get the recordings, play them at your parish, play them at your home.

[340] Maybe you have a group that comes for a Bible study.

[341] play one each week play of talk each week and after you guys pray the rosary or do your scripture readings this is a way to get the word out because I think these talks were very valuable I still need to listen to all of them because I was running around but you can listen to them all too by going to vmpr .org to get those and also I just want to give a plug we have a men's conference coming up in June for Father's Day weekend and I don't want to forget the women May 4th we have a woman's conference with Dr. Sandoval and Mary Barber, my wife.

[342] You won't want to forget that.

[343] And Jesse Romero and his brother, Johnny, will be at the men's conference.

[344] Those guys were there last year.

[345] They knocked the ball out of the park.

[346] That's why I asked both of them to come back again, because it really helped a lot of men.

[347] And this is a great time for wives to give their husband a Father's Day gift by sending him to the conference on Saturday, and then Father's Day is on Sunday, and I think you'll see the change.

[348] We got priests there for confession, adoration, we pray with the men.

[349] This is just birds of the feather flocking together.

[350] Men especially need to meet other men who are in love with Jesus Christ and his bride, the church.

[351] Bishop Strickland, when we talk about baptism, it just seems so ironic that this is the week that changed the world where we've got new catechumans coming in to the church, so it seems very appropriate to continue on this topic.

[352] so number three question what are the effects up there it goes i see the commercial coming on now hear the music uh you're listening to the bishop strickland hour on virgin most powerful radio we're talking about something super important salvation baptism you know what i baptized all of our kids on the eighth day i tied it into the circumcision and we worked around that maybe you can do that too stay with us family we'll be right back with more the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[353] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[354] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[355] I got to tell you, Bishop Strickland, I just love studying the catechism.

[356] Even myself, we're studying baptism right now.

[357] I've got some insights on baptism that I hadn't thought of in years.

[358] I don't think.

[359] It's such a great thing.

[360] I want to encourage all of us to open up a catechism on a, well, at least a weekly basis.

[361] because it really does give you the insights of our faith, so it says it so succinctly.

[362] And this next question is just absolutely a ball, just a home run.

[363] What are the effects of baptism?

[364] The sacrament of baptism has five major effects.

[365] First, like you mentioned earlier, baptism wipes away original sin, personal sin, and I might add the punishment due to sin.

[366] Secondly, it makes a baptized person a new creation by giving sanctifying grace, adopting him or her as a child of God.

[367] Thirdly, baptism bestows, and this is important, theological virtues of faith, hope, and love, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the soul to aid a person in living a new life in Christ apart from sin.

[368] Fourthly, it incorporates a person into Christ's mystical body, the church.

[369] Finally, the baptism places an indelible seal of Christ upon the soul called the baptismal character that marks him or her as belonging forever to Christ Mr. Strickland, I want to ask you this answer to the effects of baptism, it answers the people who say, oh we can't really be faithful to Christ because, you know, we're people, we're going to commit sin, we're going to, I get that, but we just don't get so hung up about mortal sin because, you know, We're going to assume that it's just part of our fall in our human nature and that we really don't have the efficacy to overcome these sins.

[370] But that goes right against what the church teaches on the effects of baptism.

[371] So it seems to me it answers a question today that you've talked about a couple of your letters in regards to this idea of, oh, yeah, universal salvation.

[372] because, you know, we really can't be good and we really can't overcome our personal sin.

[373] It's not possible.

[374] Your thoughts.

[375] I wonder that we desperately need in the church and in the world today.

[376] And Christ says it very clearly in various imagery he uses in the gospel.

[377] But the narrow gate.

[378] And the narrow gate is about more and more reforming your life and being changed by, by the grace that, like I said earlier, ultimately flows from baptism.

[379] Baptism is the first of the sacraments, and it's essential for being a part of the body of Christ, a member of the church.

[380] It's essential for our salvation.

[381] And I think we really, Terry, as you said, every time you study these things, every time you read a scripture passage, if you really open your heart, you're going to get new insights because the truth that is being proclaimed is so far beyond what we can ever fully grasp and fully understand.

[382] So absolutely, we deepen our life in Christ, our embrace of the message of the gospel, but we don't change it.

[383] We go deeper into it.

[384] And I think that that is an answer to what.

[385] we're hearing a lot about these days, even from cardinals of the church saying, oh, well, this needs to change and this, I mean, life is changing and no, the basic truth has been shared with us by Jesus Christ.

[386] Yes, we need to change to be more configured to Christ.

[387] And we need to basically, like I said earlier, it comes down to living more and more fully as the baptized.

[388] And we need to pray for each other.

[389] We need to pray during this Holy Week, the week that changed the world, you can say.

[390] Yeah.

[391] We need to pray that this Holy Week we can enter more deeply into what all the sacraments mean.

[392] And thankfully, though we were baptized as infants, a long time ago, when people are being baptized now into the life of the church, into the life of Christ, it hopefully inspires us to rekindle that desire to live our baptism more fully.

[393] And so I would encourage people to participate in the liturgies of the Tritome, if at all possible, so that, you know, if there are things that are dormant about their faith, even if they're doing their best to be faithful, it can reignite those gifts of the Holy Spirit.

[394] As you said, the faith, hope, and love, the theological virtues that are received as part of baptism, all of that can be strengthened and deepened when we witness others, when we see the example of others.

[395] Thankfully, many people will be baptized who have lived lives very far from Christ.

[396] And it's a wonderful gift.

[397] Certainly the gift of infant baptism is a treasure for the church.

[398] But when someone is baptized later as well, especially after having lived sometimes a very evil life.

[399] But it shows the power of baptism.

[400] And I'm sure we both witnessed the tremendous emotion for those adults who have been baptized and realize that their sins are washed away.

[401] original sin and their personal sins, which may be a real mountain of personal sin and embrace of evil.

[402] But that sacrament of baptism has the power to wash all that away and to share the life that flows from the side of Christ, from his wound, the water and blood that from the church fathers has always symbolized the life of the church.

[403] and specifically baptism in the Eucharist.

[404] Well, Seth, we just have a couple of minutes, but I want to give a shout out to all you Texans where Bishop Strickland comes from East Texas.

[405] I don't know if I brought this up, but I've been bringing it up as a great example.

[406] Texas is the one who helped us save lives through babies by putting a law in the heartbeat bill, and other states picked it up, and many, you know, tens of thousands of babies are breathing today, because of Texas.

[407] Now they did another major thing.

[408] They have a law that says the porno industry with their websites doing business in Texas.

[409] They have to do a verification law that the kids are 18 and under if they are, they have to verify that or they can't be doing business in Texas.

[410] And you know what they said?

[411] Well, we can't do business in Texas.

[412] And you know what I say?

[413] Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[414] I'm sorry.

[415] Because this is an example of stopping something that's ruining marriages, ruining souls, and Texas.

[416] I'm thinking, this is something that the secular politicians solve this problem by saying, look, if you can't verify, the fine will be a million dollars, and then that tells them, hey, we can't do business in your state.

[417] So what?

[418] So I'm hoping that this will also spread to other states that will, you know, that will also prevent the pornography industry in corrupting our young people.

[419] And, you know, this isn't a solving of all things, you know, but it's a great step, and I just want to thank Texas for doing that.

[420] Bishop Strickland, I don't know if you know anybody that's a politician that was behind that, but I just say kudos to them because they're saving souls.

[421] They don't even maybe realize it, but, you know, the pornography industry is huge, and for them to be banned from coming into Texas, is a great victory for life.

[422] Absolutely.

[423] I don't know any legislators that were involved, but I applaud them for doing the right thing.

[424] And hopefully many states, really every state should follow that example and just push this evil industry out of, I mean, they're there to make money and to use people.

[425] And as you said, it's so destructive.

[426] I'm very glad that once again, Texas has stepped up to live the basic morality that, as we talk about the sacrament of baptism, that's what it comes to.

[427] Jesus Christ has given his life for all humanity.

[428] But we've got to cooperate with that gift and be baptized and live our baptism.

[429] And I think a good way to frame what those legislators did.

[430] The ones involved in, I'm sure it wasn't popular for a lot, but they were willing to take that step in living out their baptism.

[431] Amen.

[432] Tie it in.

[433] To be a member of the body of Christ to hold sacred each person and to remember that the sacred is real, as evil is real, and we're in that battle.

[434] So I applaud those legislators.

[435] Amen.

[436] Well said.

[437] Bishop Strickland, could you give us your blessing, please?

[438] Mighty God, we ask your blessing for all listening today as we are experiencing this Holy Week once again that it may be an opportunity for all of us to grow in living our baptism and living in the light of Christ.

[439] We ask this blessing in the name of the Father, the Son of the Holy Spirit.

[440] Amen.

[441] Please go to YouTube.

[442] We call it full sheen ahead.

[443] and you'll see a lot of clips from these shows.

[444] Pass them on to your friends and subscribe by hitting the bell.

[445] And we appreciate your support here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[446] May God Richly bless you.