15 Sep 2020 – Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery (Pt. 4)

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name's Terry Barber.

[2] I'm the host and Bishop Strickland.

[3] Thanks again for joining us every week here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[4] Good to see you, Terry.

[5] It's always good to see you, Bishop.

[6] And I wanted to kind of tease everybody.

[7] This is the last section of the Sixth Commandment, Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery.

[8] We've had, I think, four weeks of it.

[9] So you can see that it's not a simple thing.

[10] And we're in paragraph 2373 for those who have a catechism at hand.

[11] And the subtitle is the gift of a child.

[12] But before we get into the Sixth Commandment, Bishop Strickland, I love your tweets, and I want to just say that I almost look forward to hearing, what's going to tweet next?

[13] You know, it's like, that's good stuff.

[14] And the first tweet you had here that I noticed was you said that we have to wake up to the sanctity of life.

[15] It seems like a constant theme for you.

[16] We have to wake up.

[17] Thank you.

[18] We have to wake up to the sanctity of life before no life, ma 'am.

[19] matters.

[20] Yeah, really.

[21] A recent report spoke of an ethically aborted human fetus.

[22] There is no such thing.

[23] No life is valued when an unborn child can be murdered in the womb.

[24] I'm going to repeat that.

[25] I wish that was a slogan that we'd hear more.

[26] No life is valued when an unborn child can be murdered in the womb.

[27] You mentioned we must remember that God is the author of life.

[28] Bishop Strickland, this is a heated time in our country and you just continually defend life from the beginning.

[29] Is that what were you thinking of when you tweeted that?

[30] Well, I guess, and I know that people feel like I'm just a one topic guy, but it really is the preeminent issue.

[31] I just keep repeating that.

[32] And if we don't respect the most.

[33] vulnerable lives, then we don't respect any.

[34] And I think we see that more and more.

[35] And when you read something like an ethically aborted child, you know, it's just, it needs to be called out.

[36] Amen.

[37] It doesn't make sense.

[38] It doesn't.

[39] It's just not the truth.

[40] If we spoke of an ethically murdered child, of, you know, whatever age, hopefully people would be, you know, would just be up in arms and would be horrified.

[41] Sadly, probably some people these days wouldn't be.

[42] But I think we, and I know that people think that, oh, well, you know, certain Catholic priests or Catholic bishops, that's all they talk about.

[43] But until we wake up to the sanctity of the life in the womb, the unborn, that have no defenses except us.

[44] If we attack them, they're defenseless.

[45] They have no voice.

[46] They have no ability to defend themselves.

[47] They can't speak out and say, hey, that's not fair.

[48] So who protects them?

[49] It has to be society.

[50] And when we aren't protecting, that's a critical issue that Really, as the abortion industry pervades so many things, it's such a big money industry, and it affects not just abortion specifically, but so many other aspects of health care and how the family works and so many different issues, I think we've got to keep repeating the sanctity of the life of the unborn and extending that from as the church classically says from conception to natural death because there are many threats to to life and you know so i know people get tired of hearing it but i will quit um repeating the message when we reach the point where abortion almost doesn't happen.

[51] We will probably never totally eliminate it because they're always going to be people that even if the laws, you know, support life and even if the majority of people, they're going to be situations where people make bad decisions.

[52] But at least we need to reach the point where the norms of society agree that abortion is an evil, bad decision.

[53] Amen to that.

[54] You know, Bishop Strickland, I'm holding my seventh, seven -month -old grandson, and I said to my bride, I said, Mary, if people could see this baby, you know, outside the womb, in their arms a year later, seven months later, when the baby was born, I would blow them away.

[55] They would never have an abortion.

[56] So anyhow, it just, it hurts me because now I see a little infant in my arms, and I think of how many of the babies don't have a way, a voice to speak up.

[57] And I say, Bishop Strickland, thank you for being a voice of common sense in a world that acts like common sense.

[58] It doesn't exist.

[59] Now, Bishop Strickland, you had a second tweet this week, this past week.

[60] I have a great devotion to the Blessed Mother.

[61] I can tell you do too.

[62] And St. Louis de Montfort has a, well, this was from the St. Louis de Montfort, a statement that he said well first of all I'm going to say that you quote the Bible God the father gathered all the waters together and called them the seas from Genesis the book of Genesis and then on one other side of the paper it says he gathered all his graces together and called them Mary and you have a picture of our blessed mother so I want to do I know this is like a whole hour talk about graces of Mary you know she's the mediates of all graces But St. Louis de Montfort had a lot to say.

[63] What made you tweet that that particular time?

[64] Well, as you say, Terry, I have a great devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary that every disciple of her son, Jesus Christ, should have a devotion to Mary.

[65] And as you say, that it's a whole other topic that we could go off on for several hours.

[66] But the reality is, and, you know, here in East Texas where many people question Catholic devotion to Mary, I've tried to be a voice to say, absolutely, we know that she is a human being.

[67] She is not divine.

[68] And as I've told people, she would be the first to scold her children for anyone acting like she is divine.

[69] or deserves the kind of worship and reverence that is owed only to God.

[70] Mary is the first to tell the children of God, only God is one to be worshipped.

[71] We do not worship Mary because she's not divine.

[72] She's a woman.

[73] But she, as that quote from St. Louis de Montfort really reminds us, she is full of grace.

[74] That is in the gospel.

[75] that's not a Catholic thing that we formulated somewhere else it's right there in the word of God Mary is full of grace and and I think that's what that that tweet refers to she is the reminder of how beautiful every woman and every man can be if we fully embrace the grace that God has given us As I've read, I think I've referred to it before, I read a book recently that talks about demons being expelled, you know, in exorcisms.

[76] Yes.

[77] And they will talk about that woman and they can't stand her because she's full of grace.

[78] And she's always, one thing that was very uplifting to me that I think people need to hear sure um is and this is these are recorded demonic utterances that you know somebody going through an exorcism which they really do happen um and this demon says it hurts us so much because you won't stop praying the rosary they talk about those beads and they say that people and it was really uplifting to me because, you know, we sometimes think, well, people aren't praying enough, but this quote said, it never stops.

[79] And they were saying it like it's so painful to evil because she's full of grace, but that people around the world are constantly, if you think about every time zone around the world, there's somebody now praying a rosary, hopefully many somebody's.

[80] And then, and the same thing happens with the grace of the mass being celebrated around the world.

[81] I think, Terry, we need to really, as people of faith, we need to tune in to that reality that thank God, priests, faithful priests, and constantly celebrating Mass. And faithful Christians, priests and nuns and all the baptized, hopefully, are praying rosaries all around the world.

[82] And every day at every hour, 24 -7, somebody's praying a rosary.

[83] And that is a grace that I think we take for granted.

[84] We can imagine what has been averted from the evils that we do endure.

[85] How much worse would it be if people just suddenly stopped ever praying the rosary?

[86] Hopefully that will never happen and it will only increase so that they're just a whole chorus, an orchestra of rosaries being prayed at every single moment of every single day.

[87] But there's grace in that for all of us.

[88] The rosaries you pray, help me, the rosaries I pray, help others.

[89] The rosaries that people are praying now as we're talking are helping us because it helps us be more in touch with that grace that the Blessed Virgin Mary is full of because of the love of God.

[90] Mary will.

[91] Mary will.

[92] would be the first to say it's all because of God, Father, Son, and Spirit that she said yes to.

[93] Wow, you make me think of how a priest that my confession gave me my penance to pray a rosary for a soul in India around the world.

[94] I said, India, he said, yes, you're going to offer your rosary for someone halfway around the world because the mystical body needs prayer.

[95] And boy, I was just a teenager when I never forget that.

[96] You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Power.

[97] We'll be back with much more after this quick break.

[98] Ciroki 1124 says.

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[108] God bless you.

[109] Ciroc 1124 says, Do not say I am self -sufficient.

[110] What harm can come to me now?

[111] According to St. Catherine of Sienna, presumption is like vermin, burrowing at the root of the tree of our soul.

[112] If we do not uproot it with great care and humility, it will eventually destroy the soul.

[113] May God keep us from all presumption of mind and heart and realize that we depend on him for everything.

[114] This is Terry Barber.

[115] I want to thank you for your support here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[116] Here's an easy way to do it.

[117] If you're going to sell or buy a house, call real estate for life 877 -543 -3871 because they're going to get you a Christ -centered agent to purchase your home or to sell your home.

[118] And at the close of Estro, a portion of his commission goes right back to Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[119] Call 877 -543 -3871.

[120] Thank you so much for your support.

[121] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[122] My name's Terry Barber.

[123] Bishop Strickland was just explaining the power of the rosary and that is being prayed all around the world.

[124] I thought of Our Lady of Fatima when she said, souls are going to hell because there's no one there to pray.

[125] and make sacrifices.

[126] So I want to encourage myself, and I even encourage the bishop.

[127] I don't think he minds me encouraging him to say prayers and sacrifices for souls because it's the message from our lady.

[128] But Bishop Strickland, one thing that I will throw at you that I think that you're very brave to bring this up because as a layman, I have been really concerned about the issue with former Cardinal McCarrick and who knew what and this whole corruption inside the church with Strickland with Cardinal McCarrick, former Cardinal McCarrick, it seems like it's going on and on.

[129] And you actually brought this up in one of your tweets.

[130] You said the name McCarrick will forever be associated with the devastating corruption the Catholic Church has seen in recent years.

[131] As a faithful Catholics, let us be strong in the name of Jesus, the power of his name conquers all of Satan's minions, including McCarrick.

[132] So I just want to ask you, when you brought that up again, we've been waiting for a report for some time now, and I know I think, if I'm incorrect, you tell me, but I think you even brought it up to Pope Francis when you were making your annual visit every five years.

[133] Can you tell us what's going on with that, if you know anything more than I do, and what can we do?

[134] And what made you bring up McCarrick again?

[135] Are you anxious to get that report out like I am?

[136] I am, and I think it's something that certainly there's a lot that the church has gone through and a lot of people are disheartened, but I think we really need to understand what happened so that we can move forward and begin to heal.

[137] And let me say, you know, I know that was pretty strong, but all of us are sinners.

[138] Amen.

[139] And all of us are able to be redeemed.

[140] As long as someone's breathing, they have the opportunity for that final conversion.

[141] So I absolutely feel that we, we should pray for McCarrick and every, every person that has really done.

[142] things that were harmful and evil.

[143] And there's just sadly a reality of the abuse crisis that, and certainly, it's not all laid at his feet, but there's too much that is on record already, even without a report, there are many realities that just are show his.

[144] his fingerprints of losing the path of Christ and forgetting the light of Christ is what should always guide us.

[145] So certainly, McCarrick is one person, but we need to understand what happened in order for all of us to be challenged to recognize how our sins affect other.

[146] others.

[147] And sadly, the abuse has devastated too many.

[148] Lives have literally been lost and lives have been damaged beyond repair.

[149] I mean, miracles can happen.

[150] The grace of God is always can do wondrous things that, and thankfully it has.

[151] I mean, I've talked to victims of McCarrick.

[152] Wow.

[153] have remained Catholic and are strong and spiritual people that are still believe in Christ and still pray the rosary, but too many gave up on Jesus Christ and his church because of that corruption.

[154] So I think we need answers.

[155] And I don't know any more than you about why there aren't answers, but I did respectfully ask Pope Francis.

[156] I know that I can't imagine the machine that he's dealing with.

[157] And I use that word not in a positive way.

[158] The church should be a community of love and faithful people.

[159] But it isn't a world that is corrupted and there's an aspect of the church that is caught up in that corruption.

[160] You know, the scriptures say, judge not lest ye be judged.

[161] But I have to judge for myself and to do my best to turn from sin and darkness and turn to the light of Christ.

[162] I just in both of my daily masses encourage people as we start a new month.

[163] Go to confession.

[164] I did.

[165] I went to confession to start.

[166] I got in early.

[167] I got the last day of August.

[168] I went to confession, not because I'm so holy, but because I'm a sinner.

[169] And I need to humbly acknowledge that.

[170] I hope and pray that Theodore McCarrick has gone to confession and has made his peace with God.

[171] None of us can go back and change the harm that our sins create.

[172] We can do our best to prayerfully make reparation.

[173] And I try to do that.

[174] Through praying a rosary, through devotion ourselves, we are called to make reparation for our sins and the sins of others.

[175] The Blessed Virgin Mary calls us to that.

[176] So in the context of the abuse crisis that seems to just come in wave after wave, it's kind of quieted down now.

[177] But I think we need to stay conscious of that because there are a lot of people that have been hurt that have abandoned the church because they've seen the corruption.

[178] I would hope that no one ever walks away from the bride of Christ because the holiness is always there.

[179] And thankfully, we see the goodness as well in the midst of the brokenness.

[180] And like I said, some of the people that have been abused have held in there and have used it as an experience to convert more deeply to Christ.

[181] That's what we're all called to do.

[182] And so as people of prayer, I think we have a right and we have a need.

[183] And as one shepherd, I feel a responsibility to my flock here in 33 counties in East Texas to continue to ask for accountability in that situation.

[184] Well, Bishop Strickland, as a layman, I really want to see this come out from what the church's documents, in other words, their own internal report.

[185] because I think it could even hurt the church more.

[186] Now, this is just my take.

[187] If the secular government, or they come in and they do their own investigation, and then it comes out from the side of the secular media, I think it would even do more harm.

[188] So I just think we have to come clean and say, hey, there were mistakes made.

[189] We got to clean up our act.

[190] Those people who are connected with this are being terminated.

[191] They're going to go do their penance.

[192] And let's move on.

[193] But in my humble opinion, as a layman watching this and seeing it, it pains me to just keep, you know, pushing this back further and further because I get people who ask me all the time.

[194] When's this thing going to come out?

[195] And I just say, well, keep praying because I'm not so sure it'll come out in my lifetime.

[196] I'm being honest.

[197] I really mean that.

[198] But I could be wrong and I've been wrong many other times.

[199] So I just want to pray that former Cardinal McCarrick will, like you say, get the confession.

[200] I went to confession Saturday also.

[201] Why?

[202] because I'm a sinner and I know it.

[203] It's important to cleanse our souls.

[204] But I would just say this, that in time, the sooner we get this moved forward on knowing who the players are, I think that the church can heal faster.

[205] That's just my take, Bishop Strickland.

[206] Yeah, I agree.

[207] So here's the other thing that I want to bring up before we get into the Sixth Commandment.

[208] We hear more bishops coming out like you who are saying things that some bishops, I'm not going to point it.

[209] I'm just saying, I like clarity with charity.

[210] I like leaders in our church speaking the truth, even when they're going to have to pay a price for it, and political correctness, or maybe they won't be the friends with the mayor as much because the mayor might be, you know, pro -choice and for killing unborn babies and, you know, whatever.

[211] But here's what the Archbishop of Denver did recently, Archbishop Samuel Aquila.

[212] He didn't just say Catholics.

[213] He said, Christian voters cannot.

[214] support candidates who will advance abortion.

[215] Now, Bishop Strickland, you've said that in your tweets since day one.

[216] I mean, you've been very clear that this is against Catholic teaching, but does it surprise you or not surprise you?

[217] Isn't it nice to see other bishops who are willing to pay the price?

[218] Because you're a marked man by saying that because you could have been quiet and just let things go, but you spoke up for the unborn.

[219] And we have other bishops around the country doing likewise.

[220] What are your thoughts about that?

[221] Absolutely.

[222] I commend Archbishop Aquila and thankfully something came out from the Vatican just, I believe today.

[223] I saw it reported today.

[224] What was it?

[225] From Paglia, I believe he's a cardinal or an archbishop, but anyway, he made the official statement from the Vatican that supporting.

[226] abortion is not appropriate for Catholics, and Catholics are Christians, absolutely.

[227] So for any, and I like the way Archbishop Aquila put it, that any Christian, because we all are, one Lord, Jesus Christ, is our Lord and Savior, and he's the Lord of Life.

[228] And the more we can promote that and understand that, the better off will be.

[229] So I commend his, statement and thankfully there are other bishops that are speaking up yeah no question about it and the thing about it is we have a lot of confusion among Christianity and it's because there are a lot of Christians of our separated brethren who are on the same page with us and this is a great ecumenical moment for all of us to work with our brothers I'm I'm working with a lot of different Christian denominations on the pro -life side but you know bishop strickland there are a lot of progressive Christian traditional, when I say Lutherans and different Protestants who have been supporting pro -abortion candidates and the position of that.

[230] And it just saddens me because I think they have good faith.

[231] I can't assume that they're not.

[232] But they're misled by this idea that abortion would be approved by Jesus Christ.

[233] I've heard him say that.

[234] And I just scratched my head and say excuse me?

[235] Where are you getting all that information?

[236] here's my point.

[237] It's nice to see the Catholic Church really clear on this issue because I believe the people who are non -Catholic, even non -believers you talk to and they say wow, the Catholic Church is against abortion.

[238] Oh, I get that.

[239] And when they hear somebody say of another Christian denomination or even someone inside the church, how could that be that priest or that layman is promoting abortion?

[240] Well, I just want to say this, clarity with charity.

[241] We want to hear Orthodox Christianity, which is what the Catholic Church teaches.

[242] That's why we're teaching out of the catechism.

[243] If you have a question about a priest or even a bishop who said something that you thought were, let me look that up.

[244] Look it up.

[245] If Bishop Strickland said something funny and, you know, was off, and I said, Bishop Strickland, paragraph such and such says this.

[246] I think he'd say, Terry, thank you.

[247] Am I right, Bishop?

[248] You'd stand corrected.

[249] Absolutely.

[250] You can always correct me with a catechism.

[251] Yeah, me too.

[252] Hey, folks, we're going to come right back now with the Sixth Commandment.

[253] Thou shall not commit adultery.

[254] We're going to cover some issues of, like, oh, gosh, what's an annulment in the Catholic Church?

[255] We're going to cover an issue of people wanting to have babies outside of the normal means.

[256] We're going to cover all that when we come back on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[257] Hi, this is Jesse Romero from the Terry and Jesse show also from Jesus 9 -1 -1.

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[276] This is Terry Barber.

[277] I want to thank you for your support here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[278] Here's an easy way to do it.

[279] If you're going to sell or buy a house, call real estate for life 877 -543 -3871 because they're going to get you a Christ -centered agent to purchase your home or to sell your home.

[280] And at the close of escrow, a portion of his commission goes right back to Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[281] Call 877 -543 -3871.

[282] Thank you so much for your support.

[283] welcome back to the bishop strickland hour we'll put your seat belts on we now have the bishop and the part of what we call it to teach govern and sanctify now he's teaching us right from the catechism with the catholic church the sixth commandment we're on paragraph 2373 and i'll just read the statement and then bishop strickland can comment on it sacred scripture and the church's traditional practice, see in large families a sign of God's blessing and the parents' generosity.

[284] Bishop Strickland, is that still true?

[285] Absolutely.

[286] Good.

[287] I'm hoping you'd say that.

[288] Bishop Strickland, my wife was number 10 of 12 children, and I had the opportunity to thank her mother and her father for being generous, because I would have never got to marry my wife because if they were not generous, they might have only had one or two kids, but they had 12 kids.

[289] So I thank them profoundly for that.

[290] Bishop Strickland, something that comes up in the catechism on paragraph 2376 says techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife by the intrusion of a person or other than the couple.

[291] I think we call it, you know, donation of sperm or ovium.

[292] You know, kind of like we see this, these techniques that have been coming in the last 30, 40 years.

[293] Artificial insemination.

[294] The catechism says it infringes on the child's right to be born of a father and a mother known to him and bound to each other by marriage.

[295] They betray the spouse's right to become a father and a mother only through each other.

[296] Can you kind of tell us why the church is so opposed to this?

[297] Because I mean, some of my friends have said, well, hey, we couldn't have a baby.

[298] This is the only way we could have a baby.

[299] What do you tell someone like that?

[300] Well, Terry, there are actually a few levels of the church's concern with this issue, and the catechism expresses it well there, that a child is supposed to come from the love of a man and woman committed in marriage.

[301] Certainly, we live in an imperfect world where that doesn't always happen, and a child is always a blessing.

[302] Amen.

[303] We have to be clear about that, like we were discussing earlier.

[304] earlier.

[305] But that is the model of what God has given us.

[306] That that is how a child comes into being and it's how a child is going to flourish and grow according to God's plan to have a mother and a father that is there at the conception of the child and a mother and father throughout that child's life.

[307] I mean, that is the norm.

[308] So that is one level of saying that artificial means is immoral because it removes the, it makes procreation sort of a mechanical thing that is done in test tubes and is controlled by, you know, medical personnel rather than being a natural process that comes forth from the love of a man and a woman.

[309] committed in marriage.

[310] In addition to that, the way that these like artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization, all of those techniques, for one thing, they make life disposable because the reality is that they may have more than one egg and sperm that come together, but they choose the one that looks most viable, the healthiest.

[311] God has a beautiful natural process for that.

[312] Certainly, not every act of love between a man and a woman results in the conception of a child.

[313] And sometimes along the way, what's called a miscarriage or sometimes called more technically a spontaneous abortion.

[314] which is a whole different reality than elective abortion right but sometimes the the woman's body is not ready for that child to to flourish and so somewhere along the way that the life doesn't continue but when we interfere with that that's where it becomes a problem and there's there's a lot of interference from contraception to the artificial means of, and what I find interesting, Terry, is we live in an age where we love to play God instead of bowing to the will of God.

[315] And I believe that's one of the key issues that we all have to really look at our own hearts and look at how do we live and be willing to simply seek the will of God and to trust that that is going to be our greatest fulfillment, the greatest blessing that we can have is to live God's will.

[316] The reproductive technologies, as they're called, there's a portion of the population.

[317] I don't know what the percentages would be, but there are people that are doing everything they can to avoid conception of a child.

[318] And there are others doing everything they can to conceive a child.

[319] That's right.

[320] And instead of, and I know that it gets emotional and it's difficult sometimes if, if you, because I've talked to couples.

[321] I mean, I know couples that very much.

[322] wanted children, and they found that they were unable to have children.

[323] And so technology says, well, go to this artificial means, go to this or that method.

[324] The church says no, for various reasons.

[325] Certainly, the church does encourage adoption of a child that was born and for whatever reasons their mother and father are unable to care for them.

[326] And adoption is a beautiful option that a lot of families that were unable to have their own children, adopt children, and that's a blessing.

[327] But I think we make a mistake when we try to manipulate things.

[328] And, I mean, I'm sure we've both heard the statement that, you know, I want to have a child.

[329] And so I'm going to do whatever it takes.

[330] Or on the other side, I'm not going to.

[331] I'm not going to, have a child and I'm going to do whatever it takes to either use contraception or make sure that that child is, you know, either never conceived or is taken care of, gotten rid of, if it is conceived.

[332] And it, you know, those kinds of human interferences in the natural process of reproduction, it just causes heartache.

[333] Yes.

[334] Besides violating God's law, which is very significant, we need to pay attention to the statutes of the Lord, but beyond that, just on a natural level, it causes a lot of heartache when we start manipulating that gift of human life.

[335] You know, Bishop Strickland, I'm going to bring up what you've talked about in the early stages of our shows about giving yourself to Christ in all of your life, even your sexuality.

[336] and giving it to Christ and saying, if you will, a child to come to our family, thank you.

[337] If you don't, that's okay.

[338] In other words, we do it his way, not our way.

[339] Now, before we get into a fancy, a little controversial topic in the catechism regarding divorce and what is a annulment in the Catholic Church, I just want to read one more paragraph what is on adultery, because that's the Sixth Commandment.

[340] 2381 says adultery is an injustice.

[341] He who commits adultery fails in his, commitment.

[342] He does injury to the sign of the covenant which the marriage bond is.

[343] Transgression, the rights of other spouse and undermines the institution of marriage by breaking the contract with which it is based.

[344] He compromises the good of the human generation and the welfare of children who need their parents' stable union.

[345] Now, I will just say this.

[346] If you've committed adultery, any of my friends, I said, get the confession, get your marriage back into place because that doesn't make your marriage null and void.

[347] Yes, it's a serious sin.

[348] But Bishop Strickland, adultery, when Catechism says it's an injustice, I'm not so sure our culture sees it that way.

[349] The culture says, hey, if it feels good, do it.

[350] What are we saying regarding the issue of adultery, how it's an injustice and how it undermines the marriage bond?

[351] Well, I think you can simply go back to the vows that are offered but one the man to the woman the woman to the man at a marriage um and they're committed to like we've talked about before as we've talked about the six commandment yes i mean we just keep talking about it but uh i know it you know the the two shall become one amen that is god's plan and so to interfere with that one married couple the man and the woman that it bonded through marriage and through their sexual intimacy to interfere with that through adultery is an injustice, certainly to the partner, but really to the whole human family because it really does, it's kind of like the pebble in the pond, their concentric rings of effect that that has when it harms children, if there are children, it harms the children, it harms the rest of the community, it harms other marriages, it can undermine, it undermines society.

[352] And I think that we're at a time where many people, like you said, really don't pay any, you know, don't see any significance to adultery.

[353] And it's not in just even recent times.

[354] I'm sure we're both aware of, and I'm no great historian or anything, but I know that in some cultures, I mean, if you look at the elite of cultures, even hundreds of years ago, it was kind of the accepted thing that the king or the duke or, you know, the magistrate would have, you know, a mistress on the side.

[355] It was just accepted.

[356] And that has always been wrong in it.

[357] I think we can look through history and see how it undermines.

[358] It is an injustice, certainly to the spouse and to the immediate family, but it's an injustice to all of society because it begins to erode that basic commitment that society is built on.

[359] And I think, Terry, that's a lot of what we're seeing the repercussions of where the sanctity of marriage is fractured beyond imagining.

[360] And so our society is fractured beyond imagine.

[361] When we come back, we'll talk more with Bishop Strickland on the Sixth Commandment.

[362] Welcome, Daniel.

[363] You're on the line.

[364] What's on your mind, brother?

[365] Hi, I just wanted to share a testimony about Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[366] I had a buddy at work who, you know, he looked warm Catholic guy, and I wanted him to start listening to the Terry and Jesse show, so I kept telling him to download the app, and he kept putting me off until one day, I grabbed his phone and I downloaded the app for him.

[367] I went on vacation, and I kept telling him to listen to it.

[368] He was kind of put me off.

[369] I came back from vacation.

[370] He comes to my cubicle, and he says to me, hey, man, I've been listening to Terran Jesse show, and it's great.

[371] And it's made a big impact in his life.

[372] The guy, he's going a weekly adoration a couple times a week.

[373] He goes to the mass in the morning.

[374] He's on -fire Catholic, and he promotes the Terran Jesse show in the Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[375] Daniel, what a testimony.

[376] and I want to encourage our listeners to get those cards by going to virgin most powerful radio .org and do what Daniel's doing.

[377] Go out and spread the faith by inviting people to listen to Virgin Most Powerful.

[378] Daniel, thanks for your testimony, brother.

[379] God love you.

[380] You're welcome.

[381] This is Terry Barber.

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[388] Thank you so much for your support.

[389] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[390] We're finishing the Sixth Commandment today, and we're moving on to the seventh, You Shall Not Steal for next week.

[391] But Bishop Strickland, this whole segment I'd like you to really explain something.

[392] For a lot of Catholics, there's a lot confusion about this thing called an annulment.

[393] Is it a Catholic divorce?

[394] People have told me that and I try to say, no, no, no, let's explain what that is.

[395] So I thought having a bishop explain it, since you worked on the marriage tribunal as a priest, I couldn't think of a better person to explain what a Catholic annulment is.

[396] Well, one of the first things that I would say, Terry, that I think I have found helpful in talking to people through the years is to really, even use different language to say, oh, you know, maybe so -and -so needs to get an annulment that sounds like an action being taken, like a divorce.

[397] A divorce legally is a civil separation of what was a civil marriage bond, and that's a dissolution of that civil marriage bond.

[398] That is not really what an annulment is.

[399] I prefer to speak of obtaining a decree of nullity.

[400] And that language really makes a difference because if you start thinking about a decree of nullity, basically the church is decreeing something that was already null already.

[401] It's not nullifying anything.

[402] It's pointing to and saying something was missing.

[403] When I studied canon law, what they kept drilling into us was consent makes the marriage.

[404] And it's a very specific mindset that the church approaches marriage with that isn't about love and emotion or it basically is a a commitment between a man and a woman, and when we were told in our canon law studies that consent makes the marriage, what that narrows down to, Terry, is, and what a decree of nullity or an annulity investigation is looking at is when that man and that woman stood in that church or in whatever setting and it depends i mean it gets complicated where where a church with the church would presume it's a presumed to be valid marriage but the church is very broad in if people are claiming to be married there's a presumption of validity so let's just talk in terms of woman standing in a church with a priest and a congregation, when that moment of consent is literally when they exchange vows and when they say, I do, that is when they are exchanging consent.

[405] What the decree of nullity process, an annulment process is looking at is, was there something in validating at that moment that made a marriage never take place.

[406] And I know that's a little bit of a shift of how do we approach this?

[407] Because a lot of people say, of course it took place.

[408] I saw, or I was there, right?

[409] And what we have to realize is there's a difference between words being said and vows being exchanged and the permanent bond of marriage actually taking place between a man and a woman.

[410] And so that's, instead of calling an annulment, I like to call it a decree of nullity, because what the church is saying, at that moment, when Sam and Mary stood there and exchange consent, something basic to marriage was missing.

[411] And so, and I always like to emphasize, it's really not a fault -finding mission.

[412] It's not trying to say, okay, blame the man or blame the woman, but it's just looking at what was missing.

[413] They may not have even realized that something essential to marriage was missing from their relationship.

[414] But that's what the annulment process is looking at and what a lot of times in my working with people one of the things that's hard for people to understand is if the marriage took place if a valid marriage happened we believe as the vow say no let no man put it as under let nothing can except death can can change that.

[415] If a valid marriage takes place, when a decree of nullity is issued, it's saying a valid marriage never happened.

[416] And as I know, I know you're married and you exchange, you repeat those vows.

[417] So you probably just repeat it to me from memory.

[418] But for better, for worse, and sickness and in health, until death do us part.

[419] Amen.

[420] A couple gets married at the altar in their Catholic church, or whatever church, but I mean, just staying with two Catholics.

[421] Yeah.

[422] They walk out, you know, everybody's celebrating.

[423] They walk out and the man is hit by a car, not killed, but paralyzed and seriously injured.

[424] Yes.

[425] They're still married.

[426] and the marriage that's for better or for worse and sickness and health a lot of things can change from that moment of consent so that moment of consent is what I would call the epicenter of the commitment of marriage everything leading up to it is pertinent to did a true and valid marriage take place If it happened, then what happens afterwards is not going to nullify that marriage.

[427] Like you mentioned, adultery is terrible, and it's it rips families apart.

[428] It's an injustice, but it doesn't nullify a marriage unless one grounds of nullity is an intention against fidelity.

[429] If a man marries a woman and has this mistress on the side that he, he fully intends to continue to be in what becomes an adulterous relationship after the marriage, then that marriage never took place.

[430] And that's what the decree of nullity is pointing to.

[431] So I guess the simplest thing I can repeat that hopefully helps people is if the marriage, if those vows being exchanged, if something basic was missing, The decree of nullity simply decrees that.

[432] It says, this was missing from the very beginning, from the moment of consent, this was missing.

[433] And so it never was a marriage.

[434] That, I think, is hard for people to understand.

[435] But that's the reality of the way the church is looking at the difference between divorce, which the court says, absolutely.

[436] these people were civilly married there was a legal bond and that legal bond is being separated in the decree of nullity what the church is saying the legal bond of marriage in the spiritual sense never took place a marriage never happened and the decree of nullity is just pointing out the fact that something was missing from the very beginning like that man who had no intention of being faithful to his wife and was already in an adulterous relationship and that happened sadly so but if the adultery happens after the marriage that's tragic but it doesn't eliminate the marriage bond the the marriage is still there broken but still there Bishop Strickland some of my friends who contact me have asked me look I wasn't straight with the church when I did the annulment process I was really wanting to get this annulment because of bad intentions.

[437] And so he gave the information to Holy Mother of the church, which was false.

[438] But the church said, you signed, you said this was true.

[439] So he lied.

[440] You know, he committed a sin there.

[441] And then he got the annulment.

[442] And then later realized that, you know, hey, I was just manipulating the church to get me rubber stent.

[443] I knew I could get this annulment if I said X, Y, and Z because a friend told me that.

[444] I know this is saying it sounds like it's a rare case.

[445] But, you know, I'm getting more cases like that where people call me. What advice would you give them?

[446] Tough.

[447] Well, it's a tough one.

[448] Yeah.

[449] If you manipulated the truth, if you lied.

[450] Yeah, lie.

[451] Just call it.

[452] You need to, you know, confess that.

[453] Yeah.

[454] And do what you can to make reparation.

[455] I mean, sometimes that may not be possible.

[456] But at least to certainly go to confession and do what you can.

[457] can talk to the priest in confession and get some advice on how can I rectify this situation.

[458] It depends on the situation.

[459] Some things can be rectified.

[460] Some can't.

[461] But, you know, certainly to acknowledge that you weren't truthful.

[462] And that's part of what you have to depend on.

[463] I mean, certainly any system in an annulment process that, you know, seeking an annulment is a legal process in the Canada law of the church.

[464] And so it can be to be a minimum.

[465] manipulated like any other process.

[466] Bishop Strickland, the St. Philip Institute, I like to always plug that because I want folks to get information on what you podcast that you guys do.

[467] Tell us a little bit more about the St. Philip Institute because we're getting new stations every week.

[468] What's that about?

[469] Well, it's about knowing the Catholic faith and helping children, young people, adults to grow in their Catholic faith through all sorts of instruments.

[470] There's a, for those of people, for those who are interested in maybe just studying the Catholic faith, we have the Way of Christ, which is a book that was developed by some great priests in the diocese, and that is published by the St. Philip Institute, The Way of Christ, it's right there available online.

[471] You can order a hard copy if you want, or you can do it all online and study the basics of the Catholic faith.

[472] So it's all about the truth.

[473] The beautiful good news that Jesus Christ has revealed to us through his bride, the church.

[474] Well, Bishop Strickland, could you give us your blessing for our audience?

[475] And also with the month of September, we have one minute.

[476] Yeah, I better let him give us our blessing.

[477] Go ahead, Bishop Strickland.

[478] Okay.

[479] The Lord be with you.

[480] And with your spirit.

[481] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of those listening.

[482] Help us to rejoice in the truth that your son has lived, suffered, and died, and risen to share with all of us and help us to be guided in his light always.

[483] May the blessed Virgin Mary continually intercede for us as our loving mother.

[484] And we ask this in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[485] Amen.

[486] Thanks again, Bishop Strickland.

[487] For those who are just new listeners, all the podcasts are up on Virgin Most Powerful Radio, all of our other shows are there too, the Terry and Jesse show, Jesus 9 -1 -1, The Bar of History, many great shows that you can listen to you on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[488] May God richly bless you and your family, and thanks again for supporting us in this great work of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and his bride, the church.

[489] God love you.

[490] St. Faustina's Prayer for priests.

[491] O my Jesus, I beg thee on behalf of the whole church, grant it love and the light of thy spirit, and give power to the words of priests, so that hardened hearts might be brought to repent, sentence and return to thee, O Lord.

[492] Lord, give us holy priests.

[493] Thou thyself maintain them in holiness.

[494] O divine and great high priest, may the power of thy mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares, which are continually being set for the souls of priests.

[495] May the power of thy mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests for thou canst do all things amen virgin most powerful pray for us virgin most powerful radio sharing the gospel with clarity and charity