02 Aug 22 – Revisiting Humanae Vitae 54 Years Later

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[2] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for joining us for your show every week here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[3] Thanks, Terry.

[4] Thank you.

[5] Bishop Strickland, on Monday, that's an anniversary for Hermione Vite, a document incyclical that came out 54 years ago by St. Paul the 6th.

[6] And I wanted to have you kind of just chat a little bit about that and the importance of it and how this teaching is more relevant today than even 54 years ago?

[7] Well, absolutely, Terry, and I think it is foundational to living the morality that the gospel calls us to or not.

[8] And sadly, Humane Vite wasn't well received.

[9] And I think we're reaping the the brokenness and the harm to marriage and family because of that lack of reception.

[10] But on the other hand, thank God, it was proclaimed and promulgated by Pope St. Paul the 6, making it very clear with tremendous pressure even 54 years ago that he faced not to speak the truth.

[11] We're seeing that pressure even stronger now.

[12] But the whole episode of Humanevite just reminds us that we can't go with what's popular.

[13] We can't go with an idea that, well, we can, the truth goes in and out of fashion.

[14] The truth is the truth.

[15] Amen.

[16] And it sounds very simple, but it is simple.

[17] It's profoundly mysterious as well as the gift of human.

[18] life.

[19] That's all Humanevite means, human life.

[20] And it's a reminder to us of looking back 54 years because the document wasn't embraced and wasn't taught clearly and wasn't laid down as we've got to live this.

[21] It's not just some more another document to put on the shelf, but it's talking about the very fabric of humanity, of human life, of marriage and family.

[22] And what has happened since it was, for the most part, rejected by even leaders in the church, and certainly by modern society, we pretty much operate in a society where if we can, we do.

[23] And you can use contraception.

[24] You can choose to ignore God's plan.

[25] You can do all these things.

[26] things and people say, I can do it.

[27] I'm going to do it.

[28] Nobody's going to stop me. But we more, more and more, the human family, the human community, I mean, what we're seeing in these past couple of years is things just seem to more rapidly go downhill is the consequences of ignoring God's plan.

[29] Thankfully, God's plan is still full of joy and hope and light and grace, we still are blessed with families that aren't perfect, but are seeking to live a life of holiness like your own family.

[30] I'm sure your family isn't and wasn't ever perfect.

[31] I know, by all means.

[32] Because it's made up of us, human, sinful human beings, but if we don't at least strive for holiness, strive to live the truth, yeah, we're going to fail.

[33] We're going to hurt.

[34] We're each other.

[35] We're going to do sinful things that bring harm to ourselves and to others, but if we can continue to seek to recover from that, then we're going to be much better off than if we're embracing the false messages.

[36] And that's where we find ourselves today.

[37] The world has embraced what Humane Vite said we can't do.

[38] And the more we embrace that, the more harm it brings the more destructive forces, the more evil is rampant in our world.

[39] And it is reaching a talk about pandemic.

[40] The pandemic of evil and sin is the pandemic that we really have to worry about.

[41] A pandemic like COVID, it can take our earthly life, but sin and corruption can take our everlasting life.

[42] And that's the pandemic that we need.

[43] to pay attention to.

[44] Amen.

[45] You know, my good friend Father Paul Marks from Human Life International years ago would talk, give a talk on Himani Vite, Bishop Strickland.

[46] He said that Pope Paul VI, St. Paul the 6th was prophetic because in that document, he said if we don't embrace this teaching, then we'll have divorce like crazy in our families and we will have abortion on demand.

[47] He said that in the document.

[48] He was prophetic and both of the those things have happened.

[49] And I just cringe because he said what was going to happen.

[50] It happened.

[51] And today, we still have many people in our church who don't get the message that this isn't Paul the 6th is teaching in the sense of his teaching.

[52] This is the teaching of the church since day one when it comes to family life.

[53] And Bishop Strickland, one more thing that I will add.

[54] And I want you to tell me if I'm on to this, but I've always said that when you contracept and you separate the love and the procreative and unitive aspect of the marital embrace, then you're treating your wife as an object rather to be just for pleasure and not to be loved.

[55] And so that's my take on why Hermione Vite needs to be promoted because men especially will think that, hey, wait a minute, if this is okay, you know, we can use contraception.

[56] Well, now I can go outside of my marriage and fornicate or commit adultery for a married man and use contraception for the woman, and I'm cool.

[57] And you see, this is what has been breeding from not implementing Hermannivete has been immorality.

[58] And then we get things like, I know people are going to get mad at when I say this, AIDS.

[59] And now we have the monkey puck for 95 percent of the people are active homosexuals, they're using their sexuality against God's teaching.

[60] And it seems to me that God can forgive all of those sins, but nature rarely forgives.

[61] Well, Terry, you definitely are on to something.

[62] And it's something we need to continue to share out of love for everyone.

[63] Because real love is always going to be sharing the truth.

[64] Amen.

[65] That we love in in the Christian sense is willing the good of the other.

[66] St. Thomas.

[67] And that's what we're called to do.

[68] And, you know, it occurs to me the whole contraceptive mentality that isn't even talked about that much anymore because it's just so commonly accepted.

[69] It's just the way things are, is the way a lot of people operate.

[70] But it really is the more that's been embraced, it's.

[71] Sex without consequences.

[72] Amen.

[73] That is clearly, I mean, just look at where we are as a world.

[74] Yeah.

[75] Since contraception and all of these rejections of God's plan have unfolded, it just brings harm in this life.

[76] Amen.

[77] It brings the threat of eternal damnation, which is the real devastation.

[78] And so God in his wisdom made the marital, what should be the marital embrace, sex, sexual intercourse between a man and a woman.

[79] Yep.

[80] It, he made their, he made consequences of that.

[81] Amen.

[82] Certainly not just having children, but all the consequences of what should be bringing that man and woman more committed to each other because they've already committed in marriage.

[83] But when you remove those consequences, the earthly day -to -day consequences, or you attempt to remove them, you really can't remove them.

[84] But when we think we can remove the consequences, it just does harm.

[85] Like you said, the women's lib movement and everything kind of developed.

[86] I mean, it had already been there, but it took on, it built up steam with all the availability of contraception and all.

[87] And it's really backfired because women can be more easily used as simply an object of pleasure.

[88] That's right.

[89] Because the consequences of being intimate with a woman have, for the most part, been removed.

[90] And that is not of God.

[91] When it's not of God, we can get away with it for a while, but we can't get away with it long term.

[92] That's like you said, nature just doesn't allow it.

[93] God in his mercy, he allows us to make our sinful mistakes.

[94] And in his mercy, he's, when we repent, he's ready to forgive us, always wanting to forgive us.

[95] But nature sometimes is unforgiving in the diseases of all kinds that have developed and that are rampant among the population because we ignore morality.

[96] it does us harm in this life and in the next.

[97] Well, said Bishop Strickland, I want to promote the St. Philip Institute before we take our first break.

[98] Can you tell us a little bit about, for those who have never heard of it?

[99] Absolutely.

[100] The St. Philip Institute is all about teaching God's truth, St. Philip Institute .org.

[101] And Deanna Johnston is our great marriage and family life director, and she is an expert on helping people understand how important Humane Vita is.

[102] Awesome.

[103] And in having the tools in their marriage with NFP and all the things that are approved as not contraception, but ways of intelligently making sacrifices if necessary so that having, conceiving a child would be postponed.

[104] But so the St. Philip Institute is all into this.

[105] and there's some great materials online for people who may want to learn more about Humane Vite and how to live according to God's plan as a married couple.

[106] Well said, Bishop Strickland, we come back.

[107] We'll talk about your tweets and much more here on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[108] Terry Barber on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[109] Stay with us, family.

[110] We'll be right back.

[111] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[112] I want to remind everybody, all these shows are on the podcast at vmpr .org.

[113] that's virgin most powerful radio .org.

[114] Matter of fact, all of the shows that we produce are on podcasts on our website.

[115] Bishop Strickland, you've already talked a little bit earlier about, you know, looking to truth, looking to Jesus, but you sent a tweet that I think will help people who are depressed right now.

[116] And what I mean by depressed, they see so many evil things that are going on not only in the world, but even evil things that are going on in our church.

[117] And I mean evil.

[118] So we need to make reparation.

[119] And I get that that our lady talks about soul's going to hell because no one's there to pray.

[120] So we can live holy lives.

[121] I get all that, that that's what we need to do for Holy Mother the Church.

[122] But you tweeted this real quick statement, and I thought, wow, that's what we need to do.

[123] So you said, when darkness overwhelms us, you know, look to the light of Jesus.

[124] That's the answer.

[125] your thoughts well that's why i tweeted it because it is the answer and and the great thing we need to remember as believers tell me it's the answer for every human being all seven plus billion of us amen it's not a catholic thing it's not just for this group it's not just for those who believe it but it's the truth for everyone and the more we can bring people to that truth and there many people Even people of faith are facing a lot of darkness, and sometimes sadly, even falling into despair.

[126] But imagine people with no faith in seeing the economy as broken as it is, seeing the division, seeing the violence and the cities in our nation, seeing the problems between nations.

[127] The darkness can feel overwhelming, especially for people with people.

[128] no faith and even with people of faith.

[129] But Christ is the light of the world for all of us.

[130] And we have both talked a lot about how different our world would be if we could begin to live according to the light of truth that the Son of God has revealed to all humanity.

[131] That's the mission of the church.

[132] Sadly, even the mission of the church is not as strong as it should.

[133] be.

[134] There are too many that are saying, oh, well, let's just be in the world and let's go along with the world and let's adapt the gospel to, if people don't like it, we'll adapt it.

[135] That's not what Jesus did.

[136] He said, if a city doesn't receive the message of the good news, leave and shake the dust of that town from your feet.

[137] I mean, that's pretty dramatic and pretty clear.

[138] He didn't just say, well, you know, just be nice.

[139] But Jesus said, walk away if people reject the truth.

[140] Because he knows that, I mean, he is one with the Father, and he knows that God's will is for us to exercise our free will.

[141] We have the choice.

[142] God will never force us.

[143] Jesus didn't force any of his disciples.

[144] and many of the gospel passages say many walked away because, especially the teaching on the Eucharist, but other teachings.

[145] At certain moments, people walked away.

[146] The rich young man went away sad because he couldn't embrace the challenge of the truth of Christ.

[147] Christ doesn't push us away, but he also doesn't compromise the truth in order to presumably attract us.

[148] He stands because he is truth.

[149] deny the truth, just like the word of God says, he can't deny himself.

[150] He's truth incarnate.

[151] But there's too much denial of the truth and trying to shape it in our image rather than just taking a deep breath and saying, this is the truth as God has revealed it to us.

[152] We're created in God's image.

[153] The more we conform ourselves to God's truth, the more we're going to flourish.

[154] That's just the reality.

[155] You know, Bishop Strickland, while you were speaking, I was thinking of something I'm probably going to get in trouble speaking about, but I really see that when you were talking about truth, it seems right after the Council, Vatican II Council, when you read the 16 documents, they're very clear when it comes to liturgy and teachings of the church, and it's beautifully fit in with the perennial teachings of the church.

[156] But what has happened, in my humble opinion, six -pack.

[157] The spirit of Vatican II is so, well, to me, it's just so bad that people come up and say, well, the spirit of Vatican II says this, and it's just like one with the world.

[158] And it seems that even inside the church right now, the spirit of Vatican II, they're calling things to happen that we're not in the documents of Vatican II.

[159] Now, I know you, on your St. Philip Institute, you have some beautiful teachings on Vatican II.

[160] I read all that there, and I thought it was great.

[161] But can you just, I don't mean to get you in trouble, but wouldn't you agree that this idea of the spirit of Vatican 2 is what you're talking about when it comes to compromise?

[162] absolutely and that tendency certainly took over really in so many ways after i mean the ink on the the documents of the second vatican council was hardly dry before people started using it to promote that spirit of vatican two that really the only spirit of vatican two is the holy spirit and if it's if it begins to move away from what the documents actually say.

[163] I mean, and I think people have faulted some of the documents of the Second Vatican Council because it left doors open.

[164] But the reality is we were the, for the past 50, 60 years, we have lived through a time where people were pushing doors open any way they could.

[165] Certainly, Vatican II has been used with people pushing an agenda.

[166] That spirit of Vatican.

[167] 2.

[168] But if you go back to the actual documents and what they actually say, I mean, like on the liturgy, it looks very different from what developed in the spirit of Vatican 2.

[169] And that's what we have to really pay attention to.

[170] I mean, all the debate about whether Vatican 2 was valid.

[171] Of course it was valid.

[172] It's a council of the church.

[173] Of course.

[174] But how it got interpreted and lived, that's where the spirit of Vatican II has distorted a lot with too much compromise.

[175] As things, I mean, just one example.

[176] Vatican II said that the, that was part of, I mean, and the documents don't actually speak of this, as I understand it, but what developed after Vatican II was the no meat on Fridays was relaxed.

[177] I honestly, I have to admit, I'm not sure what document or where that came from, but certainly the practice, maybe it was just something that individual bishops shared.

[178] I honestly don't know.

[179] I was just a little kid.

[180] I need to study that.

[181] But the reality was the practice that had been in place prior to Vatican II, that it was a universal practice to not.

[182] meat, eat meat on Fridays, that was relaxed.

[183] But so often, you had kids.

[184] And if you think of the church as a community of children, which sometimes that's how we operate, and I'll include myself, but as an immature community of children, we said, oh, great, we don't have to, we can eat meat on Fridays now.

[185] They didn't read the rest of what the church taught is you don't have to not eat meat, but you still need to make some sort of penitential practice.

[186] That just fell off the radar.

[187] That didn't get promoted at all, at least not in any significant way.

[188] So we can't now say, oh, yeah, well, the church relax the rules on not eating meat.

[189] But this, and this and this and this developed in a universal way for substitutes of that sort of self -sacrifice.

[190] That's what it's about.

[191] And I think there was there was real wisdom in removing that because, I mean, as I've told people, I love fish.

[192] So it was never any big sacrifice for me to not eat meat and eat fish instead.

[193] I mean, I think the real sacrifice is probably now to maybe not eat any, maybe vegetables, you know, only, or to eat beans or rice or, you know, I love beans and rice.

[194] I like most food.

[195] So, you know, maybe just fasting more is what we need to do.

[196] But we do need those penitential practices.

[197] But that's just one simple example of how even within what the church said, people got.

[198] a little bit, said, okay, I've heard enough, and they just ran with it and didn't hear spiritually the fullness of that message.

[199] Wow, thank you for that.

[200] It needs to be said.

[201] I'll just add one thing because I did read Paul VI's statement in the late 60s.

[202] He encouraged people to do acts of charity also on every Friday of the week as a way to make some sign of sacrifice because of the sacrifice of Jesus dying on the cross.

[203] So what you just said, I wish everybody had heard because that's not what got implemented.

[204] What you said was, hey, we get to eat hamburgers.

[205] All right, on Friday, yay team or steak.

[206] And so anyhow, I appreciate you making that clarification.

[207] This next statement, well, actually, you know what, we're going to take a quick break.

[208] I'll just tease everybody.

[209] It's my Fulton Sheen.

[210] I just love anything you quote on Fulton Sheen.

[211] and it's a quote about truth because you constantly, ever since we started this show, Bishop Strickland, if there's one thing you've made clear to me, and that is, what is the truth, that's what we follow.

[212] Wherever the truth takes us, that's where we go.

[213] And no compromises when it comes to the truth of the perennial teachings of the church.

[214] And I think this is what really brings people to church.

[215] and I think of this, and I'll be where we take a quick break, 87 % of our young people right now, by the time they're 23, will not be practicing their faith.

[216] And I'm going to make assessment of that.

[217] I think many of those young people were never taught the faith in the first place.

[218] So I'm convinced that if we go back to the fundamentals of the faith, which you seem to do with all your tweets, you're not talking about, you know, speculative theology.

[219] You're always constantly quoting the saints, the scriptures.

[220] I mean, you know, it's fundamental.

[221] And Bishop Strickland, I just think that that's what the church's need is because when I'm seeing in my lifetime, and I'm 60 in my mid -60s now, and I see what's happened is so many people don't know the basics of the faith.

[222] And that's why I say that St. Philip Institute you have will help people get caught up, the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[223] Most of my Catholic friends that I know were ignorant until they became adults and when they actively said, well, I've got to get caught up.

[224] I don't think I know much about my faith.

[225] And here's the thing, Bishop Strickland, I know you've got Catholic schools and they're good schools and Tyler, but I've got to tell you, for the last 50, 60 years, Catholic schools have disappointed the students in many cases because they went with the world rather than the perennial teachings of the church.

[226] And many kids that graduated from these schools are not practicing the faith today.

[227] So that's an indictment, and I think that we could do much better.

[228] And when we come back from the quick break, we've got a quote that you sent out on a tweet about Bishop Sheen and Truth, which I think is incredibly powerful.

[229] Folks, you're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[230] stay with us and share this message with your friends.

[231] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[232] I'm smiling because I love this tweet.

[233] This is the shortest tweet anybody could give.

[234] He says, let us remember truth can't lose.

[235] Is that a good message to tweet out?

[236] Absolutely.

[237] And what he was referring to, Bishop Strickland sent a tweet that Bishop Sheen said, 60 years ago.

[238] I mean, give me a break.

[239] He said, we do not know what the future holds, whether the battle will be bloody or unbloody.

[240] We only know that the world is beginning to polarize, and the good are becoming better, and the bad are becoming worse.

[241] Whether swords will be used, we do not know.

[242] Whether they will be sheathed or unsheathed, we do not know.

[243] Here's the cash value one.

[244] Here it comes.

[245] There is only one thing that we do know.

[246] that is that if truth wins we win and if truth ah he says but truth can't lose your thoughts on that bishop strickland well like you said I just love that it it really captures what we're living through and what we need to remember whether it's swords sheathed or unsheathed like he says we don't know and you know it seems like anything's possible at this point but regardless we cling to the truth we cling to i mean those crosses behind you in that image of archbishop sheen the we need to we need to stay with the cross of jesus because that's where truth incarnate sacrificed his very life for all of us and You know, if we remember that, then, you know, we're okay.

[247] Yeah, the challenges are here, but we're in for the long game, which is eternal life.

[248] And that's where truth guides us, if we'll just listen.

[249] Well, said, an attitude of gratitude is welcome just about everywhere.

[250] Bishop Strickland, your next tweet is on St. Charbel's Feastay this week.

[251] and I love him Lebanese Syrian descent and my mom and dad's parents are from Lebanon so I have a great devotion to him but again St. Pope Paul the 6th made this comment and you tweeted it in a world largely fascinated with riches and comfort he helps us understand the paramount value of poverty, penance, and asceticism to liberate the soul in its ascent to God Bishop Strickland This saint is I think anybody who's listening Google his stories I want to hear why you sent that But then I have a miraculous story That was told to me by a Lebanese priest About St. Charbel So what are your Why did you actually tweet this about St. Charbel?

[252] Well, I think he like all the saints Just remind us of a saintly perspective That we need we need reminders of We need the model that the saints are.

[253] People just like us, people that suffered, people that had, you know, difficulties in life.

[254] Many of the saints had poor health.

[255] Health is such a big deal and comfort.

[256] Many of the saints live very uncomfortable lives and struggled with health, but they knew what life was about.

[257] And ultimately, that's what it's embracing suffering in the right.

[258] right way, it helps us to remember that we're built for eternity.

[259] We're not built to just stay here.

[260] And what I keep reading and hearing about is basically a tendency to just adopt humanism and act as if this human journey is all there is, like we've talked about before.

[261] humanism leaves us empty and lifeless and dead and that's what too many people even within the church we're embracing the that's not what jesus christ preached i mean if you read his gospels and you say oh well we're just about humanism and getting along getting along is fine living in peace absolutely but what does he tell what does jesus tell us i come not to being peace but the sword i come to bring division and his division is to be divided from anything that isn't the truth because he's truth in the depths of his very being and you know the humanism is about just ignoring truth and getting along and frankly if you really take humanism to its logical conclusion people i would say why bother why bother with a peaceful world if that's it and you're just obliterated for for all eternity you're nothing you just get recycled into dust you know yeah the the Word of God tells us, remember you are destined and to dust you shall return, if you don't embrace that spark of eternal life that reminds us that we're created in the image and likeness of God.

[262] We're destined for eternity.

[263] Humanism forgets that.

[264] And the more the church yourself even embraces humanism and this idea of a global community that leaves out a global community is great.

[265] sure if the truth of christ is what's guiding it but if truth doesn't guide it and it's like oh well you know in order to have this global community we need to just redefine marriage and say everybody can do everything they want and whatever you find yourself whatever you identify as today that everybody just has to applaud you and say oh you identifies that and then tomorrow you identify something else.

[266] None of that is rooted in the truth.

[267] And ultimately, we have to keep proclaiming the truth joyfully and vigorously because when we let go of the truth, we bring devastation.

[268] We bring terrible tragedies just for the individual lives, much less for all of humanity.

[269] Well, amen, amen, amen, Bishop Strickland, thank you for that.

[270] I love this next tweet because I'll just preface this.

[271] It seems sometimes people in the church don't want to make statements, whether it's for pro -life or pro -family, because they use this excuse.

[272] And I'm sorry, Bishop Strickland.

[273] Guys, dressed like you, I'm going to say it's an excuse not to speak out.

[274] And that is regarding family issues, whether it's abortion or same -sex, so -called marriage.

[275] And the reason I bring this up is because they say, well, we don't want to get political.

[276] well you know I said it off the air and I'm going to say it on the air to you Bishop Strickland I hope you realize because I do and I know you do this that you know on our both of our exit interviews you and me we're both going to be held accountable like everyone to what we said and what we didn't say and I think it's an excuse to go to our our exit interview and say dear Lord I didn't speak up for the unborn because well you see I thought it would be too political, I didn't stand up for true marriage because, you know, that's not the political atmosphere I lived in.

[277] That's a weak answer, okay?

[278] So here's what I'm saying.

[279] You just tweeted this and you said, Cardinal Sarah speaks essential truth.

[280] We must listen to him.

[281] What did he say?

[282] I about fell over.

[283] He said, the dream of the Western globalized elite is precisely to establish a new world religion for this little group, the ancient religions, and in particular, the Catholic Church must be transformed or die.

[284] Okay, I'm sorry, Bishop Strickland.

[285] I've never heard a Cardinal or Bishop speak so forthfully like that.

[286] Your thoughts?

[287] Well, that's why I quoted it, because I think he's spot on.

[288] He's got his finger on the pulse of what the world is trying to do.

[289] And there are many people that have made it their manifesto to either drastically revise the church to not be the church, the Catholic church, or to kill it.

[290] Yeah.

[291] One way or the other, they want to get rid of this church that stands for eternal truth in Jesus Christ.

[292] As Christ, and that's what I reassure myself and others all the time.

[293] Christ promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against the church.

[294] In another way of saying what Christ teaches us there, truth will prevail.

[295] Amen.

[296] The false messages of Satan and his minions may carry the day for, maybe even for a prolonged time.

[297] Yes.

[298] But they will not prevail.

[299] So we've got to be strong in the truth to know that it's where real joy, real fulfillment, real life is found.

[300] And we've just got to be that broken record that we get accused of being because we can't quit repeating it just because no one's receiving it.

[301] Amen.

[302] And we have an obligation.

[303] And thankfully, many people are receiving it.

[304] I was just at a conference this past weekend with many converts to the Catholic faith.

[305] Awesome.

[306] And when people convert to the Catholic faith, they get on fire with, I think I can speak for both of us, that we're blessed to be cradle Catholics that are on fire with our faith by the grace of God.

[307] It's always the grace of God.

[308] But these converts are people that have studied their way into the church.

[309] And anyone who's listening and maybe says, they just kind of stumbled on this or somebody said, oh, you need to listen to this Bishop Strickland hour.

[310] Who's this Bishop Strickland?

[311] It's not about me. It's about Jesus Christ and his truth.

[312] And I would encourage anyone who's All of us, all of us need to continue to study and to learn the word of God and the message of the truth that the church proclaims more and more deeply.

[313] Through the catechism, through all the great documents of the church, through papal documents, through the word of God in scripture, the Bible.

[314] We need to continue to study as long as we have the breath of life.

[315] But the more we study, the more we learn that this is where truth is, it's challenging.

[316] It's difficult to live up to.

[317] I'm a sinner and I fail more often than I want to admit.

[318] But I need to admit it.

[319] Go to confession, start again, be renewed in God's divine mercy.

[320] We all have that opportunity.

[321] And it should be a joyful journey closer and closer, deeper and deeper in the holiness that God calls us to.

[322] Wow.

[323] Bishop Strickland, I love it.

[324] When we come back, we're going to give you an example of you not being politically correct.

[325] the sanctity of marriage, you're speaking out.

[326] And I think it's great that you as a successor of the apostle should be speaking out for the sanctity of marriage.

[327] When we come back, we'll check that tweet out and much more here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[328] Stay with us, family.

[329] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[330] I teased you with a couple more tweets by the good bishop, and these are powerful tweets.

[331] I'm going to put both of them together, and then Bishop Strickling explain yourself, because it's refreshing to hear a successor of the Apostle speak out so boldly in our culture.

[332] You mentioned in the tweet, may the people of faith speak up for the sanctity of marriage and urge Congress, which is right now, not to codify the denial of this truth as a law of the land.

[333] We're talking about same -sex marriage.

[334] Let us show true compassion.

[335] This is awesome.

[336] Let us show true compassion to every son and daughter of God.

[337] And then you followed up with this next tweet.

[338] the irony of the respect for marriage act.

[339] Can you imagine, they call it a respect for marriage act.

[340] Now before Congress, it's tragic.

[341] Why don't you really tell me what you think?

[342] Bishop Strickland says, it is in truth a blatant denial of God's plan for humanity and places us in great peril.

[343] All who love God and seek to live his commandments must go on record opposing this travesty and denial of God's law.

[344] Bishop Strickland, I know this is not going to be a political well statement, but I'm sorry.

[345] I wish every bishop in America would sign off on that and tell the American people that this is evil.

[346] Your thoughts?

[347] Well, we have an obligation to tell the truth again.

[348] And as I tried to say in that tweet, it is absolutely not about hatred of anyone.

[349] No. The catechism makes it very clear that whatever your sexual orientation, it is never Christian, it is never the Catholic way, it is never the way of Christ to denigrate, to cause harm, to in any way less than love and respect a person, whatever their sexual orientation or sexual confusion.

[350] That has to be very clear.

[351] That, but where people just conflate it all and get so confused is actions have consequences.

[352] And actions are either moral or immoral.

[353] I mean, a lot of actions are moral.

[354] Some actions are amoral.

[355] I mean, drinking a glass of water is pretty amoral.

[356] I mean, you could come up with circumstances.

[357] If you're going to die, if you don't drink that glass of water, it would be immoral not to drink it.

[358] Amen.

[359] Or if, you know, and so you've got to use your mind and you've got to make judgments.

[360] Again, people so often say, oh, judge not let she be judged.

[361] Absolutely.

[362] That's in scripture.

[363] But judging another is far different than making judgments about what is true and what is false.

[364] And all of that has been blurred and confused to the point where a lot of people don't even know those distinctions exist, much less try to be guided by them, but we've got to bring people back to the understanding.

[365] And that's where the church has taught for centuries.

[366] Orientations are not moral or immoral.

[367] They are simply the way, the truth of who you are.

[368] What you do with that orientation, what you do with that tendency, that's where the morality kicks in.

[369] And to ignore that distinction is deeply harmful to the human community.

[370] And that's where we are.

[371] We're not distinguishing that in trying to respect marriage by tearing it apart is it's more than ironic, it's tragic.

[372] Exactly.

[373] And it's deeply harmful.

[374] We can look at the human community, since all of this, you know, gay liberation, you can say, since all of that has really taken hold, are we in a better place in humanity?

[375] Are people more flourishing and more fulfilled?

[376] I mean, there's more confusion.

[377] There are more people that have been done harm because they thought they were this orientation and then they change and have another orientation or think this about their sexuality.

[378] It is just confused and destructive to individuals and to the human family.

[379] We've got to look to the truth.

[380] And the truth, like we were saying, the truth will prevail.

[381] But we have an obligation to speak up and try to hold people back from destructive behaviors.

[382] It's behaviors that cause the problem.

[383] And no one should be denigrated or harmed or in any way prejudiced against because of an orientation.

[384] Right.

[385] When behaviors begin to change how they live in society, society has an obligation to speak up and say, these behaviors are not good for you.

[386] or good for society.

[387] Well said, Bishop Strickland, and obviously, you know, individuals who have lived against the gospel values, whether it's marriage, just look statistically LDD, the divorces, the suicides that are going on, drug addiction, there's so much chaos that this immorality has brought on.

[388] And it's almost like our secular world doesn't want to.

[389] to look at the fruit of this and I mean the bad fruit of and really the Catholic Church has the answer which is hey the Catholic Church says live of the Ten Commandments what a novel idea absolutely Terry and let me focus on something because pornography is a huge problem in our world and that is I mean there pornography comes in in every type of sexual orientation there is yeah But that is something that we need to help people move away from.

[390] Again, it's not having the tendency or the temptation to be entertained with or embrace pornography, but it's acting on that.

[391] Yes.

[392] It's using pornography.

[393] When we choose to use to act on that temptation or that tendency, It brings harm, and that is across the spectrum for sexuality.

[394] I mean, there are people that are promoting the use of pornography as a healthy thing.

[395] That is evil, and it's ridiculous.

[396] Very few people, thankfully, most people would acknowledge that being addicted to pornography is a bad thing.

[397] Of course, not the pornography industry, because it's money.

[398] they're making.

[399] But anyone who cares about the health of an individual will tell you that a pornography addiction is harmful to the individual and harmful to their relationships.

[400] Whether they are the relationship of what marriage should be between a man and a woman, it's devastating to marriages between a man and a woman for pornography to infect that relationship.

[401] Many times with a man more and more with the woman or both.

[402] Pornography is not something that is part of any of the, you know, not limited to any aspect of the sexual orientation spectrum, but it's harmful to all of us.

[403] And the more we can wake up to the truth that living in immoral life is harmful, the more we can all live in a better world.

[404] You know, what you just said, I had an attorney tell me that most of his divorce cases come from the husband being addicted to pornography.

[405] It's a destroyer of marriages, pornography, not just to destroy souls, which is most important, but it's just a horrible thing that's destroying the family.

[406] Bishop Strickland, we kind of go right back to what you said at the beginning of the show with Hamanavita.

[407] Because if we embrace God's plan for sex and marriage, according to God's way, then we're going to be happy.

[408] We're going to be holy.

[409] And, you know, this is really what here Virgin Most Powerful Radio is all about.

[410] If souls are saved, everything is saved.

[411] And if souls aren't saved, nothing is saved.

[412] So it seems to me that Himani Vite really is an antidote for our culture today to go back to what we call the fundamentals of life regarding marriage.

[413] Your thoughts?

[414] Absolutely.

[415] And we need to continue to teach that joyful message of what the relationship of marriage, which again is between a man and a woman for life, open to children.

[416] That's where the contraception question comes in.

[417] When a marriage is intact in that way, it's still a challenge.

[418] And they're going to be ups and downs.

[419] They're going to be.

[420] good and bad sickness and health all the things in the marriage vows but when you are doing your best and living with the grace of God it even the challenges become a beautiful part of the story even the heartaches you share them together the man and the woman support each other amen but you know contraception is a destructive force that we just need to continue to share the truth and encourage people.

[421] It's not a Catholic thing.

[422] It's not even a Christian thing.

[423] It's a humanity thing.

[424] To recognize where the gift of sexuality that comes from God, where it fits into the relationship of marriage between a man and a woman, and to use it with great respect and great humility, that's the only path to really flourishing marriages and families and a human family.

[425] Wow.

[426] Well, Bishop Strickland, I'd like to ask you now if you could give our listeners your blessing and we appreciate you taking the time to do this show because what you just did in this past hour is you basically catechized us on fundamental teachings of the church.

[427] So a blessing would be, I think, appropriate now.

[428] Thanks, Terry.

[429] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of us involved in proclaiming this truth and all who are listening to this broadcast and embracing or called to embrace the truth.

[430] We pray for all of those who are caught up in falsehoods, in compromises, and forgetting the truth, that we may joyfully share the truth with them and that they may joyfully once again repent of sin and embrace the truth that sets us free.

[431] And we ask this blessing in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen thank you very much bishop stricken folks i want to remind you i just got a context this is funny folks that people support our ministry and you become a monthly donor here at 25 dollars or more and you get lots of downloads of scott hon tim staples father bill casey all these great bishop sheen recordings as a way hundreds of dollars go to you every day to form you each month in the faith and so if you want to join us go to vmpr .org or call us at 877 526215 I'm looking forward to next week's show with bishop strickland remember all of the shows are on vmpr .org and you can pass them on to your friends that's how we share the gospel by reaching out to people with the good news of jesus christ may god richly bless you and your family we'll see again next week same price time You know,