29 Jun 21 – Cardinal George Speaks Out

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barbara.

[2] I'm with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[3] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for joining us in this one hour a week program.

[4] Good to see you again, Terry.

[5] Well, it's always good to see a Bishop Strickland.

[6] We prayed for you last week, and I know some of your tweets you talked about the bishop's conference, but what we do for those who are brand new, because I think I was with Father Don Callaway this past weekend for a Divine Mercy conference.

[7] giving a talk there.

[8] And I know many of you are brand new.

[9] And I asked you who Bishop Strickland, if you knew the Bishop Strickland Hour, I was surprised how many of the 500 people were listening.

[10] But I asked everybody to download the app so the others could start listening.

[11] So I want to welcome all our new listeners to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[12] And again, if you don't have it on your network, you can always go to vmpr .org and get the download for the app.

[13] It's absolutely free.

[14] Strickland, like the normal way you've been tweeting, I don't know of a week that you don't tweet something about in the defense of the innocent life of unborn babies, and that this is no different this week.

[15] And so I want to bring those up.

[16] But you have a tweet regarding the Holy Eucharist, and, you know, there's been a lot of talk about people who are receiving Holy Communion that are not objectively in the state of grace and the secular media is picking up on it.

[17] and I thought you had a tweet that was really just quite beautiful because of another cardinal who commented on it.

[18] So here's what you said, or what you quoted, Cardinal Lorenzi saying, he said it best when asked whether pro -abortion politicians should receive Holy Communion.

[19] And I like his sense of humor.

[20] He says, do you really need to ask a Cardinal from the Vatican to answer that?

[21] Let me get a break.

[22] He said, ask a young child receiving his first Holy Communion.

[23] If they've learned their catechism, they will say, no, no, no. And I say that, I read that a while back, Bishop Strickland, but it seemed that that was aproposite.

[24] Did you do that because of all the talk about Holy Communion for politicians and movie stars and people and everyone, the question about who should be receiving Holy Communion?

[25] Is that why you did that?

[26] Absolutely, because I think it just reminds us or should remind us, us that the question is answered and it's really relatively simple we and really terry as always i'm always looking for opportunities to really emphasize to people the real presence that this is a person amen this is jesus christ as alive today as he was two thousand years ago as he walked this earth.

[27] So if we just keep reminding ourselves, we talk about communion, we talk about the Eucharist, which is appropriate, but we need to remember we're talking about a who and not a what.

[28] And to me, that, it really, again, I know I'm constantly harping on it, but it's the same reality with the sanctity of the life of the unborn.

[29] Yeah.

[30] We're talking about a who and not a what.

[31] We're talking about persons.

[32] And when it comes to the Eucharist, I believe that, because I know you and I feel a personal connection to our Lord Jesus Christ.

[33] Amen.

[34] That personal connection is enhanced when we're in his Eucharistic presence.

[35] It still looks like bread, but we know in faith, and we feel that.

[36] It's more, that's not even the right word.

[37] It is beyond.

[38] It is something other.

[39] It is someone other.

[40] It is the presence, body and blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.

[41] And if we stay focused on that, then I don't believe any sane person can say, well, I can just, treat Jesus Christ just any way I want and then receive him.

[42] And that's, that really is the crux of the issue, I believe, is how can any of us be worthy?

[43] Yeah, well, and what I tried to say in the bishop's meeting was we've got to connect repentance of our sins, going to confession, truly trying to reform our lives.

[44] The, the classic language is firm, purpose of amendment, to change, to grow closer to him, and then to be fed by him.

[45] I read something in this book that I've mentioned before, beautiful, simple, short reflections on the Eucharist from saints and theologians through the ages.

[46] But one thing that was pointed out that it's common sense.

[47] It's our experience, but we need to be reminded of these things.

[48] When we receive the body of Christ, unlike any other food, we grow hungrier for him.

[49] It doesn't satisfy our hunger.

[50] It does the opposite.

[51] Really faithfully receiving the body of Christ makes you hunger all the more deeply for his presence in your life.

[52] Well said, Bishop Strick.

[53] No, this makes sense what you're And again, you know, I love to be able to use the language that the church uses regarding the Holy Eucharist when we say that Jesus Christ is present under the appearance of bread and wine because I'm going to be honest with your bishop's church.

[54] I've heard songs in Catholic churches, my own church, where we say Jesus Christ is in the bread and in the wine, Lutheranism.

[55] And I think that it's sad because it can get people confused.

[56] just have to be so careful with our language is what I'm, and I'm not a theologian, but I just try to be precise.

[57] He's under the appearance of bread and wine.

[58] So when I hear people say he's in the bread or he's in the wine, no, no, no, no, that's not what Catholics believe.

[59] Anyhow, I probably has one of my pet peeves.

[60] Bishop Strickland, like I said, every week you tweet something about in defense of life.

[61] And I saw this quote where you said, wonderful to see young people so committed for life fight for the life in a city near you so it's students for life can you just i know you have it in your own you know i'm looking it's in tyler it's in kansas city los angeles san francisco chicago washington new all these big cities and then it's in tyler texas i'm sorry but i'm laughing what the heck is this all about tell me well it's about life amen and those young people as you pointed out yeah they had a campaign to travel around the country supporting life, young people, older people, but just people making great sacrifice.

[62] I mean, Tyler, Texas is not, you know, it's a couple hours from Dallas.

[63] Yeah.

[64] It's about three or four hours from Houston.

[65] Wow.

[66] And these people travel traveled from much further than that to come and support the sanctity of life right here in Tyler Texas.

[67] So I was inspired by that.

[68] Young people are often, you know, troubled and confused and not living faith.

[69] So we need to highlight when young people are setting a beautiful example of what we all need to do and upholding the sanctity of life.

[70] So that was why I tweeted that because I was inspired and hopefully it inspires a lot of people.

[71] I'm sure it will.

[72] Also, Bishop Strickland, you tweeted some advice to politicians and I thought, wow, I got to read this.

[73] What advice is he going to give him?

[74] And here he says, he said, Catholic pastors should remind Catholic politicians of the four last things, death, judgment, heaven, and hell, and instruct them that's supporting politics that are in a dramatic opposition to Catholic teaching, risk their salvation and harms the human family.

[75] Bishop Strickland, why don't you really tell me what you think?

[76] I love that.

[77] That was so clear.

[78] You didn't beat around the bush.

[79] And you know what?

[80] Not only politicians, I mean, that we should, I think everybody needs to hear the four last things.

[81] Yes.

[82] Well, absolutely.

[83] And we need to have that in our heart and mind as we approach the Eucharist.

[84] Yeah.

[85] Am I is, am I in discus?

[86] disposed to really benefit from the body and blood, soul, and divinity of Christ?

[87] Or is it going to, you know, further my condemnation?

[88] It's what we're doing.

[89] Christ is always there in His mercy.

[90] He is mercy personified.

[91] But we have to make the choices to embrace that, really embrace His mercy by reforming our lives.

[92] And what occurred to me as I tweeted that is death, you can't avoid.

[93] Nope.

[94] Judgment, you can't avoid.

[95] So two of those, every human being is going to go through death and go through judgment.

[96] Heaven and hell, that's the only choice there.

[97] We're going to end up ultimately, I mean, we have the real blessing of purgatory that if we've really at least gotten on the right path but have not gotten there perfectly, which is probably the vast majority of us.

[98] Thankfully, we have the hope of still being perfected even after this life.

[99] And ultimately, in God's time, he's timeless, so it doesn't make sense to us.

[100] It's a deep mystery.

[101] But the ultimate resolution of our lives is either going to be, fully with God in heaven or fully without God in hell.

[102] That's the choice.

[103] That's the fork in the road that all of us are facing.

[104] We're all going to go through death.

[105] We're all going to go through judgment.

[106] And it's our obligation to use our free will to choose the path to God.

[107] We're made by God.

[108] We're created in His image and likeness.

[109] We need to spend eternity with God.

[110] Wow.

[111] All I can say is amen, amen.

[112] And I'm not a Protestant, but I'm an evangelical Catholic with a Ph .D. in common sense.

[113] And what you said really relates to me well.

[114] You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[115] We come back.

[116] We'll have more.

[117] Stay with us on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[118] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour and Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[119] Bishop Strickland, you had a little prayer that you said here on a tweet regarding the bishops conference and were there some comments can you share that with us please a prayer yeah let us all pray that we may seek unity in jesus christ and resolve to eliminate the divisions that our sins create and then you said these are my comments at the june bishops meeting yeah yeah so basically you you're trying to pray for unity among our bishops is that was that something you said during the conference or was that just a no that's just what i'd Because I attached to that tweet my comments at the conference at the meeting and that, I mean, there was a lot of talk about seeking unity and deepening our unity, which I totally agree with.

[120] Sure.

[121] And like we were talking about earlier, who is our unity?

[122] Jesus Christ.

[123] Amen.

[124] To know him more deeply is the greatest source of unity for humanity.

[125] and for certainly everyone in the church and for bishops to be more closely united to christ is our greatest unity as individual human beings and so i think that's what i would emphasize and like we were saying earlier to to really come to know him more deeply as a person as a personal reality that really calls us together.

[126] Just like with his disciples, he called the 12, the 12 apostles.

[127] There was disunity there.

[128] Judas Ascariot betrayed him.

[129] So, you know, one 12th of the original apostles fell by the wayside and really willfully walked away from Christ and betrayed him.

[130] Yeah.

[131] And so, you know, we're not immune as human beings 20 centuries later to falling into the same trap of Judas Ascariot.

[132] Yeah.

[133] I think all of us, not just bishops, but all baptized Catholics, we all need to recognize.

[134] And I'll confess, when I sin, there's at least hopefully, not huge, but the more serious the sin, the more it's buying into what caused Judas Iscariot to betray the Lord.

[135] And what was that?

[136] Willfulness, I believe, pride, thinking he knew better than what the Lord was saying, and wealth, power.

[137] We can look at a lot of the temptations that Judas Ascariot fell into and recognized that there, but for the grace of God, go any of us.

[138] So I think we need to remember that unity is in Christ.

[139] Amen.

[140] That is true for the Pope and all the bishops worldwide, for all the priests, for all the deacons, for all the baptized and confirmed Catholics, and whatever walk of life, unity in the church is essential because we're talking about one body that is the body of Christ.

[141] And the more that's fragmented, the more it is a scandal to Christ and a further passion of Christ, a further crucifixion of Christ.

[142] The more we are divided, the more his suffering and passion just continues in the world.

[143] So unity is something we need to work toward, but the only way we're going to get there is to be for me to admit the ways that I'm not fully in union with Christ myself, and for each of us individually to do that and then to come together as a church that says we're all seeking deeper unity in Him.

[144] not in each other, not in some worldly principle, but in Jesus Christ.

[145] You nailed it.

[146] Well, this brings me to Cardinal George's comment that you sent out in a tweet.

[147] God rest his soul, he died several years ago.

[148] He's a Cardinal of Chicago, for those who don't know, Cardinal Francis George was.

[149] This is a comment that just hit me to the core of my body.

[150] I said, I'm going to memorize this.

[151] This is really good.

[152] He said, the church is a scandal to the worldly.

[153] when she is faithful to her Lord and her teachings and her acts.

[154] Amen to that.

[155] The church is a scandal to the faithful when her members and her ministers dissent from the teachings and excuse themselves from her prescriptions.

[156] Wow, what a way to say it.

[157] And then I love the way he summarized it.

[158] He said, the first scandal is our mission.

[159] And he says the second is our shame.

[160] Bishop Strickland, that's a home run quote.

[161] Yeah, absolutely.

[162] It really struck me that way.

[163] It's powerful.

[164] It's clear.

[165] Yes.

[166] And Cardinal George died long before the present situation.

[167] I mean, it was beginning to erode, certainly.

[168] It's taken a long time.

[169] But he died before this present scandal of not standing.

[170] as strongly as we should for the truth.

[171] And he's absolutely right.

[172] What happened to Christ and what did he say?

[173] The world will hate you because of the truth.

[174] And the more that the world loves us, the more we're a scandal to Jesus Christ.

[175] And that's what we're all challenge, every one of us.

[176] I mean, I don't place myself above that challenge in any way.

[177] I have to work at it to be true to Christ.

[178] and not to be swept away and whatever is the political current or the popularity current or whatever it is.

[179] That is, if it's not Christ, then it's taking us away from him, and that's scandalous.

[180] Well, Bishop Strickland well said, but I'll tell you, in my take as a layman, when I see the world, and I'm talking about secular world, accompanying the Catholic Church, I get worried.

[181] Yeah.

[182] I mean it.

[183] I get worried because I say, wait a minute.

[184] We're supposed to be not with the world.

[185] We're supposed to show the world the truth of Jesus Christ.

[186] But if we're going to compromise, I'm just saying myself included.

[187] I can't compromise with the world.

[188] I have to stick to the teachings of Christ, the perennial teachings of the church.

[189] But one thing that he really nailed me with its convicted me, I should say, when he said this the first scandal is our mission so our mission is to proclaim jesus christ to the world even when the world says they don't want it okay we don't just say oh okay then we won't bring it up anymore well have a great deal let's talk about uh talk about baseball no we're going to continue to share the gospel whether we're in prison i mean it doesn't matter where we're at we have that job it's a lifetime occupation for the church to continue with the teachings of the church.

[190] But then he says the, he said the first scandal is our mission, and then he said the second is our shame.

[191] I have to be honest with you, Bishop Strickland, I'm not management, I'm in sales.

[192] But when I see that our leadership in the church will sometimes compromise with the world and say, well, you know, everybody's, you know, we've got to kind of look the other way.

[193] And, you know, you might offend somebody.

[194] And I'm thinking, really?

[195] Please, Bishop, stand with the church don't don't fall for that it's just uh it's it's it's going to undermine the perennial teachings of the church when you don't teach it even when you say when you're silent about something like for example bishop strickland you just talked about the four last things it's very clear what you said i have no ambiguity there and i'm going to be honest with you as a layman i'm kind of going on and on probably beating you up a little bit sorry it's this i i i feel like as i see the church sometimes coming is that they're making excuses for our faith and i'm tired of making these i don't want to make your excuses i want the church to proclaim the church teachings because they are true and not to apologize because we have to teach you know like for example we in philadelphia had that issue with uh the adoptions for the same -sex couples and we said look we have to hold a line we have a moral teaching that we have to stick to god bless the church for that and the world looks at that and they go wow the catholic church is not going to compromise and you know what it's attracting to people who are non -cathic those are my friends who said that to me that aren't catholic and i believe that we need more of that Bishop Strickland and less of oh well we'll just you know you know boys will be boy no we have to hold the line so anyhow that's my take on it I know we're coming to a quick break in a minute here but I did want to ask you because we've got a couple three minutes here are you familiar with the Catholic vote statistics that they did they they they surveyed and asked Catholics like me who go to church every Sunday not non not Catholics who aren't practice and they've got your back covered because 83 % of mass attending Catholics agree that the bishops should publicly defend all Catholic teachings.

[196] In other words, don't be surprised and say, oh, well, I don't want to, if we can do that, maybe they won't come to church or they won't put dollars in the basket or they're going to be offended because we taught about the life, you know, teachings on Hermione Vite.

[197] Oh, hey, they're not going to want to hear that.

[198] No, the message is we want to hear what Christ and his church teaches, and we don't want it watered down.

[199] And I think that this statistic here shows that 90 % agree that the bishop should be teaching all the teachings on the matters of faith and morals.

[200] You know, it sounds to me like Bishop Strickland, that of course they would say that.

[201] But, you know, the mentality that we see out there is like, no, nobody wants that hard gospel.

[202] We all want the easy gospel.

[203] But in fact, I think that's not true, Bishop.

[204] What's your take on that?

[205] Well, I totally agree with what you're saying.

[206] And the temptation to compromise is literally short -sighted.

[207] We need to be eternity -sided.

[208] And because what occurred to me, I shared this somewhere else, when I sin, I'm being short -sighted.

[209] If we think about our sins, we're choosing the moment over the long -term, over ultimately eternity.

[210] We're making a choice for the moment.

[211] We're built to choose eternity.

[212] And when we make those compromises, when we sin, we, We're choosing something that is just in the moment, and it truly is short -sighted.

[213] We need to always be developing that perspective.

[214] What is the long -term?

[215] What is valuable for tomorrow?

[216] And so many things that are broken in our society come down to how we treat people, certainly the unborn, but all across the spectrum from conception to conception to natural, death.

[217] We need to remember people are eternal entities.

[218] They're meant to be with God in eternity.

[219] And how we treat each other is key to our own salvation.

[220] Well, said, when we come back, we'll talk about two men that are saints that didn't compromise.

[221] St. John Fisher and St. Thomas Moore.

[222] Don't turn that dial.

[223] We'll be right back.

[224] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[225] I gave a little teaser at the break.

[226] I said, we've got two good saints that didn't compromise.

[227] St. John Fisher, Bishop, and St. Thomas More, a martyr.

[228] They're both martyrs.

[229] And they gave up their lives in testimony to what Bishop Strickland was just talking about, the unity of the church, and to the intercellability of marriage.

[230] Bishop Strickland, you have devotion to both of those saints.

[231] Do you not?

[232] Yes, I do.

[233] Yeah, tell us why.

[234] As a canonical attorney and, And as a bishop, they both are significant for me because of the role that they had, the jobs that they had, but also just because of their great witness and their uncompromising stand for the truth, which ultimately required their lives.

[235] And I especially, I know more, honestly, about St. Thomas Moore, not a lot, but I am more familiar with him.

[236] And what I like about St. Thomas More is that he didn't just say, okay, you know, cut my head off.

[237] I mean, he didn't rush toward martyrdom.

[238] He kind of bobbed and weaved.

[239] He tried to bring Henry the 8th along to the truth.

[240] Yep.

[241] tried to continue to serve the kingdom with his influence and his, his great mind.

[242] But when it came down to it, he didn't compromise.

[243] And St. John Fisher the same.

[244] And what's interesting in that period in history is, I think you can say the majority did compromise.

[245] That's right.

[246] You know, most of England knuckled under and said, okay, King Henry the 8th, we'll declare you the head of the church, we'll let you say your marriage was annulled, and we'll go about our merry way.

[247] And a lot of people, certainly there were other martyrs at that time in England, but certainly these well -known leaders of bishop and the Lord Hyde Chancellor of the realm, as St. Thomas Moore was, they remind us that the most simple Christian that nobody knows or the well -known Christian with great notoriety, the obligation really is the same.

[248] nameless martyrs died and these well -known martyrs died, but in Christ, we all have the same obligation to be faithful to him and not to compromise.

[249] So I think St. Thomas Moore and St. John Fisher are great inspirations for all of us, whatever, wherever we find ourselves, whether we say, oh, I'm obscure and nobody knows me, or we're somebody in high positions that is very well known, we all share the same basic call to be faithful to Christ and to do our best not to compromise.

[250] And Bishop Strickland, there's a side note to this.

[251] Monsignor told us at church this morning, I didn't know this, but I kind of kind of amused by it.

[252] The Holy Father, during that time John Fisher was in prison, Bishop Fisher, the Holy Father decided to make him a cardinal because he thought that if he made him a cardinal, they wouldn't kill him.

[253] Yeah.

[254] So he said, okay.

[255] But here's the kicker that I chuckled in church.

[256] Sometimes pastors make me laugh with their comments.

[257] He said, so what happened is the pope made him a cardinal, and Henry VIII, being the Henry the 8th he is, he writes back to the Pope and says, well, you can send him his red hat, but he won't have a head to wear it.

[258] so yeah i thought that that's what i was my response it really yeah they cut his head off and didn't care about him being a cardinal so the point of what i'm trying to say is as these are two men who would not compromise and i think for our church today not just for bishops for me a layman it was very inspirational to read their lives a man for all seasons a movie back in 1966 that was something i saw as a child i remember that movie quite well and it moved me well bishop strickland the last thing before we get to the catechisms on scripture and i love your scripture quotes because it fits right now and you gave james chapter one verse two to four you're smiling because here it says this folks my brothers count it pure joy when you're involved in every sort of trial realize that when your faith is tested this makes for endurance let endurance come to its perfection so that you may be fully mature and lacking in nothing.

[259] The word of the Lord, thanks be to God.

[260] Bishop Strickland, that quote seems, again, apropos for us.

[261] I mean, it's upropo all the time, but I mean, who doesn't get, who doesn't have suffering in their life?

[262] Yeah.

[263] And especially when it is for the faith.

[264] Oh, yeah.

[265] And many people are suffering for the truth.

[266] Losing jobs.

[267] That's right.

[268] Losing positions, just, you know, the way it works so often when the church is being persecuted, that certainly we don't ask for persecution, but it is a purifying reality.

[269] If you look through the history of the church, the church grows stronger spiritually, maybe not in numbers, maybe not in worldly influence, but that's not where we're here.

[270] for, but we grow stronger in faith in the face of persecution.

[271] And I would encourage all of us to recognize that that's true for the body of Christ that is the church.

[272] And it's true for each individual Christian.

[273] Amen.

[274] If you're having to make sacrifices, and if being Christian, being a disciple is not the most popular thing in your school or in your neighborhood or in your company or Even in your family, that persecution that you feel can really strengthen your resolve and strengthen your relationship with Jesus Christ because he felt great persecution himself.

[275] Yeah.

[276] So as that quote from James reminds us, we shouldn't despair in that, but we should look for the strength, look for the light of Christ.

[277] in the midst of whatever we're suffering.

[278] And certainly, people suffer in ways that really are not connected to any stance about their faith with diseases and with accidents.

[279] People have great suffering, but we can always connect it to the suffering of Christ, make it redemptive suffering.

[280] Amen.

[281] When we recognize that we can, as probably both of a mother said, I'm sure I've said it before.

[282] Offer it up.

[283] Exactly.

[284] Offer it up for the suffering body of Christ, the reality of suffering that's woven into each of our lives in one way or another.

[285] Bishop Strickland, last comment.

[286] I got a story about the world's most premature baby was given a zero percent chance to survive.

[287] And on June 5th, they celebrated his first birthday.

[288] And I got a picture of this little guy with a birthday cake.

[289] And he's got his hands in the cake.

[290] And it's just so precious.

[291] Can you imagine Bishop Strickland?

[292] This little boy from Hutchinson County, Wisconsin, was born at 21 weeks of gestation.

[293] And he weighed 11 .9 ounces under a pound.

[294] He fit in his daddy's hand.

[295] And this little baby grew in this year.

[296] And it's a whole nice story about this little baby.

[297] But here's the point I want to make to you and then see if you agree with this.

[298] but it seems like common sense.

[299] The science tells us that a mother is pregnant, that means she's pregnant with a baby, nothing else.

[300] And science also shows that with technology now, these little babies that 50 years ago when Roe v. Wade was pushed through on the abortion issue, they didn't say they didn't have the technology we have now that a little guy 21 weeks in his mother's womb, he's born and he survived so what does that tell us about life and i think we have to acknowledge that science is in our favor here to show that that is sacred life in the mother's womb it's not a banana or an apple and i think that those people who say whether it's the president of the united states or pelosi or anybody politicians they have to acknowledge the science that that's a baby and this little guy is an example of how technology can work for the betterment of life.

[301] Absolutely.

[302] And I've often, I'm sure all of us have seen the irony.

[303] We live in an age where thankfully amazing things like that can happen where a very premature, less than a pound child can be saved.

[304] And once they can get beyond that frail life that they are when they are born prematurely, I'm sure that child that you have the picture of at one year old is perfectly fine.

[305] And they can recover so fully, unless there was some damage or something, they can be fully alive with all of their faculties and fully able to function.

[306] And like you're saying, It's just a reminder that it's simply false to say, I mean, I heard one quote, and it's like they try to push it even further.

[307] One quote, I don't remember who said it, but it was like, oh, the unborn child.

[308] I mean, certainly didn't say unborn child, but they said it's just goo.

[309] I mean, that was the word that was used.

[310] It's just goo.

[311] So, and obviously, that is just scientifically.

[312] false and the person that is saying that is either completely ignorant or just ignoring the truth and I have an idea that for the most part they're just choosing to ignore the truth because you know they're not that ignorant to think it really is just a glob of of tissue they know and they just don't want to know that it really is a person, even as tiny as the beginning of conception, that's when a new person comes into existence.

[313] And we have an obligation for those of us who can speak and do have the freedom to speak out.

[314] I feel that obligation constantly to speak for those who are never allowed to have a voice.

[315] Well said, in the Roe versus Wade movie that we're showing at our facility three times this summer, go check it out.

[316] It's on at the movie theaters.

[317] We'll come back with the Catechism of the Catholic Church when we come back.

[318] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[319] We're not at the section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and for those who are new, we normally take a section each week of the Catechism and read it and reflect on it.

[320] Because as St. John Paul, too, said back in the early 90s that this is a sure norm for us to know our faith.

[321] And I'd like to quote paragraph 187 and 189, and we'll start with 187, talking about the creeds and why the creeds are so important for us.

[322] Such synthesis are called professions of faith, since they summarize the faith that Christians profess.

[323] They're called creeds on the account of what is usually their first word in Latin, credo.

[324] I believe.

[325] They are also called symbols of faith.

[326] Bishop Strickland, we as Catholics have the creed professed every weekend or every Sunday Mass. And my question to you is in the catechism, it's giving us definitions so I guess we can have a better understanding why these creeds are so important and we're not just kind of flying right over them.

[327] And you share a little bit what your thoughts are, why the creed is important for just your typical Catholic and also for yourself, I imagine.

[328] Absolutely.

[329] And it's, as we've talked before, Terry, the creeds give us the fundamental truths that we believe.

[330] Yeah.

[331] We believe in one God, the Father Almighty.

[332] We believe in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

[333] We believe in the Holy Spirit sent by the Father and the Son.

[334] We believe in one holy Catholic apostolic church.

[335] Those basic statements of faith, really in our basic humanity, it helps to repeat that over and over again.

[336] And I remember, you know, even since I've been a priest, there was, I was ordained in 1985.

[337] And there were, you know, sometimes is that, oh, we don't need to recite the creed every mass and, you know, let's do it occasionally or some would say, we don't need to, we know what we believe.

[338] And thankfully, the church emphasized as with John, I think it was under John Paul II and then certainly under Pope Benedict with the publication of the latest Roman missile.

[339] A lot of that was emphasized.

[340] that no, you don't say, well, we don't have time for the creed or we don't need to say it this Sunday that it's always part of what we do.

[341] And I think the wisdom in that is just like anything else.

[342] We need to remember and reinforce the things that we believe, the things that keep us healthy?

[343] I mean, how many parents say to their kids, did you brush your teeth?

[344] Exactly.

[345] They repeat that because that's part of our health.

[346] And, you know, the scientists have found having healthy teeth is more than just about your teeth.

[347] It's about all of your health.

[348] It's the same kind of thing with making a profession of faith.

[349] And doing those fundamental basic elements of what we believe, because it reinforces what we know to be the truth, and it helps us to face the temptations, to face the doubts, to face the questions that we deal with as we go through life.

[350] If we remember that we are created by loving God, our Heavenly Father, that goes a long way to helping us deal with temptations that may take us away from, our loving creator Well said it just brings me to the next paragraph from 189 the first profession of faith is made during baptism the symbol of faith is first and foremost the baptismal creed since baptism is given in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit the truths of faith professed during baptism are articulated in terms of their reference to the three persons of the Holy Trinity Now, this sounds so fundamental, Bishop Strickland, but we have to get this, or we miss so much if we don't get the fundamentals.

[351] I'll just give you an analogy, baseball, because I love the game of baseball.

[352] If you don't understand the fundamentals of the game, you're lost.

[353] And it's the same way with our faith.

[354] This is why I encourage everyone to own a catechism of the Catholic Church, because the very fact that if you study your faith with this catechism, your mind will be formed so well in the faith i think one of the reasons we have a lot of fallen away catholics not only this reason but one of them is they never knew the faith oh absolutely so that's that paragraph let me ask you this bishop strickland on paragraph 190 it's and it's so the creed he says is it divided into three parts the first part speaks of the first divine person and the wonderful works of the creation, the next speak of the second divine person, and the mystery of redemption of men, and the final part speaks of the third divine person, the origin and source of our sanctification.

[355] These are the three chapters of our baptismal seal.

[356] How many Catholics, honestly, raise your hand if you're going to tell me, folks, you've heard this.

[357] this is incredibly important to get the foundational aspects of our faith so that's why i encourage people to read the catechism your thoughts bishop well absolutely and we have to be grateful to through all these centuries i mean these creeds were formulated yeah early on in the life of the church and they remind us of even I mean what's the irony is that even as these are being formulated focusing on the father the son and the holy spirit the father the son and the holy spirit are inspiring the church to to know this truth and to formulate it in that way using scripture using the faith of the people, the sense of faith, and expressing what we really profess as Catholics every time we make the sign of the cross, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[358] And that Trinitarian aspect of our faith is woven into the creed quite appropriately.

[359] And even the way the prayers at Mass are structured, the prayers to the Father through the Son and the Holy Spirit.

[360] All of that's just echoed over and over and over again.

[361] And repetition is the soul of learning.

[362] We need to constantly be reminded of who we are, created in the mystery of a Trinitarian God.

[363] We're created in the image and likeness of Father, Son, and Spirit.

[364] and what that means we can explore for our lifetime of what it really means to be created in the image and likeness of God.

[365] So a creed can really help us to focus.

[366] And when I pray the profession of faith at Mass, I like to really get loud, you know, and say, I believe in one God.

[367] Amen.

[368] I believe in Jesus Christ.

[369] I believe in the Holy Spirit.

[370] I believe in the Holy Spirit.

[371] I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, one holy Catholic and apostolic.

[372] Because like with any ritual, any routine, it's easy to just sort of zone out and to just go through the profession of faith without really stopping to think about what we are saying.

[373] And carrying that with us into the rest of our lives, into the next day and the next, we believe.

[374] in this and in all the things that are said in between.

[375] But I think I like to emphasize that this profession of faith can really be a prayer, an inspiration, and a great reminder of the things that make our life meaningful as disciples of Jesus Christ.

[376] Well, Bishop Strickland, talking about your own diocese.

[377] I want to give a plug to your institute.

[378] And I believe you also have a publication that's brand new.

[379] Can you share that with our listeners and how they can reach that?

[380] Well, the St. Philip Institute, St. Philip 1L Institute .org, is the website for the great work that's going on to teach the truth, to joyfully share the good news of Jesus Christ in all the facets of marriage and family and the individual person created in the image and likeness of God, created male and female.

[381] All the truth contained in the catechism.

[382] It's an institute for catechises and evangelization.

[383] And you mentioned the publication.

[384] It's still online.

[385] We're working toward making it an actual published paper magazine once again.

[386] But that's expensive.

[387] And we pulled back from that to really use the funds of the people.

[388] wisely because we were finding that we were creating this great magazine and printing it but not enough people were actually reading it is not just a decoration it's meant to nurture our faith journey and to strengthen us so we're looking at at publishing that actually printing it again in a in a strategically wise way as possible to reach the most people so but the publication is right now, Catholic East Texas.

[389] Online is how you can access it.

[390] You can go to the St. Philip Institute website and access it as well.

[391] But it's about going a little more in depth and talking about various aspects of the beautiful truth of our life in Christ in the Catholic faith.

[392] And Bishop Strickland, I hope you don't mind, but I want to make a plug for those who want to make a donation to the Diocese of Tyler, Texas to help support the mission that Bishop Strickland is doing, just go right to their website.

[393] And I think there's an area there where you can make a donation.

[394] So I thank Bishop Strickland and the good work that your diocese is doing.

[395] Before we ask for a blessing, I just want to remind our listeners, if you're brand new, because we picked up a lot of people over the weekend at the Father Don Calloway conference on Divine Mercy, you can check us out all the the podcasts of all the shows of Bishop Strickland, all the shows of the Terry and Jesse show, Jesus 9 -1 -1, all of the shows that we have on Virgin Most Powerful are podcast on vmpr .org, and you're welcome to access those at any time.

[396] We also have a lot of people wanting about the men's conference we did.

[397] I think it was 30 ,000 people watched it, which I was like, wow, that's amazing.

[398] And they want copies of it.

[399] You can do that by going to vmpr .org or call us at 877 -5 -26 -21 -5 -1.

[400] Bishop Strickland, how about your blessing, please?

[401] The Lord be with you.

[402] And with your spirit.

[403] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of us as we participate in this time of reflection and the catechism.

[404] We ask this blessing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[405] Amen.

[406] Thank you so much, Bishop Strickland.

[407] Folks, I appreciate your listening.

[408] I hope you can study your catechism each week to grow in knowledge and love of Jesus Christ and his bride, the church.

[409] And I thank you again for all your support here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[410] God bless you and your family.