01 Nov 22 – Be Not Afraid, Be Joyful

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name's Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful radio.

[2] I'm honored every week to talk to the bishop about our Catholic faith and about how we can better help people fall in love with Jesus Christ and His Bride, the Church.

[3] The title of this show is from a tweet from Pope Benedict the 16th that Bishop Strickland sent out, be not afraid of this world or the future or in any of your weakness.

[4] The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment.

[5] It's a quote we're going to get into because fear right now is driving people in a bad way, whether it's fear of COVID -19 or it's a fear of World War III.

[6] I just want to say that here for this hour, let's put our trust in Jesus Christ and know that, you know, the worst thing somebody can do, And this is, I know a strong statement to you, Bishop.

[7] The worst thing someone can do is kill me. Okay?

[8] That's the worst thing they can do.

[9] But they can't, I can, if I die speaking on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that is a feather in my cap at my exit interview.

[10] So let's think about it.

[11] I'm in my 60s.

[12] If that happens from an earthquake or anything that happens, I figure, hey, I got 65 years of life now, I'm blessed.

[13] And so if God calls us home, why do I have that attitude?

[14] Because I don't want the world, even the church to try and give me a scare about anything, because I know when I'm trusting God, I'm in good shape.

[15] And so I want to encourage people to do that very thing.

[16] Bishop Strickland, I wanted to start off with a tweet that is kind of the theme.

[17] And I mentioned it a little.

[18] You tweeted, you said, wisdom to guide us.

[19] Another way of saying, be not afraid.

[20] And the quote from Benedict the 16th is, be afraid neither of the world nor of the future, nor of your weakness.

[21] The Lord has allowed you to live in this moment of history so that by your faith, his name will continue to resound throughout the world.

[22] Wow, that's great advice, isn't it?

[23] Absolutely.

[24] And the phrase there that I think we all need to really focus on deeply, the Lord has allowed you and we all need to just let that soak in and realize that because I get all caught up in what's going on and maybe the mistakes I've made or you know just worrying about things yeah but we need to remember the Lord allows us our next breath yes our next heartbeat that's right the next hours the next day.

[25] The Lord allows this.

[26] It's all free gift, just like Job.

[27] We come into this world with nothing.

[28] We go out of this world with nothing.

[29] And we are totally dependent on God.

[30] I think if the world could just shift to remembering that everything that we have is an allowance from God.

[31] Amen.

[32] God has allowed us to do.

[33] this, what we're doing right now, to try to teach his truth and to share the light his son brings to the world.

[34] It's all allowed by God.

[35] It's God's will that we are operating in, his divine will.

[36] We rejoice in that.

[37] And it was, you know, we've all heard many times, be not afraid.

[38] Thankfully, John Paul the Great said it very often.

[39] Christ said it in the Gospels.

[40] And I think, for for this time because you know as we've talked through the last couple of years we need to hang on to joy amen I think that I would add be not afraid be joyful and recognizing if we really think about it if we recognize that everything we have is a gift from God if we distort it in our sinfulness, even that can be repaired.

[41] It can be his mercy can flow over that.

[42] And even our mistakes can help us learn and grow closer to him.

[43] So really everything can and should be a gift from God.

[44] It should be recognized that God is allowing us to live in this time.

[45] And believe me, I need to remind myself of that.

[46] I get down and I get burdened and I get aggravated.

[47] and but we need to remember that every breath we take is allowed by God.

[48] Let us rejoice to be part of his creation, to be created in the image and likeness of God.

[49] And rejoice even more deeply that we know that truth.

[50] Many people walking the earth today have no idea of what we know that God has created all of us.

[51] in his image and likeness.

[52] Too many people are trying to create the world in their image and likeness, and that's why the world's so messed up.

[53] We need to pray for our leaders as this election comes up and all the things going on for the people in business.

[54] Absolutely, the people in the church, bishops, priest and deacons, Pope Francis, and all the cardinals, and all the late faithful, the religious, all of us, need to remember the same basic truth that God is allowing this moment.

[55] If in God's will, he didn't allow us, we're sunk.

[56] And he gives us the freedom to make that choice.

[57] It's all a tremendous responsibility for us.

[58] But it needs to be joyful.

[59] We need to remember that being children of God, being in this world, being alive is a blessing.

[60] It's a gift.

[61] And we need to remember that and remember how little we really need.

[62] You know, there are all kinds of predictions.

[63] You know, who knows what's true or what the future is?

[64] I don't.

[65] But there are all kinds of predictions of these calamities.

[66] Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing for all of us to be reminded.

[67] minded, what do we really need?

[68] We need the gift of grace and life from God.

[69] We don't have that.

[70] We're out of here.

[71] It's over.

[72] Amen.

[73] We do have that.

[74] And God calls us to eternal life.

[75] We need to really just keep focusing on that and remembering what do we need?

[76] We need food to sustain our bodies.

[77] We need shelter.

[78] We need clothing.

[79] Beyond that, there's not a whole lot that we can say we need.

[80] that the world tells us we want, and that's part of what's messed us up as well.

[81] I mean, I'm kind of carried away, Terry, sorry.

[82] Oh, keep going.

[83] You know what?

[84] I'm saying, can I just say one thing, Bishop?

[85] What you're telling me, you made me realize that if God stopped thinking about Bishop, Joseph Strickland, or Terry Barber, we would cease to exist.

[86] And so what you're saying is that's how special we are.

[87] And I really do believe what you just said, you nailed it.

[88] people don't realize their own value because of God's will in their life saying that I want you to get to heaven.

[89] I'm actually your biggest cheerleader for you to get to heaven.

[90] Please continue.

[91] But I just found that, you know, what Bishop Sheen said, free will.

[92] He said, the only value in saying yes to God is you have the freedom to say yes.

[93] So I say, please say yes.

[94] Absolutely.

[95] And it really, we need to remember and remind each other.

[96] Yes.

[97] The church's voice is simply not strong today.

[98] We just have to acknowledge that.

[99] The church's voice is not strong, but the voice of the truth of Jesus Christ, the truth is as powerful as it ever was.

[100] Amen.

[101] What I started to say, because the world tells us over and over again, you get more money, you get more power, you get more popular, you get more things of the world.

[102] There's your happiness.

[103] It isn't the truth.

[104] Amen.

[105] And I just saw recently, won't name names, but one of these great sports figures, blessed by God, with this tremendous talent for sports, which is treated like gods in our culture.

[106] Sports are great, and that athletic prowess is a gift from God.

[107] Some of the athletes really acknowledge that, but all of them, whether they acknowledge it or not, it's a gift from God.

[108] what I was reading about is this sports figure that is wanting to sell his, you know, 20 -something million -dollar home, and he's having a hard time selling it.

[109] Oh, poor billion.

[110] Who needs a $20 million home?

[111] Nobody.

[112] I mean, and these billionaires and millionaires that forget that.

[113] And if we could just be, and so many do.

[114] Thankfully, they're very generous people that give so much away because they've learned that isn't where happiness is.

[115] But the world keeps cranking out this false message that if you get millions and millions and then billions and billions, and I guess the next one wants trillions, I don't know if there's a trillionaire out there or not, but they're probably working.

[116] Oh, I've got to be the first trillionaire.

[117] It's that amassing of wealth to remember and not to go to the opposite side.

[118] I mean, you know, I really believe, as I tweeted recently, communism is not the answer.

[119] Socialism is not the answer.

[120] Capitalism has flaws, but the positive thing about capitalism, it leaves people free.

[121] You can be free in a capitalist society to, yes.

[122] to do stupid stuff and have multiple million dollar homes that nobody could need.

[123] But you can also have the freedom to do great things with that wealth.

[124] In communists or socialist societies or dictatorships, whatever other form of government and economy, if we aren't free as God has made us, then the power and the ability to operate as children of God is eliminated.

[125] That's why we, I mean, we'll probably talk about later, but all these Vax mandates, thankfully, they're coming down and people are, the courts are changing their minds.

[126] Yeah.

[127] That needs to happen because mandating things that go contrary to our God -given freedom is never going to be good.

[128] Well said.

[129] When we come back, we'll talk about just that.

[130] And also, we're going to have a special guest, Father Mark Goring, coming on.

[131] Stay with us, family.

[132] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[133] My name's Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[134] We have been talking about all kinds of different things about our faith.

[135] But one of the things that I wanted to bring up, you had a tweet regarding a retired Archbishop, who I've known for 30 years.

[136] He's been a good friend of St. Joseph Communications and Lighthouse.

[137] And his name is Archbishop Shapu.

[138] And you thanked him for his comments.

[139] he was in Arlington Diocese at a Eucharistic Symposium, October 22nd, and the 78 -year -old prelate also, and this is very strong language, but I think, in my opinion, it's needed, he accused the second Catholic president in the United States to an apostasy regarding the abortion issue.

[140] Now, that word apostasy, I don't hear too often, but the Archbishop said that Mr. Biden's apostasy on abortion issue is only the most repugnant example.

[141] He's not alone, but in a sane world, his unique public leadership would make or should make public consequences unavoidable.

[142] He says, when you freely break communion with the Church of Jesus Christ and her teachings, you can't pretend to be in communion when it's convenient.

[143] The Archbishop Shepu said, he said, that's a form.

[144] of lying.

[145] And this is strong language, Bishop Strickland.

[146] He said, Mr. Biden is not in communion with the Catholic faith.

[147] And then this is a strong statement.

[148] He says, any Catholic priest who now provides communion to the president participates in this hypocrisy.

[149] That's another strong language.

[150] Bishop, man, give me your thoughts.

[151] Well, that's why I thanked the archbishop, because really all the bishops of the church, not just the United States, all the bishops of the church should say the same thing.

[152] Because it's one truth, it's one faith, one baptism, one Jesus Christ.

[153] Amen.

[154] It's not like, well, it's true over here.

[155] It's not true over there.

[156] It's true in France, but it's not true in Ireland.

[157] It's universal.

[158] Amen.

[159] The church needs to speak.

[160] The church is weak and not.

[161] speaking up enough, but people are fed up.

[162] And Mr. Biden, we need to pray for him.

[163] Absolutely.

[164] Because he's apostasy, yes, it's a strong word, but he's using very strong words and threatening to codify.

[165] That's a strong word.

[166] Amen.

[167] Cotify the murder of unborn children in this nation, making it even worse than Roe v. Wade, which was a Supreme Court decision, but it didn't establish it as the codified law of the land.

[168] And this man needs to wake up to the truth.

[169] And I mean, we could go, I could go into a rant about many other things he's done, but just focusing on that.

[170] He is vehement, adamant threat to the unborn.

[171] that he's insisting that the right to murder the unborn child needs to be instilled in the law of our land.

[172] That, I mean, you know, we're talking earlier about calamities and stuff.

[173] Talk about the wrath of God.

[174] Amen.

[175] We as a nation, we're skating on thin ice already with the way we've tolerated the murder of unborn children, but for it to be codified as the law of the land that abortion up until the moment of birth, and frankly, as people have said, what difference is it?

[176] I mean, if you're going to murder the child, and it's a minute before birth or a minute after, it's murder of a child, you can't get around it, you can't fake it out, you can't say it's a clump of cells, and what, again, I get steamed up.

[177] keep it up because we need you to view this you're motivating us for people in the church yes high -ranking people in the church now saying oh well ride to ride to choose or freedom of choice they're speaking that language they're caving they're caving on the teaching of the church which is from conception to natural death that person that is unborn is sacred from inception and putting out this message that, oh, well, if they can't feel anything, as somebody said, you know, so I guess a person that maybe has been paralyzed or has lost all sense of field.

[178] I guess that means it means it's okay to kill them.

[179] The reality is there's no logic to it.

[180] There's no reason to it.

[181] There's no truth to it.

[182] It's just we want to be able to do this.

[183] so we're going to say we can.

[184] And that is not of God.

[185] That is of the devil.

[186] And it's so tragic that people, even within the church, are saying that.

[187] I mean, I recently saw so -called, I mean, it's a mockery, but they had an image of our lady on a card for Catholics for choice.

[188] Catholics for the choice to murder the unborn child.

[189] And they're co -opting an image of our lady to to propagate this false message.

[190] It's just we need to get, not attacking, not giving into the evil, but we need to be strong and clear.

[191] The voice of the church needs to, basically, I would love to have what exactly what Archbishop Shephew said.

[192] I would love to see the church from the Vatican say, every bishop needs to sign off on this and we send it around the world every single bishop signs off on it there are too many things that people want oh they want all the bishops to sign off on this or that we need to all sign that i mean i don't won't hold my breath because frankly there are too many bishops that don't believe there are too many bishops that are saying oh archbishops a pew you're all wrong and of course you know i'm sure they would pull well he's retired so we don't listen to him.

[193] And that's a fallacy because, yes, he's retired from the responsibility of being an ordinary over a diocese, which is a tremendous responsibility to retire from.

[194] But from the spiritual leadership, nobody retires from spiritual leadership.

[195] I mean, if you're a believer and you got breath and there's something that needs to be said, he's got the authority to say it.

[196] and he's taking the responsibility, and I applaud him for it.

[197] But every bishop in the world should sign off on exactly what he said.

[198] And the bishops of the United States as a body should lead that.

[199] It's not going to happen because there are too many bishops that don't believe Biden's wrong on anything he's done.

[200] And that's a broken place for us to be.

[201] But we just have to acknowledge the reality.

[202] there are too many bishops in the vatican there are too many bishops around the world there are too many bishops in this country that are on joe biden's side and that's not what the church teaches we're not going to change the truth i mean they say oh we need to change the truth we need to update this is antiquated yeah the truth is as ancient as all creation it predates the creation of the universe because the Lord of truth, God, is what brought, is who brought it all into existence.

[203] You know, as you can tell, I get a little steamed up, but we need to, we need to speak up and say no to the fallacy and to the evil that's going on in the church, in the world, and in our nation.

[204] I want to be counted as one who said no when the day of reckoning comes.

[205] And there will be a day of reckoning.

[206] I mean, just in today's gospel, Christ is talking, and as he frequently does, and he says there'll be wailing and grinding of teeth for the people who don't go through the narrow gate that he's speaking about.

[207] I want to be counted as one saying, Lord, I did my best to stand for your truth, the truth that you died for, and we better all gain our voices and speak up.

[208] And I applaud Archbishop Shephew for doing exactly that.

[209] Well, said, I will also add to that letter that goes around something you tweeted last week from Pope Pius the 10th.

[210] He said, this, how I tremble to think that souls can be punished for all eternity on the account of negligence of their pastor.

[211] That innocent people can be led from the path of truth because the words of the inspired text, that's the Bible, were never preached to them.

[212] and that the spirit of the world and of our time especially should pour into ill -instructed minds for want of a firm hand to check its tide.

[213] I have a sacred duty to defend the truth openly, for God will ask me to render an account for all those souls who have strayed into the way of perdition.

[214] Now, this is a Holy Father Pope St. Pius X who said this back at the turn of the century.

[215] But I think it applies to not just bishops and popes, but to me as a father.

[216] Yes, I have a responsibility, smaller, the domestic church, okay, you know, I'm the father.

[217] I can't allow certain things that are against the gospel in my home.

[218] And if I allow them, I'm culpable before my judgment seat.

[219] I call it my exit interview.

[220] But Bishop Strickland, this is really an appropriate time.

[221] when we come back, I'd like to play something from a tweet you said about Father Mark Goring, you said that he speaks very clear and ambiguous truth.

[222] And I think he's saying things that need to be said, but it's hard to have the courage to say what Father said because of the consequences, because people, you know, I know that most priests, and this is my line, most priests, Monsignor William Smith, told me this, want to be liked.

[223] It's just a natural thing.

[224] You want to be liked.

[225] But sometimes when you speak the truth of the gospel that's going against a worldly view and that worldly views inside the church, when you speak those perennial teachings of the church, not only from the world's going to like it, but even people inside the church who should know better are going to persecute you as a bishop, as a layman, as a priest.

[226] And what I mean by persecution is to say, oh, no, you guys are all wet.

[227] Come on, you need to update your card files that we've got a new understanding of these issues of morality.

[228] And, you know, you're saying, no, what is, these are eternal truths of the gospel, and I will not compromise.

[229] And that's going to be painful for many priests and lay people.

[230] But Father Mark Goring is going to come back and come and join us in this show for a one -minute YouTube video.

[231] And I would encourage people to go to his video, his YouTube channel, Father Mark Goring.

[232] G -O -R -I -N -G.

[233] He's a religious priest, a young guy, and he's fired up.

[234] He's been on our show many times here at the Terry and Jesse show, but I would love for you to listen to this.

[235] You won't want to miss it when we come back.

[236] Also, I want to recommend again and again to help the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, that they have resources for you on their website, and it's an institute.

[237] Bishop, can you tell us a little bit about it?

[238] Yeah, thanks, Terry.

[239] The St. Philip Institute, St. Philip Institute .org, Philip with one L. Great resources of sharing the truth of the gospel and helping people that are searching or people that want to go deeper.

[240] There are some great resources, a great book for those who may just say, I want to understand this Catholic church more that aren't part of the church.

[241] there's a great book that they can get online at the Institute.

[242] Awesome.

[243] When we come back, Father Mark Goring is going to share a little video with us here on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[244] Stay with us, family.

[245] We're going to come right back after a quick break.

[246] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[247] We have a friend of the show, Father Mark Goring, coming on.

[248] He's got a YouTube channel.

[249] I would encourage you to check his YouTube channel out on a regular basis.

[250] He always has good material.

[251] So, Mr. Engineer, can we play?

[252] this quote that Bishop Strickland actually said that it was a good thing for people to hear.

[253] Praise me, Jesus Christ.

[254] I want to join my voice to the voices of the many Catholics who have been scandalized and angered over the appointment of Mariana Masukato to the Pontifical Academy for Life.

[255] Mariana is aggressively pro -abortion.

[256] She's an atheist who, promotes the bashing of Christianity and especially pro -life Christians.

[257] To appoint this person to the Pontifical Academy for Life is absurd.

[258] From the Gospel of Matthew chapter 7, our Lord Jesus says, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.

[259] A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a raw cotton tree bear good fruit.

[260] Viva Christore.

[261] Well, Father Mark, why don't you really tell me what you think?

[262] I am so impressed that he would come out and say that with charity and also back it with scripture.

[263] I think that was important a part of his little one -minute video.

[264] Bishop Strickland, don't you get inspired by people who just call things for what they are?

[265] Because he inspired me as a layman.

[266] Absolutely.

[267] That's why I shared that brief video because he says it succinctly and powerfully.

[268] And it needs to be said.

[269] I mean, it is absurd.

[270] The pontifical counsel for life has someone who is promoting the abortion of unborn children and is atheist.

[271] It's really, Terry, I think we just, as Father Mark said, so well, it's absurd.

[272] It's contradictory.

[273] It's like think of some other totally outside of the realm of religion or faith or anything that we're talking about, the most important things.

[274] But if it's someone who is bringing a message totally contrary to what your organization is about, I mean, you know, and I think the argument was is even some child, challenged and said, why was this person appointed?

[275] And they said, oh, we need to listen to all voices.

[276] No, that's absurd.

[277] Yes, you're aware of people that don't believe in God, and you're aware of the vehement promoters of the murder of unborn children and abortion.

[278] But to bring them onto your counsel, what's the purpose of that?

[279] I mean, it just doesn't make sense.

[280] It's like bringing someone who is totally contrary to what you're promoting and saying, oh, we want them to be part of, it's just absurd.

[281] It really is.

[282] And it, I think it's a way shortly after that, we see someone on that council saying that, oh, well, well, maybe it's just, you know, freedom of choice, and maybe it's just, you know, abortion's okay until the baby can feel.

[283] we were already talking about it's absurd it's simply not the truth and for the pontifical council on life to be welcoming these people and then promoting false messages it's just a very broken place to be and people need to speak up we all need to say no this isn't i mean the pontiffical council on life doesn't need to exist if it's not going to promote life from conception to natural death, that's what it's there for.

[284] And having people there that are contrary messages, and then, I mean, you know, they say, oh, well, we need to listen to all voices.

[285] Listening to those voices obviously convinced this one member of the council that, well, you know, if the baby can't feel, I guess we can kill them.

[286] I mean, it's just not logical, much less false and even.

[287] evil.

[288] Well, I agree.

[289] Amen to that.

[290] But, you know, unfortunately, we've got lots of appointments going on in the church that you scratch your head and you say, why is this person getting an award when they're atheist or they're promoting same -sex marriage or for homosexuality?

[291] It seems to me that this is going on far too often.

[292] I'll give you one more example.

[293] Georgetown Medical School disregards church teaching and promotes puberty blockers.

[294] sex hormones for children.

[295] And the fact that this is happening in a Catholic school speaks just on how deep, and I'm going to use demonic influences, have embedded themselves into our culture, because that comes from the devil.

[296] Whenever you see this going on, it needs to be, people need to speak up.

[297] And I just want to give kudos to LifeSight News and other groups that are exposing this so that we all can say, wait a minute, I'm an alma mater by Georgetown.

[298] I went there, 25 years ago or whenever write them a letter.

[299] Let them know that this isn't good and we're not going to support the school for doing things like that.

[300] And then there's another one that went on Bishop Strickland and we call it for what it is.

[301] Catholic University promoting transgender ideology hosts a drag queen featuring employee.

[302] This is a Jesuit run, St. Louis University and unfortunately they're promoting things that are totally opposed to the gospel.

[303] And again, what do we do as lay people?

[304] We can speak up and say, hey, knock it off.

[305] This is not right.

[306] Go to the leadership of the bishops who are in charge, are the president of the school.

[307] We need to speak up because this is actually undermining the faith of these young people who are going to school.

[308] And one more thing, Bishop Strickland, I'll let you have your say.

[309] Even the administration, this is right in line with President Biden, we spent, are you ready for this, $30 ,000, which is not a lot of money of our tax money, to go down to South America and promote drag queens.

[310] That was promoted by our government.

[311] See, now, I can understand the government doing it, Bishop Strickland, but when the church is doing it inside the Catholic schools, then I say to myself, who's influencing who?

[312] Is the world influencing the church more than the church influencing the world?

[313] I would have to say yes.

[314] But Bishop, you've seen these things and you usually just speak out and say, here's the truth about what's going on here.

[315] And I appreciate you doing that because we need more bishops to call these people out for love, first of all, for their salvation of their own soul and for the souls of all those young people that are being misled.

[316] Do you agree with that?

[317] Absolutely.

[318] And it takes me back to that quote from Pies the Tenth.

[319] because for shepherds and pastors to be promoting these evils, it just multiplies the evil.

[320] Because the innocent sheep that, I mean, nobody really should be that innocent that they aren't, especially parents, it's part of its own, the parents as well, that are allowing these kind of things.

[321] But for the pastors to be promoting evil, I mean, that is, talk about, gnashing of teeth.

[322] I mean, it is, you know, talk about the road to perdition.

[323] Pastors need to wake up.

[324] And as people need to wake up, I just saw a video, you know, you see things online with this drag queen dancing.

[325] And thankfully, the person was protesting it basically, but said, where is the accountability of the adults allowing this to happen?

[326] mothers and fathers that are allowing little children.

[327] And what this video was, was this stupid drag queen dancing, losing half of their clothes.

[328] I don't know if they may, who knows, male or female, but anyway, truly obscene.

[329] Yes.

[330] And this little boy is in the, you know, it's like they're having a party and he's right there.

[331] And the, the look on his face was priced.

[332] because he was probably four or five years old.

[333] Yeah.

[334] But you could see the horror, the natural horror on his face at seeing what was being thrown in his face by these idiots, adults that could care less and want to just push this evil agenda that is harmful to people now and threatens their everlasting life.

[335] It is just, these atrocities just, just keep multiplying, and people need to speak up more and more.

[336] Thankfully, people are beginning to, but it needs to be a resounding voice of no. I mean, just recently, President Biden says, oh, well, he's not going to interfere with, you know, these hormone blockers and all this kind of agenda that's going on in society.

[337] And it's like, oh, well, I'm not going to oppose that.

[338] I mean, it's just, we've lost our moral sense.

[339] We've lost our mind.

[340] Yes.

[341] And it is quickly destroying the individual, the family, the fabric of society.

[342] I mean, people need to start connecting the dots.

[343] All the violence going on, a border that is, it is threatening the nation.

[344] All of this is connected.

[345] Sure it is.

[346] It's all ignoring.

[347] ignoring the basic value of the human person and the value of life.

[348] And when you go down that road, anything goes.

[349] And sadly, that's what we're seeing.

[350] Who knows what's next?

[351] No, you're right.

[352] Consumineshumanism and all this.

[353] Oh, my gosh.

[354] Just crazy.

[355] But one thing I will say, Bishop Strickland, you constantly take the scriptures with these tweets to answer problems with solutions, a biblical solution.

[356] one of the tweets you just is very appropriate for what you just said that it's Hebrews chapter 13 verse 9 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching the ones you just talked about I'm sorry I get a little excited I should stop down here may the Immaculate Virgin Mary pray for her son's bride in the church to remain faithful and strong in these troubled times you just describe some troubled times But you see, you're giving the answer.

[357] We need the Immaculate Virgin Mary for sure and her son.

[358] Yep, yep.

[359] And that's what we do here.

[360] When we come back, I want to talk about your tweet with Cardinal Joseph Zen, a wonderful cardinal who's been on Virgin Most Powerful Radio many times.

[361] And we'll give you an update on what's happening with him and his trial.

[362] And again, you know what our lady said at Fatima, souls are going to hell because no one is there to pray and make sacrifices.

[363] But we're talking about some serious problems in the culture.

[364] Are we making sacrifices?

[365] Are we praying for the conversion of, you know, Pelosi, Biden, other people who are off the rack?

[366] I hope so.

[367] Stay with us, family.

[368] We'll be right back.

[369] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour, Perry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[370] And we're going to be talking about a good Cardinal Joseph Zen.

[371] But before I do that, the last segment I like to really give people, really inspiration.

[372] Well, Cardinal Zen's an inspirational cardinal.

[373] But another archbishop spoke out regarding the Biden administration, and Bishop Strickland, you said, dada boy, you know, I mean, they'd say it that way, but you know, said, good, you complimented Bishop Lurie.

[374] He said this, that Mr. Biden is gravely wrong for his vowing to legalize abortion at the federal level.

[375] And he said he's pursuing abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.

[376] Now, you just said in your tweet, I'm glad that he came out and spoke on this because we need more bishops to do just that.

[377] And talking about loyal bishops, and you just said, well, Bishop Lorry is in charge of the pro -life for your bishops conferences.

[378] Is he still there doing that?

[379] I think so.

[380] Yeah.

[381] So it was appropriate for him to speak up for the unborn.

[382] Very much so.

[383] But Bishop Strickland, Cardinal Joseph Zen, who is a Chinese Archbishop Cardinal, and he's 90 years old.

[384] He's been a defender of the faith.

[385] He's been against the agreement, the Vatican China deal, that was just renewed.

[386] And he explained why it wasn't a good thing coming from China.

[387] And it seems now he had an opportunity to leave China.

[388] to get away from the communists controlled Hong Kong but because he stayed they arrested him because of his well because of his Catholic faith I'll just say that and you tweeted let's pray for Cardinal Zen and the church is he an inspiration to you as a bishop when you see a cardinal standing up to a communist atheistic government he is and I think what we have to recognize is that sadly we may not be that far from what Cardinals in is facing if we don't wake up and we don't speak up now I mean we still have a voice I mean it can get distorted very easily in today's culture but we need to and I try to tell people this all the time that we can't take I mean we were talking at our earlier about Eucharistic Revival, which absolutely essential, but we cannot take for granted that we have the freedom to gather daily and for vast numbers of people every Sunday to celebrate Mass and to celebrate the Eucharist.

[389] We can't take that for granted.

[390] Because that's what Cardinal Zen is fighting for, is the freedom to celebrate truly the Catholic Mass and to operate with free conscience and live your Catholic faith without interference from the state.

[391] And that's what, I mean, I don't, never been to China.

[392] I can't claim to know a lot about it.

[393] But I know that that's what Cardinal Zen does know a lot about it.

[394] And he knows that people aren't free to live their faith, to live their conscience, to truly teach the message of Jesus Christ.

[395] and that's what he is standing for and that's why we need to pray for him and pray for the church because the church isn't supporting him the way we should well that's just a fact and as a matter of fact to be honest with you i've i've mentioned this on my show that when he went to the vatican to share his insights on this issue about the china deal uh he was not able to visit with the holy father and it was tragic for me because he was was such a great resource in regards to China.

[396] But just bringing up the China deal, because, like I said, Cardinal Zen didn't like it.

[397] This was in the National Catholic Register.

[398] And I happened to disagree with another Cardinal, but that's okay.

[399] Cardinal Tegeli, he's a Filipino cardinal.

[400] He defends the Vatican's China deal.

[401] And I read the article, and I think that we can agree to disagree.

[402] He's a cardinal, but I've got another cardinal from China who says, hey, it wasn't a great.

[403] good deal.

[404] And I talked to people in China who said that the persecution is only going up.

[405] As a matter of fact, are you ready for this?

[406] If you're 18 years or older, are younger, they don't even allow you to go into a Catholic church.

[407] Yeah, that's what I understand.

[408] And like I said, I'm not, I don't claim to be well versed in the situation in China.

[409] But Cardinal Zen is speaking for the freedom to live the true Catholic faith in light of Jesus Christ.

[410] And that's why we need to pray for him.

[411] Like you said, why is he on trial?

[412] Because he's a true Catholic.

[413] Yes.

[414] And they don't want true Catholics.

[415] They want some sort of a half -baked Catholic church that they can control.

[416] Yes.

[417] And if that control begins to tread on individual or institutional.

[418] institutional ability to proclaim the message of Jesus Christ, then we all have to speak up.

[419] And that's what Cardinal Zinn is doing as far as I can understand.

[420] Yes, very well said.

[421] Bishop Strickland, I don't think I brought this up, but it's a really good point.

[422] Maybe we did.

[423] I just forgot it.

[424] I'm getting old.

[425] But this was the New York Supreme Court reinstates all employees fired for being unvaccinated.

[426] and the court orders back pay.

[427] So Bishop Strickland, let me just set the stage.

[428] These people two years ago were being forced to keep their job.

[429] They needed to compromise their Catholic faith.

[430] They felt like I do.

[431] I don't want an experimental drug that was derived from aborted babies.

[432] So they held the line, and for two years, they didn't have their job.

[433] As a matter of fact, they might have even lost their house.

[434] They could have lost their cars.

[435] Who's going to make their payments if they're not working?

[436] So they made the ultimate, and not the ultimate, but a serious sacrifice to make a stand and morality.

[437] And I just wanted to get your take, because I know what your thoughts are, but aren't you impressed that lay people would say, no, I'm not going to take it, I'm willing to lose my job over it, because I was impressed.

[438] Yeah, it is impressive.

[439] I mean, it's a heroic stance that we all need to be strong enough to take.

[440] that, no, I'm not going to compromise my values.

[441] And, you know, like you said, I mean, we could call it a white martyrdom.

[442] They haven't died.

[443] No. But they've lost significant things that the world says is the greatest treasure of all.

[444] But thankfully, these people were faithful enough to know there's a greater treasure than their job or their position or anything that the world can offer.

[445] And that's what we all, we need to remember.

[446] these people stood for the importance of the faith and their relationship with God.

[447] And that's what my stance with these mandates has been all the way through.

[448] Thankfully, the courts are beginning to make those decisions.

[449] And more and more, we're seeing the promoting of these mandates was always wrong.

[450] And because of the principle that, again, if we're not free to make our conscience choices, I mean, people can say you're crazy.

[451] But if you take away that freedom, then, you know, then we're lost.

[452] And the mandates were treading on the freedom of the individual that comes from God.

[453] I mean, that's one of the great things about this nation is a recognition that freedom is in great.

[454] granted by the state or by some monarch or some dictator or some system, our freedom ultimately is granted by God.

[455] And that's what is incumbent on the state to respect.

[456] And when the state quits respecting that freedom or the church quits respecting that freedom, then we're in deep trouble.

[457] And I'm very glad to hear that there's more and more pushback against these mandates.

[458] And it serves those companies right, that they are court ordered to pay back those past wages as well as reinstating the jobs.

[459] I mean, that's what should happen.

[460] I want to leave in the last a couple of minutes about the midterms that are coming.

[461] Our bishop here, Archbishop Gomez, the Bishop of Orange.

[462] They're putting banners outside Catholic churches like we have, telling people don't vote for Prop 1, which is basically in California trying to make it legal so that we'll pay for abortions from anybody in the country.

[463] We'll fly you out here, put you in an hotel, and kill your baby.

[464] So I'm just impressed that the Catholic Church is speaking up here in California.

[465] And I just want to ask Bishop Strickland, the midterms are coming up, we have a Catholic mindset to vote properly because if we vote with a Catholic mindset, the administration that's trying to kill unborn babies could be disabled if we vote with a Catholic mindset and get rid of these pro -abortion politicians and replace them with pro -life politicians.

[466] Now, I know we're not getting into politics.

[467] All I'm saying is you agree, vote with your Catholic mindset, with your morals, and let's turn this around.

[468] Do you agree with that?

[469] Absolutely.

[470] I mean, we encourage people to vote because it's a freedom that we need to treasure.

[471] But for us as Catholics, we need to vote with a well -formed conscience.

[472] Amen.

[473] And to really look at the values that are being promoted by these different candidates.

[474] Yeah, I can't agree more with you, Bishop Strickland, because this midterm is important with the Congress and the House, and let's, you know, again, pray for the conversion of these people who are in politics who are, I use the word hell -bent on killing unborn babies.

[475] But I'd much rather pray for their conversion after they're out of office.

[476] Absolutely.

[477] Yeah, I want them out, but the only way we're going to get them out is good people of goodwill say, you know what, I'm not going to vote for entitlements for me over the killing of innocent life.

[478] If this administration wants to give me free money, I'm going to tell them to keep it.

[479] Let's stop the killing of our unborn babies.

[480] That's what I'm going to say.

[481] Bishop Strickland, how about a final blessing for our audience, please?

[482] The Lord be with you.

[483] And with thy spirit.

[484] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for Terry Barber and all the crew there at the radio station that they may be guided in your line and grace and uplifted in the joy of living in the way of your son, Jesus Christ.

[485] May all who listen be inspired to be more joyful and stronger in the faith than ever and to trust that the truth truly does set us free.

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

[487] Amen.

[488] And for those of you who are brand new to the show, we have them on podcasts at vmpr .org.

[489] That's virgin most powerful radio .org.

[490] You can pick that up any time going on our website.

[491] shows.

[492] You can get shows from the Terry and Jesse show from Jesus 9 -1 -1.

[493] They're all there for you to access.

[494] And I want to thank you, our listeners, who have been supporting us through these difficult times in the church, because we're having to speak very boldly about the perennial teachings of the church.

[495] And I thank you for supporting us in that, because many people don't want to say this because we're going to offend certain people.

[496] The only one I don't want to offend is my lord and savior jesus christ and i thank you for allowing us to speak the truth and charity here at vmpr and again check us out by going on our website there's lots of resources there vmpr .org and i want to say that our lady of fatima said it well souls are going to hell because no one is there to pray and make sacrifices let's join that team may god richly bless you and your family