07 Jun 22 – Padre Pio and the Devil

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland hour.

[1] Every week we go through our Catholic faith, through his tweets, through the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[2] And what a guy.

[3] We don't normally have a bishop on the air every week teaching us the catechism and teaching us the moral conscience of what the church has to teach.

[4] So Bishop Strickland, thanks again for joining us for your show each week here in Virgin Most Powerful.

[5] Well, thanks, Terry.

[6] and you know I'm no great teacher but Christ is the teacher he is the truth and we need to share his truth and we need to recatechize this world because too many people they're just such foolish things that are said and you know some of the things going on in the church and the world in this nation it's just it's really tragic and it's a loss of we're not in touch with the truth and so I'm willing to do anything I can too.

[7] It's the truth of Jesus Christ is glorious, it's uplifting, it's full of hope and joy and light.

[8] The saints model it for us constantly.

[9] We've just got to teach people where the truth is and pull people out of the darkness that is just suffocating our world well not only you saying that the the father william lawrence the fssp north american provincial said it this way he said trusting god is virtually is vitally important for the salvation of our souls he said without hope and trust we cannot live, grow, or develop either in the natural or in the spiritual life.

[10] He says, in the natural life, there sometimes comes a time when elderly or the sick people give up.

[11] At that point, death usually follows quickly.

[12] In other words, the people who give up on hope in living.

[13] The spiritual life, he says, is similar.

[14] Without hope, supernatural life ends quickly.

[15] Without trust, a person's spiritual life loses its motivation and becomes lethargic.

[16] The person who lacks a strong trust in God at best vegetates at the worst falls into spiritual sloth and even into despair hope and trust are what motivates us bishop strickland this sounded like you read you wrote that because you're constantly telling us our hope is in jesus christ not of this world absolutely and i we need to to listen to that's that's basically what jesus himself says he tells his disciples let not your hearts be troubled.

[17] And it's a very troubling world.

[18] Within the church, within our nation, within every aspect of the world, there are many things that trouble our hearts.

[19] And it takes faith and hope to pull ourselves away from that.

[20] But the truth really is as rich and life -giving.

[21] Jesus is truth incarnate, truth has a face, it's Jesus Christ.

[22] And really, Terry, I think we have to emphasize to everyone in the world that no one, no human being can change the truth.

[23] Amen.

[24] We can ignore it.

[25] We can try to try to change it, but we can't.

[26] And we've got to, and too many people.

[27] It's like, you know, somebody in authority can just say, oh, well, the truth has changed.

[28] They can't do it.

[29] And people have to be catechized well enough to know that no one can change the truth.

[30] And to remember that truth is not just an abstract, but Jesus Christ is truth incarnate.

[31] His face is the face of truth.

[32] And we look to him to know what is true, to know that we are called to be God's children, that God's love for us is something we will never imagine and understand fully in this life.

[33] People don't like that in this world.

[34] People don't like that in the age that we live in.

[35] People reject the idea that there are things that we don't understand.

[36] But, you know, you talk about trust.

[37] I know you're a dad and a grant, you talk about your grandson and going on trips with him.

[38] He trusts you.

[39] Children naturally trust their parents.

[40] Tragically, sometimes that trust can be broken because parents are sinners and terrible things can happen.

[41] But thankfully, for the most part, children naturally trust.

[42] their mother and their father, and that trust is usually well placed in the vast majority of situations.

[43] Certainly, every parent is imperfect and we're all sinners.

[44] Every spiritual father is imperfect and sinful, but most of the time for spiritual fathers and for actual biological fathers and grandfathers, children can put their trust in them.

[45] And that is, merely an image, an echo of the trust that we naturally have in our eternal father, in God Almighty.

[46] And we need to nurture that trust in people's lives as well, to believe that we're created in God's image and likeness, that his love for us is beyond our imagining.

[47] And that's why he's revealed to us the things we must avoid, mortally sinful.

[48] things that are destructive to our lives.

[49] And when we see people even within the church promoting ideas that are mortally sinful and saying, oh, we'll change those rules, or we've misunderstood that scripture, that is destructive.

[50] That is harmful to the church.

[51] It's harmful to the individual.

[52] We've got to return to the truth that's been.

[53] revealed to us the truth of who we are, of who God is, of where creation comes from.

[54] And, you know, I've got to get on that soapbox every time I can.

[55] People don't want to hear it.

[56] People prefer to say, oh, well, we like the way this person's talking or this bishop, what they teach.

[57] If it's contrary to the deposit of faith, it's wrong.

[58] Amen.

[59] That's the definition of Catholic.

[60] If it's contrary to the deposit of faith.

[61] And no, the deposit of faith isn't going to change.

[62] Yes, our understanding of it has deepened and continues my understanding it needs to deepen and grow more profound.

[63] But it doesn't change.

[64] It doesn't go from no to yes.

[65] It just goes from no and understanding that in a deeper way.

[66] Murder is wrong, period.

[67] And it's not going to somehow morph into something that's right.

[68] And any violation of the morality that the church has taught us is destructive to us individually.

[69] It's destructive to the human family.

[70] It's destructive to society.

[71] And we really have to know that.

[72] And, you know, people use the word woke.

[73] And we need to awaken.

[74] but woke is not what it's about because that means basically as I understand woke it's simply saying well we've we've decided realities different from what we've understood for the whole of Christianity and no it's not and people will find out the truth is what lasts the truth is of God the truth is eternal and any false path that we take.

[75] It may last for a while, but eventually it will collapse.

[76] And that's what we've got to remind people of.

[77] Don't take the way that's going to collapse and probably very quickly.

[78] Well, Bishop Strickland, thank you.

[79] And it's refreshing to hear a bishop just preach exactly what the church teaches and say nothing more, nothing less.

[80] This is, you know, not your personal opinion.

[81] It's what Christ taught with the scriptures and the teaching magisterium of the church.

[82] Now, here's an example of Bishop Strickland.

[83] You tweeted on May 25th, an example of you saying something that you could have said nothing, you could be quiet, and you know what, life's a lot easier if you don't jump into these issues.

[84] But I have to comment and say, thank you for stepping up to the plate for Jesus and speaking out, because you said in a tweet, Mike, the concern for Mrs. Pelosi's eternal salvation, that's it, extends to the diocese of Tyler.

[85] She, Mrs. Pelosi, is barred from communion here until she repents and stops advocating the murder of children.

[86] I'm glad you didn't just say abortion, because that's what it is, the murder of children.

[87] Pray for her heart to be turned to God and away from the power of this world.

[88] Elaborate a little bit more.

[89] I mean, why don't you really tell me what you think?

[90] Well, really, Terry, once again, it's pretty simple.

[91] Yeah.

[92] It's not some deep theological, you know, convoluted mystery that we're talking about.

[93] Yeah.

[94] The church exists for the salvation of souls.

[95] Jesus commissioned to the apostles to go and baptize all nations.

[96] Amen.

[97] And to teach them the good news of the gospel, Nancy Pelosi has somewhere along the way, she claims to be Catholic, and then she does things that are contrary to Catholic faith.

[98] She's been poorly catechized.

[99] You know, and ultimately, I mean, I'm not her judge, but it is the responsibility of really every shepherd.

[100] And her shepherd spoke up and said, Nancy, you're not living in a way that is in communion.

[101] And so, no, you can't receive the body of Christ until you get your life in order.

[102] That's a loving thing to do for her shepherd.

[103] And I simply echo it.

[104] I'm not her shepherd, but I echo it as another shepherd.

[105] Well, that's true charity for the salvation of souls.

[106] That's what you're doing.

[107] We're going to come right back with the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[108] Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[109] Stay with us, family.

[110] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[111] My name's Terry Barber.

[112] We just had, I think, a loving response regarding Mrs. Pelosi's situation in San Francisco where Archbishop Cordillian said she cannot receive Holy Communion until she repents.

[113] And I think there's probably 16 now that I can count bishops who have said this.

[114] I mean, Bishop Vasa from Santa Rosa was just right next to San Francisco.

[115] said that, you know, if she comes to her vacation house, basically the same thing.

[116] And, you know, it doesn't take much.

[117] Bishop Strickland, just to make a quick note, earlier on Virgin Most Powerful, we had Cardinal Arensi with a clip where he said, you know, do you really have to ask this question on somebody who's pro -choice in a sense of pro -killing babies?

[118] And his comment was, go ask someone who, a young kid who just received their first Holy communion and you ask them about abortion and killing unborn babies you think that person is ready to go receive holy communion and the little kids can say of course not and so he said you really are you really needing someone from rome to tell you you shouldn't do this it's pretty obvious so i he over simply you know he didn't he simplified it we're making it too complicated in my humble opinion this is a a no -brainer question i totally agree um It goes back to what I was saying earlier, poorly kind of cuts.

[119] We've got to teach people.

[120] And Nancy Pelosi is free to say, well, if that's what the Catholic Church is about, then I don't want any part of it.

[121] She's free to do that.

[122] But she needs to know if she claims to be Catholic.

[123] And really, Terry, it's not about just Nancy Pelosi, but it's about all of us.

[124] It's about everyone who wants to be Catholic, then.

[125] what does Jesus say in the gospel?

[126] I hear it at confirmations all the time.

[127] If you love me, keep my commandments.

[128] Or another version, if you love me, keep my word.

[129] Live my word.

[130] That's all we're talking about.

[131] If you, I mean, hopefully by definition, if you're Catholic, you love Jesus Christ.

[132] He's your Lord and Savior.

[133] He is the son of God.

[134] He died for each of us individually and for his mystical body, the church.

[135] But we have to teach people that, yes, there are rules.

[136] They're in the, and it's not rules for the sake of kind of, well, this is what you have to do to belong to the Catholic club.

[137] It's the rules of the truth of how God has created us and the world that we live in.

[138] Yeah.

[139] It's how things work.

[140] That's what we've got to really teach people.

[141] I mean, as we've, I'm sure, quoted Pope Benedict the 16th, Pope Emeritus now, Benedict the 16th.

[142] As a young priest, he talked about relativism.

[143] Yes, he did.

[144] And how it's a plague on our world.

[145] And it's that, really, Terry, I mean, thankfully, you know, you don't hear much, too much about COVID.

[146] 19 anymore.

[147] And I mean, it's had all these variants and, you know, they still, some places there's reinstating mask and all.

[148] But it's subsiding.

[149] People, you know, still seem to almost want to keep it going and talk about the pandemic.

[150] The real pandemic is this relativism that has lost touch with truth.

[151] And like we've said so many times before in so many different ways.

[152] And we need to keep repeating it.

[153] We need to keep telling people that there is objective truth.

[154] Amen.

[155] That God is real and that God has created us and that the rules about create beautiful rules.

[156] Yes.

[157] I mean, you can look at just the simplest plant and it's following the rules of creation, how it comes to flower, comes into being and then fades and then goes through the cycle all over again.

[158] We are, as the scriptures say, we're much more valuable than the lilies of the field than the plants that God has created.

[159] And look how beautiful they are.

[160] We are created in God's image and likeness.

[161] And really, for the rest of our lives, we need to continue to preach it to just tell people and they don't want to hear it.

[162] Or many do, thankfully, many are we.

[163] with us.

[164] Many appreciate hearing the truth, but those who don't really know it or have rejected it.

[165] God doesn't reject them.

[166] That's what we have to help people understand, is the most adamant atheist is still loved by God and still has the opportunity to awaken to his love and his truth.

[167] And so the church has to be about teaching that truth.

[168] I was reading something today that kind of gave the impression that a lot of people in the church today have decided, well, the moral teachings of the church just need to change.

[169] They aren't going to.

[170] I mean, the reality is not going to change.

[171] Certainly people can say, okay, we're going to rewrite the catechism.

[172] And we could go through page by page and just erase a lot of stuff and change a lot of things.

[173] That's not going to change truth.

[174] Sure.

[175] The Catholic Church can get off track and, you know, reject this deposit of faith, but it's not going to change reality.

[176] It's not going to change the truth.

[177] It could be a very sad day for the church.

[178] And I look at what's happened with the brokenness of Christianity already.

[179] Oh, yeah.

[180] Certainly the Catholic Church has her own brokenness, but there are key anchored truths that have remained the teaching of the church.

[181] I just started another book today by Cardinal Sarah and Pope Benedict.

[182] It was written in 2020.

[183] It was published, but I just, actually, my young, one of my sisters, my older sister, just sent it to me as a gift and I started reading it today.

[184] And it says both Cardinal Sarah and Pope Emeritus Benedict say they are compelled to teach this.

[185] Yes.

[186] It's specifically talking about priesthood.

[187] Yep.

[188] And the importance of celibacy in priesthood.

[189] Yeah.

[190] But really, that is at the very heart because priesthood is so essential to Eucharist.

[191] You don't have Eucharist without priests.

[192] So all of that is bound up at the very heart of what the church is about.

[193] So these, this cardinal and Pope Emeritus say they've got to speak up.

[194] And I feel the same way.

[195] I mean, I'm no cardinal.

[196] I'm no, I'm a small diocese bishop.

[197] Okay.

[198] But I feel what they said in this book and they're quoting, I think it was St. Augustine, saying, when you know the truth you must share it it's an obligation that you have and we've got to continue to teach the truth and be willing and it says in this book i just got i only read the the initial introductory paragraphs but it says in that introduction that you have to be willing to die amen it's truth amen many people have and we've got to be just as a fervent in faith that, yes.

[199] I mean, just recently we celebrated St. Joan of Arc. Yes.

[200] She was a young woman, just a teenager, when she started off on her mission.

[201] And she did die for the truth.

[202] But she knew who Jesus Christ is.

[203] She knew who God the Father is.

[204] She knew the gift of the Holy Spirit.

[205] She knew the truth of the church.

[206] And she died for that truth and now she's a saint and martyr of the church like so many others we've got to have the same faith we've got to have the same willingness to die and to be stripped of anything this world offers um for the sake of the truth mr strickland i agree 100 % out of 43 years that i've been involved in evangelization so i was in my early 20s it always puzzled me why we were afraid many times I talked to the priest.

[207] Why are we afraid to just tell people the truth?

[208] And I overheard it over the years, Bishop Strickland.

[209] They would say to me, well, you can't tell them this because they won't stay in the church.

[210] And as a young man, I was saying, it didn't make sense to me. And as I got older, I started thinking about it.

[211] And I'm saying, you know, I've been telling people the gospel through knowing my Catholic faith.

[212] And sometimes people have walked away from me saying, well, I don't want any part of the Catholic Church if that's what it teaches.

[213] And I would say, well, I understand, but maybe you'll come back.

[214] But, you know, most merciless thing I could do is tell you stay in your sin and stay with us because that wouldn't be the truth.

[215] And I said, the truth is what sets us free.

[216] So here's my question.

[217] I'll put you on the hot seat.

[218] Why is it that many in the church and guys dressed like you are afraid, I'll use the word afraid, why aren't they just saying look, I have to tell you what the church teach is lovingly, that what, that lifestyle that you're talking about or the abortions that you're doing, I need to address this because if I don't address it in the sense that as you're shepherd, then I'm letting you fall to the wayside.

[219] And you know what, I could participate in that sin by not sharing the good news with you because I have an obligation to give you the truth.

[220] So what is it that stopping us, generally speaking, in the church, to just say it lovingly rather than walking away and saying nothing?

[221] I put you on the hot seat on that.

[222] Well, I can't, I don't claim to know all the answers, but I do know that Jesus Christ is the truth.

[223] Amen.

[224] It's the truth incarnate.

[225] And really, Terry, to me it comes down to a lack of faith.

[226] Yeah, that's it.

[227] And, I mean, I was just reading today, and I think there's a very strong message in the church today that says the moral teachings of our Catholic faith are an unattainable ideal.

[228] Yeah, they're ideals.

[229] And so that unattainable ideal, we need to just basically give up on it.

[230] And what we're talking about is basically saying, rather than calling people away from sin, which Jesus does constantly.

[231] And when we just celebrated the ascension of the Lord, in some places on what used to be Ascension Thursday, here it was celebrated on Sunday.

[232] But the main thing is we're celebrating Jesus Christ ascending to the Father, where he is now seated at the right end of God, as we say in the profession of faith.

[233] Jesus is seated at the right hand of God and in that gospel where he at the very end of Luke's gospel is the one the version that we just read Jesus says once again you've got to repent of your sense Jesus says that one more time just before he leaves and that's what we need to to recognize this idea that oh well it's you know Catholic moral teaching it's just an unattainable ideal then that leaves people unrepentant of their sin yeah and that leaving them there is a disgrace and it's service to that person it isn't love it's it's the opposite of love it's it's the opposite of faith we've got to to love and bring people to the truth amen we come back we're going to get a quote from saint padre peel regarding the devil that you've never heard before you're going to want to stay and listen to this you're listening to the bishop strickland hour stay with us welcome back to the bishop strickland hour i was just thinking on the break bishop on how you tell people the truth we're we're basically mimicking our lord and john six, when he taught on the Holy Eucharist, he said, unless you eat of my body and drink of my blood, you have no life in you, my flesh is real food, my blood is real drink.

[234] And many of the people walked away.

[235] What did Jesus say?

[236] Hey, don't tell them the real thing.

[237] They might leave the church.

[238] No, they might leave me. And he went to the apostle and says, are you going to leave me also?

[239] And he said, no, you have words of eternal life.

[240] See, that's a very biblical worldview of teaching people to faith.

[241] So I think not just your example, Bishop Strickland, but You're only imitating Christ when he taught tough teachings about the meaning and purpose of life.

[242] He didn't compromise.

[243] And I don't think we should either.

[244] Well, and that just shows us, and that's we always have to look to Christ.

[245] Amen.

[246] Because he can no more deny truth than he can deny himself.

[247] I mean, because he is truth incarnate.

[248] And that's why he couldn't compromise.

[249] he can't because it is the truth.

[250] I mean, it is his body and blood.

[251] And part of the great mystery of how God has created us in his image and likeness is the mystery of the mystery of free will.

[252] Amen.

[253] But it is, it's all bound up in what real love is.

[254] God wants us to choose to love him.

[255] We can only do that if we're free to choose not to.

[256] And that's the great enigma of our human existence.

[257] That's the great mystery.

[258] I mean, I've thought as a little kid and I've thought many times, Lord, wouldn't it just be easier?

[259] Wouldn't it be better if we couldn't do these awful things that reject the truth that is?

[260] That as creation works, the truth that is reality.

[261] But the Lord knows that the mystery of love, it has to be free.

[262] That's why free will is so essential.

[263] And that's why it has to be respected.

[264] Absolutely, whether it's Nancy Pelosi or whatever man or woman, that free will is to be respected.

[265] And no one should be coerced.

[266] And the reality is, ironically, to be coerced to be Catholic, to be coerced to do the right thing, is not, it doesn't work.

[267] I mean, just as people can coerce us to deny Jesus, they can kill us.

[268] But they can't make us.

[269] I mean, we can choose to deny Jesus, and we're free to do that.

[270] But coercion never works either way.

[271] I mean, we could say, we're going to just force people to embrace Jesus Christ because it's good for them.

[272] It is good for them, but forcing people is not his way, and it can't be our way.

[273] But also on the other side is we can't not share the truth and not bring, not offer people.

[274] people to use their free will, to form their conscience, and to make the choice for God, for his son, to live in the light of truth.

[275] Bonnie's got to make their choice.

[276] You've said it so well.

[277] Bishop Strickland, you mimic Archbishop Fulton Sheen when he said, the only value in saying yes to God is you have freedom to say no. And that's it.

[278] So that's why I continually encourage people, and I know you do.

[279] do because we're on the same page is to give your life to Christ and turn everything over to him your will to his will and life will get better not just in this world but in the next and one thing I think we have to emphasize again and again is repentance reparation atonement and embrace the suffering amen I mean for for Catholics or Christians I mean I talk to many Christians who are very troubled with where the world is and where their Christian community is going.

[280] Because the Catholic Church isn't the only one with divisions and troubles because humanity is struggling with, you know, subjectivism and rejecting the moral truth that comes from the teachings of Jesus Christ in his gospel.

[281] But I would encourage all of us to not despair to be people of hope to know that the truth will prevail and to continue to to hang on to that truth but to deal with the suffering by bringing it to the foot of the cross of Christ.

[282] Where are Mary and John in the Gospel the Blessed Virgin Mary and the beloved disciple John are at the foot of the cross of Christ.

[283] Amen.

[284] They're with him.

[285] We need to be in the same place as we go through the trials and tribulations of life.

[286] There have always been trials and tribulations.

[287] They seem to be on the increase, at least in my experience.

[288] And it can be devastated.

[289] It can be suffocating for all of us.

[290] I mean, the horrible shootings and the violence and the turmoil that we see.

[291] It can be devastating.

[292] And sadly, as you've alluded to, people are committing suicide at higher rates than ever before.

[293] People are depressed.

[294] And you can understand that.

[295] But rather than letting the evils and the brokenness and the violence and all the things drag us down and drag us into darkness, we've got to cling to Christ.

[296] and embrace the cross that he told us.

[297] You must, if you want to be my disciple, you must take up your cross and follow me. It's hard.

[298] It was hard for Jesus to take up his cross.

[299] And we live in a time where people don't want to suffer anything.

[300] It's like, give me a pill, give me a solution, give me a fix for this.

[301] Sometimes there's no fix.

[302] Sometimes it's just a matter of suffering.

[303] through it in the image that the Lord offers us and trusting that this suffering in this world will always be temporary.

[304] Amen.

[305] But we are called to everlasting glory and joy in Jesus Christ.

[306] As believers, we have to embrace the suffering now and live through it, carry through, carrying our cross, and trust that staying with the Lord is our salvation, but pretending that we can, we can, those things that become crosses, that we can change the truth and reshape them and kind of blunt the suffering by just rearranging truth.

[307] It's not going to work.

[308] I hate to tell them, it's not going to work.

[309] Right.

[310] And it's not the path that Jesus shows us.

[311] Yeah.

[312] Well, again, you're a. affirming what Sheen said.

[313] Without Good Friday, there's no Easter Sunday.

[314] Bishop Strickland, you quoted St. Padre Pio in a tweet that I thought I knew a lot about St. Padre Piel.

[315] I went to his canonization in Rome.

[316] I read so many books on him.

[317] But you tweeted this.

[318] And man, this just knocked me off my horse to realize it really explains a lot what's going on in the world today.

[319] He said, the number of devils active in the world is greater than all the people who have been alive since Adam.

[320] Excuse me?

[321] Is this microphone on?

[322] Did you hear what he said?

[323] He said, if they all took on bodily form, they would blot out the light of the sun.

[324] I don't have a minute of free time.

[325] It is all spent releasing my brothers from the grip of Satan, Saint Padre Piel.

[326] uh okay i'm gonna take my air that that just blew me away where do i mean what first of all doesn't that explain what's going on even today absolutely and i think it reminds us that we've got to take very seriously the power of evil christ has conquered it no doubt christ has conquered evil in the eternal realm but part of part of our free will is rejecting evil and choosing the good, just day after day.

[327] That's what we have to do.

[328] We have to believe in the power of good.

[329] The power of good is our hope and our joy.

[330] We trust in that, but we've got to take it very seriously, and we don't.

[331] We don't take it seriously.

[332] There's too much in entertainment.

[333] There's too much on the internet.

[334] There's too much just in popular culture that almost treats evil like a toy.

[335] Yeah.

[336] And I've talked to priests that are exorcists, and I mean, I'm not, I don't claim to be well -versed and all that, but I know enough to know that evil is real, and we've got to be very sober and alert, like St. Peter says in Scripture, we need to be sober and alert because the devil is prowling like a roaring lion trying to devour us.

[337] I mean, we need to really look that imagery square in the face.

[338] Man. Prouling like a roaring lion.

[339] Wow.

[340] That's one of the most frightening images that we can even relate to.

[341] And here's Peter in his letter really reminding us of something that everybody that he wrote it to could relate to.

[342] I mean, people know the devastating.

[343] power of a roaring lion.

[344] And that is the devil after us.

[345] The devil consuming our world.

[346] And I mean, you were talking about, I think it was before we started the conversation broadcast or recorded.

[347] But, you know, the tabernacles that have been violated and the body of Christ being scattered as those tabernacles are being broken into.

[348] That is evil.

[349] Amen.

[350] It is.

[351] The power of evil.

[352] The violence that we're saying, these horrible shootings that keep occurring, that is evil, entering the hearts of an individual or of a group and running rampant in our world.

[353] We need to be sober and alert and aware of that.

[354] And we have the secret weapon.

[355] We have all that we need to combat that evil.

[356] And that is life in Jesus Christ.

[357] in his truth, but we've got to be aware that evil is real.

[358] And I think evil is running rampant, even within the church, in telling people, don't worry about your sins.

[359] Just do what you want.

[360] God's mercy will embrace you.

[361] Yes, God to turn from sin.

[362] Well said, Bishop Strickland.

[363] We come back.

[364] We'll have more on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[365] Stay with us, family.

[366] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[367] And usually we get to go to the catechism of the Catholic Church, and I thought this was appropriate, timing -wise, because this coming Sunday, well, actually, when this is broadcast two days after a Pentecost Sunday, so I thought it would be appropriate to talk a little bit about the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church.

[368] And in paragraph 1697, there's a section here that talks about the Catechesis of the Church.

[369] of the Holy Spirit, the interior master of life according to Christ, a gentle guest and friend who inspires, guides, and you notice it says, corrects and strengthens this life.

[370] So there's a little sentence on what the Holy Spirit's about.

[371] Could you comment on that section, Bishop Strickland?

[372] Yes.

[373] There's a lot packed there.

[374] And just that word corrects, I think, is something to focus on.

[375] I do too.

[376] Because that seems to be what is being lost for many.

[377] Even high up in the church, the idea of correction.

[378] That word correction implies that something's out of line.

[379] something's off track.

[380] There needs to be a course correction, you might say.

[381] And absolutely.

[382] I mean, I'll admit that in my life, and I'm sure you will as well.

[383] Amen.

[384] That's what confessions about is correcting those sinful errors where we have, hopefully in not mortal ways, but sometimes it can be mortal or venial, very serious, deadly, or less serious, but still sinful, but even that word, guides, you might say that some in the, even in the church today, would want to revise that.

[385] And there's a move to revise a lot of what the church has taught.

[386] Oh, yeah.

[387] A gentle guest, a gentle guest and friend who inspires guides, oh, let's erase corrects and strengthens.

[388] That's all they want.

[389] The inspires, guides, and strengthens.

[390] But corrects is essential.

[391] And really, the inspiration, the guiding, and the strengthening are not going to work if the correction isn't there.

[392] You know that as a dad and as a granddad.

[393] We've got to correct children that maybe not even, you know, they may even still be young enough that they're not making a moral choice, but they still have to be corrected for their own good because they're, you know, wandering off into the fire or wandering off into traffic like we've talked about before or doing anything that's going to bring them harm.

[394] Once we get old enough, to use our free will, to make those moral choices, we've got to be corrected when we wander from that.

[395] Going back to our discussion about Nancy Pelosi, what Archbishop Cordelione is doing is correcting her.

[396] She is incorrect.

[397] She is off the path.

[398] She needs a course correction for her own life.

[399] Forget everything else, but for her as one of God's precious daughters, she needs to be corrected for her sake.

[400] Certainly, also, for the sake of society, because she's in a position of leadership, for the sake of all the children that died to abortion, for the sake of many.

[401] but even it just boils down to even just that her immortal soul her eternal salvation depends on her correcting her path that's what the holy spirit does and that's what we as shepherds and you as a father and grandfather yeah that's how we are called to exercise our authority One of the things that is very interesting in, you know, talking about the Holy Spirit, the opposite of being guided by the Holy Spirit is, like we were talking about, with Padre Pio.

[402] Yeah.

[403] Allowing Satan and his minions to guide us.

[404] Yeah.

[405] And we have to say no to Satan and yes to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

[406] We all have to make that choice.

[407] And abortion is evil.

[408] And so when we are promoting abortion, we are on the side of evil, on the side of anti -life.

[409] And all the arguments, really, I was thinking about this, Terry.

[410] I know people, you know, are tired of me, but you can just stay tired.

[411] I cannot, just like Cardinal Sarah on a different topic, but Cardinal Sarah and Pope Emeritus Benedict were saying, They must speak on the sanctity of the priesthood of Jesus Christ.

[412] Absolutely.

[413] I'm right there with them.

[414] I must speak on the sanctity of the life of the unborn.

[415] And all these arguments are, oh, well, you're just worried about them being born and you could care less.

[416] Even if that was the case, which is not.

[417] Life is sacred from conception to natural death.

[418] And hopefully natural death comes many, many years after a child is born.

[419] But even if that were the case, we still cannot turn a blind eye to the murder that abortion is.

[420] Even if we weren't concerned about what happens after they're born, we still have to say they must be allowed to be born.

[421] And then absolutely continue making the moral choices that we have to make to guard the sanctity of that life.

[422] of a one -year -old, an 11 -year -old, a 91 -year -old.

[423] And that's where we can't let, we can't be timid about letting the forces of evil that are too many voices in the world today to shout us down.

[424] I mean, you hear people spouting off their opinion about what's wrong about what the Catholic Church says, we can't allow them to shout us down.

[425] We've got to continue lovingly, joyfully, clearly sharing the truth.

[426] It will be rejected as it was, as you've said, in the time of Christ.

[427] Many people rejected him.

[428] The Romans, I mean, Punch's pilot and all the Roman leadership, they just saw him as a nuisance.

[429] They rejected his.

[430] message.

[431] They rejected him.

[432] They rejected his truth.

[433] Many people are in the same boat today, but we've got to speak his truth.

[434] Bishop Strickland.

[435] Operate with the Holy Spirit.

[436] Amen.

[437] What I'm hearing you say, it reminds me of this catechism verse is that some people in the church are saying this is mercy without repentance.

[438] In other words, go ahead and receive holy communion, even though you're an abortionist.

[439] That doesn't You know, God will forgive you, but they're forgetting about repentance and calling us.

[440] You know, it seems to me that statement saying corrects and, you know, guides.

[441] What happened to guiding and correcting in the church when it comes to mortal sin?

[442] We're looking for direction.

[443] Am I on to something?

[444] Absolutely.

[445] And people are talking about, oh, you're weaponizing the Eucharist.

[446] The reality is to receive, to willfully receive, the body of Christ, when you have rejected the church's teaching, and therefore you are in a state of sin, you're in a state, not in the state of grace.

[447] That becomes, I mean, the saints talk about this.

[448] That becomes your damnation.

[449] You're bringing damnation on your own soul to ignore the truth and to say, I'm going to receive the Lord of Truth, but I'm ignoring what he teaches in this area.

[450] And it's certainly not exclusively the abortion issue, but any of the morality issues that the church teaches.

[451] If you're going to say, well, I totally reject what the church teaches about marriage or about sexuality, but I'm going to march up and receive the body of Christ, is it the loving thing to say, oh, well, that's what you've decided.

[452] It's a free world.

[453] It's your choice.

[454] that is not the loving thing to allow someone to choose their own damnation by choosing to commit sacrilege and to receive the body of Christ when they clearly reject a portion of the mystical body of Christ teaching.

[455] That's what the church is, the mystical body of Christ.

[456] So it, you know, we've just got to be strong.

[457] We've got to be clear.

[458] We've got to be joyful and loving.

[459] But we've got to correct the falsehoods and the diabolical messages that are coming from too many corners, even within the church that, well, we just need to change all of this.

[460] The truth doesn't change.

[461] Well, here at Virgin Most Powerful, we always say clarity with charity.

[462] And we never condemn in the sense that we will say to people, this is what the church teaches.

[463] This is clear, and we need to embrace it, and with charity, because that is charity giving people the truth.

[464] Bishop Strickland, how about a blessing for your radio audience, please?

[465] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for everyone listening that we may all trust in your wondrous mercy, look into our hearts and repent of our sins, and trust that whatever the sin, you are ready to forgive us, you long to forgive us.

[466] our Lord your son longs to embrace us in his mercy but we have to make that choice may we be strengthened in choosing to turn from sin and live the good news that your son jesus christ has died and risen to share with us 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 strickland i want folks to know i know we got a lot of new people from last weekend's Rosary March for priests, and you can listen to Bishop Strickland's programs on the podcast by going to vmpr .org and listen to all of the shows that we produce here because we have one goal, and that goal is the salvation of souls.

[467] This is what the mission of the church is, and we're a lay organization that embraces 100 % of what the church teaches.

[468] If you ever hear anything other than what the church teaches on the show, let me know and we'll change it.

[469] I will even say that even if it was the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[470] I said, Bishop, I stand correct.

[471] We were wrong on this issue, and we corrected.

[472] Because this isn't about you.

[473] Absolutely.

[474] You know, we've got to be, we've got to have that humility.

[475] Yeah.

[476] I'm promoting humility in the sacred heart of Jesus for the next month.

[477] And we need that humility.

[478] Amen.

[479] And I want to remind people.

[480] your website for the St. Philip Institute.

[481] Can we put that on the screen, Mr. Engineer?

[482] St. Philip Institute, go to that institute, find out you'll get lots of good material there, absolutely free going to St. Philip Institute.

[483] And this is Terry Barber saying goodbye for today on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[484] May God richly bless you, and thanks for supporting us here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[485] God love you and your family.

[486] And don't forget, we'll be on next week, same time, same station.

[487] God love you.