14 Dec 21 – Bishop Strickland and Cardinal Pell

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber, and today's a special edition.

[2] I mean special.

[3] We have Cardinal Pell from Australia on our fourth segment, and Bishop Strickland is having a conversation with the good cardinal.

[4] So this is going to be an exciting show.

[5] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for joining us here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[6] Sure.

[7] Good to see you again, Terry.

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

[9] And, you know, I want to just say, Hey, your state of Texas seems to be in influencing the rest of the country because Florida just introduced a Texas -style abortion bill to protect babies with a heartbeat bill.

[10] So it's very similar to what you guys did in Texas.

[11] And when I think about it, you got 25 million people in Texas, over 20 million people in Florida.

[12] That's bigger than the state of California's population.

[13] and if this passes, we're talking not just hundreds or thousands of babies, but between those two states, if this can get through, a lot of babies are going to be seeing light of the day.

[14] And I'm just so excited to see that Texas's law is spreading to other states.

[15] So I know, well, you didn't have a lot to do with it, but you're in the state of California, state of Texas.

[16] So thank you for the state of Texas leading the way to pro -life bills.

[17] Yep.

[18] Good news.

[19] Yep.

[20] And then Bishop Strickland.

[21] when we have this interview we're going to have it on our fourth segment for everybody so stay with us the last segment will be with cardinal george pell from australia now um you've been tweeting a lot this week which you always do which is good and i just noticed something that i love when you tweet the bible verses because i mean i think about the bible uh and it's our book as catholics you know I mean, I'm not sure we use it enough.

[22] The church teaches us we should, but quoting scripture is just really a great thing.

[23] And you quoted Matthew 8, 7, when you're quoting, before we receive Holy Communion, we have a prayer.

[24] And he says, Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.

[25] I only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

[26] The faith of the centaurian inspires us for this Advent journey, which we're in right now.

[27] and you said may we humbly acknowledge our unworthiness confess our sins and hear Jesus's word of mercy with what with joy i thought that what an appropriate approach to the advent season is that why you did it or tell me more about why you put that scripture verse in as a tweet well you you really pretty much nailed it terry it's it's what we it's i love the the way the the roman missile now, we almost directly quote what's in the gospel, Lord, I'm not worthy that you should enter under my roof.

[28] And we just need to, as I say sometimes, get over it and acknowledge that none of us are worthy.

[29] We never could be.

[30] If we really know and believe that that bread and wine has become the body and blood, soul and divinity of the king of the universe, Jesus Christ, now how could any of us ever be worthy.

[31] He, by his word of mercy and blessing and forgiveness, by the word of forgiveness and confession, and he makes us worthy.

[32] His word, he is the word that makes us worthy.

[33] And he wants us to be nurtured by the daily bread that is his body and blood.

[34] But we have to embrace that in the greatest of human.

[35] and recognizing that none of us are worthy.

[36] And if we are flagrantly ignoring what the church teaches, we are deeply unworthy.

[37] And I say that to myself first.

[38] Me too.

[39] I have to listen to what the church teaches, read the catechism, and continue to study and learn.

[40] And as I've said before, if I say anything that is contrary to the catechism, I want to be corrected.

[41] Me too.

[42] And And we need to all have that attitude of great humility.

[43] The great thing is, Terry, is we're talking about our humility.

[44] The model of humility is the son of God himself.

[45] As St. Paul says beautifully, he did not deem his equality with God, which was always there something to be grasped at.

[46] But he truly entered into the human journey with us.

[47] that's the great mystery of what theology calls the hypostatic union that's a big fancy word to use trying to express how is one being god and man fully god and fully man one jesus christ he's not sometimes god and sometimes man but he's fully god and fully man that's what the hypostatic union is getting at and the one who is fully gone and fully man shows us the greatest humility frankly by becoming man he's a he becomes man not he could have just appeared and said here i am as a full grown man instead he entered into our the biological process that he created for us i love to think of it in those terms the incarnation of the son of god it's the creation of the son of god it's the creator entering into his own creation and being part of that journey from being conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

[48] So Jesus Christ is the model of humility.

[49] As I've mentioned, I'm sure, before, because I talk about him a lot, St. John the Baptist is a great inspiration to me. We just heard of him in the Advent Gospels.

[50] We hear about John the Baptist saying, prepare the way of the Lord.

[51] And in another place, St. John the Baptist points to Christ and says, he must increase and I must decrease.

[52] And what St. John the Baptist reminds us of is that our humility is not just a moment of humility and say, oh, I'm not worthy.

[53] And then we go back to being prideful and thinking we're worthy of everything.

[54] But it's a way of life of acknowledging that we diminish in Christ increases and that's our greatest blessing to have Christ increase his light in us is really ironically it diminishes our worldly aspect but it increases us along with Christ increasing that's the mystery of being disciples of Jesus Christ well said I want to make sure you get plenty of time on this next question because today is we're recording us December 7th this is the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941, so we want to remember all those people who died at Pearl Harbor.

[55] But this is also St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

[56] Now, before we got on the air, you and I were talking about, I love St. Ambrose, Bishop, and Dr. of the Church, and reading about him, I have some things I wanted to say about him, but you know what, Bishop, you first, because I'm sure in your readings of the bravery, there's probably something really good about this bishop.

[57] And I'd like to hear from you first, why you enjoy this particular saint, because he is a bishop and you're a bishop.

[58] Do you have something in common?

[59] Absolutely.

[60] And again, talking about humility.

[61] St. Ambrose was not even a Christian, but he went to the gathering where in the ancient church, the people gathered to choose their next bishop that was during the Aryan heresy and the church was in bad shape.

[62] A lot of the bishops were heretical, not even really believing in the reality we just talked about, that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man. And it sounds like a plane's next door.

[63] It's the weed eater.

[64] That's okay.

[65] Well, I was wondering, I thought that might be something.

[66] Let me just interrupt for a second because I want the people to hear your story.

[67] The story is really powerful, and I think that when you hear it about this particular St. Ambrose, the bishop and doctor of the church, so much of what he did can apply to our church today because we're living in similar times.

[68] And sorry, Bishop, I mean, sorry, I'm just saying, that's how I see it.

[69] I see a lot of correlations with Bishop, with the Bishop Ambrose.

[70] But let's continue with your story.

[71] I'm sorry, yes, St. Ambrose was elected bishop.

[72] He had to be baptized and confirmed and ordained all at the same time.

[73] And why was that?

[74] Why was that?

[75] Because he was just a catacumen.

[76] He wasn't even baptized yet.

[77] But he was chosen by acclamation by the people.

[78] They said, we need him as our leader.

[79] And it proved to be guided by the Holy Spirit because he was.

[80] an excellent bishop.

[81] And he did exactly what, as bishops, we always need to do the same thing, whether it's the 21st century or the fourth century, and that is stand for the truth of our faith.

[82] Exactly.

[83] To do it joyfully, to do it with strength, and to do it without fear.

[84] He stood up against the empress of his time and the emperor and called them back to real faith, because they were leaning toward the Aryan heresy like even many bishops were.

[85] And that was a bold step for him, but it was really just living the job description of a bishop of the fourth century.

[86] And we had the same job description now to guard the deposit of faith and to call people lovingly away from heresy, away from false teaching, away from anything that is in opposition to the Christian gospel.

[87] In the fourth century, there were still things being worked out.

[88] We're blessed to be living in the 21st century.

[89] We have the catechism.

[90] And the faith, the teachings, the truth of our faith is very solid and very established.

[91] After a lot of people have sacrificed, even their lives, in order.

[92] to continue to share the truth that Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for.

[93] Wow, when we come back a little bit more about St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, Bishop Strickland, thanks for making that connection.

[94] That was powerful.

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

[96] Stay with us, family.

[97] You'll be more to inspire you.

[98] We have Cardinal Pell coming up later in the show.

[99] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[100] Bishop Strickland was talking about great St. Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

[101] This is December 7th when we're doing the show.

[102] And, you know, Bishop Strickland, you were telling us about this great saint and how the emperor, you know, wanted to receive Holy Communion when he was living a alternative lifestyle.

[103] I'm being facetious.

[104] In other words, he wasn't living in the, he was opposed to the gospel.

[105] And rather than St. Ambrose saying, let's just dialogue, let's talk about this, he told the guy, look, you're living in sin, get out of the church, go do your penance, and let's come back and we'll get you back into the church, but I'm not going to compromise.

[106] Well, that's exactly what the emperor did, and he came back and lived a sacramental life.

[107] As a matter of fact, Bishop Ambrose was the one who buried this man, the emperor, and I just think he's a model for you, Bishop Strickland, for all the bishops in the world that says if you love somebody, you give them the truth.

[108] and I think of St. Ambrose doing just that, and I just want to reach out to all of my bishops who are in our country especially and plead with them to give the leadership that St. Ambrose did because there was such a similarity where the church in the 4th century was Aryan.

[109] Many of the bishops, as you said, were Aryans.

[110] So today, I believe that there's a similarity because of the lack of faith in the church and the people of God, they need this strong leadership like St. Ambrose gave.

[111] And I know Bishop Strickland, I'm tapping you on the hat, but you've been very clear because you constantly say, I want to give people the truth.

[112] I don't want them to just feel good by telling them what they want to hear.

[113] I've heard you say that.

[114] And so I thank you for that.

[115] Now, I want to remind everybody the fourth segment, Bishop Strickland did a little interview with Cardinal George Pell from Australia, who had spent over four.

[116] days in prison for a false accusation, and that's going to be something you want to listen to, folks, so hang on, it's coming.

[117] Bishop Strickland, you tweeted something about the Advent journey, because, I mean, we're all in Advent right now, preparing for Christmas, and you said in this tweet, the Advent journey, and this is what the world's lacking right now, in my opinion, it lacks what you said, hope becomes peace.

[118] Peace becomes joy.

[119] Joy becomes Christ.

[120] That was Bobby Schuller.

[121] I thought that, I've never seen that, but I thought it was so beautifully stated.

[122] You know, sometimes I ask myself, where does Bishop Strickland get all these nuggets?

[123] Because it's beautiful.

[124] It inspired me. What was the story behind that?

[125] Well, really, Terry, faithful people send me these things.

[126] And very often I will share them.

[127] I mean, Bobby Schuller, I don't believe is.

[128] Catholic, but what he says is true.

[129] Exactly.

[130] It's a great reminder that we as Catholics have the truth, but we don't have it exclusive to others.

[131] Every Christian has some of the truth, and we believe we have the fullness of the truth of Jesus Christ.

[132] And I really like that simple expression.

[133] I like simple things because we live in a complicated, confused, and a world where many people are fearful because the confusion makes them fearful.

[134] And the truth really is, it's profoundly challenging.

[135] And of course, God is more complex than we can even fathom.

[136] But the truth that he has revealed to us very often isn't complex, isn't difficult to understand.

[137] It's difficult to but it's not difficult to understand.

[138] And I like those kind of simple things.

[139] That's one good thing about sending out tweets.

[140] I mean, it sometimes reaps a storm of people disagreeing, but you can simply say some truth.

[141] Sometimes it's challenging to get it to fit in the number of characters that you have.

[142] So that's why I like to share those images that just express something that is true.

[143] And we all need to be, as I said in another tweet just recently, we need to embrace the good, the true, and the beautiful.

[144] We need to focus on those things.

[145] Right.

[146] Not ignoring that there's ugliness and brokenness in our world and in our own lives, but we need to focus on the goodness that is there, the beauty of creation, the beauty of the other person, and to call each other to true, good, beautiful things.

[147] I agree.

[148] You also tweeted about the Germans Church announcing the national lockdowns for the unvaccinated.

[149] As a matter of fact, I have an article here from LifeSight, German Catholics protest Archdiocese of Berlin banning unvaccinated from attending mass. Now, just give it all credit.

[150] It says the Archdiocese of Berlin has declared that only vaccinated or COVID recovered faithful may attend holy mass. Are you saying, Bishop Strickland, that you don't think that that's a good policy.

[151] Is that what you're saying?

[152] Yeah, you can say that.

[153] Actually, what I tweeted was the German government also saying that.

[154] But any of these mandates that ignore the free will and the free conscience rights of people, I just, believe they're wrong and they're not they're not contributing to peace and harmony in our society right there are too many questions about these injections that are experimental i mean that's they're categorized as experimental still right people don't like that to be said but from everything that i've seen that's the reality and as experimental treatments People have the free will, should have the free will to, if they choose to receive an experimental treatment, that's their free choice.

[155] But to be forced to do something that's experimental, and frankly, even if it wasn't experimental, to be forced against your will to do something, that is not what our democracy is based on.

[156] And that's not what the freedom of conscience in the Catholic Church is based on.

[157] We have to respect people's freedom.

[158] I mean, we hear a lot about not forcing people to become Catholic or to become Christian.

[159] And they shouldn't be forced.

[160] No one should.

[161] And it doesn't really work.

[162] I mean, when it comes down to spiritual matters, I just recently said something like that that, thankfully no one can force you to turn your heart against Christ yeah that was a great quote they can do things to you right but they can't force you thankfully there's still not a way and hopefully never will be right a way to invade a person's conscience and force them like a robot to do something that is contrary to what they want to do that they can force our bodies right They can restrict us.

[163] They can mandate that you can't do this if you're not vaccinated, but people need to resist and say, respect our free conscience choice to receive this experimental treatment or not.

[164] Well, just to back you up on that, one of our good priest friends who's friends with you and for me, a good friend of mine for 25 years, sent me a text saying the Australian bishops are now officially endorsing the governments coming to a dictatorship.

[165] They just declared their support for vaccine mandates.

[166] And the father said this and he's very good.

[167] He says vaccine mandates.

[168] This is contrary to the note issued by the CDF that clearly says what you just said.

[169] Vaccinations must be voluntary.

[170] This is unacceptable.

[171] So it appears, Bishop Strickland, that other parts of the world are really closing in on people who oppose this vaccine mandate.

[172] And they're going to pressure us, it appears, just in the state of Nevada, which is next to California.

[173] If you live in Nevada, you're going to have to pay an extra $650 a year on your tax return if you're unvaccinated.

[174] And they said that's to pay for the tests that are being done in the state.

[175] Now, you know that's unconstitutional.

[176] I mean, what are you talking about?

[177] But this is what's happening.

[178] And I wouldn't be surprised if it goes to other states that are going to do it.

[179] and this is my take, please God, Texas and Florida and other conservative states that really recognize the Constitution and give people their rights, we'll not do that.

[180] But this is what's going on.

[181] So I think, like you said, our moral conscience, we've got to live by that, and we've got to stand by it.

[182] Bishop Strickland, I know we're going to have Cardinal Pell on a little bit, but I wanted to quote one more statement.

[183] And I think we might go into the next segment on this one because you nailed something that most, people, most bishops would never talk about, and that's modernism.

[184] You quote it, you said this, and I want to define it.

[185] We have it on our website at Virgin Most Powerful Radio .org, St. Pius the 10th, he gives a definition of modernism.

[186] Modernism produces spiritual hunger.

[187] This is Bishop Strickland saying it.

[188] As people discover that neo -pagan principles do not satisfy their souls, and the dictatorship of relativism, modern man does not find answers to life's deepest questions from light, from darkness.

[189] You were quoting somebody, but, man, can you talk about what, that seems like a bold thing to say in today's church?

[190] Well, it needs to be said.

[191] And we have to be clear that it's not a total rejection of modernity, as they say, of the modern world.

[192] They're great blessings that are part of the modern world.

[193] But modernism is allowing the modern world to diminish or alter or eliminate the ancient truth of the faith.

[194] And that's what modernism, why it has to be opposed.

[195] Modernism is like so many heresies, it's saying truth has changed and we have to adapt to a new truth.

[196] It's just not true, and we have to reject that.

[197] And I encourage people to check out the Pies the Tenth's Oath Against Modernism that was required for clergy and professors in Catholic universities up until the mid -60s.

[198] I really question why we ever quit requiring that, because to stop requiring that, commit to teaching the truth, I don't think it's a step in the right direction.

[199] We still believe, and the truth is the truth, modernism is a heresy that is deeply harmful.

[200] As that quote talks about the totalitarian approach of relativism, it mean truth is not relative it's not your truth and my truth and tomorrow my truth may change to something that was different from your truth it's that's that's called chaos exactly it's simply not the truth and we have to be strong and we have to be joyful and we have to be clear like st ambrose was big time you want to read the oath it's right on our website vmpr .org At this time, I want to make an announcement, our 2022 Spiritual Warfare Conference with Father Chad Ripper, Kyle Clement, Dr. Dan Snyder is now officially sold out, believe it or not, folks, two months before the event.

[201] I haven't had that happen in a long time.

[202] I just want to encourage you, though, you can still watch the event on video.

[203] Just go to vmpr .org and register online, and you'll have unlimited access to the conference recordings, so you won't miss a word.

[204] when we come back we're going to open up our catechism of the Catholic Church talking about the Holy Trinity and then Cardinal Pell will follow up in the last segment with Bishop Strickland on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[205] Stay with us family.

[206] We'll be right back.

[207] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[208] We like to have our section of the catechism but before we do that I always ask the bishop what book is he reading is it a good book?

[209] Well he's thinking about that.

[210] I picked up my nephew's book Dr. Michael Barber from the Augustine Institute on Christmas, and I'm loving it.

[211] It's great stuff.

[212] So if you want to get that book, go to Ignatiuspress .com or the Augustine Institute.

[213] They both published it under their respective companies.

[214] Bishop Strickland, is there a book you're reading that you want to share with our listeners?

[215] Well, I am reading that book.

[216] I'm just finishing that one light from darkness that I quoted in the tweet.

[217] Yes.

[218] And I'm reading a few books.

[219] I just started a new book on the divine will.

[220] Oh, yes, I'm familiar with that.

[221] And it's very good so far.

[222] Yeah, a lot of my priest friends say it's just excellent.

[223] All right, well, very good, Bishop Strickland.

[224] Let's open up our catechisms, everyone, to paragraph 264.

[225] This is the summary that the catechism gives of every second.

[226] in brief, they call it, and I'll read it, and then Bishop Strickland comment on it.

[227] The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father as the first principle, and by the eternal gift of this to the Son, from the communion of both the Father and the Son.

[228] And then it quotes St. Augustine.

[229] And there you go.

[230] What's that, just giving more clarity, which says we really don't, I mean, it's a mystery, but at least we're trying to explain the Trinity.

[231] So your thoughts?

[232] Well, like you just said, Terry, it gives us, it's sort of like we're nibbling away at the great mystery of the Trinity when we're never going to really fully understand it in this life.

[233] But in a lot of ways, that's good news.

[234] That's a joyful message that our God is beyond us.

[235] We know that.

[236] but the Trinity really just emphasizes that there is more wonder in God than we can even fathom in our humanity.

[237] And we know that we come from God.

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

[239] I think it's Aristotle that talks about that reality that everything for its full, fulfillment returns to its origin.

[240] That's probably not a good quote of Aristotle, but the basic idea is where we came from is who we are and where we're going.

[241] We return to that origin, and that's the beauty of what this number 264 in the catechism is talking about.

[242] God is love, God is life.

[243] God is the source of all things.

[244] And the Holy Spirit as the third person of the Trinity, it's like that relationship of Father, Son, and Spirit.

[245] It's just eternally in relationship.

[246] I mean, I can't come up with better words than the Catechism that are quoting, basically, St. Augustine, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father as the first principle.

[247] And what that means is that the very principle of life and love and goodness and truth and beauty is God.

[248] And the Holy Spirit, it's like all of that is so profound that God himself, Father, Son, and Spirit.

[249] It's like he can't be contained.

[250] And in a sense, that's where creation comes from, is the overflowing of what God, goodness and love and beauty are all about.

[251] That is God and the Holy Spirit that is sent forth into the world, into creation.

[252] I mean, it's always just about a deep relationship that always comes back to God.

[253] Well, so Bishop Strickland, the next paragraph is really important regarding baptism.

[254] I remember a couple years ago, there was a young priest who watched his baptism on video, you know, like 28 years later.

[255] And unfortunately, the priest wasn't following, like, you have to follow the church's teachings.

[256] And he decided to baptize this little baby, not with the father and the son and the Holy Spirit, which, you know, with the Redeemer or, you know, he came up with his own formula, which is not the church's formula.

[257] So it was an invalid baptism.

[258] So they had to go back and re -baptize him, re -ordained him.

[259] And I just think it's tragic because we're living in times where a lot of, not new, but I'm just saying in the church, people are just kind of winging things, doing it their own way.

[260] And the church is like, no, no, no, no, no. You need to follow what Holy Mother teaches.

[261] And I think this paragraph makes it clear that this is how we baptize, you know, babies or individuals.

[262] So here's 265.

[263] By the grace of baptism, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we are called to share in the life of the Blessed Trinity here on earth, the obscurity of faith, and after death in eternal light.

[264] Very clear teaching of the meaning and purpose of life and what baptism does for us, your thoughts on that paragraph?

[265] well it is a great reminder and we could really go off on talking about that for quite a while because what it reminds us of the church uses the language of matter and form and what you're talking about is both are necessary for sacraments to take place and it's a reminder what I'm glad you bring this up Terry because it's a reminder that that it's God acting, certainly through a priest or a deacon or a bishop who is baptizing, or frankly, in an unusual situation, in an emergency, any believing Christian can baptize another.

[266] If that person desires to be baptized and hasn't been, I mean, that's fairly unusual in our time, but it is possible.

[267] And what that emphasizes is that it's not the action of the minister, the bishop, the priest, or the deacon that is bringing about baptism.

[268] We're instruments of God, but God is doing the baptizing, Father, Son, and Spirit.

[269] Just as in the Eucharist, Christ is, I mean, that's the reason the way the church calls us to celebrate mass, the priest takes the bread and says, this is my body.

[270] It doesn't quote Christ and saying, Jesus said, this is my body.

[271] It's just because we're acting for Christ.

[272] And that's a huge responsibility and a huge blessing.

[273] And it's a reminder to us of that sacramental theology that's so important.

[274] And like you said, to play fast and loose with you.

[275] that, you reach a point where the sacrament didn't happen.

[276] Yeah.

[277] That, even though he had been ordained a priest, he was never truly baptized.

[278] And thankfully, that can be remedied.

[279] Yes.

[280] But it has to be because the sacraments are not magic.

[281] They are reality that God works has opened those graces through his son.

[282] The fathers of the church talk a lot about the sacraments are.

[283] The, the sacraments flowing from the side of Christ.

[284] When he dies on the cross and his side is open by the lance, by the soldier, to prove that he has died, the fathers speak of that blood and water as the fountain of the sacraments, especially baptism in Eucharist, but really all of the sacraments that are about sharing in the very life of God.

[285] And so it's a great reminder that it's God acting in all the sacraments.

[286] When I offer absolution, again, we say, I absolve you in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, but it's, I'm the instrument of God acting to forgive that person.

[287] Well said, Bishop Strickland, now we're going to be going in a couple minutes to Cardinal Pell's interview, but before we do that, I still like to promote the Institute there you have and because not just for Bishop, for the Diocese of Tyler, but people can access your institute on the internet and get lots of good resources.

[288] Could you share that again for us, please?

[289] Sure.

[290] It's the St. Philip Institute, St. Philip Institute .org with one L. And it really is about sharing this truth that we've talked about, that St. Ambrose was willing to challenge emperors with.

[291] We all need the truth.

[292] And the St. Philip Institute has some wonderfully talented people, and they're dedicated to sharing the truth of our Catholic faith, sharing the catechism.

[293] And I encourage certainly its main purpose is to serve the diocese, our 33 counties.

[294] And really every person here, not just the Catholics, but every person.

[295] That's the mission of the St. Phillips Institute.

[296] but it's available, but like many things, on the Internet, it's available to anyone who wants to access those resources.

[297] And I would highly recommend people to do that.

[298] When we come back from the break in a just minute or two, we're going to have Cardinal George Pell from Australia, who was acquitted, basically was released from prison after 404 days in prison for a crime he did not commit.

[299] Bishop Strickland, before we bring him on, I don't know about you, but I really sensed in this interview.

[300] This has been pre -recorded yesterday, but the impression I got from this man, you talked about humility.

[301] It seemed like it was all written all over his face.

[302] Tell me a little what your impression was from that interview.

[303] Absolutely.

[304] A very humble, very down to earth, very saintly man. And I think he grew in holiness in that time of over a year in prison for a crime.

[305] he didn't commit, but he was very docile about it, almost surprisingly so.

[306] And the only source of that, I think you would agree, Terry, the only source of Cardinal Pell reacting to being falsely imprisoned the way he did is that he's a man of faith.

[307] He knows Jesus Christ.

[308] He knows the truth of God, the Father who loves him beyond imagining.

[309] He knows the gift of the Holy Spirit.

[310] in his life.

[311] And that is what sustained him for more than a year of living in prison.

[312] And seeing, even in the midst of that, he talked about the goodness of the guards that were his jailers, basically.

[313] That only comes from faith.

[314] Well said Bishop Strickland.

[315] So up next, Cardinal George Pell with Bishop Strickland, you're going to love this interview.

[316] Send it to your friends because we talk about redemptive suffering.

[317] Holy Macro.

[318] Wait to you hear what he has to say about that and much more here on the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[319] Stay with us, family.

[320] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[321] My name is Terry Barber for Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[322] Bishop Strickland has a guest.

[323] His name is his eminence Cardinal Pell from Australia.

[324] He's visiting the United States, and we're talking about his book, Prison Journal, The High Court Free's an Innocent Man. I'd like to just turn it right over to Bishop Strickland because we wanted to talk a little bit about his experience and how it helped souls, you know, that needed prayers and prayers from somebody who suffered much.

[325] So Bishop Strickland, I'll turn it over to you.

[326] Thanks, Terry, and welcome your eminence, Cardinal Pell.

[327] It's an honor to have a few minutes to visit with you to talk about your book and your experience and to thank you really on behalf of the Catholics of the world because your experience there in Australia.

[328] My mother's home country is an experience that everyone was watching and praying for you.

[329] I know it was very controversial, but the grace with which you handle the whole situation really is a sign of your faith and a sign of the Lord's blessing and strength in these challenging times for all of us.

[330] So thank you, your eminence.

[331] Good, Bishop, well, I did what I should.

[332] I put one foot after the other, and I think followed a few common sense rules and the basic Christian precepts.

[333] Well, it works.

[334] The Christian mixed.

[335] And really your eminence, I think that is the great message.

[336] I was able to hear you speak to a large gathering back, I guess it was last spring, again, through the Zoom.

[337] And what I was impressed with was the way you talked about the guards as fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord, whether they were believers or not, you said that you mentioned their kindness.

[338] And it just really struck me that truly only a man of faith would even have the reaction that you did.

[339] You certainly downplay.

[340] the role that you played or the impact of what happened with you.

[341] And that sign of humility is important, I think, as well.

[342] As you just said, the faith is true.

[343] And Jesus Christ is Lord.

[344] And your dedication to him, I know, has helped many, many people Catholic and non -Catholic, to really help to endure their own struggles and trials.

[345] Well, I certainly hope so.

[346] I mean, there's a lot of goodness in jail.

[347] Not everybody who should be in jail is in jail, and unfortunately there's a percentage of people who, like myself, are wrongly convicted.

[348] But jail often forces people to confront some basic decisions, to choose goodness or evil, light, or darkness.

[349] So there's a lot of goodness in jail.

[350] Well, that's impressive.

[351] And it certainly has the roots in our Christian faith and in the Catholic Church.

[352] Two great apostles were at least two, St. Peter and St. Paul, were both in prison and we have records of that experience for them.

[353] I don't know if you ever hope that angels would come by and let you out, but maybe that happened in a way.

[354] Well, I believe in God's providence.

[355] I certainly didn't expect angels to come by night and free me. But I was and remained quite convinced that God's providence is at work.

[356] A deal of the time, I had no idea how God's providence is working.

[357] but generally grace and the Holy Spirit moved through nature.

[358] So through all the human developments and actions and interactions, that's generally the way.

[359] So the Holy Spirit moved in my case through some very good lawyers, a courageous judge on the appeal court who wrote a magnificent dissenting opinion.

[360] And then the seven hundred.

[361] court judges who voted unanimously that I was not guilty.

[362] Wonderful.

[363] Your eminence, I'm sure you are concerned about conditions in the beautiful country of Australia at this time.

[364] Do you have any thoughts on what we who want to support the Aussies, the wonderful Aussies, certainly prayer, but do you have any other ideas or suggestions on supporting your home country and in the home country of my mother?

[365] Well, I mean, certainly Australia and the United States.

[366] We're probably the United States closest ally.

[367] It's an alliance that is vitally more important for us than it is for you.

[368] but we've stood together on many occasions.

[369] I take great heart and encouragement from the United States, the Catholic Church in the United States.

[370] It's certainly not perfect, but overwhelmingly it's moving in the right direction.

[371] And modernity is very hostile to the faith.

[372] It's very hostile to family, to young people trying to live correctly and there are many, many things in the United States which are helping prepare young people and moving people in the right direction.

[373] So the church in the United States is a model for all of us, especially in Australia, not just in the English -speaking world, but right across the Western world.

[374] So it's important for us as well as for yourselves that you continue to get a lot of things right.

[375] Well, thank you, your eminence.

[376] We, what we try to do, Terry Barber and I is just speak the truth and especially to focus on the catechism.

[377] I know that your faith was a great strength to you through all of this.

[378] Is there something that, if you, if I can get a little personal, just something that really, that you'd always known and believe that was just more deeply emphasized in that challenging experience of being in a prison?

[379] Probably, I think, the value of redemptive suffering.

[380] Now, of course I knew about that.

[381] Of course, I believe that Jesus redeemed us, first of all, through his suffering and death, as well as he's teaching and he's healing.

[382] But sometimes we are a bit slow to apply the practice and the teachings of Jesus to our own individual lives.

[383] We understand that it's true generally.

[384] So, I mean, I had, as I think Terry has pointed out, quite a few people write to me and say they were offering up, not just praying for me, not quite a number fasted, but a number of them were dying, and they offered up their...

[385] Wow.

[386] But Cardinal Pell, Terry Barber, jumping in.

[387] I hear the music.

[388] Ignatius Press to pick up his book, Volume 3.

[389] God love you all.

[390] Thank you so much.

[391] Welcome back.

[392] I tell you, that interview that I just witnessed was really special for me to have two bishops speak heart to heart about their Catholic faith.

[393] And to think that Cardinal Pell spent 404 days in prison just blows me away to have that attitude that things are going to work out.

[394] And then to realize that 4 ,000 people took the time.

[395] time to write an old -fashioned letter.

[396] I'm not talking about emails, talking about a letter, saying that they're praying for him, that they're offering their suffering, people who have cancer offering their sufferings for his release out of prison.

[397] And I think his comment about redemptive suffering really touched me, and I hope it touches you to remember that every action is like a blank check.

[398] If Christ's name is on it, it has infinite value.

[399] And so, to pray for Holy Mother the Church in these treacherous times where so much is going on where people have lost the faith that we individual Catholics can build up the body of Christ by offering our daily duty for the salvation of souls.

[400] And I think of what Our Lady of Fatima said about souls going to hell because no one is there to pray and make sacrifices.

[401] And I'm wondering if that's why so many people are leaving and not coming back to the church because there's not enough of us that are making reparation or expiation for these sins.

[402] And our lady spoke about the offenses.

[403] That was back in 1917 about, you know, things like immoral actions that are taking place.

[404] You know, pornography has grown so much since 1917 that if she said that immorality was a problem back in 1917, What's that make it in 2021?

[405] Huge problem.

[406] And saying that souls are going to hell because of sins of the flesh?

[407] Well, that's where we have to step in as faithful Catholics to offer our suffering.

[408] As St. Paul says in Chapter 1 of Colossians, I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the good of the church.

[409] This is what that interview got me on.

[410] And Cardinal Pell is just an ordinary guy.

[411] You can see that.

[412] but he had an extraordinary experience of being unjustly condemned to prison.

[413] And as Bishop Strickland pointed out, that was, you know, a tragic situation to be pulled.

[414] He could have stayed in Rome and never faced these accusations like some bishops have.

[415] No, he said, bring it on.

[416] I'm innocent and I'll prove it in the law of court.

[417] And unfortunately, there was some big problems in the process of his, jury.

[418] And finally, the truth came out that he was innocent.

[419] So I hope you can play this interview to other friends and family and pass it on, because it's going to be on our podcasts forever.

[420] We're going to put it on there, and I want using social media to get it out, send it on YouTube, send it everywhere.

[421] Because this interview is important to have two bishops who love Jesus and his church, who speak the truth and charity, to be on the same conference.

[422] conversation the same page, it reminds me of the other interview with Bishop Athanasius Snyder and Bishop Strickland.

[423] We need these bishops who are not afraid to compromise the truth.

[424] And that's Cardinal Pell, Bishop Strickland, Bishop Athanasius Snyder, other cardinals, other bishops around the world, but there's not enough of them.

[425] And that's why I hope this interview with Cardinal Pell and Bishop Strickland would touch your soul to a point where you go, wow, this is a successor of the apostle.

[426] This reminds me of people like St. Athanasius back in the 4th century, are St. Nicholas speaking up on the divinity of Christ.

[427] Throughout the history of the church, successors of the apostles have stood up.

[428] And I think of St. Thomas More when he said, there's no sorrow on earth that heaven can't heal.

[429] I want to thank you for listening to this beautiful testimony from Cardinal Pell and Bishop Strickland, Again, it's on our podcast, virgin most powerful radio .org, and pass it on to your friends.

[430] And until the next time, we have our show every week here at the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Power.

[431] May God richly bless you and your family.

[432] See you again next week, same time, same station.

[433] God love you.