30 Aug 22 – The Duties of Civil Authorities

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

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

[2] Bishop Strickland, thanks again for sharing the gospel with our listeners.

[3] Thank you, Terry.

[4] Thank you.

[5] And today we have, I think, a special program.

[6] And the way I say it's special is because we're going to be talking about the unborn, as we always do.

[7] But we're also going to talk about some of the tweets.

[8] And then we're going to talk about how we as Catholics, you know, Christians have a responsibility to stand up to a culture that acts like God doesn't exist.

[9] And we're going to talk about that a little later.

[10] But before we do that, Bishop Strickland, you've been tweeting, and I want everybody to know you can, you know, get Bishop Strickland's tweets.

[11] They're just going to Twitter.

[12] And this one you have is from St. Padre Piel.

[13] An important message from St. Padre Piel, you said, it said this, any mental picture of your life.

[14] This is a letter he wrote to a lady.

[15] Any mental picture of your life that focuses on past sins is a lie and thus comes from the devil.

[16] Jesus loves you and has forgiven your sins, so there is no room for having a downcast spirit.

[17] Whatever persuade you otherwise is truly a waste of time.

[18] That's direct.

[19] it is also something that offends the heart of our very tender lover.

[20] On the other hand, if the mental picture of your life consists in what you can be or could be, then it comes from God.

[21] And that was back in 1916 in August.

[22] So a lot of years ago, this was said.

[23] What made you take that letter and publish it on Twitter, Bishop Strickland?

[24] Well, I think St. Padre Pio, St. Pio, Petrochina makes a very important point that really hopefully encourages people not to despair in their sinfulness.

[25] Really, my theory is, Terry, that many people want to ignore sin because deep down, they know they've sin, but they don't believe they can be forgiven.

[26] They really don't believe in the profound divine mercy that God has revealed to us through his son, Jesus Christ.

[27] Or on the other end of the spectrum, people embrace the mercy, but make no attempt to change, to turn from sin.

[28] It's got to be both and, but I think what St. Pio really reminds us of is so important because if we really believe we can be forgiven and that it's just a matter of owning up to our sins and humbly going to confession and asking God's forgiveness, that that forgiveness is always offered to us.

[29] If only we're willing to ask and to examine our conscience and to open our hearts to that mercy, the Lord died so that we could be washed in his precious blood, be washed in mercy.

[30] Be washed in mercy.

[31] But we've got to make that choice.

[32] And I think it's just so important what St. Pio reminds us of is not to, and frankly, I confess that too often I think of, you know, past sins and mistakes and regrets.

[33] And I think what he's saying is very important for all of us to, yes, acknowledge the sin, confess the sin, be forgiven, sacrament, in the sacrament of confession, and then to move forward and to rejoice in that forgiveness, certainly continuing to seek reparation and atonement for our personal sins and for the sins of the world.

[34] I think that's very important as well, but not wallowing in the sin.

[35] And almost in a sense, in an ironic way, giving ourselves an excuse for not continuing to seek virtue more deeply is, well, I've sinned in the past and to just really not accept that forgiveness and mercy that Christ suffered and died to share with us.

[36] So I just think it's very important.

[37] And as I keep saying, as we continue to talk about this Eucharistic revival, we need a penitential revival as well, both going together.

[38] We need to repent of our sins and then turn to the Lord.

[39] in His Eucharistic majesty, body and blood, soul, and divinity, and be as worthy as we can be of receiving him.

[40] And there are too many that are ignoring the significant steps that are there, not repenting of sin and saying, oh, I have a right to receive communion.

[41] None of us have a right to receive communion.

[42] It's freely given out of God's love.

[43] but he calls us to have a change of heart to take a new path turning away from sin and living the virtues of the gospel.

[44] So that, I think, is so woven together as something that we've just got to continue to preach clearly and lovingly, but we've got to tell people, sin destroys us.

[45] Look at all the sins that are going on in the world today, either just on the local, scene, individual people, couples and families, families one to another, and then in the family of God's people out in the community.

[46] The sin and evil is just devastating, and the more we ignore it, the more devastating it is.

[47] Well said, Bishop Strickland, I love quoting the saints, and you seem to do that every week, which is a good idea, I think.

[48] You have a quote from St. Rose of Lima, and this is tied into salvation.

[49] I mean, that Christ is the only way to get to heaven.

[50] She said it back hundreds of years ago, and she was only 30, I guess she only lived 31 years from what you said.

[51] She said, apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

[52] In other words, syncretism, you know, there's no syncretism gets you to heaven.

[53] It's Catholic faith.

[54] It's Christ.

[55] And so what made you quote that saint in?

[56] the kind of atmosphere that we're in today where that could be kind of misread as saying, well, are you guys special or something?

[57] Well, St. Rosa Lima, like you said, didn't live very long.

[58] She lived a very penitential life from what I read.

[59] Even as a child, she was already embracing penance.

[60] Wow.

[61] And recognizing the need for that.

[62] That is a spiritual maturity that only comes by the grace of God, by supernatural grace.

[63] And St. Rose of Lima, like all the saints, by definition, a canonized saint is someone who really embrace that life of grace and models for us what we can do as well.

[64] Rose of Lima was just a young girl in Lima, Peru, and didn't have any wealth.

[65] her family thought she was strange, but she was very strong in that sense of resisting the things the family wanted her to do, just more or less to be a normal kid instead to embrace the clear call that she found from Christ.

[66] And she lived an extraordinary life.

[67] And now is a saint that we remember long after she died.

[68] Who else in Lima, Peru, the late, 17th century, I think, is when she lived.

[69] Who else do we remember?

[70] We remember Rose, a young woman who only lived for 31 years, but made an impact because she embraced life in Christ.

[71] That's what we're all called to do.

[72] Amen.

[73] I want to see if we got enough, yeah, we do have enough time.

[74] I want to play a clip from President Ronald Reagan back on October 7, 1984 regarding the issue of abortion.

[75] And then I want to talk about, well, our president now, President Biden, and what he's doing to do the opposite, and ask the question, what's the difference, you know, from 1984 as a non -Catholic president to a Catholic president, it seems to me we've got some issues to cover there.

[76] So, Mr. Engineer, play that clip.

[77] In California some time ago, a man beat a woman so savagely that her unborn child was born dead with a fractured skull.

[78] And the California State Legislature unanimously passed a law that was signed by the then Democratic governor, signed a law that said that any man who so abuses a pregnant woman that he causes the death of her unborn child shall be charged with murder.

[79] Now, isn't it strange that that same woman could have taken the life of her unborn child and it was abortion and not murder, but if somebody else does it, that's murder.

[80] And it recognizes it used the term death of the unborn child.

[81] Bishop Strickland, this was a debate that he gave.

[82] I remember as a young man watching that debate in Louisville, and I thought to myself, wow, he's putting his cards on the line.

[83] I hope and pray that he can get reelected again because we need someone like that.

[84] And what I'm going to ask you, Bishop Strickland, is the other side of the coin, and then we're going to take a quick break, is that President Biden now has put an executive order to protect and to access to reproductive health care, which is meaning abortion.

[85] The HHS announces guidelines to clarify that, and here's the kicker, emergency medical care includes abortion services.

[86] I want to explain in just layman terms, meaning before, when we were younger, both of us, if someone came to the hospital and they didn't have good insurance and they needed medical attention, they'd say, I'll go to the general hospital and wait in line.

[87] Any people died.

[88] It was sad.

[89] So I was happy to see that the government said, wait a minute, we've got to take care of these people, at least give them first aid, stabilize them, no matter if they can pay us or not.

[90] I thought that was a great move on our part.

[91] but now what the president is doing is this and I'm going to tell you after the break that under the law he says no matter where you live he's going to talk about women have a right to this emergency care not medical care but to kill their unborn baby I don't think so when we come back I want to ask the good bishop his thoughts on this issue now that's really coming to the forefront here in America stay with us family you're listening to the bishop strickland hour on virgin most powerful radio welcome back to the bishop strickland hour i was just kind of talking about president biden's executive order to basically kill as many babies as possible by telling all hospitals that if a woman comes in she's going to be able to get an abortion i use the word it seems like our president who's baptized catholic is hell bent on making making it so that as many babies can be aborted as possible.

[92] And his secretary of the HHS said this.

[93] Today, in no uncertain terms, we are reinforcing that we expect providers, whether they're Catholic or not, to continue offering these services that the federal law preempts state abortion bans when needed for emergency care.

[94] Protecting, are you ready for this, both patient and provider?

[95] Aren't they forgetting someone, Bishop Strickman, is their top?

[96] priority.

[97] I'm sorry.

[98] I keep reading this.

[99] It just, it angers me that my tax dollars are going to kill unborn babies.

[100] I'll just be honest.

[101] And it makes me want to stand up and shout and say, not on my watch.

[102] So Bishop Strickland, what are your thoughts about this new executive order that President Biden put out?

[103] Well, Terry, it is a sad situation.

[104] And I like your word, bent because it reminds us there is a hell.

[105] And to just ignore, flagrantly ignore the value of life is hellacious and puts anyone in jeopardy who ignores the value of life.

[106] Really what occurs to me is that at several moments through the past several years, we've, you know, as a Catholic church and as I'm one Catholic bishop, but as the bishops of the United States, we have dropped the ball.

[107] We've missed opportunities to be very clearly proclaiming the truth of the sanctity of life.

[108] The first opportunity we had was when President Biden became a candidate.

[109] Yes.

[110] We should have said very clearly, Mr. Biden, you are a baptized Catholic.

[111] If you want to be a faithful Catholic, you've got to change your stance on the murder of unborn children called abortion.

[112] Just basically exactly what President Ronald Reagan said.

[113] He wasn't Catholic, but he got the message.

[114] We lost that opportunity.

[115] You know, the bishops failed to speak up and say, Catholics who are voting, you need to pay attention to this man running for president who, he's been, in that sense, he's been true to his word.

[116] He basically said he was vehemently supportive of abortion.

[117] and he's lived up to that.

[118] He has been faithful to that commitment.

[119] He has made sure that at every turn, he, when he first came into office, he took some steps to broaden the availability of abortion.

[120] And now that the Supreme Court has spoken, he's trying to use his executive privilege to, once again, broaden the availability of abortion.

[121] So we keep dropping the ball.

[122] We keep missing these opportunities.

[123] I mean, just with the communion controversy, instead of saying, this is incompatible.

[124] I mean, just going back to the words of President Ronald Reagan, not even Catholic, but he expressed better than many Catholics.

[125] He expressed what we believe.

[126] This is a life and it's murder to take that life in abortion.

[127] And so to support murder and to come and receive the body and blood of Christ in communion, it's incompatible.

[128] We didn't take a clear stand then.

[129] And what do we get left with?

[130] Here the Supreme Court has corrected, reversed the Roe decision correctly, and the president is just trying to ways to looking for, for ways to maneuver the law around this truth that is finally proclaimed by the Supreme Court.

[131] As I said when we were talking earlier, Terry, it comes down to what it underscores for me is we have to work for a change of heart.

[132] Amen.

[133] The laws should reflect the truth, but in this nation, even if we were able to get all 50 states to outlaw abortion, those whose hearts are hardened to the truth of the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, they're still going to find ways to manipulate and maneuver around those laws.

[134] So we've got to continue to work for a change of heart, for the general populace and for our politicians.

[135] And sadly, for some of our Catholics, we've got to change hearts to believe.

[136] what we teach in the Catholic truth, Catholic Church.

[137] It's not just Catholic truth.

[138] It's truth for humanity.

[139] And we are in a serious situation where we're failing to live that truth.

[140] And it puts us in dire, it's a dire emergency for humanity, not just in this country, but really around the world.

[141] But the United States is supposed to be that nation.

[142] that is a beacon of freedom and we are failing in many ways and certainly in the sanctity of life well said Bishop Strickland I'd like to go right into the catechism of the Catholic Church regarding the duties of citizens and this is really important our church is very clear with its teaching that we have to stand up for immoral things that are going on in the church and say no we're not going to participate in that and I hope we get to paragraph 2242 because that's where it really gives us good direction.

[143] But I want to start, if I can, with paragraph 2238 and read that paragraph and have your comment on that.

[144] Those subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of God who has made them stewards of his gifts.

[145] Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution live as free men yet without using your freedom as a pretext for evil what a great statement but live as servants of God their loyal collaboration includes the right and at times the duty to voice their just criticisms of that which seems harmful to the dignity of persons and to the good of the community I think you just did that Bishop Strickland yeah that paragraph really says some very important things that we all all of us need to take to heart and to really listen to and i think that that first sentence it really is beautiful those subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of god who has made them stewards of his gifts what that reminds us of quoting Romans chapter 13, is that it all comes from God.

[146] Amen.

[147] Real authority always traces back to God.

[148] And inauthentic authority is against God.

[149] God is the only real authority.

[150] Fathers and mothers have authority over the children that is given by God.

[151] Rightfully chosen leaders of nations have authority.

[152] that comes from God, and they had better live up to that authority given by God.

[153] The same thing in the church.

[154] A bishop has a lot of authority, and it's tantamount on me and every bishop to exercise that authority, remembering this sentence, that this, we are stewards of his gifts.

[155] Ultimately, it doesn't come from me, it doesn't come from you and your wife as mother and father.

[156] it comes from God.

[157] And we need to, with humility, recognize that.

[158] And that's a huge part of what is broken in the world that ever since we were young children, authority has been undermined over and over again.

[159] That was a big part of the 60s that we grew up in, the questioning of authority in the church and government, in parents, in families.

[160] And where does it take us when we, forget the real significance of authority, it takes us into chaos.

[161] It takes us into evil is that says further down.

[162] It becomes a pretext for evil.

[163] Exactly what this Gatechism says.

[164] It becomes a pretext for evil.

[165] And that's what we see unfolding in our world today.

[166] And the church and otherwise, ignoring authority becomes a pretext for evil.

[167] And it's devastating.

[168] Satan likes nothing.

[169] nothing better than for us to ignore the rightful authorities.

[170] Because he doesn't have any.

[171] There's no authority.

[172] All we have to do is say, no, Satan, yes, Jesus, and he's done.

[173] But if we give him authority, he can cause us to fall into evil.

[174] Wow, I'm not a Baptist, but I'm going to say amen, brother.

[175] I love it.

[176] Bishop Strickland, this is so important for us Catholics to read our catechism.

[177] This is stuff that I don't think everybody really realizes what our church says about the duty of citizens.

[178] And we're going to take a quick break in a minute, but let me just read the paragraph 2239.

[179] It is the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society.

[180] And this is what I really like this word truth.

[181] In the spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom, the love and service of one's country follow from the duty of gratitude belongs to the order of charity, submission to, and this is qualifying it, legitimate authorities, and service of the common good requires citizens to fulfill their roles in the life of the political community.

[182] Wowy, wowy, Bishop Strickland.

[183] We're going to take a quick break, and I'm going to have you comment on that.

[184] I just wanted to mention, folks, this week we're doing matching funds once a year, and one of our good friends just donated $1 ,000 I see on my phone, so that's $2 ,000.

[185] Thank you, Dr. French, who I had on the other day, talking about COVID.

[186] And if you'd like to join us in this matching funds program, go to vmpr .org.

[187] you can click there and it'll be a safe way to donate money to our ministry or if you don't want to use a computer just tell you have you call your phone have your phone call 877526215 and i might even add if you want to talk to me after the show and make a donation so i can personally thank you yes i give my cell phone number out on the radio 661 972 7872 8772 love to chat with you text me a question or comment i'm happy to do that and we come back from the break we're going to continue to talk about the duties of citizens and this is right from the catechism of the catholic church showing how catholics can be the best citizens of a country well how by living their faith faith hope and charity and putting it into practice and that's what the catechism says and when we come back i'll have bishop strickland comment on paragraph 2239 so when we take this quick break open your catechism to 2239 it's the duty of the citizen and i want to ask father bishop strickland to give his thoughts about the duty of citizenship contributing to civil code here we'll be back with more stay with this family on the bishop strickland hour excuse me welcome back to the bishop strickland hour bishop could you give your commentary on paragraph 2239 sure um It just reminds us of something that's basic for all humanity.

[188] It's not one nation or one group of people, but it is the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities to the good of society and the spirit of truth, justice, solidarity, and freedom.

[189] And the important point is talking about legitimate authority.

[190] It reminds us that authority can be illegitimate.

[191] It can be dictatorships.

[192] And what we see going on in Nicaragua right now is tragic.

[193] And the church is being persecuted once again, as the church has been persecuted so many times in history.

[194] And it's because of bad authority.

[195] So what this talks about, the duty of citizens to contribute along with the civil authorities, is really very important because I think.

[196] there can always be an attitude.

[197] Well, you know, I'm not in charge, so it's up to them.

[198] And, you know, we can kind of point to others.

[199] And what this reminds us of, it's the duty of all of us.

[200] We're all citizens of this human family.

[201] We're all citizens of a specific country and part of the world.

[202] We, you know, there's a lot of brokenness that comes back to this basic truth that the Catechism deals with.

[203] Well said.

[204] Paragraph 2240 says submission to authority and co -responsibility for the common good makes it morally, morally obligatory to pay taxes to exercise the right to vote and to defend one's country.

[205] Your thoughts on that?

[206] Well, it just continues beautifully as the catacism does to get more specific about what it means.

[207] What is the duty of citizens?

[208] Paying taxes is part of the duty.

[209] And the flip side of that is the leadership, legitimate authority, has the grave responsibility of using those taxes for the common good and not for the agendas that we see so much of now.

[210] I mean, it's tragic that our tax dollars go to support so many things that we know are evil and that we would never directly support.

[211] But because of the corruption and the lack of faith and the, you know, the evil that is in our nation, too many of our tax dollars are used to support things like abortion to support all kinds of things that are detrimental to the human family, that are ignoring God, that are ignoring the basic values of the gospel.

[212] To opt out of paying our taxes is tempting, but it's probably not the right approach.

[213] But we do, on the other side, we have the absolute, it's our obligation as well to do everything we can to see that elected officials are those who are chosen who are going to properly use those taxes, those hard -earned dollars that come from all of us.

[214] pay taxes, you pay taxes, and we need to really call our elected authorities to really live up to this along with us.

[215] And that's a lot of what's broken in our nation and in our world, the proper use of authority, the proper use of the resources that are taken in taxes.

[216] It all works together.

[217] And it comes back to what that first sentence says, stewards of the gifts of God, that's what we need to remember, that we are stewards of his gifts, that everything we have originates out of God's love.

[218] We've forgotten that.

[219] That is so distant from the minds of too many people in our nation.

[220] We've got a lot of work to do to change hearts.

[221] But that's still what we have to do.

[222] That is what we need to do.

[223] Well said, I think I missed the last part of that paragraph 2240 about praying for our leaders.

[224] It says the apostles exhort us to offer prayers and thanksgiving for our kings and all who exercise authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly and respectful in every way.

[225] Again, that's right from the Bible.

[226] And so I just want to remind everybody we should be praying for president Biden, the governor of your state, all your mayors, all your public officials because they need our prayers and I say this all the time Bishop Strickland that our lady, Fatima you did a conference over the weekend out there in Texas.

[227] Our lady said that souls are going to hell because no one is there to pray and make sacrifices for them.

[228] I'm still convinced that Joe Biden, I mean President Biden with all due respect, I pray for his conversion.

[229] I mean it because I want to see that guy get to heaven.

[230] I want to see him have a metanoia, a conversion to the Lord where he says, I was wrong about killing unborn babies with legislation.

[231] I am now going to say, I'm going to do everything I can to save as many babies as possible by stopping any abortion in this country.

[232] Now that sounds like 180 degree turn.

[233] But you know what, Bishop Strickland, I firmly believe that can happen.

[234] It's possible.

[235] Am I exaggerating here?

[236] No, as Jesus says, all things are possible with God.

[237] Amen.

[238] I think we always have to have that attitude.

[239] We have to work for justice.

[240] We have to work for the changes that are necessary, but also to pray.

[241] Miracles happen all the time.

[242] And we have to believe that that miracle could happen.

[243] And wouldn't that be a wonderful miracle?

[244] It would be earth -shattering.

[245] to have President Biden suddenly reverse this diabolical effort to make abortion available wherever possible and instead to finally accept the sanctity of life from conception to natural death.

[246] That conversion of heart would be seismic in its change.

[247] And we have to believe it can happen.

[248] Yep.

[249] It's possible.

[250] It has happened in individual lives that were just as set against the sanctity of life as President Biden is.

[251] Do we just count on that and say, oh, he's going to change his mind?

[252] No, we continue to work in everything we can to be those responsible citizens.

[253] And if the leaders are not acting responsibly, that just puts more of the burden on our shoulders.

[254] And we have to do our best and to, again, I come back to the conversion of hearts.

[255] That's the main thing that I need to be about as a bishop and as a shepherd in the church.

[256] And I think that's the main thing that the church needs to be about.

[257] To teach the truth.

[258] the trust in the power of the truth.

[259] And not always.

[260] I mean, Jesus didn't force anyone to embrace the truth that he ultimately died to share with us.

[261] But he made it available and many hearts were changed.

[262] We have to believe in the power of truth to change hearts and to continue to proclaim that truth, lovingly, compassionately, but vigorously, share.

[263] hearing the truth.

[264] That is what will change hearts.

[265] Maybe if it's in God's plan, maybe President Biden's heart will change.

[266] Maybe it will be in the very last moments of his life and it won't make a difference for us in how the nation is being governed.

[267] But that's the difference he needs.

[268] And as we pray for President Joe Biden, we need to pray for his conversion that a lot of allows him to avoid final condemnation and to instead be eternally with God.

[269] That's the only choice there is, ultimately.

[270] And we, as we pray for his conversion, as we pray for him, and for every politician, for every person out there.

[271] I mean, both of us here, as we all do, constantly tragic situations where movie stars or politicians or different high -profile individuals die in tragic circumstances.

[272] We have to pray for them.

[273] We don't know where their heart was at the last moment of their life.

[274] And that's what counts for their eternal judgment.

[275] And we pray their eternal salvation.

[276] So we've got to continue to pray for ourselves and to take it.

[277] I mean, as this talks about the duty of citizens, We have to take responsibility for ourselves because our very own lives are gifts from God that we need to be the stewards of.

[278] And then our responsibility, as we have responsibility, it radiates out from our own responsibility for our own lives.

[279] And then for you as a husband and father and grandfather, to your family, to the community that you can influence, to the people that you touch through, your work in radio.

[280] The same thing for me as a bishop.

[281] My responsibility is to be the steward of my own life and then to help the people in the diocese and all the families and individuals and beyond to the ability to the degree that I'm able to change hearts and to believe in the truth.

[282] That's where we have to remain joyful and strong no matter the darkness.

[283] And the darkness is very real.

[284] well said i want to also get to if i can between before the break this is a great teaching on immigration the catholic church has have a position that you might surprise people but i love the way paragraph 2241 states it and you know what i think i'm going to state it right after the break and then have bishop strickland give us some talks a little commentary on this and then my favorite paragraph on the responsibility of citizens is 2242.

[285] So stay with us.

[286] I need you to get your own catechism.

[287] If you don't have it, call me, and I'll try and get you a catechism because I believe that one of the reasons we have a crisis in the Catholic Church is because people don't know their faith well.

[288] It's one of the reasons I ask the good bishop to teach directly from the catechism, the fundamentals of the Catholic faith.

[289] And I think that's going to help Holy Mother church not only have a Eucharistic revival, but a conversion revival through penance and through the gospel.

[290] We'll come right back and we'll read paragraph 2241.

[291] Stay with us, family.

[292] We'll be back in a quick minute.

[293] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[294] We're just going through the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[295] If you just joined us, paragraph 2241 states this, that more prosperous nations are obliged to the extent that they're able to welcome foreigners in search of security and the means of livelihood, which he cannot find in his country of origin.

[296] Public authorities should see to it that natural right is respected that places a guest under the protection of those who receive him.

[297] And then I'll read this last section, and then Bob Bishop Strickland comment.

[298] Political authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of right to immigrate subject to various judicial conditions, especially with regard to immigrants' duties towards the country of adoption.

[299] Immigrants are obliged to respect with gratitude, the material and spiritual.

[300] heritage of a country that receives them to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civil burdens wow your thoughts bishop strickland really amazing how well the catechism addresses this critical issue of our time if we could just as a nation embrace those two paragraphs 2241, that would solve so much of what is devastating our nation.

[301] Because really, sadly, the opposite is happening.

[302] People are invading, being encouraged to invade.

[303] That's right.

[304] Ignoring, as it says, to obey its laws.

[305] The first law to obey is how do we get in?

[306] To get in illegally is not following.

[307] what the Catechism says, with great wisdom and with great love of all humanity, it acknowledges that sometimes the idea of migrating from one nation to another, sometimes that is something that's necessary, sometimes that is something that is a great opportunity.

[308] And every nation should have that opportunity available, but with the proper regulation, like this paragraph talks about.

[309] It really is kind of mind -boggling that we have so many Catholics in our legislature, national and state, that if they just read this in enact laws, that are according to this basic human wisdom.

[310] Yes, we are those who believe that God has revealed truth through us.

[311] It's a revealed truth.

[312] But what these paragraphs are talking about is basic human wisdom that has been learned through the centuries where when this isn't done, when this basic format isn't followed regarding immigration, then things get horribly messed up.

[313] That's where we are.

[314] So I would hope that everyone can read these paragraphs and remember to call our public authorities back to this basic truth before it's too late.

[315] Well said.

[316] Paragraph 2242 says the citizen is obliged in conscience.

[317] Are you ready?

[318] Not to follow the judge.

[319] directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or teachings of the gospel.

[320] Refusing obedience to civil authorities when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience finds its justification and the distinction between serving God and serving the political community.

[321] render, therefore, to Caesar, the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are gods.

[322] We must obey God rather than man. Wow.

[323] If that's not timely for us right now, Bishop Strickland.

[324] I mean, is this microphone on?

[325] I mean, wow.

[326] And then the last thing they said, when citizens are under the oppression of public authority, which oversteps its competence, like we are.

[327] right now, they should still not refuse to give in or do what is objectively demanded to them by the common good, but it is legitimate for them to defend their own rights and those of their fellow citizens against the abuse of this authority within the limits of natural law.

[328] And I might add, the law of the gospel.

[329] Oh man, we can spend an hour on this one.

[330] Your thoughts, Bishop?

[331] Well, as you said, Terry, it really addresses a lot of what we're challenged with right now, especially since this pandemic, the abuse of the authority of civil authorities, of their authority and the usurping authority where it's really not even given.

[332] It's just, it's really the pandemic.

[333] And it's really not just this nation, but around the world.

[334] Too many places authorities have lost their minds.

[335] And lost any vision of the common good, it's like they're on an authority trip.

[336] They just have this power, and they're willing to wield it in ways that used to be called totalitarian and are still that reality, but they're not calling at that because, oh, well, that would be, you know, that would be politically incorrect to speak of the authorities in that way.

[337] But they're just missing these basic points of truth that are, I think what we're seeing, Terry, is just how critical it is that we don't forget this.

[338] The more we forget it, the more danger to the safety and security of every person, every family and household of every state and every nation.

[339] we've got to wake up to the threats that are very real, embedded and very basic truth that God is revealed to us and that we've understood simply seeking to live the truth that God has revealed to us.

[340] Well, said Bishop Strickon, what jumped out on me on that paragraph was the end of the paragraph when it says, we must obey God rather than man. To me, that says it all.

[341] I mean, we have to choose size.

[342] I mean, I say this.

[343] A world biblical view says we're going to have a godly worldview of our life or a earthly view, a manly view of the secular view.

[344] And it's really that simple, I see.

[345] Who are we going to obey?

[346] And the other question, Bishop Strickland, is who's influencing who right now?

[347] Is the church influencing the world or, my thought, is the world is influencing us.

[348] Am I on to something?

[349] Oh, yeah.

[350] I think sadly you're on to the heart of what is broken and what is really so destructive in our world today.

[351] And I love it.

[352] We must obey God rather than men.

[353] Where does that come from?

[354] It comes from acts of the apostles.

[355] When the apostles are being threatened, you better quit using the name of Jesus.

[356] And that's the response of the apostles.

[357] We must obey God rather than men.

[358] What happened to the apostles?

[359] Ultimately, they died, but they stood for what was true, and now they are saints in heaven, and they lived up to the law that God had laid down, the ultimate authority, going all the way back to where we started with this discussion about where does authority come from?

[360] It comes from God.

[361] And that's a great way to measure the authorities in our world today.

[362] If they are espousing something that is not of God, they're illegitimate by that very fact.

[363] They're delegitimizing their own authority as they deny the common good and the basic truth that God has revealed to us.

[364] people need to open their eyes to what is happening and not just blindly follow any authority that is not following God's authority because he's the origin of it all.

[365] Wow.

[366] You know, Bishop Strickland, thank you for being so clear about that because there's no ambiguity in what you just said.

[367] I know exactly what you said and I think we all need to implement that world biblical view that our church is giving us with the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[368] Church.

[369] Bishop Strickland, could you give us your blessing and, oh, before I get your blessing, I think I have a minute.

[370] I want to talk for a minute about your institute there at the Diocese of Tyler, please.

[371] Thank you.

[372] The St. Philip Institute, St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and evangelization.

[373] We have some great young people and really a lot of collaborators working to share this truth, to share the message of the catechism.

[374] We have a great priest that has joined us and is teaching philosophy at our Catholic high school.

[375] And someone was just telling me today, just getting into the basics of philosophy and underpinnings of philosophy, talking about how we perceive things in the natural state and the supernatural state, that is what the St. Philip Institute is trying to do.

[376] We need those basic teachings that give us a foundation to build on for young people that are as gifted from God as ever.

[377] But if they're not properly educated, that gift is squandered in our broken society.

[378] Well, said, good philosophy breeds good theology.

[379] That's how I was taught.

[380] So that's so important that you're doing that great work at the St. Philip Institute.

[381] How about a blessing now, Bishop Strickland, please?

[382] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for Terry and all of those who work with him, for all in his diocese and the diocese of Tyler, and for all people of faith, good citizens striving to live your truth, that we may be guided by your Holy Spirit with the intercession of all the saints, and especially the Queen of Saints, the Immaculate Virgin Mary.

[383] And we ask this blessing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[384] Amen.

[385] Thank you very much, Bishop Strickland.

[386] I want to thank all our listeners.

[387] I want to just mention to you that there's shows of Bishop Strickland are on our website, VMPR .org, past podcasts and other shows that I find would be helpful for you.

[388] And I want to just thank those who have been supporting us here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio over the years because we couldn't do it without you.

[389] It's a matter of fact, if you're going to listen to the Bishop to the Terry and Jesse show tomorrow, you know what I'm going to do?

[390] I'm going to play a clip from today's show.

[391] You know why, folks?

[392] Because I believe this is important material from the Catechism of the Catholic Church that we need to share with all of our listeners.

[393] So I thank you for allowing us to have the technology to do this with your financial support.

[394] Go to vmpr .org and do some matching funds we have for all week.

[395] VMPR .org or call us at 877 -526 -215 .1.

[396] May God, richly bless you and your family.

[397] We'll see you again, please, God.

[398] Next week, same time, same station.

[399] God love you and your family.