03 Aug 21 – Bishop Strickland Responds to the Crisis in the Church

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber, and I have the honor of having this show every week with the bishop to talk about what he tweets each week to help people fall in love with Jesus and his church, and also to talk about the teachings of the catechism.

[2] Bishop Strickland, welcome to another show.

[3] Thanks, Terry.

[4] Thank you for coming.

[5] Good to see you again.

[6] Well, Bishop Strickland, let's be honest.

[7] That's the first time I actually physically saw you was at the Napa conference this past weekend.

[8] and before we get into your tweets, I just want to give a plug.

[9] I felt like this trip to Napa for the Napa Institute was like a retreat.

[10] I got the code of confession.

[11] I got many hours of prayer time before the Blessed Sacrament.

[12] I heard good talks to reflect on my relationship with Christ.

[13] It had all the characteristics of a good retreat.

[14] And I got to meet on -fire Catholics from bishops like you and others and lay people who have a real focus.

[15] on teaching the solid teachings of the Catholic faith and not compromising on anything.

[16] That's my take.

[17] How was your weekend there?

[18] It was great.

[19] I call it Catholic Disneyland because it's just everyone's happy.

[20] Everyone's engaged in their faith.

[21] A lot of great talks, a lot of great programs that you hear about.

[22] I went to a lot of presentations that are just very, hopeful, and I'd encourage people to be aware.

[23] You can actually get some of that information online.

[24] I haven't done it myself, so I'm not sure the details, but I know they announced that, and you can get different talks online.

[25] And I'd encourage people to do that, because we need to support each other.

[26] We need to know that Jesus Christ is still Lord of his church and Lord of the world.

[27] It's God's world.

[28] And an event like that with so many faithful people, so many very generous people, so many talented people, it just really was like a shot in the arm to remember, yes, there are bad things going on.

[29] There's corruption in the church.

[30] There's their priest and even bishops that are off track.

[31] But there's so many good.

[32] And we need to remember that.

[33] And really, Terry, I'm inspired to really encourage people to pray for their bishop, even if they've had conflicts or disagreements too often that is the case.

[34] Maybe they are very troubled by some actions of their bishop, but continue to pray for your bishop because every bishop is just another man with a lot of responsibility and a lot of power.

[35] And that can be a burden for all of us.

[36] Certainly, I have to admit, from what I can see, bishops make decisions that I disagree with and that I think need to really be re -examined.

[37] But I always try to be very careful not to judge my brother bishops.

[38] I don't know what's going on in their diocese.

[39] They don't know what's going on in my diocese.

[40] But we do, we all have to be guided by Jesus Christ.

[41] There's too much compromise in the church.

[42] There's too much lack of willingness to speak up because it might hurt my donor base or something like that.

[43] We've got to be more bold than that.

[44] As bishops, as laity, as priest, as husbands and wives, as mothers and fathers, we need to be strong in our faith in Jesus Christ.

[45] And really, the Napa Institute and that whole conference, everything that happened very wholesome, very joyful, not a bunch of somber people running around and say, woe is me, but a lot of laughter, a lot of joy, a lot of serious talk about what's broken in the world.

[46] And frankly, Terry, what's broken in the world is a tendency that we all have, that I have.

[47] I'm a sinner.

[48] We all are.

[49] And it's a tendency to think we're in charge and ignore that God is in charge.

[50] I mean, just in the readings at Mass today, it talked about Exodus and Moses receiving the Ten Commandments, we need to pay attention to those ancient commandments that come from God revealing to us the basic rules that guide us.

[51] And so the NAP Institute was a good opportunity to be reminded.

[52] There's a lot of goodness, a lot of generous people sharing their talents, it's an upbeat event.

[53] The church needs to be upbeat.

[54] If followers of Jesus Christ to believe that he is Lord of all and that he is with us and the Eucharist and in all the sacraments, if we can't be joyful and positive, then who can't?

[55] There's a lot of negativity in our world.

[56] And our poor nation is battered by a press and politicians that are liars.

[57] That's just it.

[58] they lie and they have an agenda that could care less about the truth the uh i guess you can tell that the napa institute really uh inspired me to say we've got to live this truth joyfully profoundly challenge each other to any time we wander from the truth we need to return to that truth um we just have to live that well you know bishop stricken i couldn't agree with you more I met several, about a six or seven different bishops, and I shared with them as laymen.

[59] We have a tradition because of the Opus Angeloam devotion, our order there, that were lay people, part of it, that we pray for bishops, the Holy Father, and priests every Thursday from seven to nine.

[60] Do you know, Bishop Strickland, every bishop I told that to, they looked me right in the face and said, thank you.

[61] That's what gives me the strength to proclaim.

[62] the gospel lay people praying for me that was every response now i can name all of them but they were all guys that that have let's just say our bishops that we'd all say wow these are men who who speak the truth and charity and so i say that because it's true are we praying for our clergy i hope so because that's critical for the success of the church now bishop strickland uh in your tweets i'm going to switch now gears to your tweets, and what I wanted to say is, you tweeted that in the midst of a crisis, be driven by faith, not fear.

[63] Let me set the stage from a layman's perspective.

[64] Maybe the bishop has a different perspective, but everywhere I see as a layman, people are living in fear, whether it's because of COVID -19 or, I'll give you an example.

[65] Someone just told me at the Olympics.

[66] The Archbishop, God rest of me, I don't know, I don't understand this.

[67] In Japan has told all the athletes, all 14 ,000 athletes that are participating in the Olympics, don't go to the local parish for Mass or for any of the sacraments.

[68] Stay away from the churches.

[69] Now, objectively, as a layman, I scratch my head and I go, what's you afraid of?

[70] Someone's going to get COVID or something?

[71] I mean, can't we have a chapel there?

[72] Can't we provide for the spiritual benefits of those Catholics?

[73] It seems to me like, what's going on here?

[74] Well, that's about the fear that everybody has.

[75] Even inside the church, Bishop Strickland, fear is prevalent.

[76] So my question to you is there's a gentleman that you read the same article, Peter Woznowski, he wrote a article called In the midst of crisis be driven by faith and not by fear.

[77] I wanted to just let you talk a little bit your points that you made on your tweet, but then I want to go into some of the things he pointed out historically so that we see this time that we're living in in a perspective of a 2 ,000 -year -old church.

[78] So tell us right now, why did you send that tweet out in the midst of a crisis be driven by faith and not fear?

[79] Well, it goes back to what Jesus Christ tells the disciples, and what Pope St. John Paul II, is famous for saying, be not afraid.

[80] Amen.

[81] Fear is being afraid.

[82] As disciples of Jesus, the Son of God, we really have nothing to fear.

[83] As long as we remember who we are and what life is about.

[84] Yes, my life could end at any moment.

[85] Your life could end at any moment.

[86] through accident, through disease, through all kinds of, through an attack of some kind.

[87] But there's really no reason to fear as long as we're doing our best.

[88] We do need a healthy dose of the fear of God.

[89] Yes.

[90] Which if we need to fear anything or anyone, we need to fear God.

[91] And not even that in a sense of being afraid, but just being in awe of who God is.

[92] And really, Terry, it's all connected.

[93] Yeah.

[94] I've been reading recently, and just a reminder that we need the perspective of faith and to remember that this is God's world.

[95] Amen.

[96] In another tweet, I tried to really emphasize that, that if we remember that every breath we take and every heartbeat, meets is a gift from God that we should rejoice in the gift of life.

[97] And we should remember that God's in charge, that this is God's creation.

[98] Yes, we're called to be stewards of creation.

[99] We're called to be responsible with our own lives and with our world.

[100] But we need that.

[101] I need it.

[102] We all need the perspective to just constantly remind ourselves that God, God's got this.

[103] It's his world.

[104] And he's in charge, especially in the modern world.

[105] We tend to think we're running the show.

[106] We can control the temperature.

[107] We can turn lights on and off.

[108] We build shelters.

[109] We have our clothing.

[110] We do everything.

[111] And we think it lulls us into an idea that we're in charge we're not this is god's world and we need to remember that well said and i want to talk more about this tweet that you said in the midst of a crisis be driven by faith and not fear because this is something that all of us need to look at we're in the hands of god when we come back we'll have more with the bishop strickland hour on virgin most powerful lady welcome back to the bishop Strickland Hour.

[112] We're talking about a tweet that the good bishop sent out to us this week, the midst of the crisis.

[113] He says, be driven by faith, not fear.

[114] Bishop Strickland, I want to let you finish your thought, but then I want to get into this article in the midst of crisis, be driven by faith, not fear also.

[115] But it talks about the, what we call ecclesiology.

[116] It's a big word for the, how do we see the church?

[117] But do you want to finish your thought, or can I get into this issue about how do we see the church as the human and divine institution.

[118] But it's up to you.

[119] Do you want to finish?

[120] Yeah, I'd like to say a little bit more about that theme because I think it's so significant for our time to not be fearful but to have faith.

[121] I'm hearing you.

[122] Like you mentioned the article and a book that I'm reading called He Leateth Me. I just started it.

[123] I put it on tape.

[124] I put that on tape back in the 1980s.

[125] Yeah.

[126] Father Walter Cizik.

[127] Yes, Chiswick, he's a Jesuit.

[128] I just started the book, but it really inspired me. And the article really says similar things.

[129] Through history, people have been stripped of everything.

[130] Yes.

[131] And they've really been reminded that this is God's world.

[132] And your wealth, your home.

[133] That's right.

[134] Every material possession, even your clothing can be stripped away.

[135] But if you have life, God is still with you, and you can still engage in God's world.

[136] And that's something I think we need to remember because too many people, and I think there's a lot of despair in our world with people that have forgotten God.

[137] And they're losing some of that control.

[138] They're losing some of the things they have.

[139] And it's like, oh, well, the world's falling apart and they're losing their life.

[140] Without God, we are.

[141] But we need to remember what is essential and what is really giving us life.

[142] And that is coming from God.

[143] If we have that kind of detachment from the things in this world, and that's one of the priests that I spoke to recently, at the NAP Institute, talked about how important fasting is.

[144] And that's part of the reason is if we think we're feeding ourselves and that this world is what will ultimately feed that empty space in our hearts, that is the most significant emptiness, that emptiness in our hearts, so many people are going after the things of this world, and it leaves them empty.

[145] And then in a time of crisis, like we're living through, I mean, it could get a lot worse.

[146] The crisis, for some, even in the world today, don't have food, don't have shelter, don't have the basic necessities that every human being has a right to.

[147] But what we need to remember is what's important.

[148] And it has an effect on in every aspect of living this journey of life because there's so many people that have so much more than they need because they're trying to feed that hunger in their heart that only God can fill.

[149] All the material wealth, all the power in the world, all the pleasure in the world ultimately leaves us empty.

[150] And so I think it's, it goes back to not living in fear, but having faith, it reminds us we really have nothing to fear and losing all of the things.

[151] How much do we really need?

[152] Not much to just survive.

[153] I mean, we want to do more than just survive.

[154] God wants us to flourish.

[155] But we need to remember that many of the things, the things that we take for granted aren't really necessities.

[156] at all, and if we lose them, hopefully, spiritually, it reminds us of what really is necessary.

[157] Bishop Strickland, you make me think of, again, the Napa Institute.

[158] Opus Day teaches through their founder, Escobar, he said that when you go to a nice meal, don't leave a table with some self -denial of saying, I'm not going to eat that dessert, or I'm not going to take a second and helping a food and offer that for the love of God.

[159] Now, it's easy at home to do because, you know, because, you know, you're a controlled environment, you're at home.

[160] But when you go to a nice hotel like the Napa Institute, and they got food, as you saw, it was, I mean, they were pouring cups of wine, anything you wanted, as much as you want.

[161] This is the time where you have to exercise self -discipline to, you know, give that little sacrifice up to Holy Mother the Church And again, I'm just grateful that I had that formation as a young man that they taught me to deny myself because that discipline has saved me not just on eating food and saying no, but the discipline has given me the discipline to say no to my lower nature in other areas of my life.

[162] Okay.

[163] So why do I say that?

[164] Because this is the kind of formation we all need.

[165] We need to be able to say no to even legitimate.

[166] things that are coming our way and offer that as a sacrifice and you know what your life is better that way you'll really appreciate things if you can not have a fudge Sunday every Sunday night you know and because you get used to that so that's all I'm saying and I hear what you're saying also about self -denial about being able to you know live in the presence of God that's another element that I can hear you speaking on but fear is useless Trust is what we need, and I think that is a biblical principle.

[167] Anything else you want to get into before I ask you some questions about that article?

[168] Because I think you're nailing it right now.

[169] No, go ahead with your question.

[170] Here's my question.

[171] And the reason I say this is, I believe Cardinal Ratzinger wrote this book, and I've mentioned it to you back in 1985, the Ratzinger Report.

[172] And this article didn't refer to him, but it sure says it.

[173] And it starts out about saying, how do you see the Catholic Church?

[174] Are you tempted to leave the church because of the outrageous corruption, infidelity?

[175] And he even says cowardness.

[176] I mean, he's really strong with his words.

[177] But I want to be honest with you, I see cowardness in the church.

[178] I see it in myself.

[179] I mean, you've got to stand up.

[180] And its leaders seem to lack of a coherent solution amidst all the problems.

[181] And so, Ratzinger, Cardinal Ratzinger, at the time, Benedict 16, he became, he said that if you see the church as the optimist club and as a human institution, then you're missing the boat.

[182] And so we have a human side of the church and we have a divine side of the church.

[183] Can you elaborate a little on that, please?

[184] Absolutely.

[185] And it's interesting that it's the human institution that, because I'm a center, you're a sinner, every Catholic is a center.

[186] And those sins start to interfere, especially, I mean, the Catholic Church is an institution.

[187] It's more than that, but it is an institution.

[188] And sin becomes institutionalized.

[189] It's something that we can take for granted.

[190] That's why earlier I urge people to pray for their bishop.

[191] Even, I mean, sometimes people have been very upset with me and say nice things to me. But I hope they don't stop praying for me. Amen.

[192] Because bishops do have to make serious decisions.

[193] A lot of times you don't know all that is in the background.

[194] And sadly, there is corruption.

[195] And I know that's frustrating for people.

[196] There are clearly bishops that have, and priest and laity, I mean, it's not exclusively any one group.

[197] You get a group of radio hosts together, and there are going to be some of them that are acting unethically.

[198] They're going to be some that are very broken people.

[199] The same as, I mean, and sure, bishops should be held to a higher standard than radio announcers.

[200] But actually, we're all held to the same standard, the baptized, to live as disciples of Jesus Christ.

[201] But certainly, you would hope all the ordained and all religious would be a model.

[202] Sometimes we fail at that.

[203] Sometimes I fail at that.

[204] Keep praying for your bishop and your priests.

[205] Amen.

[206] To recognize, especially in today's world, it's a tough job.

[207] It's a joyful job.

[208] if you stay close to Jesus Christ.

[209] And that's what I strive to do.

[210] That's who gives me energy.

[211] That's who gives me the strength to not be afraid.

[212] That's Jesus Christ is the one who gives me through his Holy Spirit, through the love of the Father.

[213] He gives me the ability to speak up when I feel the need to.

[214] I don't have all the answers, but I have the important answers that come from everything that we can know from the word of God, from the catechism, from living the sacramental life, I celebrated a great confession at Napa, talking to one of the Franciscan priest, a great spiritual moment.

[215] I'm glad to share that.

[216] I'm not going to share my confession, but I'm glad to share that I celebrated that beautiful sacrament, and I'd encourage anyone who's listening who says, Oh, it's been, you know, sometimes when we hear something that we know we're guilty of, we can kind of shy away from it.

[217] I would urge anyone who's listening that maybe has sort of stepped away from going to confession because, oh, well, that priest is corrupt as I am.

[218] So I need to just, you know, give my sins to God and not go to confession.

[219] I'd urge anyone who, if it's been a long time and really more than a month or so is too long.

[220] long, I'd encourage everyone to go to confession.

[221] It's good for the soul.

[222] It's humbling.

[223] And it's an encounter with Jesus Christ.

[224] I think we need to remember that.

[225] As we prepare for this document on the Eucharist, I talked to a lot of people there in Napa about it.

[226] And I said at the last bishops meeting, we need to link it closely with the sacrament of confession.

[227] Because to me, they need to go hand in hand.

[228] When I'm approaching the altar as a priest to celebrate Mass, I need to ask myself, am I as worthy as I can be?

[229] Have I contractly confess my sins and said, Father, forgive me, for I have sinned.

[230] If I've done that recently enough, that I should always approach the altar in awe and with some fear and trepidation.

[231] But we balance that with believing in God's mercy and doing our best to live that call of mercy, which is to repent of our sins and to ask forgiveness.

[232] That's what it all comes down to ultimately, whether it's a politician or a prelate in the church or the father of a family or the head of a billion dollar business, whoever it is, we all before God are sinners who need to ask forgiveness.

[233] And if we refuse to do that, we shouldn't go to communion.

[234] If I refused to do that, I shouldn't go to celebrate Mass. I should refrain from approaching the altar if I said, I'm not going to go to confession because I've decided I've forgiven myself.

[235] That is a very healthy spirituality.

[236] No, it isn't.

[237] When we come back, we're going to continue to talk about that spirituality.

[238] He's talking about the Holy Eucharist.

[239] And there's two things that Bishop Strickland talks about all the time.

[240] It's the Holy Eucharist and the life of the unborn.

[241] So when we come back, we'll talk with Bishop Strickland about why our Lord is active and alive in the Holy Eucharist for us to come visit.

[242] We'll be back with more on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[243] Stay with us, family.

[244] Welcome back, family, to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[245] Bishop was just sharing with us the connection between the Holy Eucharist and confession.

[246] And I'm going to bring this next topic up, but I wanted to mention the Napa conference because he mentioned some Franciscans.

[247] I guess he went to confession.

[248] So did I. But that same weekend, I was having lunch and a bunch of, oh, full -habited Franciscans.

[249] They were part of the Father Benedict Rochelle's order.

[250] They said, hey, Terry.

[251] And I said, oh, yeah, I have brothers.

[252] They were priests.

[253] And I got to shake their hands.

[254] And they said, we listen to your show every day when we do our workout in the gym, you know, where they lift weights.

[255] And I thought that was kind of funny that they would say that.

[256] But I had to share that one, because it's not every day you have priests tell you that.

[257] Bishop Strickland, I wanted to make the connection in this article about the crisis in the church and how our Eucharistic king in the Blessed Sacrament is there for us, as this article says, among things he's alive and active.

[258] And this is for real praying before the living from the Eucharist has made great saints in every century, in our century too, in every region, in every conceivable situation, who fixes God's church, saints do.

[259] I love that line.

[260] How do men and women become saints?

[261] They do it so by prayer and trust and not by thrashing around and venting and attacking.

[262] That's going to be my message when I go out to, and I'm just going to be honest with you, I'm going to be in, while you're in a bishops conference, I'll be across the street.

[263] I'm giving a talk, and I'm going to be talking about, are we praying for our bishops?

[264] Are we making reparation and atonement so that they will have the graces to make those right decisions.

[265] So my question to you, Bishop Strickland, you've said this, but saints are going to fix the church.

[266] And the idea of prayer before the blessed sacrament and all centuries of the church have been an efficacious way to be a holy person.

[267] What's your take on that?

[268] Well, that's our faith.

[269] Yep.

[270] That is probably the main thing we all need to do.

[271] is turned to our Lord in the Eucharist, believe he's there, know that all power in heaven and on earth has been given to him, and commit our lives to him.

[272] All the ills in the world can be fixed if we will only listen to him.

[273] And really, in a sense, Terry, it's not super theological, but I think what occurs, to me is heaven is a world where everything is in harmony with God.

[274] Yeah.

[275] So this world will never be heaven, but we are challenged to work toward heavenly goals and heavenly virtues to turn from sin and to know that we are called to share in that fullness of life that God offers us.

[276] So it really is about, yes, we need to transform our world, but we need the only power that will ever ultimately do that is the power of God.

[277] And we have him in every tabernacle, celebrated at every altar, and we need to just keep returning to that.

[278] And I'd encourage all of us, everyone, listening, you and me, all of us to just renew our commitment to approaching every tabernacle, approaching every mass, whether as a layperson or as a priest about to celebrate that mass, and to just, in a sense, stoke the fires of faith by reminding ourselves who we're approaching the Lord who's at that moment giving us breath, giving us a body able to approach that altar is the one we're receiving, the great mystery that is Jesus Christ.

[279] And we can never exhaust the mystery that we encounter.

[280] And it's so tragic that so many Catholics don't really believe or Catholics demand, I have a right to receive the Eucharist, even if I deny that life is sacred, that marriage is between a man and a woman only, that God made us male and female, and we're not to manipulate that according to our own purposes, that living a sexual, moral life is one of the commandments of God.

[281] We do just approach that altar and say, Lord of the universe, I'm going to receive you, but I'm going to ignore what you've taught me. What is slap in the face?

[282] I mean, probably a lot of us pray the sorrowful mysteries and the station of the cross where Christ is, he goes through his agony.

[283] He's beaten, he's crown with a crown of thorns, he's mocked, he's spat upon.

[284] We do that sadly in the world today.

[285] if we approach his Eucharistic presence, hidden in consecrated bread, but he's really there, if we receive him in any way that is less than full of all, full of reverence and respect, it's as if we're mocking him and spinning on him all over again.

[286] And sadly, that's what you see happening in the world, where people even threaten archbishops with, I dare you not to give me the communion at Mass after they've gone through a litany of all the things that they've chosen not to believe in.

[287] Right.

[288] God has given us free will, absolutely.

[289] God doesn't force us to believe.

[290] We shouldn't force anyone to believe.

[291] But if you don't believe, then don't approach the king of the universe and say, okay, I want to receive you, or well, I can't believe that people really that deny basic teachings even really do believe.

[292] It's not just a symbol, it's not just a membership card, it is the real presence of the Lord.

[293] And like we've said before, you know, I become a broken record when it comes to the Eucharist, when he comes to the sanctity.

[294] And when he comes to the sanctity of life, especially the life of the unborn.

[295] Yeah, well said.

[296] Bishop Strickland, I want to make the connection in this article that they did about the Aryan crisis that was around the 4th century.

[297] If someone who was born around the year 325, who died around the year 400, it says that they would have spent his or her entire life under the shadow of Arianism in a church where the vast majority of bishops, I hate to say it, Bishop, it's just history, were heretics and cowards.

[298] where few good bishops were hunted, hounded from place to place, where even popes were ineffectual are compromised.

[299] So this is not the first time we've had history.

[300] A pope excommunicated the great St. Athanasius, the great confessor of our time.

[301] And so in that paragraph, it talked about someone living in that time where it was confusing.

[302] And so we're living, I think it's a fair statement to say, the confusion when only what 70 % of the people from the Pew research say they believe in the real presence of Christ and the Eucharist another statistic 2 % of the Catholics go to confession at least once a year are you kidding me that's so I'll use a strong word Bishop Strickland that's pathetic you know we can do better than that it is pathetic and you used a word a moment ago that I think is at the root of it that for all of us compromise.

[303] We're in an age of compromise.

[304] And really, that's what St. Athanasius was dealing with was the vast majority of the bishops of his time were compromising the truth because it was more comfortable.

[305] It fit their scenario better.

[306] And thankfully, the church continued to hang on to the truth that Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man and avoided the Aryan heresy and other heresies that so we can't compromise and there's way too much compromise you hear about scandals in the church where clearly leaders have compromised and said well we're not going to address that because we don't want to lose these donors or we don't want to upset the people or whatever it is.

[307] And if it's compromising the truth, it really is not loving.

[308] It is hateful ultimately.

[309] And that's a pretty strong word too.

[310] But if it's not loving, then the opposite of love is hate.

[311] And it's hateful.

[312] it's to compromise the truth and not share it.

[313] And I love what you said quoting that writing about the fourth century in the time of Athanasius, you know, the scriptures tell us.

[314] I mean, we're both in our 60s.

[315] So, you know, we could have 20 more years, less than that, more than that.

[316] But whatever, even if we both live to be 100, that is only, a short span of time.

[317] And as you're pointing out, a person could have lived in the late third maybe or somewhere in the fourth century in their whole lifetime was a time of confusion and division in the church.

[318] We've both seen times of confusion and it's like it comes in waves.

[319] Yeah.

[320] I mean, in the 60s, when we were kids, there was a lot of confusion and a lot of upheaval.

[321] And then through the 70s, 80s, 90s, you know, a lot of that continued, but, you know, it was a little calmer.

[322] But there were a lot of what we're seeing now, we're bearing the fruit of the compromises.

[323] Yes.

[324] People said, oh, we won't really teach the real clear truth in our schools.

[325] We'll just make the kids feel happy and make them feel welcome and make them feel, you know, accepted.

[326] Well, that's great.

[327] But if you're compromising the real truth in order to accomplish that nice, peaceful feeling, then ultimately what we're seeing in many ways is that comes back to bite you after a while.

[328] Mr. Strickland, you're talking about compromise.

[329] I know bishops and cardinals even said it publicly that the document from July 25th, which was last Sunday, 1968, Hermione Vite, they said we didn't want to preach on it because we knew it would be rejected and we didn't want to get rejected by our people.

[330] It could stop funding our local parishes, so we put it aside.

[331] We'll talk about that much, much more about why compromise is the language of the devil and that why living a Christ -centered life and not worrying about who's putting our finger up in the air that's where the wind is blowing.

[332] We'll be back with more on the Bishop Stricklandauer.

[333] Stay with us.

[334] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[335] We're spending a lot of time on the crisis in the church.

[336] The Bishop Strickland did tweet that today this week, and we have been reading from an article regarding that whole issue in the midst of crisis be driven by faith, not fear.

[337] And before I get into this article, I don't want to let it go, Bishop Strickland, because you preached on this for years.

[338] We're both, as you said, in our ages in the 60s, but we live through a time after Hamanavita, which is on the transmission of life, where it really was poo -poohed in many areas of the church.

[339] It didn't get proclaimed.

[340] And it seems to me, St. John Paul II really revived that in getting his theology of the body out, Veritatis Splendor, his teachings, he said the way the family goes is the way the culture goes.

[341] And he was a big promoter of teaching, the transmission of life and how it needs to be communicated to the flock.

[342] And Bishop Strickland, you went through that period, your own life.

[343] You were ordained in, I think, 1985.

[344] And so you saw what I just mentioned.

[345] I mean, I know you're in a small diocese in Texas, but I don't think you were, you know, you were any different.

[346] Isn't it true that many people were quiet in your lifetime preaching on the gospel and preaching on Jimonavita?

[347] Absolutely.

[348] Well, sadly, it was pretty much rejected by the world.

[349] And from what I've read, Pope St. Paul the 6th really suffered after issuing.

[350] He didn't issue it.

[351] That was in 1968.

[352] Yeah.

[353] He died in August of 1978.

[354] Correct.

[355] And he never wrote another encyclical.

[356] I think really.

[357] put a lot of burden on his shoulders with all the division in the church.

[358] What we've come, thankfully, many people are coming around to see the truth, especially with the advances in science.

[359] Oh, yeah.

[360] We have a much better understanding of what contraception of any form, the harm it causes, and the pill was so celebrated in the 60s as this miracle of science.

[361] but the damage that it does to women's bodies and the ways it distorts the natural processes of their bodies, they're so beautiful.

[362] It really is, thankfully, many people are waking up Catholic and non -Cathlet.

[363] I agree.

[364] Very non -Catholic, evangelical Protestant area.

[365] But there are a lot of the evangelical Protestants that are saying, you know, you Catholics got it right.

[366] And sadly, too many Catholics didn't really receive.

[367] that right teaching that the Holy Spirit guided Paul the Six to proclaim, even though, you know, you've probably read the history where the commission of bishops and experts were all saying, oh, you can do this Holy Father, and you can say that contraception is morally acceptable, and you can lay down and not continue this fight.

[368] thankfully, and I think that's one of the greatest illustrations that we need to really hang on to in our time, that the Holy Spirit is guiding the church.

[369] We may not understand why God is allowing this to happen, why God is allowing that to happen.

[370] But think about with the Pope officially teaching with Humane Vite and how right we know it is now, even when I was a newly ordained priest, frankly, you could go to talks where they said, oh, well, you know, Humane Vite was not correct.

[371] And we need to, we need to support those who are protesting and not.

[372] in dissenting from that teaching.

[373] I remember that idea of dissenting from the teaching of the church was very popular when I was in the seminary.

[374] And there were high -profile theologians that were saying, oh, I dissent from this teaching.

[375] We don't use that word much anymore.

[376] I don't hear it, at least.

[377] But that's what we see happening.

[378] Politicians, theologians, some bishops, certainly priests and laity.

[379] There are many being faithful and some dissenting from what the church says and saying, well, we choose a different path or we have a different opinion on that.

[380] It's not about opinions.

[381] It's about what is true.

[382] In Humanevite, really, I'm glad you brought up the 25th anniversary, I mean, the 50th anniversary, which was on the 25th of July, of July, just last Sunday, that anniversary is significant because where are we with that whole question?

[383] Thankfully, many people are embracing the truth of Humaneity, but we're living in a world that's rejected it.

[384] And we're living the consequences of that.

[385] abortion is tied to that because I've heard people say that abortion is really just another form of birth control if you let it get out of hand and you let a conception happen then well just have an abortion the morning after pill there's so many different ways and phases that people who are just adamantly denying the truth that God is revealed that life is sacred from conception to natural death, we've got means of getting rid of people all along the way, sadly, and too many times society is saying, oh, that's ethical, that's acceptable, assisted suicide or euthanasia, all the movements in the world that are pushing those kind of things.

[386] It's all rooted in the same thing that Humane Vita teaches that we can't interfere with conception because that is sacred to God.

[387] And once a person is conceived, then that person is sacred to God until natural death.

[388] There are too many opportunities in our scientific age where people are, you know, certainly we still have murders, and that's a tragedy.

[389] But there are a lot of deaths that society, including the death of the unborn, society says, oh, that's perfectly fine.

[390] You can kill people as long as they're still in the womb.

[391] And there are too many efforts on the other end of the spectrum of saying, well, if this person is too weak or the quality of their life is not good, you can go ahead and eliminate them.

[392] You can assist people with taking their own life and assisted suicide.

[393] We're more and more that is eroding the basic value of the human life from conception to natural death.

[394] And it's rooted in that rejection for far too many.

[395] And sadly, the church basically institutionally, too many rejected Humane Vite, even as it was published.

[396] You know, Bishop Strickland, back in 1987, when you were just a newly ordained priest, I had a similar experience.

[397] Unfortunately, our auxiliary bishop gave a talk to young people.

[398] I happened to record it.

[399] He didn't know that.

[400] and he told everybody that Hermannivete is not valid and that we would have women's ordination for the priesthood by the year 2000 and he said a lot of crazy things and I thought I'm going to raise my hand in the back and said Bishop I won't say his name but pray for me he's gone to his eternal reward or his judgment but I said would you say those things if Pope John Paul 2 was sitting in the room and he said of course not and I said I didn't think so so what I did and I would encourage lay people respectfully.

[401] I transcribed the cassette.

[402] I sent it to Cardinal Ratzinger through Father Fesio.

[403] And about six weeks later, I got a call from that bishop apologizing because he was told he had to embrace Hermannivete.

[404] He had to embrace the church teachings on the male priesthood.

[405] And I won't give all the details because you don't need to inhale them all.

[406] But here's the point.

[407] Lay people, we didn't sit back and say, oh, well, whatever.

[408] That's his decision.

[409] No, we were proactive with him, and he now, you know, for years, he was still a friend of mine, even though we disagreed on many things.

[410] But the point of it is, I wouldn't be loving if I didn't call him to the truth about what our Catholic faith teaches, even though he was a bishop, and I was like 26 years old.

[411] But here's the point, Bishop Strickland.

[412] You would want me to do that to you if I, if you said something that wasn't with the church, am I right or wrong?

[413] You're right.

[414] And that, I love that story because we need that kind of laity today.

[415] Yeah.

[416] That, I mean, as you pointed out, I mean, this bishop went to his judgment.

[417] Yeah.

[418] We pray that God did his mercy.

[419] We don't know.

[420] God's the judge.

[421] But this bishop is gone.

[422] And we pray that his skull isn't one of those paving the way to hell.

[423] Yeah.

[424] But it could be.

[425] That's something we all have to soberly be aware of.

[426] If you believe in heaven and hell, if you believe that in the judgment, it's all there in our faith, in the creed, we believe that there will be a final judgment.

[427] The greatest charity for the bishop or this world leader or any politician or anyone, the neighbor next door, or the family, friends, or our own family, the greatest charity is to.

[428] call them to the truth.

[429] And I doubt there are many people that would regret having been called to the truth as they're taking their last breath.

[430] They may regret not being called to the truth, but to do our best to follow the truth.

[431] We're all obligated to do that.

[432] With, I mean, with all the controversy in our world, we need to be strong enough to do exactly.

[433] exactly what you did, not with hatred, but with love.

[434] Absolutely.

[435] To say, you're veering from the truth, Bishop, Mr. Politician, Mrs. Politician, whoever you are, you're stepping away from the truth.

[436] And I have an obligation as your brother to call you back.

[437] As we were saying earlier, God's given us free will.

[438] That's one thing that even a totalitarian state can't take away from us our free will.

[439] It can beat us and distort life and even, you know, manipulate us in ways that can make you wonder what's true and what's not.

[440] But ultimately, God gives us free will.

[441] That's part of being created in his image and likeness.

[442] And we have the freedom to choose.

[443] But we, you and I as believers, have the responsibility to guide others in their free choices.

[444] their free will to choose the truth.

[445] Lovingly, compassionately, and with the truth always.

[446] Now, so one of our show plows is charity, with clarity with charity, and that's what we are looking for here.

[447] And I would want you to do the same thing to me, Bishop Strickland, correct me. I love it when people correct me. I say, thank you so much because I only want the truth.

[448] I don't want my personal opinion.

[449] Bishop, before you go, can we get a blessing from you, please?

[450] Heavenly Father, we ask your blessing for everyone listening and everyone participating.

[451] And we ask this in the name of the Father, the Son of the Holy Spirit.

[452] Amen.

[453] Thank you so much.

[454] Again, you can like us on your page.

[455] Send this show to friends and family.

[456] This is, I think, a special edition on the crisis in the church.

[457] And I think that we all need to be part of the solution.

[458] Remember, when evil abounds, sin abounds more, grace abounds more.

[459] So we thank you for joining us here on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

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

[461] God love you.