29 May 24 – Participating Reverently at Holy Mass

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] He will be back, I guess, in two more weeks.

[2] He's still in Europe on a pilgrimage.

[3] So keep in your prayers for his safety.

[4] And we're going to go through some tweets, some catechism, and basically just go through fundamental teachings of the church.

[5] That's what Bishop Strickland does every Tuesday and Wednesday here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[6] Today's gospel for the 29th of May Wednesday is Mark chapter 10, verse 32.

[7] to 45.

[8] The disciples were on their way, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus went ahead of them.

[9] They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid.

[10] Taking the twelve aside again, he began to tell them, what was going to happen to him?

[11] Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the son of man who will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes and they will condemn him to death and hand him over to the Gentiles who will mock him, spit upon him, scourge him, and put him to death.

[12] But after three days, he will rise.

[13] Then James the John, the son of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you he replied what do you wish me to do they answered him grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left ooh that's an interesting one jesus said to them you do not know what you're asking can you drink the chalice that i drink or be baptized with the baptism with which i am baptized they said to him we can Jesus said to them the chalice that I drink you will drink and with the baptism with which I baptized you will be baptized but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared when the ten heard this they became indignant at James and John Jesus summoned them and said to them you know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles Lord over it and their great ones make their authority over them felt but it shall not be among you rather whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant and whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.

[14] For the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.

[15] The gospel of the Lord.

[16] Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[17] Wow.

[18] Yeah, that basically telling us, you know, people in authority, be careful with your authority.

[19] Don't Lord over people.

[20] It's one of the things I was so impressed when I was a young man. And our Cardinal Manning here at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles would serve us breakfast at the Chrysiel Movement Weekend retreats.

[21] Yeah.

[22] And in other words, are you ready for this?

[23] The Cardinal puts a little white apron around himself and is serving us our breakfast.

[24] And nobody told me that.

[25] I knew who it was.

[26] I saw him.

[27] And I said to myself, now that's humility I am really impressed that the bishop would do that he's a cardinal that's humility he didn't need to be doing that he could have been sitting in his office I think he's a big shot it's one of the things that I have found that's it's a temptation I've seen it where laymen or bishops or priests get popular I've seen it in 45, 48 years of doing what I do.

[28] I've seen laymen say, oh, yeah, now when you fly me to these conferences, I need first class.

[29] What?

[30] Yeah, I can't fly it if it's not first class.

[31] What?

[32] And, you know, they make like they're big shots.

[33] And I just scratched my head and I said, this is going to your head.

[34] And I mean, I see it.

[35] so clear that I'm no better than anybody else.

[36] Why?

[37] Because our Lord taught that.

[38] I mean, we're all in it together and we all play a role in it.

[39] And as Bishop Fulton Sheen said during the council to his brother bishops, the gentleman that's emptying our trash cans at the council could be pleasing God more than us if we're not.

[40] serious about our duty here to really do our best for God because if he's taking the trash out and doing it for God he's pleasing God even more than if we're just relaxing and taking our dear old time and not really taking our job seriously our job our vocation and he's spot on he's right and sometimes I think not just in the church but in public fears the mayor our governor, these people think they have a big shot and nobody can touch them.

[41] And they put their pants on one leg at a time.

[42] And I think Bishop Strickland is a good example of, you know, I call him America's Bishop because now he's got the whole country, the whole world to preach.

[43] But if you meet him like I have for years, had him at my home, he stayed at my house, he is so ordinary he doesn't stick his chest out and says I'm the bishop serve me no he's always a what can I do to serve if someone's sick he'll go we had even when he was out here he'd just constantly be at the service of the people of God said well that's what my vocation is that's how I please God said well you got that right I wish we had more bishops like Bishop Strickland who would just take their vocation is coming from God and not taking their position as some worldly leader that says, yeah, look at me, I'm the bishop.

[44] One of the prerequisites that a priest shouldn't be a bishop is if he's hoping to be a bishop.

[45] I'll never forget, I won't say the name of the cardinal today, but one of his priest's friends, I did a parish mission down in San Diego, and he was friends with this soon -to -be cardinal.

[46] just recently, I've been a cardinal.

[47] And he was always wanting to be an archbishop, a bishop, a cardinal.

[48] He had, that's the wrong reason to be a bishop.

[49] You want to be the guy that says, look, I'm not looking for it, but if God calls me through providence, I'll say yes because I said yes to Jesus Christ, that my ordination and his will be done.

[50] see that's the attitude we need in the church not oh i want to grab some power and i think some of the people in the church i think bishop strickland would agree with me are in the church for their power reasons whether it's men or women how can i get in positions of power which is the wrong attitude in the church so that's our gospel for today and the next thing we're going to talk about is what we had promised regarding the catechism.

[51] And I think it's so important, the Eucharist.

[52] You know, you say, well, I know everything about the Eucharist, Terry.

[53] What can you share with me?

[54] Well, can I tell you, when I study my faith with the catechism and the Bible, I see things and I go, wow, I didn't realize that.

[55] You know, I should have really thought about that.

[56] Well, it's because I consistently go back to review my faith.

[57] The Word of God is so rich that you can read it today and get insight that you won't get tomorrow.

[58] Yeah.

[59] So we're in the question here from just to keep everybody up to date in the catechism that's put out by the St. Philip Institute in the Diocese of Tyler, Texas.

[60] And it's a question and answer catechism.

[61] And we're going through the Eucharist, and what's nice about it, it's very simple.

[62] but they also give you references in the big thick catechism that every Catholic should own so when I'm giving you an answer it's going to tell you again go to 1322 that's where the teaching of the Eucharist is go to question how is how is Jesus present 1373 to 1377 it makes it very clear Eucharistic adoration 1317 78 to 1381.

[63] So this is important that we Catholics know our faith when it comes to understanding our faith.

[64] We need to understand it in a very, very direct way because if we don't, we'll lose the faith.

[65] And it's a lifetime occupation studying our Catholic faith.

[66] And this is why I love going back to the catechism with Bishop Strickland because I learn much.

[67] I've studied the catechism for 50 years.

[68] and I'm still learning and I would encourage you to pick up the catechism of the Catholic Church and read it on a regular basis with your Bible and all these other things that go on won't bother you because you're well -grounded in the faith it's not going to move you to hear a prelate teach something that's erroneous you're going to say doesn't he know it was catechism I mean I've actually said that about high officials on the church they make statements like I'll give you one pray for your mother in heaven what pray for your mother in heaven if your mother's in heaven her soul's her she doesn't need your prayers you could say pray for your mother if she's in heaven to intercede for us that's theologically correct but when I hear high officials say things like that I scratch my head and say who taught them their faith It's erroneous.

[69] It's not what the church teaches.

[70] So when we come back, we'll continue on what the church teaches about Eucharistic adoration and much more here on the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful radio.

[71] Stay with us.

[72] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[73] Indeed, welcome back.

[74] Before I get into the catechism about what is Eucharistic Adoration, I'd like to just finish up with a couple more tweets with Bishop Strickland.

[75] and basically he's responding to Pope Francis's 60 -minute interview on CBS 60 Minutes and about the blessing of couples in irregular situations and the couples of same -sex.

[76] He says, we need to read the document what it actually says.

[77] And here's what it says.

[78] And I just want you to listen, within the horizon outlined here appears the possibility a blessing for couples in irregular situations and for couples of same sex the form of which should not be fixed ritually by ecclesial authorities to avoid producing confusion that's exactly what this document has done caused a lot of confusion among the faithful says to avoid this you know you avoid it you don't do it by producing confusion and with the blessing proper to the sacrament of marriage.

[79] In such cases, a blessing may be imparted that not only has an ascending value, but also involves the invocation of a blessing that descends from God upon those who recognize themselves to be destitute and in need of help.

[80] I have to ask that people who are living in adultery to assume that they're coming to you asking for help I think it's at least a presumption I'm thinking many times when my experience has been they're coming to convalitate their living style yeah let's get a blessing because he knows we're homosexuals hey let's get a blessing he knows that you're not my wife but I want to be confirmed so I feel better going to Holy Communion and making sacrilegious communions yeah so do so here's what says I keep reading to be destitute in need of his help like I said that's a presumption do not claim a litemate limitation of their own status but who beg that all that is true good and humanly valid in their lives and their relationships be enriched, healed, and elevated by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

[81] You know what I think of that?

[82] Strychnine.

[83] Take the poison.

[84] It's not all poison.

[85] Take only the good out of it.

[86] It's never been the church's approach to approach spirituality that way.

[87] The forms of blessing express a supplication that God may grant those aids that come from the impulses of his spirit, what classical theology, he calls actual grace.

[88] I love that term, actual grace.

[89] Yeah, actual grace is when you say, I repent and believe in the gospel.

[90] See?

[91] Sanctifying grace, let's make the distinction, is when we're living in the state of grace.

[92] So to get actual grace, my understanding is when you realize that you're a sinner and you say, Lord, I'm convicted.

[93] I need to repent.

[94] That's an actual grace.

[95] But to say an actual grace is, just because I'm here with my partner, we're living sexually as homosexuals, and there is good for us because I do pay his bills and I put gas in his truck, those are all good things.

[96] It has nothing to do with living in the state of grace.

[97] It's all natural.

[98] So he says after actual grace, so that human relationships may mature and grow and fidelity to the gospel.

[99] I'll tell you how you can grow in the gospel, repent and believe in it.

[100] Why beat around the bush?

[101] This is all gobbly group, as far as I can see, that they may be freed from their imperfections and frailties, and that they may express themselves in an ever -increasing dimension of divine love.

[102] Again, the document could have just said that they will repent and believe in the gospel and not live, a life that's contrary to the teachings of the gospel so when you read that it's just so you know like lovey -dovey to the point where you're just saying well what are you saying you know so you read it yourself and if you don't get what I got out of it okay but I just feel bad that people are being misled by this document a Bishop Strickland has a tweet about June we're going to be in June just in a couple days.

[103] He says, as we come closer to June in 2024, let us resolve to joyfully and fervently embrace the month of the sacred heart of Jesus.

[104] During June, the world chose to celebrate the deadly sin of pride.

[105] Yep.

[106] Let us instead embrace the month of the sacred heart of Jesus and seek humility and kindness.

[107] Do you folks remember last year in June what was going on, Bishop Joseph Strickland came out to Los Angeles, to the Dodgers Stadium with us to make reparation for the sacrilege that the Dodgers were doing.

[108] They were giving these so -called nuns.

[109] They're not nuns.

[110] They're men who are homosexuals, and they're called Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

[111] They're making fun of the Catholic faith.

[112] The Dodgers were giving them an award and lay Catholics like ourselves.

[113] I mean, we, we, We actually put our name on the permit to get the permit to have the police there to guide us in this assembly where we were praying.

[114] 5 ,000 people came to Dodger Stadium.

[115] We were one of them.

[116] And Bishop Strickland led us of prayers of reparation.

[117] And many people, bishops, priests, were afraid to show up.

[118] I have this on good grounds from Jesse Romero's brother Johnny went to the Chancery office went to the cathedral and said would you give us a blessing we're going to be praying and making reparation down at Dodger Stadium and the prelates the priest there at the cathedral were scared to death if they went there they thought violence would have erupted but again these are frightened men when they should be shepherds and we have laymen going out and standing up for the truth and making reparation for this sacrilege.

[119] See, I hope they learned a lesson last year that the bishops of our old diocese of Los Angeles that don't be afraid of the world.

[120] The world will always hate us.

[121] But I don't think they hate us if we don't show up.

[122] They're kind of glad that we just stay home and shut up.

[123] But when we come out with 5 ,000 people of prayer, this went all over the world.

[124] The whole world knew about this.

[125] And they knew that we were there for reparation.

[126] And Bishop Streckland, that's when we first called him, America's bishop.

[127] Because we invited every bishop, every priest, to come.

[128] And we locked arms with many, many people that were going to promote the Catholic faith there.

[129] and make reparation for this sacrilege and who came?

[130] Very few frelates very one very few priests we'd love to have more I had a Jewish rabbi come and say yeah I'm with you guys religious freedom why are they making fun at Christians and Catholics I'll be with you and I'll pray with you we had Protestant ministers there we had a hard time getting our own clergy to come No surprise, though, because, again, we're living in times of people being afraid to speak the truth and charity.

[131] They really think somehow that somebody's going to hurt us physically or someone's going to be sued or they don't want to take risk for the gospel.

[132] And my point is, every time we open our mouth about the gospel, if we get persecuted for saying marriage is between us, a man and a woman, so be it.

[133] If we get thrown in jail for persecution of saying it's a hate crime to say that, I don't think that's going to happen now because the woke culture is running now.

[134] Too many good things are coming down the pike.

[135] I believe people are standing up for Jesus.

[136] And I think Bishop Strickland would agree that the times have changed.

[137] And I think in the next years, we're going to be seeing more of a movement of young people.

[138] I've seen it of Eucharistic adoration, loving the faith, and that brings me right up to that question on Eucharistic Adoration.

[139] I'll just answer the first question in the Catechism.

[140] What is Eucharistic Adoration?

[141] Catechism says the Eucharist is always stored in a special tabernacle with a red candle near it and reminds us of the presence of the Eucharist.

[142] Sometimes the Eucharist will be placed in an ornate reciprocal on an altar called a monstrance so we can look at it directly.

[143] Eucharistic adoration is the adoration of Jesus and the Eucharist, either in the tabernacle or most especially when displayed by worship in a monstrance on the altar.

[144] We should come often to visit our Lord in the Eucharist with prayer and adoration.

[145] I mentioned this because when I grew up, we had these 40 -hour devotions all through our dioceses.

[146] Each parish rotated through the year, but it gave an emphasis of spending time before our Eucharistic king.

[147] And I know for a fact, most Catholic priests that I've talked to in the last 30 years all say that part of their vocation to the priest came before praying before the Blessed Sacrament.

[148] And that's because they got actual grace there.

[149] They're praying and they have Eucharistic rays of our Lord.

[150] They're praying before our Eucharistic king and actual grace has come much clearer than if they were out on a football field or anywhere else.

[151] Because the Eucharistic adoration is a taste of heaven.

[152] It's heaven on earth.

[153] Eucharist.

[154] It's a foretaste of what heaven will be like.

[155] And when we come back from this next break, we're going to fall right into a chapter on the Holy Mass. And man, if we don't study the Mass as a lifetime occupation, we're losing something.

[156] I started studying the Mass when I was 14, going to daily Mass when I was 14.

[157] I really got into what Bishop Sheen taught on the Mass. and I realized that it was just good time management that if my daily duty would allow me to go to Holy Mass in the morning this was a great grace for me to live my Catholic faith and I think that's one of the blessings I've had in my entire life is being able to go to daily Mass on a regular basis I thank God for that and much more on a regular basis because living in the presence of God is the key to living with Jesus Christ.

[158] So when we come back, we'll talk about the Mass as a sacrifice, and I also want to remind you, June 15th, we have the men's conference coming up with Jesse Romero and his brother Johnny and Anthony will be here.

[159] I'll be here, and we're going to be having this conference for men on the 15th of June 2025.

[160] So, Mom, if you want to get your husband a gift for Father's Day, go ahead and do it by calling 877 -526 -215.

[161] Or go online to vmpr .org.

[162] When we come back, we'll talk about the mass, the source and summit of the Christian life.

[163] Stay with us, family.

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

[165] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[166] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour, indeed.

[167] We're covering chapter 14 of a catechism, the way of Christ's book, put out by the St. Philip Institute in the Diocese of Tyler, Texas.

[168] And we are at a very important topic, chapter 14, the Mass. He says, the Mass is the self.

[169] celebration of the Holy Eucharist.

[170] At the Mass, Jesus' paschal mystery is made present in a sacrificial meal.

[171] So what is the Mass?

[172] The Mass is the community worship of Catholics.

[173] When the priest makes or consecrates the Holy Eucharist, it is the representation of the sacrifice of Christ so that we can participate in his sacrifice.

[174] That short paragraph would be very important for all Catholics to know that when they're at Mass, we are participating in that one eternal sacrifice.

[175] I like the analogy of putting your VCR and recording something on the TV and then playing it back, like a football game you videotaped.

[176] Is the game being played over again?

[177] No. You're present at that game.

[178] Again, because you videotaped it.

[179] Well, in one, all analogies limp, but the analogy is we are at Calvary when we're at Mass. How many people realize that?

[180] I don't think too many.

[181] That's why it's important for us to continue to study the Mass. I'll never forget people telling me, one of the students I had years ago, she's now works for the highway patrol and she said I didn't know about the mass until you taught me and it had it you know this is 40 years later she's telling me this I'd seen her in 40 years I said well thank you Jesus it stuck with her when I told her about the real presence when I told her about the sacrificial aspect of the mass how many Catholics stop going to mass because they think it's boring a lot, a lot but they don't know and it's boring because they don't understand what's going on up to the altar so when and where was the first mass question answer at the last supper in Jerusalem on the night before Christ was crucified how is the mass structured?

[182] Good question the mass is divided into two main parts it's so important the liturgy of the word and the liturgy of the Holy Eucharist this basic structure of the mass has been preserved throughout the history of the church short questions short answers what happens in the liturgy of the word well the liturgy the word begins with the penitential act in which we confess that we're sinners and ask for God's mercy.

[183] Then we read from the Old Testament.

[184] We have a Psalm and then the New Testament letters and then the gospel.

[185] After the readings the priest or deacon gives a homily.

[186] A homily is a teaching talk that explains the readings and applies them to our lives, helping us know our faith and follow Christ's commandments.

[187] Following the homily, we profess our faith by saying the creed and then offering general intercessions for those in need.

[188] So every mass has an intention, one intention that you give.

[189] And we who participate should give our at that mass for our son, our daughter, our wife, family, world peace.

[190] Try to keep that in mind with an intention, and at the time the consecration comes, put your intention upon the altar.

[191] Now, we got the liturgy of the word, and the other part is the liturgy of the Eucharist.

[192] What's that?

[193] The liturgy of the Eucharist is part of the mass in which the bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

[194] We will call it under the appearance of bread and wine when it's consecrated.

[195] First, the bread and the wine are prepared on the altar.

[196] Then the priest prays the Eucharistic prayer, during which he consecrates the Holy Eucharist.

[197] That is, when he makes the bread and wine turn into the blood of Christ.

[198] Finally, the priest distributes the Holy Eucharist in Holy Communion.

[199] Remember that term Thomas gives us, under the appearance of bread and wine, it still looks like bread and wine, but it's not.

[200] It is the actual body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ.

[201] Takes faith.

[202] That's what we teach.

[203] Next question.

[204] how is the mass the same sacrifice as that of the cross great question the mass is the same sacrifice as that of the cross because the offering and the priest are the same Jesus Christ check this out on top of that the purpose for which the sacrifice of the mass is offered is the same as that of the sacrifice of the cross at the cross Jesus acted as a priest and offered himself as the sacrificial victim for our sins in the bloody crucifixion at mass the priest acts in the person of Christ offering as a sacrifice to God Jesus Christ body, blood, soul and divinity under the appearance of bread and wine I might add something.

[205] This is why when we teach this, it's so much easier they are understood when the priest is not facing the person, the congregation.

[206] And the reason I say that, we call it ad orientum, that the priest is facing the altar and leading us in prayer because he's the altar Christi.

[207] And what happens is it's clear that he's not entertaining us, you know, making eye contact and laughing and joking.

[208] No, he's there seriously offering the sacrifice.

[209] And I know my priest friend said it's a lot easier when we don't have everybody looking at us and we're turned around focusing on the worship of God.

[210] I just mentioned that again because we're talking about a Eucharistic revival.

[211] I still think that would be an important aspect of the Eucharistic revival is starting having mass Aderiantum.

[212] Now the next question is, is the offatory.

[213] The offatory called the presentation of the gifts is when the bread and wine are prepared on the altar and a collection is taken.

[214] The church presents bread and wine, which will be transformed into the body and blood of Christ.

[215] The collection is also made to be the sacrifice of the faithful's time, talent, and treasure.

[216] The money is to be used by the church to serve the parish and to assist the poor.

[217] Next one.

[218] What is a Eucharistic prayer?

[219] Well, you've seen that we have four Eucharistic prayers that the option has for the priest in the Om Novus Ordo Mass. The Eucharistic prayer is the prayer of the priest in the middle of the liturgy of the Eucharist.

[220] It consists of prayers of adoration, Thanksgiving, living, satisfaction, and intercession.

[221] The most important part of the Eucharistic prayer is the middle.

[222] When the priest consecrates bread and wine and makes it the body and blood of Christ.

[223] During that Eucharistic prayer, we offer thanks to God, the Father, to Christ in the Holy Spirit, for all God's work of creation, redemption, and sanctification.

[224] See, it's the perfect worship of God.

[225] Now, covering what is Holy Communion?

[226] Holy Communion is when we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

[227] It comes after the Holy Eucharistic prayer.

[228] It is the most sacred moment in the life of every Catholic.

[229] And again, the key is being prepared to receive Holy Communion in the state of grace.

[230] Because it's a great blessing to receive the Holy Eucharist, but only when we're properly disposed of.

[231] Now, the next question, how should we prepare to receive Holy Communion?

[232] answer we should first examine our conscience to determine if we have committed any mortal sins that separate us from God we should also focus all of our attention on Jesus in the Holy Eucharist with firm faith, hope, and love one of the things that be good we have a little fathom of prayer I believe I adore and I ask pardon for those who do not adore do not believe.

[233] This is a prayer that we could say before we receive Holy Communion for the sacrilegious that are going on in the church.

[234] I don't need to get into that, but you know well enough that so many things are happening in the church that shouldn't be happening when it comes to the Mass. You know, you see the balloons, banners, and butterflies, and they forget about the sacrifice aspect of the Mass. The next question, maybe we'll take that after the break.

[235] I want to remind everybody again that the men's conference is coming up with Jesse Romero and Johnny Romero, June 15th.

[236] It's important that we all understand how important fathers are in the family.

[237] And Jesse and Johnny will give us biblical perspective of manhood and on why we should prepare our family to get to get to heaven.

[238] And the men's conference will help our men do just that.

[239] So that's June 15th 2024.

[240] We'd love to have the moms get the tickets so that they can give it as a Father's Day gift.

[241] Go to Virgin Most Powerful Radio .org or, you know, simply call us 877 -57 -5 26 -21 -5 -1.

[242] Yeah.

[243] And get the boy, get the father's son.

[244] Make it a father's son Saturday.

[245] Learning more about their Catholic faith.

[246] Stay with us, family.

[247] We'll be back to the Bishop Strickland Hour after a quick break.

[248] And now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[249] Welcome back, indeed, to the Bishop Strickman Hour.

[250] We're covering a mass on our catechism class right now.

[251] and I wanted to recommend something back 25 years ago Dr. Scott Hahn did a series called How to Get the Most Out of the Mass and it's powerful because he takes you step by step now here's a Protestant minister everybody knows who he is I used to record hundreds of talks of his in the late 80s and 90s in the 2000s and he took off on the Catholic faith to a point where everybody was wanting Scott Hahn's stuff and he still do he wrote over 50 books now but he was a nobody when I met him and I was so impressed with him that I decided to ask him to do more tapes and he did a whole catechetical teachings on the faith.

[252] I have the best of Scott Hahn on an MP3 disc.

[253] If someone wanted it, and that includes how to get the most out of the Mass, our lady, the interinsary of Bible, Scripture.

[254] You can call 877 -526 -21 -5 -1.

[255] But I say this because he refreshed my memory about the mass and he showed so many biblical references.

[256] It's really quite impressive that he did that and I would encourage you to pick that up from us.

[257] If you're a monthly supporter of vmpr .org I send you hundreds of dollars worth of downloads of Scott Hahn and others each month.

[258] If you just give us $25 a month to help pay our monthly bills it's quite a good ratio.

[259] You get you give us 25 or more and we give you hundreds of dollars worth of catechetical teachings from our vast library of 35, 40 years of recording Catholic speakers so keep that in mind the next question which is critical how should we prepare to receive Holy Communion well says we should first examine our conscience to determine if we have committed any mortal sin and separate us from God.

[260] We should also focus all of our attention on Jesus and the Eucharist with a firm faith, hope, and love.

[261] I'm going to bring something up that's not particularly popular.

[262] And that is bringing Holy Communion to the sick.

[263] If you're a layperson and you're told, hey, can you go give out Holy Communion to the sick and you say yeah I can do that here's a concern I have it's a practical one you go to the rest home or you go home to give Holy Communion to Grandma Smith and Grandma Smith hasn't been to confession in years you're not a priest and you're going to give them Holy Communion it's not that simple if she has not been to the sacrament of confession for years she shouldn't be receiving Holy Communion she should have the priests come and visit her and I'm going to encourage you if you're an extraordinary minister to the Eucharist tell your priest you know Mary Lou Smith whatever her name is she hasn't been to confession in years and she's on the communion list I don't feel comfortable giving her holy communion knowing that she's been a way from the faith.

[264] Can you go hear a confession?

[265] And I hope and pray that the priest will say, absolutely, thank you for making that comment rather than saying, oh, it doesn't matter, let her have Holy Communion.

[266] And it's based on his laziness, not to go over and hear his confession.

[267] I hope that doesn't happen because he's culpable.

[268] A priest, should be going to hear confessions as a duty for him wherever he can do it and not make excuses that they don't need to go to confession.

[269] He's got to stay in his lane, which is a vehicle for reconciling people to God.

[270] And so I bring this up to you because the question is, how do we receive Holy Communion?

[271] And let's be honest, how long are your lines of confession?

[272] at your church for an hour on a Saturday?

[273] Oh, you don't have lines?

[274] Yeah, I don't see them either.

[275] How big of a line do you have Holy Communion on the Sunday the next day?

[276] Hundreds, if not thousands of people, going to Holy Communion.

[277] But only a handful go to confession on Saturday.

[278] Father Bill Casey, one of the great priests, said, that's our problem.

[279] We've lost the sense of sin.

[280] everybody thinks I go to Holy Communion, I didn't kill anybody you know like I didn't murder somebody okay but what other sins are there you need to learn how to do a good examination of conscience and the Fathers of Mercy online have a good one you can just get it for free or Google examination of conscience because we haven't been taught well on how to examine our conscience many of us don't even have a clue about how do you participate in sins and what characterizes a mortal sin versus a venial sin and that just hasn't been taught for about 50 years so we got a lot of adults running around who have a second grade education on the faith that may might have a PhD and oh I don't know a PhD in science, but they can't tell you the first seven sacraments of the Catholic Church.

[281] I run into that a lot.

[282] And all the I'm saying is this, we need to study our faith.

[283] You might say, well, Terry, you've been giving me basic stuff that I already knew.

[284] Well, so did I. But you know what it does?

[285] It makes you realize that what you know, It's true and beautiful, and we can thank God for it and be better prepared for the future when it comes to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Now, here's a question.

[286] What should we do after receiving Holy Communion?

[287] Answer, we should return to our seat, kneel in prayer.

[288] This is the most important time of prayer, so we should avoid anything that may be distracting.

[289] We should give thanks to Jesus for his gift of himself to us in Holy Communion.

[290] We should speak with him intimately and with great love and devotion.

[291] If a song is sung, we may join in singing with others so that together we can give thanks to God for the gift of the Holy Eucharist.

[292] This is the most intimate time of the Mass when we receive Holy Communion.

[293] so this is a great time to really focus on who we're receiving and I think it's a great time of praise of worship we give thee thanks almighty all merciful and all loving God for all the blessings that we have received from thy bounty through Christ our Lord amen Jesus Mary and St. Joseph we love you save souls Jesus live in our hearts forever That's a prayer I say on a regular basis throughout the day.

[294] Why?

[295] It's a praise prayer that all of us should learn because an attitude of gratitude is welcome just about everywhere.

[296] And knowing what to do with the Mass is critical as a Catholic.

[297] The last question on this chapter is how often.

[298] How often must Catholics go to Mass?

[299] Great question.

[300] Unless prevented by illness, dangerous circumstances, are extreme distance from church, a Catholics are required to attend Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation.

[301] This is one of the Ten Commandments in the precepts of the Church.

[302] It's extremely important to ignore this duty of mismatch without a cause is a grave sin.

[303] I still run into people all of the time and say, I miss mass, is that a sin?

[304] The very fact that they ask and say, I don't know if this is a sin, really shows me a lack of belief or lack of understanding of what the mass is.

[305] So I think it's important that we study the mass more and more, and I want to give some quotes from the catechism, the big catechism, on this whole topic on the mass. It's 1345 paragraphs, 1345 to 47, and you can open up your catechism to 1352, 1367, and even 2168 about mass attendance that we just talked.

[306] It's all backed up, what I said, is all backed up by official teachings of the Catholic faith in the catechism of the Catholic Church.

[307] Now, would I want you to study it on a regular basis?

[308] Absolutely.

[309] It's critical that we know the basics of our faith, and there's nothing more basic than the Catholic Mass. I also want to give a little plug at the end of the show on a tweet because Bishop Strickland is thanking Cardinal Burke for speaking so clear he says thank you your eminence for once again speaking truth with clarity and charity rebellion before God is a dangerous place to be all should read the Old Testament and be reminded of what happened to the people of Israel when they rebelled.

[310] Stop rebelling.

[311] Return to God.

[312] That's a message for our church today.

[313] We need to stop centering everything on me, myself, and I and center it on Jesus Christ because he is the way, the truth, and the light.

[314] And the more we study our faith, the more we fall deeper in love with Jesus Christ, and his bride the church.

[315] I ask you to continue to pray for Bishop Strickland as he's been gone to Europe for these weeks.

[316] He'll be back in a couple weeks to join us in person again.

[317] But what I'm trying to do here is take his tweets, his videos, and share it with you.

[318] Because I realize as America's bishop, many of us count on his clarity to get through the muck of things and to center our lives on Jesus Christ and I'll publicly thank the good bishop for joining us twice a week here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio because our mission's the same as Bishop Strickland The Salvation of Souls Remember Bishop Bolton Sheen said If souls are saved, everything is saved He said if souls aren't saved nothing is saved That's why we take this time to do this show with you and I want to thank the people who make it available by their donations.

[319] I'd like to be a monthly donor.

[320] Go to vmpr .org or call us at 877 -526 -215.

[321] and remember that God loves you so much to serve him.

[322] God love you.

[323] St. Faustina's Prayer for Priests Oh, my Jesus, I beg thee on behalf of the whole church, grant it love and the light of thy spirit and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to thee, O Lord.

[324] Lord, give us holy priests.

[325] Thou thyself maintain them in holiness.

[326] O divine and great high priest, may the power of thy mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests.

[327] May the power of thy mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests.

[328] For thou canst do all things.

[329] Amen.

[330] Virgin Most Powerful, pray for us.

[331] Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[332] Sharing the gospel with clarity and charity.