03 Jul 24 – Bishop Strickland on Eucharistic Revival

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barbara.

[2] I'm with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[3] Each week we have two separate shows with Bishop Strickland.

[4] Well, he's in Europe at the Marian shrines like Lords and others, and he'll be back in another week.

[5] So I wanted to mention I've got clips from him speaking at a Eucharistic Revival pilgrimage and also another talk about Jesus in the Eucharist.

[6] We'll have two of Bishop Strickland's shows.

[7] Also, we're going to get some comments on the gospel here, and we'll go from there.

[8] So the gospel for July 3rd is taken from John.

[9] This is a famous John 20, verse 24 to 29.

[10] Thomas called Deemis, one of the 12, was not with them when Jesus came.

[11] So the other disciples said to him, we have seen the Lord.

[12] But Thomas said to them, Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into his nail marks and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.

[13] Now a week later, his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them.

[14] Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, Peace be with you.

[15] Then he said to Thomas, put your finger here and see my hands and bring your hand and put it into my side and do not be unbelieving but believe thomas answered and said to him my lord and my god jesus said to him have you come to believe because you have seen me blessed are those who have not seen and have believed the gospel of the lord praise to you lord jesus christ i give this to you in this sense this gospel we say it every time we're at holy mass before we receive holy communion lord i am not worthy to receive you but only say the word and my soul shall be healed say that because we need to have a penitential approach to life and when we receive Jesus in the blessed sacrament in the Anglican Ordinant we say it three times and the Trinantine Mass Lord I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word my soul shall be healed.

[16] Not a bad idea it prepares us to point out who we're receiving body, blood, soul and deviant of Jesus Christ, this is something that we all need to remember when we're at Mass. Also, Thomas said, unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into his nail marks and put my hand in his side, I will not believe.

[17] But we have a lot of non -believers inside the church right now.

[18] And what they do is they explain the miracles away.

[19] For example, the miracle of the loaves when Jesus multiplied the loaves to feed 5 ,000 men and women well do you say it was the generosity of the people or was it an actual miracle I've seen guys with PhDs and theology degrees undermine the church's teaching on miracles that somehow Jesus didn't do these this was just you know the imagination well this gospel says Jesus have you come to believe because you've seen me blessed are they who have not seen and have believed let me ask you when we go into the chapel to the church to pray and inside that tabernacle is the appearance of bread but it's the body blood soul and divinity of Jesus Christ do you believe if you don't you're wasting your time I would encourage all people to go and say Jesus, please help me in my disbelief.

[20] I want to believe.

[21] This is something for 45 years I've been promoting.

[22] Ask Jesus Christ for more faith every single day.

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

[24] If you're not asking for stronger faith, you're going to be weak and you're going to fall, especially in these times of scandals.

[25] And I think of this gospel of John and when Jesus said have you come to believe because you've seen me blessed of those who have not seen and have believed blessed are we who put our trust in the Lord who put our trust in God's word that it's real that this is just what Jesus said and did he actually did which the teachings of the church say this is not just some novel that we're reading gone with the wind this is our love letter from Jesus Christ to us so this gospel I think is incredibly important for us today in our lifetime because we see so much confusion and lack of faith yeah I'm looking for that note but I want to also just mention something else and that is there it is this is July 5th, Feast of St. Thomas the Apostle.

[26] The third.

[27] That's why it says the fifth, but it's the third, yes.

[28] They want to make sure I get the right day.

[29] All righty.

[30] Well, I wanted to say that that gospel is really beautiful and we should continue to implement having more faith by asking Jesus Christ for more faith.

[31] This just came across today that a secular Newsweek magazine, which is a big secular outlet, newsweek, they're all over, newsweek, as all over the country and the world, they picked up on a Bishop Strickland tweet.

[32] And it says Bishop Strickland issues warning over deep corruption in the Vatican.

[33] And that got their attention.

[34] And he said, but there's not going to be any peace in the Catholic Church until the Cardinal McCarrick scandal is cleaned up and we find out who's connected to that Cardinal McCarrick scandal.

[35] And I know Bishop Strickland said this at the bishops conference years ago.

[36] And write to his brother Bishops.

[37] He said, gentlemen, we need to get down and find out who was aware of all this going on.

[38] Let's don't just put it on McCarrick.

[39] I'm sure there's men in this room who knew this was going on and did nothing.

[40] Well, now you know why Strickland has been ousted.

[41] He's a troublemaker.

[42] He's a whistleblower.

[43] And as I said before, I'm convinced we need more whistleblowers in the church to get the puss out of the church.

[44] We've got to have men of God who put God first, not man. And if they knew that Cardinal McCarach was abusing kids and did nothing, at best that's a sin of omission.

[45] They have an obligation to shepherd the flock.

[46] and when they don't shepherd the flock the flock is scattered and right now I can see the flock shattered because of lack of leadership in the church so keep that in mind also I wanted to bring this up if I could if Bishop Strickland was here I'm sure he would just say this is again this is what I'm talking about the corruption the Vatican communications head in other words the God that Pope Francis put in charge of communications he slammed why for downplaying Father Rupnik's case now this is the bishop who abused women religious he was excommunicated he was thrown out of a Jesuit order somehow officials in the Vatican brought him back under his excommunication and what did the Vatican communication heads say when people asked him about Father Rupnik his artwork and why we can't take it down.

[47] He says, in the Rubnik case, we're not talking about the abuse of minors and kids under 18.

[48] These were adults that he abused.

[49] So why should we get rid of the artwork?

[50] He made a mistake.

[51] I mean, okay.

[52] Here's my point.

[53] I can't believe someone in his position would say something that outrageous.

[54] This is the same Vatican that allowed a transgender to meet with our children at the Children's Day of Prayer.

[55] See, whoever was in charge of that, saw that, and let that go.

[56] They also let a comedian, Robert Vueini, tell children that there's no hell or purgatory at the Vatican World Children's Day.

[57] These are scandalous things.

[58] Remember, for, that what the Bible says, you scandalize these little ones, it's better for you to put a news around your neck and be thrown into the sea.

[59] So this Vatican communications head is saying that Roopnik's not a big problem.

[60] He just abused adults.

[61] I can't even describe what he did on the radio.

[62] It was so vile.

[63] But the point of it is we need to pray and make reparation for these sacrilegious that are going on in the Catholic Church today.

[64] And I think Bishop Strickland has it right.

[65] He says, stop the funding.

[66] Don't give money to parishes that are not going to continue to preach the perennial teachings of the church.

[67] That's what we need to do.

[68] Stop the corruption by not giving them money.

[69] And I mentioned this because Bishop Strickland is one of the few Catholic bishops in America who put his reputation on the line.

[70] by saying, no, I can't be quiet.

[71] Now, he could.

[72] He'd still be the Bishop of Tyler if he just shut his mouth.

[73] And there were good people who told Bishop Strickland, Bishop Strickon, tone it down.

[74] Tone it down.

[75] Don't be so vocal.

[76] Just quietly do your work.

[77] You're going on the radar.

[78] It's not good.

[79] And I know what Bishop Strickland said to me, and he said it on our show over the weeks and months and years.

[80] I've been with him for years now, five, six years.

[81] What did he say?

[82] I can't not, I have to speak to truth.

[83] And that's what we love about Bishop Strickland.

[84] When we come back, we're going to have a presentation by him talking about the Holy Eucharist.

[85] Stay with us, family.

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

[87] We'll be back after a quick break.

[88] Now back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[89] welcome back indeed i don't have my t -shirt on but we sure are promoting the heck out of this t -shirt that says hail mary full of grace hit the devil in the face it's got a beautiful image of our lady kind of going from genesis 315 she's the woman that crushes the head of satan if you want a copy of that t -shirt uh go to vmpr dot org or call us at 877 526 2151 If the bishops of the United States were to invite Bishop Joseph Strickland to speak at the Eucharistic Revival, I asked him, what would he say?

[90] And so I'm going to let you hear Bishop Strickland because they didn't invite him, but that's okay.

[91] Through the internet, through our radio show, people can hear what he would have to say.

[92] So, Mr. Engineer, let's play Bishop Strickland at a Eucharistic Revival pilgrimage.

[93] I couldn't imagine a more fitting passage from Scripture than the Disciples on the Road to Amas.

[94] I'd encourage all of us to reflect on the reality that it speaks so much of our journey because if we remember the story of the disciples on the Road to Amas is after the sacrifice has happened.

[95] Jesus has died and risen, and this journey to Emmaus occurs as one of the resurrection appearances of the Lord.

[96] It's a beautiful reminder to us that the Eucharistic presence of the Lord was already in the world as these two disciples walked on the road to Emaeus.

[97] I've always thought it was significant that one of those disciples remains unnamed and I encourage each of us as we reflect on this passage from sacred scripture to think of ourselves is that other disciple I'm sure we've all read and maybe heard homilies about that beautiful passage but I'd like to remind myself that in so many ways what those two disciples experienced was the mass journeying on the road Jesus opens up the scriptures of old all of the prophecy about him and explains to these two disciples what all of that meant I think it's quite significant that in that context It's clear that Jesus emphasizes that all that has happened, all of sacred scripture, is leading up to him, leading up to his presence in the world, as we know, his Eucharistic face.

[98] Let us reflect on this road to Emmaus every time we go to Mass. because in many ways the moments of that journey echo moments of the mass as well because we know the first part of the mass is a penitential path that is echoed in whatever form of the liturgy sometimes more elaborately, sometimes very simply but let us whatever the form of the liturgy that calls us into the penitential rite Kiri Elayson, Lord have mercy, let us be aware that like those two disciples on the road to amance, we always begin without walking, apparently alone, alone in our sinfulness, alone in seeking the Lord.

[99] But like those disciples come to know, we are never truly alone, even in the midst of the of our sins, our Lord is beckoning to us to turn from the darkness and return to his light.

[100] Those two disciples wandering on the edge of despair, pondering all these things that had unfolded in Jerusalem and how their Lord had died.

[101] They've even heard the stories which maybe they just considered rumors of his resurrection, that he had risen.

[102] from the dead.

[103] But clearly, in the first part of that Emmaus journey, the disciples, those two disciples, are burdened and saddened.

[104] They are amazed when this stranger walks up that he's not fully aware of all that burdens their hearts as well.

[105] And so they tell that story in a very real sense, a penitential right there.

[106] They express their doubt, their fears, their concerns to the stranger.

[107] And then it begins to unfold the scriptures for them, just like at Mass, the Old Testament and the New, culminating with the gospel.

[108] So that journey of the two disciples on the road to Amas, imagine walking with the Lord and how many times have we experienced what they experience.

[109] when we see a glimpse of the wonder of our faith, of the truth of our Catholic Church, of all the blessings, even in the midst of the shadows and darkness and brokenness.

[110] Let us be like those disciples on the road to Emmaus, whose hearts were burning in ways that they couldn't really describe, but in very real ways they were already becoming aware that the Lord, was with them even though they only really recognize him in the breaking of the bread so that Emma's story culminates the way our journey in the Mass culminates in every Mass. When we attend Mass and the priest holds up the newly consecrated bread and wine that is now the body and blood soul and divinity of Jesus Christ and proclaim Behold the Lamb of God.

[111] Let us be very aware and hold close to our hearts that truth that we are beholding the one who saves us.

[112] And we recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread as those two disciples on the road to Emmaus did.

[113] We pray that this Eucharistic pilgrimage will deeply faith for all of us.

[114] and somehow in God's mysterious and loving plan will draw all the people we've encountered that may have seen us and wondered what we were about.

[115] May they come to recognize the Lord in the breaking of the bread as well.

[116] Let us rejoice in this opportunity and pray in Thanksgiving for all who helped to organize this Eucharistic procession, this pilgrimage this afternoon.

[117] And let us continue to continue upon to the Word of God that always brings us to the Word incarnate, Jesus Christ, especially in His Christic faiths.

[118] We conclude now with the fifth glorious mystery, the coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven.

[119] Let us be again reminded that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Heaven and Earth, reigns gloriously in interceding for all of us constantly at every Eucharistic altar.

[120] Now you know why we call him America's bishop.

[121] He looked like he was out in the middle of a park preaching the word of God about the road to Emaeus and about what we believe about Jesus and the Eucharist and the basic teaching about the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

[122] When I heard this the first time, I just said, man, here's a man that won't stop.

[123] There are bishops over the years that, you know, when they get removed, they quietly sit back and, you know, they're contemplative and that's good, okay, they're going to pray for the church.

[124] Well, Bishop Strickland, I think, has an approach of one, two punch.

[125] Yes, he's praying, making reparation, but he's also powerfully preaching the word of God because he told me, he says, I have no other choice.

[126] This is my, I'm a bishop of the Catholic Church.

[127] I need to lead people to Jesus Christ.

[128] and I think that, you know, what he does now out on the streets rather than in local parishes, he's still preaching the word of God, and I commend him for that, and I wish and pray that we had more bishops who would just give the fundamentals of the faith to the flock, like Bishop Strickland.

[129] And I'm hoping that when other bishops see him doing this, they're inspired to say, wait a minute, it.

[130] What's the worst thing they can do?

[131] Take me out as the bishop?

[132] Yeah.

[133] Okay.

[134] Well, I can continue to preach the Word of God.

[135] And in a sense, Bishop Strickland has never been so busy because he's all over the place.

[136] Preaching the Word of God, some places won't let them preach in the diocese.

[137] I can understand why if you're in a diocese where they don't want to hear the fullness of the truth.

[138] That happens.

[139] has the right to be told not to come.

[140] But I say this because what I'm giving you right now when hearing him speak on the Holy Eucharist, he's not eloquent.

[141] He's basic.

[142] But that's what we need today in the church.

[143] We need someone to just give us the nuts and bolts about what we believe.

[144] And that's why I hear on the Bishop Strickland Hour, I give you quotes from the catechism to teach things.

[145] Now, many people would say to me, I already know that.

[146] Well, I don't expect everybody to know these things.

[147] And that's why we continue to take the catechism every Tuesday, Wednesday with Bishop Strickland, review some of the basic teachings, because that's what we need to do.

[148] Now, you probably saw those people there in the park wearing a white badge with black lettering saying, I support Bishop Strickland.

[149] Guess who made about a thousand of those?

[150] We did.

[151] And folks, we still have some.

[152] If you want your Bishop Strickland support badge, call us at 877 -526 -2151 and ask for one if you could give us a little donation.

[153] They do cost money to print to make them up.

[154] But I see people all over the country wearing these badges, and I think it's a visible way to support him.

[155] Also pray for his success in evangelizing.

[156] He needs your support.

[157] And when we come back from the break, I am going to play one more clip from another homily that he gave in a procession of the Blessed Sacrament.

[158] again, teaching people the fundamentals of the faith on the Eucharist, just like Jesse and Terry did last week, taking verses from the catechism of the Catholic Church and reaffirming what we believe.

[159] The reason we're doing that, because we have some people in the church who don't like the term transubstantiation.

[160] And they're high officials in the church.

[161] They want to make it trans -signification, kind of a Protestant approach.

[162] Yeah.

[163] And these people are in high positions.

[164] We have to pray for them because that's not what the church is taught.

[165] Pope Paul VI in 1965 wrote a document Mysterium Fide.

[166] During the Second Vatican Council.

[167] Why?

[168] Because he saw many people trying to change the teaching on transubstantiation.

[169] He came with his authority and said, no. We believe that Jesus is present, body, blood, soul, and divinity, and transubstantiation is the best way to explain the bread becoming the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

[170] No longer bred, but the body and blood of Christ.

[171] Stay with us.

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

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

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

[175] This show is being dedicated to the Holy Eucharist.

[176] I mentioned earlier, if the bishops of the United States invited Bishop Strickland to speak at the Eucharistic Congress, I asked him what would he say and so he's going to tell us right now and I think it's just beautiful that he's got the opportunity to speak to people about the Eucharistic miracle that takes place at mass so I'd like Mr. Engineer to play that clip if he could I don't think...

[177] What is that that is literally what Manna means it occurs to me that even as we walk the streets of Tyler in this Eucharistic percent Some people passing mine may say the same thing.

[178] What is that?

[179] What are they doing?

[180] And hopefully that curiosity may spark an interest that who knows where God's grace will take them.

[181] That's one of the beauties of the pilgrimage, walking through the town, walking through the public square, walking through neighborhoods, walking on the journey of the Lord.

[182] to hopefully remind all of us that to remind those you may see us walking that we are all on a pilgrimage of life this second reading from the book of Exodus reminds us that God feeds his people truly from the beginning of creation with Adam and Eve the Lord gave them a beautiful garden that would meet all their needs that would feed all their hunger, yet Adam and Eve took a different sinful path that we all journey with them but thankfully through the Eucharist our Lord has made it possible for us to return to that innocence of receiving the food that God gives us even after Adam and Eve chose their own food and ultimately brought original sin as a reality in our world.

[183] That story so many centuries later of the people of Israel being fed by manna in the desert after they thought they would starve, that story reminds us that the Lord continues to feed us even when we sin.

[184] Let us be reminded, I'm a sinner we all are, and as we seek a Eucharistic revival in our nation, we need to seek a revival of the sacrament of confession as well.

[185] Both must go hand in hand.

[186] Let us remember in that image of the man in the desert, a manifestation that God is feeding his people, even as they wonder, even as they doubt.

[187] It's a reminder to me him to all of us, that the Lord continues to offer his nourishing love, even as we sin.

[188] May that not make us complacent in our sin, but long to be freed from sin even more powerfully, to recognize that God loves us so much that he continues to nurture us in his love, even when we've chosen to live our own sinfulness, and to walk away in some way, or walk away from the Lord.

[189] Let us reflect on that image of manna as well.

[190] As the people say, what is that?

[191] It is literally bread from heaven.

[192] And I'm sure it reminded them of the Passover bread that was so significant for their prayer and their liturgy.

[193] The Passover meal using unleavened bread.

[194] The manna, I'm sure, reminded them of that, food that the Lord offered them, a symbolic bread that reminds us of the Lord's nurturing presence.

[195] The manna is unleavened as the bread of the Passover is unleavened, as the bread used for the Eucharist is unleavened, to remind us that this world can never provide the leavened that our hearts need as children of God.

[196] we must have the food from heaven and let us as we continue this pilgrimage rejoice deeply that we receive the fruit from heaven that is Jesus Christ so much more so much more powerful than mere bread that feeds our bodies the Lamb of God the living bread the Eucharist feeds us body -minded spirit feeds the totality of who we are.

[197] Let me call to mine for a moment the saints' relics that we are walking with on this pilgrimage.

[198] St. Tarsisius of the 3rd century, St. Matthew, one of the apostles, and St. John Viani.

[199] These saints also remind us of the Lord feeding his people through the ages, feeding his people through Christ's establishing his church, an apostolic church, on St. Matthew and the other apostles.

[200] As Christ walked this earth, St. Matthew walked with him.

[201] Then St. Sarsisius, a boy of 12 years old, in about the year 300, shows the Lord continuing to nurture his people as St. Tarsisius gives his life protecting the Eucharist.

[202] And then finally, many centuries later, closer to our time, as St. Tarsitius is the patron saint of the altar servers, St. John Viani, the curiavars, is the patron saint of parish priest.

[203] So once again, we're reminded, through the saints, our Lord nurtures us.

[204] in the spiritual food of example and inspiration that we all need.

[205] We pray for all altar servers and all parish priests, the wonderful priests who serve in the parishes where we regularly worship, then all priests may be inspired to recognize the tremendously important work they do at the Eucharistic altar of Christ.

[206] May priests be inspired to know they feed us with the essential food from heaven, the Lamb of God that is Jesus Christ, the bread from heaven, the living bread, that nurtures not just our bodies, but our hearts and our souls.

[207] As we continue this Eucharistic pilgrimage, let us rejoice in all of the old ancient messages of the Hebrew scriptures.

[208] foreshadowing what we now enjoy is our reality.

[209] The Lamb of God, the son of God Jesus Christ, body and blood, soul and divinity with all of us.

[210] Let us rejoice and reflect on these gifts as we continue our journey.

[211] Continue with the second glorious mystery, the ascension of the Lord into heaven to the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

[212] I just can't believe he's out in the middle of a park praying the rosary and teaching people about Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

[213] Can you imagine folks someone walking by non -Catholic or Catholic and going, what's going on over there?

[214] They walk over.

[215] This kind of reminds me of Jesus preaching in the crowds and they go, who is this guy?

[216] And they find out what he's doing?

[217] And they're like, wow, that's amazing.

[218] I'm interested.

[219] I want to know more.

[220] And I think it's just beautiful that he teaches the teachings on the Eucharist so clearly.

[221] and how we need to have a greater love for Jesus in the Eucharist and how he ties the sacrament of confession with the Eucharist and how they're intricately woven together.

[222] And I know Bishop Strickland was here, he would encourage all of our listeners to get the confession at least once a month.

[223] He did that two weeks ago, and I think it would be good to repeat that.

[224] and as I said to him that time St. John Paul 2 said the same thing St. Padre Pio said the same thing so this is something that we all need to understand that it's the blessed sacrament is the source and summit of the Christian life if you go to the catechism of the Catholic Church you can see all of the teachings there under the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and review those.

[225] And, you know, this is important for us Catholics to really have a good grasp of the Blessed Sacrament, because if it's the source and summit of the Christian life, which it is, then we need to live it.

[226] And I think of all the people who have left the church, who never even had a relationship with Jesus and the Blessed Sacrament.

[227] So sad.

[228] I told Bishop Strickland, the statistic is 87.

[229] percent of our young people for decades are leaving by the time they're 23 years of age.

[230] You can't keep doing that.

[231] What we're failing to do is introduce people to the person of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.

[232] I remember as a young kid, 12, 13 years old, hearing about people leaving the church for a Protestant church.

[233] And my first response was, why would they do that?

[234] They don't have the Eucharist.

[235] I'm so grateful for my parents that they used the Baltimore Catechism with me on teaching me my faith because I knew I shouldn't be going to a Protestant church they don't have the fullness of the faith but today in the last 50 years you know millions of Catholics have left to join other Christian denominations and they don't have the fullness of the faith why are they doing that?

[236] Again, we need a Eucharistic revival.

[237] Thank you, bishops of the bishops' spending $50 million on this Eucharistic revival.

[238] I made some suggestions, so did Bishop Strickland about what we could do, number one.

[239] Let's go back to what Vatican II said about the mass. The priest doesn't face the people.

[240] It's ad orientum.

[241] Why is that going to help?

[242] because it keeps us focused on Jesus, not the priest.

[243] Another thing, Vatican II never talked about communion in the hand.

[244] And what has communion in the hand led to?

[245] Disbelief in the real presence.

[246] It's a fact.

[247] Let's not play games.

[248] Let's realize we need to change our practices to change our belief.

[249] That's why I say, actions speak louder than words.

[250] When we come back, we'll finish up on the catechus.

[251] we're talking about holy orders and much more here on the bishop strickland hour stay with his family we'll be back with more to inspire you to fall deeper in love with jesus christ in his church now back to the bishop strickland hour welcome back i was reflecting on the break about we're watching bishop strickland in his own diocese uh he's been forced retirement but he's not taking it sitting down He's not gone fishing or going on a trip to not preach the gospel.

[252] He's actually doubled down and spends more time out on the streets preaching the Word of God.

[253] And I think it's just awesome that he's doing that.

[254] And it takes a couple hours a week here on Virgin Most Powerful for years promoting the Catholic faith.

[255] And one of the things we've been doing for years is promoting a little catechism, the Way of Christ book.

[256] It's from the Diocese of Tyler at St. Philip Institute, which is part of the diocese.

[257] I hope they're still publishing the catechism.

[258] So we've been going through it.

[259] We've had 16 chapters.

[260] We talked about holy orders yesterday, and we are right now still continuing on holy orders.

[261] The question comes, is it required to be celibate to receive the sacrament of holy orders?

[262] bishops must be unmarried and celibate priests are expected to be unmarried celibate except in rare circumstances when the church makes an exception allowing a married man to be ordained you notice I mentioned a married man he couldn't be ordained yeah he has to be already married deacons may be married prior to becoming deacons and I say this because we have the Anglican Ordinariate all these Anglican priests who wanted to be Catholic back, what, 10 years ago, 11 years ago they came in under Benedict 13 years ago well they have married clergy but even there once they're ordained as a priest they can't get married or in the Anglican or converts if their wife dies before them as a Catholic priest, they can't go and get married again.

[263] They have to dedicate complete time to being a priest of the church.

[264] As you know, when you're a married man like I am, I have duties in my state and life, and my first duties with my wife.

[265] This is second what I do on evangelization.

[266] So just remember that when it comes to married clergy.

[267] a rare situation, but it can happen.

[268] But I guarantee you, ask the Eastern right bishops and priests.

[269] Bishops can't get married in the Eastern right, but you'll notice they don't go to confession, people in the Eastern right, unless they go to a monastery where the priest's hearing their confession is unmarried.

[270] People feel uncomfortable because they think a husband and wife will talk about these things.

[271] And they've got a point there.

[272] When you're celibate, you can't say anything.

[273] You can't break the seal because there's no one to talk to.

[274] All right, that's that answer.

[275] What about this?

[276] Why may only men be received to holy orders?

[277] We have that question come up.

[278] It's been repeating, repeating.

[279] Even when John Paul II made it clear that that can't be done back in 94, we see the modernists continue to beat that drum.

[280] Oh, and we're just going to keep asking until we get an answer, yes.

[281] Kind of like what they did with Holy Communion on the hand.

[282] the church teaches only men can receive holy orders because Jesus only appointed men as apostles he would have had his mother of priestess if it would have been done but it wasn't it's not because it's just a tradition this practice cannot change practice cannot change in the future because it goes all the way back to Jesus and the apostles we can say that about a lot of teachings the perennial teachings of the church.

[283] We can't just change them because we feel like it.

[284] Many people in the church feel that way, but that doesn't make it right.

[285] The next question, how is Holy Orders administered?

[286] Have you ever been to an ordination of a priest?

[287] Oh my gosh, it's beautiful.

[288] The music we play, we call it bumper music, is taken from the ordination of a priest.

[289] They play that song.

[290] people ask me all the time I love that music well that's where it's taken from the church's hierarchy is made up of bishops, priests and deacons bishops and priests have a unique function in the hierarchy to continue Christ's mission of teaching, governing and sanctifying because they can act in the person of Christ deacons assist in carrying out this mission within the church hierarchy there are different ranks that distinguish between the function of bishops, priests, and within the hierarchy, such as Pope and cardinals and archbishops and auxiliary bishops.

[291] This is important to understand the hierarchy because even today we're blurring it.

[292] For example, we've had the bishops conference going on every four years for different needs in the church.

[293] And it was only for bishops because it's called a bishops conference.

[294] In the last five years, the Holy See through Pope Francis has started putting women, men, lay people, religious.

[295] And they're still calling it a bishop's conference.

[296] No, it's not a bishop's conference anymore.

[297] And that's unfortunate because the church has always seen the hierarchy as being the groups that meet for our church meetings.

[298] and the lay people are not, as I, this is my joke, we're not in management, we're in sales.

[299] All right, next question.

[300] What is a Pope?

[301] Well, that's a big question today with the church, with Pope Francis just coming out this last month on a document of the Pope of Rome.

[302] But let me just repeat what we call the perennial teachings on this topic of who, what is a Pope.

[303] The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a direct success.

[304] of the Apostle Peter Jesus appointed Peter to be the head of the church and the leader of the apostles taken right from Matthew 16 verse 13 to 20 if you want to reference since the Pope is the successor of Peter he is the visible head and leader of the church as the successor of Peter the Pope has the ability to issue teachings on faith and morals that are infallible when he speaks from the chair of Peter.

[305] This charism of infallibility does not guarantee the Pope will live a virtuous or holy life, but that he will not teach error on issues of faith and morals from the chair of Peter.

[306] Very important to understand.

[307] We've had popes who have had personal lives that are a mess.

[308] We've had popes who personally say, my opinion is this.

[309] And we go, well, that's not what the church teaches.

[310] So we've been there before.

[311] We pray for the Holy Father every day at the rosary.

[312] Now, here's a question.

[313] People ask, what is a cardinal?

[314] We have cardinals who pick the Pope.

[315] The Cardinal is a bishop appointed by the Pope to aid him in serving the Universal Church.

[316] In rare circumstances, a priest can be appointed as a cardinal.

[317] Cardinals elect the next Pope, and whenever the Pope dies or steps down, And I would say this, the Cardinals are those who advise the Pope, and if they see that the Pope is out of line on anything, out of love, they should call him and say, we need to talk about X, Y, and Z because this is scandalizing the flock, for example, allowing a comedian, Roberto Benignini, telling children, there's no hell or purgatory at the Vatican's World Children's.

[318] day.

[319] This was right in front of the Pope sitting in a chair listening to this guy.

[320] Well, with all humility, I would ask the Cardinals to say to the Pope Holy Father, this is scandalizing our flock.

[321] The parents who send those kids here to Rome are going to be not just disappointed, but upset that we allowed someone to teach a secular teaching on our faith and nothing is done.

[322] The kids can say, well, the Pope didn't say anything.

[323] We must change now.

[324] We must say there's no hell or no purgatory.

[325] I guess that's what we do.

[326] And again, this is what the scriptures talk about scandalizing the little ones.

[327] That's a scandal.

[328] It's better that you put a noose around your neck.

[329] and be dropped into the sea than to scandalize these little ones.

[330] I do this out of love for our hierarchy in the church.

[331] We need to pray for our hierarchy because they let us down.

[332] They're not giving us clear teaching.

[333] I'm being gentle.

[334] They're being ambiguous at best.

[335] And I think it's important that we call them to fidelity out of love and to vote for our devotion for them.

[336] All right, here's another question.

[337] I think we got another, okay, another two minutes.

[338] And that is, what is an archbishop?

[339] An archbishop is a bishop who oversees his own particular diocese and also provides, presides over a district of other diocese.

[340] These other diocese still have their own bishop.

[341] Like, I'll give an example.

[342] Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles, the largest diocese in the country.

[343] He is the archbishop, which covers much of California, if not all, because there's no other, well, there's an archbishop up in San Francisco.

[344] But he covers, you know, there's no archbishop in Phoenix, so he would cover that.

[345] The point of it is an archbishop is a very big job.

[346] We need to pray for our archbishops.

[347] And I want to stop there, so let me make a note here to start on this next one, why we call priests father, which is a very important question to ask.

[348] Also, I want to make a statement that Bishop Strickland will be coming to Southern California.

[349] We call it reconquering the Southwest.

[350] And he's going to be here the 10th of March to the 14th all week long.

[351] We're going to take a pilgrimage to different mission churches here in Southern California.

[352] We'll have Mass with the good bishop.

[353] we'll have talks.

[354] We'll have Jesse Romero.

[355] Matt Arnold, myself will be on the bus.

[356] We'll be about a hundred of us.

[357] And if you want to get on board, go to VMPR .org and you'll be able to see that mark your dates.

[358] And by September, or actually in the next month, I should have it up where you can register with the travel agency to come to this event.

[359] It should be a lot of fun.

[360] You'll get a chance to have a meal with Bishop.

[361] Strickland, many meals, I presume, with the conferences, and we'll get to know them.

[362] And it's just going to be a few people that can go to this because we can't, you know, put thousands of people together.

[363] It's going to be a little over a hundred and probably 30 people who will be able to come to this event.

[364] All right.

[365] I'll let you go.

[366] I hear the music.

[367] Bishop Strickland has one more week off and we'll play some more clips of his.

[368] And again, if you want those badges that said, I support Bishop Strickland, no problem.

[369] We'll get them to you.

[370] Go to Catholic, go to vmpr .org, and you can pick those up.

[371] And I know Bishop Strickland would say the same thing my brother Jesse would say if I said, what state should we be living in, not Texas, the state of grace.

[372] How do we do that?

[373] I get into confession on a regular basis.

[374] That's how we do.

[375] That's how Bishop Strickland does it.

[376] That's how I do it.

[377] Thank God richly bless you.

[378] Thanks for joining us here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio with Bishop Strickland Hour.

[379] You can always listen to these on podcasts.

[380] Go to vmpr .org.

[381] God love you and your family.