31 Jan 24 – The Greatest Charity Is Truth

[0] Welcome to this podcast with Bishop Joseph Strickland, the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] I'm a little under the weather, so my voice is raspy, but I think you can hear me. Bishop Strickland, I'm excited about being a Catholic today.

[2] You constantly talk about being a first century Christian, and I'd never heard anybody tell me that until years ago when I met you.

[3] And I went, wow, that rings a bell.

[4] That's right.

[5] We've got to get back to, you know, the basics.

[6] And I noticed that a tweet that you just sent out this month saying, as we commemorate the Roe versus Wade decision of January 22nd, I invite you to read my letter, my latest letter to priests and share it with the priest that has blessed your journey.

[7] Now, two things.

[8] Why did you do that?

[9] And also, tell us about your visit to Washington, D .C. at the March for life.

[10] Well, thanks, Terry.

[11] Yeah, I sent that letter because I can imagine as you, I think we've talked about before, I've been posting letters on my website, sharing through other media, letters to priest.

[12] Because I really feel cold to minister to priest, to encourage them, to challenge them.

[13] It's a tough time.

[14] And like I said in the earlier segment, priests are even at times facing bishops who are telling them to to quit speaking the truth so much quit challenging be quiet um yeah and i encourage them really to do the opposite be respectful to the their their bishop of course but as i've said the greatest respect we can show anyone an authority or any person is to share the truth to share it with respect and clarity and clarity and charity, but to share the truth.

[15] And so what I was focusing on with this specific letter, as we commemorate the Rogue v. Wade decision, I think we need to continue to mark that dark day more than 50 years ago.

[16] Our Supreme Court, the highest court of the land, said there's a right to kill an unborn child.

[17] And for too many years, that was the law of the land.

[18] And there was much corruption that entered into our world.

[19] I mean, I think we'd all agree those of us who are pro -life, those of us who know the truth of life, that God is the author of life.

[20] And for us to intervene is devastating for humanity.

[21] Those of us who know that truth need to always mark January 26th.

[22] second every year is a day to remember for too long that was allowed to carry the day and this false message that taking the life of unborn children is not just perfectly fine but it's a right that needs to be spoken against as much now as before thankfully there that law has been stricken by the same court.

[23] They struck it down a couple of years ago now.

[24] It will be, I guess, the second anniversary this coming June.

[25] But I think we have to acknowledge the damage that's been done.

[26] Too many people being convinced because too many people, as we were talking before, they've abandoned the faith.

[27] They've abandoned living as godly people.

[28] they're what we call nuns, N -O -N -E -S.

[29] And those people too often say, well, the Supreme Court said it's okay.

[30] They don't think much beyond that.

[31] They just say, oh, well, you know, the authority said it's all right.

[32] So I'm for abortion because the Supreme Court said it's okay.

[33] We have to be more spiritually discerning people than that.

[34] We have to be thinking our own truth.

[35] And hopefully, if more people will really reflect on these questions, they'll realize that nine judges on a Supreme Court, they're just judges.

[36] They're just people, human beings like us, that are doing their best to, you know, to make judgments.

[37] but they have to be guided by the truth just like all of them.

[38] And the priests really, as I tried to say in this letter, we need to be willing and take up the charge of laying down our lives like Jesus Christ.

[39] We all are hopefully all aware of the phrase in persona Christi and the person of Christ.

[40] That's what a priest is doing.

[41] And I think we need to be very clear, especially when it comes to the sanctity of life.

[42] And really, Terry, I was just talking to someone just recently about, and we've talked about it many times before, the other end of the spectrum of life, the euthanasia.

[43] And the tendency to devalue life really covers the spectrum from birth to what should be natural.

[44] death, euthanasia, when people are drugged into oblivion and caused to die early because it's basically chemical death, we need to oppose that as well, because just as the, as mother Teresa, St. Teresa of Calcutta said, it's a poverty for people to embrace aborting jobs.

[45] children to be able to live as they want.

[46] It's a possibility also to cut life short with youth in Asia.

[47] We have no idea the graces that we're losing.

[48] It ultimately simply comes down to ignoring God's will and playing God ourselves.

[49] But with the taking of a life of an unborn child in the womb and the taking of a life of an older person or a person with some sort of debilitating illness.

[50] I read a headline just recently that I think it was in Canada, but it's too much in this country as well, where they were saying, oh, yeah, we need to eliminate some of these lives of people who we judge don't have a good quality of life.

[51] It'll save us money.

[52] You know, it's just, you know, it really is something that we've got to oppose, and we need strong priest who celebrate Mass at the altar of Jesus Christ who take bread and wine and he becomes, it becomes his body and blood's soul and divinity.

[53] I mean, talk about humbling, Terry.

[54] Oh, I bet.

[55] Altar.

[56] If we read about that.

[57] And we have to be strong and clear about the sanctity of life because Christ died in order for human life to be held as sacred.

[58] And when it's not, we are blaspheming against our Lord who gave his life for ours so that we could be saved in his grace.

[59] And so priests need to be at the forefront of being very clear about the sanctity of life.

[60] Thankfully, many are, but not enough, and too many are either lukewarm or actually on the opposite side and saying, oh, I think the church will wake up one day to the understanding that there's no problem with abortion, and we need to allow women to make their own choices.

[61] There are too many voices like that among bishop and priests, and we need to be very clear, the greatest compassion is to say, no, father, know your excellent.

[62] see, that is the truth that what our faith teaches, and it's not the truth of Jesus Christ.

[63] It's not the truth for humanity.

[64] We need to be very strong.

[65] Well, said, I want to have a tweet that you sent out on the 21st of January because a lot of people we see on the internet, at least I do in people telling me that they're so fed up with the Catholic Church because of corruption.

[66] and there's corruption there's been corruption before but their faith is not in Jesus Christ their faith is in the church and I want you to talk a little bit about the distinction between like I'll give you my take I like Bishop Joseph Strickland because he preaches the teachings of the church but if I ever heard him teaching something that was contrary to the teachings of the church and he already told me this he says call me out because I don't I might have done it where I wasn't paying attention I just I didn't realize I was doing it I want to be called out and me too if I'm wrong on something crawl me out but the reason I bring this up is as a layman and I'm just giving you my take as a layman for 46 years being an apostolic work I've had to go to bishops and humbly say bishop can I talk to you And I tell them, you can't say that we're going to have women's ordination.

[67] We're going to have abortion is legal, contraception, legal.

[68] That's not what the church teaches.

[69] And, you know, they say, well, that's what I think.

[70] And I say, okay, well, I wrote a letter to the Holy See when Cardinal Ratzinger was the doctor of the faith guy.

[71] And Father Fesio, my friend, got me to get the letter to Cardinal Ratzinger.

[72] And that particular bishop called me to apologize, saying that, you're right.

[73] I should have never said that to you young people because that isn't what the church teaches.

[74] Now, if I saying, well, whoopi -do, look at me. No, what I'm saying is it's how you ask, if you're going to call people out, do it with humility, with love, not yelling and screaming, because that gets you nowhere.

[75] And I would say that today, even with the hierarchy of the Catholic Church, if they're teaching something with the propagation of the doctrine of faith, which I question, I'm using Canon 212.

[76] I want to ask you, Bishop Strickham, are you uncomfortable with lay people calling bishops out the way I just expressed it?

[77] And if not, okay, and if you do, tell me why.

[78] We'll be back here with the answer from the good bishop.

[79] Terry and Jesse Shope on Virgin, Most Powerful Radio.

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

[81] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[82] Not the Terry and Jesse show.

[83] I'm not feeling well, but we're going to make it.

[84] Bishop Strickland, I was communicating to you before the break on how we as lay people.

[85] You know, you talked about the priest coming out and speaking out for the truth.

[86] We lay people in a way that I think is gentle but firm.

[87] When a bishop is teaching something that's contrary to the perennial teachings of the church, My position is, and I want to hear what you have to say, is that we call them out very humbly, but firmly, to say, Father, that's not what you are ordained to do.

[88] And so I know for some people that can make people uncomfortable, but I really truly believe that we're doing the bishop a favor.

[89] Absolutely.

[90] As I've said many times, the greatest charity is the truth.

[91] and to let someone continue in error whoever it is, even if it's someone in the highest authority, that's not charity.

[92] That's not reality.

[93] And like you said, we should, whoever we're talking to, it should always be with respect because every person is beloved of God, whether they're living as a child of God and seeking to live a life of grace or not.

[94] I mean, those nuns that we talked about, count no religion and sort of boldly say, oh, I'm atheist.

[95] I don't believe in God.

[96] God loves them.

[97] And so as you were asking the question, Terry, what comes to mind for me is it doesn't sound very theological or very faith centered, but I would encourage people to pray about subsidiarity.

[98] It's a concept that I think what you're talking about really is what it comes down to.

[99] If we know the truth, we know the truth that Christ has revealed as God's divine done, then what subsidiarity applies in the sense that every one of us, everyone who knows the truth has the obligation to share and proclaim and protect that truth if necessary.

[100] If people are attacking it, it's not just up to bishops, it's not just up to priests.

[101] Yes, it is up to bishops and priests and deacons, those in holy orders, especially.

[102] But the principle of subsidiarity, going down to the lowest level, reminds us that every person, every baptized person, is responsible to live the truth.

[103] I mean, we were all anointed with chrism at our baptism and called to be priests, prophet, and king.

[104] And that's a reminder that we all have.

[105] a great responsibility to live the truth, to proclaim Christ in all that we can do.

[106] Some of us have calls to holy orders.

[107] You have a call to be a husband and father.

[108] You're called to, in your setting, beginning with yourself and then to your family, for myself, for me as a bishop individually, I have a responsibility to authentically live the truth of the gospel.

[109] I don't claim to perfectly do that.

[110] I'm a sinner.

[111] I fail.

[112] I need to confess those sins and seek to live the virtue more clearly.

[113] But I guess, Terry, really, I'm just giving a long answer to your book.

[114] Basically, yes.

[115] A person doesn't just have the right, but they have the obligation to speak truth when false messages are being promulgated from wherever.

[116] by whomever.

[117] We're all just human beings.

[118] None of us are gone.

[119] Really, some human beings because of position have more responsibility than others.

[120] And we pray.

[121] We need to pray for those with greater responsibility that they also have a greater share of holiness and insight given by the Holy Spirit to guide them.

[122] That's why we need to pray for the Pope, for the Cardinals and bishops.

[123] We're all in holy orders.

[124] Pray for your priest.

[125] Pray for the pastor of your parish church.

[126] But if that same pastor or your bishop is saying something that you absolutely know is not the church teaches.

[127] It's not true to Christ.

[128] Right.

[129] You have an obligation.

[130] That's right.

[131] respectfully and clearly speak up and say your excellency father you need to stand corrected yeah you need to return to the truth and the story that you mentioned thankfully that bishop was humble enough and clearly close enough to the truth yeah he was able to recognize that he was bring off the paths.

[132] And thankfully, he appreciated being called back to the light of truth.

[133] Anyone who is genuine of heart will be, it may be a bit embarrassing initially, but they will ultimately, if they are seeking the truth, they're going to appreciate someone who is strong enough and bold enough to speak that truth and to call them back for their sake.

[134] And for this of whoever they're responsible for.

[135] And I mentioned the principle of subsidiarity basically just boils down to each of us individually, as individual members of the body of Christ that is the church.

[136] We all have an obligation to live and proclaim the truth.

[137] That's what subsidiarity means in the context of faith.

[138] We all share it.

[139] We all have the same obligation.

[140] And the more each of us can take up that obligation and challenge others when they're wandering from the truth, the stronger the church will be and the more the truth of Christ will be claimed.

[141] Well said.

[142] I will say this as a layman.

[143] I'm still unsatisfied with what took place with the McCarrick situation as a layman, okay?

[144] And I saw what you did at the bishop's conference saying, hey, can't we find out who's?

[145] involved in all this.

[146] In other words, let's get to the bottom of this.

[147] And I'm still, what, 20 years, 20 -some years later, we're seeing about this corruption in there.

[148] And it seems like nobody's given us answers.

[149] So I want to say this.

[150] Don't, like you said, don't leave the church because of this, folks.

[151] You tweeted, please, please, three times you said, do not leave the Catholic Church because of corruption and the promotion of immorality by the hierarchy.

[152] The church is divinely instituted by Jesus Christ guided by the Holy Spirit.

[153] Evil men have corrupted her, but Christ always guides her back to holiness.

[154] Can you talk a little bit about that?

[155] Absolutely.

[156] And I know people say, you know, that how dare you say this or, you know, don't attack the church, don't attack the Vatican or Pope Francis.

[157] It's not attacking anyone, but it's a truth that we need to be very clear about and to be willing to speak up and say that this, when there's corruption, when there's a false message, when there's a contradiction of the gospel, we need to speak up.

[158] Wherever it's coming from, whoever's, it's the greatest love that we can have is to call each other closer to the truth.

[159] And I think it's very important that we hold to the, we hold to that principle, and we continue to proclaim the truth with clarity and clarity, but we continue to speak up and not allow false messages to carry the day.

[160] And even people who have a great love for the church, share by love for Christ and his church, people will sometimes say, oh, well, you know, you're just encouraging people to kind of look the other way.

[161] Absolutely not.

[162] As I love to quote, as my mother used to quote, St. Peter, who says, Lord, to whom shall we go?

[163] I love it.

[164] There's no option.

[165] There's no place to go.

[166] Sure.

[167] That doesn't mean that we just sit complacently and just allow people to share false messages and to twist the gospel.

[168] But on the other hand, when I said, please, please, please.

[169] leave the church.

[170] Well, just put up with the corruption.

[171] Absolutely.

[172] We speak against the corruption.

[173] We seek to purify and make the church holier.

[174] But never at never taking the step to actually leave the church.

[175] Because there is no place to go.

[176] Place to go to find the truth if we leave the church.

[177] We've got to seek.

[178] And again, with subsidiarity, that seeking holiness has to start with each of us individually.

[179] To acknowledge, I'm not as holy as I should be.

[180] I'm too much of a sinner, and I need to daily repent of the sin and to grow in virtue, to grow in holiness.

[181] That's a responsibility we all share.

[182] But please don't leave the church because he's not as holy as she should be.

[183] strive to make her more holy by being one member of the body of Christ that is there constantly seeking to grow in holiness.

[184] Well, said, I keep hearing you say, go visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

[185] And I want to encourage people, when you're there before the Blessed Sacrament, I was taught many years ago to ask Jesus Christ for more faith every single day of my life.

[186] And I'm convinced Bishop Strickland that one of the reasons, reasons my faith is strong because of the way I part my hair.

[187] I don't have any hair.

[188] It's because I keep asking Jesus Christ to come into my life and give me stronger faith in him so that when I get disappointed by his priests or bishops or whoever in the church, I pray for them.

[189] I don't leave.

[190] And I think that this is also another element that needs to be done, and that is, you know, pray for our leaders.

[191] You said that earlier in the segment.

[192] And, you know, it's one of the Charisms of Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[193] We look at the problems in the church.

[194] We don't run away from them.

[195] But we always tell people, look, the solution is always the same.

[196] It's Jesus Christ.

[197] And so ask Jesus Christ for more faith and pray and make reparation for these sacrilegious.

[198] I have priests, friends of mine.

[199] I won't say who, but they say, you know, I'm so devastated by what's going on in the church.

[200] I'm like, yeah, it's bothered me. And I said, well, Father, stay focused on your priesthood.

[201] All this stuff is going to go away.

[202] They're not going to, that your bishop isn't going to be there when you get your exit interview and you die for your judgment.

[203] No, Bishop Strickland won't be there for me. Oh, it'll be Jesus Christ.

[204] And that's the way we have to keep our focus on.

[205] Bishop Strickland, one of the other things that you pointed out, feast of St. Peter and Paul, St. Peter, excuse me, and you said this as we celebrate the conversion of St. Paul and let's think about this St. Paul, before I talk about this guy was a rascal.

[206] I mean, he was persecuting Christians and he was a very intelligent man and he was well connected with everyone and I would like you just to talk a little bit about what knocked him off the horse and a little bit of his life and how he's a great model for all of us because we can all become like St. Paul.

[207] And so we're going to take a break and come back and talk about the life of St. Paul and how his deep conversion to Christ is something we all can do.

[208] Stay with this family.

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

[210] Back to the moment.

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

[212] We are back.

[213] Bishop Strickland, I hit you a curveball here.

[214] I said, St. Paul's conversion and how you seek a deeper conversion to the way of Christ.

[215] You said, let us pray for the conversion of heart for leaders of our church and state who continue to breathe murderous threats against the deposit of faith and the unchanging truth that Christ died to share.

[216] Now, we all know what you're talking about.

[217] We got a Catholic president and a vice president that want to codify Roe v. Wade, you know, I mean, that's evil.

[218] That's just plain evil.

[219] And, you know, here in Texas where you're at, over 60 ,000 babies have been born after Roe versus Wade was put aside and the states decide who they're going to have their abortion rights.

[220] And in the state that I'm in, just the opposite.

[221] And I find it interesting, the state of Texas is growing, leaps and bounds by its numbers, and California is losing its citizens.

[222] And just before you get to this, St. Paul, it's an interesting note because even in the secular press, the L .A. Times, the Washington, all these liberal organizations that have been with us for all our life, they're cutting back.

[223] They're losing their listenership.

[224] And I just think that this could be indicative of people saying, I've had enough of this progressive teachings that don't have to deny the dignity of life because all these liberal medias are all for killing babies.

[225] And so maybe we're on to something and I hope St. Paul can be our intercessor to turn this thing around.

[226] Your thoughts?

[227] Well, I certainly agree.

[228] And as I sent that tweet, as we celebrated the conversion of St. Paul, Like you were saying earlier, I think we need to understand how dramatic that was.

[229] Oh, yeah.

[230] Let's talk about that.

[231] He was knocked down by a powerful flash of light that was the power of God calling this man. And his life was changed forever.

[232] He was, I love to remind myself and others, the script.

[233] scriptures tell us he had letters that he was carrying to Damascus.

[234] He was on the way to ramp up the persecution of the Christian church.

[235] He was on his way to just persecute more powerfully than ever and on his way he gets knocked down, blinded temporarily by an unimaginable, powerful flash of light.

[236] He hears the Lord say, why are you persecuting me?

[237] And his life is transformed.

[238] And he becomes, I mean, look at the New Testament.

[239] So much of it written by this Saul who becomes Paul.

[240] I think we need to remember that the same power of the Holy Spirit is with us.

[241] If we will humble ourselves and turn to the Lord.

[242] and be like Nineveh, I think of the prophet Jonah.

[243] We read about that story recently in the daily mass readings.

[244] But the Nineveh was came, fell to its knees and sackcloth and ashes and repented and changed the course of that vast city by their repentance.

[245] We have to believe and have the strength of faith.

[246] to say that no one, no soul is lost if they will simply humbly repent.

[247] Paul, I think, is an illustration of that power of conversion when the Lord touches our lives.

[248] And thankfully, there are many stories of conversion that I know both of us have heard.

[249] Oh, yeah.

[250] People who say, they didn't believe in God.

[251] and they're converted and become some of the strongest believers.

[252] That's what happened to St. Paul.

[253] And if we celebrated his conversion, I think I would encourage all of us, without mentioning names, I would encourage all of us to think about the person who is the most aggravating that we just maybe you yell at the TV every time this person speaks up yeah it's someone in Hollywood maybe it's someone in government someone maybe it's so in the church yeah but think of that person that is just so far from the truth and so aggravated rather than just getting angry and aggravated pray for the conversion of that person whoever they remember They're beloved of God.

[254] God longs for them to convert from their evil and to be guided back to him.

[255] Be a part of that.

[256] Pray for conversion.

[257] So I think that is what I was trying to encourage people to do with that tweet.

[258] And to be aware, even the scriptures tell us after Paul converted, as you can imagine, a very human reality there in the acts of the apostles.

[259] They're saying, wait a minute, this is the guy that was killing us.

[260] And you're telling us to now accept him as one of us as a brother.

[261] Wouldn't it be amazing to see that sort of dramatic conversion from someone that is so opposed to our Catholic faith to suddenly be preaching the gospel and saying, We must all embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[262] We need that kind of dramatic conversion in our world today and to trust that it's not just something to dream about, but it's something to pray about, to believe that the Holy Spirit.

[263] And again, I tried to say in that tweet, not to say, oh, I'm perfectly converted.

[264] No, I've got more converting to do myself.

[265] I need to grow in my own faith.

[266] I need to turn from sin more powerfully.

[267] And so to seek that deeper conversion for ourselves and to pray for that person that seems so far from the truth of Christ for their dramatic conversion for the sake of the world.

[268] Wow.

[269] Mr. Strickland, I've got a story here that you might have seen in the National Catholic Register about a Catholic volunteer killed on his way home from adoration.

[270] 23 -year -old young man His name is Ryan Rehobuto He graduated from college And they decided to spend a year With the Capuchin -Franciscan volunteer corps And what he did is he He served the poor Soup's kitchens He repaired the sister's chapel He was good with his hands like St. Joseph And he was just Always at the early mass Always centered on the Eucharist and I know a lot of people are saying oh it's tragic and it is but let me throw something at you what happened is he was walking home from adoration and some bad guys came up with a gun and said we want your money he didn't have any money so the bad guy shot him and he died but I think about this in the article the people who knew him well said that I guarantee you if he met those people who shot him if he survived he would be like Maria Geretti and asking I forgive you Ryan would give the man the man that shot him he would say I forgive you for shooting me you know and so here's my point I look at this story and then I see also the supernatural aspect of this story 23 years that's not very long but the life that he lived was a life of holiness, service to God and his people.

[271] I'm kind of envious of him because in one sense this man lived a holy life.

[272] He had just gone to confession also before the murder.

[273] I mean, I don't know.

[274] I mean, I just look at this story and they say, it's tragic.

[275] Well, in one sense it is, but you know it's inspirational to me because I know this sounds funny, but every time I go make a visit or go to Mass, I try to say, this could be my last mass or my last visit to really give me the focus of how important it is.

[276] And so I wanted to get your take.

[277] Are you familiar with the story, Bishop Strickland?

[278] I did hear about it or read somewhat.

[279] And, you know, certainly it is tragic, but also I think what you're encouraging people to do, and I encourage as well, to look at it with eyes of faith.

[280] Even tragedies in our own lives.

[281] God in the mystery of his love, he's always weaving goodness into the most tragic circumstances.

[282] And I think this story reminds us of that.

[283] And it reminds us also what's valuable in life?

[284] This young man lived 23 years, a young man, not a long life.

[285] But the main, one of the main qualities of our lives needs to be how holy it is and how we have grown in holiness.

[286] You know, it seems that this young man had grown in holiness to the point where, you know, I mean, certainly God doesn't will that this kind of, I mean, human free will that caused.

[287] is something like this, but God can allow his goodness to wash over even something like this.

[288] I think it's an inspiration to all of us.

[289] What did this young man do?

[290] He was close to the Lord in adoration.

[291] Yes.

[292] Went to confession.

[293] Yes.

[294] I said, I would say the same thing.

[295] He sounds like the kind of soul that like many of the saints, and you mentioned Maria Gretti, there are many of the saints that give us that witness, really echoing the Lord himself from the cross saying, Father, forgive them.

[296] They know not what they do.

[297] And St. Stephen said something similar when he was being stoned to death.

[298] Very likely this, and I think we can say it, saintly young man would very likely have the same heart because when you are close to Christ as obviously this young man was it gives you a different perspective that's right you see things through the eyes of faith and that's what all of us are challenged to do certainly not to to to ignore the tragedy that is there of a life stuffed out so early through violence and the tragedy is there and the sinful choice of these men taken in life also to see through eyes of faith that goodness is there as well well said stay with us family that's an inspirational story turn a rest in on to him Lord let the perpetual light shed upon him may he rest in peace stay with us and now back to the bishop strickland hour welcome back to the bishop strickland hour We've had a lively chat regarding a young man who died and a tragic death, but a holy death.

[299] And who's the guy that said Bishop Strickland, that the only tragedy in life is to die not a saint?

[300] There's a guy in France who said that.

[301] And I remember Bishop Sheen quoting it.

[302] But I thought, you know, that's really what it's all about.

[303] Holiness.

[304] And, you know, this is what you're doing right now with your retirement.

[305] you're doing your YouTube, you're doing your social media, you got the couple shows with Virgin Most Powerful Radio, you're traveling a lot, you're speaking at pro -life rallies.

[306] As a matter of fact, I'm going to be with you in March.

[307] I'll be speaking at a men's conference, and then I'm going to make it that far, and then I'm going to run over to a men's March where you're going to be there, and I want to give a plug to that.

[308] That's going to be the second of March at this men's march and you can just Google that you'll see all kinds of information about that and we actually are going to be at the Planned Parenthood out in Temecula, California will be marching with men dressed in suit and tie and then at the end women and families will meet everybody at the arrival at the end of that prayer mark vigil so Bishop Strickland this is something you've done you did it in Baltimore with just Jesse Romero, I remember that.

[309] And why is it important for you to encourage men to stand up for life, especially taking their, right out with their rosaries, right onto the streets to the abortion clinic?

[310] Why do you think that's important?

[311] Well, especially for men, there are many studies that I've read that I'm sure you're aware of as well, and talk about how the impact that men have when they are men of faith for their family and for their community.

[312] Women, of course, beautiful faith and both of our mothers, I'm sure, and your beautiful wife, wonderful women of faith, but men have their role as well.

[313] And men tend to sometimes shy away from that and say, oh, churchy's stuff, that's for the women.

[314] Let the women go and pray and I'm going to just go do my thing.

[315] But men need to be leaders of the faith, both in the household, on the public square, in every aspect of society.

[316] So I think it's important to encourage men.

[317] And one of the causes that both of us know is so critical for our time is the sanctity of life.

[318] And so I've been glad to support these men's marches for the sanctity of life.

[319] And, you know, very often those who are pro -choice and anti -life, they'll say, they'll tell men to be quiet and quit speaking up.

[320] This is a woman's issue.

[321] Well, a woman doesn't become pregnant without a man being involved.

[322] That's right.

[323] Even if, you know, sadly, I mean, we can, we don't need to get sidetracked into some of the artificial ways that women can become pregnant.

[324] But there was still a man involved in some way.

[325] That's right.

[326] And in the natural course of things, even when it's not according to God's plan, when a pregnancy happens, it's a man and a woman involved in that child being conceived in that woman's womb.

[327] So men do need to step up, even though the pro -choice people say men should be quiet.

[328] No, men are a part of this.

[329] And again, without attacking, without denying the value of every life involved, including the life of the woman and the life, of course, of the child, men need to take their place and speak up just as they were a part of a child be conceived.

[330] they take the responsibility of guarding the sanctity of that life until birth and beyond.

[331] So I have been glad to be a part of these men's marches and I would hope that they can continue to grow and encourage men to take up their responsibility.

[332] It's the greatest way that they can love the women in their lives and to support them is by guarding the sanctity of the life of the unborn child and of every person.

[333] You know, while you were speaking, I was thinking of Joe Scheidler, who was one of my heroes from the 1970s and 80s, a pro -life leader from Chicago.

[334] He wrote a book called 99 ways to close an abortion clinic.

[335] And one of the ways he said is that when you pray, at an abortion clinic, like the rosary.

[336] We used to do it, the Shield of Roses.

[337] First time I ever did it was in 1977.

[338] I was just out of high school, man. And I thought, wow, what are they going to do to me?

[339] But, you know, I don't know.

[340] I was kind of like, well, no, I'm going to pray the rosary, man. But the point of it is, is when you're praying there, people have their conscience pricked.

[341] They say, wait a minute, why are these people here?

[342] Why are they so opposed for me to kill my unborn baby?

[343] maybe there's something wrong here and we've heard that over the years I'll give you since it's a fun story you'll like this I was just it was 1977 I remember the year and we were praying the rosary and we had some guys that were bringing their girlfriends in and he got a little feisty with us that he didn't like us there and so we prayed and then he started mocking the prayers and I thought well you can't mock those prayers but see I was still too young I didn't let it bother me but it did bother me and finally when he bumped an old lady at the abortion clinic 77 year old lady I went over to him and I said dude are you here for trouble let's step aside let's get to it now I remember I was a young man so your your aggressiveness comes out when you you need to be more proportionate but I did challenge him and he said oh no no it's cool because I kind of put him up against the wall and I said dude don't be pushing old ladies because you know what, you're going to deal with me. And I'm not the biggest guy, but you know what?

[344] I laid them out.

[345] I mean, in the sense I told him, if you're going to push old ladies, we got to defend them.

[346] So why do I say this?

[347] I don't expect anybody to do that at the clinic.

[348] I was a young guy.

[349] And when you're young, you're idealistic.

[350] But I wouldn't ask our listeners, if you've never prayed at an abortion clinic, try it.

[351] Your conviction on pro -life goes way up.

[352] Am I on to something there, Father?

[353] Our Bishop Strickman?

[354] absolutely and and I think we need to it it reinforces the power of prayer yeah and when we're genuinely praying we're asking for the grace of God to help us and to help our world to help our neighbor and amazing things can happen when we open our hearts and it can open the hearts of others.

[355] So absolutely, we need to pray.

[356] And I think part of what praying in front of an abortion clinic or a Planned Parenthood office can really accomplish is, like you said, to prick the conscience.

[357] Yeah.

[358] Many people are conflicted as they are approaching an abortion clinic.

[359] And to really support them in asking the questions that maybe they deep down because, well, they can't afford this for a long list of reasons.

[360] They may be very reasonable.

[361] They say, well, it's better to take this life.

[362] But we know it's never the right thing to do.

[363] And there are answers to those issues that may be very real.

[364] And we don't discount the fact that it may seem economically impossible or other things.

[365] But I think the prayer is certainly powerful in itself, but also that witness that someone who is prayer offers, it can, you know, just like it's a little bit of positive peer pressure.

[366] Yeah.

[367] To see another person doing the right thing and doing it with charity and without violence.

[368] can can it doesn't always because it's up to that individual whether they respond yeah but it's a great way to really bring the question for people and many times it it actually has that effect people will recognize that maybe they were having sort of a conscience battle of their own and it helped them to come to the truth that I shouldn't do this or I shouldn't support my girlfriend in doing this.

[369] So we can't discount the power of prayer.

[370] And just simply on the human level, the power of that example of maybe calling a person to the decision they've made.

[371] Just like in any situation, you see someone else doing the opposite of what you're doing.

[372] It can either reinforce that you're doing.

[373] the right thing, or it may cause you to question and maybe reconsider what you're doing.

[374] So I encourage certainly people to be out there.

[375] And I guess a final thing I would say, there's a real push to keep your faith private.

[376] Don't go to the public.

[377] Don't make it a public thing.

[378] And it's not primarily about being a public thing, but we shouldn't hide our light under a bushel basket ether.

[379] We should let people know that we are Catholic, that we rejoice in our Catholic faith, we rejoice to be followers of Jesus Christ.

[380] And if we do all of that authentically, then we're going to be pro -life, and we should rejoice in making that very clear as well.

[381] Yes.

[382] Well said, I want to remind everybody, we usually do a catechism section of these shows, but I'm a little under the weather, so I just bypassed it, but I want to encourage people the Baltimore Catechism 4 that Tan Books puts out.

[383] We have several copies here at our studio.

[384] And if you ever want to get that catechism, you can call 877 -52621 -51.

[385] Also, you can have a free class called Life is Worth Living on Catechism class.

[386] We did years ago.

[387] It's on our YouTube channel, a full sheen ahead.

[388] just type in life is worth living.

[389] It's 13 hours, a little over 13 hours of programming.

[390] And believe it or not, because of the Anglican Ordinariate parish, they don't have an RCI program like we do.

[391] They have like a crash course.

[392] And if the priest gets you to ask you questions about the faith, and if you know it well enough, then he says you're ready to be baptized.

[393] So it's kind of a streamlined approach.

[394] I particularly like it because some of the RCI programs I've been to, let's just say, aren't the best.

[395] Bishop Strickland, your final thoughts about your YouTube channel.

[396] I want people to go there.

[397] They just type in, what, your name?

[398] Bishop Joseph Strickland.

[399] Good.

[400] And how about a blessing for our listeners, please?

[401] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all of us that we continue in faith, joyfully proclaiming the truth of your son, living in his light, seeking to turn from sin and to live a more sanctified life in your grace.

[402] We ask this blessing, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[403] Amen.

[404] And I want to remind you, Our Lady of Fatimus, if souls are going to hell because no one's there to pray and make sacrifices.

[405] Join me. I'm not feeling well.

[406] I'm going to offer my little inconvenience for the salvation of souls, because then there's merit.

[407] I'll never forget someone telling me that.

[408] That's what I'm encouraging you to do.

[409] God love you.