27 Jun 23 – A Bishop Must Speak the Truth of Christ

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] I'm Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful Radio, and I'm honored every week to discuss our Catholic faith with Bishop Joseph Strickland, the Bishop of Tyler, Texas.

[2] Bishop Strickland, welcome to another hour, my friend.

[3] Thanks, Terry.

[4] Bishop Strickland, I had the honor to be with you last Friday here at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

[5] You flew all the way from Florida, because I think you were at a bishop's conference, came in, and you spent a good afternoon.

[6] afternoon with us praying and making reparation for the sacrilegious that were going on at the stadium.

[7] And you had led us in a prayer, a walk that we made reparation.

[8] Tell me from your perspective, Bishop Strickland, why in the world you went and then tell me what was your experience of being there now that you're back in Texas?

[9] Terry, honestly, when I was contacted and asked if I would go, what motivated me, to say yes, was that this group that we have to pray for, but diluted people that are caught up in evil, really, but their desecration of our Lord on the cross.

[10] I mean, it's bad enough to mock the nuns, and that's terrible.

[11] Yes.

[12] But the greatest blasphemy of that horrid dance around depicting a man on the cross to mock christ in that way i mean talk about god will not be mocked you know yeah i'd expect lightning any moment with that kind of thing and in that god is a loving god in this this really proves it to me yes because he wants every heart to turn to the sacred heart of his son yeah that's why his son died.

[13] He never gives up on us.

[14] If you read the story of the people of Israel, he never gives up his compassion and mercy are always there, but he demands fidelity.

[15] Yes.

[16] And he's not going to allow just, you know, just, oh yeah, come and embrace my mercy and don't change.

[17] No, we have to be changed.

[18] And that's really what motivated me to be there.

[19] And really, Terry, you know, I'm just one guy.

[20] I'm nobody.

[21] Yeah, I'm Bishop of Tyler, which is a beautiful place to be.

[22] Yeah.

[23] But as far as, you know, making any difference in the world, the only reason I can make a difference is if I speak the truth of Jesus Christ.

[24] Amen.

[25] That's why I was, I was so glad to be there.

[26] Yeah.

[27] I mean, you sent me a picture that, yeah, and I thank you for it.

[28] It just, and I like it.

[29] I mean, you know, not because, oh, I look great, but it, to me, it depicted the joy of speaking for Christ.

[30] Oh, yeah.

[31] That's what that picture said.

[32] I got it right here.

[33] Yep.

[34] And it was true joy.

[35] Yep.

[36] There is no greater joy than to lay down your life for Jesus Christ.

[37] And that, I mean, I didn't lay down my life, but yeah, I got on a plane very early and flew across the country.

[38] But it was a great event, and I was so proud of the people there.

[39] they were Christian.

[40] Oh, yeah.

[41] They will know we are Christians by our love.

[42] And it's not this fake love that we hear so much about, but a love that is sacrificial.

[43] I was so interested in the reality that these people were willing to, I mean, one of the speakers, I forget who it was, But one of the speakers said, raise your hand if you're from somewhere other than California.

[44] Yeah.

[45] It was like half the crowd.

[46] Yeah.

[47] These people traveled.

[48] That's right.

[49] They sacrificed in order to be there to speak against blasphemy, prayerfully, with compassion and mercy and with love.

[50] But clearly, with clarity and charity, as we say so often.

[51] And I was just impressed with the people holding up images of the sacred heart, our lady of Guadalupe.

[52] It was, you know, and it's such a great image of how we need to speak up, not in the way of the world.

[53] We need to speak up as the mystical body of Christ with love, with clarity.

[54] Yeah.

[55] And I was so proud of the people that were there.

[56] And I really think it will go down in history as a significant moment of people beginning to awaken, to the evil that we're seeing, to the apostasies and the blasphemies, even sadly within the church.

[57] And we've got to be clear that Christ is truth incarnate, he's the face of truth.

[58] He died for that truth.

[59] And that's why I'm so glad that I was able to.

[60] to be there and to be a shepherd for that group of the flock.

[61] And really, they were all examples for everyone that saw it.

[62] You were talking about the mainstream media ignores that kind of thing.

[63] But the mainstream media is caught up in lies and corruption.

[64] Right.

[65] And it's forgotten its mission.

[66] And the work you're doing from Virgin Most Powerful Radio, that's what people are relying on because the mainstream media, pretty much all of it.

[67] I mean, there are good people there, but as far as an organized effort to share the truth, the news, it's broken.

[68] It's not doing the job.

[69] And so we need to continue to share the truth joyfully and clearly.

[70] And that's why I'm so glad I was able to be there.

[71] Well, we were glad to have you.

[72] I had many people say it was so nice to have a bishop.

[73] willing to put his faith on the line out in the street.

[74] And they said that it affirmed their Catholic faith and made them bolder to speak up at the office or at work or at home.

[75] It lit a fire in their own lives.

[76] So I just thank you for making that effort to come out and pray with us.

[77] Bishop Strickland, I usually talk about tweets, and I just want to get a couple tweets, but I really would like to talk about this Vatican document that came out regarding the Senate that's highlighting a need for, I mean, AP News talks about it, they're saying that there's a need for concrete steps for women and radical inclusion of the LGBTQ plus.

[78] That's what they said.

[79] Now, this particular document is 10 ,000 words.

[80] It's a document that is basically saying that we have to welcome kind of like everybody we want to welcome everybody obviously but the Senate says that I need to welcome polygamists LGBTQ plus people fornicate whatever anybody who's in the world and I get that but I wanted to ask you I know that you tweeted this and I'll read this and then you can add because I have something that I want to bring from my senior Charles Pope and his response to it, you said it's a travesty that these things are even being proposed for discussion.

[81] I pray that all who know Jesus Christ will not be deceived by this path.

[82] The gospel welcomes all to repentance and sanctity.

[83] If there is no repentance, the barriers to sanctity remain.

[84] And I mean, that's pretty strong language.

[85] And I just want to get your take because I know Cardinal Burke has been praying for months or a year now that this Senate will not take place.

[86] Bishop Athanasia Snyder has praying also that this is not going to take place because of the confusion that it's causing.

[87] Do you want to add a little bit more to why you're concerned about this Senate?

[88] Senate?

[89] Well, you've really hit the nail on the head, Terry.

[90] Without repentance, it doesn't, it isn't welcoming to Christ.

[91] It isn't welcoming to Christ.

[92] No. I mean, if you just want to welcome people to some global, you know, party, some global communion, okay.

[93] But welcoming them to Jesus Christ means repentance.

[94] Yes.

[95] It means changing.

[96] Yeah.

[97] It means awakening to the truth that he is.

[98] Yeah.

[99] Truth incarnate.

[100] He's the face of truth.

[101] So welcome.

[102] Absolutely.

[103] But as the Catholic Church, we are the mystical body of Christ.

[104] Yes.

[105] If we don't welcome to Jesus Christ, we've lost our mission.

[106] I think Monsignor Charles Pope, and for those who didn't see last week's program, I think we're up to 40 ,000 views on YouTube because it was such a beautiful article.

[107] He said, eight modern errors every Catholic should know and avoid.

[108] And I think one of the errors that our Senate fathers is that they're equating love with kindness.

[109] And as Monsignor Charles Pope makes the point, kindness is an aspect of love, but so is rebuke, so is punishment, as is praise.

[110] Yet today, many, even in the church, the Monsignor said, and I agree with them, think of love only as kindness, affirmation, approval, encouragement, and other positive, attributes but here's the thing that monseigneur said but true love is at times willing to punish to insist on change and to rebuke error now i as a father did that to my kids and now i'm doing it with my grandchildren my grandchildren just he kicked i was changing a diaper and he he decided to kick the rather they asked for the diapers you know he's he's he's a three years old and i spanked him and i said you never do that again and boy he won't even He got the message.

[111] But you see what I'm trying to say is, I could have said, oh, that's affirming, bow, that's right.

[112] No, it was bad action.

[113] And so living as a fornicator is contrary to the gospel.

[114] Living as an adulterer, it's living against the gospel.

[115] And for me not to tell them that, that's not affirming them.

[116] Okay, the break is coming.

[117] I want to ask you again to talk a little bit about what our Lord said in regards to repent and believe in the gospel what that means in the modern world and why this is so important to preach repentance before we can get mercy you're listening to the bishop strickland hour on virgin most powerful radio stay with us family and now back to the bishop strickland hour welcome back to the bishop strickland hour indeed i was mentioning bishop strickland this major senate on senate on senatorality document is highlighting you know the the need to welcome the polygamous, LGBTs, and anybody who's been astrayed by the church, and I think you made it clear that you're saying that, yeah, we welcome everybody, but under Christ's conditions.

[118] In other words, when someone is living contrary to the gospel, the gospel is very clear.

[119] It says, repent and believe.

[120] And so it seems to me, Father Bill Casey's comment, the most merciless thing you can do is let someone wallow in their sin.

[121] So welcoming them to the church under no one's conditions other than their own, that's not love.

[122] To me, that's participating in their sin because you haven't, especially a priest or even a layperson, haven't told them the truth of the gospel.

[123] That seems to me, and maybe I'm off, but that seems to me to be a sin of omission on my part.

[124] Well, I agree.

[125] And certainly we need to reach out to everyone.

[126] But people have free will.

[127] Yes.

[128] And that needs to be respected.

[129] And we've got to continue to bring the light of Christ to the world.

[130] People don't want to change.

[131] And God gives them, I mean, God's the one that gave them that free will to choose.

[132] They don't want to change their lifestyle.

[133] They don't want to turn from sin.

[134] That's okay.

[135] But to say, well, the church is going to embrace them as they are.

[136] that that's, you know, it's taking us all down.

[137] I mean, it's like getting on a sinking ship.

[138] Yes.

[139] And everybody goes down with them.

[140] Yeah, it does concern me. And again, I'm wondering if there's a challenge for priests and bishops and high officials in our church that we all just want to be liked again.

[141] We just don't want to cause any controversy.

[142] And, you know, let's just get along with everybody.

[143] But you know what I've noticed about that approach, Bishop Strickland, for I'm now in my mid -60s, and I've seen that for 40 or 50 years of my adult life, and it doesn't bring people to Christ.

[144] It seems that people go and say, well, if I can, you know, you have nothing unique.

[145] I can go to the Optimist Club and get fellowship, not truth.

[146] And it seems to me that until we get back to, and I'm going to be honest with you, I see more of the parishes that are traditional in its teaching.

[147] In other words, perennial of its deposit of faith teaching, they seem to be full.

[148] And then these parishes that seem to wallow and fly the flag of homosexuality, the rainbow flag, and there's these masses that they're having and not all bishops are allowing it.

[149] I would imagine if in your diocese, Bishop Strickland, your pastor was running with a flag, you as the bishop have to go to the pastor and say that's not part of who we are take it down now that would be uncomfortable would it not as a as a shepherd to tell one of your pastors they're doing something wrong am i right or i mean it sounds like a father to a child but that's how i see it yeah that's the that's the responsibility that i believe we have yeah all right well now here's my other uh comment about that then we'll move on uh with your tweets and i just had to here a minute ago, but I wanted to ask you about a tweet you did with Cardinal Sirrah, because you know I say this all the time to you.

[150] If I was a voting member of the conclave, I'd have him as the next pope.

[151] He's a holy man. I've read anything he writes.

[152] I don't even question.

[153] I just buy the book because I think this is a man, is really one of the models for our church today.

[154] Okay, he said this, Cardinal Sirrah.

[155] enemies of homosexual persons are the LGBT lobbyists, lobbies.

[156] It is a serious error to reduce an individual to his behavior, especially sexual behavior.

[157] Wow, to say that, I mean, can you, could you imagine a prelate saying, I'm just saying, I'm stunned when I read that.

[158] I said, he's spot on, but I mean, you just said, amen, but yeah, he's spot on, but here's my question.

[159] And this is, he's right.

[160] Why are we just, you know, deducing it to the individual of his sexual behavior when that's one element of him and it's not the whole?

[161] And so I guess what I'm asking you is he's throwing it right back on the LGBT that they're not, they're affirming it somebody in their sexual errors.

[162] And that's what I think he's saying is that that's not helping them.

[163] Am I on to something?

[164] Is that how you read it?

[165] Absolutely.

[166] And it's such.

[167] a poverty of the beauty of the human person.

[168] I mean, we're created in the image and likeness of God.

[169] And all these labels need to go away, as far as I'm concerned.

[170] I mean, they're not likely to any time soon.

[171] Right.

[172] But we need to quit going with labels.

[173] This is a son or daughter of God.

[174] Amen.

[175] That's the only options.

[176] And we need to really, it all does.

[177] ties together, like, you know, we've talked about before, that if we leave God out of the picture, that Cardinal Sarah said something similar to that I saw recently, too, if God's taken out, we don't know who we are.

[178] And that's exactly what we're dealing with.

[179] And sadly, people get confused.

[180] And all these different identifies this and then identifies that.

[181] And then they change their bodies and then they find out they don't identify what they're it it's just utter confusion it comes from evil and it comes from disconnecting from god yes and to let that masquerade as love and inclusiveness yes it's it's it's it just doesn't make any sense and it's harmful it's deeply harmful to the people of God.

[182] Got it.

[183] We have an obligation, just like, you know, Dodger Stadium was one aspect of it, but we've got to speak the truth with charity and clarity every time we see false messages coming up.

[184] And they're, you know, it's like an avalanche of false teachings that are sadly even coming from a church, but certainly secular society.

[185] is pumping out false messages constantly, and we've got to speak the truth.

[186] Amen.

[187] I wanted to mention, because by next week, it's going to be close to the 4th of July, we're getting close.

[188] There's a new movie called Sounds of Freedom, and I know you know about it because you've been a big promoter to stop human trafficking around the world.

[189] And I always say this, that human trafficking is a bigger industry in dollars than drug trafficking.

[190] I mean, that's how bad this is.

[191] It's horrible.

[192] And Jim Caviso, through Angel Studios, is releasing the movie on the 4th of July, and I want to encourage everyone to see it and support it because this is an atrocity.

[193] And what's really sad about this Bishop Strickland, and I know we've talked about this on the show many times, because you've had somebody in your diocese that's also trying to stop this human trafficking with the kids.

[194] And the problem is that governments are involved in this high officials, not just America, but in Europe.

[195] It's a worldwide organization of corruption, of immoral acts of abusing our children and adults, but our children especially.

[196] And I just wanted to endorse that movie.

[197] Have you had a chance to see the trailer on that, Bishop Strickland?

[198] I've seen the trailer.

[199] I haven't seen the full film, but even the trailer, it's hard to watch.

[200] Oh, yes, I guess.

[201] It brings you to tears.

[202] Anybody who knows the value of the human person in an innocent child, it's just devastating to see.

[203] And I just saw the clip.

[204] Yeah, the clip touched me. You know, the previews, you could say.

[205] But I have been, and we're going to have a screening of that on July 6th here in the diocese because you know it's one of those messages that people say oh that's not the truth and this is another conspiracy theory i hate to tell them it's the truth amen and people don't want to see these the ugliness that's out there and children are being destroyed i mean that as you have seen the preview i'm sure i have but it talks about two million children that are destroyed in this human trafficking.

[206] And, you know, it's just, it's truly diabolical.

[207] And we have to, we need to name it that.

[208] Exactly.

[209] It's not just, yes, it's motivated financially, but it's people allowing evil to rule their lives.

[210] That's the only way you can explain allowing this kind of thing.

[211] And we've seen people in the news that have had this kind of lifestyle and sometimes people speak up against it.

[212] But we have to name the evil influence that causes a child of God that we always have to remember even the people doing this are beloved of God.

[213] Amen.

[214] God has not given up on any of us.

[215] But when we give up on God, that the human trafficking is one horrible iteration of what it means to give in to the diabolical.

[216] It's just so destructive, and we have to speak against it.

[217] We have to do anything we can to stop this destruction of humanity.

[218] That's what it comes down to.

[219] I agree totally on that.

[220] And, you know, Bishop Strickland, I've always quote St. John Paul 2's letter to the family when he says, the way the family goes is the way the culture goes.

[221] And when family's in crisis, the church is in crisis.

[222] Absolutely.

[223] And so why I wanted you, you did a tweet regarding Archbishop Cordillian, and it's a tweet regarding an article he wrote in the National Catholic Register.

[224] It said, our world needs men to become.

[225] fathers to the fatherless.

[226] And I read the article, and I was very impressed.

[227] He mentioned that the core honorable manhood is a willingness to sacrifice, to sacrifice lust, to love, to sacrifice ambition, to serve, to strive to be a hero for the peoples in one's life.

[228] Sometimes this means risking one's life to run towards the bad guy to save others, like the gentleman did out in France.

[229] Hit him with the backpack.

[230] More often, it includes serving and sacrificing in every way, showing up for work every day, turning down a night with the boys in order to stay home with the family, turning off to video games.

[231] This Archbishop understands family life, Bishop Strickland.

[232] This is exactly what happens.

[233] He says, let's begin to take fathers seriously for their hard work and need to be to raise our boys to want to become good fathers who take seriously the responsibility to love and protect the most vulnerable.

[234] Boy, do we need more men like that?

[235] Absolutely.

[236] That's why, I mean, we just celebrated Father's Day.

[237] And this article, I believe, was last year's Father's Day, but I encourage that it be read again.

[238] Yes.

[239] Because it brings a message that every man needs to hear, and we need to remind again.

[240] Yeah.

[241] It's true love.

[242] is to call a man to be a godly man. Amen.

[243] The world is full of temptation.

[244] And there are too many fathers of their own children that they neglect.

[245] And then there are other exemplary fathers that do exactly what the title of that article says.

[246] They're fathers to their own children.

[247] And then they reach out to the fatherless.

[248] One aspect of all that that I think needs to be highlighted is the heroic work that foster families do and adoptive families that we get beaten up by people because they're just looking for ways to beat us up.

[249] But it's a valid point that when a child is saved from abortion and is born, we continue to care for them.

[250] We continue to care for the mother.

[251] We continue to support ways that that child can flourish.

[252] And so I applaud foster families and adoptive families that are willing to be.

[253] I mean, literally, mothers and fathers to children who don't have a mother and father.

[254] And that's the attitude.

[255] And it's interesting that so often we both heard stories about large families.

[256] Yes.

[257] You know, I grew up in a family of six.

[258] kids.

[259] That's relatively large.

[260] But, you know, the larger the family, the more generous they are, the more willing to welcome another person to the family table.

[261] Amen.

[262] And that's just, again, that's the beautiful model that family is.

[263] It teaches us that we're not the center of the universe, the generosity is, reaps benefits like the scriptures say.

[264] When we give of ourselves, we reap, benefits 60, 80, 100 -fold, and that is the way of Christ.

[265] And that's, you know, Archbishop Corleone's article reminds men that that's who we're called to be.

[266] Right.

[267] That's what it means to be a godly man. And both of us in different ways are called to do that.

[268] Me as a bishop, you as a father and grandfather.

[269] Amen.

[270] And Bishop Strickland, that's what I want to just take a few more minutes to talk about.

[271] spiritual fatherhood as priest and bishop because I want to inspire young men to consider the priesthood and that's exactly part of your priesthood as being spiritual fathers in the spiritual realm.

[272] Stay with us family.

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

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

[275] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[276] I've just mentioned.

[277] mentioning for Bishop Strickland that in his diocese, I think he has around 20 young men thinking about the priesthood.

[278] And a sign of a healthy diocese is that if they have young men in the seminary, that tells them that they got a good future for their future priests.

[279] And the question came up about spiritual fatherhood.

[280] We know about my fatherhood as a layman with my wife and children and grandchildren.

[281] But I'd like you to take a few minutes to talk about the role of a priest and in a lot of ways you're you as a shepherd exercising your fatherhood your spiritual fatherhood could you tell us a little bit about that absolutely i think it's a critical element of priesthood that we really need to embrace and and pray about and understand thankfully i think the men in formation that we have as you mentioned about 20 men that are learning about that and learning to be spiritual fathers in really deeper ways than I learned when I was in the seminary years ago.

[282] But I think it does need to be emphasized because fatherhood is under attack, as family is under attack, as motherhood is under attack.

[283] And obviously, the model is God the father.

[284] Jesus speaks beautifully of his relationship with his relationship with with his father.

[285] When you see him, you see the father.

[286] When you see the father, you see the son.

[287] That is the model.

[288] I mean, again, we're created in the image and likeness of God.

[289] So fatherhood is an essential element of living in a godly way.

[290] For men and women, for the family.

[291] I mean, the godly mothers and godly fathers are essential to, the human endeavor, to human society.

[292] Yes.

[293] And it's a beautiful call.

[294] I mean, there's a spiritual element to your fatherhood.

[295] Oh, yeah.

[296] To look to God the father.

[297] And you're not, you know, we're talking about biological fathers.

[298] And certainly, you are a biological father because we're biological beings.

[299] Yes.

[300] Where our soul is in a body.

[301] And that's a beautiful aspect of how God has created.

[302] us.

[303] So you have that spiritual fatherhood.

[304] You look to God the Father.

[305] But as priest, and this is the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit has inspired the Catholic Church, we call our ministers father because of that essential role of spiritual fatherhood.

[306] We're not biological fathers, but we're spiritual fathers.

[307] And we need to take that role.

[308] role and be men who stand up and take that role as much as you in your own family with your own children and grandchildren.

[309] And too many times spiritual fathers abdicate that responsibility as do biological fathers, fathers of families.

[310] All of us need to take it seriously.

[311] The world desperately needs spiritual fathers who do what a father does, correct, encourage, support, sometimes scold, but always with the direction of bringing their children, spiritual children, the members of the flock closer to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

[312] closer to the image in whose image they're created in.

[313] So spiritual fatherhood is an essential element.

[314] And it's tough.

[315] I think that certainly when I was ordained in 1985, the emphasis was not so much on spiritual fatherhood.

[316] I would say it was more, I've got a friend than Jesus.

[317] You know, it was it was emphasizing, you know, be a pal, be a friend.

[318] And that's great.

[319] I mean, absolutely.

[320] And a father, I mean, there always has to be a balance there.

[321] Yes.

[322] But when it comes to the hard stuff, and you've had to do it, I know you have, Terry, to when you've had to make those decisions, I'm the dad.

[323] I can't just be a pal to my son or daughter.

[324] I've got to be a spiritual father and say no to something that's harmful.

[325] Amen.

[326] When we come back, I'm going to open up the catechism.

[327] We're talking about the Holy Spirit.

[328] I'm in the church.

[329] It's telling you.

[330] Stay with us.

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

[332] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[333] We're talking about spiritual fatherhood.

[334] We've been talking about the Dodger Stadium prayer vigil that we had making reparation.

[335] And at the break, Bishop Strickland, I get a text from an old high school guy.

[336] He's not even Catholic.

[337] But I guess he heard about.

[338] the Dodger Stadium thing.

[339] He's up in northern, up in Washington State.

[340] He said, I've been following your podcast quite a while.

[341] Now, I didn't know that.

[342] Love your enthusiasm, courage, and contagious.

[343] You give lots of hope with your testimony and love of our Savior.

[344] I love what you guys did at Dodger Stadium.

[345] I'm telling my friends all about what you're doing.

[346] Now, here's a man that I haven't seen in 45 years, however long.

[347] Whatever, in 1970, I graduated in 75, Bishop Strickland, that's a long time ago.

[348] The point I'm making, you see how speaking the truth can get somebody, I haven't heard this, I don't know this, I know the name, because he lived in our neighborhood, but he saw it, and he said, you're right, this is what you guys stood up for was what was right.

[349] The point I'm trying to say is spiritual fatherhood.

[350] It all comes down to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

[351] That, to me, is what it's all about.

[352] Bishop Strickland, we're looking at a catechism called The Way of Christ Student Book, published by the St. Philip Institute in your diocese, great institution there.

[353] And we're on the chapter on the Holy Spirit.

[354] We've been doing a little catechism every hour when we work with this hour of Bishop Strickland.

[355] And I like this because on Tuesdays, we teach a catechism class for converts.

[356] the Anglican Ordinariate, my wife and I and Richard, my engineer, and in 12 weeks, people become Catholic in our parish, because we're taking the Baltimore Catechism, number four for adults.

[357] We're taking Bishop Fulton Sheen's Life is Worth Living, which is his convert course, and we're teaching people the fundamentals of the faith, and then we put it on our YouTube channel, full sheen ahead, and anywhere in the world, people can go back and learn the fundamentals on the faith.

[358] And that's what your Catholicism is doing.

[359] So let me get to this next question.

[360] It's a question -answer catechism on the Holy Spirit.

[361] It says, how are we saved?

[362] Oh, that's a big question.

[363] We cannot save ourselves, that's for sure.

[364] It says, Jesus is the one who can save us, and we must cooperate with him through the Holy Spirit to be saved.

[365] This is a long catechesis.

[366] I might break it up in a couple paragraphs, Bishop Strickland.

[367] So let's just say that.

[368] It's really clear that we're not the ones who save us, right?

[369] Yeah.

[370] Well, and I think that's so essential because I'm reading right now a book that reminds us, you know, the popular thing that is pervasive for everyone, Catholics or whoever, is self -help and self -actualization.

[371] It's all self -ish.

[372] Notice?

[373] It's all about self.

[374] And that is really the opposite of how we're made.

[375] Yeah.

[376] To truly flourish as human beings, created in the image and likeness of God, we need to go out of self.

[377] Yes.

[378] That's what love is.

[379] Yes.

[380] Love is wishing, desiring the good of the other.

[381] Not good of myself, but the good of the other.

[382] Yep.

[383] Jesus Christ as fully God and fully man. is God's divine son who dwelt among us.

[384] He gives us the perfect model of what true love is.

[385] And when we point to a crucifix, we're pointing to what true love is about.

[386] And it's the opposite of selfish and self -love and self -actualization.

[387] Or however you want to dress it up, when we're focused on ourselves, yes we diminish and then diminish further and diminish further until we're totally decrepit of what our life should be and the great thing is tell me god has given us the free will yes at any moment we can have that conversion repent of that sinful selfishness and return to the path that causes to is to give and give and give.

[388] But as the scriptures tell us, when we give in that way, we reap benefits beyond imagining.

[389] Wow.

[390] You've experienced that.

[391] Yes.

[392] In your own family, with your wife, with your children, and your grandchildren.

[393] Your heart swells with joy as you give of yourself for those you love in an imitation of Jesus Christ.

[394] It's funny you should say this because I have a son, my oldest son, is visiting from Nevada and we went to breakfast this morning with my grandson and we come out of a restaurant and the guy says, I see three generations here.

[395] And I say, well, how do you know?

[396] He says, what do you mean?

[397] How do I know?

[398] You're the dad.

[399] There's your son.

[400] That's your grandson.

[401] You guys all look alike.

[402] You know, but I mean, it really was touching to me. And I thought, well, yeah, that's the legacy.

[403] We're passing on.

[404] Not only the genes, but the principles and the morality that we're passing on to the next generation.

[405] I have a son who said to me, just, well, just last night when we were with our grandson, we were, you know, singing songs with a guitar with my grandson and I had my other daughter.

[406] So I had three of my three children at the house.

[407] And we were playing with the grandchildren singing.

[408] and my son says to me, Dad, I don't think the world understands that being a dad is all about family, all about sacrificing for the family, all about giving for the family.

[409] I said, no, Joe, I don't think they get that, but I'm sure glad you picked up on that because that's exactly what I want you to understand what family life's about.

[410] So anyhow, it was just, again, it came back to spiritual fatherhood.

[411] You see this in the next generation, and now I'm seeing it in the next generation.

[412] In a few years from now, God will call me home, and the linkage continues on, but it's all about the meaning and purpose of life, passing that on as a good father.

[413] So, okay, I got a little carried away.

[414] Bishop Strickland, when I hear the summary of what Jesus Christ did for us, I was listening to you, and I thought of the song, I did it my way, Frank Sinatra, and we say no, Bishop Sheen says we're doing it his way.

[415] And what Jesus Christ died, it says here, Jesus redeemed all mankind by dying on the cross, rising from the dead, Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection, ascension, satisfied the punishment due to our sins and merited the grace, the life of God, to heal us from the effects of sin and elevate us to share in God's own divine life.

[416] Wow, so that we might be saved.

[417] and all starts with the paschal mystery when Jesus paid the debt for our sins and merited the grace so we could be saved in the first place.

[418] That short paragraph just summarized what a lot of people really have no clue about why Jesus came.

[419] Absolutely.

[420] And it's something that we have to continue to share until our last breath.

[421] That's our obligation to share the good news as Christ told us to, for me, certainly as a bishop, but for you as a layman and a father, we have the same mission, different dimensions of it, but we're all called to share the good news.

[422] Jesus Christ is the savior of the world.

[423] And too many people don't believe that, and even with people within the church are, I mean, they're turning in on that selfish aspect.

[424] And it's like, we save ourselves.

[425] And it's all about this world.

[426] That's not Jesus Christ.

[427] That's not Christianity.

[428] That's not Catholicism.

[429] And we've got to continue to share the beautiful, rich message of who Jesus Christ is.

[430] And as, you know, that catechism is it takes excerpts from the big catechism.

[431] That's right.

[432] It gives us the beauty of our Catholic faith that we can never let anyone take away from us or diminish or try to twist into shape in the self -image of humanity.

[433] It's empty.

[434] It has no future, and it's devastating to the people who embrace it even now.

[435] And I think it's important to unknow that our church teaches that only with Jesus Christ one can be saved, that he is the way, the only way.

[436] And I bring this up, Bishop Strickland, because sometimes people get this impression of a false idea that, oh, he's one way, or he's just, you know, Buddha's okay and all these other religions, you know, it doesn't matter as long as you're, you know, you're at peace at what you're doing.

[437] And I think that that's not the Catholic position.

[438] And I think the uniqueness is that we have the fullness of revealed truth in the Catholic Church.

[439] Absolutely.

[440] And one thing that I said, you know, at Dodger Stadium, that I use the word audacious.

[441] Yeah.

[442] And I think we need to be more audacious as Catholics and as Christians.

[443] Christ, what's more audacious than to claim to be the truth he claimed, but for him to be willing to say, I'm God's son, I'm here to bring you to my father.

[444] Yeah.

[445] And he was killed for it.

[446] Right.

[447] I mean, but he was, he had the audacity to speak that truth.

[448] Yeah.

[449] The early Christians, the apostles, and all of those who knew the resurrection, true, they had the audacity to claim that he started a community that we know as the Catholic Church that proclaimed the one that was killed on the cross rose from the dead.

[450] That's an audacious claim that no other religion makes.

[451] No other community of people in the world make that claim.

[452] That God came to us, he died for us, and he rose from the dead, and he committed established a community that perpetuates that message.

[453] Awesome.

[454] And I mean, we could go into the Eucharist.

[455] Yes.

[456] Because the Eucharist is really him really present.

[457] And that's why it's so critical for us as Catholics that we don't monkey around with some lack of faith in the Eucharist.

[458] It's the real presence of this Jesus Christ who had the audacity.

[459] to come to earth and tell us of his father.

[460] And the early church had that audacity to claim our Lord was died on a cross and rose from the dead.

[461] We need to have that same audacity in the 21st century.

[462] I well said, well said.

[463] And I think this fundamental teachings are this catechism, as you said, are coming from the big catechism.

[464] There's quotes from paragraphs in every chapter.

[465] I think we've got time to talk a little bit more about another paragraph in there about how we're saved Jesus justifies us by giving us this grace which is the fruit of the paschal mystery his first justifies us by giving us the gift of faith in the sacrament of baptism this is the second step on the road to salvation and Jesus is the one who gives us faith and justifies us your thoughts well I love that and what I highlight there, Terry, is we've talked about repentance.

[466] We've talked about being changed in the light of Christ.

[467] Baptism is the sacramental reality of that.

[468] Yes.

[469] The church teaches that a person is changed when they're baptized.

[470] Right.

[471] Our tradition is to baptize infants, but at whatever age a person is baptized, their sins are washed away, and they're given the life of the Holy Spirit, and they're changed forever.

[472] The church uses the language is an indelible character of baptism.

[473] We can fail to live it, which all of us do to some degree in our sinfulness.

[474] But we are changed.

[475] And I highlight that because any proclamation of the gospel that leaves out the change that is necessary, it denies the whole faith.

[476] It denies the meaning of baptism.

[477] Baptism is just a nice ceremonial washing, it is being changed by the power of God, sharing in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

[478] That change is an ongoing change.

[479] One thing that we have to remember both of us in every Christian, it's an ongoing conversion.

[480] We don't say we've arrived.

[481] If we do, we're probably in worse shape than we realize.

[482] Real Christians know that we're sinners in constant need of repentance.

[483] And that's the change that is ongoing for each of us.

[484] And to deny that is not Christianity and it's definitely not Catholicism.

[485] And that gets us back to praying for Holy Mother, the Church, for clarity.

[486] I keep quoting Bishop Robert Barron to you over the years, but he said it's a sign of a corrupt church that stops thinking deeply about the truths of Christianity and this last statement he's spot on he says a church that is against being precise about his teaching is a corrupt church and what I see the bishop saying and when he says that a person that is against being precise about the teaching is that's a church that's being ambiguous about a teaching yeah it seems to me right now ambiguity is running way too high in the church absolutely and again you look to a crucifix yeah there's nothing ambiguous about that oh jesus christ died on that cross there's nothing ambiguous about the resurrection ambiguity is not uh is not a gift of the holy spirit no clarity and truth amen and fortitude and all those gifts but ambiguity is contrary to the truth and you know bishop strictly we only have a minute and a minute and a half one last year for a blessing but it seems to me that there's a reason why we need to go back to the fundamentals of the faith right now and to the positive faith because that ambiguity is running really too high in the catholic church whether it's a sentence whether it's priest speaking out trying to say that we now accept homosexuality.

[487] There's some wild statements from prelates that at least bring ambiguity, if not right, just being wrong about these statements.

[488] And so I want to ask all of us on Thursdays, we pray here at our chapel for the Pope, for the bishops, for the deacons, all the ordained ministry, that they will be faithful to their state in life and proclaiming the deposit of faith.

[489] and this is something we can do.

[490] You can do at your home at your church in the evening on Thursdays.

[491] We call it the Pasio because this is the day that Jesus was in the garden on Holy Thursday.

[492] So we can do that.

[493] Bishop Strickland, how about a blessing for our listeners, please?

[494] Almighty God, we thank you for the opportunity to know your truth and to share that truth with joy and clarity with the power of your spirit.

[495] We ask your blessing for all of us and for all who are, participating by listening or helping these productions to happen.

[496] As we celebrate St. Aloysius Gonzaga, help us to see the wonderful example of this saint and all the saints who turn from the darkness of the world are changed in the light of Christ and proclaim joyfully the message of good news in Jesus Christ.

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

[498] Amen.

[499] I want to let people know you can watch.

[500] watch all of the festivities we did at Dodger Stadium.

[501] We recorded it all at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[502] Go to vmpr .org, and you'll see that on our website, how you can get copies of the talks.

[503] And also, we have a lot of clips on our YouTube channel called Full Sheen Ahead.

[504] And that way you can pass it on to your friends and bring people to the fullness of the faith, through the Catholic faith.

[505] Also, lots of shows are a backlog what we call podcasts on the website.

[506] Go to vmpr .org.

[507] You see all the Bishop Strickland's shows.

[508] Also, all the other shows that we do here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[509] Thanks for supporting us in this mission of truth with charity and clarity.

[510] And as Bishop Strickland just gave a blessing to all of us, may God richly bless you and your family.

[511] We'll see again next week.

[512] God love you.

[513] Thank you.