01 Jun 21 – Bishop Strickland Speaks Out for LIFE

[0] Welcome.

[1] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[2] My name is Terry Barber, with Virgin Most Powerful radio, and I have the honor to share the gospel with a successor of the apostle, Bishop Joseph Strickland.

[3] Welcome, Bishop.

[4] Thanks, Terry.

[5] Thank you for coming again and again every week to share the gospel through the catechism of the Catholic Church and also your tweets.

[6] The first tweet that you had was about St. Bede.

[7] You said he was born in England, a Benedictine.

[8] He was the most observant and happy.

[9] of all monks.

[10] His writings were so full of sound doctrine that he was called the venerable while still alive.

[11] That says something.

[12] He wrote commentaries on scripture, treaties on theology and history, and also mathematics, I understand from, I'm studying him right now for a good reason.

[13] Bishop Strickland, you mentioned that today about St. Bede, and it seems that the church at that time of his life, and it was the eighth, ninth century, was living a life of a luxury and worldiness, not unlike today.

[14] And Bishop Strickland, I read from a Norbertine priest who shared this with me that this St. Bede actually got laypeople fired up to call their priests and bishops to fidelity of their own vocation, and that the lay people were part of the restoration of the faith.

[15] Do you think maybe St. Bede might be a patron for today?

[16] Yes, I do.

[17] And we need the laity to, we need all believers, whether they're their bishops or priests or deacons or catechists or whoever they are, just good, faithful Catholics in the pews.

[18] We all need to believe more deeply and to call people to that belief, whoever they are.

[19] We're all just the children of God, ultimately, all the titles.

[20] I cherish my priesthood and my call to serve as a priest of Jesus Christ, but ultimately we all have the same obligation to live out our baptism.

[21] And the different vocations are just beautiful paths for living our baptism.

[22] So we all need to call each other to that standard of living as those baptized in the Father, Son, and Spirit.

[23] Well, said, well, Bishop Strickland, you also tweeted earlier, we had Father James Altman on the radio Monday talking about how he has been asked not to be the pastor of a parish in Wisconsin, and now he's getting a canon lawyer to go through the normal process of dialoguing and working it out with the bishop, but you said Father James Altman is in trouble for speaking the truth.

[24] I would agree with you.

[25] I originally supported him when he spoke bold truth during the election.

[26] I continue to support him for speaking the truth in Jesus Christ.

[27] He inspires many to keep the faith during these dark days.

[28] Let us pray for him.

[29] As a matter of fact, before you respond, Bishop Strickland, there's nearly $200 ,000 that has been raised for his legal defense by lay people.

[30] And I think what happened is that he made a little spark in people because he has been saying things that haven't been said for 40 or 50 years and as a layman I'm going it's about time man look at this guy's calling it for what it is and he's speaking the truth now he might not be the most friendly language you know in other words he doesn't say it like I would probably say it a much more gentle way but that's my personality his personality as a lawyer this man used to teach lawyers to become lawyers so there's he's a very, you know, straightforward approach, and that might offend some people, but the bottom line, Bishop Strickland, you tweeted that you're supporting his approach to, just on his approach to his language to going out and saying, look, we have a crisis on our hands, and it's a crisis of people not knowing their Catholic faith.

[31] Absolutely.

[32] And as we were talking before, Father Altman has expressed opinions that I don't agree with.

[33] But when he teaches, what the church teaches, it's not his opinion, like we've talked about before.

[34] If I express my opinion and you don't agree, it's a free country, thankfully, still.

[35] But I don't believe, maybe I'm wrong, but I don't believe that Father Altman is being removed because of opinions he's expressed, but because he's expressed some Catholic teaching that people don't want to hear.

[36] Catholic teaching is not opinion.

[37] That's right.

[38] He has expressed some opinions that I don't agree with.

[39] We have different ideas.

[40] But when it comes to teaching the truth, it's real easy.

[41] Turn to the catechism.

[42] Yeah.

[43] Abortion's wrong.

[44] Gay marriage is wrong.

[45] Those kind of things that he says are right there in the catechism.

[46] If we go over to maybe some opinions that he's expressed, sure, we're going to be in different places on some of those opinions.

[47] And like you said, he may not say it in a very politically correct way, even expressing his opinions.

[48] He's a pretty volatile personality.

[49] But my point is if he's teaching the truth of the gospel, he needs support.

[50] Amen.

[51] If it's all about his opinions, then that needs to be corrected.

[52] But that's not what I've heard people either supporting him for or concerned about.

[53] Instead, it's the basic teaching of the Catholic faith.

[54] And so that's what I want to support because I've talked to too many priests that are not being allowed or are being removed or for various ways they are not supported in teaching the basic message of the gospel, the deposit of faith that I've promised to guard like every bishop does.

[55] So yeah, Father Altman becomes controversial, mainly I believe, because of the gospel truth that he teaches.

[56] If we want to get into opinions that we disagree with, then okay.

[57] And there are plenty of opinions that I may disagree with.

[58] But the gospel truth is clear.

[59] And that's what we, we really have to move away from the idea that even the Catholic faith is just whatever opinions I have.

[60] It's what did Christ teach us?

[61] What has been revealed to us?

[62] That's what we all have to return to, and that's what our effort is.

[63] I want to, you know, take advantage of your great radio program and tell people that we're looking for some great, joyful, Orthodox Catholic teachers and a Catholic principal for Bishop Gorman High School in Tyler, Texas.

[64] So if anyone listening themselves or knows of someone who is a well -formed Catholic principle who wants to guide a strong, joyful Catholic school inviting everyone.

[65] It's not just Catholics we want to invite.

[66] Christ said, go out to all nations and preach the gospel.

[67] That's what he said to the apostles.

[68] We believe that the Catholic Church is the font of that truth, the deposit of faith.

[69] So I invite anyone interested in contact me. Well, I'm glad you're going to do that because I know people who are wanting to move to more people coming in.

[70] Bishop Strickland, you seem to endorse anybody, whether it's a priest, a bishop, or a layman, who comes out and speaks the truth about what the church teaches.

[71] And I know Bishop, a wall out of Gallup, New Mexico, has been known for his orthodoxy.

[72] In other words, he just teaches the faith.

[73] It's not his personal opinion.

[74] It's what he teaches.

[75] And you tweeted on May 23rd, you thank the Bishop Wall for speaking as a pastor.

[76] It seems everything is politicized at this point.

[77] But as you remind us, just because it's politicized, doesn't mean we can abdicate our pastor responsibility.

[78] So, yeah, your point is, you know, we have to speak out even when it's unpopular.

[79] But is that something you just want to support your brother bishops when they come out with such strong language?

[80] Absolutely.

[81] They, you know, every shepherd needs support.

[82] We're just human and we can we can make mistakes.

[83] We can get off track.

[84] But when I see one taking the stance of the truth and willing to put themselves at risk, I mean, Tara, have to acknowledge that we're living in a time that's a dangerous time, a dangerous time in the church, a dangerous time in this nation, a dangerous time in the world.

[85] It's dangerous to speak up.

[86] And that's why I want to support Bishop Wall and Archbishop Cordione and Archbishop Aquila, the ones that speak up, the truth.

[87] But I believe it's more dangerous to stay silent.

[88] Because not everybody's saying silent.

[89] And if the people that have the truth of Jesus Christ, if we stay silent, the culture is going to speak up and tell people things that are false that we can manipulate our own lives and manipulate our own bodies.

[90] And we can do all kinds of things that are simply not the truth that Christ has revealed to us.

[91] So it's a dangerous time but I believe it's more dangerous to not speak up, to remain silent, especially as bishops, priests, and deacons, those ordained to preach the word, to share the truth.

[92] It's more dangerous to stay silent than it is to speak up.

[93] And believe me, it gets a little dangerous to speak up because people don't want the truth.

[94] Right.

[95] Yeah, you pay a price for it.

[96] I get that.

[97] And when we come back from the break, you have a quote from 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 19 to 20 that really says a lot about receiving God's word and responding to that word with the truth of the gospel.

[98] So when we come back, we'll tease everybody.

[99] It's a great quote from the Bible, 1 Corinthians.

[100] We come back, open up your Bible, the 1 Corinthians chapter 6, verse 19 to 20.

[101] You're listening to the Bishop Strickland Hour on a virgin, most of you.

[102] powerful radio.

[103] Stay with us for more.

[104] It's an inspire you to call deeper love, Jesus and Jesus.

[105] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland.

[106] I don't know about you, but I sure enjoy listening to the Bishop speak with such clarity.

[107] You know, Bishop, last week I was at a Walmart, and a lady came up to me and said, Terry, I hadn't seen her in years.

[108] She said, I just, would you do me a favor?

[109] Tell Bishop Strickland.

[110] I love that he's teaching from the catechism.

[111] And he's And you know what she said, Bishop?

[112] She said, it's about time we have some bishop.

[113] Take the catechism and just read the verses and share it.

[114] He said, it's simple, but she says, she says she loves it.

[115] She's sharing it with her children or grandchildren.

[116] So I told her I'd make sure I'd tell you that, Bishop Strickland.

[117] I'm sure there's others that feel the same way.

[118] All right.

[119] Thanks, Terry.

[120] You bet.

[121] Now, First Corinthians chapter 6, verse 19 to 20.

[122] I'll read it, then you can comment.

[123] You must know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.

[124] who is within the spirit you have received from God.

[125] You are not your own.

[126] You have been purchased and at a price.

[127] So glorify God in your body.

[128] And then you point out that our culture needs to heed this message profoundly.

[129] Tell me why you put that in.

[130] Well, glorify God with your body.

[131] Yeah.

[132] We're so far from that.

[133] Yeah, you think?

[134] And so many ways that it's really tragic.

[135] It's a tragedy for humanity today, how far we are, really across the globe in this country, but really across the globe with mass media and all the things that we see, all the advertisements, the movies, the culture, not just movies, but how people live.

[136] Glorify God through your body.

[137] it's just it almost sounds like something that people have never heard of.

[138] I mean, and I'm sure a lot of people say, you know, these God people, oh, they believe in God.

[139] But even many believers have no concept of glorifying God with your body.

[140] And certainly, Terry, as Jesse Romero alluded to, the, problems below the belt, as you say, the problems with chastity for men and women are tremendous.

[141] But glorifying God through your body is, there are there so many other ways of recognizing as that passage says very clearly, you've been purchased for a price, you are not your own.

[142] We are both of us and every human being on the planet.

[143] Right.

[144] We need to develop that attitude that we are in a borrowed home.

[145] We are, we don't own this body.

[146] This has been given to us as a gift.

[147] And it's been given the opportunity for everlasting life through Jesus Christ.

[148] That's what it means when it says we've been purchased for a price.

[149] The price was the suffering and death of the Son of God.

[150] God.

[151] And he bought our salvation through his suffering and through his resurrection, showed us what it means to glorify God through our body.

[152] He did it first.

[153] He glorifies the Father and the Spirit through his resurrected body as he ascends into the heavens.

[154] We need to realize that in how we care for our body.

[155] I haven't heard as much during the whole COVID situation.

[156] But, you know, we've all seen the studies about the obesity problem in our culture.

[157] There are just so many ways that we're not glorifying God with our bodies.

[158] It's not all just sexual, yes, that's important.

[159] But glorifying God with how you use your bodies and work for producing something valuable.

[160] that I'm sure it's the same way in California there are many especially the restaurants but there are many companies that are begging people to come to work big time part of glorifying God with your body is to do meaningful work instead people are getting a check from the government and they're just sitting at home that is that is not charity that's right I agree that is not love that is not what people need.

[161] May 1st, we're at the end of May. May 1st, we celebrated St. Joseph the Worker.

[162] Right.

[163] St. Joseph, the adoptive father of Jesus, a great model and reminder, we're built to work.

[164] That makes our lives meaningful to accomplish something, to build something, to help others, to do good things.

[165] that is glorifying God through our bodies to use our hands to use our feet to use our intellects to glorify God but we're so not focused on that people certainly in the in the sexual areas it's like it's my my body my choice we hear that kind of thing and we we we we We really, as humanity, we have to wake up.

[166] We have to wake up to what life is really about and where it comes from.

[167] And who paid the price?

[168] God's own son paid the price for us to be able to live in the possibility of everlasting life and make every moment of this journey meaningful because of where we're headed.

[169] That's one thing I think we've forgotten as well.

[170] well it's all connected it is but just think about taking a trip yeah get in your car take a trip if you know where you're going then every mile is meaningful because of where you're headed maybe i'm going to visit family or maybe going to visit friends or maybe going to some kind of celebration maybe it's the ordination of a bishop every mile along that journey means something because it's getting you closer to the goal of that celebration of that event we need to look at our lives in the same way and glorify god by making doing our best to make every step along the way part of that goal part of reaching our everlasting goal and and then every step along the way becomes meaningful.

[171] We've just lost sight of so much of the truth, but the truth is still there.

[172] God hasn't changed.

[173] God hasn't gone away.

[174] The sacrifice of Jesus didn't disappear, but we've got to embrace it once again, and we will.

[175] Like you were mentioning, St. Be the venerable.

[176] He lived centuries ago in a time that needed to be reawakened to the reality of who we are.

[177] probably there have been moments of one significance or another in every century and certainly now in the early years of the 21st century we're in year 2021 so we got 79 more years to go in the 21st century and in these early years we've lost a lot of of what it means i mean i could go on and on because glorifying god through our bodies really begins to touch on everything it means to be human.

[178] And you know, Bishop Strickland, you're echoing the Second Vatican Council's call for us laity to sanctify the temporal order.

[179] We lay people are supposed to do that.

[180] And I think of what Fulton Sheen, well, I'm listening to you, two things came up, Vatican 2 and Fulton Sheen saying, every action is like a blank check.

[181] If Christ's name is on it, it has infinite value.

[182] And this is something that our lady of Fatima talks about and are fulfilling the duties at our state and life.

[183] when I was taught this as a teenager that I glorify God doing my homework, Bishop Strickland, I got to tell you something, that was revolutionary.

[184] And then this is the kind of stuff that changes hearts to Christ.

[185] And I just think we have to get back to the fundamental teachings of why we're here and where we're going.

[186] So thank you for that little dissertation.

[187] Bishop Strickland, you also tweeted, and I love this, the first couple words, let us be bold in Jesus Christ sound like John Paul too he is the Lord of life no matter how much our modern world rejects him let us be bold and I might add joyful and full of hope in him no matter the darkness of the day so many wonder more deeply into darkness when we reject his truth we diminish ourselves what a powerful message through the world today I love it Yeah, and we need to hear it.

[188] We need to recognize we're surrounded by so much that is really not essential, not, we don't need.

[189] But we're missing so much that we desperately need.

[190] We need to get things back in order.

[191] Amen.

[192] And you know, you quoted Bishop Sheen.

[193] I love this quote, but I'm going to give my quote first and then I'll get you yours because I thought this quote that I got out of the quotable Sheen, in 1967 about secularization, because you're speaking like Fulton Sheen.

[194] He says, why, oh, sorry, I already got this once.

[195] Oh, no, I didn't give it to.

[196] I gave it you off the air, sorry.

[197] Why are we deluged with books about secularization of Christianity?

[198] He says, Bishop Sheen says, because the world cannot see any great difference between the way we act and the way it acts.

[199] No one could influence the world who is too identified with the world.

[200] Bishop Strickland, if I was at your bishop, conference, which I know is virtual, but if I was there and they let me say something, that's what I would tell the bishops today when I'm telling you what Fulton Sheen says.

[201] Let's be at odds with the world.

[202] Let's tell them the good news of Jesus Christ and not tell them what the world is telling us because they're not going to move hearts to Christ with that.

[203] Okay, Bishop Strickland, I said it.

[204] What are your thoughts?

[205] Well, you remind me of where it says in scripture, be in the world but not of the world.

[206] in the church and otherwise where too much humanity is too much of the world in the world absolutely and of the world and it's as if this passing world is all that matters yeah that's the whole focus all that counts and that's simply not the truth it's depressing and you read about st. b yes the venerable and i love st philip neri that we celebrate just recently as well.

[207] These saints lived 70, 80 years, which is a long life back then.

[208] For us, 80 years is still a long life.

[209] Oh, yeah.

[210] It's a drop in the bucket.

[211] It is not meaningful in comparison to everlasting life.

[212] And the saints are celebrated as people who live their 80 years or their 70 years or whatever length of time, they lived it with a commitment to Christ.

[213] And that's why they're canonized saints.

[214] There was a letter that I was sent by a seminarian that was leaving the seminary.

[215] And his question was, why should I stay Catholic?

[216] I mean, a very troubling letter that I commented on and several commented on.

[217] but somebody said they're where I don't know where they got the number but they said there's 6 ,000 canonized saints and their point was there's 6 ,000 reasons why you should stay Catholic because we're all called to be saints and I thought that was a great response not kidding because young people like this seminarian they need hope they need to be reminded of everything we're talking about.

[218] They need to remember that Jesus Christ is the Lord of good news.

[219] He's the way, the truth, and the life.

[220] He's not gone.

[221] He's still with us.

[222] Well, said, we'll be having more with with Bishop Strickland.

[223] Catechism and Catholic Christians.

[224] One more quote.

[225] Stay with me. Bishop Strickland, you're giving me hope for this was hope in Christ.

[226] And I think of what you tweeted about Bolton J. Sheen when you said, well, he said it.

[227] You quoted Bishop Sheen, we do not know the future holds.

[228] Whether the battle will be bloody or unbloody, we only know that the world is beginning to polarize.

[229] And the good are becoming better and the bad are becoming worse.

[230] Whether swords will be used, we do not know.

[231] Whether they will be sheathed or unsheathed.

[232] We do not know.

[233] There is only one thing that we do know.

[234] I love this.

[235] That is, that if the truth wins, we win.

[236] And if the truth, ah, and then, ah, but the truth can't lose.

[237] In other words, it's the truth that sets us free.

[238] And, you know, Bishop Sheen said that, I think, 67 years ago, I'm thinking Bishop Strickland, you're giving, just like the saints.

[239] Personally, I'll just give you my take.

[240] I think Bishop Sheen one day will be canonized, okay?

[241] When the church realizes that, I mean, he was bian, to fight close, and then some of his enemies got involved, the humanity of the church.

[242] But I really consider his writings as good as any of the saints.

[243] And it seems to me like you're quoting him on a regular basis.

[244] Yeah, and I agree.

[245] I think one day, and many of the saints, if you look, sometimes they were canonized fairly soon after death.

[246] Many times it took centuries.

[247] And I think that's a good reminder for all of us, I in prayer am often reminded, God's timeless.

[248] Yeah.

[249] And that's a great point.

[250] You know, we're so caught up in how long's it take and, you know, the timelines and everything.

[251] That's our nature.

[252] That's, we're preachers.

[253] Right.

[254] But we do need to remember that, that timeless reality of God.

[255] And so, and the reality is if Fulton Sheen is a saint, which by definition, if he's, in the beatific vision with god yeah that's that's the reality whether the church as an institution ever canonizes him or not i mean it certainly it should happen i believe but what we have to remember is god's ways are not our ways and archbishop fulton sheen if he lived the saint saintly life that certainly his writings indicate.

[256] And hopefully many of us who are never going to be known like Fulton Sheen, we're also called to be saints.

[257] Very likely not canonized, but I'm sure we both have relatives in our families that have passed that, you know, frankly, if my Australian grandmother isn't in heaven, you know, I'm sunk.

[258] I'm you, brother.

[259] I got a grandma like that, too.

[260] I'm sunk.

[261] Yeah.

[262] So canonization, certainly, it should happen to recognize those who have gained that kind of notoriety, but, you know, we're all called to be saints.

[263] And so in that light, I believe Fulton Sheen, every indication is, is that he's with God in heaven.

[264] So he's a saint.

[265] Amen.

[266] Before we get to one of my favorite catechism verses, which is 166, it's about evangelization, I just want all of our listeners to be praying for you next week, because you've got a bishop's conference coming up, and there is a little bit of controversy.

[267] It doesn't seem like it should be, but Bishop Gomez, my archbishop in Los Angeles, is the president of the bishop's conference, and he received a letter from over 60 of your brother bishops asking Bishop Gomez to take out of the agenda a question about the issue of Holy Communion for politicians, who are for abortion, like President Biden.

[268] And I can speculate on why they want that, but I'm really disappointed that they're trying to pressure Archbishop Gomez to do that.

[269] Now, as far as I know, as of yesterday, it is still on the agenda.

[270] And I see that there are other bishops who obviously think differently.

[271] What is your take on this issue of politicians receiving Holy Communion, where they're objectively promoting abortion?

[272] and what do you think of these letters that are going out?

[273] Well, honestly, Terry, I find the whole thing frustrating because President Joe Biden is only president, only a politician in our perspective.

[274] Yeah.

[275] I think we need to remember God's perspective, especially as pastors, and simply ask ourselves as pastors, how do we best help this son of God grow closer to God in this world and be with God in eternity?

[276] Isn't that the job of pastors, the salvation of souls?

[277] Yes.

[278] So to me, all of the political maneuvering, whether it's within the bishop's conference or individual bishops, I think we're missing the point.

[279] Yeah.

[280] We need to, the teaching of the church is the same.

[281] Clear too.

[282] The deposit of faith hasn't changed.

[283] The deposit of faith says, I mean, on a certain level, we say it at every mass. Lord, I'm not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

[284] Amen.

[285] We all need to say that with.

[286] real conviction every time we pray that at mass because it's the absolute truth.

[287] Amen.

[288] None of us are worthy.

[289] Exactly.

[290] But we all need to be doing our very best to strive for that worthiness, asking ourselves, have I repented of my own personal sin?

[291] Have I gone to confession recently enough that I can dare to approach the Eucharistic altar and receive the body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.

[292] If I'm doubtful, it's appropriate to say, well, I'm not sure maybe I should refrain until I go to confession again.

[293] Certainly, people can become scrupulous and say, well, I'll never be worthy.

[294] They're right.

[295] But scrupulosity is probably not one of the big problems we have in the world today.

[296] I don't, I mean, certainly, I've run into people that we're with scrupulosity.

[297] And in kindness, we need to help them understand that none of us can be perfect.

[298] And if we're waiting to receive the body of Christ until after we're perfect, then we'll never be able to receive him.

[299] He died and rose from the dead to nurture us.

[300] He gave us his body and blood, soul and divinity, to feed us, to strengthen us, to grow in holiness.

[301] As he sent this Holy Spirit that we just celebrated at Pentecost.

[302] So that's the kind of focus we need with Joe Biden and George Smith and Monica Jones and Fred Bell and everybody, all the people of God in whatever country where we as bishops are pastors.

[303] So I think we need to remember what our role is, like we were talking about before.

[304] We are men.

[305] that are to shepherd the people of God away from being of the world.

[306] Yes, we're in the world, but we're here to transform the world in the truth and grace that God offers us, in the revealed truth.

[307] So that's what we need to tell Joe Biden, every senator, every congressman, every governor, every person.

[308] And really to remember that we need to be pastors guiding every person.

[309] person, not just the Catholics.

[310] I mean, yes, it's a question.

[311] It's a specific question because Joe Biden claims to be a faithful Catholic, but he's contradicting if he receives communion, but signs all these abortion bills.

[312] He's contradicting himself.

[313] He needs a pastor to talk to him and say, President Biden, Joe, son of God, you need to reconcile this.

[314] Either say, oh, I've decided I really don't believe in what the church teaches.

[315] And so I'm really not Catholic any longer.

[316] I mean, that's his choice.

[317] But if he is claiming to be Catholic, he needs to pay attention to what the church teaches.

[318] And to me, it's as simple as that, as bishops, as pastors, we need to call him to reconcile his life.

[319] And if he needs the sacrament of reconciliation, it's available.

[320] But he needs to have a change of heart.

[321] You can't just go through the motions for any of us.

[322] It's not just Joe Biden.

[323] It's Joe Strickland.

[324] It's Terry Barber.

[325] It's all of us.

[326] Amen.

[327] If I haven't changed my life to the best of my ability, and it's only by the grace of God in our cooperation with that grace that we can overcome sin and grow in sanctity, grow in virtue.

[328] But that's what we're obligated to do.

[329] And I think a lot of it, Terry, comes down to too many of us in the Catholic community don't necessarily believe that what President Biden is doing is wrong.

[330] And until we get united on that, then we're not going to make much progress in pastor.

[331] people if we're pastoring them in different directions.

[332] I mean, that's pretty chaotic.

[333] And it is pretty chaotic.

[334] Yeah, I agree with you.

[335] Totally on that.

[336] And, you know, I would just say this, and I know this is embarrassing to say to a bishop, but I'm going to say it, Bishop Strickland.

[337] I've watched the Bishop's conference where one of the bishops said that 60 % of our funding comes from the government, and we have to be careful we don't lose that funding.

[338] and I would say this to the bishops conference if I was there gentlemen we as lay people will give you more money whatever your needs are but please don't compromise with the government because I think that if we think the government is there to be the answer for us that they're looking in the wrong place and so I know that sounds kind of hard to tell you bishop that but that's just the facts I really truly believe that when the bishops come out strongly on issues it actually motivates us to be more generous at church.

[339] So that's my take.

[340] When we come back from the break, I want to ask you, Bishop Strickland, paragraph 166 of the catechism, everybody can go and get their catechism out.

[341] This is the paragraph that I point out in my book how to show your faith with anyone gets me excited to come here every day, every week with Bishop Strickland and every day at work here at Virgin Most Powerful because I am exercising my faith in a very very direct way i get to share my love for jesus christ on the airwaves i get to share jesus christ when people call me at 930 last night says i'm non -catholic but i have a question about the catholic faith and i spent a half hour with the lady and she's all pumped and i'm pumped because she gave me an opportunity to share it well paragraph 166 is going to give you the answer what makes me tick and i think it'll make you tick we'll come back stay with us on the bishop's welcome back to the bishop strickman hour we're now going to have our section of the catechism of the catholic church and i just received a call just while we're going here on my text the lady says send me a catechism i need one i love your show i said okay we'll get that to her but we're on paragraph 166 it's article 2 we believe again i want to read this paragraph because this really is what motivates many people to share the gospel.

[342] It says faith is a personal act, the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals himself.

[343] But faith is not an isolated act.

[344] No one can believe alone, just as no one can live alone.

[345] You have not given yourself faith as you have not given yourself life.

[346] I love that line.

[347] The believer has received faith from others.

[348] and should hand it on to others.

[349] Our love for Jesus and our neighbor, I love this word, impels us to speak to others about our faith.

[350] Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers.

[351] I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith, I help support others in the faith.

[352] That's a mouthful, but Bishop Strickland, you're i mean somebody passed on the faith to you was it your grandma i mean somebody yeah well it is a chain because it was my parents and their parents and their parents and not perfect none of none of us are perfect but um the faith gets passed on yeah and that's by by god's design that's why the family's so important that's why the marriage of a mother and father are is so important because that the home is is really that seed bed where faith develops and this paragraph really has so many paragraphs in the catechism it says a lot in just a few words but it reminds us that faith is not an isolated act it's not just checking a box and I think that too often, that's how even people that would consider themselves committed Catholics, we have a tendency to just humanly, and certainly in our culture here in the United States, that, you know, sort of one and done.

[353] We say, yeah, check the box.

[354] I'm Catholic, or I'm a member of the church.

[355] But it's about relationships, and I think that's what this paragraph gets into.

[356] If we just say, we check the box and say, I'm Catholic, but then don't go to Mass and don't continue to study and don't interact and don't support the community, don't do some corporal works of mercy, helping others, don't get involved, then our faith, as the scripture says, faith without acts is kind of meaningless.

[357] So one nurtures the other, and I think that's what this paragraph is saying better than I can.

[358] each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers.

[359] If we think about that for a moment, like we said, I'm sure your grandparents and their grandparents and their grandparents and mine, they bring us to this moment where in a world that many people have abandoned their faith, and that's always a choice.

[360] I mean, sort of the other side of faith is a personal act.

[361] lack of faith is a personal act as well and neither are isolated we need habits of faith we need good habits holy habits I said holy habits I heard a preacher say that I thought I get it in other words you say your prayers in the morning first thing you do get up say your act you know say your offering of the day your morning offering you know these are just I'm sorry to jump in, but it's just, it's things that we can do as a holy habit to offer it to God, our whole day.

[362] So, anyhow, I love that.

[363] And we do things, we do so many things every day pretty much automatically.

[364] I mean, you don't, you know, get up and say, I wonder if I'll go brush my teeth or not.

[365] You just go brush your teeth.

[366] Yeah.

[367] But it, faith needs to, and certainly it can't just be a ritual that becomes meaningless.

[368] But hopefully it, those daily choices, you know, those daily choices, help us to grow more and to make other choices to recognize that all the stuff that the world throws out us is it can be good, but we only need a limited amount of it and we need to share.

[369] I mean, all those things come from making that choice to really believe in God and his son and the power of his spirit.

[370] And Bishop Strickland, one of the things that you've talked about throughout the time I've been with you is the need for silence in one's life with the world being so noisy.

[371] I think that you've said this over and over again.

[372] I relate to this because we have the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel 50 feet away where we can visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

[373] My question to you is, how important, again, is taking a quiet time.

[374] to pray without distractions of the world.

[375] Is that something that we should be doing on a daily basis?

[376] Yeah, I believe it's essential.

[377] I do too.

[378] And just like the creation story talks about God working for six days and on the seventh day resting, I think we have to apply that to every day as well.

[379] There's a certain amount of rest that we need and not just sleep, but letting ourselves rest from the busy.

[380] of life and silence is a good way to do that.

[381] So I do believe, and I really, my theory is that we fill the world with so much noise.

[382] Because when it's silent, where do you turn?

[383] And you start to, just humanly, you start to reflect and you start to think about things.

[384] And a lot of times we don't want to.

[385] And what I think people need to remember is to allow themselves to experience some silence.

[386] And if, you know, if they get a little guilty, there's always confession.

[387] If allowing that silence brings up some things that they've been wanting to pretend weren't going on in their life, the silence is serving that good purpose of maybe pricking.

[388] their conscience to say, maybe I need to make some changes.

[389] But we need, I do believe that we need silence, and it's part of making that faith choice that this paragraph talks about.

[390] And Bishop Strickland, I know you've spoken many times about Eucharistic adoration, especially when our Lord is exposed in the Blessed Sacrament, that I have seen miracles take place in my own life where people are adoring Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, where conversions have taken place.

[391] And I just, I mean, I like being before our Lord in the tabernacle.

[392] Don't get me wrong, we can do that.

[393] But every Thursday night from 7 p .m. to 9, we have our Lord exposed on the altar.

[394] That's when we pray for bishops and priests and the Holy Father as part of our spirituality as the Opus Angeloam, the work of the angels.

[395] And so you can count on our prayers for priests, and the Holy Father, but that time before their blessed sacrament is like, wow.

[396] I mean, we pray the rosary, we say some prayer, but we have silence there, and it's like a special time to be with our Lord.

[397] And I just like once a week, I'm going to encourage people, if they have an adoration chapel in their diocese, it's worth a drive once a week to be with our, you know, exposed Eucharistic Lord, because I really think it's a taste of heaven.

[398] Absolutely.

[399] And if we really believe he's there, then we want to be in his presence and be aware.

[400] It puts everything in perspective.

[401] And so absolutely, I encourage prayer before a tabernacle, as you said, because Christ is there.

[402] He's present.

[403] But that visible presence in the form of consecrated bread, oh yeah we're human we we need that visible sign and they're praying before christ in the form of the consecrated host and i love i love to reflect on that word you what is that we use host oh yeah the the the bread is the host of the presence of the son of god never thought of that before we we don't see him the way but we know that it is his body and blood soul and divinity But I love that we use that word for the host.

[404] I mean, you know, people, I mean, I've known a lot of non -Catholic would say, oh, yeah, that cracker.

[405] It's not a cracker.

[406] We don't say, you know, even certainly not after it's consecrated, but even before, it's called a host for a reason.

[407] Yeah.

[408] Because it is the host.

[409] It's the presence hidden under the form of.

[410] bread and wine, but it truly is the body and blood, soul, and divinity.

[411] So that bread hosts the Lord of the universe.

[412] And I just love to think of it in those terms, because it helps us to get beyond what our senses are telling us.

[413] Well, that's just a little flat piece of bread.

[414] Yeah.

[415] No. After consecration, it is totally transformed.

[416] I was talking to our, some of the, I mean, a lot of confirmations lately, and I was telling the young people that I asked them, are they going to look different after they're confirmed in the Catholic faith?

[417] No, they're not going to look different, but they will be different.

[418] The same thing with the host.

[419] It doesn't look different from the moment the priest picks it up and then places it after the words of consecration.

[420] There's no moment.

[421] I can imagine a little kid watching to see when it changes.

[422] You don't see any visible change.

[423] But we believe in those invisible realities that are more real in many ways than the visible things we can see.

[424] And so praying before the Lord in the consecrated host in a monstrance can be a great blessing and very fruitful because he's there.

[425] The Lord of all, the Lord of all truth is right there present before us.

[426] Bishop Strickland, it's refreshing to hear a bishop speak about the real presence because we're in a church right now where 80 % of the Catholics don't believe in the real presence for a lack of knowledge, not disbelief.

[427] They just haven't been taught that.

[428] I know that for a fact.

[429] So thank you for that beautiful dissertation about their belief in the real presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.

[430] Could you give us a blessing before we have?

[431] to run please sure almighty god we ask your blessing for everyone listening to virgin most powerful radio that they may be guided in your truth uplifted in their sorrows and struggles and strengthened in the joy of your holy spirit and we ask this in the name of the father the son of the holy spirit amen thank you bishop strickland appreciate it book you can hear all of these shows by going to vmpr .org all the podcast all the different shows that we have that hopefully will help you fall deeper in love with Jesus Christ and His Bride the Church.

[432] Our role as a lay organization is the Catholic Church proclaims the perennial teachings of the Catholic Church.

[433] May God richly bless you and your family, and we like to say full sheen ahead here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[434] God love you.

[435] See you next week.