14 Nov 23 – Long Live Christ the King!

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber, and we're catching up with the good bishop.

[2] He just came back from Rome.

[3] Bishop Strickland, welcome, my friend.

[4] Thanks, Terry.

[5] Thank you.

[6] And gosh, I think about your trip, and I think our listeners would love to know what happened and a little bit of your trip.

[7] And so if you can just share a little bit with our listeners why you went to Rome and what was there.

[8] We'd appreciate it.

[9] Sure.

[10] It was a gathering of faithful Catholics from 23 countries there to really speak against the movement of globalism, which seems to be so distant from Christ.

[11] So Cardinal Mueller was there and some other great speakers.

[12] And it was just a great opportunity.

[13] opportunity to meet a lot of people from, like I said, 23 countries.

[14] There was one woman from Uganda that gave a marvelous presentation.

[15] And just people of strong faith, joyful in the Lord, and concern about some of the things we're hearing.

[16] But ultimately, always going back to hope and joy and strength in Jesus Christ.

[17] So it was good.

[18] Now, Bishop Athanasia Snyder, was there.

[19] Was he not?

[20] No, he wasn't.

[21] Oh, I thought he was scheduled to be there.

[22] Okay.

[23] He may have, he was, I know he'd been in Rome just before that, but he wasn't at the conference.

[24] Okay, no problem.

[25] And so your presentation that you gave, can you kind of give us a summary of the points you were making?

[26] And I got to believe, I know, but you never preach about anything but Jesus Christ.

[27] So what was the message for your talk to the group?

[28] Well, it was basically framed in the context of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.

[29] Oh, yeah.

[30] And my, I guess you could say the theme of my talk was recognizing that we are all that unnamed disciple.

[31] There's one disciple that is named in that story, and then there's another that is just the second disciple.

[32] And I thought it was a good way to look at that, that we're all on our road to Emmaus, with the Lord revealing what scripture means to us.

[33] Our hearts are burning as we encounter that truth.

[34] And then, ultimately, for all of us, we recognize the same Lord that they did in a different way, but just as powerfully and just as truly in the breaking of the bread, in the Eucharist.

[35] So that's what I emphasized and talked about some of the great saints.

[36] I shared a letter rather challenging that was to me. I shared it because one of the things that was interesting, and I mentioned this to the people, I think more and more for all of us who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the universe, as we'll celebrate soon, I think I'm learning, and I would encourage all of us, all people of faith, to speak of providence more than coincidence.

[37] Yes.

[38] And certainly, that doesn't mean every breath we take that God.

[39] is directing that.

[40] But I think there are providential moments that we need to pay attention to and that I'm learning to pay more attention to.

[41] And one of the providential moment for me was I had decided to begin.

[42] I talked about several saints and their road to Emmaus.

[43] And I was going to talk about Ignatius of Antio.

[44] this letter that I was sent, it quoted a couple of times Ignatius of Antioch.

[45] And so to me that was providential that these great saints really do need to, we need to pay attention to them.

[46] They're people of the past, but real people like us, of course we know, really what we know of Ignatius of Antioch is basically what he wrote as he was on the road to murdered him.

[47] seven letters that he wrote.

[48] And so that was the gist of the talk that I gave, encouraging, and certainly the people there were very committed Catholics and very strong believers.

[49] But we all need that encouragement and support in remaining strong in our faith.

[50] And, you know, that's really what the conference was about was being strong in our faith.

[51] in the midst of a lot of confusion and a lot of doubt and a lot of contradiction of what we know is the truth.

[52] And you know, Bishop Strickland, that just leads me before we get to Cardinal Mueller's presentation, confusion.

[53] And again, I'd like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but, you know, I'm a dad, okay?

[54] And if I let my children do, I'll just say immoral things and never say anything to them because I just want to walk with them.

[55] and be their friend, I'm not doing a good job as a dad, okay?

[56] That's just how I see it.

[57] And when I see things like the German bishops asking priests to bless homosexual unions, and then they cite Pope Francis and the Sedanel way, and he basically uses statements from the Pope like whom I to judge, and, you know, they're saying 93 % of the clergy in Germany favor same -sex, blessings, like this is a democratic process rather than revealed truth.

[58] And what I really am trying to convey here is there's 15 million Germans that have said, I leave the Catholic Church in the last 50 years in Germany.

[59] As Germany kept getting more progressive, people kept leaving.

[60] And the reason I bring this up to you, and I don't mean to take all the time on this, I'm just trying to, my point is, is that it seems that everywhere where ambiguity is preached, it doesn't breed conversion to Christ.

[61] It gives people confusion to a point where they go, what do we believe anymore?

[62] And it seems to me, I'm going to just make this comment, and then you can correct me right on the air, I have no problem, but I know, and I did the research in 2006, 2006, there was a South American conference for bishops and this was a big conference and it was the our Pope right now when he was Archbishop Beloglio in Argentina and it was on the Sedonal process senator away of what we've been doing here in Rome now and I convinced Bishop Strickland you correct me but there's a lot of sentiments of liberation theology because it takes the theology from the bottom rather than going to God first.

[63] And so I'm not accusing the Holy Father of trying to be like a liberation of theology, but some of the things that are being said in this process, it seems like we're forgetting Jesus Christ's way where he came out and said, repent and believe in the gospel.

[64] He would walk with people, but when he would walk with people, whether they were sinners, he never just said, well, we'll take you as you are.

[65] He always called people, whether it was the prostitute or whoever in the Bible, he always called them to conversion.

[66] And so it seems to me, and I'll just, I'll shut up, but it seems to me that we need to go back to that world biblical view that revealed truth in the Bible that Jesus taught.

[67] And that is, call people, walk with them, but always include repentance and conversion.

[68] That's all.

[69] Absolutely.

[70] And I think the disciples on the road to Amas is a great image of that.

[71] Christ, the risen Lord, is talking to them and revealing the truth, helping them understand the scriptures as they've been presented, says he begins with the time of Moses and speaks of where the scriptures speak of him.

[72] Yeah.

[73] And I think that what we have to remember, this truth has been revealed to us.

[74] Yes.

[75] And it's not just something that we formulated ourselves.

[76] It didn't grow up out of the people.

[77] It came from God.

[78] Right.

[79] And that's a basic, we believe in a revealed religion.

[80] That's revealed to us.

[81] It's not something that's been formulated by committee.

[82] And I think we really need to recognize Jesus Christ as truth incarnate.

[83] and go from him.

[84] And really, Terry, and that's what I saw with the people there in the conference in Rome.

[85] When we have a true relationship with Christ, when we know him, then we are very comfortable.

[86] We long to know him more deeply and to know his truth more deeply.

[87] But I have to question for some of the people that are calling themselves, Catholic, but trying to take things in a totally different direction, where does Christ fit into the picture?

[88] Do they know him?

[89] Yeah.

[90] Great question.

[91] And if you don't know Christ, how can you know the Father?

[92] Because he says very clearly that he reveals the Father and the Father reveals him.

[93] And I think that the real point for humanity is that Christ has come to reveal God and reveal to us who we are as those created in the image and likeness of God.

[94] We talk about the same things over and over, but I think we need to.

[95] We do.

[96] People are wandering away because they say, oh, I don't agree with that.

[97] And like you said, it's not a democratic process.

[98] It's coming to the truth in our hearts are burning when we hear that truth.

[99] and it begins to change us.

[100] Well, I always say truth is not something we invent, it's something we discover, and it's revealed through Jesus Christ and his love letter, the Bible.

[101] So that's important.

[102] When we come back, we'll talk more about Cardinal Mueller.

[103] He says to bishops, like bishops Strickland and all bishops, must preach Christ crucified, not a cozy up to political elites.

[104] We'll have much more on that when we come back.

[105] Stay with us.

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

[107] Welcome back indeed to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[108] I wanted to, I like to say, need -to -nofile is what I just want to bring up.

[109] Pro -life boycott.

[110] See, lay people are taking action.

[111] They're demanding that CVS and Walgreens stop selling abortion pills.

[112] You know, Bishop Strickland, I don't know about you, but as lay people, we're right within our rights to do something like that, to protect the unbors.

[113] born and say look if you're going to start promoting selling these pills i'm not going to buy from you and i just think that's great and bishop strickland the last one i wanted to know give you a heads up on i'm so impressed with the young people of the church today and i'll tell you why at notre dame they allowed a drag queen hour at notre dame that's outrageous so over 200 students protested you know how they protested.

[114] They got the rosaries out, Bishop Strickland.

[115] They prayed.

[116] After they did their protest by prayers and songs, they went to the chapel and their priest, their chaplain, allowed them to do Eucharistic adoration and then benediction, praying for the school to be converted back to Christ.

[117] Now, Bishop Strickland, that's radical, isn't it?

[118] But I support them in that.

[119] Do you support those students?

[120] It's the kind of radical we need.

[121] Yes.

[122] But they took, See, that's impressive.

[123] 200 of the students, you see the picture of them with their hands folded praying.

[124] I mean, you and I are in our 60s, okay?

[125] This is the future of the church, these young people who are willing to.

[126] Somebody introduced them to the person of Jesus Christ, or they wouldn't be praying that rosary.

[127] They wouldn't be going to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

[128] So anyhow, I get excited when I see young people stand up with their faith like that.

[129] So, again, I commend the students at Notre Dame.

[130] before we get to the Cardinal Mueller presentation, I wanted to bring up Pope Pius the 10th, St. Pope Pius the 10th, because to me, shepherds are gatekeepers for truth, okay?

[131] And the Holy Father said this over a hundred years ago, and Bishop Strickland, I think it applies to you and all shepherds, and it even applies to dads, because we're all have authority.

[132] I just happened to have lesser authority in a bishop, but in my family, I have actually more authority in my family than you do, because I'm the dad.

[133] So here's what the Holy Father said.

[134] How I tremble to think that souls can be punished for all eternity on the account of the negligence of their pastor, that innocent people can be led from the path of truth because the words of the inspired text were never preached to them and that the spirit of the world.

[135] Oh my gosh.

[136] And of our time especially, should pour into ill -instructed minds for want of a firm hand to check its tide.

[137] And this Bishop Strickland just knocked me off my horse when I read this years ago.

[138] The Pope said, I have a sacred duty, and you do too, as you know, to defend the truth openly, for God will ask me to render an account for all those souls who have strayed into the way of perdition.

[139] Now, Bishop Strickland, that's what is going to be put at your exit interview, I'm sure, as a shepherd.

[140] And for me, in a lesser way, as a dad, does that statement by the Pope really resonate with you as a shepherd in the church today?

[141] Absolutely.

[142] It's really a different way of expressing what I've said before that as so many of these controversies started, and I found myself as a successor of the apostles, I felt, you know, for my own salvation, for my own being right with the Lord, that I have to speak.

[143] I have a voice of responsibility.

[144] I'm just one bishop of one relatively small diocese, but I'm still a successor of the apostles.

[145] And as many of the visionaries through the centuries have said those who have seen apparitions of Mary very often it said the silence of the shepherds will not be tolerated and I don't want to be a silent shepherd I think that there's a responsibility to speak the truth to speak it with charity and clarity as we say not to attack anyone to recognize that the messages of the false messages are not, I mean, people are being used as instruments of the false messages, but the false messages come from the father of lies, from Satan.

[146] And that's been, since time immemorial, that's been the truth.

[147] He's trying to lead us into perdition.

[148] And so we've got to speak against that, because the voices of the world are very powerful and very tempting to people, but very often they're the voice of sin and evil the father of lies is the one inspiring those voices you know I read the Romans chapter 12 today because we're recording it I think today's the 7th of November and that particular reading do you mind if I take a quote out of that for a second no and the reason I bring this up to you is because of what you just said The reading today was Romans chapter 12, verse 5 to 16, and see if this sheds light when we talk about Cardinal Mueller's presentation.

[149] St. Paul says, brothers and sisters, we though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another, since we have gifts that differ according to grace given to us.

[150] Let us exercise them.

[151] Now, think about this applying to you, our listener, to me, to Bishop Strickland.

[152] This is a love letter from God giving us our marching page.

[153] He says, if prophecy in proportion to the faith, if ministry and ministering, if one is a teacher and teaching, if one exhorts an exhortation, if one contributes in generosity, if one is over others with diligence, if one does act of mercy with cheerfulness, even in spite of everything, be cheerful.

[154] Let love be sincere.

[155] Hate what is evil.

[156] That's the statement right there I thought about that hate what is evil oh I can hear people saying come on get over let's walk with people that are evil let's let's walk along the the Bible says hate what is evil Bishop Strickland hold on to what is good love one another with mutual affection this is what you're doing as a shepherd anticipate one another and showing honor do not grow slack and zeal right don't you know be fervent in spirit serve the Lord rejoice in hope endure an affliction.

[157] Ender in infliction.

[158] Are you kidding me?

[159] That's such great words for us.

[160] Persevere in prayer.

[161] Contribute to the needs of the Holy Ones.

[162] Exercise hospitality.

[163] Bless those who persecute you.

[164] So when these people attack us for the deposit of faith, God bless you.

[165] That's what we're going to say.

[166] Bless and do not curse them.

[167] Rejoice with those who rejoice.

[168] Weep with those who weep.

[169] Have the same regard for one another.

[170] and do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.

[171] Hey, Bishop Strickland, you're associating with this old bald -headed old man who has no authority in the church, and once a week you come on the air to talk about Jesus Christ and how to fall in love with him.

[172] To me, that's practicing, you know, working with the lowly, because, you know what, I'm not a donor for your diocese.

[173] I do nothing that benefits you, but you decide, you know what, this guy at Virgin Most Powerful Radio, he loves the church.

[174] I do.

[175] And I give my life for it.

[176] And what do you do?

[177] Every week you come on and talk about Jesus Christ.

[178] I think that that speaks volumes on where you're at in the sense of sharing the faith.

[179] Did that reading touch you as much as it touched me today?

[180] Yeah, it's a great reading as so often is the case, just the daily reading to Matt.

[181] If we really listen to them.

[182] And really, Terry, that's what.

[183] One of the things I think about often, it's so easy to be sort of desensitized to what we're hearing and the word of God, to the prayers we're offering.

[184] And I think we need to really be more sensitized, more aware.

[185] I mean, as you say, often I tweet a passage from scripture.

[186] I've been reading through the prophet Ezekiel.

[187] And I tweeted yesterday, I think it was, about the glory of God.

[188] it just really struck me that glory of God.

[189] And it's so easy for us to lose track of that and to get sort of desensitized and to get so caught up in this world that God has created for us to forget that God in his glory is the creator of all.

[190] And I just found it very inspiring those words from the prophet Ezekiel.

[191] We've got to wake up to the power of God's word.

[192] Yeah.

[193] And again, yes, every time you tweet scripture verses, you know, I got to say this, it always touches me, because why wouldn't it touch me?

[194] It's revealed truth.

[195] The Bible is our source.

[196] And I always, I think Cardinal Mueller will even quote this, that scripture, in the sense of the food chain, sorry for the analogy, but when it comes to the food chain, scripture's at the top.

[197] And so we can't change scripture.

[198] I know that one statement, Let's see if I have it here.

[199] God is not going to rewrite the Bible for our generation.

[200] And it says, stop trying to change Scripture when it was written to change you.

[201] I'm just saying that's so true because we're hearing people dressed like you who say Romans is wrong.

[202] That's not right.

[203] We've got to change our morality to be with the world.

[204] And my comment to that shepherd, and with all due respect, Bishop Strickman, if that was your position, I would tell you right to your face, Bishop Strickland, you made a promise when you were ordained as a priest to pass on the deposit of faith.

[205] The most merciless thing I could do is let you wallow in that position without calling you to fidelity to Christ.

[206] And I would expect you.

[207] Let me give you an example, folks.

[208] I've been married 30 -some years, right?

[209] Getting close to the 40.

[210] And so if I made that promise to my wife that I'd be faithful to her for life.

[211] If for some reason you found out, hey, Terry, he took off from his wife and he's having a good old time.

[212] If you didn't call me to tell me to knock it off and repent, you know what?

[213] You wouldn't be my friend.

[214] I mean that, because you would say, well, so what?

[215] He's hoping he's having a good time.

[216] That's not love.

[217] See, and that's why I say this, when bishops like you and Cardinal Mueller and Bishop Snyder, when they come out and say things, that are uncomfortable, they're not doing it to be vindictive.

[218] They're not doing it with any animosity.

[219] They're doing it because you love the salvation of souls.

[220] You want people to be right with God.

[221] And sometimes you're going to pay a terrible price for speaking to truth, as Romans just pointed out.

[222] Your thoughts?

[223] I totally agree.

[224] And again, we need to really take those challenging words from Scripture and the consoling words.

[225] There are all sorts of different messages, but we need to really listen and take it to heart.

[226] Yeah, I want to also do a plug for the St. Philip Institute because they, again, I go there and I see it, and I see that you guys have such great resources.

[227] When I say you guys, go to vmpr .org.

[228] I see that they're bringing in something here.

[229] Mr. Engineer, you can take that back off, can you?

[230] Thank you.

[231] Virgin, I should say, the St. Philip Institute.

[232] com or dot org, bishop strickland?

[233] I keep forgetting.

[234] Dot org.

[235] And lots of good stuff for family.

[236] So I would encourage you to do that and much, much more.

[237] Also, Bishop Strickland, I know you had a men's conference.

[238] We were promoting it on the radio.

[239] We come back in about two minutes.

[240] I'd like to at least give a catch -up on the men's conference and what was there and how the men reacted to the gospel.

[241] And I hope there were confessions and adoration as part of the men's group.

[242] because I've found that when you do that, the real fruit of a conference is people meeting the person of Jesus Christ.

[243] Stay with this family.

[244] We'll be back with more on the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Power.

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

[246] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour indeed.

[247] Don't forget, this is a pre -recorded show on Tuesday.

[248] It's Election Day to protect the unborn.

[249] And my gosh, in Ohio, we've been praying that we'll get the right decision made on protecting the innocent in other states.

[250] I think there's eight states in Virginia also is another one.

[251] So we've got to go out and exercise our rights and not be afraid to speak to be pro -life.

[252] Don't worry about if people get mad because you say this, that life is sacred in all stages.

[253] It's something that we have to speak up on.

[254] If we don't, who will?

[255] Bishop Strickland, Cardinal Mueller, you were at this presentation in Rome at the end of the month.

[256] And he said this, bishops must preach Christ crucified, not cozy up to political elites.

[257] He said the apostolic succession of bishops that you are a part of, that it's a hierarchical constitution, is a conductive element of being the mission of the visible church and guarantee her necessary historical identity with the church of the apostles.

[258] He said this, and I thought, well, gosh, that's kind of bold of him to say this, but I think it needs to be said.

[259] He said, without Christ, we don't have it to church.

[260] So if we just talk about feelings and, you know, world things that are going on, whether it's saving the planet from extinction because of, you know, being conscious of solar panels and plastic bottles recycling, and we never talk about Jesus Christ, well, that's a problem.

[261] He said, a church that no longer believes in Jesus Christ is no longer the church of Jesus Christ.

[262] He said, bishops who betray their divine mission in order to avoid being accused of prostitizing or of being rigorous for defending Christian morality have forgotten the meaning and reason of their existence.

[263] Man, Bishop Strickland, why doesn't he really tell us what he thinks?

[264] I mean, he's hitting hard.

[265] Now, Bishop Strickland, no names, but I just think what the Cardinal is doing here is really charitable because he's killing us as a church to get back on focus to Jesus Christ.

[266] Get Jesus Christ that I have in my hand.

[267] Let's center on him, rather on some worldly things.

[268] And he said this, that relativism is a doctrine that makes Christ.

[269] Christianity fit for the present, a fact which has been impressively brought to our attention by Pope Benedict the 16th.

[270] And already in the 17th century, the great mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal, I didn't know this.

[271] This is very fascinating when I read this, had warned the Jesuits against laxism in a letter.

[272] These smart guys wanted to reconcile Christianity with the frivolous going on in the Barboon court.

[273] But despite their willingness to secularize Christianity, they ended up being the victims of their own strategy.

[274] And you know what?

[275] I see this happening today.

[276] I think he's making a parallel that we are compromising too much with the world.

[277] Would you agree with him?

[278] Absolutely.

[279] So in your, as your estimation, Bishop Strickland, you, the pressure that's put on you as a bishop, and I, again, I wouldn't want your job.

[280] Okay, I really don't.

[281] I'm happy where God put me. But I would think that as a shepherd, there's a tremendous amount of pressure for you to always compromise to make people feel good.

[282] And I don't know, do you get, do you get that?

[283] I mean, is that the pressure that every bishop has, that everybody wants to like you, you want to be liked, and that sometimes it becomes almost like, I've got pressure, I've got to say yes to this person, even though for the benefit of their salvation of their soul, I should say no, but I think that's a temptation that bishops are presented with in the world we're living in because the world is pressuring our leaders to compromise.

[284] Am I on to something?

[285] Absolutely.

[286] There is tremendous pressure, but really like Cardinal Mueller is saying, if you know Jesus Christ, if you have a real relationship with him through word and sacrament, especially the Eucharist, then honestly it makes it easy not to compromise.

[287] There you go.

[288] It doesn't really leave you any option.

[289] Christ is very clear.

[290] as, I mean, you read through the Gospels.

[291] He's often telling the scribes and the Pharisees how they're supposed to act.

[292] And we need to listen to the same messages.

[293] We, just like in the gospel, you mentioned today's first reading from Romans.

[294] The gospel is the parable basically of this owner of the household in the inviting people to a banquet.

[295] And they're making excuses saying, oh, I've got to go do this.

[296] I just bought some property.

[297] Got to go look at it.

[298] Somebody's getting married in the family.

[299] They're making all these excuses.

[300] And I think that we do the same thing.

[301] We have our own agenda rather than accepting the invitation of the Lord to embrace the life that he offers us.

[302] And what I talked about in the Daily Mass that I had with those readings, what really struck me and that's what's beautiful about the scriptures you read that gospel today and hear from now you may read it again and you get something different from the same message of truth because the truth is so rich but the message that really came out to me was the end it's always an invitation the Lord doesn't force anyone he says repent and follow me. But he doesn't force anyone.

[303] And I think that we have to really pay attention to that.

[304] There's a lot of voices out there now saying it's almost like, well, don't invite people.

[305] If they kind of come looking for Catholicism, okay, well, you can welcome them and help them to become Catholic.

[306] But don't get out there.

[307] And I mean, the word proselytizing is used.

[308] And I think that there's a misunderstanding of what that really means.

[309] Certainly, we should respect the, we should look to Christ and God our Father.

[310] Yeah.

[311] And their example, God is always inviting, but he leaves our free will and time.

[312] No matter what the invitation, we're free to reject it.

[313] Yes.

[314] To say, no, thank you.

[315] Right.

[316] God doesn't force us because God knows.

[317] I mean, he is love, and he knows that love can't be forced.

[318] Yeah.

[319] I mean, that's the fallacy in the totalitarian state.

[320] Yeah.

[321] People are forced to love, you know, the country, the nation.

[322] And it doesn't work.

[323] Forced love becomes hatred very quickly.

[324] Yeah.

[325] God knows that because he is love personified.

[326] His love in the existence, his existence is love.

[327] So we need to look to God's example, always inviting, but never forcing.

[328] And we're in a time now we're being told, don't even invite.

[329] Just kind of leave it open.

[330] Don't invite people.

[331] Don't encourage people.

[332] And that's not what Christ said.

[333] Amen.

[334] So I'm going to stick with what Christ said.

[335] I'm with you.

[336] The great commissioning, he sends the decisive.

[337] out and says, go out and teach all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

[338] That is the invitation into the kingdom.

[339] We're all free to reject it, and many people do.

[340] Many people reject it for a lifetime and then finally embrace it.

[341] Sometimes people embrace it and then reject it.

[342] Yep.

[343] God leaves our free will intact.

[344] I think we need to always respect that, but always with clarity.

[345] and charity continue to joyfully and vigorously share the truth that is Jesus Christ.

[346] Thank you.

[347] And Cardinal Mueller quoted Vatican II.

[348] And I know if we have another minute or left on this segment because they don't have my clock in front of me, but I want to quote what Vatican 2 says.

[349] And again, Vatican 2's theme, and this is something I wish more people would promote the universal call to holiness, that this came for lay people.

[350] people thought before the second Vatican Council I was just a little boy but they said oh that holiness is just for the priests and for the you know sisters no Vatican 2 said we're called to be and how do we become holy we sanctify the temporal order see this I don't think we got the message the memo didn't get out yet so here's what here's another memo from Vatican 2 that Carter Mueller said this is why Vatican 2 teaches and you've said this in your letters also Bishop Strickland sacred tradition sacred scripture for form one sacred deposit of the Word of God committed to the Church.

[351] But the task of authentically interpreting the Word of God, whether written or handed on, has been entrusted exclusively to the Living Teaching Office of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ.

[352] This next statement says it all.

[353] This teaching office is not above the Word of God, but serves it, teaching only what has been handed on.

[354] listen to it devoutly guarding it scrupulously and explaining it faithfully to accord with in my time up, okay, with divine commission and with the help of the Holy Spirit it draws from here comes one deposit of faith everything which is presented for belief is divinely revealed.

[355] Bishop Strickland, that's really clear and I think of what people say about Vatican too.

[356] Read the documents.

[357] The Pope is the vigor of Christ, not the superior, So even a bishop, a priest, who you can't go, you're not above scripture.

[358] That's the message Vatican II says there.

[359] Am I on to something?

[360] Absolutely.

[361] And so here's the question I ask.

[362] When the cardinal has to say that, we've got one minute, okay.

[363] When the cardinal has to say that to quote Vatican II, I don't get, it seems that that Vatican II says some really beautiful things.

[364] And I think it would be good.

[365] and I know that the St. Philip Institute, you guys quote a lot of Vatican II, especially on the sacrament of marriage and on liturgy.

[366] There's a great section on your website there on the liturgy.

[367] It just seems that Cardinal Mueller is going to talk about the dogmatic constitution of the church of Vatican 2.

[368] And I'm going to hold that for the next segment because I think many people talk about the spirit of Vatican 2.

[369] And whenever I hear that, Bishop Strickland, I want to run.

[370] because every time I hear the Spirit of Vatican 2, it's somebody's personal opinion rather than the document.

[371] Have you had that experience, my friend?

[372] Absolutely.

[373] Yeah.

[374] So when we come back from the break, let's talk more about Cardinal Mueller's presentation in Rome.

[375] He's going to talk about the dogmatic constitution on the church.

[376] It's one of the, I said, 17 documents, I think, of Vatican 2.

[377] This is one of them.

[378] And again, I still say this.

[379] Will the real Vatican 2 please stand up?

[380] Because I don't hear it as often as I should.

[381] Stay with us, family.

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

[383] We'll be back after a quick moment.

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

[385] Welcome back, indeed.

[386] Bishop Strickland, I'm talking about a presentation in Rome that Cardinal Mueller gave.

[387] You were present at it.

[388] And it's very instructive.

[389] It's almost like one of the seven letters, you wrote, and I want to encourage people, if you haven't read these letters, they're not long letters, just go to bishop, bishop strickland .com, and are they still there on the website?

[390] Yes, they're there.

[391] Good, good, so people should read those.

[392] This is a comment, a paragraph, and it could be a little complicated, but I'd like you to kind of break it apart.

[393] He says, in the dogmatic constitution of the church, therefore Vatican II does not begin with a sociological, eminent definition, mission of the church.

[394] To the church's loss of weight in society, the Pope and the bishops cannot respond with a modernistic adaptation by transforming their mission for the salvation of the world in Christ by providing their rights to exist with religious social contributions for interworldly goals and ideologies.

[395] So in the sense, he's talking about the Great Reset that the atheistic philanthropics and elites are trying to push on us.

[396] He talks about the anti -irational woke movement.

[397] It diametrically contradicts natural and revealed anthropology.

[398] Can you translate what that paragraph said?

[399] Because I think I got it, but for the benefit of all of us.

[400] Well, to me, really, Terry, it's just emphasizing what we talked about earlier.

[401] that this is a revealed religion, and the structure of the church has been revealed to us by God.

[402] Right.

[403] It's not something that a committee came up with.

[404] Right.

[405] It came from Jesus Christ.

[406] Amen.

[407] He chose 12 apostles.

[408] He appointed Peter as the first pope.

[409] The word pope, of course, is not used in scripture, but it's clear that Peter, was chosen to be the leader.

[410] Peter, you're rock, and upon this rock, I build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.

[411] Right.

[412] So I think what that document is, is just amplifying and expanding on that basic truth, that the church in its basic structure has been revealed to us by God, through his son, and through how his son, Jesus of Nazareth, established the church.

[413] Apostolic succession is a key element of that.

[414] We believe that from the time of the apostles, through the centuries, that power of the keys, as it's called, has been passed on to the Petron office and to the Episcopal office of all the bishops around the world.

[415] And I think that really, Terry, it in a fairly simplistic way, I'm a simple guy, but I think it's talking about the church is based on supernatural faith.

[416] Yes.

[417] We believe that God intervened in human history in a supernatural way.

[418] It's not just something that some calculation came up with.

[419] It's not something we figured out in committee.

[420] but God intervened in history to reveal himself.

[421] Certainly, beginning with the Hebrews, with the people of Israel, the chosen people.

[422] We are the new Israel.

[423] That's what the church believes.

[424] And it's talking about God has revealed to us how we return to him, our destiny.

[425] Like, you know, we say it so often as we talk, the very last canon and the The code of canon law says it's all about this whole thing is about the salvation of souls.

[426] That's the reason God has revealed himself to us and revealed a church that helps us to find him is about our salvation.

[427] God wants us to not end up damned, but to end up saved in his grace.

[428] He sent his son, John 316, so that all the world could know this.

[429] It really is, you know, it becomes complicated, I guess, but it really is pretty simple.

[430] God loves us.

[431] He wants us to return to the home that we originated from, from his loving heart.

[432] We come from God.

[433] We're called to return to God.

[434] If we stubbornly refuse to conform our will to God's will, then we can freely choose to block God's plan.

[435] And the church has never decreed anyone has been condemned to hell.

[436] But she has decreed these are the things that put you in danger of damnation.

[437] Because really, again, it's very simple.

[438] If you're living a life in this world, contrary to God, and you take that into serious areas of your life, then you leave this world having turned from God, and it's just logical that you're going to spend eternity turned from God.

[439] turned from God in a path that is contrary to God's plan and that's what God wants that's why he sent his son to save us from ourselves you could say to save us from that concupiscence that sinful world that temptation to think oh I can be God and I can configure this exactly the way I want it to be rather than learning that no, we come from God.

[440] Yeah, there are things in this world that can attract us that can tempt us away from God.

[441] But if we listen to him, we will be guided back to his heart for eternity.

[442] That's really what it all comes down to.

[443] And Bishop Strickland, if I can just wrap it up with you in these last five minutes, getting people to entrust themselves to our Lord by giving their lives to our our Lord saying, Jesus, I trust in you.

[444] I'm going to give everything to you.

[445] I'm going to be disciplined with my prayer life.

[446] I'm going to take time every day as a regiment to pray, to spend time with our Lord and the Eucharist, to get my rosary and pray my daily rosary for world peace, just exercising the faith.

[447] And it seems to me, Bishop Strickland, correct me if I'm wrong again, that people need regimen in their life.

[448] They need discipline.

[449] And the world is such a, I mean, we can spend our life on a phone being on YouTube, just watching one video after another, and that's it.

[450] Or we can say, look, I am going to make a commitment to our Lord that I want to know him more intimately.

[451] I'm going to frequent the sacraments once a month, at least go to confession.

[452] I went on first Saturday with my wife and I got to tell everybody you got I went to confession I did my holy hour I went to mass prayed my rosary and my wife and I drove off to Arizona after that and I said to my wife while I'm driving honey we're in great shape we're living in the presence of God literally we just did our our first Saturday devotion I am so happy that God gave is so merciful for me to be able to do that I want to encourage people to frequent the sacraments to find that love that you're talking about in Jesus Christ.

[453] It doesn't come just because someone tells you, doesn't it take effort on our part to give ourselves to Christ and take time to know him more intimately?

[454] Absolutely.

[455] And really, Terry, what I would encourage everyone listening, we're in the month of November, November 26th, I'm going to keep emphasizing this because it just, in my prayer, it comes to me. me that we all need to reflect on the solemnity of Jesus Christ, king of the universe.

[456] Oh, love it.

[457] Christ.

[458] And what you're talking about is what you did with your wife as you were getting ready to drive to Arizona.

[459] That is making Christ king of your daily life.

[460] Not, you know, some other, not nothing.

[461] I mean, not wealth, not all the other things that can be attractive, not some world leader, not anyone, not any leader in the church or in the world.

[462] Christ has to be king of our lives.

[463] And if he is king of your universe, then you will begin to change what you do to honor the king, to honor his truth and to honor him.

[464] There's so much blasphemy toward Christ.

[465] And like we've talked about before, and I would encourage people of faith that are listening to as we approach the Feast of Christ, the King, we believe he is king of the universe.

[466] We believe we want him to be king of our personal universe of the whole world that we live in.

[467] And I think that part of honoring our king and worshiping our king is to offer prayers of reparation and atonement for.

[468] the blasphemies and the desecrations of our king in the world today, too often either condoned or even promoted from within the church.

[469] And certainly from the world itself.

[470] I mean, there's all kinds of things going on, like you were saying about those young people praying the rosary, 200 of them at Notre Dame University, praying in reparation for the blasphemy of having this Greg show on a Catholic university dedicated to our lady and her son.

[471] And what blasphemy.

[472] So let us make Christ truly king of our lives.

[473] And we can feel overwhelmed and we can feel what can I do.

[474] But all of us can say, for me and my household, we're going to honor Christ the king.

[475] And we're going to worship God and honor the Father through His.

[476] son in their spirit.

[477] We can all do that.

[478] The more of us that do that, the more the world is transformed by that grace that God makes available to all of us.

[479] What a way to end to show, Bishop Strickland.

[480] Christ the King.

[481] Oh my God.

[482] Viva Christorre.

[483] Long live Christ the king.

[484] And again, I want to also recommend something I forgot to.

[485] The month of November is for the poor souls in purgatory.

[486] And so let's don't forget them.

[487] And think about this you've got some benefits if you pray for the poor souls in purgatory not just during november but all your life those souls that come out of purgatory because of your prayers hey they're going to be praying for you bishop strickland how about a blessing for our audience before we have to run mighty god we thank you for this opportunity to reflect on the love and the truth that you have revealed to us help us to treasure the deposit of faith present in our catholic church continue to grow and learn ourselves and to share that truth with others.

[488] May the work of Virgin Most Powerful Radio continue to bring all of us closer to your heart and to your son and spirit.

[489] May the Queen of Saints, the Blessed Virgin Mary, intercede for us.

[490] And we ask this in the name of the Father of the Son of the Holy Spirit.

[491] Amen.

[492] Thank you so much, Bishop Strickland.

[493] For those who are brand new, you can go to VMPR .org, download all the shows of Bishop Strickland and affect all the shows that we produce here on Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[494] They're on our podcast by the website by going to Virgin Most Powerful Radio .org.

[495] Thank God bless you and your family.

[496] And I always like to say this Bishop Stricken because I have a great love for Sheen ahead.

[497] Stay with us.

[498] God bless you and your family.