22 Nov 22 – Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name is Terry Barber.

[2] I have the good honor to have Bishop Strickland on our network once a week to talk about how to fall deep in love with Jesus Christ and his bride, the church.

[3] Bishop, welcome again for this hour.

[4] Thanks, Terry.

[5] Bishop, I am excited because at the end of the liturgical year, I have a close friend, and you know who Scott Hahn is, everybody does.

[6] I'm the knucklehead who actually put Scott Hahn into orbit, believe it or not.

[7] when recorded his original conversion story and we sent millions of copies around the world so i'm close to him and he told me that his most favorite feast which is mine too is christ the king that we celebrate at the end of the liturgical year and i just found out today bishop strickland that you'd like to talk about christ the king so let's before we get into any of your tweets let's put Jesus first.

[8] Go ahead.

[9] Absolutely.

[10] As we record this, we're approaching the Feast of Christ the King that we were talking about Quas Primus, which is the document that promulgated by Pope Pius the 11th that said let us make, he said the last Sunday of October, that got changed after the reform of the calendar till now it's the last Sunday of the liturgical year.

[11] This year, it happens to be November 20th, so it's not even quite the end of November.

[12] Sometimes it is the last Sunday of November, just depending on how the calendar falls.

[13] But that document, I actually shared it via tweet and on Facebook.

[14] I know it's a long document, but there's really, as we're talking about it, a key paragraph that I think people need to, if you can't read the whole thing, I understand.

[15] I mean, they're long and it's good.

[16] It's worth reading, but people don't have the time.

[17] But read paragraph 24, because it talks about a balance that we need to be aware of.

[18] It's talking from, this is written in 1925, and it's already talking about, I mean, many things that it says in throughout the document, you might think that the, Pope was writing it today because it's it's facing the challenges of modernism and all of those things.

[19] But this number 24 in Quas Primus, Q -U -A -S -P -R -I -M -A -S.

[20] And really, Terry, we talked about it and you said, oh, yeah, you were familiar with it.

[21] I didn't know what a deacon of mine referred it to me. I'm glad he did.

[22] So I looked it up.

[23] But I wasn't.

[24] familiar with.

[25] I remember, you know, the document that promulgated Christ the King.

[26] Yes.

[27] But I didn't remember the name.

[28] Anyway, this paragraph 24 talks, the Pope is talking about being aware of the push for anti -clericalism.

[29] Yes.

[30] And I think probably people are thinking, well, of course, we need to be anti -clericalism because clericalism, we've heard a lot about how clericalism is a bad thing.

[31] And I think this document helps us remember, we're always seeking the balance that's found in truth.

[32] Amen.

[33] Truth is Jesus Christ.

[34] And the truth that he's revealed to us from God the Father and the power of the Spirit is the truth that guides us.

[35] As humans, it's easy for us to get lopsided.

[36] We get unbalanced.

[37] We need to constantly, we do that individually.

[38] I mean, And we can speak of our sinfulness, is an unbalancing, a losing touch with what is really true.

[39] And because we're in a world of concupiscence of sinfulness as humanity, we lose our way.

[40] And we have these tendencies that lean one way or the other.

[41] People talk about the pendulum.

[42] It swings back and forth, which it does.

[43] It keeps swinging back and forth.

[44] It's done so in our lifetime.

[45] You know, the more liberal causes take over, and then the more conservative come back, and then the more liberal, it's just back and forth.

[46] All of that, I think, is the perfect reason for why we need the solemnity, as it is now, the solemnity of Jesus Christ, king of the universe.

[47] We need that celebration to remind us.

[48] He is the king.

[49] He is Lord.

[50] There's only one Jesus Christ.

[51] as he says at the end of Matthew's Gospel, all power in heaven and on earth has been given to him by the Father, who is the source of all, Father, Son, and Spirit, the great mystery of God, breathing through love, creation, into existence.

[52] That is what, I mean, I love that title, the feast, the solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the universe.

[53] We need to remember that.

[54] I need to remember, Terry needs to remember, all of us.

[55] And we need reminders because what clericalism does is begin to think that we're, you know, in charge, that we're the high and mighty ones.

[56] I mean, no matter what human being, no matter what status they have, a real leader is always going to remember Jesus Christ, the king.

[57] And the other side of that is the, what the Pope is the, what the Pope is to about Pice the 11th in this document.

[58] In his time, what he's seen is an anti -clericalism.

[59] Clericalism can be bad because it takes on in thinking we're the ones in power and we're the ones that need to be exalted.

[60] What does Jesus show us?

[61] He shows us the opposite of that.

[62] We're not to fall into clericalism.

[63] But as Pope Pius X the 11th points out, anti -clericalism is on is an extreme on the other side that begins to diminish that there is any real power in the world.

[64] And there is any real truth.

[65] It all becomes that relativism where it's only feelings and you lose touch with the power of Christ.

[66] Anti -clericalism, when it goes too far, it loses touch with, there is a Lord, there is a king, There is God Almighty.

[67] The truth flows from him.

[68] And I think that's where we are, at this time, in my opinion, we're more in that realm of anti -clericalism in what's going on in the world and in the church.

[69] Instead of recognizing, I mean, I hope we can move to a place where we say, clericalism to an extreme is bad, anti -clericalism.

[70] to an extreme as bad.

[71] Amen.

[72] And the solution to all of it, where is real power?

[73] Where is real authority?

[74] Where is the one to be worshipped in our world?

[75] Jesus Christ.

[76] He's the incarnate son of God.

[77] He's come to show us the way.

[78] He is the way.

[79] So I think as we approach the feast of Christ, the king, and this, most people will be listening to this after they've already celebrated Christ the king, Hopefully, they'll have a beautiful celebration on Sunday of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe.

[80] But I think something to remember is not just a day on the calendar.

[81] Certainly, as the Pope, as Pius XI .11 said, we need to celebrate this.

[82] We need to highlight it.

[83] That's what we do as humans.

[84] Every day is not Christmas, but every day we celebrate that Christ was born to us.

[85] Emmanuel, God is with us.

[86] yesterday, today, and forever, the same thing with celebrating Jesus Christ, king of the universe.

[87] As a man with a family, me as a man, as a bishop, we both need to live our day -to -day lives remembering.

[88] I'm not the king.

[89] I'm not in charge.

[90] I'm not Lord.

[91] Jesus Christ is king.

[92] And when we remember that, it puts everything back into the right perspective.

[93] There's, I mean, we could go down a laundry list for the rest of this hour talking about the ways we're going off the rails because we've forgotten that God is Lord of all.

[94] Jesus Christ's son is king of the universe appointed by God the Father to, yes, rule over us, but ultimately in love to guide us to the truth, to our fulfillment.

[95] We need to remember that every day and in all the decisions we make.

[96] Wow, I think of Padre Pro right now while I was listening to you when he said, Viva little Christo Rey, long leg, praise the king.

[97] So, wow, that's great stuff.

[98] That's coming up quick.

[99] Bishop Strickland, we have a couple of minutes before the break.

[100] I was wanting to get your take.

[101] This whole week you've been at the bishops conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

[102] And I've got to tell you, I was, you know, I'm happy because I'm hearing the bishops coming out and saying things that I'm like, wow, I mean, that's great.

[103] Like, for example, the new USCB head said this in an interview right in front of some media who really got upset at him and was really giving him a hard time because he pointed out that link between the clergy sex abuse and homosexual priests can't be denied.

[104] He says it would be naive to suggest there's no relationship between the two.

[105] And what I really thought was powerful, maybe we'll get back.

[106] to end of the break, but he is the newly elected head of your bishop's conference, and he's under fire from the left for his assertion that there's a link between the two.

[107] And I've known it for years that there is because statistics don't lie.

[108] These statistics show that that is the problem.

[109] He said, there's no question that the crisis of the sexual abuse by priests in the U .S. is directly related to homosexuality.

[110] He said 90 % of those abused boys were age 12 and over.

[111] I've read the statistic, but it seemed like your conference never acknowledged that.

[112] I mean, I know you have Bishop Strickland, but when we come back from the break, I'd like to have you give your take.

[113] I mean, you were there.

[114] I mean, this is the same bishop that indicated back in 2018 the same thing, and he said, I stand by my statement back then, and I stand for it now.

[115] It seems like this guy's got a spine.

[116] He's got a backbone.

[117] So I'd like to ask you what your thoughts were when you heard that, you know, when you're there that you guys elected, I don't know who you voted for, you don't have to tell me, but I'll tell you what.

[118] Before the break, let me just put it this way, theory.

[119] Archbishop Brolio knows that Jesus Christ is king.

[120] Is there anything else?

[121] No. We'll be right back, folks.

[122] Stay with us on the Bishop Strickland Hour on Virgin Most Powerful radio.

[123] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[124] Bishop, I thank you for that last comment.

[125] I don't need anything to hear anymore.

[126] That's it.

[127] second topic I'm going to bring up.

[128] U .S. Bishops' new pro -life chair supports banning Pelosi from communion.

[129] What?

[130] I'm like, that was a review.

[131] I said, is that true?

[132] And it was true.

[133] The election of Michael Burnbridge as the chair of the pro -life committee was one of several in leadership decisions that the U .S. bishops made during their assembly.

[134] Bishop Strickland, this guy sounds like you, because when I read to you what he said about truth, It's like objective truth.

[135] What?

[136] You know, this guy said, here's what he said.

[137] He said that when San Francisco's Archbishop Salvatore, Cordillione, barred pro -abortion politician Nancy Pelosi from receiving communion in May, Burmbridge upheld a ban in his diocese of Arlington.

[138] He said that Cordillione's directive is not limited to just a geographical area and that he would respect the decision of the Archbishop Cordillone and be consistent with that decision here in the Diocese of Arlington should that situation occur.

[139] But here's what got me with the verbiage, he said.

[140] You know, he's praising San Francisco's bishop, I get that.

[141] But he said that he also privately has instructed individuals in his own diocese who continually scandalized the church by holding a personal Catholic identity while also publicly advocating for abortion or other inherent moral evils not to come up for Holy Communion.

[142] What I really thought was a powerful statement, and I read this where he said, well, that was powerful just to say that, but he's also going to cover some other moral issues, but let's get your response from his comments on that one issue first.

[143] Well, as you said, Terry, I totally agree with him.

[144] And really, just to say one more time, it's the best way to love and care for one of the flock, Nancy Pelosi, to tell her that, no, what you're doing is out of communion.

[145] It is contrary to what the church teaches.

[146] And people, certainly, she's free to make her choices.

[147] People are free to be Catholic or not, to follow Christ or not.

[148] God doesn't force any of us.

[149] But as bishops, we need to let people know what it means to be Catholic, to be in conformity with the teachings of the church.

[150] We are obligated as shepherds to be in conformity ourselves, and we're called to guide others along that same path.

[151] Certainly, many people find that challenging what the church teaches.

[152] I mean, that's what we have what we call converts to the Catholic Church.

[153] They turn with the church.

[154] That's what convert means.

[155] And they turn with the church and say, this is the path I want to take.

[156] No one's forced to do that, but to sort of live this dichotomy, where, oh, well, I'm going to vote this way and I'm going to vote anti -life and I'm going to vote anti -marriage and against the teachings of the faith.

[157] But then I'm going to say, oh, but I'm a devout Catholic.

[158] It's just a contradictory.

[159] It's schizophrenic.

[160] It's contradictory.

[161] And it's not healthy for the individual or for our society.

[162] Really, Terry, what, even while we were there meeting, Catholics, so -called, and I use that.

[163] I mean, It sounds pejorative, but so -called Catholic means you're not really lining up.

[164] I mean, you know, I could be accused of being a so -called Catholic because I'm a sinner.

[165] I'm not perfectly living everything the church teaches us to do, but I'm working at it.

[166] At least if we're trying, then we all need the mercy of God.

[167] We need the forgiveness.

[168] We need to repent of our sins.

[169] But while we were meeting in Baltimore, just down the.

[170] road in Washington.

[171] Catholics, I think there were 16, that voted to support this atrocious bill, so -called, what is it, called protecting marriage, which is just the opposite.

[172] A total fallacy.

[173] It's attacking marriage.

[174] Exactly.

[175] And embedded in that bill, I mean, I'm no legislator, I don't know, but I do have a brain and I can read what is there.

[176] And it clearly is undermining the ability of people of faith to live their faith.

[177] And sadly, even other groups like the Mormon Church and others have endorsed it, seemingly, you know, the best I can figure is, well, they think, well, we'll kind of compromise on the marriage question because we need some protection for living our beliefs as Mormons or as Christians or whatever group.

[178] And the key word for me there, Terry, is compromise.

[179] Yes.

[180] That goes on way too much.

[181] Jesus Christ didn't tell us to compromise our way to heaven.

[182] He told us to follow him and to turn from sin.

[183] And really, sin is built into compromise.

[184] And that's what these legislators, I don't know, a single one them.

[185] I don't know there.

[186] I mean, I didn't recognize names.

[187] They're from states.

[188] They're thankfully, there weren't any from Texas.

[189] I don't even know if we have any that claim to be Catholic that are there in the national legislature from Texas.

[190] But we do, our governor is Catholic.

[191] Yes.

[192] But these legislators claim to be Catholic and they're voting for in the, and they couldn't say, well, nobody told us absolutely incorrect.

[193] Because thankfully, the USCB was very clear and said, contact your senators, contact your legislators, and tell them as faithful Catholics, just contact all of them and say, vote against this bill.

[194] But it looks like it's going to become law, and it's one more brick and a wall of atrocities that is we're going to come to regret.

[195] allowing this to happen, I think, all too soon, because more and more, there, even, you know, the ability to get on the radio and talk about our love for the Catholic faith and our life in Jesus Christ, we can't just presume that's always going to be there.

[196] And we need to shore up those rights that we have for every person to live their beliefs.

[197] And this bill is beginning to, as many have the agenda, because they just vehemently oppose that when we say marriages between one man and one woman, you know, they just go berserk and say, oh, we're limiting people's rights.

[198] It's called the truth.

[199] It's called God's revealed truth.

[200] And we better, as a nation, as a church, as human beings, we better pay attention to the God who has created us because ignoring God, we'll get away with it because God gives us the freedom.

[201] He wants us to truly love him.

[202] He doesn't want to force us.

[203] But we'll get away with it for a while, but it always catches up with it.

[204] The same thing with me as a sinner and you as a sinner.

[205] I'm can guarantee we're both sinners.

[206] And we can get away with sinful activity, maybe for a lifetime, but eventually it's going to catch up with us.

[207] And very often, sinful activity catches up with us even in this life.

[208] And the Lord gave his life, the Son of God gave his life so that we would be freed from sin and death.

[209] But we've got to choose to embrace him and embrace him fully without duplicity without saying, oh yeah, I'm a faithful Catholic, but I don't believe this, this, this, or this.

[210] It doesn't work that way.

[211] I mean, we can say, well, I don't fully understand or I'm confused.

[212] I want to understand better.

[213] Sure, absolutely, all of us.

[214] I mean, ultimately, the mystery of God, we don't have him figured out, but he's shared with us what we need to know for our salvation, and we better pay attention.

[215] Amen, Bishop Strickland, some of my legal council that I chatted with said that this could be if this gets past people like you and I on the radio saying that marriage is between a man and a woman only would be considered hate speech and if that is the case you know I'll say it right now enough me up because I'm not going to change and I mean that I mean if it comes to that and it has sadly through the church's history and in other societies not that long ago and centuries and centuries and centuries years ago, all through the church's history, people have had to face that, where they're said, I mean, even prior, I mean, I love Maccabees.

[216] We've talked about that before.

[217] Basically, it comes down to the same thing.

[218] Are you willing to die for this truth?

[219] Yep.

[220] And both of us are signed up.

[221] I mean, we're not volunteering.

[222] No, but if it comes to it and I have to make that decision, I know what's, I'm going to, but with God's grace, I'm going to say, no, I can't compromise.

[223] And I saw something, I mean, there's so many things going on, but I saw something that I presume is accurate.

[224] I'm afraid it's accurate that the, some World Council, I forget exactly, maybe the World Health Organization, one of these global groups that seem to be pretty sinister, sadly.

[225] It shouldn't be, but, you know, they're doing things that are infringing on the rights of human beings.

[226] But they're talking about a global passport for, you know, for travel for vaccines.

[227] And it's like, I don't even know what vaccine they may be talking about at this point.

[228] Vaccines for COVID have been pretty well proven to be worthless or even harmful.

[229] That's right.

[230] But there's supposedly this global body is saying, oh, we need, you know, we need, if you want to travel internationally, you have to be, give proof of a vaccine.

[231] Well, I'm not going to travel internationally then.

[232] But for for these bodies to be infringing on the free travel of people, it's just wrong.

[233] That's right.

[234] And we've got to speak up before they tell us, you can't speak up or you're going to jail.

[235] We'll both keep speaking up and we'll be partners.

[236] I guess.

[237] I guess that's that word.

[238] You know, Bishop Burmbage, he also made a comment about an August 20, 2021, he published a catechetical letter on gender ideology.

[239] I was so happy to hear that he is our pro -life bishop there for the diet for the country because he put this gender ideology warning of a great danger of misguided charity and false compassion.

[240] You've used that exact same words, Bishop Strickland, misguided charity and false compassion and told the faithful to interact with a gender confused individual to avoid using names and pronouns that contradict the person's God -given identity and reinforce the person's rejection of truth.

[241] And Terry, I think those words are critical.

[242] Yes.

[243] We absolutely need in our world, and I want this to be very clear.

[244] Yes, go ahead.

[245] We need true compassion and true charity.

[246] Of course.

[247] But compassion isn't saying, oh, well, that's the way you're feeling.

[248] Well, we're just going to support you and your feeling.

[249] If that feeling is in conflict with reality and truth, we've got to say, well, yeah, okay, I'm concerned that you feel that way.

[250] But let's talk about how we can get past this instead of saying, oh, well, that's the way you feel.

[251] Well, we're going to just help you down this path of destruction.

[252] It's just, it's false compassion, false charity, and we need real compassion and real charity.

[253] Well, said, and as Bishop Strickland just said, and as the other bishop, he said, we must love and truth, and the truth must be accurately conveyed by our words.

[254] Stay with us.

[255] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[256] Boy, this Bishop's conference last week was powerful, Bishop.

[257] I got another article that says U .S. bishops affirm abortion will remain preeminent issue for the 2024 election.

[258] And I saw you give a little speech there, believe it or not, because I was able to get a clip and I heard you make the point, hey, gentlemen, nothing's changed.

[259] I mean, we're still are having the slaughter of these innocent babies.

[260] And it sounds like, and I just, I understand over the years it's been the same folks who maybe say, well, maybe they say, well, wait a minute, we got to, you know, make it a little different.

[261] We got to not offend people or change things.

[262] And it seems like what I call the good guys, one, meaning that we're going to stay focused on the protection of the unborn.

[263] Is my commentary fair or did I misrepresent anything?

[264] No, I think your commentary is fair, Terry.

[265] I was pleased with the election of Archbishop Brolio as the president.

[266] Archbishop Lori has been the pro -life head for several years.

[267] And then Then Bishop Burbage for the pro -life committee, I think the choices, I was very pleased.

[268] I'm sure some weren't.

[269] It wasn't a landslide, but it was a good majority with which these men were elected.

[270] And I think it really very heartening to me to see the voices of, you know, some of the things that I've said that it's clear, at least the vote shows.

[271] that we're more in agreement than I was afraid we were.

[272] There certainly are voices contrary to what Archbishop Broleo has said, but I was pleased with his stand on life, and the sanctity of life, and the whole verbiages communion question, which is just Catholic teaching.

[273] It's really not that complex, or it's not some brand new, branch of thinking things through.

[274] It's just staying with what do we teach and real compassion, real charity.

[275] And I was very pleased that Archbishop Brolio has been strong on the whole vaccine mandate question for the military, because he's the Archbishop for the military ordinarian.

[276] He has five auxiliary bishops that work with him.

[277] And the auxiliary bishops that I've talked to that are part of the military Ordinariate are very strong.

[278] And it makes sense because they're dealing with people that are facing some of the toughest realities of war and the violence in our world, trying to keep the world safe and trying to keep the United States at peace and protecting us from the threats that are out there.

[279] And the threats are very real.

[280] So I'm glad that these men are with the military ordinariat, and I'm glad that Archbishop Brolio was elected to be president of the USCB, because we've got to adopt clear, true compassion, true charity, calling people to the truth and compassionately assisting those who are not in the truth.

[281] I'm glad that Archbishop Brolio was clear about the sources of abuse, that abuse comes from people that are, we're all children of God, we're all beloved of God.

[282] We always have to remember that.

[283] Even the abuser or the mass murderer or the person that has committed the tremendous atrocities that sadly we see.

[284] We can't just say, oh, well, they're children of God.

[285] So we, we, we have to call them because they are children of God.

[286] People have to be called to justice in this world because if we leave it all into the justice of God, you know, it's too late for conversion.

[287] And God's hoping, I mean, God longs for us to all be converted from sin.

[288] That's why he gave us his son.

[289] So I think that it's important to speak the truth.

[290] And I really support Archbishop.

[291] Grolio and the others chosen that are willing to speak the truth.

[292] No, it's not the popular thing.

[293] It's not the popular thing, even among many Catholics.

[294] I mean, those Catholics that voted the 16, that voted for another torpedo against marriage and the sanctity of marriage, those Catholics probably aren't too pleased that these men were selected for leadership of the bishops conference.

[295] but they're leading according to Jesus Christ.

[296] And like we were talking about earlier, the USCB isn't king of the universe.

[297] Jesus Christ is.

[298] Amen.

[299] We are here, all of us as servants, and that's the beauty of Christ himself.

[300] He shows that model of servant leadership that we're all called to.

[301] And so I think with the whole question of the, the abuse crisis that is in the world.

[302] Certainly, it's in the church, but it's also in the world.

[303] Those who abuse, many times they have been abused themselves.

[304] That doesn't exonerate them, but it helps us understand.

[305] And it helps us bring the proper level of compassion for this person to get them some help, to acknowledge that wrong has been done and to get them some help.

[306] Thankfully, since 2002 and then the next week, in 2018, I think we've made progress, and we need to continue to make progress.

[307] And for the sake of the perpetrator of any crime, really.

[308] I mean, it's just gospel ethics.

[309] If someone does something that is criminal, the greatest charity toward that person is to pull them away from that act.

[310] If they're going to rob or they're going to abuse someone physically, or in any way, or if they're going to take a life that isn't self -defense, then we need to say, no. The real compassion is to tell someone, you can't do this.

[311] This is harmful to you and certainly harmful to the other person.

[312] And that's where we have to start with even priests.

[313] I mean, priests are all sinners.

[314] We all need to stay close to the sacrament of confession.

[315] But when priests go down these dark roads, it's not good for them.

[316] It's not, it is a compassion to allow them to cover up what they've done.

[317] And too much of that has happened.

[318] So I'm very pleased on many fronts with the choice of Archbishop Broleo.

[319] We have to pray for him.

[320] Yes.

[321] Because certainly many Catholics, many Catholic leaders, and many people in the world are going to be against what he stands for.

[322] But we have to stand with Christ and be authentic in doing that and trust that the king of the universe has got our back.

[323] And that's a pretty strong backing.

[324] Amen.

[325] Bishop Strickland, when you got off the bus, I understand my brother Jesse Romero, he was there for a men's march.

[326] And not only you, but there was another, I think, Bishop Coffey, if someone else came in March Joseph Coffey.

[327] He also was at, and that's what I heard.

[328] Is that true?

[329] Yes.

[330] Okay, tell us a little bit about your experience, because you've done this before when these men come out, Stanford.

[331] Yeah, it's a men's march put together by Jim Havens, at least he's the one that's contacted me. And it's a men's march for the sanctity of life.

[332] And actually, this time, last year, I was able to actually march with them from an abortion location to the hotel where the bishops have their meeting.

[333] This time I was only able to meet them, and as was Bishop Coffee.

[334] Both of us met with them and prayed part of the rosary.

[335] Good.

[336] And just gave their blessing and gave some encouragement.

[337] It's a men's march.

[338] And what Jim Havens has tried to do is just urge men to stand up because, you know, we're both men.

[339] And in our sinfulness is part of the problem.

[340] Oh, yeah.

[341] it's men have to stand up and be men, women have to be women, and we have to all do our best to be children of God.

[342] That's what the men's march is calling men to that integrity, to that strength, to that recognition.

[343] I mean, it kind of goes back to the clericalism and anti -clericalism issue because men can overpower.

[344] Men can abuse power.

[345] Certainly women can as well.

[346] But I think probably through anthropology, just the way God has made us.

[347] God is the one who made us.

[348] We men have more of that tendency to abuse and to use their power in abusive ways.

[349] And so that's what we need to remind men to be strong and to use their power in compassion and charity in the love of Christ and to pull back from any of those tendencies that any of us have, to abuse others either physically or in whatever way.

[350] Abuse happens in all kinds of different ways.

[351] And abuse comes from illegitimate use of power.

[352] Men and women both can do it, but men are prone to that.

[353] And I think that's what the men's marches is reminding us that the whole pro -life issue, the protection of the unborn, the protection of the elderly, the protection of every vulnerability against life from conception to natural death, when it's threatened, we as men have to step up and take our role in promoting real compassion and real charity for the woman.

[354] I mean, men, we have to as men make sure that we're there to support the woman who makes the right choice and that we promote as bishops or as married men or just faithful Catholic men that we're there to say, yes, I'll support efforts to reach out to these women that find themselves with child when they didn't plan it.

[355] They're not married.

[356] They don't have the support of a man. The man's long gone.

[357] We have to step in for that man because there was a man involved originally, you know, for the child to be conceived in the womb of a woman.

[358] And we collectively, if the individual man doesn't stand up and be a man, we have to, we can't just say, well, that's not my problem.

[359] We have to stand up, and that's what the men's march is about.

[360] Awesome.

[361] When we come back from the last break, there's an open letter to our bishops.

[362] You tweeted about, dear Regis Martin, thank you for the letter.

[363] I'm going to read some of the letter when we come back.

[364] This kind of reminds me of what Archbishop Fulton Sheen said back in the early 70s when he told us lay people that we're going to save the church, not the bishops.

[365] He said, ask your bishops to be holy bishops.

[366] Ask your priests to be holy priests and make them by calling them out when they're not.

[367] And so I thought, man, this is like 40, 50 years later.

[368] And a layman writes a letter.

[369] We're going to get into that letter.

[370] I think it's a well -worded letter and challenging the bishops to basically fulfill their mandate that's been given to them as successors of the apostles.

[371] with us, family.

[372] We'll be right back.

[373] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland hour.

[374] We've been talking about the bishops conference that Bishop Strickland participated in.

[375] Some of the great things that took place there.

[376] It was very optimistic.

[377] Now there's a letter written by Regis Martin, who's a teacher at Franciscan University in Stubanville, Ohio.

[378] Good man. And he says an open letter to the bishops.

[379] And you know, Bishop Strickland, you responded.

[380] I don't know if any other bishops did, but it says, he says, it seems almost like yesterday that among all bishops scattered around the globe, it was everywhere understood that the care of souls was the principal function of your office, that God is giving you no greater nor more essential task than getting souls to heaven.

[381] We've been talking about this for two years on the show.

[382] We must, he says, what must I do to assist the souls entrusted to me?

[383] Souls for whom himself suffered and died to prepare them for a life of unending glory amen heaven that was the question every honest bishop needed to ask himself now bishop strickland he speaks very very brutally about hey we've lost our sight he's saying he says at last like snows of yesteryear that will not return it seems no longer to be the case other and very different marching orders appear to us as lay people, I agree with them, to have been issued.

[384] Nowadays, the church sees yourself primarily as a service organization.

[385] Like the optimist club?

[386] No, he didn't say that.

[387] The ecclesiastical wing of some of the most progressive elements of the country, the Democratic Party, he calls it for what it is, for instance, whose woke fixation might almost be informing her job description.

[388] No longer is it the business of the church her most sacred and necessary work to lead the people of God through the world to God himself.

[389] Bishop Strickland, I'm with him on that.

[390] I see that tendency at our leadership to have who's influencing who is the world influencing us more than the church influencing the world.

[391] So what are your thoughts?

[392] Well, I thanked him for that letter.

[393] said, you know, I wanted to try to take it to heart and see the ways that I need to be clearer myself.

[394] I didn't want to point it anyone else.

[395] I mean, we've got to start with ourselves.

[396] Amen.

[397] And recognize how I can do a better job of that task of leading souls to heaven.

[398] Amen.

[399] The salvation of souls.

[400] That's it.

[401] Canon law says it.

[402] That's right.

[403] The church says it through the ages.

[404] And really, Terry, I like that letter because, yeah, it's challenging and it makes you squirm a little.

[405] And I'm sure there are some that just, you know, say, oh, well, this guy, you know, right wing or whatever pejorative words they want to use.

[406] But it's, as far as I understand, it's called the Catholic faith, the salvation of souls.

[407] What do we need a church for if it's not that?

[408] Yes, there are many good works that need to be done in the world.

[409] Souls, it's part of each of us, our salvation.

[410] I mean, Christ makes it very clear that we don't ignore the person who's hungry, the person who's naked, the person who's homeless, the person who's thirsty.

[411] But the salvation of that person is Christ didn't come, I mean, he says, he says, The poor you will always have with you, but you won't always have me bring people to Christ.

[412] That's what we're called to do.

[413] Yes, we need to address those corporal works of mercy and spiritual work.

[414] We need to help people, absolutely.

[415] But I think that the Regis, the author of this letter, really made some very important points that I need to listen to.

[416] that all of us need, not just bishops, but as Catholics.

[417] We need to remember what's the mass about?

[418] The mass is about the salvation of souls.

[419] I mean, our greatest prayer is not, you know, it's spiritual.

[420] It's spiritual food.

[421] It's helping us to be strong so that we can leave that mass and help people in the world as part of our journey to salvation.

[422] But it's all been kind of turned upside down so that the main goal becomes feeding the poor or helping the poor and not getting the poor to heaven.

[423] I mean, it's a very temporary fix if all we do is feed people's bodies.

[424] That's right.

[425] If we don't feed their souls, then, okay, we give them a few more years and they're healthier for a few more years.

[426] But if we don't give them everlasting life, I think we're sure.

[427] short -changing humanity.

[428] And that's the mission of the church.

[429] You don't need a church to do the other things.

[430] Amen.

[431] Thankfully, there are many organizations that are not part of the church that we support, that we work with, as long as they're not doing things contrary to the church and contrary to the teachings of Christ.

[432] But our main work as bishops, as priest, the work of the church is the salvation of souls.

[433] Amen.

[434] And we need the church to be strong and clear in that glorious mission that we have.

[435] And if we're, and I've said so many times to the priest here and to the people that I talk to, if, I mean, just for the two of us, as two men living in the world in the year 2022, if we are more and more seeking the salvation of our own souls, if we're more and more seeking to live the virtues of the gospel, our neighbors, our families, all the people we come in contact with are going to benefit from that.

[436] The world's going to be a better place because I'm going to consume less because the gospel reminds me, I don't need a lot of stuff.

[437] I don't need wealth.

[438] I don't need power.

[439] I don't need what the world says I need.

[440] So if we really listen to what Jesus tells us for the salvation of our souls, then there are going to be many fewer people that are starving because the people who are believers aren't hoarding it to themselves.

[441] There's too much greed in the world.

[442] And how do we fight greed by listening to Christ.

[443] So I totally agree with this letter.

[444] And as bishops, that should be our primary task every time we work, every time we come together, everything we're doing, the salvation of souls.

[445] And therefore, because we're promoting the salvation of souls, we're guiding people to Christ, then yes, we do some of these other things.

[446] But primarily our job as bishops, I believe, is to support what other people are doing, lay at it.

[447] And the great organizations that are out there, some directly connected to the church, and some less directly connected.

[448] But if we get it flipped, which I think is part of our problem, then it becomes very political.

[449] Then it becomes it's caught up in the money, in the financing, and it becomes a worldly effort rather than guiding us to heaven.

[450] The church is here to guide us to heaven.

[451] Yep.

[452] The last paragraph, and I want everybody to read it, it's easy to get on the internet.

[453] He says, Christ needs you to be bishops.

[454] Before I finish this, Bishop Strickland, seven years ago, six years maybe, I saw you with your brother bishops at a conference asking them, do we really believe in this about the Eucharist?

[455] And I thought that was really good because you're challenging your brother bishops.

[456] They ask you, do you?

[457] Yes, we need to confirm each other in our faith.

[458] And I think this is what this letter is doing.

[459] Gentlemen, bishops, he says, Christ needs you to be bishops.

[460] In other words, which is why he called you into the first place, giving you the grace to fulfill your mission?

[461] This is something the Catholic Church has always taught from me. I have the graces in marriage to fulfill my mission, to be a holy man, a holy father, to be a great husband for my wife.

[462] God's giving me those graces.

[463] Bishops too.

[464] The world needs you to be bishops.

[465] If it is not to go, okay, if it is not to go straight to hell, it needs you to show it the way to heaven.

[466] and we need you to be bishops too, which is why we are praying for you.

[467] Go ahead and show us, therefore, that our prayers are being answered.

[468] Bishop Strickland, I talk about spiritual bouquets for our clergy and bishops and the Holy Father that we offer our rosaries, our mass, our visits to the Blessed Sacrament for the leadership in our church because it's desperately in need of it.

[469] And from what I can tell in this letter, we're just asking you to be holy, men that you promised when you were ordained.

[470] Yep, absolutely.

[471] We promised to guard the deposit of faith.

[472] And you hear people in government, you know, which is good.

[473] I mean, they're talking about they've taken an oath to uphold the Constitution in the United States.

[474] As bishops, we've taken an oath to guard the deposit of faith and to lead people to heaven.

[475] I mean, that's that's our commitment.

[476] And that's what we have to continually return to.

[477] Anyone in any work in life, you've got to turn.

[478] We've talked about before.

[479] We keep repeating ourselves, Terry, but you go back to the fundamentals.

[480] That's what we're talking about, whether it's in sports or in business, or in radio or in church.

[481] You go back to the fundamentals.

[482] The fundamental of the church, why she exists.

[483] is to join our Savior in the Salvation of Souls.

[484] That's why he came.

[485] He didn't come to feed the hungry.

[486] He came to get us to feed the hungry because we're following him.

[487] And that's, you know, that's what we need to just keep going back to those fundamentals of who we are, what we're about.

[488] That, I think, is what gets very confused and very complicated and very, you know, just.

[489] clouded in the world today.

[490] We need to just go back to that clarity of the fundamentals of living as children of God and what our purpose in life is.

[491] Yep.

[492] Can we get a blessing before we have to run, Bishop Sturkin, please?

[493] Sure.

[494] The Lord be with you.

[495] And with thy spirit.

[496] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for Terry Barber and all those involved in Virgin Most Powerful radio that we may all joyfully and vigorously, continue to seek true compassion, true charity, sharing the truth your son is shared with us.

[497] May the Queen of Saints, the Immaculate Virgin Mary, intercede for us in powerful ways, along with all the saints, who are our brothers and sisters, who have followed this path, and whose souls have been saved because of your grace.

[498] We ask your blessing for all of us in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

[499] Amen.

[500] much bishop strickland i want to recommend folks you can hear all the shows by going to vmpr .org all the podcasts are there not only bishop strickland's but all the others and i would encourage you to send those spiritual bouquets to our leadership in our church mass offerings rosaries visits to the blessed sacrament because as bishop sheen says every action is like a blank check if christ's name is on it it has infinite value may god richly bless you thanks for supporting us here at Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[501] God love you.