28 Sep 21 – America: Have Courage!

[0] Welcome to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[1] My name's Terry Barber with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[2] We have a special edition here with Bishop Strickland.

[3] And why I say it's special is because he's promoting a Eucharistic miracle movie teaser that he's in it.

[4] And I've got the producers of the show that are going to call in and talk to the good bishop about that.

[5] So Bishop Strickland, I don't see you, but are you with us on the audio yet?

[6] Not yet.

[7] Okay.

[8] all right he'll call back i just want to mention that because we're going to go through his tweets that he does each week and then if we have time which we should we'll get to the catechism of the catholic church how many bishops catholic bishops do you know who take the catechism of the catholic church uh read it and teach from it uh through the media i don't know of anybody other than bishop strickland so i thank him for doing that that's a major commitment and i know he is as busy as a beast man and busy as they come come.

[9] So when we have him on, we're going to do that.

[10] But I wanted to mention something.

[11] His first tweet, and then he can comment on it.

[12] It really is about the St. Cornelius and Cyprian.

[13] That was last week's feast day of a bishop and martyr.

[14] These saints died for their faith, he said, in Jesus, in the persecution in the third century.

[15] He says this, and I want to hear him to talk about this, is may they inspire us to stand strong.

[16] against the tyranny in the 21st century.

[17] And what's interesting is it's the same Jesus Christ, he says, who gave them strength is with us too.

[18] Let's follow him.

[19] So, you know, we see these martyrs.

[20] We're recording today on September 20th, which is the feast of another set of martyrs.

[21] Matter of fact, 103 Korean martyrs, St. Andrew Kim, priest, and Paul Kong, and the companions.

[22] they were martyred way back not in the third century 1846 not that long ago but martyrs are throughout the church history and I think what Bishop Strickland is saying when he says it's the same Jesus Christ that they died for that we also may be called to die for who knows most likely not but if it was well I pray to these martyrs that went before us that we can follow in their good example because let's be honest a martyr goes straight to heaven you die for the faith you bypass purgatory what?

[23] That's what I've been taught in the Catholic faith so they'll let me know in Bishop Strickland he's on a busy schedule he'll be coming in on the call soon but I did want to just mention something that some of you heard about the conference last weekend that we did on St. Joseph and we had Father Charles Murr, Father Stephen Woosnicki, and my wife married talk on St. Joseph, a world biblical view of St. Joseph.

[24] Why is St. Joseph important in overcoming depression?

[25] The conference was fantastic, okay?

[26] If you want to get a copy of the talks, call 877 -526 -215 .1 or go online to vmp .org.

[27] and you can get yourself a copy of those talks because they were outstanding talks on the faith.

[28] Also, we're going to get to more of the bishop's text, his tweets, but what's interesting about Bishop Strickland is he goes out on the limb and really supports lay organization projects big time.

[29] I'd say more than I know of any other bishop.

[30] He's always there for the lay people who are spreading the faith.

[31] And he had a tweet regarding a school, and it's called the Jesuit -run Creighton University in Nebraska.

[32] Now, nothing against the Jesuits, but some of those Jesuits schools, you know, are kind of crazy.

[33] And in this one, there are seven students who are suing the school regarding the vaccine policy.

[34] And their point is, you don't make the teachers get the vaccine or the employees, why have us?

[35] And again, this is very consistent with what the Catholic Church teaches.

[36] And I'll just happen to have the document in front of me from the congregation of the doctrine of the faith.

[37] And it says the taking of the vaccine must be voluntary.

[38] It's only permitted to use the vaccine when there's no other means to stop our pretext.

[39] prevent the epidemic.

[40] Thousands of doctors have testified in treating patients successfully, even patients that are very, very sick.

[41] Now, why do I bring this up?

[42] Well, if you remember, this vaccine came out as an emergency vaccine.

[43] If there was no other alternative to treat people, then you can't proceed with the vaccine.

[44] So why am I saying this?

[45] I'm of the opinion, and I don't know what the bishop's opinion is.

[46] but the congregation says it's supposed to be voluntary I'm going to presume that Bishop Strickland would say absolutely but I just see him on my screen.

[47] Bishop Strickland welcome to your show my friend thanks Terry sorry for the delay.

[48] No problem Bishop Strickland not a problem you're busy traffic yeah traffic hey I was in three hours of traffic and I made it and within one minute so we both were kind of stressing it's no problem Bishop Strickland I was pointing out something that the Catholic Church teaches about the vaccine, and it's very clear to me from the congregation of the doctrine of faith that the morality of using some, you know, anti -COVID vaccines, I mean, basically we're saying the church says it's supposed to be voluntary, even though in certain circumstances, it doesn't appear to be voluntary at all.

[49] So my question to you, and I think you've said it many, many times, that this should not be mandatory for, at least I think, in your diocese, you're not going to make it mandatory that someone can't get into church if they're not vaccinated.

[50] Is that a fair statement?

[51] That's a fair statement, Terry.

[52] I think this just runaway mandating is ill -advised.

[53] And it's contrary, as you were saying, as I came in, contrary to what the church has taught.

[54] And we need to remember the church is not new at this.

[55] The church is dealt with pandemics before, epidemics, plagues.

[56] The church has been around for 2 ,000 years.

[57] Yeah.

[58] Need to return to the deposit of faith, the basic principles that have guided us.

[59] Absolutely.

[60] Every life is valuable.

[61] People need to be guided in making their choices.

[62] I was just thinking today that wouldn't it be a so much better situation if the church, the state, and the scientific world had all collaborated to let people know what the reality is, what their options are, and how, in guiding them and making moral choices for their lives, for their family, in a calm and serene way, just approaching this as the rational beings that God has made us to be.

[63] all these mandates are contradicting that.

[64] And frankly, you people, you see people on the news that are all frustrated that people are resisting these mandated vaccines for various reasons, as we've talked about.

[65] And I'm glad to say that my resistance is primarily due to the connection to abortion.

[66] I don't impose that on anyone else.

[67] the churches said, even with that connection, that people are free to take this vaccine, but mandating it, on top of being free to take it, mandating it, I believe, does need to be resisted.

[68] It's not as if it's been proven to be tremendously effective.

[69] There are kinds of questions about it.

[70] That all seems to be set aside when someone determines that.

[71] that it needs to be mandated.

[72] We need to approach this rationally and to remember that we are created in the image and likeness of God.

[73] Therefore, our connection to divine life and to everlasting life is the most important thing that we need to keep in mind.

[74] Certainly, protecting every life and holding life as sacred is woven, into this, but mandating vaccines when the vaccines that we have have some kind of connection to abortion, some worse than others, that's one factor.

[75] But then the effectiveness of the vaccines, I mean, too many people have died after they've been vaccinated.

[76] That's not in any way to say, oh, well, you know, the vaccines are ineffective, but we just haven't had good information.

[77] And we haven't had good guidance from leaders to say, let's approach this as the children of God that we are.

[78] Let's give people the freedom to make their choices instead of more and more mandates.

[79] I'd love to have seen what are the best preventative measures?

[80] Yes.

[81] What are the best treatments after you get COVID?

[82] Because we've heard, I'm sure we both heard various statements that where treatments can be very effective, but there's been little about that, at least from the national leadership and from the media on effective treatments.

[83] Maybe some of the treatments that have been called effective.

[84] Maybe they're not, but it's hard to get the rational, reasonable information on what are the best preventative measures.

[85] I mean, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine has been pushed without even acknowledging what, you know, there's been little discussion of herd immunity, of acquired immunity because you've had the disease of natural immunity.

[86] Exactly.

[87] All of that should be explored and given to rational people to make their own decision.

[88] but that's not where we are, sadly.

[89] Bishop Strickland, I know you've got degrees in theology and philosophy and canon law, but I'm going to give another one to you, a degree and a Ph .D. in common sense.

[90] Because common sense ain't that common.

[91] Of course, everything you said makes sense.

[92] We'll be right back with more.

[93] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[94] My name's Terry Barbara.

[95] I'm with Virgin Most Powerful Radio.

[96] Bishop Strickland just gave his thoughts about the virus.

[97] making it not mandatory, and that's very clear.

[98] Bishop Strickland just came across my desk today, and I'm sure you saw it also.

[99] The Supreme Court is going to hear the Mississippi case December 1st, and this could be a really big step in overturning Roe v. Wade, and I know you're going to be tweeting about that, I'm sure, in the coming days, but I'd like to get your thoughts on that.

[100] It just seems like the last time this issue came, I think it was 1992 to the Supreme Court, but I think the Supreme Court, in my opinion, this is probably, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the Supreme Court, I think, will have a different view than they did in 92 because I think there's more justices that are going to, I think, hopefully, and I'm praying that they'll defend life to think about that December 1st date.

[101] I certainly hope so.

[102] Is that the one from the Mississippi case?

[103] That's correct.

[104] Mississippi.

[105] You're right.

[106] Well, I was proud to join an amicus brief that several Catholic and non -Catholic individuals have connected with that, and the amicus brief is really emphasizing the significance of this Mississippi case and emphasizing that from its beginnings in this country, at least, abortion has been a tool of the eugenicists and people that have, it's really been a tool of racism, and that needs to be brought out.

[107] It obviously was definitely like that.

[108] Bishop Strickland, I have something that I didn't tell you ahead of time because we were both running, but I hope you don't mind.

[109] I have the producers of this video, Eucharistic Miracles, on the line.

[110] At the time we're talking about it, they're good friends of mine.

[111] I've had them on our show before, but I noticed when I saw that you tweeted about the movie, I thought, he's not going to mind, but I was just going to ask you to say a few words about the Eucharistic miracles, because you did, I mean, you tweeted this image, and I love the image you tweeted.

[112] Let me just describe it for our listeners.

[113] It's a priest at the elevation of the host.

[114] You've got three altar boys kneeling down.

[115] You've got a deacon and a priest.

[116] I don't know, two deacons or another altar.

[117] I think he's a deacon.

[118] He's kneeling in adoration.

[119] And it's just such a beautiful image to see what happens at mass and that everybody acknowledges.

[120] That's Jesus Christ, true God and true man. And so, you know, your comments, you said, I heard of this Eucharistic miracles, you know, this movie they're putting out.

[121] And it sounds to me like when I saw the trailer, there was a guy in that movie that looked a whole lot like you.

[122] yeah that was me i thought it was you i'm proud to be a part of it because we've got to this eucharistic revival that's been spoken of yeah really it's about knowing jesus christ and who he is truly truly god truly man and the true god and true man that is jesus christ is present at every altar at mass and in every tabernacle awesome we've just got to keep preaching this good news, this beautiful message of the Eucharist in calling people to a deeper embrace of that, greater reverence.

[123] Yes.

[124] Hopefully the more people realize who is there.

[125] Yes.

[126] They will begin to recognize what a privilege it is to go to Mass, what a privilege it is to pray in his presence, to hear his word proclaimed and to then see him physically there in the form of bread and wine that's been consecrated.

[127] It just needs to be emphasized, and that's why I was proud to be a part of this Eucharistic miracle video.

[128] Great.

[129] I've got Angelo on the line right now.

[130] Angelo, would you, are you there, brother?

[131] I see that on my phone.

[132] It looks like you got in.

[133] Are you there, Angelo?

[134] Yes, I mean, I mean, it has an intensity.

[135] You're a good man, Angelo.

[136] All these years I've known you, and I'm so proud that you're doing this video.

[137] Angelo, Bishop Strickland and I are talking about your video, your movie.

[138] Give us an update on what's going on.

[139] on and how people can help support this project?

[140] Yes, yes, absolutely.

[141] I mean, we had amazing great news.

[142] And I mean, we partner with this great group is called Catholic Connect that they are offering, they're building this streaming app, which we're going to streaming all the movie for the U .S. Miracles, but as well, we partner with the mother of Carlo Acutis, and she's going to providing all the work that her son did as well, and some animation too for children.

[143] And, yeah, so we are just now on the last page.

[144] We are trying to re -to -filming the reenactment of every Bible passages that speaks about the Eucharist.

[145] Good.

[146] Since nobody's ever done it, and since I mean, I think they are really important, and I mean, to be able to really have witness when Christ said, this is my body, and everybody left, I think it's going to be so powerful and same with Exodus.

[147] Awesome.

[148] When Moses explained that you, you don't tell you just to painting the door, the door, the side door, but you are to actually eat the, the land, but I mean, so, yeah, we're going to cover it in all these backward passages as well.

[149] Angelo, I want to jump in and say two things.

[150] One, how can people support it to watch the YouTube trailer?

[151] And also, I just want people to understand, I'll just toot your horn yourself because you won't say it.

[152] You've been in Hollywood doing animation for a lot of big companies, and now your gift is you're using the talents that you have to proclaim the gossip.

[153] teaching on the real presence and angelo correct me if i'm wrong brother aren't you also related to some great saint named saint padre peel yeah yeah you got you got you got a bud on the side yeah i mean i've been working for 35 years almost to a to all the biggest Hollywood company i mean from animation to directing as well and Paramount, Disney, all the 20th century fox and I mean, and as I grow with my faith and I mean, I start to embrace you more that huge blessed I had with my family to be so close to some Padre Pio and my godfather and my cousin he served the Padre Pio for 25 years.

[154] Awesome.

[155] Awesome.

[156] Amazing.

[157] So we hope, I mean, to bring in the Eucharist to everybody home.

[158] what I mean, and showing really what is.

[159] And I mean, so the website is Eucharistic miracles movie .com.

[160] So you get a miracle movies .com and you can find all the information, how to donate.

[161] We are non -profit, so now people can donate in and they can get money back from the government as well.

[162] Amen.

[163] That's always good.

[164] 501C3.

[165] Angelo, thanks for joining us here on the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[166] May God continue to bless you and your young family.

[167] Thank you so much.

[168] It's so excellent.

[169] I mean, we am so proud, I mean, to have you to support this movie.

[170] Thank you.

[171] God love you.

[172] Thank you, Angelo.

[173] God bless.

[174] Hey, Bishop Strickland, how many friends of yours are related to Padre Piel?

[175] I know.

[176] Well, Angelo is.

[177] Yeah, that's right.

[178] You know, I have to say something about the Bishop Strickland.

[179] We also, I mean, we inform people, but we like to entertain.

[180] I mean, when are you going to meet somebody who's a relative, Padre Pio.

[181] It doesn't happen too often.

[182] But anyhow, that's a great video, movie to connect with.

[183] Bishop Strickland, my next comment is a tweet that you did, and I thought it was like in your face.

[184] I like it, though.

[185] It says, what has happened to the land of the free and the home of the brave?

[186] Question mark, have we become the land of the chorus?

[187] The home of the coward?

[188] We still claim to be one nation under God.

[189] us believe in him face it who else can we believe in right now i love that read god's word and follow jesus and great advice but you know i just really wish you'd tell me what you really think well i i'm sure we both get frustrated and a lot of people that i hear from get frustrated And as you've said, it's common sense.

[190] It's really meat and potatoes faith and Catholicism.

[191] It's nothing, you know, very esoteric.

[192] It's nothing very complicated.

[193] But we don't need to be complicated.

[194] Certainly, some of the greatest minds have been Catholic minds studying theology and studying the Word of God and so many aspects of our faith.

[195] But we need to recognize.

[196] that the truth can be clear and simple as well.

[197] And I think that that's where, you know, the land of the free, the home of the brave, I've always been proud of this nation, but we need to remember who this nation is, who we are as Americans.

[198] Yes, we welcome anyone, but there need to be legal processes for that welcoming.

[199] it's just not realistic it's it's not common sense to just say come in and nobody's prepared for you it's like really again terry we just need to bring it back to just everyday living what sort of a host would you be if you said oh i want to invite a thousand people to my home but we're you don't bother to prepare yeah exactly you don't have a proper accommodation, you don't have the food they need, you don't have anything that they need.

[200] That's not welcoming, and that's basically what we're doing as a nation instead of in a measured way saying, well, this is what we can handle and this is what, you know, sadly the immigration question has been broken for half of our lifetime.

[201] Oh yeah, absolutely.

[202] And it needs to be fixed absolutely, but the fix is not to just say, oh, well, everyone's invited, and we're really not going to worry about what they're invited to and how we accommodate their needs.

[203] And it's just, it just doesn't make sense.

[204] And it's frustrating for people.

[205] And, you know, there's so many aspects of that land of the free home of the brave that I quoted that when I was there in the Capitol when Pope Francis beautifully used that phrase speaking of the United States, this was back, I forget when Pope Francis was here, about 2016, I believe, but I was blessed to be there in the Capitol when he gave that speech and he said those words.

[206] But with everything that has gone on, we need to remember that freedom and bravery ultimately come from what God is revealed to us, the deposit of faith, the understanding of who we are as those created in the image and likeness of God.

[207] That's what made this nation great, really.

[208] Understanding, yes, we've done it imperfectly, but instead of destroying it because we've done it imperfectly, let's continue to seek to truly make it one nation under God, to truly recognize the value of every person with inalienable rights.

[209] We haven't lived that perfectly, but we need to work at it and to continue to support what we have rather than the cancel culture that wants to just throw it all away.

[210] When we come back, Bishop Strickland put an example in action with some students at a Jesuit college in Nebraska.

[211] Talk about courage.

[212] Come back and find out about that.

[213] Welcome back to the Terry, excuse me, to the Bishop Strickland hour.

[214] I got confused because I just got a call from Father Heronman with Doug Barry.

[215] They want me on their show in about an hour.

[216] So I'm glad.

[217] I always like to be a pinch hitter, Bishop Strickland.

[218] I get calls from people when they get somebody canceled.

[219] They say, hey, will you pinch it?

[220] I said, listen, I played a lot of baseball, and I love pinch hitting it.

[221] always get pumped up about it because you get to swing the bat.

[222] So I want to swing the bat for Jesus.

[223] Bishop Strickland, your tweet about the home with the brave.

[224] You also tweeted about some students.

[225] I think they're brave students.

[226] I mean, to go and sue their Jesuit -run college, Creighton University, and Nebraska, for what?

[227] Because they're saying that that's mandating that they get the vaccine.

[228] And they're saying, that's not what the church teaches.

[229] So I'm going to call you out.

[230] And these are young people.

[231] Were you as inspired as I am when I read your tweet?

[232] I got like, man, those guys are, I'm proud of those boys and girls that did that.

[233] Yeah, I am too.

[234] And I think it's very important what they're doing.

[235] They're really stepping up to live the American way of life and to use the courts properly.

[236] Yeah.

[237] We're settling these kind of disputes.

[238] One thing that was very telling to me was what they presented in the information that was shared with me is that this mandate is for the students.

[239] Yeah.

[240] But the faculty and staff are not mandated.

[241] Hypocrisy.

[242] And that is, really, it is hypocrisy, and it doesn't make, it's illogical.

[243] Exactly.

[244] It's illogical, of course.

[245] If this virus, and yes, I know it's been tragic for too many people, too many have suffered, too many have died, absolutely, in the confusion of all of this.

[246] But if they're really serious about how much this vaccine is needed, why are some of the people exempt from it and other people mandated from it?

[247] And it just doesn't make sense.

[248] How is a student more vulnerable or more prone to share the virus than, I mean, we're just people.

[249] One, I mean, we're different ages, and they've told us that some ages are more vulnerable than others.

[250] That seems to change.

[251] Yeah.

[252] But it just doesn't make sense.

[253] It just, I can't get the logic of mandating that the students have it.

[254] Is it because, well, tenured faculty are less vulnerable to the virus?

[255] I don't think the virus cares whether you're tenured faculty or not.

[256] But maybe I don't know the answer.

[257] But I think we need to ask the questions in a calm way.

[258] I don't want to attack anyone.

[259] I don't want to mandate things for them that aren't reasonable, but having it mandated for students, I don't think it should be mandated for anyone.

[260] No. But to mandate it for students, but not for faculty, I think it, as I said in the tweet, I think that belies their whole premise.

[261] it undermines what they are saying they are trying to be responsible about if it's only some of the human beings that are on that campus that are mandated to have a vaccine and other human beings don't have a mandate, just doesn't make sense.

[262] Yeah, I agree with you.

[263] Bishop Strickland, I want to get right into the catechism now of the Catholic Church.

[264] I, before you came on, I was saying it's just refreshing to hear that a bishop takes time out of his busy schedule once a week to open up a catechism with a Catholic church and to teach this on the internet where anybody in the world can hear the, what I call the meaning and purpose of life.

[265] When you understand the catechism, it gives you the answers to the basic questions of life.

[266] It seems to me, it's pretty obvious that that's part of your job description to teach, govern, and sanctify, but I just don't see as much.

[267] as I'd like to see it.

[268] So I thank you for taking this time to read right out of the catechism and give some instruction to me and to all of our listeners.

[269] We are now on paragraph 244.

[270] And for those who don't own a catechism, get one.

[271] It's easy to get one at a bookstore, you know, online, just type in Catechism of the Catholic Church.

[272] Very inexpensive book to get and it really will help you in your faith walk.

[273] Especially if you're non -Catholic.

[274] I've talked to so many people who are non -Catholics who said, oh man, I was reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church like four years before I became a Catholic, and it just took time.

[275] I would use it in part of my homilies as a Protestant minister, and then I just started realizing, gosh, I'm thinking like a Catholic.

[276] Maybe I should become one.

[277] So anyhow, the Catechism is a powerful tool.

[278] here's paragraph 244 we're talking about the trinity just to back up anybody wants to hear the podcasts you can get old podcasts of the of the catechism with bishop strickland that's up but we've been talking about the father and the son revealed by the spirit so paragraph 244 starts off the eternal origin of the holy spirit is revealed in his mission in time i can't explain that the spirit is sent to the apostles and to the church both by the father in the name of the son and by the son in person once he had returned to the father.

[279] The sending of the person of the spirit after Jesus's glorification reveals in it its fullness the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

[280] Break that one down, Bishop Strickland please.

[281] Well really, Terry, I'm so glad we're focusing on these paragraphs of the catechism.

[282] Who is our triune God, Father, Son, and Spirit?

[283] Because more and more of what I read and hear in various commentaries, various conversations that are going on, there's a lot of questioning about who is Jesus, who is God, what is the Trinity, Father, Son, and Spirit.

[284] What we need to know is, and to underscore as we look at a few paragraphs of the catechism, this deposit of faith, and that's what the catechism is, it's a record of the deposit of faith, taken from scripture, taken from tradition.

[285] And what we're talking about now are truths that are hard won through the early centuries of the church.

[286] There were many heresies.

[287] that had the idea that Jesus was a man, but not really God.

[288] And then other heresies said, oh, he was God, but not really human, not a real human being.

[289] The church came to the deposit of faith, which is Jesus Christ, fully God, fully man. just recently i was inspired to read um some of the just an excerpt of the writings of st cyril that um really reminds us saint cyril of alexandria i believe is the correct citation but just reminding us of those basic truths that were hard ones.

[290] Sometimes saints martyred for that truth, unwilling to deny the father, son, and spirit.

[291] Others exiled and other saints, I mean, there are all kinds of dramatic stories of what the saints had to deal with who were guarding the deposit of faith, as it, even as it was developing and being clarified, Jesus Christ, fully God, and fully man. And once that revelation that God has offered us, once we understand who Jesus is, he helps to reveal God the Father sent his only beloved, his only begotten son as the greatest gift of all, because he so loved the world.

[292] That is what John 316 really talks about in much more beautiful language than I just quoted because I didn't quote the scriptures.

[293] But the basic message is God's soul of the world that he gave us his son.

[294] And through Jesus, we come to know the Father more deeply and we come to understand who the Holy Spirit is as the third person of the Trinity.

[295] We have to be willing, like saints of old, to be exiled, to be rejected, to be mocked, even to die for this faith.

[296] And as crazy as things are in our world today, that is our strength to know who Jesus Christ is, fully God and fully man. And as this paragraph speaks of it, is the Father and the Son sent the Spirit.

[297] The son in person sent the Holy Spirit, the one who had walked among us, as he promised, he would send a paracly, a helper, an advocate.

[298] All those are different descriptions of the Holy Spirit.

[299] And I believe what we need to remember, Terry, as people of faith as disciples in the 21st century, that the Holy Spirit is our advocate as well.

[300] Amen.

[301] The Holy Spirit is our helper.

[302] our paraclete, let us turn to the Holy Spirit when we're confused, when we're unsure, when we're dealing with resistance to being Christian and to being disciples who follow Jesus Christ.

[303] Let us turn to the one the Father and the Son sent to help us.

[304] The Holy Spirit was already manifest even at creation, but the person of the Holy Spirit was sent to us to dwell in us and to guide the church to guard her, the bride of Christ, from the gates of hell, from all the powers that Satan wants to unleash.

[305] We have to be strong in faith that Christ has conquered Satan.

[306] He's conquered sin and death.

[307] But we have to choose, use our God -given free conscience.

[308] to choose to follow and to embrace that truth and to be willing to take whatever cross, whatever suffering, and even death rather than abandon this deposit of faith.

[309] That's the strength that we need as 21st century Christians.

[310] Mr. Strickland, you reminded me of a story of a Coptic priest, Father Zachariah Boutros and his brother.

[311] And when we come back from the break, I'll share the short story of how his relationship was so strong with Jesus Christ that even when they threatened death, he said, that's the worst thing you can do.

[312] But I want to tell you the story because we won't want to miss it, folks.

[313] We'll be right back with more, the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[314] Welcome back to the Bishop Strickland Hour.

[315] We're talking about the catechism of the Catholic Church, and we just was reading paragraph 244 talking about our, the Trinity and talking about Jesus and our relationship with him and Bishop Strickland made a comment about we have to be willing to even die for our faith.

[316] It's happened over and over again in 2000 years.

[317] Well, a friend of mine who I consider a good friend, Father Zechari Abutros, he's 87 years old from Egypt.

[318] He's a Coptic Christian.

[319] And he told me the story about his brother that unfortunately some extremist Muslims killed his brother right in front of him.

[320] him as a 14 -year -old boy because he wouldn't renounce Jesus Christ.

[321] And when his brother's throat was slit, his brother who was a priest, the Bible that he was holding, he says, no, I believe in Jesus Christ.

[322] And they killed him.

[323] The Bible fell on the ground.

[324] Father Zechariab Butros at age 14, a follower of Jesus, picked up his brother's Bible, and these terrorists said, are you going to, you want the same thing done to you as your brother?

[325] And his response was very powerful, Bishop Strickland, he looked at them at age 14 and said, I hope I could say that.

[326] He said, you can't send me anywhere that God isn't.

[327] And I thought, what?

[328] And it was a early father's quote from when the martyrs were dying in the early centuries of the church.

[329] You can't send me anywhere that God isn't.

[330] I thought, wow, that stuck with me. This was five, six, eight years ago I heard this.

[331] And I still, it goes through my mind.

[332] Please, Jesus, that's what I want to tell them when they're going to slip my throat.

[333] You can't send me. me anywhere that Jesus isn't, that God isn't.

[334] So anyhow, the point I'm making Bishop Strickland is the saints, you know, have inspired us.

[335] And it seems to me the Bible says the way the tree bends is the way it falls.

[336] So if we keep these thoughts in our minds about following Jesus, it seems to me that we will be faithful because we are asking for a holy death.

[337] We're asking for the grace to defend our faith even at the end.

[338] So that, I think I might have told you that story before but doesn't that inspire you when you hear someone says you can't send me anywhere that god isn't absolutely and really terry as we as we look at these basic paragraphs in the catechism that are are hard -won aspects of the deposit of faith essential truth for living our human journey what occurs to me is what's happening in our time the same thing that happened in the early church and through the ages when heresies develop if we'd analyze just in general all the heresies what they point to is attempting to change or reshape the truth that's been revealed to us because we find it too challenging yeah that's what it comes down to in our modern time I really believe that we are seeing heresies of old gain new life and new vigor.

[339] Absolutely.

[340] Because people don't want to really face the challenge that Jesus Christ lays before us, to turn from repentive sin and to take up our cross and follow him.

[341] People don't want that.

[342] No. They want, and we're not really in the 21st century, we're not doing anything new.

[343] No. We're actually doing things very old.

[344] Yeah.

[345] The original rejections of the message of Jesus.

[346] I mean, like you referred to as we talked to Angelo about the Eucharistic miracle movie that he said, he mentioned that as they depict these passages from sacred scripture that talk about that, I'm glad they're going to depict one of those where Jesus says, you must eat my body and drink my blood to have life in you.

[347] And what happened?

[348] Many of the people left.

[349] Many of them, you could say they became heretics.

[350] That's right.

[351] They rejected the truth.

[352] That's what heresy is.

[353] It's saying that's not the truth.

[354] And heretics don't just turn away from Christ, but really, heresy tries to reshape it and say, oh, no, that's not what he meant.

[355] Instead of just facing it and recognizing, yes, it's challenging to believe that we must eat his body and drink his blood to have life in us.

[356] So the heretic tries to reshape it and say, oh, he didn't really mean that or it's only symbolic.

[357] I mean, so the Eucharistic heresy, that he didn't really mean it develops.

[358] And much of the world, including, sadly, statistically from what we're told, too many Catholics buy into that heresy.

[359] He didn't really mean it.

[360] That's heretical.

[361] He did really mean it.

[362] He's really not the Son of God.

[363] That's heretical.

[364] He's really not a human, a flesh and blood, human being, body and blood, sinew and muscle, bone and skin.

[365] He's a real human human.

[366] He's a real human being.

[367] If he's not a real human being, as the saints argue, then the Eucharist loses its meaning.

[368] If his body and blood is not a real body in blood, then those who say, oh, it's just symbolic, then they'd be right.

[369] It's not the truth.

[370] He is real body and blood.

[371] He is real divinity.

[372] And that's what the heretics can't deal with.

[373] People don't want to acknowledge that he's said, you must repent of your sins and embrace the gospel.

[374] And so they tried to heretically to downplay the idea of sin.

[375] And so it's all connected, trying to reshape who Jesus Christ is so that we aren't expected to be, to face the dramatic transformation that is required for each of us, I fail to fully live up to that dramatic transformation because I'm a sinner.

[376] But rather than continue the work of overcoming sin and taking up our cross, the heretical approach is to try to change the truth.

[377] And we see a lot of that in the world today.

[378] Bishop Strickland, you're echoing a great saint, St. Paul the 6th, back in 1965, put out Mysterium Fide.

[379] At the end of an ecumenical council of Vatican 2, and I have my speculations on why he did it, but to reaffirm what we really believe about the Eucharist, because I read the document, it's very short but very clear.

[380] And then to continue on with this saint came out in 1968, I have it in my hand called the Crito, the people of God, where he summarized again the fundamentals of the Catholic faith.

[381] And it seems that that's what, 50, 60, years ago, and the Holy Father was clearly teaching that nothing's changed.

[382] And it seems to me what you're doing is just echoing what Paul the 6th said and what, you know, goes all the way back to the apostolic teachings of the church.

[383] And so I just, I get excited about this because when I hear the teachings of the church, people want to know that truth doesn't change.

[384] And so, unfortunately, to some people, even inside our church, I hate to say this, they think it changes with the attitude of people that somehow that's going to make a change because we're modern that has nothing to do with objective truth all right i'm done getting off my soapbox sorry mr strickland well go ahead really terry i would encourage people like i said i'm a pretty simple guy pretty down to earth um but the truth is down to earth yes it's it's beyond us it is more complex than all the most complicated theology that we have.

[385] But it's also down to earth so that what does Christ tell us?

[386] Be like the children.

[387] That is the kind of faith we need to have, not childish, but childlike faith.

[388] I would encourage all of us to really look at the profession of faith or the creed that we profess on Sunday at Mass. And just sit down with it.

[389] ask ourselves, would I die for this?

[390] Great question.

[391] I believe in God, the Father Almighty creator of heaven and earth.

[392] I believe in that.

[393] Yeah.

[394] We say we believe in that.

[395] Would you be willing to die rather than give in to whatever power it is saying you're going to die if you don't deny that line of the creed?

[396] And go through the whole thing and ask yourself, would I be willing to die for it.

[397] Many have.

[398] Whether or not we are expected or will be required to face that choice, as you mentioned, your friend related to that he saw his brother die.

[399] Yep, right.

[400] And he was threatened with it.

[401] Yeah.

[402] Many people have been.

[403] And I think that story that you shared is very important for us to remember.

[404] Yes, we have martyrs that we're just celebrated today.

[405] the Korean martyrs of the church, many martyrs are not recorded as canonized saints.

[406] That's for sure.

[407] Maybe we'll catch up and that brother of your friend will be recorded one day.

[408] But he was a martyr.

[409] If he was killed because he was unwilling to deny his faith, he's a martyr.

[410] That's their witnesses to the faith from the very beginning of the church.

[411] well said bishop strickland i want to get a plug in for your institute i like to give plugs can you tell but i want people to know how they can also your newspaper that's coming out what's the latest diocese yeah the uh the st philip institute which helps to sponsor our catholic east texas newspaper which will be returning to a print magazine um issued in november um our staff is working hard to make that happen.

[412] The St. Philip Institute is about teaching the catechism here in the 33 counties of the diocese of Tyler and beyond.

[413] For any of those who want to take up that same information and share it and live it, the St. Philip Institute is available to everyone.

[414] But its primary focus is on serving this flock, the Diocese of Tyler.

[415] And really, not just the Catholics, but we want to evangelize and to share that truth with all 1 .5 million people in these 33 counties.

[416] That's the mission of every diocese.

[417] And so we're just doing our best to do it here.

[418] And any of the tools that we're producing are available to others as well.

[419] Awesome.

[420] And they just go to the Institute's website and you can get that.

[421] Okay, Bishop Strickland, well, I appreciate you joining us again.

[422] And we've got about a minute to before we have to end.

[423] I want to make sure we get a blessing from you.

[424] And also, I want people to know if they, several people are wanting to move to Texas, and I've been sending them all to Tyler, but folks, this diocese is small but powerful from what everybody's telling me. So consider going to Texas and getting out of California.

[425] All right, I said it.

[426] Now, Bishop Strickland, how about a blessing?

[427] Almighty God, we ask your blessing for all who are listening.

[428] and our lady, this network and radio show that all who participate may be blessed in your loving grace through the intersection of the saints and the blessing of your marriage.

[429] Father, I'm the Lord of God.

[430] Amen, folks.

[431] Remember, you can go to vmpr .org to listen to all the podcasts of the Bishop Stricklandauer.

[432] Matter of fact, all of our shows that we put on are there at vmpr .org.

[433] Also, I left the priest retreat by Bishops Stricklandauer.

[434] Bishop Sheen called Called and Chosen.

[435] It's free.

[436] Let's download it.

[437] Go to bnpr .org.

[438] May God richly bless you and your family.