The John-Henry Westen Show - The Next Pope, Upcoming Conclave ｜ Bishop Strickland

00:00:00.000 Cardinals have clearly made statements that contradict the faith.

00:00:07.860 Well, my friends, welcome to the John Henry Weston Show, where, as you can see,

00:00:11.640 we are very privileged to bring to you Bishop Joseph Strickland.

00:00:16.300 Bishop Strickland has endorsed an article from LifeSite, a very, a lot of spaces,

00:00:23.700 controversial article, not all that controversial.

00:00:25.640 It's calling on Catholics to recognize what's going on with this coming conclave

00:00:32.980 and what we need to see in a new pope, that we can't have a heretic be a pope.

00:00:38.460 We must have a pope that's faithful to Jesus Christ.

00:00:41.620 Doesn't sound all that controversial, but indeed today it is because of all the

00:00:46.540 uproar in the church over Pope Francis, his legacy, what might be coming in the next section.

00:00:51.620 We're going to get into all of that on this episode of the John Henry Weston Show.

00:00:54.740 Bishop Strickland, as always, would you mind studying yourself at the Son of the Cross?

00:00:58.640 In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

00:01:02.120 Amen. Amen.

00:01:03.320 So, this whole concept of your encouraging Catholics to recognize that we need a pope

00:01:15.440 who follows Jesus Christ, as you would call him, a first century Christian in a 21st century world,

00:01:24.560 shouldn't be all that controversial.

00:01:26.680 And in addition to having a message out to Catholics in general, give a message for the cardinals in general,

00:01:34.300 who will be meeting in conclave.

00:01:35.860 We don't know if it's very soon, but obviously, given Pope Francis' health concerns,

00:01:41.100 it's going to be, it's imminent.

00:01:43.580 And, you know, we're not talking decades.

00:01:46.260 We're talking years, I think, would still be miracles.

00:01:49.460 We're probably talking months, if not weeks.

00:01:51.380 Well, thank you, John Henry.

00:01:53.240 And certainly, we continue to pray for Pope Francis, a son of God, beloved of God.

00:02:00.160 We pray for his eternal salvation and God's blessing for him in this time of difficulty and trial.

00:02:07.700 Well, and as you asked the question about cardinals or Catholics more broadly,

00:02:14.040 really what occurs to me, even as you asked the question, it really is the same for all of us.

00:02:22.060 Cardinals, princes of the church, ordained bishops are simply Catholics, ultimately.

00:02:30.200 And for all of us as Catholics, as you said, it shouldn't be controversial to pray for the most faithful man possible to be chosen.

00:02:41.220 And I think, as you said, we have to be realistic.

00:02:44.600 We have to be reasonable and just embrace the reality that we face in the world today and in the church.

00:02:52.540 Cardinals have spoken very clearly, making statements that are not orthodox Catholic faiths.

00:03:03.540 And so that clarity, I believe we are obligated to be very aware of, prayerfully encouraging and purging,

00:03:13.960 and speaking up to the cardinals who will have that tremendous burden and responsibility as the papacy is a tremendous burden and responsibility.

00:03:27.420 Those who choose the Pope through the ages have carried a weight on their shoulders that if you really think for a moment about what they are doing,

00:03:38.200 choosing the successor to St. Peter, it has to be taken very seriously with great faith, with great hope in the Lord's guidance of the church, as he promised, the gates of hell will not prevail.

00:03:53.720 So all of that should make it self-evident that, of course, we prayerfully implore the cardinals whenever the next conclave happens to choose the very holiest man they can.

00:04:12.620 And I'd say holiest because certainly we need a man who is intelligent, a man who has great abilities,

00:04:20.980 like some of the popes that we've seen through the ages, tremendous intellects, tremendous ability to communicate.

00:04:29.780 But holiness is the most important gift that they have or should have.

00:04:36.460 If we look to St. Peter, he was a simple fisherman, but spent time with the incarnate Son of God, significant time,

00:04:47.200 journeyed with him, journeyed with him, at times struggled with him, came to understand more deeply.

00:04:53.900 So St. Peter was guided on the path of holiness by the Lord himself.

00:05:01.600 We in our faith have to believe and trust that these men are guided by the Lord himself as well.

00:05:11.360 He's with us, as he promised in the life of the church.

00:05:14.260 So I believe and I really appreciate the question and the focus of, let's say, continuing to pray for the present pope,

00:05:25.220 for his very best life, which is ultimately everlasting life with God,

00:05:32.600 and then praying for the church to overcome some of the challenges and the scandal that we've faced in the past several years.

00:05:45.120 And to again acknowledge that cardinals have clearly made statements that contradict the faith.

00:05:53.820 They've been clear in ways that is startling and saddening and very dangerous for the faith.

00:06:04.540 And so we must urge, I believe, all the cardinals to prayerfully consider and make sure that the man they ultimately choose.

00:06:16.400 It's not about, I mean, you sometimes see the, you know, especially more and more as we look at the reality of a conclave soon,

00:06:25.380 it's almost like it's a gambling situation or, you know, who's ahead is not a horse race.

00:06:31.800 It's not anything really worldly.

00:06:35.940 It's a spiritual journey that we pray the cardinals embrace very seriously with great faith

00:06:43.840 and choosing that holy man who best is vicar of Christ for this next part of the 21st century.

00:06:55.620 They're aided by the Holy Spirit, but it's not the Holy Spirit who makes the selection.

00:06:59.600 So we're not guaranteed a holy pope, are we?

00:07:04.160 No.

00:07:04.800 And history has shown that some of the popes have not been holy men.

00:07:09.440 The church continues and sometimes, I mean, well, always God uses our human frailty, our human weakness, our sinfulness

00:07:20.540 to always be pulling us back to fidelity, back to him, back to the church.

00:07:27.480 But absolutely, there's no guarantee.

00:07:30.740 And if you can look through history, there are many popes that failed in that call to holiness

00:07:38.260 of really being a vicar of Christ, and we're caught up more in the sinful world that we're all caught up in at times.

00:07:47.480 So there's no guarantee there.

00:07:49.560 So absolutely, I believe the cardinals, and hopefully the cardinals are already men of prayer

00:07:55.960 who are praying for the Holy Spirit to guide them to be more open to the Holy Spirit.

00:08:03.080 But there's no guarantee, and it is their free choice.

00:08:08.680 I think that that's such a critical element of all this, that God, we're not automatons.

00:08:15.100 I mean, being made in the image and likeness of God means that we are free to choose.

00:08:22.480 We have to form our consciences.

00:08:24.460 And, you know, that is something that we pray that the cardinals, as princes of the church already,

00:08:32.340 will continue to form their consciences in the truth of what's happening without passing judgment on anyone.

00:08:39.980 We're not to judge, but we are to make judgments about what's happening in the world.

00:08:45.340 And look to the kerygma of our faith, to the very basics, and to the magisterial teachings through the ages,

00:08:54.540 to look to the deposit of faith to guide us.

00:08:58.220 That is what our gauge of holiness is.

00:09:01.440 Who is living most fully the gospel virtues, what the deposit of faith means?

00:09:08.460 I mean, you know, you're not going to find a sinless candidate.

00:09:12.840 We're all sinners.

00:09:13.620 But to be virtuous is to constantly repent of sin and to seek deeper virtue.

00:09:22.400 That's what we pray the next pope would be a man who does that.

00:09:27.200 What you say about some of the cardinals have spoken against the faith, these are, in some ways, you'd think,

00:09:35.400 that's like the strangest thing.

00:09:37.240 The sine qua non of a priest, a cardinal, a pope would be without faith.

00:09:42.820 Even in a secular context, someone who is promoting a product, let's say, a company,

00:09:49.160 they're all promoting the product that the company's offering.

00:09:53.200 They're not going against it.

00:09:54.140 But yet, in the church today, we have this odd situation where Pope Francis himself, but also several cardinals,

00:10:01.660 have gone against the faith on really key issues where, all in line with this kind of woke agenda

00:10:08.460 that the world is also pushing at the same time, but you have this happen over and over again.

00:10:14.540 And so, in the conclave, some of the cardinals who are truly striving, as you said, for Christ and his truth all the time,

00:10:23.820 must recognize some of their brother cardinals as being the enemies of the faith.

00:10:30.820 Not so much their personalities, they're probably really nice guys.

00:10:34.380 When Cardinal Cupich talks, for instance, very fine fellow, he's really smart.

00:10:40.740 Cardinal McElroy, I'm sure he's a jovial guy, I don't know him, I haven't talked with him like I have with Cardinal Cupich,

00:10:46.580 but they're men not always speaking the truth of Christ.

00:10:51.680 They might be great, wonderful, affable, friendly, or, you know, might be great people in some ways.

00:10:59.480 But there's a difference.

00:11:02.020 And so, that very thing the cardinals are looking at, their confers don't have, that's mind-blowing all by itself,

00:11:10.840 but then that has great ramifications for what happens inside the conclave.

00:11:16.380 I believe it comes down simply and profoundly to the deposit of faith.

00:11:25.320 What is that deposit of faith?

00:11:27.040 Many people have asked me, as I've spoken about it so often,

00:11:30.020 and it really is the fullness of the truth that is Jesus Christ.

00:11:35.420 He is the ultimate deposit of faith.

00:11:38.300 He's with us.

00:11:39.840 He is a living Lord present in the Eucharist, present in all the sacraments,

00:11:45.240 touching our lives, available to us, if only we will turn to him.

00:11:50.440 So, the statements of some cardinals from around the world,

00:11:57.860 there are various statements that have been made very clearly saying this truth needs to change.

00:12:04.940 And I constantly turn to the words of St. Paul, that even if he, St. Paul himself,

00:12:15.660 or an angel from heaven should speak a gospel that contradicts the true gospel,

00:12:23.000 let them be anathema.

00:12:25.080 Let them be accursed.

00:12:26.620 I would hope and pray that that would be a basic text of sacred scripture that guides and reminds the cardinals

00:12:40.340 when they take on this tremendous responsibility of choosing the next Holy Father,

00:12:46.340 that anyone who has done that, let them be anathema.

00:12:51.080 Again, we don't judge, but we have to judge the actions.

00:12:55.420 We have to judge the statements that contradict the deposit of faith,

00:13:00.320 that say, oh, marriage needs to be redefined,

00:13:03.620 or sexual morality needs, we need to wake up and get into the 21st century as a church.

00:13:10.440 No.

00:13:11.400 We believe that Christ is revealed to us through his own ministry,

00:13:16.520 through the gospels that record that,

00:13:19.660 through all of sacred scripture,

00:13:21.700 through the teachings of the church through the ages,

00:13:24.720 that Christ has taught us.

00:13:26.660 He says himself,

00:13:28.240 marriage is male and female,

00:13:31.120 as ordained by God.

00:13:32.920 Christ speaks of the book of Genesis,

00:13:35.960 the very first book of sacred scripture.

00:13:39.060 And to say that

00:13:40.920 that needs to change and be updated

00:13:43.480 simply is not our faith.

00:13:46.180 And it's a departure from the faith

00:13:48.000 that is critically serious.

00:13:50.260 Really, John Henry,

00:13:51.920 what has struck me through these many years of facing these challenges,

00:13:57.840 and as you mentioned,

00:13:59.700 I'm not the most talented of men,

00:14:02.760 but I deeply believe

00:14:04.400 in the deposit,

00:14:06.680 the gloriously beautiful truth

00:14:09.660 that Christ died to share with us.

00:14:11.840 And I think sometimes

00:14:13.560 that's what strikes me the most

00:14:16.040 is it's treated the gospel,

00:14:19.800 the truth that's been revealed by God's son

00:14:22.620 is treated as some kind of burden

00:14:24.980 that we need to throw off

00:14:26.960 and we need to reshape

00:14:28.640 because it's so burdensome

00:14:30.280 and so difficult for humanity.

00:14:33.000 Our greatest flourishing

00:14:34.660 is to live as God has made us

00:14:37.900 in his image and likeness.

00:14:39.580 And Jesus Christ

00:14:41.920 has given us that model.

00:14:44.680 We look to the Blessed Virgin Mary

00:14:46.620 as the sinless woman 1.00

00:14:49.060 that God has given

00:14:50.160 as a model for all women.

00:14:51.980 Christ himself is the model for us as men

00:14:54.800 of being a man

00:14:57.500 who began as a child in the womb,

00:15:01.860 grew and became a man,

00:15:04.340 walked this earth

00:15:05.380 just like we do,

00:15:07.340 always fully God and fully man.

00:15:09.880 That is the great gift

00:15:11.480 of our Catholic faith

00:15:12.600 that Jesus Christ

00:15:13.780 and the mystery that that

00:15:15.920 will always be in this flour.

00:15:19.100 How can this be?

00:15:20.100 How can one being, Jesus Christ,

00:15:24.880 be fully God and fully man?

00:15:27.100 But he offers us that.

00:15:28.440 I often reflect that,

00:15:31.380 say, Christ at 18,

00:15:33.460 he's the model 0.90

00:15:35.220 of an 18-year-old young man,

00:15:38.160 perfectly living compassion

00:15:40.320 and joy and hope

00:15:42.420 and care for others,

00:15:44.960 standing in the truth.

00:15:46.780 The perfect 18-year-old.

00:15:49.580 In Christ, lived to be 33,

00:15:51.720 I think that we need

00:15:53.060 to be inspired by him

00:15:54.580 and to know that

00:15:56.320 he's not some dim,

00:15:59.980 mysterious figure

00:16:01.640 from the past

00:16:02.560 that we might encounter

00:16:04.400 in some way.

00:16:05.120 He's alive and present now.

00:16:07.940 Spend time with him

00:16:09.160 in front of the Eucharist.

00:16:10.680 I would urge every cardinal

00:16:13.220 to spend as much time as possible

00:16:15.780 in Eucharistic adoration,

00:16:18.280 in preparation for whenever

00:16:19.880 they are called to this conclave.

00:16:22.440 Like I said,

00:16:23.200 we continue to pray

00:16:24.660 for Pope Francis

00:16:25.740 and his ultimate

00:16:28.020 and eternal salvation.

00:16:30.340 That's what we need to pray

00:16:31.560 for every single person.

00:16:33.600 And so,

00:16:34.880 the cardinals,

00:16:35.920 we pray,

00:16:36.760 are men of deep faith.

00:16:38.700 Hopefully,

00:16:39.280 that's the reason

00:16:40.040 they're there.

00:16:41.140 But the idea

00:16:42.200 that the deposit of faith

00:16:44.520 needs to be altered,

00:16:46.300 I would hope and pray

00:16:47.740 that setting aside

00:16:50.020 all the different,

00:16:51.440 you know,

00:16:51.840 worldly approaches

00:16:53.380 that we will hear

00:16:54.620 once the conclave begins

00:16:57.260 to instead be men of faith,

00:17:00.220 men of the deposit of faith,

00:17:01.900 men of Jesus Christ,

00:17:03.620 and compassionately

00:17:06.220 and mercifully

00:17:07.320 without judging the individual,

00:17:10.140 but simply to say

00:17:11.280 these cardinals

00:17:12.940 that have

00:17:13.480 basically said

00:17:15.180 the faith needs to change 1.00

00:17:16.580 would be eliminated

00:17:18.420 from their consideration,

00:17:21.100 not condemning

00:17:22.400 those individuals

00:17:23.320 praying

00:17:23.780 that they will come back

00:17:25.200 from

00:17:26.000 many heretics

00:17:28.600 have lived

00:17:29.300 in the life

00:17:29.920 of the church

00:17:30.560 for more than

00:17:31.260 2,000 years.

00:17:32.680 Some have repented

00:17:33.600 and returned to the faith.

00:17:35.560 Some have not.

00:17:36.960 Again,

00:17:37.620 God leaves us

00:17:38.500 the free will

00:17:39.460 that comes from God,

00:17:41.120 the free choice

00:17:42.080 to recognize

00:17:43.540 our errors

00:17:44.300 or not.

00:17:44.820 And we need to pray

00:17:46.300 again for all

00:17:47.380 of these cardinals.

00:17:48.960 We should never,

00:17:50.300 as followers of Christ,

00:17:52.660 we should never have

00:17:53.620 in our hearts

00:17:54.260 a despising of anyone

00:17:56.720 or a wish

00:17:58.960 that anyone

00:17:59.640 fails

00:18:00.800 to come to Christ.

00:18:03.160 But

00:18:03.840 the real expression

00:18:05.840 of that love

00:18:06.800 is to say,

00:18:08.600 no, Father,

00:18:09.900 no,

00:18:10.580 Your Excellency,

00:18:12.040 no,

00:18:12.420 Your Eminence.

00:18:14.320 This is Christ.

00:18:15.900 This is the deposit

00:18:17.140 of faith,

00:18:18.200 an unchanging,

00:18:19.840 beautiful gift

00:18:20.760 of knowing God,

00:18:22.760 of His revelation

00:18:23.720 to us.

00:18:24.780 Certainly,

00:18:25.980 we can know

00:18:26.760 the truth

00:18:27.240 more deeply.

00:18:28.040 I think both of us

00:18:29.160 would agree.

00:18:30.160 I mean,

00:18:30.400 I'm 66 years old

00:18:31.860 and I know

00:18:32.580 the truth,

00:18:33.360 thankfully,

00:18:34.360 better than I did

00:18:35.340 at 46 or 56.

00:18:37.580 And hopefully,

00:18:38.340 as long as I live,

00:18:39.480 that will continue

00:18:40.260 to deepen,

00:18:41.520 but it's I

00:18:42.400 that need to change,

00:18:44.060 not the truth.

00:18:45.520 It's coming closer

00:18:46.560 and closer.

00:18:47.700 And I think,

00:18:48.200 finally,

00:18:48.580 I would say

00:18:49.420 it's about

00:18:50.620 knowing Jesus Christ.

00:18:52.800 I mean,

00:18:53.020 very honestly,

00:18:54.600 as I've looked

00:18:55.420 at all of this

00:18:56.080 and heard some

00:18:56.780 of the things

00:18:57.580 that have been said,

00:18:59.500 it's like,

00:19:00.780 does this man,

00:19:02.420 this cardinal

00:19:03.180 of the church,

00:19:04.400 does he really

00:19:05.120 know Christ?

00:19:06.440 When they make

00:19:07.260 statements

00:19:07.940 that contradicts

00:19:09.680 what the church

00:19:10.820 his mystical body

00:19:12.480 has taught

00:19:13.240 for all these centuries.

00:19:15.340 I don't want

00:19:16.540 to judge,

00:19:17.320 but I would

00:19:18.340 simply urge

00:19:19.300 all of us

00:19:20.680 and certainly

00:19:22.100 the princes

00:19:22.740 of the church,

00:19:23.660 the cardinals,

00:19:24.640 that bear

00:19:25.360 that responsibility.

00:19:27.160 I mean,

00:19:27.460 as you know well,

00:19:28.920 and hopefully

00:19:29.440 most Catholics

00:19:30.160 are aware,

00:19:31.320 why don't your

00:19:31.740 cardinals wear red?

00:19:33.440 Because they

00:19:34.620 are expected

00:19:35.820 to be willing

00:19:36.500 to die

00:19:37.360 for Jesus Christ

00:19:38.620 and the truth

00:19:39.600 that he died for,

00:19:41.400 not to try

00:19:42.060 to change it

00:19:42.940 and shake that

00:19:43.640 into a modern world.

00:19:45.460 There's much

00:19:46.400 that is broken

00:19:47.660 in this world

00:19:48.540 that is modern,

00:19:50.760 but needs

00:19:51.440 to be rooted

00:19:52.480 in tradition

00:19:53.260 and truth

00:19:54.300 that is anxious.

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00:20:25.160 Thank you

00:20:25.560 for your support

00:20:26.440 and may God

00:20:27.260 bless you.

00:20:28.060 The concept

00:20:29.020 of positive faith

00:20:30.500 that we are called

00:20:31.580 to defend

00:20:32.220 and protect,

00:20:33.140 that they're called

00:20:33.860 to die for

00:20:34.920 even includes

00:20:37.740 or does it include

00:20:38.900 those

00:20:39.980 little teachings,

00:20:42.920 not little,

00:20:43.480 but they're

00:20:43.840 the ones that are

00:20:44.580 controversial

00:20:45.000 that they're

00:20:45.520 trying to massage

00:20:46.500 into,

00:20:47.120 so that the world

00:20:48.360 doesn't look down

00:20:49.140 on the Catholic Church

00:20:49.840 and think they're

00:20:50.380 so ancient

00:20:50.980 and retarded. 0.90

00:20:51.760 So, like,

00:20:53.160 not marriage,

00:20:54.060 not marriage,

00:20:54.720 we're just talking

00:20:55.280 acceptance of

00:20:56.760 homosexual relationships

00:20:58.100 so that couples

00:20:59.280 can be blessed

00:21:00.040 and just they can

00:21:01.000 be welcomed

00:21:01.620 and accepted

00:21:02.600 as they are

00:21:03.440 who they are

00:21:04.120 as many of them

00:21:05.140 say,

00:21:05.500 the way God

00:21:05.980 created them

00:21:06.900 and their families

00:21:07.860 are beautiful

00:21:08.620 and they're raising

00:21:09.680 these children

00:21:10.200 beautifully

00:21:10.780 and they're two dads

00:21:12.320 and two moms

00:21:12.960 but it's not

00:21:13.640 controversial,

00:21:14.240 it's not,

00:21:14.580 we're not excising them

00:21:16.480 and contraception, 0.99

00:21:18.260 we're not calling

00:21:18.860 people to have,

00:21:19.660 you know,

00:21:20.760 they're not like rabbits,

00:21:22.120 we can just,

00:21:23.220 contraception is fine

00:21:24.480 to just get

00:21:26.080 with the modern world

00:21:26.900 and so we're not

00:21:28.080 talking about

00:21:28.440 washroom,

00:21:28.780 you know,

00:21:28.980 but just this ability

00:21:30.720 to do family planning

00:21:33.140 in a way that science

00:21:34.600 is offered,

00:21:35.060 isn't that like a miracle

00:21:35.960 and the idea

00:21:38.640 of divorce

00:21:39.200 and marriage,

00:21:39.660 I mean,

00:21:39.800 we've got so many people

00:21:41.500 who have really

00:21:42.540 hard situations

00:21:43.720 and they get divorced

00:21:44.840 and their partner's

00:21:45.620 gone on to somebody else

00:21:46.320 and they finally found

00:21:47.700 a loving partner

00:21:48.360 and now they can

00:21:49.460 marry them too

00:21:50.880 and what's wrong

00:21:52.620 with these things?

00:21:53.880 Is that part

00:21:54.820 of the deposit of faith,

00:21:55.660 those really tough things

00:21:57.280 that seem so small

00:21:58.140 and that we're trying

00:21:59.020 to massage

00:21:59.480 so that the world

00:22:00.000 doesn't think we're nuts?

00:22:01.060 Is that also part

00:22:02.040 of the who Jesus Christ is,

00:22:04.860 the deposit of faith

00:22:05.720 that we must hold on to

00:22:06.780 even if it comes to death?

00:22:10.240 What comes to mind for me

00:22:11.720 is what Christ himself says

00:22:13.160 and I think ultimately

00:22:14.760 for every one of us,

00:22:17.160 we've got to constantly

00:22:18.480 look to Christ.

00:22:19.660 What did he say?

00:22:20.840 What did he do

00:22:21.700 as recorded in the Gospels?

00:22:23.800 And then to move

00:22:25.260 from there

00:22:25.760 and to how the church

00:22:26.980 has understood that.

00:22:28.700 But Christ himself says,

00:22:30.820 you must be perfect

00:22:31.980 as our Heavenly Father

00:22:33.540 is perfect.

00:22:34.860 And he goes on

00:22:36.220 to say,

00:22:37.680 it's impossible.

00:22:39.320 How can we be perfect?

00:22:40.800 With God,

00:22:41.640 all things are possible.

00:22:43.640 So all those things

00:22:44.680 you mentioned

00:22:45.220 are about a Christian ethic

00:22:47.740 of constantly seeking

00:22:49.620 that perfection.

00:22:50.480 It's tough.

00:22:51.700 I fail.

00:22:52.800 That's why I often

00:22:53.680 go to confession.

00:22:54.660 I'm a sinner.

00:22:55.800 We are all sinners.

00:22:57.000 If we really have grown

00:22:58.760 in any kind of wisdom,

00:23:00.900 there's a deep understanding

00:23:02.860 of our sinfulness.

00:23:04.280 Some of the greatest saints

00:23:05.520 are very clearly repentant

00:23:08.900 and seeking reparation.

00:23:10.600 When we would say

00:23:11.400 their sins are nothing

00:23:13.240 compared to ours,

00:23:14.460 but they're deeply aware

00:23:16.160 that any sin

00:23:17.420 is an imperfection

00:23:19.180 that is a stepping away

00:23:21.240 from God

00:23:22.020 and the perfecting of us

00:23:23.940 that he calls us to,

00:23:26.200 that we might know him

00:23:27.800 for eternity.

00:23:29.540 So all of those things

00:23:31.600 you mentioned,

00:23:32.940 it comes down to

00:23:34.800 what has God revealed to us?

00:23:38.300 God has clearly revealed to us

00:23:40.600 through Scripture,

00:23:41.960 reinforced by his Son,

00:23:43.720 who echoes what's there

00:23:45.280 in Genesis.

00:23:46.960 Male and female,

00:23:48.360 he has created us.

00:23:49.500 And that beautiful symphony

00:23:51.760 of love and procreation

00:23:54.460 that happens.

00:23:55.240 I mean,

00:23:56.000 so much of the controversies

00:23:59.120 come to marriage.

00:24:01.300 As you mentioned,

00:24:02.760 contraception,

00:24:04.480 that's an interfering 0.80

00:24:05.420 with God's plan.

00:24:07.520 Same-sex marriage,

00:24:08.780 an interfering

00:24:09.640 with God's plan.

00:24:11.120 Abortion, of course,

00:24:12.300 interfering with God's plan.

00:24:13.900 Really, that is how

00:24:16.180 we have to look

00:24:17.500 at all of the things

00:24:19.060 that happen

00:24:19.700 in the modern world.

00:24:21.440 And as you mentioned,

00:24:22.780 certainly,

00:24:23.280 where did science come from?

00:24:25.160 It came from human beings

00:24:26.920 using their God-given abilities

00:24:29.780 exactly sometimes.

00:24:32.240 Those abilities

00:24:33.180 get them so carried away

00:24:35.380 that they,

00:24:36.760 by their scientific reasoning,

00:24:39.320 they deny God,

00:24:41.000 which is an irony

00:24:42.720 and really a tragedy

00:24:44.920 because how did they

00:24:47.080 form the words

00:24:48.600 that say

00:24:49.100 there is no God?

00:24:50.780 Because God gave them

00:24:52.020 the ability

00:24:52.920 to use their brains,

00:24:54.740 maybe not in an ordered way,

00:24:56.720 in a disordered way,

00:24:58.220 but, you know,

00:24:59.600 they're free to do so.

00:25:01.600 That's why it's so critical

00:25:03.000 that we all strive

00:25:04.360 to form our consciences,

00:25:06.640 form our knowledge

00:25:07.820 of the truth

00:25:08.620 more and more deeply

00:25:09.700 and be humble enough

00:25:11.280 to say,

00:25:12.000 I need to know

00:25:14.300 this more deeply.

00:25:15.660 When we sin,

00:25:16.760 it's a sire 0.66

00:25:18.180 of whatever level

00:25:19.500 that sin is

00:25:20.420 that we really

00:25:21.600 haven't quite learned

00:25:22.800 the truth

00:25:23.480 that sets us free,

00:25:25.020 that allows us to live.

00:25:26.960 So all of those

00:25:28.560 controversial messages

00:25:30.360 that we hear

00:25:31.320 that some of the cardinals

00:25:33.000 have been very clearly said,

00:25:35.320 you know,

00:25:35.700 gay marriage

00:25:37.260 just needs to be

00:25:38.280 embraced by the church.

00:25:40.420 It will never be

00:25:41.540 by the church

00:25:43.100 that is true to Christ

00:25:44.540 and to the deposit of faith

00:25:47.520 that guides us

00:25:49.180 because those

00:25:51.240 quasi-families 0.98

00:25:55.040 that, you know,

00:25:56.980 are by the will of men

00:26:00.140 or, you know,

00:26:01.440 two men

00:26:02.060 and they adopt children

00:26:03.280 and all of these

00:26:04.460 convoluted things

00:26:05.840 that people do

00:26:06.540 and say,

00:26:06.800 oh, we're forming

00:26:07.520 a family.

00:26:09.440 It comes down to

00:26:10.840 not according

00:26:12.700 to God's plan.

00:26:14.280 And for me

00:26:15.360 as one man,

00:26:16.680 for you as a man,

00:26:18.480 when we say,

00:26:19.560 I'm going to do something,

00:26:20.660 but I'm going to ignore

00:26:21.780 God's plan for me

00:26:23.240 just on the very

00:26:24.680 personal level,

00:26:26.180 that's a dangerous,

00:26:27.940 that's a destructive path

00:26:29.420 for each of us.

00:26:30.660 If we say,

00:26:32.280 this is my decision

00:26:34.660 and I'm going to ignore

00:26:35.800 what I know

00:26:36.700 what God has taught us,

00:26:39.060 the church knows

00:26:40.340 what God has revealed.

00:26:42.560 And so,

00:26:43.900 we all,

00:26:44.560 all of us

00:26:45.440 have a responsibility

00:26:46.400 to seek

00:26:48.280 and live the truth.

00:26:49.880 And I'm glad

00:26:51.000 that you're

00:26:51.660 bringing up

00:26:52.640 these issues

00:26:53.840 for the faithful

00:26:55.180 to punt.

00:26:56.160 We can't say,

00:26:57.580 oh, well,

00:26:57.900 that's up to the cardinals.

00:26:58.940 Yes,

00:26:59.620 it's their burden

00:27:01.160 and responsibility

00:27:02.040 to choose

00:27:03.780 the next pope

00:27:04.700 and whenever

00:27:05.560 the next conclave is.

00:27:07.760 But it's

00:27:08.180 all of our responsibility

00:27:09.740 to seek the truth

00:27:11.800 and to live it

00:27:12.700 as fully as we can.

00:27:14.760 None of us

00:27:15.480 should or can

00:27:16.600 control

00:27:17.280 the conscience

00:27:18.420 or the actions

00:27:19.400 of another person.

00:27:20.940 But we have

00:27:22.140 that responsibility

00:27:23.200 ourselves

00:27:24.080 to seek the truth

00:27:25.860 and to live

00:27:26.920 by that truth

00:27:27.740 and to be willing.

00:27:29.220 I mean,

00:27:29.560 ultimately,

00:27:30.360 what I'm saying

00:27:31.060 is we are all

00:27:31.940 called to be saints.

00:27:33.740 And if you look

00:27:34.440 at the saints,

00:27:35.580 I've just recently

00:27:36.560 thought,

00:27:37.020 as you mentioned,

00:27:37.680 I love to say

00:27:38.960 we should be

00:27:39.860 first century Christians

00:27:41.100 in the 21st century.

00:27:43.460 The saints

00:27:44.220 were first century

00:27:45.120 Christians,

00:27:46.320 whether they,

00:27:46.960 many of them

00:27:47.540 lived in the

00:27:48.160 first century,

00:27:49.800 some in the second,

00:27:51.200 some in the 10th century,

00:27:52.720 some in the 13th century.

00:27:54.680 They've lived 0.84

00:27:55.960 in different centuries,

00:27:57.320 but they're

00:27:57.640 first century Christians.

00:27:59.520 They're like the apostles.

00:28:01.040 They are those

00:28:02.180 early disciples

00:28:03.340 who came to know

00:28:05.100 who Jesus Christ is,

00:28:07.500 that he's not just

00:28:08.540 the greatest of men.

00:28:10.260 He's the greatest

00:28:11.420 of men

00:28:12.080 and divine.

00:28:13.920 And so,

00:28:14.700 he's a wondrous gift

00:28:15.940 to us.

00:28:17.240 The Messiah,

00:28:18.700 the Savior

00:28:19.340 that the Hebrew people

00:28:21.040 were promised

00:28:21.840 turns out to be

00:28:23.260 not only a Savior,

00:28:25.060 but God's own Son

00:28:26.360 who humbled himself

00:28:28.000 to be with us.

00:28:29.300 He is always

00:28:30.640 the one

00:28:31.600 who must guide us

00:28:34.200 to that perfecting

00:28:35.760 of our lives

00:28:36.760 that God calls us to,

00:28:38.900 that God makes possible

00:28:40.300 because

00:28:41.320 of the grace

00:28:43.120 that he offers us

00:28:44.160 through his Son.

00:28:45.680 The Blessed Virgin Mary

00:28:47.000 is spoken of

00:28:47.980 in Scripture

00:28:48.620 as full grace.

00:28:50.820 I think we need

00:28:51.520 to really pay attention

00:28:52.820 to that

00:28:53.400 and going back

00:28:55.440 to our conversation

00:28:56.660 about the Cardinals

00:28:57.720 choosing the next Pope.

00:28:59.740 To look to Mary,

00:29:01.240 to ask the Blessed Virgin Mary,

00:29:03.080 to guide them,

00:29:04.800 to help them

00:29:05.960 to make the best decision

00:29:07.800 possible,

00:29:09.040 to choose the man

00:29:10.020 who is the most

00:29:11.040 full of grace.

00:29:12.700 None of those men,

00:29:13.740 we're all sinners,

00:29:15.460 none of those men

00:29:16.340 will be

00:29:17.060 full of grace

00:29:18.320 as Mary.

00:29:19.020 but there are

00:29:21.040 some men

00:29:21.900 and those

00:29:23.520 are the ones

00:29:25.080 that need to be chosen.

00:29:26.800 We're in the midst

00:29:27.540 of a kind of

00:29:28.500 common sense

00:29:29.560 counter-revolution

00:29:30.280 in America.

00:29:31.080 Trump is doing things

00:29:32.420 in this country

00:29:34.120 like,

00:29:35.720 no,

00:29:36.240 I don't think

00:29:36.980 anyone expected,

00:29:38.600 but one of the things

00:29:39.560 that he's doing

00:29:40.360 is righting

00:29:41.980 the wrongs.

00:29:43.100 Now,

00:29:44.260 in terms of the church,

00:29:45.920 that doesn't sound right

00:29:47.860 because normally

00:29:48.880 the church

00:29:49.520 is,

00:29:50.540 there's

00:29:51.060 what wrongs

00:29:52.260 you'd say.

00:29:53.300 With the Francis papacy,

00:29:55.200 we have real issues.

00:29:57.920 We have fiducius supplicans

00:29:59.380 with the blessing

00:30:00.080 of homosexual couples.

00:30:01.120 We have Amoris Laetitia

00:30:02.240 and the Act Apostoli Ciseris

00:30:03.580 after that,

00:30:04.320 which is about

00:30:04.940 the okay

00:30:06.400 to communion

00:30:07.600 for divorced

00:30:08.180 and re-married Catholics.

00:30:09.280 We have

00:30:09.960 Maudato Si,

00:30:11.020 which makes,

00:30:11.940 you know,

00:30:12.300 environmentalism

00:30:13.040 and climate change

00:30:13.720 an issue equivalent

00:30:14.820 to abortion

00:30:15.320 in terms of morality

00:30:16.300 for Catholics.

00:30:18.540 But those are already

00:30:19.620 like a different gospel.

00:30:21.120 Those are already

00:30:21.680 teachings that have

00:30:22.400 nothing to do

00:30:23.400 with the faith.

00:30:23.780 In fact,

00:30:24.020 in some ways

00:30:24.440 are contrary.

00:30:26.120 And then,

00:30:26.920 and you can go on and on.

00:30:28.040 You have the Pachamama

00:30:28.700 idolatry.

00:30:29.960 You have

00:30:30.180 the invitation

00:30:32.980 to population controllers

00:30:34.500 in the Vatican

00:30:35.100 in the name

00:30:35.720 of climate change.

00:30:37.220 And so,

00:30:37.620 there's a whole

00:30:38.420 laundry list you could make.

00:30:39.560 In fact,

00:30:39.740 I'm doing a book on it.

00:30:41.100 But the point is,

00:30:43.360 can a new pope

00:30:44.920 come in

00:30:45.440 and just sort of

00:30:46.860 ignore all that

00:30:48.280 and just sort of,

00:30:48.840 let's sort of

00:30:49.480 just move forward

00:30:50.240 and not worry about that?

00:30:51.620 Or does there

00:30:52.380 actually have to be

00:30:53.820 this

00:30:54.960 kind of correction

00:30:57.400 on what we've just

00:30:58.720 experienced

00:30:59.020 for 13 years or so?

00:31:00.660 Well,

00:31:00.820 I believe there

00:31:01.440 absolutely has to be

00:31:02.760 a correction.

00:31:03.400 And there will be.

00:31:04.980 We pray

00:31:05.740 that the next pope

00:31:07.680 is holy enough

00:31:09.120 and strong enough

00:31:10.140 because that will

00:31:11.080 take a lot of strength

00:31:12.180 and a lot of clarity

00:31:13.820 about what the truth is,

00:31:15.580 who the truth is.

00:31:17.260 But,

00:31:17.740 absolutely,

00:31:18.960 because error

00:31:20.400 can't stand.

00:31:23.180 The truth

00:31:24.100 is not,

00:31:25.440 you know,

00:31:26.100 a partial,

00:31:27.400 you know,

00:31:27.680 it's like,

00:31:28.060 oh,

00:31:28.220 we got enough truths.

00:31:30.080 We have to have

00:31:30.940 the fullness of truth.

00:31:32.680 God has given us

00:31:34.080 his son

00:31:34.480 to reveal to us

00:31:35.440 the fullness of truth.

00:31:36.440 So,

00:31:37.360 it's like

00:31:38.220 in each of our lives,

00:31:39.800 again,

00:31:40.240 I like to just bring it

00:31:41.360 back down

00:31:41.860 to the most simple level.

00:31:44.640 When,

00:31:46.140 I mean,

00:31:46.600 I'm a sinner,

00:31:47.840 you're a sinner, 0.96

00:31:48.560 you're probably holier

00:31:49.440 than I am,

00:31:50.000 but we're both sinners

00:31:51.160 and we've made mistakes.

00:31:54.660 You correct them.

00:31:56.360 You go back

00:31:57.580 and,

00:31:58.440 I mean,

00:31:58.720 we make reparations

00:32:00.120 if we've done something

00:32:01.240 we know we're wrong.

00:32:02.200 We confess our sins.

00:32:04.000 So,

00:32:04.960 as the body of Christ

00:32:06.740 that is the church,

00:32:07.760 the mystical body of Christ

00:32:09.120 with the leadership

00:32:10.020 of the Pope,

00:32:11.620 just on the level

00:32:12.480 of an individual,

00:32:14.420 errors have to be corrected.

00:32:16.280 You can't just say,

00:32:18.320 well,

00:32:18.680 we'll just move forward

00:32:19.880 and allow these people

00:32:22.020 that are in false marriages

00:32:23.360 that aren't marriages 1.00

00:32:24.600 to just continue.

00:32:26.540 We have to say,

00:32:27.280 no,

00:32:27.540 this is the truth.

00:32:28.940 Always compassionately.

00:32:30.200 I mean,

00:32:30.960 thankfully,

00:32:32.120 God is abundantly merciful to us

00:32:35.940 when we know the error

00:32:37.680 of our sins,

00:32:39.080 confess them,

00:32:40.180 and His mercy allows us

00:32:42.060 to bring healing

00:32:43.300 and to get a course correction

00:32:45.560 in our individual lives.

00:32:47.800 God's mercy is available

00:32:49.240 to the body of the church,

00:32:52.520 God's people.

00:32:53.740 But as you suggest,

00:32:55.600 it's essential

00:32:56.540 that those things

00:32:58.460 be addressed

00:32:59.200 so that those

00:33:01.040 who are now

00:33:02.300 the baptized,

00:33:03.880 living their faith,

00:33:05.580 can know

00:33:06.140 the challenges

00:33:07.240 and the blessings.

00:33:09.440 As we've spoken before,

00:33:11.100 there are many people

00:33:12.300 that have made

00:33:14.640 real sacrifices

00:33:16.360 in their lives

00:33:17.320 because they've come

00:33:18.700 to know the truth

00:33:19.800 of what marriage is,

00:33:21.900 to know the truth

00:33:22.920 that contraception

00:33:24.100 is wrong,

00:33:24.580 and to not make

00:33:27.100 those corrections

00:33:27.980 is that,

00:33:28.800 yes,

00:33:29.220 you were correct.

00:33:30.360 It doesn't mean

00:33:31.140 they're perfect people,

00:33:32.300 but they were correct

00:33:33.680 about those specific things.

00:33:36.180 I mean,

00:33:36.520 we both know

00:33:37.620 people in marriages

00:33:39.020 that were using contraception

00:33:40.840 and awakened

00:33:41.920 to the truth,

00:33:44.280 turned away

00:33:44.900 from that error,

00:33:46.240 and ended up

00:33:47.620 with a number of kids

00:33:48.860 by God's plan.

00:33:51.060 That needs to happen

00:33:53.160 for the church herself

00:33:55.160 so that

00:33:56.640 for so many reasons

00:33:58.880 to get to the truth,

00:34:00.380 but to also

00:34:01.260 support those

00:34:02.920 who have made

00:34:04.100 deep sacrifices

00:34:06.480 because they've known

00:34:08.060 the truth

00:34:08.640 and to continue

00:34:10.540 to slap them 0.58

00:34:11.380 in the face

00:34:12.020 and say,

00:34:13.340 oh,

00:34:13.520 you didn't have to make

00:34:14.480 this sacrifice

00:34:15.120 about contraception

00:34:16.600 because it really

00:34:18.220 doesn't matter.

00:34:19.620 Yes,

00:34:19.920 it does.

00:34:21.080 They've learned

00:34:21.860 that it does.

00:34:23.160 And they've learned

00:34:23.940 that no entity

00:34:26.160 on earth

00:34:27.120 can suddenly

00:34:27.780 change that

00:34:28.640 and make something

00:34:29.680 true that is false.

00:34:31.600 So that's hopefully

00:34:33.880 what will guide

00:34:35.400 the cardinals

00:34:36.080 to choose

00:34:36.900 the best pope

00:34:38.960 we can have

00:34:39.820 for this time

00:34:41.040 in the church,

00:34:42.000 a very challenging time,

00:34:44.140 but a time

00:34:44.800 again.

00:34:46.780 With God,

00:34:47.400 all things are possible.

00:34:49.480 Beautiful.

00:34:50.080 Vision,

00:34:50.300 can we get your blessing

00:34:51.560 for everybody watching?

00:34:53.400 Sure.

00:34:54.780 Almighty God,

00:34:55.800 we thank you

00:34:56.580 for this opportunity

00:34:57.660 to reflect

00:34:58.360 on the wondrous gift

00:34:59.600 of our faith.

00:35:00.960 We ask you

00:35:02.040 to guide

00:35:02.600 the Catholic Church

00:35:03.540 and guide

00:35:04.080 the leadership,

00:35:05.420 the cardinals,

00:35:06.260 and all of those

00:35:07.460 who will be involved

00:35:08.460 and choosing

00:35:09.140 whenever it is

00:35:10.600 your will

00:35:11.180 choosing the next pope,

00:35:12.660 that we may continue

00:35:14.100 to pray

00:35:14.600 for Pope Francis

00:35:15.560 as your son

00:35:16.900 and as the present

00:35:18.700 leader,

00:35:19.820 that he may

00:35:20.460 be turned

00:35:21.760 closer and closer

00:35:22.860 to your son,

00:35:23.740 Jesus Christ,

00:35:24.900 more joyfully alive

00:35:26.960 in his heart.

00:35:28.380 And we pray

00:35:29.060 that all of us

00:35:29.820 may do the same,

00:35:31.100 that we may

00:35:31.740 always humbly

00:35:32.860 seek the guidance

00:35:34.360 of the Holy Spirit

00:35:35.380 to correct those errors

00:35:37.180 of sin

00:35:37.800 in each of our lungs

00:35:38.980 and to grow closer

00:35:40.440 to the wondrous truth

00:35:41.900 that really does

00:35:43.380 set us free.

00:35:44.160 We ask this

00:35:45.680 in the name

00:35:46.100 of the Father

00:35:46.760 and of the Son

00:35:47.800 and of the Holy Spirit.

00:35:49.380 Amen.

00:35:49.900 Amen.

00:35:50.740 Thank you, my friend.

00:35:51.880 Thank you.

00:35:52.480 God bless you.

00:35:53.740 And God bless all of you.

00:35:55.600 And we'll see you next time.

00:36:01.140 Aloha, everyone.

00:36:02.160 This is Jason Jones

00:36:03.100 for Lifeside News.

00:36:04.520 We hope you enjoyed

00:36:05.320 this video.

00:36:06.420 For more content

00:36:07.120 like this,

00:36:08.180 check the link

00:36:09.260 in the description.

00:36:10.680 You can also connect

00:36:11.580 with us on social media.

00:36:12.760 to stay up to date

00:36:14.200 with the latest news

00:36:15.400 on life, faith,

00:36:17.540 family, and freedom.

00:36:19.220 Thanks for watching

00:36:20.340 and may God bless you.

The John-Henry Westen Show - March 05, 2025

The Next Pope, Upcoming Conclave ｜ Bishop Strickland

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