The John-Henry Westen Show - March 05, 2025


The Next Pope, Upcoming Conclave ｜ Bishop Strickland


Episode Stats

Length

36 minutes

Words per Minute

139.9461

Word Count

5,089

Sentence Count

257

Misogynist Sentences

5

Hate Speech Sentences

7


Summary

In this episode of the John Henry Weston Show, Bishop Joseph Strickland speaks about the need for a pope who is faithful to Jesus Christ and what Catholics should be praying for in the upcoming conclave to choose a successor to Pope Francis.


Transcript

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
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
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
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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00:20:26.440 and may God
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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.
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,
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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.
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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.