Bishop Strickland warns of Dangerous Storms Ahead and Calls Catholics to Stand Firm

Bishop Strickland has written a pastoral letter that is nothing short of inspiring.

CATHOLICS FOR CATHOLICS

by Catholics for Catholics | Aug 25, 2023 | News

Bishop Strickland has written a pastoral letter that is nothing short of inspiring. In his letter, he speaks to the faithful of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, and encourages them to remain steadfast in their faith and to continue to live their lives according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. He also warns them of dangers in the weeks and months ahead, as many of these truths will be examined as part of the Synod on Synodality.

While they were sailing he fell asleep. A squall blew over the lake, and they were taking in water and were in danger. They came and woke him saying, “Master, master, we are perishing!” He awakened, rebuked the wind and the waves, and they subsided and there was a calm. – Luke 8:22-23

Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the religious teaching is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds, who are deprived of the truth, supposing religion to be a means of gain. 1 Timothy 6:3-5

Throughout the letter, Bishop Strickland emphasizes the importance of prayer, especially in the face of adversity. He reminds us that prayer is our direct line to God, and that we should never underestimate its power. He also encourages us to pray for our families, our communities, and our country, so that we may all grow closer to God and to each other.

One of the most striking messages in Bishop Strickland’s letter is his call for us to stand firmly with the Catholic Church and the apostolic teaches handed to us directly from Jesus Christ. He reminds us that we are all called to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, and that we should do so with our heart, mind, body, and soul.

Bishop Strickland writes, “Christ established One Church—the Catholic Church—and, therefore, only the Catholic Church provides the fullness of Christ’s truth and the authentic path to His salvation for all of us.”

During his reign as Louis IX, King of France, Saint Louis built the beautiful Sant Chapelle pictured here. Let us pray for leaders today who will build such exquisite beauty for the honor and glory of God.

Another important message in Bishop Strickland’s letter is his reminder that we are all called to be saints. He reminds us that sainthood is not just for a select few, but rather, it is something that all of us can and should strive for. He encourages us to live lives of holiness and to seek out the grace and mercy of God in everything that we do. To do this, the Eucharist must be at the heart of everything we do.

He writes, “The Eucharist and all the sacraments are divinely instituted, not developed by man.  The Eucharist is truly Christ’s Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, and to receive Him in Communion unworthily (i.e. in a state of grave, unrepentant sin) is a devastating sacrilege for the individual and for the Church. (1 Cor 11:27-29) “

In addition to these messages, Bishop Strickland pushes back on modernism and the heresies penetrating our culture and church. He launches a warning to protect God’s teachings.

• Sacrament of Matrimony is instituted by God. 

• Every human person is created in the image and likeness of God, male or female, and all people should be helped not supported in a disordered attempt to reject their undeniable biological and God-given identity. 

• Sexual activity outside marriage is always gravely sinful and cannot be condoned, blessed, or deemed permissible by any authority inside the Church. 

• The belief that all men and women will be saved regardless of how they live their lives (a concept commonly referred to as universalism) is false and is dangerous.  

• In order to follow Jesus Christ, we must willingly choose to take up our cross instead of attempting to avoid the cross and suffering that Our Lord offers to each of us individually in our daily lives.

Bishop Strickland warns Catholics that during the Synod on Synodality, we must be careful not to embrace an alternative to the Gospel of Jesus Christ or a faith that removes the fatherhood of God. He emphasizes the importance of holding fast to the perennial teachings of the faith and not seeking to innovate upon what God has given us.

He assures us that standing firm upon the rock of our Catholic faith does not make us divisive, but those who propose changes to the unchangeable seek to commandeer Christ’s Church and are the true dividers and uncharitable. He urges us to stand firmly upon the Catholic faith of the ages, seeking Jesus in all that we do, allowing His Light to guide us during these difficult times in our culture, community, family, and life.

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