Podcasts about Eucharist

Many Protestants argue the pope was never meant to lead the Church long-term. We examine biblical and historical evidence for the papacy, Peter's unique role, and how the Church has understood this office from the beginning. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 0:03:00 – Is the papacy unbiblical or a temporary office?0:07:30 – Does the Bible ever say Peter went to Rome?0:11:30 – How does 1 Peter 5:13 support Peter's presence in Rome?0:14:30 – Did Peter and Paul really found the church in Rome together?0:16:30 – Does Paul rebuking Peter disprove papal authority?0:19:30 – Can a pope be fallible or rebuked for his actions?0:23:00 – Is the real Protestant objection that we don’t need structure, sacraments, or hierarchy?0:25:30 – What does the temple veil really mean for Christian worship?0:29:00 – If Jesus is the only mediator, why do we have priests or popes?0:32:30 – Does the Eucharist show that Christian priesthood is still valid?0:36:00 – What's the real difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy on the papacy?0:39:30 – Is the Pope really just “first among equals”?0:42:00 – What does Irenaeus say about Rome's authority and apostolic succession?0:45:00 – Did Pope John Paul II suggest the papacy could look different in the future?0:47:30 – Is the complexity of the modern papacy a sign of corruption or growth?0:50:00 – Does celibacy contradict Peter's example?0:53:00 – Was Peter actually married during his apostleship?0:55:00 – Is the Pope the Antichrist and the Church the Whore of Babylon?

In Galatians, Paul publicly rebukes Peter—but does that disprove papal authority? We unpack what really happened in Antioch and why the Church still holds Peter as the first pope, even amid correction and scandal. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:22 – Why do people object to the Pope's role in the Church? 06:40 – Isn't the papacy unbiblical and not meant to persist beyond Peter? 10:35 – Does the Bible ever say Peter was in Rome? 14:20 – What does “Babylon” mean in 1 Peter 5:13, and how is that connected to Rome? 17:15 – Didn't Paul co-found the Church in Rome with Peter? 20:05 – Paul rebuked Peter—doesn't that undermine papal authority? 25:18 – Was Peter's behavior in Antioch heretical or just scandalous? 30:40 – Doesn't Galatians 2 show Peter as just another apostle, not a leader? 34:25 – Why do Protestants say we don't need a Pope if Jesus tore the temple veil? 39:12 – Does Jesus as sole mediator mean there's no place for the Pope or priests? 43:50 – Why is Hebrews 10 crucial to properly understanding the torn temple veil? 47:00 – Is priesthood abolished in the New Testament? 50:10 – What does 1 Corinthians 10 tell us about sacrifice, the Eucharist, and priests? 54:45 – Why is there a structural Protestant objection to the papacy?

Msgr. Watkins addresses St. Ann's 2025 First Communion Class on Mother's Day and discusses Christ's inheritance of his human nature from his mother the Blessed Virgin Mary and the meaning of the Eucharist.

Did the teachings of Vatican I—like papal primacy and infallibility—suddenly appear in the 19th century, or do they have roots in the early Church? In this episode, Karlo Broussard explores whether first-century Christianity shows signs of the very authority Vatican I defined. From Peter's leadership to early documents like First Clement, we trace the continuity between apostolic Christianity and conciliar declarations, helping you respond to historical objections with clarity and confidence. Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 04:59 – How can we avoid begging the question against the Catholic faith when talking to Orthodox? 12:34 – Does sitting in adoration impart grace? 18:46 – If sacrifice is the only actual worship, how is it that the offering of the Eucharist, worship of Jesus if we're offering his own body? 18:46 – If sacrifice is the only actual worship, how is it that the offering of the Eucharist, worship of Jesus if we're offering his own body? 21:26 – Why was Jesus’ death so horrific but the sacrifice of Isaac didn’t seem like it was as brutal? 31:44 – If all the angels were created in a perfect state, what inclined them to their first sin? 36:23 – I believe that being elevated as one of the greatest like Mary and John was because of their humility. What are your thoughts? 42:14 – Are the teachings of Vatican 1 apparent in the first century? 47:35 – I know that communion on the hand was allowed recently but was the intended form palm to mouth? When did picking it up with our fingers and placing it into our mouth specifically allowed? 50:52 – I'm a new convert. How does the Church view the imparting of the Holy Spirit and Pentecost?

Liturgy Sermon @ Coptic Community - Panama City, FL ~ May 10, 2025

Universal Voices is back with an all new A Heart For mini-series. In this episode, Alissa welcomes Lisa Scata. Lisa shares about her heart for finding place within a parish community. Alissa and Lisa dive into:Creating connections with people.The unity available to us in the Eucharist.Feelings around transitions.The sense of constancy parish life can provide.Being refined by community.How longing can be invitation.How what makes us come alive can lead to deeper community.Lisa Scata is a mom, wife, Elementary teacher, and former Director of Children's Ministry who lives in Columbia, Maryland. Originally from Rochester, New York, Lisa cherishes strong bonds with family and friends and considers many places to be home. Lisa has a passion for improving parish life and helping people connect with Jesus. She loves houseplants, puzzles, music, chocolate, Saints, and Sacraments, and is energized through inclusive spaces that help people feel known and seen.

On todays SPECIAL podcast Texas Jim and The Gang talk about delved into the early Christian writings of Irenaeus and his comprehensive refutation of Gnosticism, particularly Valentinianism. Irenaeus emphasized the importance of the Eucharist as a physical manifestation of Christ's flesh and blood, countering Gnostic beliefs that dismissed the physical aspect of Christ's sacrifice. The conversation highlighted the role of the Eucharist in early Christian communities, its significance in combating docetic views, and its centrality in the gospel narrative. The Gang also explored the historical context of Gnostic teachings and their impact on early Christian theology. The discussion centered on the literal interpretation of the Eucharist and its historical context. Texas Jim argued that using literal language is necessary for an illiterate audience, referencing historical figures like Irenaeus and Justin Martyr. Sarah highlighted the connection between Eucharistic language and Old Testament sacrifices, emphasizing the need to avoid reducing it to mere symbolism. The conversation also explored the implications of Jesus' words in John 6, suggesting they were meant for a broader audience beyond his disciples. The Gang concluded that the Eucharist's literal language serves to combat Gnosticism and emphasize the importance of community and sacrifice. Don't Miss It!

“When was the last time you went to daily Mass?”   In today's Rise Up reflection, Fr. Meyer challenges us to rediscover the gift of daily worship. Just as God fed the Israelites with manna every day, He now offers us the true Bread from Heaven—Jesus Himself—in the Eucharist, every single day.   Daily Mass isn't just for priests or religious. It's for you. It's for all of us. Let it change your life.   Amen. Hallelujah. Happy Easter!   #RiseUp #Catholic #DailyMass #Eucharist #FultonSheen #CatholicLife #BreadFromHeaven

This week on Catholic Sprouts we will go over the parts of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Each day we will look at a few parts of the Mass, what is happening in each part, and what we are supposed to be doing during that part. I will also share some fun and free resources you can use for your family or class to prepare for each Sunday Mass or to review it. A small challenge is included each day based on reading the upcoming Sunday Mass Readings.   + MONDAY: Let's look at the two main parts of the Mass and discuss the Introductory Rites, the beginning of Mass. + TUESDAY: Today we focus on the First and Second Readings and the Responsorial Psalm. Where do they come from and why are they important? + WEDNESDAY: We now look at the Gospel and Homily and the importance of scripture in the Mass. We finish discussing the Liturgy of the Word. + THURSDAY: We begin learning about the first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, with the Offertory Procession and the Eucharistic Prayer. + FRIDAY: We conclude our week with the last part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, receiving Communion and the concluding prayers as we leave Mass.   Deanna Bartalini prepares the Sunday Gospel Activities on CatholicMom.com. She is also a writer retreat leader, and spiritual director; you can connect with her personally at LiveNotLukewarm.com.     Find fun, meaningful, faith-filled projects for your own family in the Catholic Family Resource Library. https://catholicsprouts.com/catholic-family-resource-library-signup/  Catholic Sprouts is a production of Spoke Street Media. For more great Catholic podcasts, check out spokestreet.com 

Read OnlineAs a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer walked with him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” John 6:66–67Today's Gospel concludes the beautiful and profound sermon on the Bread of Life (see John 6:22–71). When you read this sermon from beginning to end, it is noticeable that Jesus moves from more general statements about the Bread of Life that are easier to accept to more specific statements that are challenging. He concludes His teaching just prior to today's Gospel by saying very directly, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.” After Jesus said this, many who had been listening to Him left Him and no longer followed Him.There are generally three common attitudes people have toward the Most Holy Eucharist. One attitude is that of profound faith. Another is that of indifference. And a third is what we find in today's Gospel: disbelief. Those who walked away from Jesus in today's Gospel did so because they said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” What a great statement and question to ponder.It is true, in a certain way, that the teaching of Jesus on the Most Holy Eucharist is a hard saying. “Hard,” however, is not bad. It's hard in the sense that belief in the Eucharist is only possible through a faith that comes from a deep interior revelation from God. In the case of those who walked away from Jesus, they heard His teaching, but their hearts were closed to the gift of faith. They remained stuck on a purely intellectual level, and, thus, the idea of eating the Flesh and Blood of the Son of God was more than they could comprehend. So who could accept such a statement? Only those who listen to our Lord as He speaks to them interiorly. It is only that interior conviction that comes from God that can be proof of the truthfulness of the Holy Eucharist.Do you believe that when you consume that which appears to be only “bread and wine,” you are actually consuming Christ Himself? Do you understand this teaching of our Lord on the Bread of Life? It is a hard saying and a difficult teaching, which is why it must be taken very seriously. For those who do not flat out reject this teaching, there is also the temptation to be somewhat indifferent to the teaching. It can easily be misunderstood to be just symbolism in the way our Lord talks. But the symbolism is much more than just symbolism. It's a profound, challenging, and life-changing teaching of how we share in the divine and eternal life our Lord wishes to bestow upon us. Reflect, today, upon how deeply you believe this hard saying of Jesus. The fact that it is a “hard” saying should make you seriously examine your own faith or lack thereof. What Jesus teaches is life-changing. It's life-giving. And when clearly understood, you will be challenged to either believe with your whole heart or turn away in disbelief. Allow yourself to believe in the Most Holy Eucharist with your whole heart and you will find that you are believing one of the most profound Mysteries of Faith. My glorious Lord, Your teaching on the Most Holy Eucharist is beyond human comprehension. It is a mystery so deep that we will never fully understand this precious gift. Open my eyes, dear Lord, and speak to my mind so that I may listen to Your words and respond with the deepest faith. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

(2:38) Father shares with us how to speak like the pope (4:35) Bible Study: Acts 9:1-20 How does the holy spirit speak to us? (20:52) Break 1 (23:20) Letters: Father talks about how the Devil tries to mimic holy things and twist them. Send Father a letter at simon@relevantradio.com (31:50) Break 2 (32:49) Word of the Day Munch (36:29) Phones: Brenda - can you chew the Eucharist, or do you need to swallow? Mary - Intention. I saw Cardinals doing it before Conclave. why use it? Anne - why does the Pope have to take on a different name? Cathy - tell me more about the Augustinians. Is he Peruvian? Anthony - I am discerning vocation and need encouragement

Fr. Joseph, Lauren and special guest Fr. Chris Perrella sit down to discuss why The Lord of the Rings is an intrinsically Catholic work. From way the book encourages virtue, showcases the proper need for sacrifice, illustrates how good vs. evil really works to Lembas bread being a symbol of the Eucharist (physically and spiritually) and the characters representing Christ, the prophets, Mary, the saints (although not strictly in allegorical fashion, and not one for one). LINKS Veritas: https://www.veritascatholic.com/ Support Veritas: https://www.veritascatholic.com/donate OTHER SHOWS The Tangent: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpeAxbil8_mgC4Ielq0_MRQ Let Me Be Frank: https://www.youtube.com/@UCy9oYx0t7imNDH5nLwSiM8Q Daily Gospel Reflections: https://www.youtube.com/@UCDXE8YpRhxNwsAiv_lrgBOg  

Have you ever walked away from the Eucharist—or known someone who has?   In today's Rise Up reflection, Fr. Jonathan Meyer dives into a haunting moment in Scripture: John 6:66—a verse where many of Jesus' disciples turn away, unable to accept His teaching on the Real Presence in the Eucharist. The symbolism of 666 is hard to ignore, especially when it reflects the spiritual battle so many face.   Fr. Meyer invites us to reflect, repent, and pray for those who have stepped away from the Mass or the belief in the Eucharist. Whether it's you, your children, your friends, or someone you love—this is a call to return to Jesus and His saving gift in the Blessed Sacrament.  

Wake Up!Revelation 3:1b-3 “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know when I will come to you.”Yesterday I started to read the book of Revelation. Over the last few months, I have heard people reference it, and I don't remember ever reading it. I know I have at least listened to it because I have been through the Bible in A Year  Podcast with Father Mike twice, and about 12 years ago, I did a study program with my friend called Read the Bible in 90 days. We read the Bible, I listened a lot as I bought the audio Bible, and then each week we would meet and watch a video explaining all about the part we had just read. Because of all this, I know I have heard Revelation before, and yet I had no idea what my friends were talking about when they mentioned things in Revelation. So I decided to check it out this week.A little side note here, if you have never done a Bible Study, can I invite you to give one a try? There are online ones, and I am sure there is a church in your area that also has one going on right now. Bible Studies are amazing for so many reasons. The Bible is complex, and it is deep. There are so many layers to everything you read in the Bible. It can also be confusing because of the language it uses and because of the difference in Biblical times vs now. I love learning about the Bible and what is actually being said in the various chapters. A lot of times, the people who are doing the Bible study will also tell you what the various words meant in Hebrew or Greek. It is fascinating!Back to today's verse. I chose this verse because it scared me a little. The first line in today's verse says, “You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up!” This really hit me. I think it hit me because I think most people think they are pretty good people. I think if we asked most people if they thought they were going to heaven or hell, they would say heaven. I want to believe that most people are going to heaven. Yet, in the Bible, that is not what it says. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate, broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate, and narrow is the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”I don't think it would be good to constantly be thinking about whether we will be going to heaven or hell or not. I do think we should think of it from time to time and evaluate our lives. There are a lot of different opinions about what you need to do to get into heaven. Some believe you need to receive the Eucharist in order to go to heaven. Some believe you need to say out loud that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior. Some believe you need to be born again. These are all found in different parts of the Bible. There is so much found in the Bible, and I definitely am not an expert.All I know is what the Lord is putting on my heart. I feel the Lord wants me to tell you today to remember what Jesus said in Matthew 22:36-40, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Are we doing this? Are we loving God with our heart, mind, and soul?That question is much easier to answer than the second question. Are we loving our neighbor as we love ourselves? This is something to think about. We must remember that when Christ says love your neighbor, he doesn't just mean the person who lives to the right and left of you. He means, do you love everyone else in the world? Do you love those in your town and your state? Do you love those who run the country? Do you love those who run the churches? Do you love those who are hard to love? Luke 6:32 says, ““If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them.”This verse made me sit up and take notice this morning because plenty of people in the past have had a reputation for being a good person, a holy person, and yet later it comes out that they were not. This could be all of us. Maybe we haven't done some truly terrible things, but are we harboring unforgiveness in our hearts? Are we despising some people who live in this world? Do we struggle to love those who are hard to love? Struggling to follow the Lord's word is ok. We can bring Him that struggle and He will help us with it. I think we run into trouble when we aren't struggling with it because we have decided not to pay attention to it, or we have given ourselves permission not to follow certain things the Lord says.God is always available for us to talk to. He is available for us to ask questions to and for us to receive guidance from. However, often we think or we assume that we know what God is thinking, even though we haven't asked him. We assume that God is ok with us not forgiving the person who attacked us or our loved one because He knows how hurt we were and how hard that would be. God wouldn't want us to forgive someone like that anyway. We think God is ok with us not forgiving our family members because He knows all they put us through. He knows how terrible they were to us, and he couldn't possibly expect us to forgive them.God is calling us to love our neighbors, all of them. Even the ones who have hurt us. Even the ones who did terrible things. Even the ones we disagree with. Loving them doesn't have to mean we spend time with them. Loving them doesn't mean letting them back into our lives to hurt us again. Loving them means you don't wish ill for them. Loving them means forgiving them. Forgiving them isn't about condoning someone's actions or saying "it's okay." It's about releasing the burden of resentment and anger, and entrusting the consequences of their actions to God. It's a decision within you to let go, not a declaration that their actions were acceptable.If you struggle to forgive someone, I want you to know you are not alone. You don't have to do it alone either. If you struggle to forgive someone, bring it to the Lord and ask Him to help you. Ask Him to soften your heart. Forgiving someone is not a feeling; it is a decision. You may decide to forgive someone, yet you might not feel any different. That is OK! If you are willing to say yes to forgiving someone, God will do all the hard work in your heart to help you forgive that person. He just needs your yes and your willingness.Today's verse says, “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know when I will come to you.” This verse is telling us to wake up! Sometimes we can go through life on autopilot. That is what the enemy wants. He wants to lull us into a false sense of security. He doesn't want us to question our behaviors. He doesn't want us to examine our lives or hearts.However, the last line in this verse will hopefully give us cause to wake up. It says, “Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know when I will come to you.” None of us is guaranteed tomorrow. We don't know when we will take our last breath. What if we never get the chance to forgive or love that person? We are called to love everyone. Look at your life, are you doing that? Search your heart, have you said unkind things about people this week? If so, don't dwell on it, repent, and start over. If there are people you don't like, ask the Lord to give you his heart for them. If there are people you can't seem to forgive, or you don't want to forgive, bring it to the Lord, tell him your struggles, and ask Him for help.We don't know when the Lord will come like a thief, and we want to be ready. We want to always be prepared. If today were the last day on earth, would you be ready to go and meet our Heavenly Father? God doesn't just want us to be good people. He wants us to be good people who love Him with our whole hearts, minds, and souls and who love all of His other children as well. Can we do that? Can we work on that? Can we search our hearts and ask the Lord where we need to work in this area? We can ask God to show us anything that might be blocking us from Him. Anything that might be getting in the way of us going to heaven.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening. Lord, we want to be with you for all of eternity. If something we are doing or something we have deep in our hearts is going to keep us from that time with you, please show us. Lord, it is hard to love others in this crazy world. We all bring our own baggage and our own wounds to the relationship or to the encounter. Please help us to love others like you want us to. Help us to forgive others, not because they deserve it, but because we deserve to be free from the pain, guilt, shame, and anger they have left us with. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to meeting you here again on Monday. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day!`Friday: Today's Word from the Lord was received in October 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “The time is now for a change in your lives. Come to me. Know that I am ready to help you at all times in your life.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

This week on Catholic Sprouts we will go over the parts of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Each day we will look at a few parts of the Mass, what is happening in each part, and what we are supposed to be doing during that part. I will also share some fun and free resources you can use for your family or class to prepare for each Sunday Mass or to review it. A small challenge is included each day based on reading the upcoming Sunday Mass Readings.   + MONDAY: Let's look at the two main parts of the Mass and discuss the Introductory Rites, the beginning of Mass. + TUESDAY: Today we focus on the First and Second Readings and the Responsorial Psalm. Where do they come from and why are they important? + WEDNESDAY: We now look at the Gospel and Homily and the importance of scripture in the Mass. We finish discussing the Liturgy of the Word. + THURSDAY: We begin learning about the first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, with the Offertory Procession and the Eucharistic Prayer. + FRIDAY: We conclude our week with the last part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, receiving Communion and the concluding prayers as we leave Mass.   Deanna Bartalini prepares the Sunday Gospel Activities on CatholicMom.com. She is also a writer retreat leader, and spiritual director; you can connect with her personally at LiveNotLukewarm.com.     Find fun, meaningful, faith-filled projects for your own family in the Catholic Family Resource Library. https://catholicsprouts.com/catholic-family-resource-library-signup/  Catholic Sprouts is a production of Spoke Street Media. For more great Catholic podcasts, check out spokestreet.com 

Read Online“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink.” John 6:53–55On a philosophical level, it's useful to consider various things that appear to be “competing forces.” Good appears to be the opposite of evil. Light the opposite of dark. Heat the opposite of cold. And life the opposite of death. But are they truly opposites in the sense of being competing forces? When considered carefully, it is clear that good and evil, light and dark, heat and cold, and life and death are not actually “competing forces;” rather, evil is simply the absence of good, darkness the absence of light, cold the absence of heat, and death the loss of life. And though this philosophical distinction may not seem that interesting to some, and confusing to others, it is a helpful truth to ponder in light of today's Gospel.Today's Gospel tells us that failure to “eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood” results in death. Death is the loss of life, and the Eucharist is the source of life. Jesus says that if you fail to eat His Flesh and drink His Blood, “you do not have life within you.”This bold teaching of Jesus should cause us to stop and examine our approach to the Most Holy Eucharist. Sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking that going to Mass and receiving Communion is something we do as a “favor” to our Lord. But in truth, it's God's most profound favor to us, because the Eucharist is the gateway to eternal life. And without it, we have no life within us. Our spirits die because we lose the presence of God.Looking at the negative effect of not receiving the Most Holy Eucharist can be very useful. Sometimes we need to consider the consequences of our actions as a way of motivating us to greater fidelity. For that reason, considering the fact that failure to eat the Flesh of the Son of God results in death should be very motivating. It should fill us with a holy fear of the loss of the life-giving presence of God within us. This “holy fear” is a true gift from God and is, in fact, one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.Reflect, today, upon your interior attitude toward the Most Holy Eucharist. Do you see your participation in the Holy Mass more as a favor you offer to our Lord? Or do you see it as it is: the life-giving source of eternal life? Reflect upon how important this precious gift truly is and recommit yourself to a faithful and devout participation in this most holy Gift.My Eucharistic Lord, Your Flesh and Blood are truly the source of eternal life for all who receive You in faith. I thank You, dear Lord, for this most precious Gift of the Most Holy Eucharist, and I pray that I will be filled with a deep hunger and thirst for You always. Jesus, I trust in You.Fra Angelico (Guido di Pietro) 1400-1455. Florence. Le sermon sur la montagne by jean louis mazieres, license Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Friends of the Rosary,American Cardinal Robert Prevost was chosen as the new pope today. On the second day of the conclave at the Vatican, the cardinal electors chose Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost as the new pope, Leo XIV.Christ Jesus declares in today's Gospel (John 6:44-51), “I'm the bread of life.”“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;whoever eats this bread will live forever;and the bread that I will giveis my Flesh for the life of the world.”With the living bread of Christ — the heavenly food of the Eucharist — we become alive in a way that we were not before. And since it comes down from heaven, we might see a glimpse of heaven.“Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is from God;he has seen the Father.”We need “the bread that comes down from heaven” to be alive on earth and prepared for eternity.Heaven is the realm of God, and this is a realm of love. This is what God has prepared for those who love him.In the Eucharist, the sacrifice of Christ is made present. And the Eucharist is the participation in love between the Father and the Son.[The Eucharist, or Holy Communion, is the central mystery and cornerstone of the Catholic faith. It's a sacred meal at which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ.]Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• May 8, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

As the conclave gets underway this week after the solemn procession of cardinals entering the Sistine Chapel, Msgr. Roger Landry joins Ashley McGuire and Mary FioRito altogether in Rome to discuss the way in which the Holy Spirit is at work within the conclave. Betsy Fentress also chats with Marina Fratarolli, 2024 Eucharistic pilgrim that journeyed the entire Seton route--and how the Real Presence led to her conversion to Catholicism (along with a little help from St. Teresa of Avila!) Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!

Why does Jesus say we cannot have life unless we eat his flesh? - Fr. Lucas Laborde. Click here for today's readings.What are the hidden aspects of the Eucharist that Jesus wants you to rediscover today? What are the needs and desires in your soul that only this food can satisfy? What are the thoughts and feelings of Christ that the Holy Spirit wants you to receive? Or, to put it another way, what action or moment in the life of Christ would you like to connect with through the Eucharist?

In today's Rise Up reflection, Fr. Jonathan Beyer takes us on a powerful journey from the Garden of Eden to Calvary — connecting Genesis 3 to John 6. In Eden, God said “Do not eat or you will die.” At Calvary, Jesus now says “Eat, or you will not have life.” The Cross becomes the new Tree of Life. The Eucharist becomes the fruit that brings eternal life. When was the last time you ate from the Tree of Life? Let this Easter season renew your love for the Mass, where heaven touches earth. #RiseUp #Eucharist #TreeOfLife #Catholic #HolyMass #John6 #Genesis3 #FrBeyer #CatholicTeaching #HappyEaster #FaithReflection

This week on Catholic Sprouts we will go over the parts of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Each day we will look at a few parts of the Mass, what is happening in each part, and what we are supposed to be doing during that part. I will also share some fun and free resources you can use for your family or class to prepare for each Sunday Mass or to review it. A small challenge is included each day based on reading the upcoming Sunday Mass Readings.   + MONDAY: Let's look at the two main parts of the Mass and discuss the Introductory Rites, the beginning of Mass. + TUESDAY: Today we focus on the First and Second Readings and the Responsorial Psalm. Where do they come from and why are they important? + WEDNESDAY: We now look at the Gospel and Homily and the importance of scripture in the Mass. We finish discussing the Liturgy of the Word. + THURSDAY: We begin learning about the first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, with the Offertory Procession and the Eucharistic Prayer. + FRIDAY: We conclude our week with the last part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, receiving Communion and the concluding prayers as we leave Mass.   Deanna Bartalini prepares the Sunday Gospel Activities on CatholicMom.com. She is also a writer retreat leader, and spiritual director; you can connect with her personally at LiveNotLukewarm.com.     Find fun, meaningful, faith-filled projects for your own family in the Catholic Family Resource Library. https://catholicsprouts.com/catholic-family-resource-library-signup/  Catholic Sprouts is a production of Spoke Street Media. For more great Catholic podcasts, check out spokestreet.com 

Read OnlineI am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.” John 6:51Jesus was starting to stir up the emotions of some within the crowd. They began to ridicule Him because He had said that He was the “bread that had come down from heaven.” Thus, many of those who had sought Jesus out in hopes of another miraculous free meal began to murmur among themselves and ridicule Him. As a result, Jesus began to speak even more clearly and shockingly. He then went even further and said that He is not only the “living bread that came down from heaven” but that those who want to “live forever” must also eat His “Flesh.”How would you have reacted to such a statement if you were among those within the crowd? Consider the fact that you would have recently seen, with your own eyes, the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. Therefore, you would have realized that Jesus was someone special, to say the least. But how would you have reacted to this statement of Jesus, “and the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world,” if you had heard it spoken at that time? Most likely, your reaction would have been the same reaction that you have right now to the teaching of the Most Holy Eucharist.Many who heard Jesus speak this way may have thought it was a bit of an unusual thing to say. Some would have reacted strongly, while others would have reacted with indifference. But some would have had an entirely different reaction. Some would have heard Jesus speak these new and shocking words, would have realized that they did not fully understand what He meant, but would have believed deeply on account of the gift of faith. Somehow they would have known, in the depths of their consciences, that they did indeed need to eat the Flesh of Him Who came down from Heaven since He was indeed the Bread of Life.Believing in the Eucharist, in the fact that these tangible and visible gifts of the Sacred Host and the Precious Blood are, in fact, the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Eternal Son of God, can only happen through the interior and transforming gift of faith. How else can you believe such a teaching? How else could you believe that these words in today's Gospel have come true? And that the reception of the Most Holy Eucharist is the pathway to eternal life? The gift of faith in the Most Holy Eucharist is the one and only way to understand, accept and deeply believe what our Lord has spoken in this Holy Gospel. Reflect, today, upon Jesus speaking these most holy words for the first time: “...the bread that I will give is my Flesh for the life of the world.” As you prayerfully reflect upon these words, ponder how deeply you believe them. How deep is your faith in the Most Holy Eucharist? The Eucharist is the fulfillment of this passage, and our divine Lord invites you to not only believe in His holy words but to allow this truth to transform you in ways beyond what you could ever imagine. My Eucharistic Lord, You are truly the Bread of Life, and all those who eat Your Flesh and drink Your Blood will inherit eternal life. I do believe this, dear Lord. I believe that the Most Holy Eucharist is You, Your Soul and Divinity, given to me so that I can share in Your holy life. Give me the grace I need to deepen my faith in the Most Holy Eucharist so that I will be drawn more fully into the joys of Your Eternal Kingdom. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Christ Preaching By Rembrandt, public domain via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

What does it feel like when the eyes of the world turn to the Sistine Chapel, as everyone waits for white smoke? In this episode, Father Dave and Deacon Bob explore the sacred mystery—and human drama—of a papal conclave. But first: baseball, astronauts, Marvel movies, and pierogies.   Father Dave shares a powerful conversation with retired astronaut and U.S. Air Force General Kevin P. Chilton, who received the Eucharist in space. The hosts also discuss the lesser-known fact that Buzz Aldrin took communion on the moon, blending space exploration with sacred devotion.   Meanwhile, Deacon Bob reflects on being left out of both that interview and a May the 4th Star Wars-themed baseball game (yes, stormtroopers and all), and offers a spoiler-free review of Marvel's new film Thunderbolts.   The hosts unpack the process of the papal conclave, exploring how the Holy Spirit leads (without micromanaging) the selection of a pope. They also respond to the controversial AI-generated image of Donald Trump dressed as pope—shared by official White House social media—and call for reverence during this pivotal moment in Church history. As always, the episode blends solemnity with laughter—from memories of first Communions and unforgettable Masses to hot takes on sports, politics, and pilgrimage.  Resources Mentioned  In Person interview with Astronaut Kevin Chilton – Faith and Reason  The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty  “Buzz Aldrin Took Holy Communion on the Moon. NASA Kept it Quiet” by Erin Blakemore for History.com.    

Has Bishop Caggiano ever been in a fight? Yes, you guessed it… it's time to dive into the mailbag! On Let Me Be Frank this week, Bishop Frank answers questions like: Should we receive communion standing or kneeling? On the tongue or in the hand? How many approved Marian apparitions have there been? How does the Church evaluate reported apparitions? What is the sin of pride? What would Bishop Frank's (& Steve's) final meal be? Next week we may have a new Holy Father to talk about. In the meantime, enjoy these and many more!   Pax Christi, Steve Lee   LINKS Support Veritas: https://www.veritascatholic.com/donate   Other Shows Tangent: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpeAxbil8_mgC4Ielq0_MRQ/ Restless: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1SbvGysG6C0mnQRAVcagkg/ Daily Reflections: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDXE8YpRhxNwsAiv_lrgBOg/ Joe & Joe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCquP95mXqHETS4dOhfkPMOg  

Send us a textAmber Rose, widely known as The Religious Hippie, joins The Covenant Eyes Podcast to share her extraordinary journey—from leaving the Catholic Church and struggling with pornography addiction, self-harm, and depression, to returning to the faith and becoming a powerful voice for young Catholics online.In this deep and vulnerable conversation, Amber opens up about how modern culture, social media, and broken relationships shaped her early years—and how a powerful encounter with Christ in the Eucharist changed everything.We Also Explore:   }  How to balance faith and social media influence   }  Tips for parents navigating tech with their kids   }  The dangers of early exposure to porn   }  Rebuilding a Catholic identity in a secular worldPractical advice for young adults dealing with peer pressure, loneliness, and dating

Never take the Eucharist for granted.

This week on Catholic Sprouts we will go over the parts of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Each day we will look at a few parts of the Mass, what is happening in each part, and what we are supposed to be doing during that part. I will also share some fun and free resources you can use for your family or class to prepare for each Sunday Mass or to review it. A small challenge is included each day based on reading the upcoming Sunday Mass Readings.   + MONDAY: Let's look at the two main parts of the Mass and discuss the Introductory Rites, the beginning of Mass. + TUESDAY: Today we focus on the First and Second Readings and the Responsorial Psalm. Where do they come from and why are they important? + WEDNESDAY: We now look at the Gospel and Homily and the importance of scripture in the Mass. We finish discussing the Liturgy of the Word. + THURSDAY: We begin learning about the first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, with the Offertory Procession and the Eucharistic Prayer. + FRIDAY: We conclude our week with the last part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, receiving Communion and the concluding prayers as we leave Mass.   Deanna Bartalini prepares the Sunday Gospel Activities on CatholicMom.com. She is also a writer retreat leader, and spiritual director; you can connect with her personally at LiveNotLukewarm.com.     Find fun, meaningful, faith-filled projects for your own family in the Catholic Family Resource Library. https://catholicsprouts.com/catholic-family-resource-library-signup/  Catholic Sprouts is a production of Spoke Street Media. For more great Catholic podcasts, check out spokestreet.com 

Episode 975 (15:18) In this episode: What does it mean to be a sheep for our Shepherd, Jesus? Snickers as a visual aide; How to properly receive communion in the hand and on the tongue, and how not to receive Related Web Sites:  My Website Podcast PageAll Previous Episodes

Fr. Patrick Gonyeau and John Stockwell discuss the Eucharist.  Fr. Gonyeau is administrator at Corpus Christi Catholic Community in Detroit, Michigan and associate instructor of Encounter Ministries; John Stockwell is a former WJR anchor and reporter.  They team up to be an inspiring conduit for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit to renew our minds and hearts.  In this episode, they talk about the Precious Blood of Jesus. Support the show

This week on Catholic Sprouts we will go over the parts of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Each day we will look at a few parts of the Mass, what is happening in each part, and what we are supposed to be doing during that part. I will also share some fun and free resources you can use for your family or class to prepare for each Sunday Mass or to review it. A small challenge is included each day based on reading the upcoming Sunday Mass Readings.   + MONDAY: Let's look at the two main parts of the Mass and discuss the Introductory Rites, the beginning of Mass. + TUESDAY: Today we focus on the First and Second Readings and the Responsorial Psalm. Where do they come from and why are they important? + WEDNESDAY: We now look at the Gospel and Homily and the importance of scripture in the Mass. We finish discussing the Liturgy of the Word. + THURSDAY: We begin learning about the first part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, with the Offertory Procession and the Eucharistic Prayer. + FRIDAY: We conclude our week with the last part of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, receiving Communion and the concluding prayers as we leave Mass.   Deanna Bartalini prepares the Sunday Gospel Activities on CatholicMom.com. She is also a writer retreat leader, and spiritual director; you can connect with her personally at LiveNotLukewarm.com.     Find fun, meaningful, faith-filled projects for your own family in the Catholic Family Resource Library. https://catholicsprouts.com/catholic-family-resource-library-signup/  Catholic Sprouts is a production of Spoke Street Media. For more great Catholic podcasts, check out spokestreet.com

Read OnlineSo they said to Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” John 6:34–35Imagine if you were to never grow hungry or never thirst again. On a natural level, this would be an interesting reality.Of course, if you never had physical hunger or thirst, then you may never enjoy the delight of good food and drink. So why would anyone want to lose out on such delights? Of course, Jesus was not speaking of natural food and drink, He was speaking of supernatural hunger and thirst. And He was not saying that the spiritual food and drink He came to give us would eliminate our ability to delight in spiritual fulfillment. On the contrary, Jesus was saying that the spiritual food and drink He was to provide would result in never-ending fulfillment and satisfaction.Chapter 6 of John's Gospel will continue to be read throughout this week, the Third Week of Easter. This chapter presents us with what is traditionally called the “Bread of Life Discourse.” It's John's deep, mystical and profound teaching on the Most Holy Eucharist.First of all, it's useful to look at this Gospel within its context. Recall that on the previous day, Jesus performed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and a crowd of people who had been fed by Him were now seeking more food. Jesus uses their desire for more food to begin to teach them about the Most Holy Eucharist, and He wants to do the same for you.Put yourself into this scene. What is it that you hunger and thirst for the most? Perhaps you have plenty of physical food, but perhaps you don't. If you do, what else do you crave? What do you desire? When you have identified your deepest desires right now, use these desires to allow our Lord to teach you about the Bread of Life. It might be useful to say to our Lord, “Here are my current desires in life…” And then, allow yourself to hear Jesus say to you, “I want to give you so much more. I am what you truly long for. If you come to Me, you will have all your desires fulfilled and more.” This is essentially the conversation Jesus had with this crowd throughout John Chapter 6.Do you believe that the Most Holy Eucharist is capable of fulfilling you on the deepest level? Too often we approach that Sacrament in a lazy and distracted way. As a result, we often fail to truly receive our Lord on a level that provides this deepest delight and satisfaction.Reflect, today and throughout this week, upon your approach to Holy Communion. The Eucharist is Christ Himself. It's a gift that has the potential to not only sustain us in every way but also to draw us into the greatest Heavenly delights. Believe Jesus' words in this holy chapter of John's Gospel. For if you deepen your belief in all that Jesus has said, you will begin to realize that all you crave in life will begin to be fulfilled by this precious gift in ways beyond your imagination.My Eucharistic Lord, You are the Bread of Life. You are all that I desire in life. Give me the grace of understanding, dear Lord, so that I can come to believe all that You have revealed about the Most Holy Eucharist. I do believe, my God. Help my unbelief. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Christ the Saviour Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International, via Wikemedia Commons Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

May 3rd, 2025 -  The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. But how much do you actually know about it? On today's episode, Debbie and Adam welcome special guest Anthony DeStefano. Anthony DeStefano is the bestselling author of 30 Christian books for adults and children. He has appeared on CNN, Fox and Friends, Huckabee, and hundreds of other national and local media shows. He has also been the host of two television series on EWTN, as well as a frequent guest there. His latest book is a beautiful exploration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Links: Anthony DeStefano Bio - http://anthonydestefano.com/  Anthony DeStefano Book - https://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/from-bread-and-wine-to-saints-divine/p/BKCHI03843 

Happy Easter! ✝️ As we step into a new workweek, today's Rise Up reflection challenges us to ask two important questions: What do I work for? Who do I work for?   Jesus reminds us in today's Gospel, “Do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life.” Are we busy chasing success, grades, and money—or are we working for love, for people, for eternal life?   Let's take time today to slow down, reflect, and reorient our lives toward what truly matters: the Eucharist, community, friendship, and love. Let's start a revolution of joy this Easter season!  

Fr. Bill speaks to the children celebrating their First Communion about how Jesus accompanies us every day, everywhere, through the Eucharist.   Readings at this Mass: Acts 5:27–32, 40b–41 | Rv 5:11–14 | Jn 21:1–19 

Fr. Kyrillos Ibrahim- Homily for the 2nd Sunday of Pentecost. The relationship between the Resurrection and the Eucharist is beautifully reflected in the account of the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24). The Lord reveals that the Eucharist is the burning love of God, the abiding presence of Christ, the renewal of Christian hope, and the perfection of the life of faith. Click the icon below to listen.

Judas and Mary (of Bethany): Two Hearts Before the Mystery of Christ The Readings and Homily reflect on the profound spiritual themes leading up to Holy Week, . . . . . . beginning with the “Suffering Servant” songs from the Book of Isaiah. It emphasizes the divine calling and mission of the servant, who acts with God's authority yet reveals God's power through humility and suffering . . . not through miracles or displays of strength. This foreshadowing prepares believers for the mystery of Good Friday, where Jesus . . . God in the flesh . . . embraces suffering to redeem the world. An Act of Love and Devotion The Homily then shifts to the Gospel scene in Bethany, where Mary (of Bethany) anoints Jesus with costly perfume. Her act is one of love, devotion, and prophetic insight into Jesus' coming Passion. Judas objects, claiming the perfume should've been sold to help the poor, but his motives are exposed as self-serving. The Homily warns that words can hide wicked intentions and calls out the tendency to misuse faith for personal gain—something Judas exemplifies. Contrasting Judas with Mary , the Homily encourages believers to adopt Mary's posture of heartfelt reverence and presence with Christ, especially during Holy Week and the Eucharist. The faithful are urged not to be distracted by lesser concerns when Christ is present but to attend to Him with gratitude, love, and worship. Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to: Judas and Mary (of Bethany): Two Hearts Before the Mystery of Christ ----------------------------------- image The Anointing of Jesus' Feet: French Painter: James Tissot: 1900 This painting resides at The Brooklyn Museum. Other Tissot paintings appear on this site here and here. ----------------------------------- Gospel Reading: John 12: 1-11 First Reading: Isaiah 42: 1-7

The Risen Lord transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.  Look at the Sacraments.  Look at our lives.  Blessed Carlo Acutis, pray for us.  (Bread of Heaven - Manibusan/Hart sung by David Komel)The homilies of Msgr. Stephen J. AvilaPastor, St. Joseph, Guardian of the Holy Family Parish, Falmouth, MAThanks for listening! May God's Word find a home in you.

Send us a textWhat is the true purpose of Catholic confession, and can any human truly forgive sins? This profound question launches us into a Scripture-rich exploration of forgiveness, authority, and the finished work of Christ.We unpack the linguistic connection between the title "Pope" (meaning "Vicar of Christ" or one who stands in place of Christ) and the literal meaning of "anti-Christ" – standing in lieu of Christ. This revelation provides a thought-provoking perspective many believers have never considered about papal authority and its biblical implications.Drawing from key passages throughout Scripture, we examine how Catholic practices like confession and the Eucharist compare with biblical teaching. The discussion centers on a fundamental truth: only God can forgive sins. When Jesus forgave sins during His earthly ministry, it proved His divinity – not established a tradition of human intermediaries.The conversation takes an unexpected turn when participants acknowledge how women in Christian communities often demonstrate exceptional Scripture knowledge and dedication. This observation launches a celebration of authentic fellowship where believers sharpen one another through communal study of God's Word.Perhaps most powerfully, we consider what it truly means to believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross. One participant shares a transformative practice: asking God to strip away every preconception until only His truth remains. Like the transfiguration where Moses and Elijah faded leaving only Jesus, we're challenged to see Christ alone rather than human traditions.Whether you're questioning religious traditions or seeking deeper understanding of forgiveness, this episode will challenge you to examine whether your beliefs are founded on Scripture or human authority. Join us as we explore the gospel's liberating truth and Christ's complete atonement.The Balance of GrayGod, doubt, and proof walk into a podcast... it goes better than you'd expect!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. But how much do you actually know about it? On today's episode, Debbie and Adam welcome special guest Anthony DeStefano. Anthony DeStefano is the bestselling author of 30 Christian books for adults and children. He has appeared on CNN, Fox and Friends, Huckabee, and hundreds of other national and local media shows. He has also been the host of two television series on EWTN, as well as a frequent guest there. His latest book is a beautiful exploration of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Links: Show Archive - www.GRNonline.com/SpiritWorld  Anthony DeStefano Bio - http://anthonydestefano.com/  Anthony DeStefano Book - https://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/from-bread-and-wine-to-saints-divine/p/BKCHI03843  Saint Candles - www.saintcandles.com Promo Code: GUADALUPE GRN 25th Anniversary - www.GRNonline.com/Anniversary

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: By Pufui Pc Pifpef I - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31309211 via Wikipedia LINKS Vatican bio of Cardinal Raymond Leo BURKE https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_burke_rl.html        Raymond Leo BURKE on FIU's Cardinals Database (by Salvador Miranda): https://cardinals.fiu.edu/bios2010.htm#Burke                             Cardinal Raymond Leo BURKE on Gcatholic.org: https://gcatholic.org/p/2334                                                Cardinal Raymond Leo BURKE on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bburke.html                            Apostolic Signatura on Gcatholic.org: https://gcatholic.org/dioceses/romancuria/d13.htm   Apostolic Signatura on Catholic-Hierarchy.org: https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dbgch.html 2003 Catholic News Agency bio of Archbishop Burke: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/286/pope-appoints-bishop-raymond-burke-as-new-archbishop-of-st-louis  Merriam-Webster, “Defender of the Bond”: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defender%20of%20the%20bond#:~:text=The%20meaning%20of%20DEFENDER%20OF%20THE%20BOND,the%20marriage%20bond%20in%20suits%20for%20annulment Dead Theologians Society: https://deadtheologianssociety.com/about/  Catholic Herald analysis of Cardinal Burke's 2014 reassignment: https://web.archive.org/web/20160701214308/http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2014/11/10/thousands-sign-petition-thanking-cardinal-burke/  2013 National Catholic Reporter commentary- “I want a mess” -Pope Francis: https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/distinctly-catholic/pope-i-want-mess  2014 CruxNow “Soap Opera” Synod on the Family coverage: https://web.archive.org/web/20141017055135/http://www.cruxnow.com/church/2014/10/16/synod-is-more-and-more-like-a-soap-opera/ Amoris Laetitia: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia.html  2017 Knights of Malta reshuffle: https://catholicherald.co.uk/pope-names-archbishop-becciu-as-personal-delegate-to-order-of-malta/  2018 National Catholic Register editorial Reflection on Amoris Laetitia controversy https://www.ncregister.com/news/francis-fifth-a-pontificate-of-footnotes  2016 National Catholic Register coverage of the Dubia: https://www.ncregister.com/news/four-cardinals-formally-ask-pope-for-clarity-on-amoris-laetitia Traditionis custodes: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/20210716-motu-proprio-traditionis-custodes.html  Cardinal Burke's Statement on Traditionis Custodes: https://www.cardinalburke.com/presentations/traditionis-custodes The 2023 Dubia (w/Pope Francis' responses): https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2023-10/pope-francis-responds-to-dubia-of-five-cardinals.html  National Catholic Reporter coverage of removal of Cardinal Burke's Vatican apartment and salary: https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/pope-francis-remove-cardinal-burkes-vatican-apartment-and-salary-sources-say Anonymous “Cardinal Burke is my enemy” report: https://catholicherald.co.uk/pope-calls-cardinal-burke-his-enemy-and-threatens-to-strip-him-of-privileges-reports-claim/  Where Peter Is coverage of Cardinal Burke's 2024 private meeting with Pope Francis https://wherepeteris.com/cardinal-burkes-meeting-withĥhh-pope-francis/    Thank you for listening, and thank my family and friends for putting up with the time investment and for helping me out as needed. As always, feel free to email the show at Popeularhistory@gmail.com  If you would like to financially support Popeular history, go to www.patreon.com/Popeular. If you don't have any money to spare but still want to give back, pray and tell others– prayers and listeners are worth more than gold!   TRANSCRIPT Welcome to Popeular History, a library of Catholic knowledge and insights.   Check out the show notes for sources, further reading, and a transcript.   Today we're discussing another current Cardinal of the Catholic Church, one of the 120 or so people who will choose the next Pope when the time comes. The youngest of six, Raymond Leo Burke was born on June 30, 1948, in Richland Center, a small town in sparsely populated Richland County, Wisconsin.   Not too much later, the family moved north to tiny Stratford, Wisconsin, where he grew up.   We've had a *lot*, of midwestern Cardinals, in fact all but one of our 8 American Cardinals so far has been born in the midwest, a percentage I would probably consider shocking if I didn't identify as a midwesterner myself, though technically I'm about as much of a northern southerner as you can get, considering my parents basically moved to Virginia to have their kids and immediately moved back to Ohio once that was accomplished. But enough about me, this is about Raymond Leo Burke, who signed up for Holy Cross Seminary in La Crosse in 1962. Later he went to The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, where he wound up with a masters in philosophy in 1971. After that he was sent to Rome for his theology studies, getting a second masters, this time from the Gregorian. He was ordained by Pope Paul VI–yes, *before* JPII, crazy I know, in 1975 on June 29th, which longtime listeners will probably clock as the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul and more importantly the Popeular History podcasts' official anniversary date.   Returning to Wisconsin as a priest for the Diocese of La Crosse, Father Burke served as an associate rector for the cathedral, then as a religion teacher at Aquinas High School in town.   Making his way back to Rome, Father Burke returned to the Gregorian to study Canon Law, by 1984 he had a doctorate in the topic with a specialization in jurisprudence.   He came back stateside long enough to pick up a couple diocesan roles back in La Crosse, but soon enough he went back to the Gregorian for a third time, this time not as a student but as a teacher, namely as a Visiting professor of Canonical Jurisprudence, a post which he held for nearly a decade from ‘85 to ‘94.   He wound up becoming the first American to hold the position of Defender of the Bond of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, as a reminder that's basically the Vatican's Supreme Court.   As for what being a Defender of the Bond entails, it's basically the guy in charge of proving the validity of a disputed marriage, typically–I'd imagine--oversomeone's objections, or else, you know, the case wouldn't have wound up in court.   In 1994, his white phone rang, and it was Pope John Paul II, calling to make him bishop of his home Diocese of La Crosse. Father Burke was personally consecrated by His Holiness in the Vatican.   In ‘97, Bishop Burke became a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, ranking as a Knight Commander with Star automatically by virtue of his being a bishop. The Order traces its origins to the First Crusade, making it one of the oldest chivalric Orders in the world–and it's not the only such order Bishop Burke will get involved in.   In 2000, bishop Burke became National Director of the Marian Catechist Apostolate, something which certainly seems near to his heart considering he's still in the role. Well, international director now, as things have grown.   In 2002, Bishop Burke invited a fairly new apostolate named the Dead Theologians Society to the diocese, which isn't something I'd normally include, but I wanted to make sure it got a shoutout because it started at my parish. Oriented towards high school and college students, they study the lives of the saints, and Cardinal Burke is a fan, saying: “I am happy to commend the Dead Theologians Society to individual families and to parishes, as a most effective form of Catholic youth ministry.”   In 2003, Bishop Burke became Archbishop Burke when he was transferred to the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Louis, where he served until 2008, when he was called up to Rome, to serve as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, there's that Vatican Supreme Court again, and this time he's running it. And if you're making assumptions based on that appointment, yes, he's absolutely considered one of the foremost experts on canon law worldwide, having published numerous books and articles.   In 2010, Pope Benedict raised Archbishop Burke to the rank of Cardinal Deacon and assigned him the deaconry of S. Agata de 'Goti. Naturally he participated in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis, where I am prepared to guess he was in the minority given subsequent events.   The next year, so 2014, Cardinal Burke was transferred from his top judicial spot to serve as the patron of the Sovereign Order of Malta, aka the Knights of Malta, a reassignment that was generally interpreted as a demotion, given he was going from his dream job for canon law geek that made him the highest ranking American in the Vatican at the time to a largely ceremonial post that was, well, not that.   [All that is nothing against the Knights of Malta, which these days are a solid humanitarian resource and quasi-state trivia machine I'll give their own episode at some point.]   The tension between Cardinal Burke and Pope Francis has been fairly clear from the start. They have fundamentally different approaches and styles, and frankly different goals. Cardinal Burke is dedicated to maintaining tradition as the safest route, while Pope Francis has famously called for shaking things up, for example saying:   “What is it that I expect as a consequence of World Youth Day? I want a mess. We knew that in Rio there would be great disorder, but I want trouble in the dioceses!”   That's Pope Francis, of course. Just before his transfer out of his top spot at the Vatican's court, Cardinal Burke noted that many Catholics, quote:   “feel a bit of seasickness, because it seems to them that the ship of the Church has lost its compass.”   End quote.   To his credit, Cardinal Burke took the move in stride, which matches up well with his general view that authority should be respected and that, as a canonist, the Pope is the ultimate authority.   Deference to such authority in the context of the Catholic Church is known as Clericalism, and being pro or anti Clericalism is another point of disagreement between Cardinal Burke and Pope Francis, who said “I want to get rid of clericalism” in the same early interview I mentioned before.   Part of what Cardinal Burke was responding to with his “lost compass” quote was the first stages of the Synod on the Family, which veteran Vatican reporter John Allen Jr described as like a “soap opera”, with working notes that were released to the public speaking positively about things like same-sex unions and other relationships the Vatican tends to describe as “irregular”. After the Synod on the Family wrapped up, in 2016 Pope Francis produced a post-synodal apostolic exhortation called Amoris Laetitia, or “The Joy of Love”, which I saw one of my sources described the longest document in the history of the Papacy, a hell of a claim I am not immediately able to refute because it sure *is* a long one, which is primarily known for the controversy of just one of its footnotes, footnote 351.   I'm still making *some* effort to make these first round episodes be brief, but it's important to keep things in context, so let's go ahead and look at the sentence the footnote is attached to, which is in paragraph 305, and Then the footnote itself. If you want even more context, the entirety of Amoris Laetitia is, of course, linked in the show notes.   Here we go:   “Because of forms of conditioning and mitigating factors, it is possible that in an objective situation of sin – which may not be subjectively culpable, or fully such – a person can be living in God's grace, can love and can also grow in the life of grace and charity, while receiving the Church's help to this end.”   And yes, that is one sentence. Popes are almost as bad about sentence length as I am.   Without the footnote, this probably would have gone relatively unnoticed, the Church accompanying sinners is not a fundamentally revolutionary idea. But the footnote in question gets specific and brings in the Sacraments, which is where things get touchy:   “In certain cases, this can include the help of the sacraments. Hence, “I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber, but rather an encounter with the Lord's mercy” I would also point out that the Eucharist “is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak”.   For one thing, just to get this out of the way, some of that is in quotation marks with citations. In a document like this that's pretty normal, showing how your argument is based on precedent and authority. Except in this case the precedent and the authority being cited is literally Pope Francis himself. To be clear, this is a normal Pope thing, I found multiple examples of JPII and Pope Benedict doing the same thing, it just amuses me.   Anyways, the idea of people in objectively sinful states receiving communion is hyper-controversial. After all, even as far back as Saint Paul, receiving Communion “unworthily” is an awful thing. Of course, questions have long followed about how anyone can be truly worthy of the Eucharist, with the basic answer there being “with God's help”, but yeah, it's tricky.   We can have an educated guess how Cardinal Burke felt about all this, because he and three other Cardinals--it'll be a while before we get to any of the others–anyways Cardinal Burke and three other Cardinals asked Pope Francis some fairly pointed questions about this in a format called a dubia, traditionally a yes/no format where the Holy Father affirms or denies potential implications drawn from one of their teachings to clarify areas of doubt. In this case, there were five questions submitted, with the first and I daresay the most sincerely debated being the question of whether footnote 351 means divorced and subsequently remarried Catholics can receive communion. There's lots of subtext here, but as a reminder this is actually the *short* version of this episode, so pardon the abbreviation. The next four questions are, to put it snarkily, variations on the obviously very sincere question of “does the truth matter anymore?”   Pope Francis decided not to answer these dubia, which the Cardinals took as an invitation to make them–and his lack of a response–public. Not as a way of outing him after his refusal to answer gotcha questions with a yes/no, not by any means, but because clearly that's what not getting an answer meant Pope Francis wanted them to do.   Now, there's something of an issue here, because we're nearing record word count for Cardinal Numbers, and that's without any real long diversions about the history of Catholicism in Cardinal Burke's area or his interactions with the local secular ruler. It's all been Church stuff. And we're nowhere near the end.   The reality is that I'm painfully aware my own discipline is the only thing that keeps me from going longer on these episodes when appropriate, and the major driving force for keeping them short was to keep things manageable. But now that I'm no longer committed to a daily format, “manageable” has very different implications. And even my secondary driver, a general sense of fairness, not making one Cardinal's episode too much longer than the others, well, the other Cardinals in this batch have had longer episodes too, so it's not as much of a lopsided battle for the First Judgment, and it's not like longer automatically means more interesting.   In the end, with those inhibitions gone, and a sense that this stuff is important and it would be a shame to skip big chunks of it if Cardinal Burke *doesn't* make it to the next round, I'm going to go ahead and keep walking through this so it gets said, and let it take what time it takes. My best guess is we're about halfway through. That way there's no special pressure to make Cardinal Burke advance just to cover anything I felt was too rushed. Don't worry, there's still plenty being left out. Fair?   Fair or not, Let's resume.   In 2015, so after his relegation to the Knights of Malta but before Amoris Laetitia and the Dubia, Cardinal Burke was added to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, which is still one of his roles though like other Vatican offices it has since been rebranded as a Dicastery.   In 2017, Burke's posting as Patron of the Knights of Malta, the one I described as largely ceremonial, threatened to become interesting when Pope Francis forced the head of the order to resign over, well, condoms, basically. But as soon as things started looking interesting Pope Francis helicoptered in an archbishop to serve as his “special delegate” and more importantly his “exclusive spokesman” to the Order, which effectively sidelined Burke from a gig he had been sidelined *to* a few years earlier.   Nevertheless, 2017 also actually saw Burke start to bounce back some. I want to re emphasize this is notably *after* the Dubia, when later in the year Pope Francis picked Cardinal Burke as the judge in the case of an Archbishop who had been accused of sexully abusing his altar servers. The Archbishop was found guilty and deposed, and by the end of the year, having gotten his feet wet again, Cardinal Burke was back on as a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature, though, notably, not as its head anymore.   The next major flashpoint came In 2021, when Pope Francis published Traditionis Custodes, a document that severely restricted the celebration of the old Latin Mass.    Long story short, what's colloquially called Latin Mass is the version of Mass that was the main liturgy for Latin rite Catholics for hundreds of years until the Second Vatican Council kicked off serious updates in the 1960s, the most obvious of which is the general shift from Latin to the use of local aka vernacular languages, and the second most obvious is the direction the priest is facing for the majority of the liturgy. There's obviously more detail available on everything I just said, and people have *opinions*, I'll tell you that for sure.   Cardinal Burke's fundamental opinion was and is that the Latin Mass is great and should be maintained and that, in short, Pope Francis may even be overstepping his bounds in restricting it as much as he is with Traditionis Custodes, which is a strong claim given the whole, you know, general idea of the Papacy.   A few weeks after the Traditionis Custodes stuff went down, Cardinal Burke was on a ventilator fighting for his life. We're only doing living Cardinals at this time, so no suspense there for us, but his bout with COVID was touch-and-go for a while there.   In June 2023, notably a few weeks before his 75th birthday and that customary retirement age, Pope Francis replaced Cardinal Burke as the Patron of the Knights of Malta with an 80 year old Jesuit Cardinal. If you're noticing that Burke was relaced by someone who was themselves a fair bit older and also well past retirement age, yeah, you're not alone in noticing that, and you wouldn't be alone in thinking that some kind of point was being made here.   Just a few weeks after that retirement, Cardinal Burke attached his name to another dubia document, this one covering a larger variety of topics and appearing and in the context of the ongoing Synod on Synodality.   Cardinal Burke was again joined by one of his fellow signers of the first dubia, the other two having passed away in 2017, may they rest in peace. They were also joined by three Cardinals who had not cosigned the previous Dubia, though all of those are over 80 and so we won't be covering them for a while.   In any event, this second set of dubia covered a wider range of topics in its five questions, including two particularly hot-button issues, namely the question of blessings for same sex unions, which is something I will refer you to my Fiducia Supplicans anniversary coverage (oops, didn't get that out yet) on for fuller detail, and notion of women serving as deacons, which is still an open question at the time of this writing: as we've discussed previously, ordination has been pretty firmly ruled out, but there may be room for an unordained diaconate. After all, Saint Paul entrusted the letter to the Romans to a woman he described as a deacon.   Pope Francis actually responded to this second dubia the day after the dubious Cardinals submitted it, giving lengthy and detailed answers to all of their questions. Naturally this seems to have annoyed Cardinal Burke and his compatriots, because remember, traditionally answers to Dubia have been yes or no, and so they reframed their questions and asked Pope Francis to respond just with “yes” or “no”. When it was evident His Holiness was not going to reply further, the Cardinals once again took the lack of an answer- or rather the lack of yes/no format answers- as encouragement to publish everything, which was an interesting move since that seems to have essentially set Fiducia Supplicans in motion, as Pope Francis indicated an openness to informal blessings for homosexuals in one of his dubia responses. All of that is in the show notes.   Later in 2023, Pope Francis stripped Cardinal Burke of his Vatican apartment and retirement salary, which I have been tempted to call a pension but everyone I've seen calls it a retirement salary so it's probably safest to follow suit. Officially no reason was given, but I mean, you've listened to this episode, take your pick of tension points and believe it or not I've skipped several chapters of drama real or alleged. Speaking of alleged, this is the Vatican, so anonymous sources are happy to weigh in, including alleging that Pope Francis straight up said “Cardinal Burke is my enemy”. I don't think I buy that he was so plain about it, but I also don't expect Cardinal Burke is Pope Francis' favorite guy.   On December 29, 2023, Cardinal Burke had a private audience with Pope Francis for the first time in over seven years. Cardinal Burke's last private audience with Pope Francis had been back in 2016, four days before the first dubia was made public.   The idea of the two having a little chat grabbed media attention more than any other meeting between a Cardinal and a Pope that I can recall. As is typical for such one-on-ones, no official reason or agenda was given, and it's not likely we'll ever know what exactly was said, but I've got to hand it to Cardinal Burke for his response when Reuters asked him about it:   ‘Well, I'm still alive.'”   Raymond Leo Cardinal BURKE is eligible to participate in future conclaves until he turns 80 in 2028. “AM I THE DRAMA”? Today's episode is part of Cardinal Numbers,  and there will be more Cardinal Numbers next week. Thank you for listening; God bless you all!

As the first Passover meal was eaten before the Exodus, Jesus institutes a “New Passover” meal (the Eucharist) before the “New Exodus”.

How long are the Conclaves? Is Jesus present in the Eucharist? join us for Called to Communion!

In this episode, the monthly series called “What Are the Sisters Reading?” continues. For the month of May, Sister Emily Beata Marsh, FSP, and Sister Kathryn James, FSP, share about a book called "Eucharistic Amazement: Experience the Wonder of the Mass," by Father Randy Stice, the director of the Office of Worship and Liturgy for the Diocese of Knoxville.  The book weaves together liturgy, catechesis, the Catholic mystical tradition, insights from the saints, and practical ways to grow in your Eucharistic faith and devotion. Reawaken to the power and wonder of the Mass with this journey through the treasures of the Church's sacramental and liturgical tradition, featuring stunning insights on the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist from Saints Teresa of Ávila, Faustina Kowalska, and John Chrysostom. Profound yet accessible, Eucharistic Amazement speaks to your mind, will, and heart to help you live a more vibrant Eucharistic life. To check out more books on the Catholic faith and religious items of interest at the Pauline Books and Media Center at 1025 King Street in Alexandria, please click here.    

Homily - Holy Thursday - Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper - Why We Need the Eucharist

Have you ever been to a first Mass? In this powerful Easter reflection, Fr. Jonathan Meyer shares the beauty and grace of a priest's first Mass and how John 3:16 reveals the deeply Catholic truth of God's love—expressed through the Eucharist, the priesthood, and the sacraments.   “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son…” But how did He give us His Son? Through Mary. Through the Eucharist. Through the priesthood. This is not just a verse held up at football games. It's a profound expression of our Catholic faith.  

Encore from 4/16/25 Hour 3 Patrick captivates listeners with profound stories and heartfelt reflections on the Patrick Madrid Show. Each call becomes an opportunity for transformation, whether it's navigating relationship dilemmas or embracing faith amid life's challenges. Patrick highlights emotional journeys, from inspiring entries into the Catholic Church to moving struggles with forgiveness after personal tragedies. Throughout the hour, he shares valuable insights on faith and peace, reminding everyone of the enduring strength found in community and the transformative power of prayer. Melba (email) – My friend is about to be engaged to a man she fights a lot with. Should I express my concerns? (00:36) Bruce - I was in prison for 90 days 7 years ago. I was taking OCIA class which they said was a fast track. I missed a lot of classes because of work. I didn't feel I was ready to come into the Church because I missed classes. Why do I feel like I am not worthy still to receive the Eucharist after 7 years? (03:49) Nancy - Did Judas leave before or after Christ consecrated the bread. Also, I have two pyx that don't clasp properly. What should I do with them? (13:18) Mary - Can I spend time in purgatory for another person? (17:54) Clay - My first confession was due to Patrick Madrid (21:17) Rosa – Patrick said our secular world is going in the wrong direction. Someone asked me if I ever saw Handmaid's Tale. Were they mocking me? (26:32) Lydia - My daughter was killed 5 years ago. I found out that the husband was the one who killed her. How do I forgive him for killing her? (31:42) Fernando - Our priest hits gong at the back of the Church. (41:22)

Father Dave welcomes film producer Jim Wahlberg to talk about the new movie “Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality,” which is in theaters until May 1st. The movie's theatrical release was scheduled to coincide with the canonization of Carlo Acutis, though that Mass is now postponed following the passing of Pope Francis.

Tune in as Dan and Stephanie Burke discuss a survey about how to increase reverence for Jesus fully present in the Eucharist! Resources: Survey Results - website Finding Peace in the Storm - Dan Burke Into the Deep – Dan Burke Spiritual Warfare and the Discernment of Spirits - Dan Burke The Contemplative Rosary - Dan Burke and Connie Rossini A Catholic Guide to Mindfulness - Susan Brinkmann OCDS Avila-Institute.org/events - website Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation EWTN Religious Catalogue – online