The Advent Conferences 2024
Bishop’s Conference for Advent – Learn about the historical and liturgical meaning of the season of Advent, as well as the great danger of a vice we all suffer from – lukewarmness.
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The Advent Conferences 2024
Bishop’s 2nd Immaculate Conception Conference – Learn how the account of the fall of man found in the book of Genesis predicts the great privilege of the Immaculate Conception that would be given to the Mother of God.
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Immaculate Conception 2024
In 1854 Pope Pius IX made the dogmatic pronouncement of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This incomparable dogma first began to be known immediately after the fall of Adam. The Fathers of the Church tell us that the reference to the “woman” in the Protoevangelium refers to the Immaculate Conception. A debate among saints and theologians arose in the Church questioning how this was possible, since Our Lady had to be redeemed as well. The question was answered by Duns Scotus, leading to the establishment of the feast we celebrate today. From the moment of her conception the Virgin Mary was more pleasing to God than all the saints and angels combined. She prays for us in a special way as we celebrate her feast through the Mass. On this day, let us tell our Mother with all our hearts how much we love her.
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First Friday, December 2024
Conference on Grace and The Immaculate Conception – When we speak of perfect passive conception, we refer to the moment in which the product of active conception is infused with a soul and becomes a human person. From this moment of perfect passive conception, the Virgin Mary was redeemed in a preservative, not a liberative, manner. The Blessed Mother from this point possessed a greater union with God than all the angels and saints. Our Lady was not only free from the guilt of Original Sin, but also the concupiscence of the flesh, of the eyes, and the pride of life. By a divine ligature, she was unable to consent to even the slightest imperfections.
Sanctifying Grace is a created share in the supernatural life of God. When God breathed human life into Adam, He breathed a share of divine life into him as well. Grace must be valued above all things. We must be willing to live and die to preserve it. The Blessed Mother was given the plenitude of grace in preparation for her role as the Mother of God, as well as Mother to each one of us.
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1st Sunday of Advent 2024
Today is New Year’s Day in the Church, and we are reminded by the violet color at the beginning of the liturgical year to do penance for our sins. We have a lot of work to do this Advent to prepare for the coming of Our Lord into our souls. This is the time to make spiritual New Year’s resolutions. If we wish to obtain our heavenly reward, we must perform the spiritual and corporal works of mercy and maintain purity of body and soul through prayer and mortification. The Son of God honored our flesh when He took to Himself a human nature. In following the purpose of this Advent season, let us “put aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light!”
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This Sunday is not only a reminder of the end of time, but a reminder of the end of each individual life and our particular judgment. Christ foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, typifying the chastisements the world will face in the last days. We should be encouraged in seeing how God spared the Christian community of Jerusalem who heeded His warnings. We too should watch for the signs in our own times and prepare our souls for Christ’s coming. Whether or not we witness the Three Days of Darkness and the coming punishments of the world, we know that we are all destined to face God and must prepare to do so with the time we have left.
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26th Sunday after Pentecost 2024
In this Epistle St. Paul encourages the Thessalonians, who were enduring persecution for the Faith, instructing them to persevere in their struggle. The parables in the Gospel similarly encourage Christ’s followers by explaining the external growth of the Church as well as our internal growth in sanctity. God’s ways are not ours; His way is irresistible. We should be encouraged by the words of this Gospel and never forget the favors God has sent us. Our battle is with principalities and powers, and it is easy to be fooled by the sophistries of a pagan society – a society which constantly makes excuses for the murder of the unborn. Each of us, even the great and powerful, will have to make an answer to God for the choices of his life.
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25th Sunday after Pentecost 2024
We live in a time when the weeds spoken of in the Gospel are found among the members of the Church’s hierarchy – those called to be the wheat. Catholics frequently ask for God’s mercy, but it is only when we practice this virtue ourselves that Our Lord will dispense His mercy. Every act of forgiveness comes from the Heart of Jesus Christ, because we are incapable of forgiving without His help. Those in the state of grace participate in the life of Heaven; and they begin to live and love like God. The spiritual life is like swimming against a river, if we are not making constant progress, we are being carried down the river. Let us never give up the fight, strengthened by God through prayer.
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24th Sunday after Pentecost 2024
If Catholics choose to vote, they should be aware of the importance of voting with a well-informed conscience on the moral teachings of the Church. The Epistle for this Mass explains how Christ came to save all mankind, although many rebel and have contempt for Our Lord. The true Church is indefectible and will never be destroyed. All virtues are contained in love of God and neighbor. In this Gospel we see the ship as an image of the Church. God performs great miracles in the lives of each one of us. Let us never grow accustomed to the incredible favors we have been given.
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All Souls Day 2024 – Evening
The Vestment for tonight’s Mass displays a cross intertwined with the branches of a weeping willow, reminding us to weep for those souls who have not reached their heavenly reward. Because of its implicit denial of the general resurrection of the dead, the practice of cremation was so condemned by the Church that it incurred the penalty of excommunication. We see how ancient the practice of praying for the dead is from the account of the Machabees. To say that everyone goes to Heaven directly contradicts the words of Christ, the Scriptures, Tradition, and reason. The souls in Purgatory are so close to their eternal end, and we must do what we can to speed their journey.
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