Lesson 28 Why Is The Anointing Of The Sick Important?  Welcome back to our Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments.  If you recall, there are three sacraments of Initiation:  Baptism, Confirmation, and the Holy Eucharist; and two Sacraments of Healing:  Confession and Anointing of the Sick.  We just finished seven Lessons on the very important […]Read more

Lesson 27 What Happens In Confession Stays In Confession  Welcome back to the Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments. Today is our second “final lesson” the Sacrament of Confession, and this one is about the “Sacramental Seal.”  The Sacramental Seal means that the Confessor cannot say anything about what he heard in confession:  he cannot […]Read more

Lesson 26 What Will The Priest Think Of Me? Welcome back to the Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments!  Today is our final lesson on the sacrament Confession, also known as Reconciliation or Penance.  Did you know that there is only one approved apparition of the Blessed Mother in the history of the Church where the […]Read more

Lesson 25 Is Your Contrition Perfect or Imperfect?  Welcome back to our Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments!  Today I want to talk to you about the Act of Contrition, which is an essential part of the Sacrament of Confession, and clearly the most important act of the penitent.  To be forgiven our sins, the […]Read more

Lesson 24 When Is It Time To Go To Confession?  Welcome back to our Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments.  Today I want to tell you about the “Five Steps” to a good confession, as well as a few other points you might be interested in.  There are five steps to a good confession:  1. […]Read more

Lesson 23 A Powerful Way To Keep The Devil At Bay  Welcome back to our Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments, great gifts that Jesus left His Church so we could always grow closer to him.  Yesterday I told you, at some length, about the moment of the Institution of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  It […]Read more

Lesson 22 Why Did Jesus Forgive The Apostles?  I am sure glad that you are watching and listening to these Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments. One of my first duties as a priest is to teach the people what the Church has taught me.  Although you might hear some people say that “ignorance is […]Read more

Lesson 21 Is Confirmation Necessary For Salvation?  Yesterday I told you about the Minister, the Matter and Form, and the Recipient of the Sacrament of Confirmation, and today I want to tell you about the effects of confirmation. After all, what difference does it make if you receive or don’t receive Confirmation?  Jesus never […]Read more

Lesson 20 Why Choose A Saint’s Name For Confirmation?  Welcome back to our Lenten Lessons on the Sacraments!  The other night a girl from California called into the Family Rosary Across America and among other intentions she wanted us to pray for, she asked us to pray for her on her upcoming Confirmation day […]Read more

Lesson 19 Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Soldier For Christ?  Having covered Baptism and the Holy Eucharist, we now turn our attention to the Sacrament of Confirmation, the third sacrament of initiation, and like Baptism you can only receive it once.  Confirmation is known as the Sacrament of the Holy […]Read more

Lesson 18 Why Do You Attend Mass? Why do you attend Mass?  I attend Mass to give something to God and to get something from God.  What do I give?  I give him my time and attention and respect and admiration.  I also try to tithe as part of Mass, a beautiful custom from Old […]Read more

Lesson 17 Are You A Living Tabernacle? At each and every Mass, there is an infinite amount of grace that we can receive, but the amount of grace we receive depends on how hungry we are, how well we pay attention and participate, and how focused we are on the prayers.  While the Holy Eucharist […]Read more