The Weekly Francis – 11 April 2018

francis-readingThis version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 21 January 2018 to 11 April 2018.

Angelus/Regina Coeli

Apostolic Exhortation

General Audiences

Homilies

Speeches

Papal Tweets

  • “Let us go forward with the joy of Jesus’ Resurrection, knowing He is always by our side!” @Pontifex 5 April 2018
  • “The Word of God is a light in the darkness: it helps us face our difficulties without fear.” @Pontifex 6 April 2018
  • “Like the Good Samaritan, let us take care of those who are sick and suffering! #WorldHealthDay” @Pontifex 7 April 2018
  • “God covers us with His mercy, He enfolds us in Christ, so that we can become instruments of His goodness.” @Pontifex 8 April 2018
  • “Today God is still searching for hearts like Mary’s, hearts that are ready to trust in Him completely.” @Pontifex 9 April 2018
  • “I wish to repropose the call to holiness: “Rejoice and be glad”. #GaudeteetExsultate https://t.co/cZxmUGpMW7” @Pontifex 9 April 2018
  • “The Lord calls each of us to holiness, you too. #Holiness” @Pontifex 9 April 2018
  • “Are you called to the consecrated life? Be holy by living out your commitment with joy. #SaintsToday” @Pontifex 9 April 2018
  • “Are you married? Be holy by loving and caring for your husband or wife, as Christ does for the Church. #GaudeteetExsultate” @Pontifex 9 April 2018
  • “Do you work for a living? Be holy by labouring with integrity and skill in the service of your brothers and sisters. #Holiness” @Pontifex 9 April 2018
  • “Are you a parent or grandparent? Be holy by patiently teaching the little ones how to follow Jesus. #SaintsToday” @Pontifex 9 April 2018
  • “Are you in a position of authority? Be holy by working for the common good and renouncing personal gain. #GaudeteetExsultate” @Pontifex 9 April 2018
  • “Being poor of heart, reacting with meekness and humility, knowing how to mourn with others, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, seeing and acting with mercy: that is holiness. #SaintsToday” @Pontifex 10 April 2018
  • “Keeping a heart free of all that tarnishes love, sowing peace all around us, accepting daily the path of the Gospel, even though it may cause us problems: that is holiness. #SaintsToday” @Pontifex 10 April 2018
  • “The word ”happy“ or ”blessed“ becomes a synonym for ”holy“, because those faithful to God, by their self-giving, gain true happiness. #GaudeteetExsultate” @Pontifex 11 April 2018
  • “Holiness is the most attractive face of the Church. #SaintsToday” @Pontifex 11 April 2018

Papal Instagram

Confession, the Conversion of Thomas, and More! (Live Stream)

doubting_thomas
In this live stream, I tackle the following questions:

00:01 What does the Gospel of John reveal about the sacrament of confession and the conversion of St. Thomas the Apostle?

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Jesus and the Eyewitnesses

12:55 Why do some Protestants believe that the time of miracles ended with the apostles?

18:08 Were Mary Magdalen and Mary of Bethany the same person? If Mary Magdalen was from a rich place, does that mean she couldn’t have been a prostitute?

22:23 How can the practice of priestly celibacy be reconciled with the fact St. Peter was married and St. Paul’s statement that a bishop should be the husband of one wife?

29:04 Why are various passages translated as “sitting at table”? Isn’t that bad English? Shouldn’t it be “sitting at the table”?

31:02 How can we answer Bart Ehrman’s claim that Matthew and Luke contradict each other about Jesus’ early life?

33:14 Did Simon of Cyrene carry Jesus’ cross or just help share some of its weight? Also, what exactly was being carried?

34:43 I find some of St. Faustina’s writings to be strange. Can a private revelation be true overall and contain errors?

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Colin Donovan’s piece on private revelation

38:15 If receiving Communion is a good thing, why can we receive it only twice a day?

41:24 What’s the difference between using natural family planning and using contraception if the goal in both is not to have a baby?

45:51 Why is Christ referred to as the “Word”? What does that mean?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE.

The Weekly Francis – 04 April 2018

popr-francis-teachingThis version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 29 March 2018 to 4 April 2018.

Homilies

Messages

Papal Tweets

  • “Through the Eucharist we enter Christ’s paschal mystery, allowing us to pass from death to life with Him.” @Pontifex 29 March 2018
  • “Look upon Christ Crucified: our hope for eternal life is born in Him.” @Pontifex 30 March 2018
  • “Our faith is born on Easter morning: Jesus is alive! This experience is at the heart of the Christian message.” @Pontifex 1 April 2018
  • “Today we repeat that wondrous proclamation: “The Lord is truly risen, as He said!”. A Blessed Easter to you all!” @Pontifex 1 April 2018
  • “As we contemplate Christ’s empty tomb, let us renew our belief that nothing is lost with Him!” @Pontifex 2 April 2018
  • “May Christ who conquered the darkness of sin and death, grant us peace in our days.” @Pontifex 3 April 2018
  • “Love is the only invincible weapon, because it has the power to disarm the forces of evil.” @Pontifex 4 April 2018
  • “It is my sincere hope that everything necessary may be done in order to continue compassionately accompanying little Alfie Evans, and that the deep suffering of his parents may be heard. I am praying for Alfie, for his family and for all who are involved.” @Pontifex 4 April 2018

Papal Instagram

Why Was Jesus Resurrected? (and more! Live stream)

resurrection2In this live stream, I tackle the following questions:

00:15 Why was Jesus’ resurrected from the dead? What lessons does this event have for us?

RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Catechism of the Catholic Church 651-655

10:58 What are the basic differences between Protestant ideas about the book of Revelation–such as in the Left Behind series–and Catholic views?

22:52 Did Jesus die for people that were already in hell before the time of his Crucifixion?

27:18 How is the book of Revelation related to the Mass?

31:19 What does it mean to go to the Father “through” Christ? Do you have to pray to Christ to get a message to the Father or can you pray to the Father directly?

35:05 How does the Catholic view of Christ’s two natures relate to the views proposed by other Christians?

39:00 Was the Old Testament figure Melchizedek the same person as Noah’s son Shem?

43:05 What is the Sacramentary?

44:39 How can we help a Protestant Christian who has committed a mortal sin? Is there a way for him to be forgiven even though he probably won’t convert or go to confession?

53:43 Why does the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) still exist when the Tridentine Latin Mass is more freely available today?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE.

Jesus’ Mysterious Resurrection Appearances (and more! Live Stream)

resurrectionIn this live stream, I tackle the following questions:

00:02 How should we understand the differences in the Gospels’ accounts of Jesus’ resurrection? Do they contradict each other?

RECOMMENDED ARTICLE: How the Resurrection Narratives Fit Together

18:38 When did incense begin to be used in the liturgy?

20:25 When and in what order were the Gospels written?

RECOMMENDED BOOK: The Gospels for All Christians

RECOMMENDED BOOK: The Case Against Q

35:28 Have you heard of Catholic integralism as a political philosophy and what role will it play in American politics in the future?

37:31 John and Mark seem to indicate Jesus was crucified at different times. How do we explain this?

RECOMMENDED BOOK: A Daily Defense

42:20 Did Pope Francis deny the existence of hell in an interview with an Italian newspaper publisher?

45:10 Why doesn’t Francis more directly contradict what the newspaper publisher says?

46:50 Did you consider becoming an Eastern Catholic when you decided to join the Catholic Church?

52:14 What translation do you generally use for Bible study?

53:32 How common is the idea among scholars that John’s Gospel was written by a “community” rather than a single individual?

RECOMMENDED BOOK: Jesus and the Eyewitnesses

WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

The Weekly Francis – 28 March 2018

pope_francis_mass_20130314124558_640_480This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 11 March 2018 to 28 March 2018.

Angelus

General Audiences

Homilies

Speeches

Papal Tweets

  • “To defend the earth and to safeguard water is to protect life.” @Pontifex 22 March 2018
  • “Now is the time to be reconciled with God. Staying on the path of evil is only a source of sadness.” @Pontifex 23 March 2018
  • “The Word of God invites us to connect our ears to our hearts, and our hearts to our hands, in order to do good deeds.” @Pontifex 24 March 2018
  • “We enter this Holy Week with the Lord Jesus in order to celebrate Easter with hearts that are renewed by the grace of the Holy Spirit.” @Pontifex 25 March 2018
  • “Dear young people, never get tired of being instruments of peace and joy among your peers!” @Pontifex 25 March 2018
  • “Please, let us fight together against the crime of human exploitation, which continues to cause unspeakable suffering.” @Pontifex 25 March 2018
  • “Christ, teach us never to be ashamed of your Cross!” @Pontifex 26 March 2018
  • “Jesus changes our sins into forgiveness and our fears into trust. In His Cross our hope is reborn again and again.” @Pontifex 27 March 2018
  • “Anyone who turns away from the Cross, turns away from the Resurrection.” @Pontifex 28 March 2018

Papal Instagram

Secret Identities in the Gospel of Mark! (And More! Live stream)

In this live stream, I tackle the following questions:

00:01 Why does the Gospel of Mark contain references to people whose identities are mysteriously concealed? Why does Jesus give his disciples unusual commands that let people have plausible deniability? What do we know about the people involved?

18:41 Who was the young man who ran away naked? (It probably wasn’t Mark!)

32:32 How to answer people who say the Gospels were written far too many years after Jesus to be reliable?

36:21 If the earth is 6000 years old, how can we justify dinosaurs?

44:24 Did Jesus mean it literally when he advised the disciples to buy swords? Can we use weapons in self-defense?

46:42 Why do Catholics allow baptism by pouring when some other Christians insist on immersion?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

The Weekly Francis – 21 March 2018

FrancisBlessesPalms

This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 3 October 2017 to 21 March 2018.

Messages

Papal Tweets

  • “In order to prepare a truly human future, it is not enough to reject evil. We must build the common good together.” @Pontifex 15 March 2018
  • “Lent is the road that leads from slavery to freedom, from suffering to joy, from death to life.” @Pontifex 16 March 2018
  • “Jesus made Himself like the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies to give life. Our hope springs from that love-filled life.” @Pontifex 17 March 2018
  • “As we listen to the aspirations of young people, may we catch a glimpse of the world that lies ahead, and of the roads the Church is called to travel. #Synod2018” @Pontifex 18 March 2018
  • “Dear fathers, happy Feast of St. Joseph! Follow his example when caring for your children as they grow up in wisdom and grace.” @Pontifex 19 March 2018
  • “Nobody can be discarded, because we are all vulnerable. Each one of us is a treasure whom God allows to grow in his or her own way. #Downsyndrome, #WDSD18” @Pontifex 21 March 2018

Papal Instagram

The Mystery of the New Covenant (And More! Live Stream)

new covenantIn this live stream, I tackle the following questions:

00:01 What is the “New Covenant” that we hear about every week in church?

06:06 Does the doctrine of original sin just make things more complicated? Should we not have it?

09:29 Is it sinful to attend a Mass at an SSPX chapel?

13:09 How to understand Paul’s statements regarding women’s head coverings and women teaching?

17:14 Does Jesus transforming water to wine symbolize the New Covenant replacing the Old?

22:42 Why do some Bible not capitalize divine pronouns (e.g., by referring to God as “he” rather than “He”)?

29:33 Can a Protestant who believes in transubstantiation take Communion in a Catholic Church?

31:34 What is Jimmy’s personal preference on how to receive Communion? (On the tongue? In the hand? Standing? Kneeling?)

34:03 Should we be wary of dangers with the New American Bible?

47:24 How can we explain the sacrifice of the Mass?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE

What kind of prayers for sports teams are okay? (Weird Wednesday strange questions about faith!)

Tim-Tebow-Jets-Bills-Praying00:29 Remembering Stephen Hawking on the occasion of his death.

04:53 What kind of prayers for a sports team are appropriate?

12:42 Is it true that a medieval pope had a previous pope dug up and put on trial?

16:14 Have some saints and popes used tobacco?

20:46 If life exists on other planets, did Jesus incarnate there also?

28:18 Today would we keep a beheaded John the Baptist alive with pumps and stuff?

29:50 How much of your body mass can you lose before you lose your soul?

33:14 If a Catholic is eating a hot dog on a ship and crosses into a time zone where abstinence is required, is it a sin to finish the hot dog?

41:22 Could an artificially intelligent and sentient creature be saved? What is required to have a rational soul?

48:32 Throughout the series Black Mirror, a recurring theme is digital duplicates of human consciousness getting treated with cruelty as they are enslaved by and pitted against actual body-and-soul human beings. As Catholics, who are we rooting for? The humans or the AIs?

WATCH THE VIDEO ON YOUTUBE