(LifeSiteNews) — On this episode of The Bishop Strickland Show, Bishop Joseph Strickland invites us to act like the first Christians in their approach to living the Gospel amid threats of persecution.
Bishop Strickland began the show by stating that abortion is “really foundational to all the violence that we’re seeing, all the problems, all the lack of respect for human beings, not just the respect for their life … but just respect for persons, respect for their rights, respect for their freedoms, all of the things that this country is founded on.”
“The very best of America is respecting the rights of others, the right to free speech, the right to protect yourself. And all of those are eroding because there’s a lack of just basic respect for life,” he continued.
His Excellency further commented on a letter by new USCCB president Archbishop Timothy Broglio that condemned a vote by the U.S. Senate last month which added abortion to health care coverage under the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In the letter, Broglio also urged Catholics within the U.S. military to witness to the Gospel by advocating for the protection of the unborn and “to refuse any participation in the evil of abortion.”
“We need to speak to the name of Jesus and say the name of Jesus means that every conceived child is sacred to God and we need to speak up for them,” Strickland said about Broglio’s letter.
His Excellency further commented on a recent law signed by radical pro-abortion Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz that makes the state a “haven” for those seeking to thwart other states’ laws against abortion, saying, “We need to really be very clearly against it because there are too many people being swept into this … evil attitude of disrespect for life. And the things you see are just more atrocious all the time. And we’ve got to speak against it because silence leaves us complicit with what’s happening.”
We ask you to join us in thanking this faithful shepherd for his years of loving service to Christ and His Church.
Bishop Thomas Tobin of the Diocese of Providence, RI, known for his outspoken defense of the Church’s moral teachings on the sanctity of life, marriage, and human sexuality, has just resigned upon reaching the age of 75 on April 1.
SIGN: Thank you Bishop Tobin for answering God’s call to serve His Church
Here is our message to Bishop Tobin which you can sign:
In a statement to the diocese on the occasion of his resignation, Bishop Tobin thanked the faithful and clergy of Providence for their support over the years, encouraging them to remain steadfast in the faith. “I urge all the members of the church to remain steadfast in your faith, to be proud of the good work you are doing, and to be determined to carry on the work that Jesus has entrusted to you,” Tobin said.
As bishop, Tobin consistently raised his voice to clearly reiterate the perennial teachings of the Church that the life of the unborn is sacred, marriage is a lifelong union between one man and one woman, and the innocence of children must be protected in society.
He has also defended traditional Catholics who wish to worship according to the Church’s ancient liturgy in the Tridentine Latin Mass.
Unafraid to hold to account so-called “Catholic” politicians who aggressively promote abortion and oppose the protection of the lives of the unborn, in 2019 Tobin excoriated Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, who says he is Catholic but voted against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act, designed to protect children born alive during botched abortions from being left to die.
In the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, Tobin called out the contradiction between a politician calling himself Catholic and yet rejecting Catholic teaching on the sanctity of life. In a tweet sent out on May 7, 2020, Tobin said one cannot be an “authentic” Catholic and hold a pro-abortion position.
“Just saw a headline in a Catholic newspaper with the phrase ‘pro-abortion Catholic.’ Sorry. That’s a contradiction in terms. You can’t be a Catholic, at least not an authentic one, and be ‘pro-abortion.’ Or ‘pro-choice.’ It’s the same thing,” the bishop said.
SIGN: Thank you Bishop Tobin for answering God’s call to serve His Church
Several months later Tobin again sparked a heated Twitter debate over what constitutes a Catholic when he sarcastically implied that then-presidential candidate Joe Biden isn’t one. The outspoken bishop was hammered on Twitter with ad hominem attacks after he posted the following:
Biden-Harris. First time in a while that the Democratic ticket hasn’t had a Catholic on it. Sad.
— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) August 11, 2020
Tobin doubled down on his criticisms of President Biden’s zeal for abortion in 2022, when he stated that he could not be “both a devout Catholic and a pro-abortion zealot”:
President Biden cannot be both a devout Catholic and a pro-abortion zealot. The two are mutually exclusive. He is a poor, lost and confused soul. Truly, we need to pray for him, everyday.
— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) September 23, 2022
Tobin’s courageous defense of the Church’s moral teachings was not limited, however, to standing up against the prominent pro-abortion advocates of the Left. He also earned their hatred with his public stance against LGBT ideology and intimidation.
On June 1, 2019, to mark the beginning of so-called “pride month”, the Rhode Island bishop tweeted that Catholics should not take part in “pride” events due to their conflict with the Catholic faith, making special note of the danger to children:
A reminder that Catholics should not support or attend LGBTQ “Pride Month” events held in June. They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals. They are especially harmful for children.
— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) June 1, 2019
The public stance made the bishop the target of high-volume vitriol from LGBT adherents and supporters, who moved swiftly to squash the Catholic shepherd’s advisory to his flock to remain faithful to “Catholic faith and morals,” demonstrating the resolve of anti-Catholic forces to silence Church teaching.
Several days later, Tobin issued the following statement, declaring it his obligation as a bishop to preach the truth of Christ “even on very difficult and sensitive issues”, affirming that he would continue to do so. He stated, “As a Catholic Bishop, however, my obligation before God is to lead the faithful entrusted to my care and to teach the faith, clearly and compassionately, even on very difficult and sensitive issues. That is what I have always tried to do – on a variety of issues – and I will continue doing so as contemporary issues arise.”
SIGN: Thank you Bishop Tobin for answering God’s call to serve His Church
Ever sensitive to the needs of the flock entrusted to this care, Tobin also supported those Catholics devoted to the ancient liturgy in the Traditional Latin Mass. In January 2022, during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, he encouraged “respect and support” for “members of our own Church who are devoted to [the] TLM,” affirming their fidelity to the Church, a notable public defense in the face of attacks from authorities in Rome, such as Cardinal Roche, who has dubbed those who love the ancient Mass “more Protestant than Catholic.”
In contrast, Bishop Tobin wrote:
In this Week of Prayer for #ChristianUnity, let’s also work to safeguard and promote “Catholic Unity.” In particular, let’s resolve to respect and support members of our own Church who are devoted to TLM. They are faithful Catholics who greatly love the Lord and his Church.
— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) January 18, 2022
Again, earlier this year, Tobin criticized the increased ostracization of traditional Catholics by Rome in a tweet that contrasted the heavy-handedness of the Vatican’s restrictions with the Pope’s call for accompaniment and listening. The prelate wrote,
The way the Vatican is dealing with the Traditional Latin Mass does not seem to me to be the “style of God.” Pope Francis himself has emphasized that those who are attached to the TLM should be “accompanied listened to, and given time.”
— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) February 21, 2023
With the courageous Bishop of Providence now retiring, the sentiments of Catholics grateful for his defense of life, family, and faith can perhaps not be put better than what was stated by those same Catholics several years ago: “Your clear and compassionate teaching gives hope to Catholics and Christians everywhere.”
In the words of Bishop Strickland, “Thanks for speaking up Bishop Tobin….let us be mighty loving messengers of truth and light in Jesus Christ.”
SIGN: Thank you Bishop Tobin for answering God’s call to serve His Church
MORE INFORMATION:
Bishop Thomas Tobin retires at age 75 – LifeSiteNews
Later in the episode, Bishop Strickland discussed the first martyrs of the Catholic faith in light of recent readings at the Ordinary Form of the Mass, saying, “They inspire us … all through the ages, from the first century to the 21st century, people have died for the faith that Jesus Christ died to share with us … And as the Church has said from those early times, ‘The blood of the martyrs is the seed of faith.’ And it’s that that reminds us what will you die for, and that your life in Christ is something we should all be willing to die for.”
Encouraging his listeners to imitate the first Christians in their willingness to become martyrs and make sacrifices for their belief in Christ, His Excellency continued: “And I think again, going back to the first century Christians … look at the apostles. They didn’t always get it right. You know, they scattered when Christ was on the cross, but they came back. And I think that hopefully inspires us as well. The apostles were real people, real men, failing, with sins, but ultimately they were willing to die rather than deny the faith.”
“And we have to look to them to be a model of faith. And when we fail, when we’re weak, when maybe … they’re demanding something at work that is anti-faith or anti-Christian, anti-Catholic, maybe we knuckle under for a bit, but if we come back, we can be forgiven and strengthened to continue to live the faith,” he added. “So I think the saints, and the early Christian saints especially, can really inspire us to see the whole spectrum of human behavior. They’re not always getting it right, but they inspire us, especially the martyrs. They were willing to die rather than apostatize, and that inspires us.”
His Excellency concluded his remarks by inviting Catholics to speak the Truth, saying that “as a bishop, really as any Christian in our own sphere of influence, we need to speak up. If we’re mothers and fathers, if we’re businesspeople, we need to speak up for the truth and not just go along with whatever the company’s saying, or whatever the rest of the family’s saying. We’ve got to, even when there’s resistance, and sometimes real sacrifice, we have to follow Christ who paid the ultimate sacrifice of His own divine and human life for us.”
To watch all previous episodes of The Bishop Strickland Show, click here to visit LifeSite’s Rumble page dedicated to The Bishop Strickland Show.