Dec 28, 2014

Sunday Sermon, 12/28 - The Virgin Mary had no children other than Jesus

Biblical proof that Mary made a vow of virginity and persevered in this vow through her marriage to Joseph after the birth of Jesus.
Our Lord had no biological brothers and sisters, and Mary had no other children.

Why this doctrine is so important -- and what it teaches about who Jesus wants to be for each of us, and who he is for his Father in heaven.


Listen online [here]!


Dec 27, 2014

Daily Sermons, December 26 and 27

St Stephen and St John the Evangelist.

Christmas Sermon -- Catechesis on the Incarnation

Homily for Christmas Masses.
A catechesis on the Christmas mystery -- What incarnation means. Who became incarnate. Why the Son became incarnate. That God is now man and a man God. God has a face and hands, both a body and a soul.

Listen online [here]!


Dec 22, 2014

Sunday Sermon, December 21 - Mary's Prophetic Vow of Virginity

He who was not gained by the prayers of countless holy patriarchs, kings, and prophets made the will of the Virgin his own and came at the sound of her most pure fiat.

Listen online [here]!

Dec 21, 2014

For Christmas and Easter Catholics: When Confession is necessary before receiving Communion



This article is indented for Catholics who do not regularly attend Mass, but will be attending the Christmas Masses with family or friends in the coming days. 

First, WELCOME! There is nothing better you could do on Christmas than attend the Holy Mass in which Christ comes to be among us in his own body which he assumed from the most pure Virgin Mary! You are most welcome indeed to join with us in worship of our merciful God and Savior.

Second, there is nothing better you can do on Christmas than attend Mass; but there is nothing worse you can do on Christmas than make a sacrilegious Communion by receiving the Eucharist after having committed serious sin and before going to Confession. God welcomes you and receives your good will in coming to the Mass, but if you are conscious of any mortal sin which you have not confessed (for example, skipping Sunday Mass) there would be no surer way to ruin Christmas than to receive Holy Communion.

Give thanks to God for the gift of attending Mass on Christmas, and let this worship in the Mass be your gift to the Most High who has come among us as Emmanuel. But do not ruin your Christmas by receiving Communion without going to Confession if you are conscious of having committed any serious sins.

The article below explains this teaching further.

Daily Sermons, December 17 to 20

Daily Mass Sermons at Corpus Christi Parish. Wednesday, December 17 to Saturday, December 20.
Commentary on the "O Antiphons".


Dec 14, 2014

Sunday Sermon, 12/14 - The Humility of St John the Baptist

Pride, ambition, and vainglory are the three pitfalls which have caused greatest ruin to the human race.
Satan fell through pride, our first parents likewise fell through ambition.
Humility is that virtue which protects us from these vices and prepares the way for charity in our soul.

Listen online [here]!


Dec 13, 2014

Weekday Sermons, December 10-13

Sermons for daily Mass, December 10-13.
St John the Baptist, History of Our Lady of Guadalupe, St Lucy.

Sermon for the Immaculate Conception, 12/8 - The dogma, Mary as God's temple

What we mean when we profess the Immaculate Conception. How the dogma in no way makes Mary equal to God. How Mary was still redeemed when she was conceived immaculate.


Listen online [here]!



Sunday Sermon, 12/7 - A good confession to prepare the way of the Lord

On how to make a good confession. The three acts of the penitent: contrition, confession, satisfaction. How to avoid making a bad confession.
Using confession as a means not only to be forgiven of sin, but even to grow in virtue and become a saint.

Listen online [here]!


Dec 7, 2014

Daily Homiles, December 2 - 6

Daily homilies for the week of December 2 through 6.

The first and second comings, St Francis Xavier and Advent, St John Damascene and Epiphany, the day and hour of our Lord's coming.

Dec 5, 2014

Sunday Sermon, 11/30 - Advent is a time of penance, it's not Christmas

Sermon from Sunday, November 30th -- First Sunday of Advent.

Advent is a time of penance, it's not Christmas. So we shouldn't set up Christmas decorations or go to Christmas parties during Advent when it isn't Christmas.
Rather, we do penance and pray in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.


Listen online [here]!



Dec 4, 2014

Daily homiles, November 25-29

Daily Mass homilies, November 26-29.
Judgment Day, Ad Orientem, Proof of Purgatory, Mary and Advent

Dec 3, 2014

Immaculate Conception Mass Schedule

Monday, December 8th is a Holy Day of Obligation. All Catholics in the USA are obligated to attend Mass on this day.


At Corpus Christ, Masses will be:

Sunday, December 7 - 5:30pm
Monday, December 8 - 6:30am
Monday, December 8 - 5:30pm

Sunday Sermon 11/23 - The Last Judgment as the Church's Vindication

Sermon for Christ the King.

Listen online [here]!


Nov 22, 2014

Daily Sermons -- November 18 through 22

Daily Mass Homilies at Corpus Christi Parish, Great Falls, MT

The Dedication of the Basilicas of Sts Peter and Paul, St Elizabeth of Hungary, the Presentation of Mary, St Cecilia

Nov 21, 2014

Adult Formation Series on Prayer 11/18: The Last Petitions of the Lord's Prayer

Adult faith formation series on prayer, given at Corpus Christi Parish. 11/18
The last petitions of the Lord's prayer -- from "Give us this day our daily bread" to the end.

Nov 14, 2014

Daily Sermons, November 11 - 14

Daily Mass sermons for the week of November 11 through 14.

St. Martin of Tours, Pope St. Martin I, The Dies Irae.


Sermon for All Souls Day

As the previous recording of this sermon was difficult to hear, I have re-recorded the All Souls Day sermon.



Listen online [here]!


Daily Sermons, November 4 - 8

Daily Homilies from Monday, November 4 through Saturday, November 8.

St Charles Borromeo, The Fires of Purgatory, Don't become a poor forgotten soul, The Last Sacraments and purgatory, Purgatory on earth.

Adult Ed Series on Prayer, Session 8, 11/11 -- The First Three Petitions of the Lord's Prayer

This is part of a series on prayer given for adult faith formation by Father Ryan at Corpus Christi Parish, Great Falls, MT.

We consider the first three of seven petitions in the Lord's Prayer.
1) Hallowed be thy name
2) Thy kingdom come
3) Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven

The handout for the session can be found below

Nov 5, 2014

Two Homilies For All Souls: The Nature of Purgatory and How To Not Become A Forgotten Soul

These two homilies discuss first the nature of purgatory and then the means by which we can avoid becoming one of the poor forgotten souls of purgatory.

Oct 31, 2014

Adult Education Series on Prayer: Session 6, Spiritual Reading

The adult ed series on prayer is being given on Tuesday evenings at 7pm at Corpus Christi in Great Falls, MT by Father Ryan Erlenbush.
On the importance of spiritual reading and the lives of the saints.

Sunday Sermon, October 26 -- Contraception as the Seed of the Culture of Death

We ask ourselves, "How did our nation ever become so lost? How is it that our doctors and nurses are killing the sick? How is it that the vaccines which are meant to protect our children are themselves made from aborted babies? How did it ever come to the point where products of abortion are even in our food?"

The answer: The seed of the culture of death is contraception, which treats the human person not as a child but as a choice. But pregnancy is not a disease, therefore contraception is not medicine.

Listen online [here]!




Oct 27, 2014

Sermon for the Feast of Pope St John Paul II -- The canonized interpretation of Vatican II

A restating of what was said in a Sunday sermon at the time of the canonization. Pope St John Paul II is the canonized interpretation of the Second Vatican Council.


Adult Formation, Sessions on Prayer: Session 5 - Meditating with Sacred Scripture

This is a talk on Meditating with Sacred Scripture: The Breviary, The Psalms, Lectio Divina. Given at Corpus Christi Parish in Great Falls, MT by Father Ryan Erlenbush.


Adult Ed Series on Prayer: Session 4, The Three Ages of the Interior Life

This was a talk on the Three Ages of the Interior Life, given at Corpus Christi Parish in Great Falls by Father Ryan Erlenbush.

Oct 22, 2014

Daily Sermons, October 14 - 18

Daily Sermons: St Callistus, St Teresa of Avila, The Sacred Heart, St Ignatius, St Luke

Oct 21, 2014

Sunday Sermon, October 12 -- End of life issues

A sermon on the dangers of living wills and organ donation, as well as why we should have Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care.  Why euthanasia and assisted suicide are wrong.

Father Ryan's homily is below. A homily on the same topic by another priest can be found [here], simply skip the first three minutes to get to the homily itself.


Oct 11, 2014

Weekday Homilies, October 7-11

Weekday homilies: The Rosary, Rosary Meditations, Hierarchies, The Interior Life, and The Mother of God

Oct 10, 2014

Sunday Sermon, October 5 - How to pray the Rosary well

Homily from last Sunday, October 5 -- How to pray the Rosary well. October is the month of the Rosary.

Listen online [here]!


Oct 3, 2014

Weekday Homilies - September 30 to October 2

Weekday Homilies, Tuesday (September 30) through Thursday (October 2) -- St Jerome, St Therese, Guardian Angels.

Oct 1, 2014

9-30-14 Adult Ed Series on Prayer, Session 2 - How to make an Holy Hour

Below is the audio and handout of the second lecture for a series on prayer I am giving at Corpus Christi Parish in Great Falls, MT -- Tuesday evenings from 7 to 8pm.

"How to make an Holy Hour"


Handout was two articles from NTM:
1) "The Necessity of the Prayer of Petition" [here] - which has a helpful guide to the method of making an holy hour.
2) "St Anselm and the Interior Life" [here] - which explains why prayer is a movement inward, to an interior life.

Sep 30, 2014

Sunday Sermon, September 28 - The Eucharist, Benediction and Processions

At Corpus Christi Parish, we have the custom, on the last Sunday of each month, of making some special act of Eucharistic devotion. Weather permitting, we make an Eucharistic Procession; in foul-weather, we spend 30 minutes in adoration. All this takes place after the 9am Sunday Mass. After the Saturday evening 5:30pm Mass, we have adoration and benediction.

This sermon is an explanation of the history, devotion, and theology of Eucharistic adoration.

Listen online [here]!


Sep 28, 2014

Last Sunday Sermon, September 21 -- Commentary on the Lewistown fiasco, Communion and Tolerance

Listen online [here]!

"Who is intolerant of whom? If two men want to enter into a civil union, there are any number of churches where they can go to receive communion, why must the world insist that the Catholic Church give them Communion. Have we not the right to govern the administration of our own sacramental life?"


9-23-14 Adult Ed Series on Prayer, Session 1 - Introduction to Christian Prayer

Here is the first talk of a series on Christian Prayer, given at Corpus Christi Parish in Great Falls, MT.

Sep 27, 2014

Weekday Sermons, September 23 through 27

Daily Mass sermons, September 23 through 27: Padre Pio, Our Lady of Ransom, the Eucharist, Sts Cosmas and Damian, Ember Saturday

Weekday Sermons - September 16 through 20

Daily Mass sermons, September 16 through 20: Sts Cornelius and Cyprian, St Joseph of Cupertino, St Januarius, Our Lady of Sorrows

Sunday Sermon, September 14 -- Exaltation of the Holy Cross

This sermon is from two weeks ago. On the Cross as exalted in the lives of the saints.


Listen online [here]!


Sep 13, 2014

Last Sunday's Sermon, 9/7 -- Excommunication

The biblical and rational foundation for excommunication.
What excommunication really means and why the Church has the authority and the duty to excommunicate.


If the stream below doesn't work, listen online [here]!


Daily Mass Sermons, 9/9 - 9/13

Daily Mass Sermons September 9 through 13: St Peter Claver, Nativity of Mary, Holy Name of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows

Aug 31, 2014

Sermons, August 29 and 30: Marriage and Mortification

August 29: The defense of Marriage, the Passion of St. John the Baptist

Listen online [here]!







August 30: On Penance and Mortification, St Rose of Lima

Listen online [here]!



Aug 24, 2014

Sermons: Pius X, Queenship of Mary, Philip Benizi

August 21st - Pope St Pius X - There is no pre- or post- Vatican II







August 22nd - Queenship of Mary - In Crowning our Lady, God crowns his own gifts






August 23rd - St Philip Benizi - The slave of Mary will not perish





Aug 18, 2014

No Masses or Confessions: Tuesday and Wednesday (August 19 and 20)

As per the bulletin, daily Mass and confessions are cancelled Tuesday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 20. 

The regular schedule resumes with 4:30pm confessions and 5:30pm Mass on Thursday, August 21.

Sunday Sermon, August 17: When adult children leave the Church

On praying for our children.
Why a Catholic parent must not attend the invalid marriage of a child outside the Church.
Why a parent must not force a Catholic marriage on his children.
Why a Catholic grandparent should not force a catholic baptism on his grandchildren.


Listen online [here]!


Homily for the Assumption -- Why we believe in the Assumption

The essence of the dogma.
The Biblical proof.
The logical argument.
The proof from the Tradition.

What the Assumption looked like: Mary lived 15 years after Jesus' Ascension, was dead for 15 days, and then was Assumed to the wonder of angels and men alike.

Listen online [here]!


Aug 13, 2014

Weekday Homilies - August 11, 12, 13

St. Clare and the Eucharist
This homily as given to a family with whom I had traveled to Italy and had visited the holy sites of Assisi.

Listen online [here]!




On making a vow of widowhood 
The example of St. Jane Frances de Chantal.

Listen online [here]!





On reconciling after heresy
Feast of St. Hippolytus.

Listen online [here]!



Aug 10, 2014

Weekday Sermons, August 4 through 9

Please note -- These Masses were all in the Extraordinary Form, following the more ancient calendar.

Tuesday, August 5 -- Our Lady of the Snows

Listen online [here]!





Thursday, August 7 -- St Cajetan and the 40 Hours Eucharistic Devotion

Listen online [here]!



Friday, August 8 -- St. John Vianney, Who is the priest?

Listen online [here]!




Saturday, August 9 -- Edith Stein, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross

Listen online [here]!



Sunday Sermon, August 10 -- Dealing with distractions in prayer

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
August 10, 2014
Matthew 14:22-23

Prayer is necessary for salvation, but how do I learn to pray better?
There are three primary obstacles to growing in the life of prayer: Sin, Attachment, Distractions.
This homily discusses how to persevere in the midst of distractions at prayer, following St. Teresa of Avila.

Listen online [here]!


Aug 3, 2014

Sunday Sermon, August 3 -- Jesus gave us the Eucharist as consolation in our misery

"Some people, even priest, will say that the real miracle wasn't that Jesus multiplied the loaves to feed thousands, but that Jesus got everyone to share. We should respond that the real miracle is that anyone could be so foolish as to think we would believe something as absurd as that! Of course, Jesus multiplied the loaves!"


Listen online [here]!


No Mass or Confessions -- August 4 through August 8

Daily Mass and confessions will be cancelled from August 4 through August 8
No Mass or Confession, Tuesday, August 5
No Mass or confessions, Wednesday, August 6
No Mass or confession, Thursday, August 7
No Mass or confession, Friday, August 8

There will be 9am Traditional Latin Mass on Saturday, August 9

The weekend schedule will be as usual.

Friday, August 1 -- The Good Confessor, according to St. Alphonsus

The confessor is to be: Father, Physician, Teacher, and Judge.

Listen online [here]!


Thursday Sermon - July 31 - Reading the Lives of the Saints, the Example of St. Ignatius Loyola

Listen online [here]!


Jul 31, 2014

Tuesday, July 29 - St Martha, by whom our Lord came to be served

Jesus came not to be served but to serve, however he privileged Martha with the dignity of serving him and ministering to his needs.
How we can imitate St. Martha, and so also have the boldness to ask our Lord for great things.

Listen online [here]!


Sunday Sermon - July 27 - You are a pearl, precious to the Lord

Listen online [here]!


Jul 19, 2014

Sunday Sermon, July 13, Sharing the Catholic Faith

When priests say that it is important to "meet the people where they are at", there is a hidden judgment. They are assuming that the priests are far better than the people, that priests are high and people are low, so that the priests have to stoop down to "meet the people".

Contrary to this modern idea about preaching, Jesus says that the sower scatters the same seed on all the ground - not just on the ground that seems good to him.
If a priest refuses to preach about the "hard teachings" (contraception, abortion, women's ordination, adoration, etc), he is failing in generosity and pronouncing judgement on his people - assuming that they are poor soil which won't bear fruit anyways and therefore that they don't deserve to receive the fullness of the Church's teachings.

Listen online [here]!


Jul 2, 2014

Sunday Sermon - June 29 - Sts. Peter and Paul, Why we should love the Papacy

If it is possible to criticize the Pope while loving the Papacy (as did St Catherine of Siena), then it is also possible to praise the Pope while hating the Papacy. This is exactly what many are doing when they praise Pope Francis.
"I like this new Pope, he is going to change things!" or "Pope Francis is great, because he breaks the rules and washes women's feet!"  -- These and other "praises" completely misunderstand Pope Francis, but are actually acts of hatred for the Papacy and the Catholic Church.

God didn't give us a Pope to change things, the job of the Pope is to keep things the same -- The same faith, the same Church!

Listen online [here]!


Jun 17, 2014

Trinity Sunday Sermon - June 15 - The Trinity and Fatherhood

God knows himself and the Father begets the Son.
God loves himself and the Father and the Son breath forth the Holy Spirit.

3 attacks on fatherhood -- modern television shows, consumerism, and high school sports.
3 ways to exalt fatherhood -- the father leads family prayer, love of husband and wife is more important than the kids, fathers should have a gentle spirit.


Listen online [here]!


Jun 5, 2014

Daily Mass with Vacation Bible Camp - Next Week

Daily Masses next week will all be at noon with the children of the Vacation Bible Camp.
All are welcome to attend!

There will be noon Mass, Monday through Friday!

No afternoon confession during the weekdays.

May 27, 2014

6th Sunday of Easter - May 25 - On Law and Love

If I love Jesus, I have to love him when, where, how, and as he wants me to love and obey him. I don't get to love him on my terms, but only on his terms.
This means that I cannot be "spiritual" without being religious - since the Lord said, "If you love me, keep my commandments."

Listen to it online [here]!


May 24, 2014

Saturday Sermon - May 24 - Mary's Easter Joy

Mary rejoiced at the resurrection of her divine Son. She has the same joy when she beholds the risen Lord present in your soul.
As Christ gave Mary to you at the foot of the Cross, so you can give the risen Jesus back to Mary in Holy Communion.

Listen to the sermon [here]!



Friday Sermon - May 23 - Motives for Loving God

No greater love hath a man than this, that he should lay down his life for his friends.


Listen to the sermon online [here]!




May 23, 2014

Thursday - May 22 - St Rita: Model of Christian Parenting

We must prefer death to mortal sin -- For a parent, nothing can be more necessary than training our children in virtue!

Listen to the sermon online [here]!


May 22, 2014

5th Sunday of Easter -- May 18 -- Heaven and the only Way to get there

Jesus tells us two things --
1) Heaven is big with room for everyone
2) He is the Way to heaven and there is certainly not room for every idea or opinion


Listen to the sermon at archive.org [here]!





Wednesday Sermon -- May 21 -- It is better for us that Jesus ascended

Listen to the sermon at archive.org [here]!




Tuesday Sermon - May 20 - On the Holy Name of Jesus

St Bernardine of Siena was especially dedicated to the Adoration of the Holy Name of Jesus.

As Joshua (Jesus) son of Nun led the people from the dessert to the promised land, Jesus son of Mary leads us from sin to salvation.


Listen to the sermon at archive.org [here]!



May 7, 2014

Tuesday Sermon - The Eucharist, part 1

Sunday Sermon - On the Canonization of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II

The canonization of John XXIII is the "canonization" of Vatican II, but the canonization of John Paul II is the "canonization" of a particular interpretation of Vatican II.

By canonizing the great John Paul II, good Pope Francis affirms the Church's teaching against contraception, the male-only priesthood, the practice of celibacy within the priesthood, and daily recitation of the Rosary.
This is the Church called for by Vatican II!


Apr 27, 2014

Schedule Changes next week

As Father will be away,

NO MASS OR CONFESSIONS
Tuesday, April 29
Wednesday, April 30

Apr 20, 2014

Easter Vigil Sermon - Christ our Light

Christ as the New Adam and the Church as the New Eve fashioned from the side of her Bridegroom when he was in the sleep of death. What joy they share when he awakes!



Sermon from Holy Thursday

The meaning of the liturgies of the Triduum, and an explanation of why it is inapropriate to wash women's feet at the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper.  +


Apr 13, 2014

Holy Week Schedule

Holy Week Mass and Confession Schedule

Tuesday and Wednesday: 
Confessions - 4:30 to 5:15pm
Mass - 5:30pm

Holy Thursday:
Confessions - 4:30 to 5:15pm
Mass of the Lord's Supper - 5:30pm
Adoration in the "Garden" - 7pm to midnight
Confessions - 7pm to 9pm

Good Friday:
Confessions - 3 to 5:15pm
Commemoration of the Lord's Passion - 5:30pm
Stations of the Cross - 7pm
Confessions - 7:30 to 9pm

Holy Saturday:
Our Lady of Sorrows Devotions - 10am
Decorating the church for Easter - 11am
Confessions - 4:30 to 7pm
Easter Vigil Mass - 8:30pm

Easter Sunday:
Masses - 9am and 11:30am
Easter Egg huts after both Masses!


*Note, no Mass or confessions on Easter Tuesday, April 22nd
** Easter Wednesday, April 23rd, is Confirmation and First Communion Mass, 6pm

4/12 - Daily Sermon, on Palm Sunday and on why we use incense and solemnity at Mass

Daily Sermon - 4/11, The saints prove the power of the Cross

Apr 5, 2014

Sermon 4/5 St Vincent Ferrer

St Vincent worked well over 100,000 miracles, raised more than 30 dead to life, converted Europe. When he preached, people thought that the end of the world had come (and it nearly had).
It was a miracle when he didn't work a miracle!


Sermon 4/4 -- The Malice of the Pharisees

The more good Jesus did and the more miracles he worked, the more the pharisees rejected him. For he was obnoxious to them. We do the same when we sin.


Apr 4, 2014

Sunday Sermon 3/30 -- The loss of the sense of sin

The greatest sin of our age is the  loss of the sense of sin.  Nothing is more dangerous to salvation than the phrase "I'm a good Catholic! I don't care what that priest says about what Catholics have to do or believe, because I already know I'm a good Catholic!"


Mar 27, 2014

Daily and Sunday Sermons

Father Ryan has begun to post many of his Sunday and Daily Mass sermons online. Soon, they will be posted here as well.

They are available on facebook [here]
They are currently being posted over at New Theological Movement, which is Father's blog -- [here]


Mar 12, 2014

Changes to Schedule, March 13 - 15

On account of a Knights of Columbus meeting and a funeral, there are several changes to the Mass and Confession schedule at the end of this week.

Thursday, March 13 -- No additional confessions from 6:15 to 8pm
Friday, March 14 -- No additional confessions after the Stations of the Cross
Saturday, March 15 -- No 9am Latin Mass, no additional confessions from 9:45 to noon

(For all of these days, the usual 4:30 to 5:30pm confessions remain)

Mar 3, 2014

Mass and Confession, during Lent

ASH WEDNESDAY MASS -- 5:30pm

Mass times:

Tuesday through Friday - 5:30pm
Saturday morning - 9am

*Wednesday and Saturday morning are the Traditional Latin Mass

Saturday evening - 5:30pm
Sunday - 9am and 11:30am


Confession times:

Tuesday and Wednesday - 4:30 to 5:15pm, 6:15 to 7pm
Thursday and Friday - 4:30 to 5:15pm, 6:15 to 8pm
Saturday - 10am to noon, 4:30 to 5:15pm


Stations of the Cross: Friday at 6:15pm

Jan 16, 2014

Daily Masses, Jan 21 - 25

On account of the priest meetings in Billings, there will be no daily Masses or Confessions from Tuesday, January 21 through Thursday, January 23.

Tuesday, Jan 21 - NO MASS
Wednesday, Jan 22 - NO MASS
Thursday, Jan 23 - NO MASS
Friday, Jan 24 - 4:30pm Confessions, 5:30pm Mass
Saturday, January 25 - 9am Latin Mass

Weekend schedule is as usual.