Sunday Sermon, August 30 - Both Simon and Peter, the Human Element in the Church

 Last week, Simon was named Peter, the Rock upon which Christ will build his Church. This week, Peter is caller Satan, for he continued to think as Simon, as men do rather than as God does.

Inspired by Archbishop Fulton Sheen, we reflect upon how the Church is both Simon and Peter, both human and divine. The human element in the Church can be painful, but the gates of hell will never prevail against her.

We discuss also the pain and confusion caused in our own city by the recent closure of two Catholic schools, emphasizing that the faithful have the right to ask questions of Diocesan leadership - but also emphasizing that it is gravely sinful to attack the Bishop and his staff  or to presume to assign motives or nefarious behind the scenes plans to the Bishop.

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, August 25 - Wisdom Literature, Session 3 - The Book of Proverbs and Lady Wisdom

 We look to the first book ascribed to Solomon and officially recognized as "a book of Wisdom" - that is, Proverbs, the first of the five books traditionally seen by the Church part of the wisdom literature of the Old Testament.

Handout posted below.

Sunday Sermon, August 23 -- St Peter, the Keys, and the Papacy

 "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven."

We discuss the various analogies used by our Lord in relation to Peter's role as prince of the apostles (and, by extension, the Pope's role as head of the Church) -- especially the rock, the keys, and binding and loosing.

We consider the primacy of Peter and how this primacy is given through the petrine office to the bishop of Rome who is Pope of the universal Church. We also discuss what we do and don't believe about papal elections and about infallibility.

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, August 18 - Wisdom Literature, Session 2 - The Book of Job

 In this second class, we consider the book of Job. One of the most difficult books to interpret, Job also highlights certain characteristics of the Wisdom Literature.

Handout is below!

Sunday Sermon, August 16 - Our Lady of Champion (External Solemnity of the Assumption)

 We celebrated the Assumption as an external solemnity, since the Saturday feast was not kept as an Obligation Day this year.  First, we note that this week and octave of the Assumption is the most important week of the year for Marian devotion - it is an octave in which we must celebrate with Mary and grow closer to her.

We consider the only approved Marian apparition in the USA - Our Lady of Champion. Mary appeared to Adele Brice on 9 October 1859, asking her to teach catechism to the children of the region.  Twelve years later (8 Oct 1871) was the horrific Peshtigo fire - but the shrine and all there were saved.

Listen online [here]!

Conference Talks, FSSJ August 2026 -- Catholicism in America, 250 Years

 The Priestly Fraternity of St Joseph held our annual conference in Laurel, MT - with the general theme of Catholicism in America for the 250th Anniversary of the USA.

The playlist of all the talks is [here]!

Monday: Fr Ryan Erlenbush, "The Catholic Influence on American Literature"

Tuesday: Fr Eric Andersen, "The Apostle of Alaska: The Martyrdom of Archbishop Seghers"

Wednesday: Fr Samuel Spiering, “Ecclesiastical Order in a Protestant Land: Canon Law in America”

Thursday: Fr Joseph Bergida, "Early Jesuit Missionaries in the New World: True sons of Ignatius and zealous evangelizers"

Friday: Fr Bart Stevens, "The Family that Prays Together: Fr Peyton and the Rosary"

Adult Faith Formation, August 11 -- Wisdom Literature, Session 1 -- Introduction and Life of Solomon

 We begin a new series on the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament. In our first session, we discuss the themes and style of the so-called Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament.

August 9, Sunday Sermon - The Catholic Refutation of Antisemitism and Our Relation to the Jews

 From St Paul's Letter to the Romans,

"They are Israelites;

   theirs the adoption, the glory, the covenants,
   the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises;
   theirs the patriarchs, and from them,
   according to the flesh, is the Christ,
who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen."

We consider the teaching of the Second Vatican Council on the relation of the Church to the Jews, especially in the document Nostra aetate.  This is especially needed today because the main problem that the SSPX has with the Church and Vatican II is our relation to the Jews and the question of religious liberty. Furthermore, we see a troubling rise in antisemitism today, especially among traditional Catholics.

We discuss the ways in which the Jews remain the Chosen People, and also that all salvation only comes through Christ Jesus and the Catholic Church.

Listen online [here]!

Father Ryan strongly recommends staying away from the following social media personalities, who are all heavily leaning towards antisemitic rhetoric:

 

Bad traditional Catholic online personalities include:  Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes, E Michael Jones, Carrie Prejean Boller, and Robert Sungenis.

Other online personalities to be avoided include: Tucker Carlson, Lucas Gage, Vincent James, and Sam Parker.

Of course there many more besides these – and we should be cautious about anyone online who is promoting conspiracy theories of any sort.  It would be far better to spend our time studying the Bible, the Catechism, and the writings of the saints!

Handout for FSSJ Talk on Catholic Literature

 Catholic Literature of the USA

The Catholic Influence on American Literature

Some Recommended Book Lists

Don’t read good books, or else you won’t have time for the great books!   (Fr Raymond Nyquist)

2026-08-03 The Catholic Influence on American Literature (FSSJ Conference on Catholicism in America at 250 years)

 In this talk, we consider why literature is important for all people and especially for Catholics. We then look to American Literature, Catholic Literature, and American Catholic Literature - focusing on such authors as Willa Cather, F Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Walker Percy, and Flannery O'Connor.

The handout of book recommendations is below, and Fr Ryan's series of courses on American Catholic Literature with many handouts can be found [here]!

Listen online [here]!

Sunday Sermon, August 2 -- The Case for Miracles

 The miraculous feed of the five thousand from the multiplication of loaves and fish is one of the most prominent miracles of our Lord's public ministry. And still, many modernists try to doubt it, or claim it was only people sharing.

We look at the Catholic approach to miracles, the caution we ought to have when approaching supposed miracles or apparitions, the defense of the miraculous, and answers to common biases of the modern world which try to disavow the possibility of miracles.

Listen online [here]!

Sunday Sermon, July 26 -- You Are the Treasure in the Field

 [introductory note on Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament, and Solomon's prayer from the first reading in which he asked for wisdom]

We conclude Matthew 13 and this section of parables, hearing today the parables of the buried treasure, of the pearl of great price, and of the net which caught all sorts of fish.

These parables inspire us to seek the kingdom of God before all else.  On the other hand, your soul is the treasure and the pearl which our Lord purchased with his own blood.

Listen online [here]!

Sunday Sermon, July 19 - Parables of the Increase of the Kingdom

 In this portion of Matthew 13, we continue to hear many of our Lord's parables. We consider some of the profound interpretations given by the Church Fathers. The Parable of the Mustard Seed, that of the Yeast and the Dough, and the parable of the Weeds Among the Wheat.

We especially consider the patience and confidence that we must have, for the grace of Christ has triumphed and will triumph over all the earth and within our souls.

Listen online [here]!

Sunday Sermon, July 12 -- The Purpose of Parables

 In this sermon, we consider why our Lord spoke in parables. And, we also reflect upon the fact that the parables (and all great literature) cannon be boiled down to a simple moral - the meaning is the whole story. As when people asked Flannery O'Connor what her stories meant, she replied, "If I could have said it more clearly, I would have!"

So Our Lord cab assure us that if there were a way we could have understood more clearly, he would have used that means. But the parables are suited to our lowliness and ignorance, and they pierce the hardness of our hearts to bring us to conversion.

Also, the parables require us to look to the apostles and the bishops of the Church for the proper interpretation - in this way, the hierarchy of the Church is intended.

Listen online [here]!

Comments on the SSPX Excommunications (July 2026)

Following upon the illicit ordinations/consecration of four bishops, the Vatican has issued a stern reprimand and excommunication not only for the four new bishops and the bishop(s) involved, but also warnings of excommunication for the priests of the SSPX (likely incurred) and also even for the lay people that attend the SSPX (danger of incurring).

We explain and defend the Vaticans position.

Listen online [here]!

Sunday Sermon, July 5 -- Humility is the Yoke and Burden that Lightens

 We discuss Matthew chapter 11, and give context for the Sunday Gospel and the exhortation to humility.

Listen online [here]!

Sunday Sermon, June 28 -- Loving Chrst More Than All

 We continue reading from Matthew 10, Christ's exhortation to his Apostles.  The Apostles put God before all (as did Elisha and the woman from the first reading).

As we see again that Christ preaches himself (all depends on how we respond to him), we consider how the apostles lived this and how we can also live this.

Listen online [here]!    

Sunday Sermon, June 21 -- Who Can Destroy Body and Soul

 The context of our Gospel from Matthew 10, the call and sending of the Apostles.

All that is hidden will be made known-- this is not about secret sins being revealed, but the Gospel which will be made known to all.

Further, though God destroys both body and soul in hell, he cares for us and loves us and knows all things about us (as the hairs on our head).

Listen online [here]!

Adult Faith Formation, June 16th -- American Catholic Literature, Session 5 -- Spiritual Writers of the USA

 In our fifth and final session of this course, we look to the spiritual writings of Catholic authors of the USA.

Most particularly, we consider the writings of the early missionaries, and then those of Dorothy Day and Fulton Sheen.

Adult Faith Formation - American Catholic Literature - Recommended Reading Lists

 Catholic Literature of the USA

The Catholic Influence on American Literature

Some Recommended Book Lists

Don’t read good books, or else you won’t have time for the great books!   (Fr Raymond Nyquist)