Wednesday, October 23, 2019

October 22nd -- Adult Ed Series on the City of God, Session 11 of 16, From Moses to Christ (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

In this series, we are discussing the City of God by St Augustine. In books XV to XVIII, St Augustine gives a commentary on the Old Testament, tracing the history of the City of God from the Creation of the world to the coming of Jesus.

We follow St Augustine's commentary on the Biblical History from Samuel and David through to the end of the Prophets.


Sunday Sermon, October 20th -- Life Issues, Organ Donation and Assisted Suicide (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

In the month of October, we are preaching on Life Issues. Having discussed beginning of life issues in our first two sermons, we now turn to the end of life. We consider the moral dangers of organ donation, due to the fact that the organs are harvested from patients who (to any normal judgment) are still alive.

Further we consider proper care for end of life, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary medical care, and why physician assisted suicide is evil.


Wednesday, October 16, 2019

October 15th - Adult Ed Series on the City of God, Session 10 of 16, Abraham to Moses (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

In this series, which has extended several months, we are working through the classic City of God by St Augustine. This is one of the most influential books of all time, and sets forth an Historical Theology of the progress of the City of God from Creation to the end of time.


Session 10: We focus on the story of Abraham, and conclude with a brief discussion of the remaining chapters of Genesis.


Sunday Sermon, October 13th -- Life Issues, Abortion (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

The month of October is the "pro-life month" - and so we will be preaching on issues related to life. Beginning with conception and birth (speaking on contraception, IVF, and abortion), we then will move to end of life issues (specifically, physician assisted suicide and the death penalty).

In this homily, we consider abortion not only as an attack on the unborn child, but also as an attack on the mother and upon all women. Because abortion is often promoted as a "women's health" or "women's rights" issue, we look at how abortion hurts women.

From the Church and from God, there is only mercy and forgiveness - there is no judgment, but only a desire to bring healing into the hearts of the many women and men who have been deeply wounded by participating in or themselves procuring an abortion.

We can work to stop abortion by prayer, fasting, boycotting companies that fiercely promote the culture of death, and especially by voting pro-life.

October 8th, Adult Ed Series on the City of God, Session 9 of 16, From Noah to Abraham (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

In this series, we are considering the City of God by St Augustine - one of the greatest works of theology, and perhaps more influential on the Middle Ages than any other book excepting the Bible.

Session 9: St Augustine traces the history of the City of God in Scripture, from Noah to Abraham.



Monday, October 7, 2019

Sunday Sermon, October 6th -- Life Issues: Contraception and In Vitro Fertilization (Father Ryan Erlenbush)

The month of October is the "pro-life month," and we will consider both beginning and end of life issues in four sermons throughout this month.  We will preach on issues related to conception (Contraception and In Vitro Fertilization), birth (Abortion, Stem Cell Research, Vaccination), death (Assisted Suicide), and criminal punishment (imprisonment and the death penalty).

Contraception is wrong because it is contrary to the nature of the marital act. Additionally, many forms of contraception (the Pill, IUDs etc) can and do cause early abortions. On the other side of the spectrum, while there are many legitimate medical means to assist couples struggling with infertility, IVF is a grave abuse and is an attack on the dignity of the child.

October 1st, Adult Ed Series on the City of God, Session 8 of 16, From Adam to Noah (Father Ryan Erlenbush, Corpus Christi Parish)

In this series, which will continue for about six months, we are discussing the City of God by St Augustine - one of the most influential books in human history, a book that formed Western Civilization.


In Session 7, we conclude our discussion of the creation and fall of the angels and more forward with the state of man before the Fall, the Fall itself and the reality of Sin, and the effects of the Fall.


Sunday Sermon, September 29 -- The Prophetic Books of the Old Testament (Father Ryan Erlenbush)

Though the third of the minor prophets, the book of the prophet Amos was the first prophetic book written. In this sermon, we give an overview of the prophetic books of the Old Testament together with some basic advice about how to read the prophets (and especially the minor prophets).

It is important to know whether the prophet is speaking to the Northern Kingdom (Israel) or Southern Kingdom (Judah), and also to know during what time period the prophet was sent. There are three major historical moments which we must keep in mind: The Assyrian invasion of the North (c.730 BC), the Babylonian invasion of the South (c.600 BC) and the return of the People after the Babylonian Captivity (c.530 BC).