Council of Catholic Men: Catechism and Bible Study of the Catholic Church

In this Bible study, we continued our walk through Revelation by opening chapter 3 and reflecting on Christ’s messages to Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. We spent time on the warnings to stay watchful, avoid spiritual lukewarmness, and do penance, while also taking heart in the promises made to those who persevere. We also followed the cross-references tied to the chapter—especially the call to readiness, the image of the key of David, and the Lord’s loving discipline—so we could see how Scripture interprets Scripture and how these passages point us toward fidelity, repentance, and hope in the kingdom of heaven.

We then connected those themes to hope through the catechetical reading attributed to St. Peter Canisius, focusing on the good things Christians are called to hope for: eternal life, God’s grace for this life, and the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. From there, we read through Matthew 6 and Luke 11 to reflect on trusting the Father, seeking first the kingdom, and praying with confidence. We closed with a martyr story from St. Alphonsus Liguori’s The Victories of the Martyrs, reading the witness of St. Euplius, whose steadfast confession under persecution offered a powerful example of courage, love of Scripture, and faithfulness unto death.

In this August 5, 2026 episode of Council of Catholic Men, we open in prayer and continued our reading of Revelation chapter 2, reflecting on Christ’s words to the churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira. We worked through the warnings against losing our first charity, tolerating false doctrine, and falling into presumption, while also dwelling on the promises given to those who persevere: the tree of life, the crown of life, hidden manna, and the morning star. We also read through several scriptural footnotes and cross-references to show how the Church has long understood these passages in light of repentance, judgment, perseverance, and the reward of the saints.

From there, we returned to the catechism of St. Peter Canisius on the virtue of hope, focusing on how hope is strengthened by prayer, meditation on God’s goodness, purity of conscience, good works, and patience in adversity. To close, we read from St. Alphonsus de Liguori’s Victories of the Martyrs with the story of St. Afra, whose conversion, penance, and martyrdom offer a powerful witness to God’s mercy toward repentant sinners. We ended by looking ahead to Revelation chapter 3 and the next catechism question on the good things a Christian ought to hope for.

In this episode, we opened with Psalm 69 and then began our study of the Apocalypse of Saint John by reading chapter 1 and reflecting on its opening vision: Christ revealed in glory, the message to the seven churches, and the meaning of Alpha and Omega. We also walked through the endnotes and scriptural cross-references, drawing out how Revelation speaks both to the Church’s trials and to the confidence Christians should have in the Lord who holds the keys of death and hell.

We then turned to Saint Peter Canisius on the virtue of hope, meditating on hope as a supernatural gift that steadies the soul in tribulation and fixes our eyes on salvation and everlasting life. To close, we read from Saint Alphonsus Liguori’s account of Saint Pantaleon and Saint Hermolaus, highlighting the witness of martyrdom, the courage of Christian faith, and the image of hope as an anchor for the soul. We ended by asking listeners to pray for Joe and for all who are in need of healing and perseverance.

In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men, we open with prayer and Psalm 62 from the Douay-Rheims, then lead our study through the Epistle of Saint Jude. We reflect on Jude’s urgent call to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, to recognize the danger of false teachers and heresy, and to remain steadfast through prayer, charity, and perseverance in the love of God. We also walk through the traditional footnotes and cross-references tied to Jude’s warnings, including the examples of Cain, Balaam, Korah, Sodom and Gomorrah, Saint Michael’s dispute with the devil, and the apostles’ warnings about mockers in the last days.

From there, we continue in Saint Peter Canisius’s Large Catechism, focusing on whether the Creed alone is sufficient for Christian belief and why Catholics must also receive divine Scripture, the Church’s authority, and sacred tradition. We close with a reading from Saint Alphonsus de Liguori on the martyrdom of Saint Victor of Marseille and his companions, highlighting courage, fidelity under persecution, and the eternal perspective of the saints. We finish in prayer, and preview next week’s beginning of the Apocalypse of Saint John along with the next catechetical section on hope, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Angelical Salutation.

• The Credo / Apostles' Creed (Catechism of the Catholic Church): https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_one/section_one/chapter_three/article_2/the_credo.html
• Section Two: I. The Creeds (Catechism of the Catholic Church): https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_one/section_two.html
• Saint Peter Canisius (General Audience of 9 February 2011): https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110209.html
• St. Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (Vatican News): https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/08/01/st--alphonsus-maria-de-liguori--bishop-and-doctor--of-the-church.html
• Saint Mary Magdalene (Vatican News): https://www.vaticannews.va/en/liturgical-holidays/saint-mary-magdalene.html
• Sts. Simon and Jude (Taddeo), Apostles (Vatican News): https://www.vaticannews.va/en/saints/10/28/sts--simon-and-jude--taddeo---apostles.html

In this episode, we opened with prayer and continued our Bible study in the Third Epistle of Saint John. We read the full chapter, reviewed the footnotes, and reflected on Saint John’s praise for Gaius, his emphasis on walking in truth and charity, and his warning example of Diotrephes, whose pride and desire for preeminence led him into a failure of brotherly love. We also looked ahead to next week’s reading of the Epistle of Saint Jude and then to our future study of the Apocalypse of Saint John.

From there, we turned to the final article of the Apostles’ Creed, “life everlasting, amen” using the catechetical teaching of Saint Peter Canisius, Doctor of the Church, and several Scripture references to meditate on judgment, eternal reward, and eternal punishment. We spent time in Matthew 25, Ezekiel, Romans, Wisdom, and 1 Corinthians, focusing on the call to conversion, perseverance, and charity toward the least of our brethren. We closed with a reading from The Golden Legend on Saint Margaret of Antioch, highlighting her martyrdom, steadfast faith, and witness against the devil’s temptations, before ending the study with prayer. Her feast day is either July 12 or July 20.

• Council of Catholic Men: https://open.spotify.com/show/033gkPxZEKsgnUhViE2DLy
• Douay-Rheims Bible Online: https://drbo.org/
• 3 John (Douay-Rheims): https://drbo.org/chapter/71001.htm
• Epistle of St. Jude (Douay-Rheims): https://drbo.org/chapter/72001.htm
• Apocalypse (Revelation) of St. John (Douay-Rheims): https://drbo.org/chapter/73001.htm
• Gospel of Matthew (Douay-Rheims): https://drbo.org/chapter/47001.htm
• Book of Ezekiel (Douay-Rheims): https://drbo.org/chapter/31001.htm
• Romans (Douay-Rheims): https://drbo.org/chapter/52001.htm
• 1 Corinthians (Douay-Rheims): https://drbo.org/chapter/53001.htm
• Book of Wisdom (Douay-Rheims): https://drbo.org/chapter/25001.htm
• The Apostles’ Creed (Vatican Catechism): https://www.vatican.va/content/catechism/en/part_one/section_one/chapter_three/article_2/the_credo.html
• Christian Doctrine / Canisius Catechisms (Catholic Encyclopedia): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05075b.htm
• Saint Peter Canisius (Vatican): https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110209.html
• Blessed Jacopo de Voragine (Catholic Encyclopedia): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08262b.htm
• Saint Margaret of Antioch (Catholic Encyclopedia): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09652b.htm
• Saint Fulgentius of Ruspe (Catholic Encyclopedia): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06316a.htm
• St. John the Evangelist (Catholic Encyclopedia): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08492a.htm
• Epistle of Saint Jude (Catholic Encyclopedia): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08542b.htm

In this episode, I begin and end with a prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, noting the July 7–15 novena, and then lead our Bible study through the Second Epistle of Saint John. We reflect on St. John’s exhortation to walk in truth, remain in charity, and guard the faith against false teachers. I also connect 2 John to Christ’s commandment of love in the Gospel of John, especially the call to love one another as He has loved us.

I then turn to St. Peter Canisius’s large catechism and meditate on the final article of the Creed, life everlasting, drawing on Scripture from Corinthians, John, Matthew, Romans, Titus, Timothy, Peter, and the Apocalypse to show the Christian hope of eternal life and final reward. To close, I read a moving account from Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend on Saint Felicity and her seven sons, whose feast is approaching, as a witness of perseverance, courage, and steadfast love for Christ.

• Council of Catholic Men: Catechism and Bible Study of the Catholic Church (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/council-of-catholic-men-catechism-and-bible/id1896641707
• Douay-Rheims Bible Online: https://drbo.org/
• Saint Peter Canisius (Vatican, General Audience of February 9, 2011): https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110209.html
• Victories of the Martyrs by St. Alphonsus Liguori (Open Library): https://openlibrary.org/books/OL25789148M/Victories_of_the_martyrs
• The Golden Legend / Legenda Aurea by Jacobus de Voragine (New Advent): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08262b.htm
• Saint Felicitas and Her Seven Sons (New Advent): https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06028a.htm
• Our Lady of Mount Carmel Novena / Solemnity Resource (Carmelite Sisters): https://www.carmelitesisters.com/carmelite-events/solemnity-of-our-lady-of-mount-carmel

This episode continued our Bible study through 1 John 5 using the Douay-Rheims translation and its footnotes, reflecting on faith that works through charity, obedience to God’s commandments, the witness of the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and the difficult passage on sin “unto death.” The Church understands repentance, prayer according to God’s will, and the danger of final impenitence and idolatry, with supporting references from Galatians, Ezekiel, Job, and the Gospel of John. Joe joined live to help us reflect on the feast of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus, the heretical idea of assurance, sacramental confession, and why Catholic teaching keeps repentance and perseverance at the center of the Christian life.

The catechism portion turned to St. Peter Canisius on the resurrection of the body and the final judgment, drawing out the hope and discipline that flow from believing our bodies will be raised and conformed to Christ. We worked through scriptural references from Job, Colossians, Corinthians, Romans, Thessalonians, the Gospels, and Philippians, then closed with a reading from St. Alphonsus Liguori’s Victories of the Martyrs on St. Potamiena, her mother Marcella, and Basilides. The episode ends with prayer and an invitation for more listeners to join future live call-ins.

• Council of Catholic Men: Catechism and Bible Study of the Catholic Church (podcast listing): https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/council-of-catholic-men-catechism-and-bible/id1896641707
• Douay-Rheims Bible Online: https://drbo.org/
• 1 John 5 (Douay-Rheims + Latin Vulgate): https://www.drbo.org/drl/chapter/69005.htm
• Galatians 5 (Douay-Rheims): https://www.drbo.org/chapter/55005.htm
• Ezekiel 33 (Douay-Rheims): https://www.drbo.org/chapter/31033.htm
• Job 19 (Douay-Rheims): https://www.drbo.org/chapter/20019.htm
• Saint Peter Canisius (Vatican): https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110209.html
• Saint Junipero Serra (Vatican): https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2015/documents/papa-francesco_20150923_usa-omelia-washington-dc.html
• Pope Pius IX (Vatican biography): https://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/saints/ns_lit_doc_20000903_pius-ix_en.html
• The Most Precious Blood of Jesus (Vatican): https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/speeches/2000/jul-sep/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_20000701_sanguis-christi.pdf
• Corpus Christi / Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Vatican): https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/angelus/2025/documents/20250622-angelus.html
• Second Vatican Council documents (Vatican archive): https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index_it.htm
• Saint Alphonsus Liguori (Vatican): https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2011/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20110330.html
• St. Augustine, The City of God, Book XXII (New Advent): https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/120122.htm

In this episode, we continue our Bible study through 1 John 4, focusing on how to test the spirits, remain faithful to the true confession of Jesus Christ, and live the commandment of charity. We reflect on St. John’s teaching that God is love, that perfect charity casts out fear, and that love of God must be proven by love of neighbor. We also walk through the footnotes and cross-references tied to the chapter, including passages from the Gospel of John, Philippians, and 1 Timothy, to show how the Church understands discernment, truth, and the life of grace.

We then move into a catechetical reflection on the resurrection of the flesh and the final judgment, drawing from the creed and scriptural references in 2 Corinthians, Romans, John, Matthew, and Ephesians. To close, we read from St. Alphonsus Liguori’s account of St. Gallicanus and the martyrs John and Paul, highlighting their courage, conversion, and witness under persecution. The episode ends by looking ahead to 1 John 5 next week and by encouraging us to remain steadfast in love, faith, and hope as we work out our salvation before God.

In today’s Council of Catholic Men we begin bible study with 1 John 3, reflecting on God’s fatherly love that makes us His children, the call to holiness, and the stark contrast between the children of God and the children of the devil. We dwell on the command to love one another in deed and in truth, explore how abiding in Christ transforms our lives, and consider the confidence we gain before God when we keep His commandments. We read through cross-references across Scripture—from Genesis, Isaiah, the Gospels, and Paul’s letters—to clarify tough verses on sin, grace, and perseverance, emphasizing authentic charity and obedience rooted in faith.

We then turn to St. Peter Canisius’s Large Catechism on the Tenth Article of the Creed—“the forgiveness of sins”—to consider Christ’s gift of the keys, the authority to bind and loose, and the commission to forgive sins given to the apostles, especially St. Peter and his successors. We read Matthew 16 and John 21 to see Peter’s primacy, and conclude with a moving reading from St. Alphonsus de Liguori on the martyrdom of Saints Nicander and Marcian (June 17), whose steadfast witness—and the courageous faith of their families—call us to persevere in love and fidelity to Christ. Next week, we’ll begin 1 John 4.

In today’s Council of Catholic Men Catechism and Bible Study, we continued through Scripture with a reading of 1 John chapter 2, reflecting on Christ as our advocate, the call to keep His commandments, and the primacy of fraternal charity. We explored the warnings against loving the world and being misled by new teachers, the meaning of having unction of the Holy Spirit’s anointing, and the assurance of eternal life promised to those who follow the commandments of the Son and the Father. From the Douay-Rheims Bible english translation footnotes, we unpacked key verses on walking in the light, the identity of Antichrist as being a denier of Christ, and the Church’s guardianship of truth. We then connected these themes to the Gospel of John (13 and 15), highlighting the new commandment of love, the reality of persecution for the sake of the name of Jesus, and the promised testimony of the Paraclete. We transitioned to the Catechism by St. Peter Canisius, reflecting on the tenth article of the Apostles’ Creed—“the forgiveness of sins”—which means the necessity of Baptism, sorrow for sin, repentance, and ongoing penance. Scripture references from Acts, Mark 16, John 3, Matthew 28, John 20, and Revelation 2 grounded the discussion in the Church’s sacramental life, apostolic authority, and the call to conversion. We concluded with the inspiring martyrdom of St. Julitta and her three year old son St. Quiricus (June 16), their steadfast confession of Christ amid persecution, and the enduring veneration of their relics—encouraging us to persevere in love, fidelity to the Church, and confidence in Christ’s mercy. Next week, we’ll continue with 1 John chapter 3 and the final parts of the tenth article on the remission of sins.