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

In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men, we begin our new Bible study on the First Epistle of Saint John, chapter 1, exploring its central themes of divine light, truth, and the remission of sins through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We trace John’s insistence that authentic fellowship with God requires walking in the light, honest confession, and confidence in God’s faithfulness to forgive. Along the way, we connect Saint John’s teaching with a rich tapestry of Scripture—from the Gospels, Hebrews, 1 Peter, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Revelation, and the Old Testament historical books—highlighting how God’s plan of mercy is revealed and fulfilled in Christ. We also reflect on the Church’s sacramental life, especially confession, as the ordinary means Christ established for the forgiveness of sins. Our catechism segment turns to Saint Peter Canisius on the Tenth Article of the Creed: the remission of sins. Providentially aligned with our Bible study, it underscores that Christ purchased this “most rich treasure” by his bitter Passion and blood, for the salvation of the whole world. We close with the moving martyrdom of Saint Quirinus of Siscia (June 4), whose steadfast witness and miraculous endurance encouraged conversions even at the moment of his death, and with prayers entrusting ourselves to God’s mercy and light. 

In today’s Council of Catholic Men, is a prayerful reading of 2 Peter 3 and its urgent call to holiness amid “scoffers” who doubt the Lord’s return. We traced Saint Peter’s warnings across Scripture—1 Timothy 4, 2 Timothy 3, Jude 18, Ezekiel 12, 1 Thessalonians 5, and Revelation 3 and 16—reflecting on the Day of the Lord coming “like a thief in the night,” the passing of the present heavens and earth, and our call to be found “unspotted and blameless in peace.” We emphasized God’s patience as salvation, the hope of the new heavens and new earth, and the need to remain steadfast, sober, and watchful as children of the light.

We then turned to the Catechism tradition via St. Peter Canisius on “I believe in the holy Catholic Church,” and read an extended selection from St. Augustine’s Sermon to Catechumens on the Creed. Augustine’s luminous teaching on God’s omnipotence, the coeternity and equality of the Son with the Father, the Incarnation from the Virgin Mary, Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, and the judgment of the living and the dead anchored our catechesis. Drawing on Job’s patience and Christ’s paschal mystery, we considered authentic patience, hope of eternal life rather than temporal repayment, and the call to live, pray, and persevere so as to hear, “Come, you blessed of my Father.” We concluded in prayer and noted that next week we begin 1 John.

Resources and references: 2 Peter 3; 1 Timothy 4:1–5; 2 Timothy 3:1–7; Jude 18–21; Ezekiel 12:27–28; 1 Thessalonians 5:2–11; Revelation 3:3; 16:15–16; St. Peter Canisius, Catechism (1620) on the Creed; St. Augustine, Sermon to Catechumens on the Creed.

This episode of Council of Catholic Men, is a deep dive into 2 Peter 2, where St. Peter warns against false teachers, their deceptive ways, and the severe consequences of turning from the truth. We walk through the text and its Old and New Testament cross-references—from Job, Genesis, Jude, Numbers, John, Romans, Hebrews, Matthew, and Proverbs—to illuminate Peter’s teaching on judgment, perseverance, and the danger of apostasy. We reflect on how these passages challenge us as Catholics to remain steadfast, highlighting that greater knowledge brings greater responsibility.

We then turn to St. Peter Canisius’s catechism on the ninth article of the Apostles’ Creed, “I believe the holy Catholic Church,” focusing on the communion of saints, the ark of Noah as a figure of salvation, and the Church’s call to unity and discipline. Finally, we share the inspiring martyrdom of St. Theodotus of Ancyra from St. Alphonsus de Liguori’s “Victories of the Martyrs,” a powerful witness that sanctity is possible in every state of life and that Christ strengthens those who suffer for His name. We begin and end with prayer, asking for fidelity and courage in the truth.

In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men, we open with prayer and then dive into a Scripture study on 2 Peter, chapter 1. I walk through Peter’s exhortation to add virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly love, and charity to our faith, and we reflect on his eyewitness testimony of Christ’s glory at the Transfiguration and his warning against private interpretation of Scripture. We pause on key cross-references (John 21 on Peter’s foretold martyrdom; Matthew 17 on the Transfiguration; 2 Timothy 3 on inspiration) and highlight the Church’s role in authentically interpreting Scripture. We also note Peter’s nearness to martyrdom and the promise of entry into the everlasting kingdom for those who persevere in holiness.

We then continue our gradual reading of the Catechism by St. Peter Canisius on the Ninth Article of the Apostles’ Creed: “I believe in the Holy Catholic Church.” I summarize the four marks discussed—unity under Christ with the Pope as visible head on earth, holiness sustained by the Holy Spirit, catholicity (universality) embracing all nations, and the communion of saints bound together in charity, prayer, and sacramental life—with Scripture and patristic references. To conclude, we share a martyr story from St. Alphonsus de Liguori: St. Dionysia, with Sts. Andrew and Paul of Lampsacus (May 15), whose steadfast witness encourages us to persevere in faith and charity. We close with prayer and a look ahead to next week’s reading of 2 Peter, chapter 2 on false teachers.

In today’s Council of Catholic Men, we concluded our study of the First Epistle of Saint Peter with chapter 5, reflecting on Saint Peter’s exhortations to clergy and laity: humble service, sober watchfulness, and steadfast resistance to the devil. We traced Peter’s counsel across Scripture—from Romans 12 on fraternal charity, James 4 on humility and resisting the evil one, Psalms and the Gospels on trusting God’s providence, to Luke 12’s urgent call to vigilance and faithful stewardship. We also noted Peter’s closing greeting from “Babylon,” figuratively Rome, and the promise that after a little suffering, the God of all grace will restore and strengthen us.

We then turned to the Catechism by Saint Peter Canisius on the ninth article of the Creed, “I believe in the holy Catholic Church,” highlighting the Church’s visibility, unity of faith and sacraments, and universality, supported by Isaiah, the Psalms, John’s Gospel, Paul’s letters, and the Fathers. Finally, we read from Saint Alphonsus Liguori on the martyrdom of Saints Timothy the Lector and Mara his wife, who persevered heroically under persecution, encouraging one another to the end and witnessing to an undivided love for Christ. We closed in prayer, entrusting our cares to the Lord who cares for us.

In today’s Council of Catholic Men, we picked up our Bible study with 1 Peter 4, reflecting on Peter’s urgent call to cease from sin, practice mutual charity, and glorify God in all things—even in suffering. We explored cross-references throughout Scripture (Ephesians 4, Proverbs 10 and 11, Romans 12, Hebrews 13, Philippians 2, and 1 Corinthians 4) that deepen Peter’s exhortations on hospitality without murmuring, stewardship of God’s manifold grace, and the sober reality that the just are saved “with difficulty,” urging perseverance and joyful endurance when reproached for the name of Christ. We then turned to the Catechism (St. Peter Canisius) on the Eighth Article of the Creed—“I believe in the Holy Ghost”—highlighting the Spirit as Paraclete, pledge of our inheritance, and giver of diverse gifts for the one Body (Ephesians 1, Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 12).

We closed with the moving account from St. Alphonsus de Liguori of the early martyrs St. James the Deacon, St. Marianas the Lector, and companions under Valerian—witnesses who embraced their crosses with visions of hope and steadfast courage. Their fidelity challenges us to live charitable, prayerful, Spirit-led lives, confident that Christ, the just Judge, will reveal his glory and reward those who suffer for his name.

In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men Bible Study and Catechism, we pray together and continue our reading of 1 Peter, chapter 3. We reflect on St. Peter’s counsel for Christian households—modesty and interior virtue, mutual honor between spouses, unity of mind, guarding one’s tongue, pursuing peace, and bearing suffering for righteousness with a clear conscience. We explore the difficult verses about Christ preaching to the spirits in prison and how baptism, prefigured by the Flood, now saves us through a good conscience by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We then walk through a rich set of cross-references from Ephesians, Colossians, Timothy, Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, Romans, and more, deepening the biblical tapestry behind Peter’s exhortations. In the catechism segment (drawing from Canisius), we summarize the articles concerning Christ: true God and true man, our Redeemer, Lawgiver, exemplar of virtue, and just Judge. We examine Scripture that grounds these claims—John 14, Titus 2, Ephesians 2, 2 Corinthians 5, Isaiah 33, James 4—and highlight the role and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit promised by Christ. We close with a moving reading from St. Alphonsus Liguori on the martyrdom of Saints Epipodius and Alexander of Lyons, whose steadfast witness under persecution strengthens our hope and resolve in Christ.

In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men, is a prayerful deep dive into 1 Peter, Chapter 2. We reflect on Peter’s call to lay aside malice and deceit, to hunger for the “pure spiritual milk,” and to come to Christ the Living Stone. We explore our identity as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation, and consider what it means to witness by good works, submit to legitimate authority, and endure suffering with patience after the example of Christ, who “committed no sin” and bore our sins on the tree.

Next the rich web of scriptural cross-references that illuminate Peter’s teaching—from Isaiah’s cornerstone prophecy to Paul’s exhortations in Romans, Ephesians, Colossians, and Galatians, the Gospels’ witness to the rejected stone, and the suffering servant of Isaiah 53. We conclude with selections from the Catechism (via St. Peter Canisius) on the Final Judgment, surveying key passages from Matthew, Luke, Acts, Thessalonians, Corinthians, 2 Peter, Revelation, and more, as we renew our call to live vigilantly, love the brotherhood, fear God, and follow the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.

In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men, Day 8 of the Divine Mercy Novena and Chaplet, we focus our prayers on the souls detained in purgatory. We unite in trust to the Heart of Jesus, asking that His mercy—poured out in blood and water—bring consolation and purification to those in need, and we entrust them to the Eternal Father through the Sorrowful Passion of Christ.

We pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, including the Our Father, Hail Mary, Apostles’ Creed, and the repeated invocation, “For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world,” culminating with the Trisagion and the closing prayer from the Diary of St. Faustina. We lift up the suffering, lean into hope, and ask God to increase His mercy in us so we may do His holy will with confidence.

In today’s episode of the Council of Catholic Men, we continue our Divine Mercy Novena with Day 7. we begin with opening prayers, Scripture-rooted professions of faith, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, focusing on Jesus’s invitation—given through Saint Maria Faustina—to bring before Him the souls who especially venerate and glorify His mercy. Together we pray for deeper trust, protection at the hour of death, and the grace to live as witnesses of mercy through deeds, words, and prayer.

We conclude with powerful prayers to the Eternal Father, the Trisagion (Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One), and a heartfelt supplication for perseverance in difficult moments. We end with the Memorare, entrusting our intentions to Our Lady. Thank you for praying with us on this Easter Thursday—Christ is risen!