In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men, we open with prayer and then guide a Scripture and catechism study centered on the virtue of faith. We read Hebrews 11 in full—reflecting on faith as the “substance of things to be hoped for,” and tracing how Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Rahab, and the prophets bore witness through steadfast trust in God. We highlight key footnotes and cross-references, including Genesis (Creation, Abel’s offering, Enoch’s translation) and Matthew 23 on the blood of the righteous, drawing out how faith illuminates both visible and invisible realities and orients us toward the heavenly city God has prepared.

We continue with St. Peter Canisius’s Larger Catechism on faith, outlining the twelve articles of the Apostles’ Creed as the concise rule of Christian belief and noting patristic witnesses who expound the Creed. We share an inspiring reading on St. Agatha from St. Alphonsus Liguori, honoring her courageous martyrdom and unwavering hope in eternal life. We conclude in prayer and preview next week’s study of Hebrews 12 and the first article of the Creed.

In today’s Council of Catholic Men catechism and Bible study, we prayerfully entered Hebrews 10 to contemplate Christ as the once-for-all High Priest whose single oblation perfects those being sanctified. We reflected on the insufficiency of the Old Covenant sacrifices, the new and living way opened through Christ’s flesh, and the call to persevere in faith, charity, and communal worship. We highlighted the sobering warning against willful apostasy (Heb 10:26) while underscoring God’s justice and mercy, the hope of full remission in baptism, and the ongoing call to repentance and confession after baptism.

We connected Hebrews 10 to its Old Testament roots in Psalms 39 and 109 and Jeremiah 31, exploring prophecy fulfilled in Christ’s priesthood and the law written on our hearts. From the Catechism (St. Peter Canisius), we began unpacking what faith is: a divine gift and light to assent to revealed truths—especially the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Resurrection, new birth by water and the Spirit, and Christ’s Real Presence. We closed with the lives of the martyrs Saints Phileas and Philoromus (Feb 4), whose steadfast witness before persecution challenges us to prefer God above all and remain vigilant in holiness.

In this week's session of Catechism and Bible Study with the Council of Catholic Men (Wednesday, 01/28/2026), we continue our journey through Hebrews, focusing on chapter 9. Exodus, Leviticus, and 3 Kings—highlighting how the earthly tabernacle, priestly rituals, and blood sacrifices prefigure Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice. We explore the footnotes’ key themes: Christ as the mediator of the New Covenant, the efficacy of His blood to cleanse the conscience from dead works, and the finality of His offering that “exhausts” the sins of many. We link Hebrews to 1 Peter, 1 John, Revelation, Galatians, Romans, and Mark to deepen our understanding of redemption, baptism, and living faith. We then move to catechism study (St. Peter Canisius) on the primacy of faith—why “he that cometh to God must believe”—and how belief, baptism, and a life of charity belong together. To conclude, we read from St. Alphonsus’s “Victories of the Martyrs,” recounting the life and trials of St. John Chrysostom, his courageous pastoral reform, unjust depositions and exiles, and his persevering witness alongside the martyrdoms of Sts. Tigrius and Eutropius. We wrapped with prayer and a look ahead to Hebrews 10 next week.

In this week’s Council of Catholic Men study, we continue our journey through Hebrews with a focused reading and reflection on chapter 8. We look at the Douay-Rheims text on Christ the High Priest and drawing on footnotes and cross-references to Exodus 25:40, Acts 7:44, and especially Jeremiah 31’s promise of God’s law written on the heart. We consider how the Levitical priesthood foreshadowed Christ’s heavenly ministry, why the New Covenant surpasses the old, and what it means for us to receive mercy and to live as God’s people by forgiveness and fidelity. We then connect this to Christian identity in the early Church and today—looking at Acts 11:26 and 1 Peter 4:16—before exploring wisdom and justice in the Large Catechism of St. Peter Canisius, with supporting texts from Sirach 1 and 1 Corinthians 13, and the call to “turn from evil and do good” (Psalm 34/36[33/36]; 1 Peter 3). We close by honoring St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr, recounting her steadfast witness, miraculous protection, and the early veneration that followed—including the tradition of blessed lambs and pallia—inviting us to courageous purity and total consecration to Christ. Next time, we’ll pick up Hebrews 9 for a deeper look at Christ’s sacrifice and the New Covenant liturgy.

In today’s Council of Catholic Men catechism and Bible study, we continue our journey through Hebrews by reading and unpacking chapter 7. From the mysterious figure of Melchizedek to the supremacy of Christ’s eternal priesthood, we explore how Jesus, our holy and undefiled High Priest, fulfills Psalm 109 and surpasses the Levitical order—offering Himself once for all and ever living to make intercession for us. We trace the scriptural threads from Genesis 14, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Psalms, and Leviticus to see how the Old Testament prepares the way for the New Covenant and the sacramental life of the Church. We then turn to the Catechism preface by St. Peter Canisius on the “light” of sound doctrine amid darkness, and conclude with the moving martyrdom of St. Arcadius, whose steadfast witness calls us to hold fast to Christ and hand on the light of faith to our children. Join us as we reflect on the meaning of the order of Melchizedek, the Church’s understanding of priesthood, the forgiveness of sins, and the call to persevere in the light—strengthened by Scripture, tradition, and the saints.

In today’s Council of Catholic Men, Hebrews chapter 6, reflecting on Saint Paul’s sober warning against apostasy and his exhortation to patience and perseverance. We explored the imagery of rain, fruit, thorns, and briars to underscore the slow, disciplined work of cultivating faith, and anchored our hope in God’s irrevocable promise to Abraham—fulfilled in Christ, our forerunner and eternal High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Repentance rejects presumption, discipline strengthens fidelity, and how hope remains the sure anchor of the soul within the veil where Jesus has gone before us.

St. Peter Canisius’s Large Catechism (1555), highlighting Scripture and patristic footnotes on culpable ignorance and the call to seek saving knowledge. Closing with a reading from St. Alphonsus de Liguori on the martyrdom of St. Gordius, we considered steadfast confession of Christ amid pressure to compromise, and the necessity of aligning tongue and heart in witness. Next episode, we’ll continue with Hebrews 7 and the Catechism preface, moving carefully through the notes and sources.

In this Christmas Eve episode of Council of Catholic Men, we continue our study of the Letter to the Hebrews with chapters 3–5, reflecting on Christ’s supremacy over Moses, the call to enter God’s rest, and Jesus as our compassionate and eternal High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We highlight the exhortation to persevere in faith, the power of God’s living word, and the invitation to approach the throne of grace with confidence. We then turn to the Small Catechism of St. Peter Canisius, reviewing the fruits of the Spirit, the eight Beatitudes, the evangelical counsels, and the Four Last Things, followed by a curated series of Scripture passages used for defending and clarifying Catholic doctrine and unity. We close with a reading from St. Alphonsus Liguori on the lives and witness of St. Chrysogonus and St. Anastasia, contemplating their steadfast charity, courage under persecution, and final triumph in martyrdom. The episode begins and ends in prayer, inviting listeners to enter the mystery of the season with renewed hope and fidelity to Christ and His Church.

In today’s Council of Catholic Men, we opened in prayer and entered a rich study of Scripture and tradition. We read and reflected on Saint Paul’s Epistle to Titus, exploring the qualities of bishops and priests, the call to sound doctrine, and practical guidance for every state of life—from older men and women to young people and servants—culminating in the charge to avoid heresy after charitable admonition. We then read the brief yet tender Epistle to Philemon, highlighting Christian reconciliation in the story of Onesimus, and began Hebrews, chapters 1–2, contemplating Christ’s divinity, his superiority to the angels, and the saving purpose of his Passion shared in our humanity.

Our catechesis drew from St. Peter Canisius’s Small Catechism on the duties of Christian justice: turning from sin and doing good, the nature of mortal and venial sin, the capital vices with their opposing virtues, sins against the Holy Spirit, works of mercy, and the cardinal and theological virtues. We closed with a reading from St. Alphonsus Liguori on the martyrdom of St. Lucy—her steadfast virginity, charity to the poor, miraculous protection, and courageous witness—before concluding in prayer. May these readings strengthen us in sound doctrine, virtuous living, and firm hope in Christ.

In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men,  a prayerful study of Scripture and catechesis. We read 1 Timothy 4–6 and 2 Timothy 1–4, reflecting on St. Paul’s counsel to Timothy: guarding sound doctrine, the goodness of God’s creation received with thanksgiving, the dignity and duties within the Church (including care for widows and honor for faithful clergy), the dangers of greed, and the call to pursue holiness, patience, and charity. We meditate on Paul’s stirring farewell—“I have fought the good fight”—and the enduring charge to preach the word in and out of season, holding fast to the faith amid error and persecution. 

 We continue with the Small Catechism for Catholics by St. Peter Canisius, summarizing the seven sacraments—their institution by Christ, purpose, and effects—highlighting the Eucharist’s truth, transubstantiation, adoration, sacrificial offering, and reception, along with penance, anointing of the sick, holy orders, and matrimony. We conclude with the lives of the martyrs for December 10: Saints Eulalia and Julia, whose youthful courage and fidelity unto death inspire us to love Christ above all. We close with prayer and a look ahead to next week’s reading from Titus and the continuation of the catechism.

In this episode of the Council of Catholic Men, we prayed together and then journeyed through Scripture with a focused reading of 2 Thessalonians and 1 Timothy. I reflected on Saint Paul’s exhortations to stand firm in the faith, hold fast to apostolic traditions, discern false teachings, and live disciplined, charitable lives that honor Christ. We explored themes such as the “man of sin,” the Church as the pillar and foundation of truth, the dignity and duties of bishops and deacons, the call to prayer for all people, and the practical holiness of work, integrity, and perseverance.

We then turned to catechesis with St. Peter Canisius on charity and the Decalogue—how love of God and neighbor is the heart of the commandments—and concluded with a moving hagiography from St. Alphonsus Liguori on St. Crispina, a noble African martyr who chose fidelity to Christ over life itself. May her witness strengthen our resolve to love God above all and live the commandments with courage and mercy.