True Catholic Faith: Clarion Call of the Church’s Timeless Teaching

Summary

Bishop Sanborn meditates on why some prayers are answered (as with the leper and centurion) and others (like Herod’s) are met with silence. He explains that prayer must have four essential qualities to be pleasing and effective before God: confidence, humility, fervor, and faith. He teaches that God always hears prayers for our salvation, but withholds many material or temporal favors either for our perfection, or to test and strengthen us. He emphasizes a spiritual attitude rooted in faith and trust in divine wisdom, not murmuring or entitlement. Even when God seems silent, He is working toward our eternal good.

Key Qualities of Effective Prayer

1. Confidence
   • We must trust in God's mercy, not just His justice.
   • Approaching God with fear or doubt offends Him, as if He is reluctant to help.
2. Humility
   • We must not presume that God owes us anything.
   • Like the Pharisee, the proud are rejected; like the centurion, the humble are heard.
3. Fervor
   • Tepid, casual prayer is ineffective.
   • Intensity of desire—shown in fasting and sacrifice—pleases God and amplifies prayer.
4. Faith
   • True faith sees beyond appearances.
   • Even if nothing visibly changes, we must believe God hears and acts for our good.
   • “The just man liveth by faith.” (Romans 1:17)

Dealing with Silence or Delay in Prayer

• Like Saint Bernard, we may wonder why God is silent.
• But prayer must tip the scale, as if God is waiting for the weight of perfected petition.
• This delay is for our perfection.
• God is never surprised by our crosses; He wills or permits them from all eternity.
• Miracles are rare, intended to convert unbelievers, not to remove every trial for the faithful.

Material Requests vs. Spiritual Goods

• Not every temporal good is good for our soul.
• Even health, wealth, or comfort may draw us from God.
• We must pray with wisdom and detachment, accepting what God knows is best.

Asking for Spiritual Graces

• When we ask for graces that pertain to our salvation, God infallibly grants them:
• “Ask and you shall receive.”
• Example: The Good Thief asked for mercy—and was saved instantly.
• But even spiritual sufferings (like temptations) may remain because they are for our growth in virtue.

Intercessory Prayer for Others

• Asking for another’s conversion is entering a mystery of divine mercy.
• God may withhold grace to another soul—yet not out of injustice, but because only mercy grants that grace.
• Often, God delays conversion to draw out more fervent prayer and sacrifice from us.
• This was the case with St. Monica, who prayed for decades for her son St. Augustine and was rewarded not only with his sanctity, but also her own.

Final Exhortation

We must imitate the leper and centurion by praying with:

• Faith
• Confidence
• Humility
• Fervent desire
• Perseverance

And, most importantly, we must thank God both for what He gives and for what He refuses—for all is ordained for our salvation.

Traditional Catholic Commentary (Sedevacantist Perspective)

In Harmony with Traditional Catholic Doctrine

• Bishop Sanborn’s teaching is deeply aligned with pre-Vatican II theology:
  • Echoes the doctrine of merit, grace, and Providence.
  • Highlights traditional teachings on fasting, humility, and perseverance in prayer.
  • Refers to St. Bernard, St. Paul, and traditional martyrdom theology.
• Faith is emphasized as a supernatural virtue, not psychological hope or optimism.
• The doctrine that God infallibly grants graces necessary for salvation is grounded in Trent and Scripture.

A Rebuke to Modernism and Vatican II

• The modern Novus Ordo sect often:
  • Avoids preaching on petition, mortification, or the perfection of the soul.
  • Treats prayer as self-care or emotional relief, not a supernatural act of virtue.
  • Emphasizes emotional well-being over sacrifice and sanctification.
• Herod symbolizes modern man—curious, presumptuous, seeking signs, but without faith or humility.
• The emphasis on miracles as rare signs for unbelievers directly counters modern charismatic abuses and the presumption of daily miracles on demand.

Final Reflection

This sermon is a masterclass in Catholic spirituality, reminding us:

• God is not our servant, but our Father and Judge.
• His delays are not neglect but invitations to perfection.
• We are not home yet—this life is not Heaven.
• Our crosses, losses, and unanswered prayers are precisely the tools God uses to shape saints.

Let us learn from the centurion and the leper—and approach God as children, not murmurers.

Here is a comprehensive summary of Bishop Donald Sanborn’s sermon on the capital sin of gluttony:

Summary

Bishop Sanborn gives a precise and moral-theological explanation of gluttony, the fourth capital sin, defining it as an inordinate love for the pleasures of eating and drinking. He outlines its forms, effects, and when it becomes mortal. He shows how gluttony not only harms the body but enslaves the soul, leading to lust, intemperance, and other spiritual ruin. He also critiques modern obsessions with health and fitness as a disguised form of gluttony rooted in vanity. Remedies include prayer, mortification, and reordering intentions toward God’s glory and fulfilling one’s duties of state.

Key Teachings and Points

1. Definition and Disorder

• Gluttony is the disordered desire to eat or drink for pleasure rather than for health or sustaining life.
• It becomes sinful when pleasure displaces necessity and moderation.

2. Four Common Forms of Gluttony

1. Eating without need, such as constant snacking out of habit or nervousness (usually venial).
2. Desiring delicacies or being overly picky—placing pleasure of the palate above simplicity.
3. Gorging or overconsumption, going beyond bodily needs, even harming health.
4. Eager or animalistic eating, losing control and behaving like irrational creatures.

3. Consequences of Gluttony

• Brutalizes man, weakens spiritual and moral strength.
• Leads to lust and other sensual sins—gluttony and impurity are closely connected.
• Can become mortal sin when it:
  • Prevents one from fulfilling duties of state (e.g., due to obesity or drunkenness).
  • Harms one’s health (e.g., ignoring dietary restrictions).
  • Causes financial strain, especially through alcohol abuse.
  • Leads to other grave sins, like detraction, calumny, or immodest behavior in social settings.

4. Venial vs. Mortal

• Most gluttonous acts are venial sins, such as overeating or drinking slightly too much.
• Becomes mortal when it causes:
  • Dereliction of duty,
  • Health damage,
  • Ruinous expense,
  • Grave offenses (lust, slander, etc.).

5. Obstacle to Perfection

• Even minor indulgence hinders progress in holiness.
• Mortification is essential for spiritual advancement—every saint practiced it.
• Lenten fast, Ember Days, and Friday abstinence exist to combat gluttony.

6. Gluttony and Children

• Children who are not taught moderation become enslaved to pleasure.
• Later in life, they are more vulnerable to impurity, lacking the will to say “no.”

7. Modern Excesses in Health & Fitness

• Overemphasis on fitness, body image, and food purity is a vanity-driven form of gluttony.
• Obsession with health food becomes quasi-religious and distracts from true piety.
• Reminder: “We are all going to die”—what matters is the state of the soul.

Remedies to Gluttony

1. Right Intention in Eating
   • Food is for sustaining health, not indulgence.
   • Compare eating to fueling a car—functional, not indulgent.
2. Moderation Through Willpower
   • When the intellect and will guide eating, gluttony is avoided.
   • Deny the extra drink or snack for love of God.
3. Mortification
   • Say “no” to pleasures regularly to build spiritual discipline.
   • Lenten fast and traditional disciplines train the will, inflict mild penance, and direct the soul to God.

Conclusion

Gluttony, though often dismissed or considered minor, is a serious sin that damages both soul and body. It feeds lust, weakens the will, and can easily lead to mortal sin when unchecked. Bishop Sanborn emphasizes that even well-meaning obsessions with health can become gluttonous when rooted in vanity and disordered attention to the body. The remedies lie in moderation, prayer, and mortification, with an eye always fixed on eternity.

Traditional Catholic Commentary (Sedevacantist Perspective)

This sermon is a model of pre-Vatican II Catholic morality. Its clarity, consistency, and severity are a rebuke to the laxity of the post-conciliar era:

Upholding True Catholic Doctrine

• Sanborn teaches the Thomistic framework of sin, distinguishing mortal and venial degrees based on object, intention, and consequence.
• He links gluttony with impurity, consistent with traditional Catholic moral theology.
• Mortification is presented as essential, not optional—a view found throughout the Lives of the Saints.

Vatican II vs. Traditional Teaching

• The post-Vatican II Church rarely speaks of gluttony, mortification, or the capital sins.
• Novus Ordo catechesis downplays these disciplines in favor of self-esteem and body positivity.
• The emphasis on fitness and wellness even among "modern Catholics" often reflects the world’s values, not the Cross.

Parental Laxity Condemned

• Traditional Catholic parenting involves teaching self-denial early.
• This is opposed to modern permissiveness which weakens the child’s will and leads to grave moral failure later.

Final Reflection

Bishop Sanborn calls us to sobriety, modesty, and spiritual vigilance. He reminds us that while food is necessary, we are not animals, and our goal is not merely to live, but to die in the state of grace.

He exposes the root danger of gluttony: it is the gateway to hell if unchecked.

Summary

In this solemn and forceful sermon, Bishop Donald Sanborn reflects on the severe consequences that await those who reject God after receiving His grace and being chosen. Drawing from St. Paul’s epistle, he recounts the repeated sins and apostasies of the ancient Hebrews—despite divine favors—and applies these warnings to the modern crisis in the Church and the moral state of Catholics today. He emphasizes that God gives sufficient grace to all, but draws back some with special graces. However, those given more will be judged more severely if they fall. He condemns impurity, worldliness, human respect, and liturgical irreverence among self-identified traditional Catholics, and calls on the faithful to reject the “flesh pots of Egypt”—a metaphor for sinful comforts and modern moral compromise.

Key Quotes

“Because they had received such great favor from God, He dealt with them severely.”

“Jerusalem remained faithless… they were not interested in the kingdom of the next world.”

“There remains only a handful of people in the world whose faith… is the same as the Roman Catholic Church for two thousand years.”

“If we long for the flesh pots of Egypt… we will be all the more guilty.”

“Their end will be the same… and yet they will descend into a worse part of hell because they were given the truth.”

“Traditional Catholics should not descend from the splendor of the High Mass into pagan wedding receptions.”

Key Points & Takeaways

1. God’s Justice is Proportional to His Graces

• All receive sufficient grace for salvation.
• Some receive greater, repeated graces and opportunities due to God’s special love.
• Greater gifts = greater judgment if rejected.

2. The Hebrews as a Warning

• Despite divine signs and deliverance, they fell into:
  • Gluttony (flesh pots and quail – Num. 11)
  • Idolatry (golden calf – Ex. 32)
  • Impurity with Moabites (Num. 25)
  • Tempting God and murmuring
• Their fate was death, divine punishment, and exclusion from the Promised Land.

3. Jerusalem’s Fate Foretold by Christ

• Christ weeps over Jerusalem’s persistent infidelity.
• Their rejection of the Messiah Himself seals their judgment.
• In 70 A.D., Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans.

4. Modern Parallels: Apostasy Today

• Only a “handful” hold the same faith as the Church of old.
• The rest, even those claiming to be Catholic, follow a false religion.
• This is a withdrawal of God’s grace from the world—a chastisement.

5. Those Who Remain Must Not Presume

• Traditional Catholics are specially graced to persevere.
• But if they sin, especially by embracing modern standards, they will be judged more harshly.

6. Modern Flesh Pots of Egypt

Bishop Sanborn warns of specific dangers:

• Impurity and fornication, even among the faithful.
• Modern dating and courtship practices.
• Television, movies, and beaches filled with impurity.
• Immodest clothing, especially at weddings.
• Rock music, pagan customs at wedding receptions.
• Disobedience to priests, especially at the altar.
• Lax attitudes toward the Novus Ordo, annulments, and divorce.

7. On Wedding Receptions

• A stunning critique of:
  • Brides defying priests’ dress rules.
  • Priests being forced to use shawls or drapes to cover bridesmaids.
  • Wedding receptions turning into pagan parties after the sacred Mass.

8. Annulments and the Novus Ordo

• Novus Ordo annulments are not recognized.
• Catholics must not recognize invalid “remarriages” and must act accordingly.

9. A Final Warning

• God gave more than ever before to us—the Blood of Christ.
• To persist in sin and worldliness despite this is worse than paganism.
• Expect greater punishment if we betray the graces given.

Conclusion

Bishop Sanborn’s sermon is a fiery and uncompromising call to traditional Catholics to live up to the extraordinary grace they have received in retaining the true Faith. It is a grave warning: just as God punished the Hebrews for apostasy despite His mercy, He will deal severely with us if we return to the sins of the world. The “flesh pots of Egypt” represent not only impurity, but comfort, worldliness, and compromise. Bishop Sanborn denounces this treachery especially among those who attend the traditional Mass but live like pagans outside of it. This duplicity, he says, will lead them to a deeper place in Hell, for they had the truth and rejected it.

Sedevacantist Pre-Vatican II Commentary

This sermon is a textbook example of true Catholic preaching—clear, doctrinal, moral, uncompromising.

True Catholic Perspective

• Bishop Sanborn affirms the Catholic doctrine of sufficient grace (cf. Trent, Session VI, Canon 4).
• He denounces the Novus Ordo sect and its invalid annulments.
• He reaffirms that grace is lost through mortal sin, and those with greater knowledge bear greater guilt (Luke 12:47–48).

Modern Vatican II Counterfeit Religion

• The humanistic optimism of Vatican II (e.g. Gaudium et Spes) is flatly refuted by this sermon’s realism.
• Modern clergy no longer preach about Hell, sin, or judgment—yet these are central here.
• Liturgy has become casual, while Bishop Sanborn upholds reverence down to modest wedding attire.
• Vatican II teaches religious liberty and inclusiveness, but here we are reminded that most souls are lost, and God withdrew His grace because of sin and infidelity.

Consistent with Saints and Scripture

• This sermon echoes St. Alphonsus, St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, and Our Lady of La Salette who warned of chastisements for apostasy.
• He rightly compares the faithless Jerusalem to the apostate Church of our time.

Final Reflection

This sermon should awaken any Catholic still attached to worldly pleasures or compromise. It reminds us:

• That we are few.
• That we have been chosen.
• That we must not turn back to Egypt.
• That we must resist not only error but also immorality, even in “traditional” settings.
• That we must be vigilant, reverent, modest, pure, and faithful—not for show, but for the love of God.

Bishop Sanborn is echoing true Catholic Tradition, without dilution, apology, or compromise. This is preaching the modern world desperately needs.

Summary 
The lecture discusses the theological concept that while many are called to salvation, only a few are chosen to attain it, a principle deeply rooted in Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church Fathers. It addresses a common objection regarding the small number of traditional Catholics who resist post-Vatican II changes, explaining that history and scripture support the idea that few truly persevere in faith. The speaker emphasizes that God offers sufficient grace to all for salvation, but only those who remain in a state of sanctifying grace, obey the Gospel, and avoid mortal sin will be saved. The Catholic faithful are warned against complacency amid modern moral decay, urging a serious commitment to prayer, faith, and moral living. The doctrine is not meant to induce despair but to inspire holy fear and perseverance, reminding believers that salvation is accessible through obedience to God’s natural law and grace, yet requires vigilance and effort. The lecture concludes with practical spiritual advice, encouraging ongoing prayer, avoidance of sin, and readiness for Christ’s coming, likened to wearing the wedding garment in the parable.

Highlights  

1. The principle “Many are called, but few are chosen” is supported by Sacred Scripture and Church Fathers.  
2. Scripture examples like Noah’s flood and the parable of the wedding garment illustrate the small number of the elect.  
3. God grants sufficient grace to all, but only those in sanctifying grace attain salvation.  
4. Many Catholics risk damnation by disregarding Gospel teachings and living in mortal sin.  
5. Salvation requires obedience to God’s natural law, prayer, and faith, which are accessible to all.  
6. The doctrine should inspire holy fear, not despair, motivating perseverance in faith.  
7. Practical advice includes prayer, spiritual reading, mortification of passions, and avoiding occasions of sin.

Key Insights  

1. The Biblical Foundation of Few Being Chosen: The teaching that only a minority will be saved is firmly rooted in Scripture, such as the parable of the wedding garment and the flood during Noah’s time. These narratives depict God’s justice and the reality that membership in the Church or being called is not sufficient without living in sanctifying grace. This underscores the gravity of personal holiness beyond mere affiliation.  
2. The Role of Church Fathers in Supporting this Doctrine: Prominent theologians like St. Gregory the Great, St. Jerome, St. Augustine, and St. John Chrysostom have historically affirmed this theological opinion. Their writings provide a patristic foundation that enriches the traditional understanding, showing continuity in Church teaching about salvation and the elect. This tradition emphasizes vigilance and moral seriousness in the Christian life.  
3. Sufficient Grace is Given to All, Yet Salvation is Not Guaranteed: God’s universal offer of grace means every person has the opportunity to be saved, but free will and personal cooperation with grace determine the outcome. This balance safeguards both God’s mercy and human responsibility, implying that salvation requires an active, ongoing commitment to faith and moral living.  
4. Modern Catholics’ Complacency as a Spiritual Danger: The lecture highlights a stark reality—many Catholics today are indifferent to the Gospel and moral law, often embracing secular values and living in mortal sin. This numbing of conscience is a critical pastoral concern, as it endangers souls and reflects a failure to take seriously the call to holiness. The comparison with the Jews who rejected Christ serves as a sober warning.  
5. Holy Fear as a Motivating Spiritual Attitude:  Rather than fostering despair, the doctrine of few being chosen calls believers to “fear of the Lord,” a reverent awareness of God’s justice and the soul’s fragility. This fear is constructive, encouraging conversion, repentance, and perseverance. It is described as a necessary spiritual disposition that keeps believers alert to the dangers of sin and complacency.  
6. The Accessibility of Salvation through God’s Law and Grace: Salvation is presented as not overly difficult but requiring adherence to God’s natural law—living according to the way God created humans—and the supernatural means of grace. The Lord’s words about His “light burden” and “sweet yoke” highlight that holiness is attainable by ordinary Christians who faithfully practice prayer, obedience, and moral discipline.  
7. Practical Spiritual Recommendations for Perseverance:  The lecture concludes with concrete guidance—maintain prayer, engage with spiritual reading, mortify evil passions, and avoid occasions of sin. These practices help believers remain in sanctifying grace and prepared for the “wedding” when Christ comes. The wedding garment symbolizes readiness for final judgment, underscoring the ongoing need for vigilance and holiness in daily life.

Here is a detailed analysis of Bishop Donald Sanborn’s sermon titled “Few Are Chosen”, delivered on the feast of St. Joachim, Father of the Blessed Virgin Mary:

Summary

In this powerful sermon, Bishop Donald Sanborn reflects on the virtue of the fear of the Lord, using the example of St. Joachim, the father of Our Lady. He distinguishes holy fear from servile or slavish fear and explains its role in the spiritual life. True fear of the Lord is not merely dread of Hell, but a reverent sorrow for sin and a deep horror at offending God. He ties this fear to virtues like hope, temperance, humility, and detachment from the world, and denounces human respect as a principal cause of widespread apostasy, citing the English Reformation as a tragic example. He exhorts the faithful to reject the desire to please men when it conflicts with pleasing God.

Key Quotes

“It is not even a fear of Hell... The fear of God’s punishments is not truly the gift of the fear of the Lord.”

“Fear of the Lord is a fear of displeasing God and of being separated from Him.”

“From this springs an ardent and earnest desire... [to avoid even the] occasions of sin.”

“The opposite of fear of the Lord is human respect.”

“All of England was lost by human respect... and look at the effect throughout the whole world.”

“Let all other things pass away, but let the will of God be done.”

Key Points and Takeaways

1. What Fear of the Lord Is Not

• It is not slavish dread, animalistic fear, or mere terror of punishment.
• It is not psychological scrupulosity or sadness over sin that originates from the devil.
• It is not even primarily the fear of Hell, although such fear can be useful.

2. What Fear of the Lord Truly Is

• A holy fear of displeasing God or being separated from Him.
• It perfects the virtue of hope, directing the soul toward Heaven.
• It perfects temperance, detaching the soul from sensual pleasures.
• It fosters a lively sorrow for sin and vigilance against its occasions.

3. Three Principal Acts of Fear of the Lord

• Vivid sense of God’s greatness: Reverence born from awe.
• Sorrow for the least fault: Even venial sins offend infinite Majesty.
• Vigilant care in avoiding occasions of sin: Like recoiling from a snake.

4. Fear of the Lord and Reverence

• Teaches proper reverence and boundaries, even in language.
• Opposes blasphemous jokes or casual treatment of holy things.
• Maintains respectful distance, lest familiarity breed contempt.

5. Fear of the Lord vs. Human Respect

• Human respect is the fear of offending men, rather than God.
• It is a common sin, responsible for scandal, compromise, and apostasy.
• Cites the English bishops' betrayal of the Faith under Henry VIII as a damning historical example.

6. True Justice and Holiness

• The just man—like St. Joachim—puts God’s will first.
• True holiness involves accepting hardship, sorrow, even death, for the love of God.

Conclusion

Bishop Sanborn’s sermon offers a deeply moving meditation on true fear of the Lord, urging the faithful to adopt a reverent and humble disposition before God. This fear is not rooted in terror but in love—a holy dread of offending Divine Majesty. In contrast, human respect is revealed as a deadly vice that leads souls away from the truth and into moral compromise. The sermon culminates in the example of St. Joachim, whose household embodies justice, reverence, and grace, and who now rejoices in Heaven through his most blessed daughter.

Sedevacantist Pre-Vatican II Catholic Commentary

From a true Catholic, pre-Vatican II standpoint, Bishop Sanborn’s sermon is a masterful exposition of traditional Catholic teaching on one of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost: the fear of the Lord.

Faithful to the True Faith

• The sermon is thoroughly consistent with Catholic doctrine, echoing the traditional catechisms (e.g., Baltimore Catechism Q. 137: "The gifts of the Holy Ghost are seven: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord.")
• Bishop Sanborn upholds the doctrine of sanctifying grace, reverence for God, and the avoidance of sin and near occasions.

Condemns Modernist Attitudes

• His condemnation of joking about God is especially necessary in the irreverent post-Vatican II era, where casual, anthropocentric liturgy has desacralized worship.
• The “human respect” he criticizes is clearly seen in the Vatican II sect’s ecumenical compromises, interreligious gatherings (e.g., Assisi), and refusal to preach “Outside the Church there is no salvation.”

Historical Insight

• His example of the English bishops’ betrayal under Henry VIII serves as a prefiguration of today’s apostate hierarchy who, out of fear of worldly powers or “dialogue,” refuse to uphold truth, including rejecting traditional morality and doctrine.

Call to Heroic Virtue

• True Catholics today must follow St. Thomas More’s example, fearing God above man, resisting even bishops and popes if they depart from the Faith, as St. Paul resisted St. Peter to the face (Gal. 2:11).

Final Reflection

Bishop Sanborn’s sermon is a clarion call to reject modern compromise, rediscover the holy fear of God, and live as counter-cultural Catholics in the face of apostasy. It is also a vindication of the sedevacantist position: that true obedience to God sometimes requires holy disobedience to heretical authorities—as when the bishops of England should have opposed the king, and as faithful Catholics must now reject the counterfeit Vatican II Church and all its irreverent, human-centered reforms.