Tag: Sacrament of Penance

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Sermon Notes – April 12, 2026 – “The Oreo Confession”

“The Oreo Confession”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

April 11-12, 2026

Gospel: John 20:19-31

Now there is a lot I could say about today’s gospel, but I will try to keep it fairly short because the mind will hear only what the seat can endure.  After His resurrection, our Lord told the Apostles how to apply the fruit of His death to the souls of the faithful.  Take the Precious Blood that poured from the Cross and apply it to men’s souls.  It is the same Blood that was in the chalice at the Last Supper.  It is also the same Blood in the chalice at today’s Mass.  “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven” (Matt. 18:18).  The Apostles passed down to bishops and priests the power to forgive sins.   I cannot understand why non-Catholics don’t agree with the Sacrament of Penance because it’s right there in Scripture in black and white.   You cannot take one part of Scripture and say it ended with the Apostles.  If you say that Confession ended with the Apostles, then everything else in Scripture did too. 

What are the criteria for confessing some sins and not others?   First of all, I have to hear them.  It’s just like a doctor must hear what your symptoms are and examine you before s/he prescribes medication.  Every Owee does not require morphine.   I have to listen to your sins because I am a spiritual physician.  We have something in Theology that we call the “Oreo Confession.”  Have you heard of it?  It’s when someone comes to confession and says:  “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been two months since my last confession.  Father, I took some pencils from work. I said bad things to people, committed adultery, and I had a bad thought.”  Whoa, whoa, whoa!  Let’s go back to that little one in the middle of the Oreo Confession.  What is necessary in the Sacrament of Penance is the confession of mortal sins.  However, confessing venial sins is sufficient grounds for the grace of the Sacrament.  But you do not have to tell me how many times you said a bad word to somebody.  So, you don’t need to walk around with a clicker recording how many times you curse.  No.  That is all unnecessary.  Our Lord, through the person of the priest or bishop, anoints your soul with the Most Precious Blood and washes away the stain of sin and infuses His very Self to heal the wounds of our sins and the sins of others.   

Also necessary for the proper reception of the Sacrament is contrition and purpose of amendment. Contrition comes in two forms: perfect and imperfect.  Perfect contrition is when you are sorry that you hurt the one you love and have harmed the relationship.  Imperfect contrition is when you are afraid of getting punished.   Ask any police officer.  They see imperfect contrition every day.  “I’m sorry!  I didn’t know I was speeding!”  Uh-huh.  You aren’t sorry that you risked people’s lives; you are sorry that your insurance rate will go up.   But imperfect contrition, to be afraid of God’s punishment, is sufficient to receive grace from the Sacrament. 

Another thing necessary for the proper reception of the Sacrament is purpose of amendment and to avoid sin in the future.  “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.  I stole your watch.”  Okay, I forgive you.  Give me back my watch.  You can’t keep it.  In the case of money, “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I stole $500 from my work three years ago.”  Okay.  You have to give the money back with interest.  You cannot profit from sin, and you must repair the damage you’ve done.    Regarding purpose of amendment, I tell alcoholics and drug addicts, “You know, if you hang around a barber shop long enough, eventually you’re going to get a haircut.”  If you want to avoid drinking, don’t go into bars or ABC stores.  That would be a good first step.   The biggest occasion for sin is between the ears.  Stay away from the people, places, and things that lead you to sin.   You have to stay away from sin, or it will find you. 

When I’m hearing confessions, I’m unlikely to ask questions, but I may.  If, during confession, a penitent tells me that they are living with someone, I will ask, “Are you living together as brother and sister or as husband and wife?”  If the penitent says, “as husband and wife,” then I tell them, “I cannot forgive you until you end the relationship because you intend to return to an objective state of sin.  It would be an abuse of the Sacrament, and I cannot do that.”  If the penitent is unhappy about not being absolved of their sins, I’ll say, “You are trying to manipulate our Savior.  He wants to give you His very Self, and you are laying down conditions for that gift.”   He wants to give you His very Self.  Most people would say, “Yes! Righteous!” but you are saying, “Yeah, but.”  No, that’s not going to work. 

The gift of the Precious Blood washes away sins and, through the Sacrament, infuses the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity.  It heals the soul of our sins and the sins committed by others.   That’s what I said this week when I was at Felon University (prison).  A lot of those men did not have a great start.  In fact, some of them were abused as kids, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, but that is not an excuse.  I told them that when you go to the Sacrament, let the Precious Blood wash away all the hurt in your soul from the sins that others have done to you.   Frequent confession is helpful, especially for sins that were committed against us when we were young.  If you were abused, that’s why you come to the Sacrament so that Christ’s Precious Blood can anoint your soul and start healing the damage that has been done.  Perfectly?  Maybe, maybe not.  But it is progress because you are drawing ever closer to Christ.  The sin inflicted upon your soul can receive the proper medicine.  You become holy and strive for holiness.  You will be able to bear the unbearable.  That is the power of the Sacrament.      

I had bronchitis a few months ago, a lovely condition, but I don’t recommend it.  I went for an X-ray, and the technician said, “Take a deep breath and hold it.”  If I could do that, I wouldn’t be here!  Come on!  I’m coughing my brains out and hacking up a load all over the place.  So, the doctor prescribed some pills and said to take them to the end.  Usually, taking one pill from the doctor will not cure our condition unless it’s Doctor Kevorkian.  Why does the doctor ask you to take the medicine?  Because it works.  Why do I ask you to take this medicine?  Because it works.  What clinical trial am I basing that on?  It’s the one where Jesus told me it works.  So, it works.  The Sacrament of Penance is a spiritual physical where the priest acting in the person of Christ applies God’s medicine which is His Most Precious Blood and anoints your soul.  Does the Sacrament of Penance lead to a perfect way of life?  I wish that were true.  We all struggle. 

Now, two weeks from today, I will be going on vacation, and a visiting priest will be here.  So, it would be a great time to go to Confession.  Some of you don’t like coming to me because you know me, and some people get embarrassed.  I’ve been here a long time.   You will probably never see the visiting priest again in this life.  So go and dump all the poop on him.  You will feel great, and when he leaves town, he will take all the garbage with him.  Perfect. 

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – March 1, 2026 – “He Wants Your Sins”

“He Wants Your Sins”

 Father Peter Fitzgibbons

March 1, 2026

Gospel: Matthew 17:1-9

During the two seasons of Advent and Lent, Holy Mother Church asks us for penance for the coming into the world of Christ at the nativity, and also for His suffering, death, and resurrection in Lent. The Church asks her faithful to receive the Sacrament of Penance.  When you tell the priest your sins, the priest, who functions in the person of Christ, anoints your soul with His Precious Blood, which washes away all sin and infuses divine grace, healing the harm sin has caused.  It is a beautiful Sacrament.  But over the years, it has, like other things in the Church, suffered from some grave abuses.  A white fence doesn’t stay white; you have to paint it and occasionally maintain it.  It’s the same with the teaching of the Sacraments.  Over the years of my priesthood, I have seen many weird things that Rome had to correct.  This takes some time because they hope that bishops will self-correct.  But the odds of that happening are not great, so Rome must do the correcting. 

Remember when we all had to have reconciliation rooms?  When I came here many years ago, may God have mercy on your souls, there were no confessionals.  Confessions were made in the cry room, which goes against Church law.  “We must have reconciliation rooms.”   No.  Priests are not obligated to hear confessions face-to-face.  Someone appealed to Rome, and Rome said we did not need them.   Monsignor wanted to spend thousands of dollars to create them.  No.  First, reconciliation rooms are not required.  They also cost thousands of dollars.   Homie isn’t playing that game!  Rome reminded the bishops and priests, some of whom are educated beyond their ability, that confessionals are there for the protection of the priest and not for the comfort of the penitent.   It is entirely my choice how I hear confessions.  There have been so many crazy things.  Another one is that priests cannot hear confessions right before Mass because it hinders the penitent from reflecting on the Mass.  It sounds good for those not educated in Theology.  But if you had any knowledge past the first year of Theology, you would know that is all fertilizer.  “You cannot hear confessions right before Mass.”  Rome said, “Yes, you can. You can also hear confessions during Mass.”    The first thing you learn in Sacramental Theology is a Latin phrase: “Sacramenta destinabantur homini” which means the Sacraments were meant for man.   They are not elaborate rituals that satisfy everybody’s desire to be in a high school play.  The Sacraments are God giving life to man.  That is why He came . . . to give us His divine life.  

This comes up sometimes with the Spanish.  They’ll say, “Father, confess?”  Yes, but only if you speak English.  They’ll say, “Yes, yes.”  Then they start rattling off in Spanish.  Wrong!  I am only obligated to hear confessions in the language I understand.  You are blowing stuff by me.  I need English so that I can understand you.  It’s like going to your doctor and describing in Spanish all your symptoms and all the medications you take.  If your doctor doesn’t speak Spanish, what do you think the outcome of your healthcare is going to be?  Not good.  If I cannot understand what you are saying, I don’t know if there is any mortal sin there, so I cannot absolve you, and I cannot apply effective remedies.  When I was overseas, a Korean lady came to camp, and she went to Mass.  She would sit near the back of the Quonset hut with her daughter.   After Mass, her daughter approached me and said, “Father, my mother would like to go to Confession.”  Great.   Her mother spoke Hangeul.  How good do you think my Hangeul is?  I barely speak English.  I do not know Hangeul, so her daughter translated for her.  Priests have told me I cannot do that.  Yes, I can.  It’s in the law.  They must have fallen asleep during Canon Law class that day.  The translator has the same obligation of secrecy regarding the confession as I do.   

Another, and my favorite, is general absolution.  I was at dinner with some priests, and one of them was laughing about a wedding rehearsal he had been to.  Some people at the rehearsal wanted him to hear their confessions.  But he was tired, so he gave them general absolution.    Some of the priests thought that was funny and were laughing.   Well, the way I was raised, you do not make a mockery of the Sacraments because that is blasphemy.   So, I said, “Father, when I was overseas, after I began Mass, we started taking incoming fire, so I gave everybody general absolution.  I do believe that is the only time it is allowed.”   There was deathly silence at the table.   So, it’s getting crazy.   Our bishop, as the pastor and teacher of the diocese, has sent out a letter reminding the priests and the faithful about how to receive and celebrate the Sacrament.  Here is a portion of it:

On the part of Confessors [that would be me], the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation is not counseling, nor is it the appropriate time for spiritual direction.  A brief word of counsel may be given after penitents confess their sins.   If someone needs a longer consultation about their spiritual life, the priest should instruct the penitent to come to the parish office to arrange for an appointment with a priest.

When I was going through the Penance course, the professor said we should not keep penitents for long because it sets a bad example.  Keep your voice quiet.  Don’t yell, “You did what??” or “Oh my God!!”  Don’t do that.   Now back to the bishop’s letter. 

On the part of the faithful approaching the Sacrament, penitents should be instructed to examine their conscience well before the individual confession.  Ask briefly and confess your sins without extraneous details [I get a lot of that] or recounting all the circumstances surrounding your sins [I get a lot of that too.  I have been a chaplain for 42 years, a military chaplain for 24 of those years.  If you have a sin I haven’t heard about, I’ll pay for the privilege of hearing it.]  Confessors should gently remind individual penitents that they only need to briefly mention details that would affect the gravity of the sin or culpability to the penitent to a greater or lesser degree. 

That’s important.  I have heard this a couple of times: “Father, I have committed every sin in the book.”   There are two textbooks in the Moral Theology course: Volumes 1 and 2.  I still have them; they are interesting reading.   When someone says they have committed every sin, I ask them, “So have you married your first cousin?”  No!   There goes a chapter.  I remember we had to study the degrees of affinity in Marriage Law and memorize all the tables.  Gosh!   In my 42 years as a priest, I have never had anyone who had a problem with that one.   But I had to memorize those tables, and I still remember them.  Another question I will ask is: “Did you date any animals?”  No!  Another chapter gone.  “Did you sell the Sacraments?”  No!  Another chapter gone.  Every sin has a name, so just name it.  You’ve got to tell me where it hurts because I’m not a mind reader.   I could probably predict with a high degree of certainty what you did, but that doesn’t help anyone.  When the penitent admits their sins, it opens their soul to Christ’s grace and purity.  And yes, I do go to confession.  At my age, I cannot find priests much older than I am, so I have to go to much younger guys.  Even though you must be 25 or 26 to be ordained, I can smell the Clearasil on them.  We are robbing the cradle! Remember what the Sacrament of Penance is and what it is not.  Christ wants your sins.  He wants to give you the grace and healing God gives you in the Sacrament. 

How will you apply this message to your life? _________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – November 23, 2025 – “Drop the Rock”

“Drop the Rock”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

November 22-23, 2025

Gospel: Luke 23:35-43

I have been told that there is a day this week called “Black Friday.”  I always wear black on Friday, so I am fashion forward.  But that’s probably not it.  Black Friday is a day when people go absolutely crazy trying to buy things on sale.  But if they can buy things at such a good price on Black Friday, my training in Philosophy tells me that those items must be overpriced on all the other days of the year.  Just saying.  People go crazy on Black Friday perhaps because it’s a reminder that there are only five weeks left until Christmas.  You have a list of gifts to give family and friends who may have told you what they want, or you may know what they need.

Gifts are expressions of our love.  Now, you all love God because you are here.  So let me ask you a theological question.  What are you giving God for Christmas?  What does God need?  What does God want?  God wants the one thing He did not create.   He wants our sins.   God did not create sin.  We did when we refused to love Him and serve Him.  But our sin is what He wants, and only we can give it to Him.  He wants all those secret sins that we take to the grave and that make our lives much more miserable than they have to be.  Who wants that?  
God wants to come and dwell in our hearts.  There is a principle in Newtonian Physics which states that two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time.  Likewise, God cannot dwell in a heart that is full of sin.  He cannot do it.  He will not do it.  “Can’t God just take away my sins without me?”  Yes.  Will He do it?   No, because that would violate your free will.  To love is an act of the will.  It is not an emotion.  We choose to love.  When we choose not to love Him, God will not violate our free will, no matter how much He loves us. 

God wants us to give Him our sins in the Sacrament of Penance.  You would be surprised at what that does.  If you want to be happy, joyous, and free, and if you want to give up the cost of low living, give God what He wants most – your sins.  There is a book counselors use entitled, “Drop the Rock” by Bill Pittman.   When people are trying to swim out to the lifeboat, but they keep sinking, it’s because they are carrying a big rock.  Dude, what are you trying to be, a Navy Seal?   “But I don’t want to give my stuff up!”  Well, you either give that stuff up or you are going to be miserable and die.  Take your pick. 

It is amazing the stuff we hang on to, whether it’s the sins we have committed, or the sins others have committed against us.  But you must save your soul.  So, drop the rock!   God asks for the worst we have and for some reason, in our fallen state, we refuse.  We refuse to give God the worst we have.  But that is all He wants.  He wants our sin so that He can give us the best gift we could ever hope for – Himself.

Father’s Reflections: I want to thank everyone for their kindness while I was sick.  If I needed anything, it would show up like soup, pie, Jello, cyanide (some days were worse than others).   * I went to Chic Filet for lunch the other day, and the young lady who took my order asked me, “What’s a good name?”   I said, “Fred.”   I have always liked that name, Fred.  I’m feeling much better now!

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog,” then “Categories,” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes

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Sermon Notes – August 4, 2024 – “The Secret to Happiness”

“The Secret to Happiness”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

August 3 – 4, 2024

Gospel:  John 6:24-35


I’m going to tell you a secret that I do not want to take to the grave.  On my last day – my last hour – I don’t want to try to mumble something to someone who is fluffing a pillow over my face.  Do you know what the secret to happiness is?  Now this is free advice.  The secret to happiness is holiness.  It’s that simple.  It’s right there in scripture in the black part. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light” (Matthew 11:28-30).  Follow Jesus and you will have happiness, a happiness the world cannot take when Christ lives in our souls.  Now you may say, “Father, I try to be holy.”  You all do because you are all here.   But there are other things that happen that hurt us.  We have crosses, family crosses, and all sorts of things that weigh us down and make us sad.  For example, I’m 40 years a priest and still not a monsignor!  That’s a daily cross I must bear.  Nobody knows the pain I’ve gone through, okay?   Being holy doesn’t mean we won’t have difficulties, but that doesn’t take away the joy within us.  Only we can erase the joy and peace in our souls by sinning.  Christ doesn’t leave us – we toss Him out by committing mortal sin or having unrepentant venial sin.   We need to keep the life in our souls refreshed and strong so that we can meet the troubles of life and be able to carry our cross as well as help family and friends carry theirs.

We receive the Bread of Life in Holy Communion.  We see Christ, as Saint John Paul II said, in the Sacrament of Penance.  You cannot have one without the other.  People say, “I go to Communion all the time.”  But do you go to Confession?  “No.”  Well, you have to do both.  If you want to receive Holy Communion, Saint John Paul II said, “You have to go to Confession” to receive the Precious Blood of our Lord in our souls.  In the last two centuries of the Church, in the late 1890’s, Saint Pious X changed a few rules.  People received Holy Communion only on holy days, feast days, etc.  It was misplaced piety.  Saint Pious X said, “No, wrong answer.”  Also, Holy Communion was restricted until you were in your teens.   Saint Pious again said, “No, wrong answer.”  He brought the age to receive Communion down to the age of reason and encouraged receiving frequent Communion.  How can you keep your strength up if you don’t eat?  If you go 24 hours without food, you feel a little weak.  How can you keep the strength in your soul if you don’t receive Holy Communion often?  The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that we should receive Communion often if we are properly disposed.  Properly disposed means we have no mortal sin on our soul and no unrepentant venial sins.   But it’s an objective state.  We can say, “I feel great.  I’m pretty healthy.”  It’s not that I don’t believe you, but I would believe it more if Dr. Lil or Dr. Talbert signed off on it.  It’s not about what we think.  I think I’m good-looking and strong with a big red “S” on my chest.  Objectively, I don’t.   

Receiving Communion frequently helps keep us strong in the face of temptation and renews the happiness in our souls.  I don’t mean in an emotional way like Mary Tyler Moore, “I’m so happy!”  That’s not normal.   No, I’m talking about a sense of peace and a sense of strength.  You will have Christ in your soul, and nothing can take that away from you.  No amount of temptation can take it from you.  No matter how many sins are committed against you can take it away from you.  One of the other benefits of being holy, besides going to Heaven, which is the greatest benefit, is that we become more attractive.  Now maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but I will.  When I see other priests, they are very jealous of this parish because we have the best-looking people in the diocese.  I frequently get a thrashing for that, but I’m willing to take it for you.  But what does holiness do?  Having Christ in our souls makes us attractive to other people.  They see the beauty and goodness within us – it is not us, it is us who allow Christ to radiate in our souls. 

Remember Mother Theresa of Calcutta, who is now a saint?   Let’s face it – she did not look good.  But everyone wanted to be around her because she had Christ in her soul.  No one knew the depth of her suffering.  Bishop Fulton Sheen had movie-star looks and was very charismatic.   You would never know that all he could eat was milk, graham crackers, and boiled chicken because his stomach was so bad.  No one knew how much he suffered.  But he had Christ in him and that’s why people wanted to be around him.  Saint John Paul II had Parkinsons. When he was shot, he received a blood transfusion, and an Air Force doctor proved that Saint John Paul had received the Parkinson’s virus from the transfusion.  During his last days, as he spent his time on the cross, he wasn’t the most attractive person there ever was.  He was bloated because of the steroids he had to take.  He drooled and shook, but everybody wanted to be around him because he had Christ in him.  The Pope was a fan of classical music.  Personally, I’m more of a classic AC/DC fan.  But I remember watching this concert where a world-famous conductor and his orchestra came to play for the Pope at the Vatican. They played one of his favorite compositions, and afterward, this world-famous conductor nervously looked at the Pope to see if he had enjoyed the concert.  He was thrilled when the Holy Father gave him a thumbs up because he was playing for Christ. 

Did Saint Theresa, Bishop Sheen, and Pope John Paul enjoy their suffering?  I presume not, but they endured it for the salvation of souls.  They showed us what is possible when Christ lives in our souls. 

Father’s Reflections . . .
When the Old Testament lesson was being read, the Israelites said, “We’ve never seen this food before.”  I swear my first thought was, may God have mercy on my soul, “It tastes like chicken.”  No.  Monkey tastes like monkey.   Quail tastes like chicken.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ______________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – July 28, 2024 – “You Cannot Eat Your Way to Jesus”

“You Cannot Eat Your Way to Jesus”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 27 – 28, 2024

Gospel:  John 6:1-15


Our good Lord gave people an Introduction to the Eucharist course, but they sort of flunked it.  They realized Jesus had the power to do what He said, and He did it out of love. They flunked the course because when they saw what He could do, they wanted to make Him a bread king.  We do not have a bread king . . . We have a King of love, and He gives Himself to us.  But the people thought He would give them everything they needed, which would be the perfect social welfare system.   “If we make Him a king, everybody will get free bread, free housing, and a free computer.”  They flunked the lesson terribly.  They said He was a prophet.  They got that wrong too.  He was the Son of God.  They were asking for the wrong thing from our Lord. 

He came so that they might have life and have it to the fullest.  He came to fill the hole in the soul.  He gave them the means for salvation and peace in their souls.  But they all wanted something less than what He was.  And that happens in the Church.  “If we have a gym, people will come. If we have a youth ministry, people will come.  If we buy them pizza, they will come.”  In the Army, we had a program called “Eat Your Way to Jesus.”  They would buy pizza for these bible studies they held.  The soldiers would come, eat the pizza, and leave.  You couldn’t keep them there.  They ate the free food, and they were outta there.  “Well, if we had pools, saunas, and entertainment we could compete.”  No.  We can give them what we have which is the best . . . we give them God.  It’s not what we give them but Who we give them. 

People call or come by the church all the time to ask for money, and they come up with some incredible stories about why they need money.  We know it’s all fertilizer.  Their power is about to be shut off or they need money for a mortgage payment.  Some of them show up at night, which is why the cops recommended that I have a handgun.  So, if you need to stop by the rectory at night, call beforehand to let me know.  When I answer the door at night, I always have a gun behind my back because there are a lot of not-so-nice people around after dark.   “Oh, I was just released from the hospital, and I need money for medicine.”  Now, I’ve been a hospital chaplain for 40 years, and that doesn’t fly at all.   Sometimes they bring their babies and claim they need money for baby formula. 

We hear some amazing stories, but they always ask for much less than they could receive.  I can give them Christ the way the Apostles received Him at the Last Supper.  They can receive the Most Precious Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion.  With the Sacrament of Penance, I, acting in the Person of Christ, can wash away their sins with His Most Precious Blood and anoint their soul.  I can give them peace at the end of their lives with the Sacrament of Last Rites so that they can go joyfully to meet God.   You’d be surprised, but a lot of people don’t want that.

I had this patient in hospice who was new to the unit, so I looked at his chart.  He had lots of problems, and his prognosis was not great.  I went in to visit him, and we talked for about ten minutes.  I asked him if he would like to receive the Sacrament of the Sick.  I don’t call it Last Rites; otherwise, the nurses would have to clean the bed sheets again, and I don’t want to get in trouble with them.  But the patient said, “Oh no, no.  I’m getting better!”  I leaned over and said, “You know you’re in hospice, right?”   I just wanted to make sure he was aware of where he was.  He may be getting out in a couple of weeks, but probably not the way he thought.  Now, my military background tells me I must complete the mission, so I went to Plan B, which I have used many times.  I wait until the medication cart goes by and the patient gets a bunch of happy pills or shots.  Then I have a cup of coffee while I wait for them to get bombed.  After about 10 minutes, I go back into the patient’s room and ask, “Would you like to receive Last Rites now?  I’ll take that as a yes.”   Mission completed.    

We always ask for too little while God offers us so much. Every day, we can come into God’s very presence. The church is open if either Lori or I are here.  It beats watching Soap Operas or listening to Dan Bongino.  Our Lord is in the Tabernacle, and He wants to feed our souls to give us peace and rest.  He wants to give us strength to carry our crosses so that can rejoice with Him for all eternity.  God wants to give us His very self while we settle for so much less.

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Sermon Notes – July 21, 2024 – “The Greatest Sermon is One People Can See”

“The Greatest Sermon is One People Can See”

Father Peter Fitzgibbons

July 20 – 21, 2024

Gospel:  Mark 6:30-34

Why did so many people come to hear Jesus?  Because He told them about God’s love, and He told the Apostles to go out and do the same.  They performed acts of God’s love.  People heard about the love of God, and they saw the love of God in action when He healed the sick and exorcised demons.  When people saw the love of God, they wanted it because only He could heal the hole in the soul.  That’s what attracted so many people, and that’s how we can bring people into the Church.  We don’t have to be smarter than the average bear.  Saint Paul tried that and it didn’t turn out so well.  So, he began to preach about Christ crucified which is God’s love.  After that, he began to attract a lot of people.  That is also how we should preach to others . . . by talking about the love of God.

I get these emails from the diocese: “You have to preach on stewardship and tithing.”  Have I, in 22 years, ever preached about money?  No, and I never will.   An old Monsignor once told me, “Be a good priest and you won’t have to worry about money.”  When you preach about God’s love, nowhere should there be anything about tithing or a stewardship campaign.  Instead, we should preach about the goodness and love of God.  The Apostles didn’t have a church where someone played Mitch Miller music.  No.  They talked about the love of God.  How do we do that?  The greatest expression of God’s love is His mercy, and we experience His mercy through the Sacraments.  To preach about the love of God, which is manifested in His forgiveness, we have to experience it in the Sacrament of Penance.  We also need to experience His great love in the Sacrament of Holy Communion.  God freely gives Himself to us so that we may have life and have it to the fullest.  It is God’s great love that enables us to receive that gift. 

Now I love the folks who evangelize outside the courthouse.  They are well-intentioned, and I appreciate their zeal.  But I have to wonder if they are taking their meds.  “You’re going to hell!!”  Really?  “If you don’t follow my particular brand of Christianity, you aren’t going to Heaven.”  Really?  How do you know?  If you really knew, you could pick winning lottery numbers, and I don’t see you riding around in a Bentley.  God sees what man doesn’t.  Only God sees the heart, and He judges accordingly.  So, you have no idea.  To say you do is a sin against charity and slanderous.  Never mind that our Lord said, “Judge not lest ye be judged” (Matthew 7:1).  The Curé d’Ars (the parish priest of Ars, France) was talking to a woman whose husband fell off a bridge and drowned.  The woman said, “You can see everything, Father.”  The priest said, “Yes.  God sometimes gives me that gift.”  The woman said, “My husband was a bad man.  He beat me and he was a drunk.  He drowned, so he’s in hell, isn’t he?”  The priest said, “I don’t know.  There was a long time from when he fell from the bridge and hit the water.”  That’s enough time (to express sorrow) for imperfect contrition and to save his soul.  We don’t know, so we entrust everyone to the mercy of God. 

Mother Teresa preached the Gospel by taking care of lepers.  Those people saw God’s love in action.   While I was in Cuba, I had the privilege of offering Mass to Mother Theresa’s Sisters.  Besides Mass, they spent two hours a day in prayer in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.  That’s where they got the strength to do the kind of work that would make most people want to retch.  Have you ever smelled leprosy?  It is not pleasant.  By the way, the Sisters did not wear masks, but they bathed the lepers and helped them with their bodily functions because they couldn’t.  The Sisters showed God’s love by taking care of the very sick and dying.  There was no money exchanged; the Sisters did it out of love for God. 

We preach the love of God by our works of mercy.  The greatest sermon is one that people can see.  Saint Francis said, “Preach the Gospel at all times; use words when necessary.”

How will you apply this message to your life?  ________________________________________

You can read all of Father Fitzgibbons’ sermons by going to AnnunciationCatholicAlbemarle.com, clicking on “Blog” then “Categories” and then “Sermon Notes.”  On a cell phone: click on “Blog” and then “Menu.”  Scroll to the bottom and click on “Categories.”  Sermon Notes are also available on the Church’s Facebook page at OLA.Catholic.Church.  Click on “Groups” and then “Sermon Notes.”

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Healing from the Wound of Sin

Our sins can leave a wound, even after we confess them. It can take time to move on from decisions and actions we made in our past. Fr. Mike helps us work through the pain of our sins and shows us how we can find true freedom and joy in our relationship with God.

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Regret vs. Repentance

There is a difference between regret and repentance, and this video will explain what it is! It’s okay to regret the things we’ve done in the past that took us away from the path of God, but we can’t dwell in this regret.

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Do I Have to Forgive & Forget?

What does it mean to be “reconciled with God”? This video offers great insights into the process of forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration. Fr. Mike explains how God offers all 3 stages to us in the Sacrament of Confession.