ChiRhoRob Newsletter

July 5, 2025 - Volume I, Issue 5

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“For her part, the Church can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language that may initially create misunderstanding."

 Pope Leo XIV

Full Remarks

Editor’s Note

In this week’s Gospel, we hear Jesus say, “I am sending you like lambs among wolves.” After commissioning seventy (translated as “seventy-two” in the NABRE and “seventy” in the RSV-2CE) to assist in spreading the Gospel, Jesus is blunt about what this mission could entail. He instructs the seventy-two to travel light and to rely on God’s providence for sustenance, shelter, and guidance and emphasizing that few are doing the work of many. There’s a sense of urgency in their task, as He tells them not to greet anyone along the way, but to work with haste. Yet, despite these strict directives, we don’t hear of dissension in the ranks as we did during the days of Moses.

Trust in God. Work with haste. Take a buddy. Share your joy.

Imagine what it would have been like to listen to the conversations of these chosen few. The proclamation of the “Kingdom of God” didn’t just affirm that there life after death, but that the life is something filled with joy, love, and communion with a Father who desires eternity with us.

In the second part of the Gospel (Luke 10:17–20), the seventy returned and were still filled with the same joy they had been sent with, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” Jesus responds with a humbling correction in verse 20: “Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this… but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” This points to our second reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians (6:14): “But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

Still, we can’t overlook the joy they brought. The light of Christ drove out the darkness they encountered. This happened not because of anything special about the disciples themselves, but because of their fidelity to Christ and His message. What a weird sight to behold.

Trust in God. Work with haste. Take a buddy. Share your joy.

Theresa Barber, in her article Why American Catholics need to get weird again, issues a call to reclaim how strange and countercultural our faith truly is, especially in today’s political climate. She points out how easily we allow partisan politics to overshadow our Catholic identity. She writes, “We traded in our complex but beautiful and true Catholic social teaching for the tidy partisan packages of America’s political parties.” How evident this is in every election cycle!

We are called to bring this joy and drive out dark forces where we can with the power and light that only comes from Christ. Answering this call, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio issued a statement addressing the surge in enforcement actions by the Trump administration and ICE on in mid-June. While recognizing the role of law enforcement, he wrote, “In the context of a gravely deficient immigration system, the mass arrest and removal of our neighbors, friends and family members on the basis of immigration status alone, particularly in ways that are arbitrary or without due process, represent a profound social crisis before which no person of good will can remain silent.” In response to this crisis, targeted ICE enforcement actions occurred at two Southern California parishes. What was that line? “I am sending you like lambs among wolves.”

Trust in God. Work with haste. Take a buddy. Share your joy.

While some are working on the national stage, others are ministering more locally, meeting people where they are.

A priest I found on YouTube back when he first began his channel as a Brother, Fr. Casey Cole, OFM, is now leading a new apostolate effort. Ten years ago, Br. Casey launched Breaking in the Habit on YouTube. Since then, he’s been ordained and has produced over 590 videos on faith, Church life, and culture. Alongside Fr. Tito, a regular on the channel, and Fr. Jason, he’s taking Jesus’ commission seriously and the three of them are moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, to evangelize young adults. They’ll be evangelizing on street corners, near food trucks, and at live event tailgates, going out with trust in God’s providence and their unmistakable joy with the ultimate goal of brining the lost sheep back into the fold.

If you’d like to support Fr. Casey and his crew visit the Diocese of Charlotte’s website to make a donation. Keep them in your prayers, too!

Finally, in this week’s Contemplative Corner, we reflect on St. Charles Lwanga and his 21 companions. The article highlights the joy these martyrs lived with even unto death. You’ll read about St. Gyavira, a patron for tattletales; St. Noe Mawaggali, a talented sculptor; St. James Buuzaabalyawo, a musician known for cracking jokes even in the face of execution; and many other relatable young people. Reading about them, I couldn’t help but see how ordinary they were. Truly a sad loss, but foretold by Christ himself. These stories are less than 150 years old; they were martyred in 1885. Read their stories, remember their names, and ask for their intercession.

Trust in God. Work with haste. Take a buddy. Share your joy.

Let us keep in our prayers this week: immigrant families, our bishops who speak truth to power, Fr. Casey Cole, OFM and his brother friars as they launch their new apostolate in Charlotte, and peace in our country this Independence Day weekend.

Sunday Readings

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading – Isaiah 66:10-14

Second Reading – Galatians 6:14-18

Gospel – Luke 10:1-12

Headlines

A few headlines that caught my eye this week:

Suicide Prevention Must Be for Everyone - First Things

Pope Leo XIV’s marriage advice? Keep calm and pray the rosary - CNA

Cardinal who taught mercy to Pope Francis dies at 98 - Aleteia

‘The focus is dignity’ - For former inmates, St. Vincent de Paul program offers a fresh start - The Pillar

Why the Catholic Church’s Voice on AI Could Be the Most Consequential - First Things

How does Canon Law apply to Holy Communion standoff between priest and MP? - Catholic Herald

Alabama gets Pope Leo’s 1st US archbishop appointment - Aletelia

Thousands Rally Across the U.S. Urging Congress to Defund Planned Parenthood - The Daily Register

SCOTUS Takes on Big Porn - First Things

Catholic ministry helps adult children of divorce find healing and love - CNA

Pope Leo XIV or ‘Pope Leo XIV’ — How to spot a fake online pope - The Pillar

PHOTOS: Rome celebrates its patron saints with a burst of colorful flowers - CNA

Will an American pope mean a wave of new American saints? - The Pillar

Contemplative Corner

Killed for Being Christian: The Personal Stories of All 22 Catholic Ugandan Martyrs

The Ugandan Martyrs were ordinary men and boys who embraced extraordinary faith in the face of persecution. Their lives were marked by deep repentance, fidelity to Christ, and courageous resistance to injustice. From royal pages to musicians and craftsmen, each martyr offers a powerful witness to holiness in daily life. This article gives a biography of each of these saints.

Apostolate Spotlight

Lay Dominicans

Lay Dominicans are lay men and women who live out the Dominican charism while fully engaged in the world. They may be single, married, or widowed. Rooted in prayer, study, community, and mission, they seek to proclaim the truth of Christ in everyday life. Through regular formation, fraternity gatherings, the Rosary, and the Liturgy of the Hours, they grow spiritually and support one another. In union with the Dominican Order, Lay Dominicans preach through their daily lives at home, at work, and in public. Learn more at laydominicans.org.

The Liturgical Week Ahead 

*Coloring indicates Liturgical Color

7/7/2025 - Monday - of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time 

Gn 28:10-22a/Mt 9:18-26

7/8/2025 - Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Gn 32:23-33/Mt 9:32-38

7/9/2025 - Wednesday - Memorial of St. Augustine Zhao Rong , Priest, and Companions, Martyrs

Gn 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a/Mt 10:1-7

7/10/2025 - Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Gn 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5/Mt 10:7-15

7/11/2025 - Friday - Memorial of St. Benedict, Abbot

Gn 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67/Mt 9:9-13

7/12/2025 - Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Gn 49:29-32; 50:15-26a/Mt 10:24-33

Community Prayer Intentions

For Strength and Comfort

• Sia Krog and the Krog Family
• Fr. Casey, Fr. Tito, and Fr. Jason
• Pope Leo XIV

Eternal Rest

• Emma Niese
• Pope Benedict XVI
• Pope Francis

Saints in Progress, pray for us!

• Fr. Augustus Tolton
• Bl. Solanus Casey
• Fr. Patrick Ryan

Thank you!

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Please know of my prayers for you, and please continue to pray for me and my family. I’ll see you next time, but in the meantime, God Bless!

–☧ Rob