Bishop Donald DeGrood Homilies

Do you hate difficult and painful things? Most of us do. This weekend in his homily, Bishop DeGrood reminded us that we are to bear our share in the hardship for the Gospel. He also reminds us to have faith and courage in the face of trial, difficulty and adversity. Tune in to his homily to find out how his father's terminal cancer diagnosis is an example of this.

What does it mean to be a good steward? This past weekend in his homily, Bishop DeGrood reflected on the virtue of prudence and the importance of giving our time, talents, treasures and the freedom that comes from giving.

Discipline and tough love can be difficult to deal with. Regardless of whether you're on the giving or receiving end of tough love, it can be hard. It's even more difficult in today's world to give discipline and tough love because of the influences of relativism. This weekend in his homily, Bishop reflected on the tough love of his mother, and how we need discipline in our lives. He also encourag...

The influences of the world are all around us, and they're powerful. This weekend in his homily, Bishop DeGrood encouraged us to not grow weary, to not lose hope, or to give in to the cultural mindset of relativism. Instead, he encourages us to keep our eyes on Jesus, the perfecter of faith.

Our world is filled with false idols. This past weekend in his homily, Bishop DeGrood encouraged us to reflect on our own lives to see if we recognize any idols we may be hanging onto: technology, self-identity, politics, work, relationships, the list goes on. Are they more dominant in our lives than God? Bishop then points us back to God and encourages us to stay grounded in God so we don't creat...

When you think about your childhood, are you like Bishop DeGrood and have your parents' voices ringing in your ears telling you to do or not do something? Do you wish you had listened to your parents? Because of sin and our human brokenness, we do this with our heavenly Father, too. Bishop encourages us to rise above our human brokenness and listen to what God has clearly revealed to us.

This weekend in his homily, Bishop talked about the power and influence of spirits. Both good spirits, with a capital S (the Holy Spirit, God's Spirit), and evil spirits, with a little s (the devil, Satan and other evil spirits). Bishop also reflects on the sanctity of life and the family in light of the Supreme Court decision which overturned Roe v Wade, and encouraged us to respond to God's call...

On this solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, Bishop DeGrood unpacks the mystery of the Trinity. He also explains how we can relate to each person of the Trinity. Finally, Bishop encourages us to call upon the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in our own way and express what is on our heart right now.

Can you think of a time in your life when you've eagerly anticipated a life changing event? Graduation, getting married, having a baby, or starting a new job are all examples that might come to mind. This week in his homily, Bishop DeGrood encourages and explains to us why we should have the same excitement and level of preparedness for the feast of the Ascension and the second coming of Jesus.

What does it mean for God to dwell with us? This weekend in his homily, Bishop reminded us that we are made for love and for God to dwell within us. With this reminder, we are challenged to be Catholics in whom the Word of God is alive within us in every aspect of our lives, and that we may seek the common good and not our own self interests.

On this Easter Sunday, Bishop DeGrood reminds us that from death comes new life, which is what we celebrate with Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. We are also reminded that God comes to us and wants to infuse us with his grace, but we must be open to receive it.

Have you ever steered clear of trouble because you feared what the punishment might be from your parents? Have you ever done this with God and going to confession? This week in his homily, Bishop DeGrood reminds us that Jesus didn't come to condemn us, but to make us righteous.

Does the way we dress impact not only our perception and disposition of the Mass but others as well? This week in his homily Bishop DeGrood explains how the way we present ourselves to Mass can tell those around us what our mindset is about the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Is there a lot in this life you don’t understand? Whether it’s the thoughts of the people around you or God’s plan there’s a lot we don’t know or understand. This week in his homily, Bishop talks about the differences between doubt and seeking understanding. Tune in to this week’s homily to find out why seeking understanding is good and also a gift of the Holy Spirit.

What strategies does the evil one use to get us to give in to our temptations? How do we combat this? This week in his homily, Bishop talks about the different ways we are tempted, and how to combat them.

How do we love as God loves us? This week in his homily, Bishop reminds us that it is only through God's grace we are able to love in such a profound way- despite being so human. This week Bishop gives us an assignment: to focus on the positive qualities we see in others, and take the time to acknowledge them.

Do you ever feel like when life gets difficult you’re being stretched to the max? Whether the struggle is physical, mental, emotional, relational, spiritual or financial Bishop encourages us to persevere and trust in the Lord through the trials of life.

Do you feel too inadequate to serve God? Does the thought of telling others about your faith make you nervous? You're not alone! Isaiah, St. Paul and St. Peter all knew their inadequacies. This week in his homily, Bishop reminds us that God's grace is sufficient for us to do his will.

What is love? Do you know how to love well? This weekend in his homily, Bishop talked about two different ways we love. There’s the childish love that is self-seeking and self-fulfilling, and there’s God’s love, also known as charity. Bishop also reminds us that we cannot love the way God does by our own merits, but only by God’s grace. See St. Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:...

This weekend Bishop talked about using our supernatural, and natural, gifts to build up the body of Christ. He reminded us of the importance of listening to the gifts God has given to us and the role that each of us plays, regardless of our age or ability.

This weekend Bishop talked about our inclinations to focus on our weaknesses rather than our gifts. He encouraged us to recognize how much God delights in us, and to give thanks for the gifts, both natural and supernatural, that he has given us.

On the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, Bishop DeGrood reflected on the stark contrasts between the magi, shepherds and King Herod. The magi and the shepherds found Jesus with humility and an open disposition to the truth of spiritual reality. On the other hand, King Herod was prideful and felt threatened by the thought of another king. He did not seek Jesus with humility, only power and authori...

On this final Sunday of Advent, Bishop talked about the wills and passions of our hearts. He encouraged us to be like our Blessed Mother Mary and turn to God in our struggles and have faith that he will always provide.

On this Christ the King Sunday, Bishop talked about the power and strength of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. He encouraged us to allow Christ to be the King of our lives, and to not try to control things we can’t control. We’re reminded that freedom lies in acknowledging we have a King who loves us, and that Jesus is not a king who wants to control us. Rather, Jesus wants to lead us to the et...

This weekend Bishop talked about giving what we have received from God and giving out of our poverty, whether it be financial, physical or spiritual poverty. He also reflected on walking with others in their poverty and loving them where they were at, and how his beloved Uncle Donnie was a great witness to giving generously.