Fr. Mayer's Preaching & Teaching

Is it possible to be in loyal opposition to Pope Francis? Is a Catholic required to submit to non definitive or non infallible teachings of the Pope? Can a person appeal over and above the pope to divine law or natural law?

During this time of the year it is easy to get beaten down by all of the presures and expectations: parties, ugly sweaters, expenses, lights, and supposed happiness. Instead find joy through the piercing preaching of John the Baptist. 

This homily was given upon the occasion of the pastoral visit of Steven Lopes, the bishop of the Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter, Fr. Mayer's parish: to St. James Catholic Church.

Jesus said to take heed and watch. Be guided by St. Robert Bellarmine, doctor of the Church and expert in Scripture, Church Fathers, and History, so that you can read the signs taking place and be ready for Jesus' return. 

Curious to find out why Jesus identified himself so closely with the "least of these, my brethren," so much so that disregarding them can place you in eternal peril? Learn the answer to this question and be inspired to greatness. Discover from the poor more fully who God is and who you are, and your purpose.

Fr. Mayer sets into context parable of the prepared and unprepared virgins who entered into the dark night together. This parable immediatly follows Jesus' teaching on the end times and is meant to help his followers to be ready for this time. Learn about the great tribulation that is to come. Learn why the unprepared will most likely not make it through and take warning. Learn how to be prep...

Jesus warned that there are certain people within the Church, people who exert great influence, who you should also be careful of, lest you take on their poisonous way of living. Learn how to easily identify these people and how to avoid their perilous contagion. 

Nearly all of the popes over the past century have held up for the Church the teaching on sanctity proposed by St. Thérèse of Lisieux. This child like saint was proclaimed a doctor of the Church because of her straight, short, new little way, as she described it, of entering into the happiness found in God alone. Her way is one of hope, to poor sinners. Listen and be encouraged. 

How do you know if your family or career or reputation is more important than God? 

We are preparing to enter a big political year with the election of our next president. How would Jesus respond if he were to be thrown into this mix? Learn how to deal with political controversies from the example of Jesus and how he responded to the political parties of his day.

Learn the meaning of Jesus fascinating parable of the wedding feast and the guests who violently refuse to be a part of this celebration. Learn the historic understanding of the guy who does come, but then refuses to put on the wedding clothes. What does all of this mean? What does it have to do with rejecting the Church or the sacraments? 

Where there is problems with Church leadership, some split off and form new factions of Christianity, others leave all together, others stay. How do you know what to do when? Fortunately, Jesus taught about this, preparing you for these difficult times so that you would know what to do. Listen and learn what he had to say. 

It is easy to rashly judge a person who appears to be in grave sin, but, warning, this is incredibly dangerous. Learn about Mark Ji Tianxiang, a man who died as an opiod adicc and yet has been declared a saint of the Church. For thirty years his priest refused to admit him to the sacraments because he wrongly believed that St. Mark was in mortal sin. Learn how the Church's merciful understand...

Most people do not realize the deadly plague that complaining is. Learn not only what God really thinks about this vice, but also three practical remedies to deal with the temptation of grumbling. 

Learn about the often misunderstand notion of forgiveness. Come and learn why there is no such thing as unconditional forgiveness and why unconditional forgiveness actually lacks charity. Learn also how to forgive even when it is hard and painful and be moved by the inspirational examples of forgiveness lived out by the saints of the Church. 

Know someone who has a sin that they really like and do not want to give up? Maybe they don’t even see it as a sin. How do you respond to this? Learn about what Jesus says you should do with that sinner that refuses correction or change. Maybe that sinner is you (wink). I think that you’ll be surprised by the answer and maybe even scandalized :-). The good news of our Lord has a way of doing that.

The governing ethos of modern life is the maximization of pleasure and the minimization of pain, yet Christ talks about coming alive by embracing your cross. He was the master at teaching people how to transform suffering into joy. If you sometimes find yourself having a bad day and getting grumpy and irritable, learn from our Lord about how a person might consider embracing suffering and experien...

There has been an increase of resistance to Pope Francis from a small but vocal segment of the Catholic Church. Some have even been spreading suspicion that he is preparing for a big change which will cause outright heresy and schism. If you share these concerns, find encouragement in the foundational bedrock upon which Christ structured his Church and why you have nothing to fear from these media...

Discover the most effective cure for anxiety, something that scientists are just now discovering, but that has been used in the Catholic Church for two millennia. Learn about the roots of anxiety and a highly effective way of working through and responding to panic attacks, anxiety, and anxiety disorders.

Much harm has come to the body of Christ from those who had a divine experience and they were not prepared to respond or they became prideful because of this experience. What do you do if it appears that God is telling you one thing and the Church is telling you another? Learn from the wisdom of our Lord as he taught some of his closest disciples following their own divine experience when Christ w...

How should you respond to the wide variety of disconcerting happenings in the Church? Jesus warned us ahead of time that the Church was going to be a mixture of good and bad people and that they would not be sorted until the end. This of course has resulted in a great deal of scandal and suffering. So how should you respond? 

Learn about the first of the apostles to be killed for the faith, a hardworking man who spread the gospel as far as Spain, a man who is continuing to draw people to Christ even after his death. Learn about the source of his evangelizing power and how this great apostle is influencing the mission community of St. James today.  

Jesus described how the gospel being read and preached, if well received, is a great blessing, but to the one who receives it badly, this can actually be dangerous and put the person in an even worse predicament. Learn to identify the way that you receive preaching, and whether this increases culpability or fosters ever growing abundance and blessing. 

Learn about the Anointing of the Sick, one of the most misunderstood sacraments. The Last Rites of the Church provide innumerable graces, consolations and the strength needed to make that great leap from time to eternity. Learn about the power of this sacrament, who can get it and when to get it and why earlier is better than later. 

Can giving get you unstuck spiritually? Can giving heal infertility? Jesus said that you must love him more than your family. What does this mean when it comes to finances? Learn about what Jesus taught on giving and the rewards that he promised to generous hearts.