EPISODE · Aug 10, 2026 · 23 MIN
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 08/10/2026
from Be Not Afraid · host Fr. Fabian, Fr. Bruce Riebe
On this Feast of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr, Fr. Fabian and Fr. Bruce Riebe open with a look at how men are formed for the priesthood in the Byzantine Catholic Church, from tonsure and the subdiaconate through ordination to the transitional diaconate. Fr. Bruce shares the history behind married Eastern Catholic clergy in North America, including the 1920s shift toward celibate-only ordinations under Bishop Takach and Pope Francis' 2014 decision restoring the ancient practice of ordaining married men to the priesthood. Fr. Bruce also reflects on his own path to ordination, first to the diaconate and then to the priesthood in August 1985. The hosts then turn to the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15 — a holy day of obligation — walking through Pope Pius XII's 1950 dogmatic definition and what it means for the faithful. Fr. Bruce explains the Byzantine Catholic parallel, the Dormition of the Theotokos, including the tradition of the Apostle Thomas finding Mary's tomb filled with flowers rather than her body, and the custom of blessing flowers on the feast. The episode closes with a reflection on Matthew 15:21-28, the Canaanite woman who pleads with Jesus to heal her daughter. Fr. Fabian and Fr. Bruce discuss her bold persistence in faith, what Jesus' initial silence and the "bread for the dogs" saying meant in context, and what her example teaches listeners about trusting God's will even when He seems slow to answer. Learn more at IowaCatholicRadio.com Support for this episode comes from Ball Team, your builder of all faith-based construction needs. Learn more at BuildWithBall.com Hashtags #BeNotAfraid #IowaCatholicRadio #CatholicPodcast #SaintLawrence #ByzantineCatholic #EasternCatholicChurch #AssumptionOfMary #DormitionOfTheTheotokos #Theotokos #CanaaniteWoman #GospelOfMatthew #DailyGospel #CatholicFaith #OrdinaryTime #Catholicism Listen Live · Program Schedule · Our StationsLINKSYou can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok! More on our website.If you would like to support Iowa Catholic Radio you can donate Here! More from Iowa Catholic Radio:Sunday Dive with Katie PatrizioMan Up! with Joe StopulosCatholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie NelsonThe Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud MarrBe Not Afraid with Fr. Fabian Moncada and Fr. Bruce RiebeBe Not Afraid en Español con el P. Fabián MoncadaMaking it Personal with Bishop William JoensenFaith and Family Finance with Gregory WaddleThe Great Men of the Bible with Joe Stopulos Liturgy & DevotionsThe Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick SmithThe Daily Mass from St. Francis of AssisiThe Daily Mass from St. Pius XThe Daily Mass from St. TheresaSunday Mass from the Basilica of Saint JohnWant to support your favorite show? Click Here Iowa Catholic Radio - Connecting People to Christ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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What this episode covers
Fr. Fabian and Fr. Bruce Riebe honor the Feast of St. Lawrence, deacon and martyr, tracing the roots of the diaconate and the return of married clergy to the Byzantine Catholic priesthood. They preview the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and its Eastern counterpart, the Dormition of the Theotokos, unpacking the 1950 dogma and its meaning for the Church. The hosts close with a reflection on the Canaanite woman's bold, persistent faith from the Gospel of Matthew, encouraging listeners to trust God's will even when prayers seem delayed.
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20th Sunday in Ordinary Time - 08/10/2026
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