What is Predestination? ~ Fr Ripperger 

I was born and raised a Jehovah’s Witness and was a devout one for 30 years. God literally nudged me big time one day and put this doubt into my mind that I had never had before: “what if this isn’t the truth? You should pray to Jehovah about this.” That thought terrified me. I was literally shaking. My hands got cold and clammy and it took me about a month to open my heart to God and pray about it. When I did, I asked him to, “please guide me to your truth, wherever it is and send someone to teach it to me.” For the first time in my life I felt like God listened to me and turned his face to me. Before I always felt like I was praying to no one. The next day, he did and in three days, I was liberated from the cult. I lost my family and my older sister and mother still don’t speak to me. 4 years later, my other sister began studying theology after she too was liberated and then I also began studying. But I also daily prayed for the truth of God (I stopped calling him Jehovah) and his guidance. It was really hard because as I was studying and was also in Biblical discussion groups and had Protestant and evangelicals helping me learn scripture, I began to realize that they reject plain scripture about baptism and the Eucharist. They began reminding me of Jehovah’s witnesses with their cognitive dissonance and rejection of scripture that doesn’t agree with their beliefs. I felt horrified and began to doubt in the Christian God altogether. Not only that, but I kept reading about this one singular church in the New Testament. This one singular Faith. And it just didn’t match up with Protestantism. I never considered Catholics at all and didn’t even think that they were remotely Christian and so for those two weeks I began looking into Norse paganism. I even asked Odin to reveal himself to me. Thankfully, nothing happened. I then decided at the end of those two weeks that Jesus is a false god and all the Christians with their thousands of different beliefs from one book were all just fooling themselves. How can their god not keep his own house? So, that night, I took a breath and was about to verbally renounce Jesus Christ and then all of a sudden I heard in my soul, “pray to me, give me one last chance.” I knew exactly who had just spoken to me and I became angry, frustrated and annoyed. So, I told Jesus, “OK. If you are real prove it. Guide me to your truth. Your 100% truth. I don’t want 99.99% I want 100%. Because if you’re going to just guide me to 99.99% I don’t want any of it. I’m sick of all these people claiming that they’re the ones that have this truth of yours.” The next day, I forgot about Norse paganism and began studying and praying even more fervently than ever before. This zeal for learning and focusing on Jesus was overwhelming. I didn’t know anything about the Church other than I believed it was the Seat of Satan and ruler of all false religion and the whore of Babylon and so, when my Protestant and evangelical teachers kept pointing out to me that what I was learning was Catholic and therefore couldn’t be right, I was surprised. And so, I began realizing via my teachers that I was developing Catholic beliefs. Thanks to God, I never listened to them to turn away from what I was learning because I daily prayed for God’s truth and guidance. So, one day, I felt like I was ready for Christian fellowship and I prayed for a good Protestant church to go to that taught Catholic beliefs. Lol. I hated the Church. Of course, that prayer was never answered because that doesn’t exist. However, what did happen was I felt oddly drawn to this Catholic Church called, St Pius X. I drove past it every time I went to town and I felt urged to go there. I also drove past other churches and never felt drawn to them. It took about a year before I finally obeyed and when I went to my first mass, I was terribly confused. I got on my knees when everyone else did and sat when everyone else did. But what I felt was something I had never felt before, God’s presence. It was warm and loving and I felt like I had truly walked into God’s house. And then the priest gathered cups, water, wafers and plates (this is what I thought at the time) and everyone knelt and he began praying and said the Agnus Dei and my mouth dropped as I witnessed John 6 come to life and I began shaking and crying and I knew my prayer for God’s truth was answered. I had arrived home. God bless. Thanks for reading.

The world needs more Fr Ripperger lectures.

I have been drawn to Catholicism for years having been raised Protestant...This talk on Predestination is excellent!

Even for a cradle Catholic, the depth of the knowledge and wisdom contained within the Church is boundless.

We are all so blessed! God gave me his Grace to convert. I was Catholic my whole life. But now, I feel like a true Catholic. We are already blessed. Don't lose hope!

Thank you for 1) sharing this wonderful lecture 2) the wonderful images 3) not adding annoying and distracting music God bless you

I remember a teacher once said at the start of the year, you have a current grade of 100%. It's like being in a state of Grace. Brand new and shiny clean without blemish. It's up to you to work hard to keep your A+ grade and not fail. How much we sin and how far we fall from grace seems to be like this?? Go to far and you will get a failing grade. Strive hard in life and concentrate on virtues and you will be well on your way to a final tick of approval.

I AM 43 NOW BUT I STARTED REALLY SERIOUSLY CO-OPERATING WITH GODS GRACE AND NOW IM MOT PERFECT BUT I AM NOW DOING MY BEST TO ADVANCE IN HOLIENESS IVE BEING DOING THAT FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS

I believe in predetermination... I as a young priest did my best to live a holy priestly life to the best of my capabilities... Yet at a moment I faltered deeply into heresy believing in Judaism and their messiah... I was deeply down and engrossed with it... Till a sudden sickness pneumotherax (a severe breathing difficulty) happened in the midnight... I asked God's mercy and Christ mercy throughout the collapsing night amidst deep fear and almost despairing remembrance of my unfaithfulness... Slowly sincerely asking God's mercy and pardon... The image and thought of Arch bishop Dominic Jala (who died in America car accident) came to my thought (His grace ordained us as Deacons in Shillong June 17, 2017)... That I'm going to be with him and peace was restored to my soul over... I'm still a recovering priest from my sickness... Yet the mercy of God I can proclaim was great I hope and pray to be ever faithful till the end... Thank you Fr

The key for the wayfarer is to realize that the Church’s teaching on this gives us every reason for both humility and confidence in God. He will not condemn us unjustly yet Our Salvation is in His Hands where it is most secure. His intentions are more upright than our own could ever be. Let us strive to grow in virtue which will help us rely on Him remembering that he who confides in Him shall not be confounded.

Father Ripperger is obviously an extremely learned and extremely gifted priest but when, speaking about such subjects as Predestination and the Final Judgement, I wish that he would be both absolutely precise and absolutely consistent in his language. Otherwise he opens a door for the devil, especially among those of us who are more vulnerable to scrupulosity, to sow seeds of fear and doubt in the Divine Mercy. I think that what he said about the Council of Trent's statement on this subject is the best answer and I'm paraphrasing here: God wills the salvation of all but to some He gives so much grace that they cannot help being saved. And I think we can see this in the lives of the saints, above all the Blessed Virgin. Ave Maria gratia plena!

A few years ago I was ill and feverish with a gastric infection and in a lot of pain. I prayed and was later visited by St Alphonsos,who cured me. I didnt know at the time but one of his patronages is to heal gastric problems. He was very kind and sat with me a while we had a chat, I said while I have a saint here with me what about predestination is it true and could he explain it to me. He said yes its true and part of God’s loving plan but our minds at this stage cant comprehend it as we have so much other stuff to know. We will know when these things are revealed. Again I didnt know until listening to Fr Ripperger that St Alphonsos wrote about predestination.

Thank you Fr. Ripperger! I learn so much from you!

God bless you Father Ripperger Thank you very much. St Michael pray for us, Our Lady of Fatima pray for us sinners. Ave Maria ✝️✝️✝️🌹🌹🌹🔔🔔🔔

God not only gives the grace to avoid mortal sin, He also has shown us how to always be receptive to such grace: "Stay alert!" "Watch and pray..."

Our faith is really a treasure... it keeps getting bigger and bigger

I am so conscious of God's OMNIPOTENCE. So its like I constrain myself from mortal sin. But I am still a weak person and fall into venial sin. I try very hard by praying & asking for the gift of reverence & fear of God, but sometimes its so difficult not to do that small small sin like getting annoyed with certain people & telling people off when they get at my face.🤔😥

In all honesty I don't understand any of this very well. I just really, really hope I end up in the right place: heaven.

Fr.Ripperger I Love You So Much that I Know you will be a SAINT!!! THANK YOU FATHER for BLESSING US, With Fr. Ripperger!!!!

I love Fr. Ripperger.

Wow..my head hurts after this one!

The difficulty for me consists in trying to fit an omniscient, all powerful mighty God into our atom-size logic. Jesus is the Savior of all those who accepts Him as his Savior for eternal salvation and we are all called to correspond to His calling and give testimony of the good news, however, many will not. By our own means we can not stay in the path of salvation even after having heard in our hearts the calling of the Lord, so we need God's grace all the time, predestined or not. Thanks father for your thorough presentation

I wish there was a video accompanying this audio so I could more clearly understand Father’s illustrations. Fantastic teacher.

I like the Eastern Orthodox icons shown throughout the video.

direct of Lord all our actions by thy Holy Inspirations and carry them on by Thy gracious assistance so that our prayer and work of ours will begin from Thee and by Thee be happening thru Christ our Lord. Amen.

Migjty God, thank you for the Grace you showered me with this Pentacost, the flames of finally understanding through your holy priests so I will be saved. The crossroad was never so clear and the door never so open as all other doors are closed.

Wow! Powerful! Goosebumps all over! Thankful to you and your family

Thank you Father Ripperger. Happy Easter and Octave Easter week. My prayers of the Rosary for your intentions and the daily prayers for the members of the Auxilium Christianorum .

Thank you for all you do

Bless you father for your homilies are truly convictive.

THANK YOU Father..I pray for you and ALL Catholic Clergy..Please pray for me

God Bless Fr. Ripperger who helps us to understand these important messages

In years of watching Sensus Fidelium, I have never seen a video clip. It's always still images. I believe the midget flying through the air in this video is a sign from heaven to pay attention to the content! Ok, in all seriousness, excellent lesson. Thank you Fr. Ripperger!

Thank you father!

Fr. Ripperger’s spiritual warfare lessons & advanced knowledge sharing have tremendously helped me (& surely millions of other souls) reach farther to connect more fully to God & work on humbling, hopefully maturing my weaknesses, & most importantly to Honor God first, no matter what...not my will, but only His Will. My only question on this PreDestination topic is, when Christ told many in the temple (John 8:44) who were debating him...”You are Not my Sheep, if you were from My Father... you would know Me! Thus, you are of your father the devil, who has never been on the side of Truth.”... Does that indicate Jesus Christ meant they basically destroyed their only chances of Salvation in Heaven? Blessings & Christ’s protection for Fr. Ripperger. My deepest gratitude as since i’ve been praying the Auxilium Christianorum, the demonic oppression immediately went from an increased exponentially enraged campaign of their intense harassment into finally recently mostly backing off & more restored peace in my soul again... Thanks be to Father God, Yeshua our Christ, & Mother Mary, as well as Fr. Ripperger’s insights. God works through Fr. Ripperger, thank you so much.

I love Fr. Ripperger ❤

Have mercy on us!

God is faithful, so trust him.

I would love to hear Fr. Rippenger complete present our faith while also drawing clear distinctions between others. As a convert, he has been one of the largest influences to keep drawing closer to our faith.

Thanks Father. I'm still confused by this (Well some of it. I grasped some of the talk and other parts confused me) but I trust God will take care of it so long as I keep begging to do his will and doing my best to follow him and stay in a state of Grace.

Very enlightening ... was wondering will Fr. Ripperger give his take on this pandemic? I look forward to his thoughts. Stay safe all🙏

Thank you

I really love this topic! I remember listening to talks by Sr. Gaudia Skaas about Rudolf Hoss who, as the Commandant at Auschwitz, was responsible for the death of some 2.5 millions prisoners at the camp. Hoss returned to the Catholic faith just before he was executed and I just could not understand how or what made him to do so. So it was the efficient/operating grace after all at work, the same way Saul was converted and became St Paul. I also think that this predestination is also in line with the Divine Mercy where we should never judge anyone including those evil ones for they may receive efficient/operating grace in their later life...

This man should be pope.

"If you throw a MIDGET off a plane..." 😅😂😂😂. I rewind just to hear that example. Bahahaha. I love your humor...maybe because it's something I would say!

With all due respect. Trying to figure out exactly how God thinks I don't think it's possible. Just obey the laws like he said! 🙏💙 FREEWILL 💒🌠 Love GOD with all your heart !

another great discussion from Fr. Chad. Not all of us are given that so much grace from God, so value it!. Don't let any of the grace go to waste

Its important to understand there are different theories on predestination as long as they agree with Cathooic dogma. Fr Ripperger, for his great learnedness affirms a Thomistic view, but there are other theories like Molinism. Ultimately, it is a mystery. Trust in God and always attempt to be in a state of grace

I struggle GREATLY with this concept. I have studied from every angle I could think of, and I still find it to be utterly disturbing. If God knows beforehand where each of us will end up, how we got there and why, freewill is absolutely negated. There's no room for freewill. Stating that God does not cause our path to end up where it will is not entirely true, either. If he had foreknowledge but chose to create us anyway, he is 100% the cause. Boil it all down to this-- if he knows I'm going to hell by seeing the future, I have ZERO control via freewill to change that. No matter how much effort I put into exercising my freewill towards the Church and receiving graces, I'm still going to hell. There is no freewill. It may appear that way to me as a finite being, but ultimately it is merely a masquerade of a sinister sort, at that. This is irreconcilable for me. If this is indeed the teaching that the Church expects us to believe, I suppose I must leave. I don't know how to believe in a God that operates in such a manner. This hurts my heart.

Sensum Fidelium, Why don´t you Please "Pass a/ The Mike" to who asks a question In the Conferences? Please.

I'd like to hear Father here to study Bl Duns Scotus. I'd like to know more about his theology and in what ways him and Thomas are congruent and where they differ.

For those who find Molinism incoherent, but the "Thomistic" (Banezian Thomism -- other Thomists disagree with the so-called "Thomist" position) problematic and just basically Calvinist sophistry, check out the book "Predestination" by Fr. William Most. He shows how St. Thomas never actually had a coherent and consistent understanding of Predestination and shows that the Fathers all together, not just Augustine, teach something which is neither Thomistic nor Molinist. We DO determine if we will be predestined, though not primarily. We also determine if we will be damned, primarily. A little too complex for a YT comment section, but don't despair on this topic!

I dont care which comes first- the graces for me to cooperate or my cooperation meriting extra graces. What i care about is to get as much graces as God wants to give and to cooperate to His will as humanely possible.i am greedy that way.

Whole lot of Greek / generally orthodox art and churches pictured here. They’re gorgeous and I wish that the Roman church would emphasize that this artwork was actually directly a result of Roman art throughout the Roman world as seen in Pompeii and Fayuum.

For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

This talk just completely, absolutely, horribly stresses me out. It's only if God has already chosen me that I am saved, no matter how much I stay in a state of grace? I am so anguished by this.

When looked at in terms of being saved or what you can get then works are up for debate, but when looked at in terms of duty and obligation then works are a necessity,

The art in this video is so worshipful, so gorgeous and so grand. It takes my breath away

I really hope someone answers me here. If God predetermines only some- how can he will that all will be saved? And if God is not required to save anyone, what is the purpose of our free will?? I can't reconcile this

Predestination only through Obedience by us applying the truths of the teachings of the Catholic Church by an act of faith encounter from our part out of God given Free Will.Lets not allow Free Will be a tragic Free Will.as an Episcopalian convertee into the Catholic Church during the BenedictXVI pontificate by GRACE.

Oh my goodness. My brain! My brain! I have saved this one for what will be several replays. You would have enjoyed watching me tick - I’ve got the ball! Ahhh, what? Where’s the ball? Got it, got it! Where am I? What’s a ball? What a work out. I’ll be back.

Can anyone please tell me what word Fr. Ripperger says at 8:54 sounds like ¨avoom¨ in reference to after time ends?

I wish the sound is much better. And more clear

This is the mainstream opinion in the catholich Church, but not the only one. First, the mainstream opinion of pre-Augustine Fathers is also permitted in the Roman Church, however, it is less favoured because the Roman Church depends mainly on Augustine`s opinions. Blaise Pascal was honest when he affirmed that he could not understand the Dominican preachers and theologes in their attitude towards Jansenism, because they all, Domincans and Jansenist, must share the same opinion regarding intrinsically efficient grace.

What about Divine Mercy Sunday?

Many are called... but few are chosen

Does this mean I can do everything right, try my best, and still go to hell, because it isn't up to me? And how is it technically up to me to go to hell if it isn't my will?

24:01 why is that picture showing the devil handsign? Or do I see it wrong?

I found this difficult, I understood it in a sense, but it's left me with a lot of questions.

I thought I understood the doctrine of salvation by the church, but this video has just made me even more confused. I have found some people that weight almost everything on GOD'S Mercy, which is absolutely necessary for salvation, but I always find myself incapable to reconcile St Thomas with St Faustine... Holy Spirit please help me

PREDESTINATION is 'certain salvation' ; It is God's Antecedent will that 'all men be saved', however it is God's consequent will that some men will be saved while others not.

scary to think about

Amen! 🥰

Is competition sinful as discussed by Raymond L Richmond (Chastity in San Francisco chastitysf.com)?

Can we see the notes Fr. Ripperger is writing?

Sounds like he's writing on a white board, would there be a video, or picture of what he wrote?

Does anyone have a remark (or insight) between this and any of the (alleged) promises attached to the 15 Miraculous Prayers of St. Bridget of Sweden? Specifically: “Whoever recites these Prayers will attain the first degree of perfection.”

"My Grace is sufficient enough" to St. Paul, when Paul asked for the thorn in his side to be taken away... means what then? For him to be able to convert from the thorn in his side?

Saint John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. "The Father and I are one.”

Around 28 dealing with the necessity for efficient cause in salvation, in light of the necessity of the beatific vision for salvation. I disagree with the necessity of the beatific vision for salvation. If this can be a comparison, the Angels didn't need the beatific vision to choose, why should men?

Can someone please clarify - If God knew beforehand of the people who were going to be damned, did Christ then die just for the sins of the ones predestined to go to Heaven ? ...otherwise what would have been the purpose of dying for the sins of those who were predestined to hell ?

how does he do that and not corrupt your concept of freewill??

Perhaps the Lord just gives the person a Stronger Desire or a Stronger Will to comply with His Graces. Our cooperation with that grace is where the merit lies - so yea - if we don't cooperate we are in sin some times (depending on the issue) and we can't merit anything but He gives us grace to repent and then later my understanding is that you can offer all the good acts of your past up to Him and all your sufferings etc just as you can while your in the state of grace. I would love clarity on this.

Predestined to the final judgement.

I always struggled with this. The thought sometimes makes me feel like a puppet with god pulling the strings . When the days are good I believe that his plan are for my prosperity and not my destruction. When the days are bad I see a dictator and wonder if god is actually good. I wish I was like Job. Anyone else can relate?

I like Fr Riperger not sure if understood it correctly but active election predestination doesn’t sound right,it almost can lead to despair and reliance on fate,i always sought that everyone is given sufficient grace to be saved but in predestination equation if God chosen certain people to be safe does it means that damned did not receive it?

"God desires that all men be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Tim 2:4

Hard to understand. It seems unfair and unjust. Some get certain graces and others don't? I don't want to go to hell, neither do I wish no one else does either. . Very depressing.

Any time I think of predestination i think of the 2 theives crucified with Jesus. Both appear to be in the same position, one is repentant, one isnt, physicslly they might have done similar things, but their hearts wete completely different.

"For example, if you throw a midget out of an airplane...or off of a building, of necessity, he will hit the ground." ~Fr Ripperger

I believe that God gives everyone both efficient and sufficient graces, that we can cooperate or not with, and yes we can’t be saved just based on our own merits, that’s very clear in Jesus suffering and crucifixion. My question is rather since God is Love himself He surely created every soul for His Glory and He wills to save everyone and not only the chosen ones. Yes, God has the foreknowledge and can see everything, past, present and the future instantaneously, but doesn’t it mean that everything is at the present or now so there’s no really past or the future for God outside of our reality. For me it’s very hard to believe that God wants to only save some and not others since he created and saw that it was good. I’m not saying that everyone will be saved regardless of our graces and whether we cooperate or not. I’m saying that God surely wants everyone to be saved and whether we cooperate or not that’s our that’s where our free will comes in and if that doesn’t really matter, then do we really have our own will?

Wow, this is confusing. I need a picture, diagram, or something.

Start with Genesis 1.1 God creates everything. God is supreme and people are created in Gods likeness with free will and responsibility. Gods actions are necessary and human action is contingent meaning that sometimes we can reach eternal life and sometimes we do not. If heaven is a freebie then we would not sacrifice as he did on the cross. Likewise if the rewards in heaven are one size fits all, there is no incentive to increase in all of the virtues (as Father R says)

While on this Holy Wednesday pondering about the Gospel. Is Judas predestined to hell? What if he changed his mind. Is he possessed? What can we do so that we will not fall like him? He is with Jesus all the time, could he be healed?.. if you dont mind me asking these.

Questions by the people are difficult to hear. They need to speak into a microphone.

He seems to be speaking out of both sides of his mouth. He says the Catholic view of salvation is not Calvinist and that God wills the salvation of all men (1 Timothy 2:4) which is true and then he says that God CHOOSES from all eternity that some souls be damned. Huh???!!!

When ye all get to Heaven, ye will be looking around wondering where's Enda. Jesus will say, I never liked him anyway. 😁 Thanks Fr. Ripperger, please pray for my family and myself.

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed Fr. Ripperger's continued use of "throwing a midget off a building" as an example in various conferences over the years

I'm so confused

God is outside of time. His predestination of 'whomever' should not be seen as taking place wholly before that person's existence, since for God there is no difference in His personal perspective between the before or the eternal duration of any person's existence. Therefor God's predestination takes into account the person's own choices in life. So predestination can be seen as God's eternal knowledge of what His final judgment of that person will be as a result of his actions in life. Predestination does not mean that God arbitrarily determines the eternal fate of anyone. Each person is subject to his own free will and its consequent actions, including whether to accept God's merciful graces or to reject them, and these actions in life will determine his eternal state under God's just final judgment at death.