By 
Beginning August 15, 2025 PLEASE CONTACT ME through pillarsoffaith.net
This Friday, August 15th, the Church celebrates the glorious Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary – the moment Our Lady was taken body and soul into heaven. This feast lifts our hearts to eternity and reminds us that the victory of Christ is certain. It’s a feast of hope, of fulfillment, and of the promise that if we remain faithful, heaven is our home.
And by God’s providence, this Friday is also the day we launch a new apostolate very close to my heart – Pillars of Faith. This name comes from one of the most striking prophetic visions given to St. John Bosco, and it’s a vision I believe speaks directly to our times.
In the 19th century, St. John Bosco, a holy priest who dedicated his life to saving souls, had a dream that has echoed through history. In it, he saw a vast and violent sea. On that sea sailed a great ship, representing the Church. Enemy vessels surrounded it, firing their cannons, launching every kind of assault. The sky was dark, the waves were high, and the ship seemed in constant danger of sinking.
At the helm stood the Pope, steering the ship with steady hands toward a distant goal. The attacks grew fiercer. The wind and waves pounded against the sides. But in the distance, two mighty pillars rose from the water. One was crowned with a large Host – the Holy Eucharist, Jesus Christ truly present. The other bore a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title “Help of Christians.”
Then, in the midst of the battle, tragedy struck – the Pope at the helm was mortally wounded. The enemies of the Church rejoiced, convinced the great ship would now drift and be lost. But almost immediately, another Pope took the wheel. Without hesitation, he steered the battered ship forward, directly toward the two pillars.
As the new Pope drew close, the ship was anchored with great chains to both the Eucharist and to Our Lady. The moment it was securedbetween them, the sea grew calm, the attackers scattered, and peace returned.
Bosco understood: in every age of trial, the safety of the Church depends on being firmly anchored to Christ in the Eucharist and to the maternal protection of Mary. Popes will come and go, but these two pillars remain – and they are the lifeline of the Church.
We are sailing through our own stormy seas today. The culture is increasingly hostile to the Gospel. Truth is attacked, redefined, or ignored. Even within the Church, there are voices that sow confusion instead of clarity. Many faithful Catholics feel as though the ship is being tossed without direction.
Bosco’s vision is God’s reminder to us: the answer is not new theories or bending to the spirit of the age. The answer is to secure ourselves to Christ in the Eucharist and to stay under the mantle of Mary. These are not optional devotions – they are essential. The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our Savior. Our Lady is the Mother given to us at the foot of the Cross. Together, they are the safe harbor.
This is the mission of Pillars of Faith: to help Catholics in these times anchor their lives to those same two pillars. We exist to strengthen the faithful in the unchanging truths of the faith. Our goal is to form Catholics who are clear about what the Church teaches, courageous in living it, and committed to passing it on.
This Friday, August 15th, our new website goes live at pillarsoffaith.net. We designed it to be a place of refuge and renewal – a safe harbor you can return to again and again for clarity, encouragement, and formation.
The storms will not stop. Jesus told us plainly: “In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The victory is already His. The question is, will we stay anchored to Him and to His Mother, or will we drift with the current?
This Friday, the Feast of the Assumption, I invite you to visit pillarsoffaith.net. View the podcasts. Read the writings. Join us in prayer. Share what you find with others. Become part of this work so that together we can stand firm between the two great pillars. Storms will rage. But the pillars will remain. Anchored to them, the Church will stand, and so will we.
Let us be Pillars of Faith for our families, our parishes, and our world. God bless you.
Joseph Strickland
Bishop Joseph E. Strickland was named the fourth bishop of Tyler in September of 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. Prior to being named bishop, he served a number of roles in the diocese, including vicar general, judicial vicar, and pastor of the Cathedral parish. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1985. 