Season 2, Episode 14 - The Catholic Files: Part Eight of the 10 Commandments

This Episode of The Catholic Files with Fr. Donnelly
Broadcast from Immaculate Conception Church in Madison, Ohio

In this deeply inspiring episode of The Catholic Files, Fr. Donnelly invites listeners to journey once more into the heart of the Catechism of the Catholic Church a living treasury of wisdom that reveals the beauty, coherence, and life giving power of God’s commandments. Each week, Fr. Donnelly helps us to see not only what the Church teaches, but why these teachings lead us toward true freedom, joy, and holiness.

This week, we turn to the Eighth Commandment:

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

At first glance, this commandment might seem simple an instruction against lying or deceit. But as Fr. Donnelly reminds us, its meaning runs far deeper. It calls us to live in the fullness of truth, to honor the dignity of every person, and to let our words and actions reflect the light of Christ. In a world clouded by confusion, exaggeration, and half-truths, the call to truth is more urgent and more healing than ever.

Fr. Donnelly reflects on how truth and love are inseparable in the Christian life. To live truthfully is to live in harmony with God, who is Truth itself. Bearing false witness, by contrast, wounds not only our neighbors but our own souls; it fractures trust, undermines justice, and dims the light of charity that should shine through all we say and do.

Drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and the wisdom of the saints, Fr. Donnelly helps us rediscover how truth is not a weapon, but a gift a sacred bond that unites us to God and one another. When we speak with honesty and integrity, we mirror Christ, who came “full of grace and truth.” And when we courageously reject falsehood and gossip, we become instruments of peace in our homes, our parishes, and our communities.

As this episode unfolds, listeners are invited to reflect on their own relationship with truth how we speak, how we listen, and how we represent others in daily life. Fr. Donnelly reminds us that to bear truthful witness is to bear Christ’s witness in the world. It is to stand firmly, yet humbly, in the light of the One who said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

So join us for this moving and enlightening conversation, as The Catholic Files continues to illuminate the commandments not as mere rules, but as radiant signposts leading us closer to the heart of God where truth, love, and freedom become one.