Province of St. Albert the Great, USA
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Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP

Fr. Charles Bouchard, OP, S.T.D., is senior director, theology and sponsorship at the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). He counsels and assists sponsors and members of Catholic healthcare organizations in carrying out their canonical responsibilities for the health ministry of the Catholic Church and provides guidance for CEOs and boards regarding the distinctive roles of sponsorship and governance. He also works with Church leaders and bishops at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and at the Holy See on a range of issues involving health care, social justice, public policy and the Church.

Videos

11 Sept • Going Beyond Justice, Moved by Others

Father Charlie Bouchard continues his reflection on St. Paul's letter to the Colossians, urging us to "put on" compassion, kindness, humility, and patience. Explore the call to go beyond ordinary justice, forgive others, and love our enemies, moved by grace and the example of others. Discover how these acts of generosity and mercy bind us together and foreshadow the reign of God.

Meals, from Fast Food to Eucharist | 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

In this Know Before You Go video, Fr. Charlie Bouchard explores the deeper meaning of meals in scripture, moving beyond simple etiquette to understand sacramental dining. This Sunday reflection on the 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time examines three types of meals: functional, social, and sacramental - focusing on how Jesus's four meals with the Pharisees in Luke's Gospel reveal the transformative power of humble encounter. Learn why humility, not humiliation, is essential for authentic spiritual transformation and how every Eucharist calls us to "come as you are" while leaving pretense behind.

18 August • Gradually Overcoming Sin

Father Charlie reflects on the Scripture readings for Monday, August 18th (20th week in ordinary time), examining the challenging theme of human nature's tendency toward repeated sin. Drawing from the Book of Judges, where the Israelites repeatedly fell into idolatry despite divine guidance through judges, and the Gospel story of the rich young man who approached Jesus seeking salvation, Father Charlie explores how we all struggle with habitual sins that seem impossible to overcome. While acknowledging the disappointing cycle of confession and repeated failure that many experience, he offers hope through the Gospel's message that true transformation comes not just from following commandments, but from a genuine conversion of heart that allows God's grace to gradually replace our patterns of sin with acts of charity, love, and trust in God.

The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Your Better Self

Join Fr. Charlie Bouchard, OP in this Know Before You Go video for the Eighteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time. In his Letter to the Colossians, Paul reminds us that as Christians, we have all put on a new self, which brings with it a new and more exalted identity. We need to live up to this new identity, lest we be hypocrites... or, as Qoheleth reminds us in the first reading, lest it be "vanity of vanities."