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Homiletic & Pastoral Review (ISSN 0018-4268) is published by Ignatius Press. We are a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation (donations).

America’s Leading Pastoral Magazine

Founded over one hundred years ago, Homiletic & Pastoral Review is one of the most well-respected pastoral magazines in the world. Priests, deacons, and laity alike have relied on HPR for decades.

Father John P. Cush, STD, a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn, is the Editor-in-Chief.

Fr. Cush serves as a full-time Professor of Dogmatic and Fundamental Theology, Director of Seminarian Admissions and Recruitment, and Formation Advisor at Saint Joseph’s Seminary and College in New York. Before that, he served in parochial work and in full-time high school teaching in the Diocese of Brooklyn and had served as Academic Dean/Assistant Vice-Rector and Formation Advisor at the Pontifical North American College Rome, Italy.

Fr. Cush holds the doctorate in sacred theology (STD) from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy in the field of fundamental theology, He had also studied dogmatic theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum), Rome, Italy, on the graduate level.

Fr. Cush is  the author of The How-to-Book of Theology (OSV Press, 2020) and Theology as Prayer: a Primer for Diocesan Priests (with Msgr, Walter Oxley), as well as being a contributor to the festschrift, Intellect, Affect, and God (Marquette University Press, 2021). He is the author of the forthcoming book, Nothing But You: Reflections on the Priesthood and Priestly Formation through the Lens of Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire, July 2024).

Faithful to the teachings and tradition of the Church for over a century, we ensure that our readers know what to expect in each issue. Here are just some of the features of HPR:

  • First-rate articles by great Catholic writers on doctrine, spiritual guidance, morality and authentic pastoral practice
  • Deep insights into pressing pastoral issues of the Church’s life and mission
  • Stimulating homilies for Sundays and Holy Days by today’s outstanding preachers
  • Wise and practical answers to your questions from respected theologian and author Brian T. Mullady, OP

Built on the solid foundation of the Catholic Church, we espouse the timeless truths of faith that never change.

History of HPR

The Homiletic & Pastoral Review is unique among religious journals in the United States in that it was the very first clergy magazine to appear in the United States and has been the leading journal of its kind for over 100 years.

Here is a brief history of the magazine as related in the editorial of the November 1995 issue by then-editor of the magazine, Father Kenneth Baker, SJ:

It all began in 1900. Mr. Joseph F. Wagner, founder of J.F. Wagner Publishing Co., decided to start a magazine for the Catholic clergy in the U.S.A. He called it The Homiletic Monthly & Catechist, the name it carried until it was changed to the present name in 1919.

In those days the format was simple: a sample sermon for each Sunday and Feast Day along with some aids for teaching catechism to children. It stayed that way until 1919.

The first editor until 1916 was Msgr. William Brady of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, N.Y., the seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. He was succeeded by two Dominicans, Frs. John A. McHugh and Charles J. Callan. They changed the name to The Homiletic & Pastoral Review because they wanted to do more than just offer sermons. They expanded the scope of HPR, adding articles, Church documents, Questions Answered and book reviews.

Their tenure was exceptional in the annals of Catholic journalism in the United States. Father McHugh was co-editor for 34 years when he went to his eternal reward in 1950. Father Callan carried on as sole editor until 1957 when he got some help from a regular contributor, Father Adian M. Carr, O.F.M., Conv., who became associate editor in October 1957. Beginning with that issue Father Carr wrote the first editorial to appear and it was placed where it still resides, on the last page before the cover. The publisher, Mr. Clement J. Wagner, in announcing the new editorial page said that its purpose is “to provide an insight into some salient contemporary problems and to indicate what might well be the priest’s attitude toward it” (Vol. 57, September 1957, p. 1172).

Because of declining health, Father Callan was able to do less and less, so in May 1961 Father Carr was appointed the new editor and Father Callan was listed as “Editor Emeritus,” a position he held until his death in February 1962. So he was editor for 45 years—a truly remarkable accomplishment. Let me add that Callan & McHugh did much more than just edit. They founded a parish in Hawthorne, N.Y. and they taught at the Maryknoll Seminary in Ossing, N.Y. during all that time. Both being scholars, they also published 30 books on Scripture and theology. Obviously they didn’t have much free time.

In 1970 Father Carr received permission to leave the Franciscans and join the Trappists in Moncks Corner, S.C. Within five years he was named Prior and a few years after that he was elected Abbot. The last issue he edited was April 1970 . . . For three months there was no editor until Mr. John F. Wagner, president of the company, appointed Msgr. Vincent A. Yzermans of Freeport, Minn., to be the editor. He served as editor until March 1971.

Father Baker assumed editorship in April 1971 and remained in this position for almost forty years. In the spring of 2010, David Vincent Meconi, SJ, became editor of HPR, while Father Baker took on the position of editor emeritus. In September 2022, Father John P. Cush, STD, a professor of Dogmatic. Sacramental, and Fundamental Theology at Saint Joseph’s Seminary and College in the Archdiocese of New York (and a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn) assumed editorship of Homiletic and Pastoral Review, thus bringing this venerable journal back to its original roots at Saint Joseph’s Seminary and College in Yonkers, New York.

Editor-in-Chief: Rev. John P. Cush, STD

Managing Editor: S. E. Greydanus

Assistant Editor: Sister Mary Micaela Hoffmann, RSM, STB, SSL

Book Reviews Editor: Mr. Christopher Siuzdak, JCL

Contributing Editor: Rev. Fr. Brian T. Mullady, OP (contact)

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