In October 2008 I covered the Roman Synod of Bishops for HPR. My report and summary of the synod appeared in the February 2009 issue. At a special press conference during the synod it was announced that the German publishing company, … [Read more...]
Fr. Rawley Myers, R.I.P.
A faithful, publishing priest. Editorial, March 2010
March 1, 2010 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
Fr. Rawley Myers, who lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the leading author of articles in HPR during my editorship, 1971-2010. For forty years he was a regular contributor of articles, homilies, book reviews and letters to the editor. … [Read more...]
Three in One
Editorial, February 2010
February 1, 2010 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
Every year priests are called upon to preach on the Holy Trinity on Trinity Sunday. That is a sermon I very much like to give because it gives me the opportunity to explain for our people the most fundamental mystery of all the great … [Read more...]
A new editor for HPR
Editorial, January 2010
January 1, 2010 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
With Pope Benedict XVI continuity is in and discontinuity is out. In its 110 years of life, HPR has had a lot of continuity. Two great Dominicans, Fathers Callan and McHugh, edited it for forty years, from 1917 to 1956. Father Aidan Carr w … [Read more...]
On bringing back Latin
Editorial, December 2009
December 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
It is certain that there has been a drastic decline in the knowledge of Latin in the Catholic Church since Vatican II. It probably did not occur to most of the bishops at the council that their approval of the use of the vernacular in the … [Read more...]
St. Paul’s Gospel
Editorial, November 2009
November 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
On June 29 we concluded the year in honor of St. Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles and author of half of the books in the New Testament. Earlier this year, having noticed that Pope Benedict XVI was preaching regularly on St. Paul, I decided … [Read more...]
The paradox of Christian freedom
Editorial, October 2009
October 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
“For freedom Christ has set us free” (Gal. 5:1). St. Paul tells us that faith in Christ makes us free. In the contemporary world there is a universal demand for more freedom—personal, political and economic. Freedom, however, is a slogan wor … [Read more...]
The Year for Priests
Editorial, August 2009
August 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
On March 16 in a talk to the Congregation of the Clergy Pope Benedict XVI announced that he was declaring a “Year for Priests” to begin on June 19, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, and to end on June 19, 2010. This special year dedicated t … [Read more...]
Praying with the Bible
Editorial, July 2009
July 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
At the Roman Synod on the Bible in October 2008, which I covered for HPR, the most common topic mentioned was the need to recommend “Lectio Divina” as a pious practice among the faithful. You have probably seen the phrase mentioned in rece … [Read more...]
Every agent acts for an end
Editorial, June 2009
June 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
It is a basic principle of reality that every agent acts for an end. Every moving thing is going somewhere—for example, every car on a busy highway is going to some destination. Sunday drivers are on the road to enjoy the s … [Read more...]
The Roman Synod of Bishops
Editorial, May 2009
May 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
About every three years I have published an article on a Roman Synod. They usually take place every three years. Representing HPR, I have covered twelve of them since 1971. This month I thought it would be helpful to explain briefly what a … [Read more...]
Pope Benedict XVI
Editorial, April 2009
April 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
Last October I spent three weeks in Rome covering the synod on the Bible. During that time I was able to see Pope Benedict XVI at several events—Sunday Masses and Wednesday audiences in St. Peter’s Square. In April he will be 83 and will com … [Read more...]
The Year of St. Paul
Editorial, March 2009
March 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
The greatest missionary in the history of the Church was the convert Saul of Tarsus who, by the grace of God, was changed from a persecutor of Jesus and his Church to the Apostle to the Gentiles. He was born of Jewish parents in Tarsus, … [Read more...]
True freedom is interior
Editorial, February 2009
February 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
Freedom is what makes man to be man. Freedom is what distinguishes man from the rest of visible reality—sun, moon, stars, elements, plants and animals. On the natural level, freedom is man’s greatest gift or quality. What is freedom? Fre … [Read more...]
The Mystery of Faith
Editorial, January 2009
January 1, 2009 by Fr. Kenneth Baker, SJ
The text of the Roman Missal at the consecration of the wine refers to it as “the Mystery of Faith” (Myssterium Fidei). It is a mystery of faith because wonderful, miraculous things take place during the celebration that have eternal eff … [Read more...]
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