For January 1 (Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God), January 5 (Epiphany), January 12 (Baptism of the Lord), January 19, and January 26 Homily for Mary, Mother of God by Rev. John P. Cush All others by Br. Lawrence Joshua Johnson, … [Read more...]
Magazine
Celebrating 125 Years of Homiletic & Pastoral Review
“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” So writes T.S. Eliot in his “Little Gidding” in his Four Quartets (1941). The same can be said … [Read more...]
Prayer and Social Transformation
We are now in 2025, the Jubilee year, with the theme of “Pilgrims of hope.” For the whole of the preceding year, our prayer has been preparing us all for this moment. In 2024, we have lived “a privileged time in which to rediscover the value … [Read more...]
Meeting at the Well
Relational Pro-Life Ministry in the Post-Roe Era
It has already been about two and a half years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade with its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a stunning political victory for the pro-life movement. At the time of this r … [Read more...]
“Rejoicing in Hope” with Mary
Marian Devotion as Remedy to Secularist Hopelessness
A shortcut to hope For a priest it is always heartening when a woman shares the news that she is expecting a baby, and asks for prayers for her and her new child at Mass. Motherhood is always a source of hope. An expectant mother embodies … [Read more...]
Perseverance in Ministry: Lessons from Saint Peter Faber for Discouraging Times
The Catholic Church in Germany was a total mess. Prelates were more interested in secular affairs and maintaining their own comfort than actually worshipping Jesus or sharing his teachings. When they did preach and engage in “spiritual” or “ … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – January 2025
How Does St. Thomas Aquinas Argue for God’s Existence? Question: I have heard about Aquinas’ five proofs for the existence of God years ago and I never really understood them. Would you be able to explain them and briefly comment on them? A … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – January 2025
Christ Brings All Newness: Essays, Reviews and Reflections. By Robert P. Imbelli. Reviewed by Rev. Bradley D. Easterbrooks. (skip to review) What Would Socrates Say? An Introduction to Philosophy by the Socratic Method. By Peter Kreeft. … [Read more...]
Homilies for December 2024
For December 1, December 8, December 9 (Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception), December 12 (Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe), December 15, December 22, December 25 (Nativity of Our Lord), and December 29 (Feast of the Holy … [Read more...]
Adult Formation of the Laity: The Catechetical Priority
On any Sunday morning, stop into your local Protestant church, regardless of denomination, and you will find huddled in a small cluster on the side a group of adults studying the Bible while their children attend religious school. This is … [Read more...]
Priests Who Cry Wolf
History shows that, when preaching about the end of the world, zealous and holy priests have not always been prudent priests. Take, for example, the preaching of Saint Gregory the Great. He lived in an era that many of his contemporaries … [Read more...]
The Flavor of God: On Cooking and Christian Materialism
“Our Lord moves amidst the pots and pans,” St. Teresa of Avila once said, and indeed, I often find God in a busy kitchen. I love cooking, once described to me as the art of redistributing water, which is simply a very clever way of saying th … [Read more...]
Liturgical Leadership According to Pope Francis’ Desiderio Desideravi
The purpose of this article is to present a vision of liturgical leadership that can be found on the pages of Pope Francis’ apostolic letter Desiderio Desideravi (2022) (henceforth DD, available on the Vatican website). The context of t … [Read more...]
The Eucharist and the Call to Witness
A Biblical Reflection on the Sacraments of Initiation
Every year the Biblical readings that are proclaimed in the Church’s liturgy throughout the Lenten and Easter seasons recount the dramatic transformation that takes place in the lives of Christ’s first disciples and followers as they wit … [Read more...]
Questions Answered – December 2024
Doctrine vs. Dogma: The Difference? Question: Dear Father Cush, I hope that this is a simple question — what’s the difference between doctrine and dogma? Answer: Dear Reader, that is a great question and it is one that even I get con … [Read more...]
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