Homilies for February 2025

For February 2 (Feast of the Presentation), February 9, February 16, … [Continue Reading]

Retirement from Administration But Not from Ministry

Editors’ Note: This piece originally appeared in The Tablet in F … [Continue Reading]

On What the Ordinary Has to Offer

“Oh, you must think there is more,” said the spiritual director to his … [Continue Reading]

Lay Members of Religious Orders

On January 28, 2023, I was blessed to be received into a fraternity of … [Continue Reading]

Divine Transcendence: A Pastoral Approach to Design

In the late Old Testament (Septuagint) Book of Wisdom we read the … [Continue Reading]

The Spirit of Irrationality

In principio erat Verbum – Jn 1:1 The spirit of our age is one of i … [Continue Reading]

Questions Answered – February 2025

Can Catholics Receive Communion in Protestant Churches? Question: … [Continue Reading]

Book Reviews – February 2025

Liturgical Hermeneutics of Sacred Scripture. By Marco Benini. Reviewed … [Continue Reading]

Updates

From the HPR Archives – Vol. 1, Part II

January 14, 1900 THE HOMILETIC MONTHLY. SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY. (FEAST OF THE HOLY NAME.) SHORT HOMILY FOR LOW MASS. BY THE REV. F. HEFFNER, O. P. “And Jesus also was invited, and His Disciples, to the marriage.” Jn ii. … continue reading..

New Articles

Homilies for February 2025

For February 2 (Feast of the Presentation), February 9, February 16, February 23 Feast of the Presentation – February 2, 2025 Readings: Malachi 3:1–4 • Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10 • Hebrews 2:14–18 • Luke 2:22–40 or 2:22–32 bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020225.cfm That didn’t take long. Have we forgotten about Christmas already? It happened without warning. Walking around […]

Retirement from Administration But Not from Ministry

Editors’ Note: This piece originally appeared in The Tablet in February 2024. At the age of seventy-five, bishops are mandated to submit their letter of resignation from administration directly to the Holy Father in Rome. For several years prior to sending my letter, I dreaded the thought. What would life be like without any administrative […]

On What the Ordinary Has to Offer

“Oh, you must think there is more,” said the spiritual director to his directee. “More?” the directee responded. “More what?” “More than ordinary life,” indicated the director. The directee had just relayed the disarray he felt every time he sinned. The content of this disarray? Interior anxiety, regret, guilt, fear, and frustration. Such is the […]

Lay Members of Religious Orders

On January 28, 2023, I was blessed to be received into a fraternity of the Lay Dominicans, Eastern Province, USA. I am, thanks be to God, a member of the Order of St. Dominic, while also remaining in the lay state in the world. Many readers are probably already wondering how that could be. Over […]

Divine Transcendence: A Pastoral Approach to Design

In the late Old Testament (Septuagint) Book of Wisdom we read the inspired author’s interpretation of man’s labored — and sometimes idolatrous — response to the marvels of the created universe: If through delight in the beauty of these things men assumed them to be gods, let them know how much better than these is […]

The Spirit of Irrationality

In principio erat Verbum – Jn 1:1 The spirit of our age is one of irrationality. We are suspicious of people that make (universal) truth claims. We are suspicious of our own ability to reason and arrive at such claims. Our Post-Modern age has fallen into despair that there even is the faculty of reason. […]

Questions Answered – February 2025

Can Catholics Receive Communion in Protestant Churches? Question: Dear Father Cush, I recently had the opportunity to attend a Lutheran Church for their Sunday service. I was encouraged to receive Holy Communion by my friend who told me that both the Lutheran and the Catholic churches believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the […]

Book Reviews – February 2025

Liturgical Hermeneutics of Sacred Scripture. By Marco Benini. Reviewed by Fr. Vien V. Nguyen, SCJ. (skip to review) Theology as an Ecclesial Discipline: Ressourcement and Dialogue. By Archbishop J. Augustine Di Noia, O.P. Reviewed by Rev. Ryan Connors. (skip to review) Beauty and Imitation: A Philosophical Reflection on the Arts. By Daniel McInerny. Reviewed by Daniel B. […]

Recent & Upcoming Homilies

Homilies for February 2025

For February 2 (Feast of the Presentation), February 9, February 16, February 23 Feast of the … more...

Homilies for January 2025

For January 1 (Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God), January 5 (Epiphany), January 12 (Baptism of the … more...

More homilies...

Book Reviews

Book Reviews – February 2025

Liturgical Hermeneutics of Sacred Scripture. By Marco Benini. Reviewed by Fr. Vien V. Nguyen, SCJ. … more...

Book Reviews – January 2025

Christ Brings All Newness: Essays, Reviews and Reflections. By Robert P. Imbelli. Reviewed by Rev. … more...

Book Reviews – December 2024

Rethinking Cooperation with Evil: A Virtue-Based Approach. By Fr. Ryan Connors. Reviewed by Fr. … more...

More book reviews...

From the Editor

Celebrating 125 Years of Homiletic & Pastoral Review

“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring … more...

Ecclesiology After the NEC with Bishop Barron as Our Guide

I was not blessed to personally attend the National Eucharistic … more...

More editorials...

Questions Answered

Questions Answered – February 2025

Can Catholics Receive Communion in Protestant Churches? Question: Dear Father Cush, I recently … more...

Questions Answered – January 2025

How Does St. Thomas Aquinas Argue for God’s Existence? Question: I have heard about Aquinas’ fi … more...

Questions Answered – December 2024

Doctrine vs. Dogma: The Difference? Question: Dear Father Cush, I hope that this is a simple … more...

More questions answered...