The Work of Catechesis for Priests and Deacons

Foreword by Rev. John P. Cush: “HPR Ressourcement, Part II” As you, as our faithful reader (or even new reader!) might know, this journal, now known as Homiletic and Pastoral Review, was founded over 123 years ago. When I think about the pr … [Read more...]

Preachers of the ERD

Deacons must be comfortable with proclaiming the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. The wisdom of the ERD is not commonly shared with Catholics in the pews. The United States Conference of Catholic … [Read more...]

Book Reviews – November 2022

Faith of Our Fathers: A History of True England. By Joseph Pearce. Reviewed by K.E. Colombini. (skip to review) The WillPower Advantage: Building Habits For Lasting Happiness. By Tom Peterson and Ryan Hanning. Reviewed by Mary R. … [Read more...]

Questions Answered – July 2022

Roots of the Apostles’ Creed Question: In the Apostles’ Creed we profess: “On the third day he rose again from the dead.” What does it mean to say “again” in this context? Answer: The Apostles’ Creed has a long and pious tradition behind … [Read more...]

Book Reviews – December 2021

Christmas Around the Fire. By Ryan N.S. Topping. Reviewed by Mark McCann. (skip to review) Meet the Gentle Jesus: First Communion Preparation Program. By Liguori Publications. Reviewed by Mark McCann. (skip to review) The Healing … [Read more...]

Deacons as Apostles for the New Evangelization

“Whoever believes that Christ the Lord is the way, the truth and the life, whoever knows that the Church is his continuation in history, whoever has a personal experience of all this cannot fail, for this very reason, to become fervently m … [Read more...]

The “Female Diaconate” after the Amazon Synod

The Mystery of Human Sexuality in the Woman at the Well and the Vital Sacrament of Apostolic Succession

In light of the recent Amazon Synod, the question of the female diaconate has once again been raised. It is more than obvious that novelty and change are today’s signs of progress. In the twentieth century, for example, scientific a … [Read more...]

Re-evaluating the Diaconate

The Liturgical Potential of the Deacon

Robert Cardinal Sarah, the Prefect for the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, delivered a riveting, yet controversial, address to the attendees of Sacra Liturgia Conference in Rome in July 2016. The Prefect … [Read more...]

Questions Answered

Question: Would you care to comment on women deaconesses? The question of reinstating them has been raised by a Cardinal. Answer: The question of women deaconesses is a long and complicated one. It has arisen because the Church is clear … [Read more...]

Late Fall Reading

What Does It Mean to Be Catholic? by Jack Mulder, Jr. (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2015). Reviewed by Dr. Rick Janet. The Heart of the Diaconate: Communion with the Servant Mysteries of Christ by James K … [Read more...]

Women Deacons: At What Price?

(This article was originally published in the print version of Homiletic & Pastoral Review, July 1996.) Now that Pope John Paul II has "definitively" ruled out women priests in his apostolic letter to the bishops, others are … [Read more...]

Winter Reading for February 2015

Masters of Preaching: More Poignant and Powerful Homilists in Church History, Vol. 2. Ray E. Atwood (Lanham, MD: Hamilton Books/University of America Press, 2014) xiv + 469 pages. (Reviewed by Fr. David Vincent Meconi, … [Read more...]

Saved from a Deacon’s Nightmare

Preaching That Changes Lives

A Nightmare Not long ago, I experienced a deacon’s nightmare. I was serving the 7:30 AM Mass on Sunday morning, and just as the lector stood up to do the first reading, the presider turned to me and said, “You are preaching this morning, ri … [Read more...]

Theology of the Diaconate

FROM THE DIAKONIA OF CHRIST TO THE DIAKONIA OF THE APOSTLES. An Historico-Theological Document of the International Theological Commission (Hillenbrand Books, 1000 East Maple, Mundelein, IL 60060, 2004), 124 pp. PB $14.00.

This is an official treatise on the diaconate, and especially on the permanent diaconate. It contains all the information one needs to have about this subject, in clear language and in a brief format. The evidence of the Scriptures, of … [Read more...]

Servants of us all

DEACONS AND THE CHURCH. By Owen F. Cummings (Paulist Press, 997 Macarthur Blvd., Mahwah, N.J. 07430, 2004), 143 pp. PB $16.95.

Dr. Cummings is himself a permanent deacon, a theology professor at Mount Angel Seminary in Oregon, and the author of theological books and articles. These qualifications are amply demonstrated in this book. And a second strong point is … [Read more...]