I begin with an admission that may surprise some readers. When I was discerning my vocation, Franciscanism never appealed to me. I never quite got it. To my young clerical imagination, Saint Francis of Assisi was a kind of “hippie saint,” al … [Read more...]
Rebuilding the Church, Within the Church
An Editorial on Pope Leo XIV’s Declaration of the Year of Saint Francis (2026)
“Love One Another”: Synodality and Diocesan Life
Part One: Why Do We Need Synodality? Last June, the General Secretariat of the Synod published the “Pathways for the Implementation Phase of the Synod.” This document, which the Holy Father Leo XIV approved, invites all local Chu … [Read more...]
In the One, We Are One: Papal Primacy and the Gift of Authority
Since its foundation, the Church has grappled with the nature and exercise of hierarchical authority, especially in relation to the Petrine office. Though much has been articulated about apostolic succession and the primacy of Peter, it is … [Read more...]
Pope Leo’s Renewed Call to Priestly Holiness
“Aspire to holiness . . . do not settle for less” (Leo XIV)
November 26, 2025 by Rev. Joseph Briody
Called to Holiness; Called to be Saints This is a very simple reflection on holiness, a topic given renewed attention by Pope Leo in recent months. The whole Christian life is a “quest for holiness.”[1. Saint John Paul II, Letter to Pri … [Read more...]
Habemus Papam: Pope Leo XIV!
May 8, 2025 by HPRweb.com
We at Homiletic and Pastoral Review rejoice in the election of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV, the 267th successor to Saint Peter. Formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago, Illinois, the new Holy Father is the first from the United … [Read more...]
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