What led you to pursue a Licentiate in Sacred
Theology at the PFIC? What projects are you working on now? Are
there any new books in the pipeline?
My previous formation had included an
emphasis on the teaching of St. Thomas
Aquinas, which I’d enjoyed and wanted to
continue. One “project” is my role as director of
formation for the Marian Missionaries of
Divine Mercy, a group of young men and
women who give a year or more to serve
the poor in major cities of the northeast.
Working with them has been an immense
blessing in my life. This summer, when I’m
not working with the Missionaries, I hope to
finish a book based on the Marian wisdom
of St. Maximilian Kolbe. It’s called Consoling
the Heart of Mary: Basic Training for Mary’s
Marines. My goal in writing it is to help people
live their consecration to Jesus through Mary
more deeply. Marian Press hopes to release
it this fall.
What impact has your PFIC education had
on your work as a writer, retreat leader, and
preacher of the Divine Mercy message?
The biggest impact came from working on
my licentiate thesis, which treated the Little
Way of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the
Church. Truth be told, some fellow students
and even a professor or two had raised their
eyebrows at the idea that Thérèse was made
a doctor of the Church and questioned the
wisdom of her being granted such an honor.
At the same time, I knew that other professors
and students, as well as great Dominicans
such as Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange and Cardinal
Christoph Schönborn, saw the Little Way as a
substantial contribution to spiritual theology.
This apparent tension led me to dig deeper,
to enter into lively discussion and debate, and
to come to my own appreciation of Thérèse’s
genius, an appreciation that serves as a basis
of the Divine Mercy spirituality and mission
that I strive to live and share with others.
Does the thought of St. Thomas continue to
play a role in your preaching and mission?
It does. What I most appreciate about the
thought of St. Thomas Aquinas is how he
synthesizes the insights of others and creates
a beautiful “big picture” that people can easily
understand. I think that summarizes what I
try to do in my own work.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR
SPRING GALA A SUCCESS!
A young supporter places a bid during our live auction
at the Dominican House of Studies.
Photo by Matthew Barrick
Faith & Reason - Volume IV, Issue II
7