In the Vineyard: Doing God's Work in God's Way

by Fr John J. Hugo, Rosemary Hugo Fielding (Introduction)

Writing and preaching in the mid-20th century, the late Father John J. Hugo (1911-1985) invariably named paganism as Christianity's primary enemy. Because of the current resurgence of paganism in modern, Western civilization, this Catholic priest’s work in fighting paganism appears particularly relevant and important. The recent resurgence is characterized by the formal profession and practice of the ancient, occult paganism that issues forth from the spirit of the anti-Christ. Although Fr. Hugo wrote before this ancient, satanic paganism once again appeared publicly, he knew that the paganism that reigned in his day—the refined paganism of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, the paganism of usury, materialism and worldliness—also worked to destroy Christianity. As a parish priest, he knew that most Catholics generally have been either ignorant about or apathetic toward the dangers of this type of paganism and its power to dominate all human lives through its seductive maxims. Fr. Hugo taught his flock that they must daily fight it, and he gave them the knowledge needed to do so.

Father Hugo writes in In the Vineyard : "When men work for God, there are two ways in which they may they may work in God’s way; or they may work in their own way, to suit themselves. Only apostolic work that is done in God’s way will be acceptable to Him and successful in extending His kingdom. The great defect of much contemporary effort, however sincerely it may be undertaken, is that it is done in a merely human way. Hence its failure." The "merely human way" of which Fr. Hugo speaks is that of the "practical paganism" that is guided by pagan maxims instead of Christian truths. He “that the forces of paganism, and not those of Christianity, have gained control of the world compels us to admit that there is a lack of inner force in those agencies that have for their purpose the promotion of Christ’s principles and His way of life.”

He says, therefore, that “the purpose of the following pages is to point out some basic principles that must be known and observed by those who wish to make their apostolate spiritually fruitful... these chapters are a reprint of a series of articles that first appeared as monthly installments in the Catholic Worker ... They are reprinted as a pamphlet [in 1942] because of many requests for them in this form; and it is hoped that they may encourage workers in the vineyard of the Lord to adopt God’s way of working and put aside the merely human way."

This book is an inspiring summary of the instruction Father Hugo gave in training Catholic combatants to win the war against all forms of paganism so as to be spiritually fruitful in all they do.

75 pages, Paperback

Published February 2, 2023