Training the Tongue and Growing Beyond Sins of Speech

by Fr. Gregory Pine O.P.

Genres: Faith, Catholic, Self Help, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity

176 pages, Paperback

Published February 6, 2026

About the author

Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. is an Assistant Professor of Dogmatic and Moral Theology at the Dominican House of Studies and the Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute. He was ordained a priest in 2016 and holds a doctorate from the University of Fribourg (Switzerland). He is the author of several books including "Prudence", "Your Eucharistic Identity", and "Training the Tongue". He is a regular contributor to several podcasts including "Godsplaining" and "Catholic Classics".

Early Life and Education
Born on June 6, 1988, in Newtown, Pennsylvania, he grew up in a devout Catholic family that deeply influenced his eventual vocation. He attended the Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he initially planned to study engineering and physics but switched his focus to graduate with a degree in mathematics and humanities & Catholic culture. It was during his college years that a lecture on St. Thomas Aquinas inspired him to join the Order of Preachers (Dominicans).

Religious Formation and Academia
Entering the Dominican Province of St. Joseph in 2010, he was ordained in 2016, later serving as a parochial vicar and adjunct professor in Louisville, KY. He holds an STL from the Dominican House of Studies and a Doctorate in Dogmatic Theology from the University of Fribourg, specializing in Christology. Currently, he is an Assistant Professor at the Dominican House of Studies and Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute.

Authorship and Media Ministry
Father Gregory is a notable figure in Catholic digital media, known for applying Thomistic theology to daily life. He hosts the Godsplaining Podcast, contributes to Pints with Aquinas, and co-hosts Catholic Classics with Ascension Press. His published works include Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly (2022), Your Eucharistic Identity (2025), and Training the Tongue (2026)

Reviews

[sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll be returning to this book again as I aim to implement its wonderful and practical instruction in my life. If you are someone who often comes away from conversations slightly mortified, thinking, “What on earth compelled me to say that?” or even, “Why didn’t I speak up?” in the face of falsehood or vicious talk—then Training the Tongue is for you.

Fr. Pine offers a deeply informed approach to cultivating a holy and healthy verbal culture in our speech, always ordered toward the ultimate goal of communion. The book is teeming with accessible and profoundly encouraging nuggets of wisdom for anyone who knows they often fall short of virtue in speech.

I might be biased because I think at this point I can claim the title of being Fr. Gregory Pine’s biggest fan, but I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

[Anna Wall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a lot of religious books, but this is one I will remember forever. It had me highlighting with almost every section, which reminds me of the same way I read “Searching for and Maintaining Peace”. Such simple advice, but truly so powerful to hear. I am excited for a fresh outlook on how to continue to grow in virtue, especially with my words!

[Claire Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is so clearly Dominican. I love the Dominicans, but I just don't think this style of writing is for me. I kinda felt like I was reading an essay? It was great content, don't get me wrong, but I just kept getting bored. I think I was also expecting something less direct (?) and maybe something more engaging of the heart. I'd still recommend it as a read but meh

[Daniel Massett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. It's like if St. Thomas Aquinas wrote a self help book. A deep dive in how and why to speak and listen better

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was almost 5 stars for me, for most of the book, and he didn't ruin it or anything, but I will say that it is not necessarily a book for the ages... what I mean is, his advice is really great for us 21st century folk, and the way he writes it is fantastic. Much like his book about prudence, it's clear, concise, enjoyable in a friendly tone. But was it always good advice? I don't know. I liked that he talked about the positive uses of our speech that are worth training up, vs just sins of the speech. But did that sort of downplay the sins of speech? Arguably, no. But maybe also arguably yes? Let's say though that he didn't really discuss our over-talkativeness the way the saints of the past did. Overall, I think Fr Gregory Pine is pretty great and this book is worth the read.

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this based on the premise, but I find myself with mixed sentiments. Fr. Pine is relatable, sharing personal stories throughout the book, and definitely sets the reader at ease with his encouraging language and focus on positive uses of the tongue/gift of language. There were many impactful nuggets throughout the book, and I did find myself highlighting with regularity.

However, I found many of the passages to be rudimentary in their focus on how to be a good conversant, much of which is already familiar for anyone who’s studied etiquette or conversational skills before. As another reviewer mentioned, it’s written much like an essay, which both makes the book accessible to a broad audience. That same accessibility means it does not veer measurably into original Greek or Hebrew or focus on highly academic dissection of Biblical perspectives on speech; if that’s what you’re seeking, this is likely not the book for you. Consequently, I felt the book could’ve been much shorter, or used its length to delve much deeper and more richly into the topic by replacing the basic etiquette with in-depth explorations of Biblical texts. Of course, this is subjective—another reviewer wished the book was heavier on encouragement!

An additional note that does not factor into the star rating I’ve given, but some readers may wish to consider: The book is very much written for Catholic Christians, or those familiar with Catholic rhetoric and/or theology. That’s to be expected to some degree, given Fr. Pine’s training and current faith affiliation. Still, I’ve read books by authors of denominations other than my own without finding their perspective limiting in that sense. For those not raised Catholic, the repeated references to venial vs moral sins, confession and penance, as well as allusions to works-supported salvation, may be prohibitive (or confusing). There were several areas, in greater numbers toward the end of the book, that I found completely inapplicable to due to the (again, understandably) Catholic-specific theology around sin. Furthermore, saints and Catholic Church fathers are routinely cited, which is certainly not an issue in itself, but it seemed they were cited at least as much as (if not more frequently than) the Bible itself, which I find problematic in Biblical exegesis.

I think this book is well-suited for new Christians of the Catholic faith, or Catholic believers of a more mature faith who are looking for encouragement and hope in this area. As a Protestant looking for a quick but still academic read analyzing specific Biblical perspectives and passages, this wasn’t what I was looking for. Focusing solely on the exegesis and writing that I’d expect for any faith-based work, I gave the book 3 stars for a few reasons: (1) 4 is typically the highest I give a book unless it’s life-changing for me, which this was not, and I didn’t give it a 4 because it wasn’t as deeply researched or Biblically substantiated as I would’ve expected; (2) I don’t think it’s fair to score the book lower because it wasn’t what I assumed it would be or (3) because I clearly wasn’t the intended audience. That doesn’t mean it’s not exactly what someone else may be seeking, so if you’re reading this review and don’t share the concerns above, I encourage you to give it a try!

[Sydney McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Training the Tongue” is a brief, but rich read for those who desire to tame their tongue, but are unsure where to begin. Fr. Gregory Pine focuses on crowding out sins of the tongue by cultivating virtuous speech. The book is broken down into 7 primary “tools” of the tongue we can use to promote communion with others.

Overall, I found this to be a very quick read and perfect for a daily meditation! There are 9 chapters, including the introduction and epilogue, that could pair well with a novena. This would be a great book for a book club as it could easily foster group discussion.

Rich with Dominican spirituality, and characteristically wordy ;), Fr. Gregory Pine’s “Training the Tongue” is both convicting and encouraging for the Christian looking to deepen their faith and friendships. I highly recommend!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the past few years, I’ve struggled to examine my conscience for sins of speech, because I did not have a clear idea of what actually constitutes gossip or detracting. Fr Gregory not only clarified my understanding of these sins, but also encouraged and inspired me to view speech as beautiful and noble. The book covers conversation, truth-telling, teaching, correction, humor, and prayer, and Fr Gregory gives a complete picture of the virtues required and what’s at stake. This book was released YESTERDAY which should tell you how readable I’ve found it. Highly recommend!

[Nghia Tran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provide such insightful and practical information on how we can grow in the virtue of speech. Fr. Gregory Pine did an amazing job breaking down abstract concepts that is valuable for all audiences and connecting it back to God and communion with one another. I believe this book is an effective and cool way to evangelize the Catholic faith! I highly recommend reading this, I was looking forward to reading this after reading's Fr. Pine's book about Prudence and he exceeded my expectations!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess, I find Father Pine a bit abrasive in his YouTube appearances, but the concept of this book intrigued me, so I decided to give it a try. It was excellent. Fr. Pine examines speech from different angles in different situations. His analysis is clear and very well thought out. This is a book that I will revisit in the future.

[Andres Gomez]

6/8/26: To be honest, I initially started a part of Chapter 6, then moved to Chapter 2-3 and completed, realizing that I never read the introduction or Chapter 1 (Fr. Gregory Pine O.P. told me it's intended to be read from beginning to end). Started around March of 2026. Given that I didn't have a bookmark and the many-folded pages, I don't know where I left off, so I'll restart the book.

[cam_omile]

read to review for a campus publication

[Peyton Long · Rating 4 out of 5]

A skillfully crafted work that offers both guidance and encouragement to those seeking improvement. I found it both instructive and uplifting.

[Gaby Borchers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exactly what I needed to wrap up Lent. So happy I chose it & took my time to sit with it. I can’t wait to recommend it to my friends!

[Timmy Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I disagree with some of the theological presuppositions and conclusions, but there are some really good thoughts here

[Silvana Gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book and easy to put into practice!!

Thos book is very handy. Easy to put into practice. A great guidance to us. Not so religious as I thought it would be. A lot of difficult words. Read it with a dictionary next to you-lol. Great to build your vocabulary 😊🙃👏👏