Sermons in Times of Crisis: Twelve Homilies to Stir Your Soul

by Paul D. Scalia

The Catholic Church today finds itself in the midst of a crisis. The flock is scattering, and while some shepherds bravely set off in search of those lost and wandering sheep, others drive them, and many more, further from the fold. But the Church has seen and weathered numerous crises in its two millennia, and always one or more of its priests and bishops stood up and rallied the whether to rebuke an Emperor or oppose a policy, encourage the faithful or defend the faith, bishops and priests ascended the pulpit and delivered sermons that met the pressing needs of their own times, sermons which should be read and remembered by Catholics of all times. You will find comfort within these pages as you read the words of these heroic pastors of souls St Ambrose of Milan, St Augustine, St John Chrysostom, St Edmund Campion, Pope St John Paul II , . . . and seven others. Enter into the minds and thoughts of some of the bravest, most eloquent, homilists the Church has produced. More than one was killed for the words they uttered which you will find in these pages. But they counted not the cost. Guided by Rev. Paul D. Scalia’s introduction and commentaries, you will come to see that the Church has faced crises and survived, even thrived, before. In fact, it is one of the marks of her authenticity, as it has often been said, that no mere human institution could have survived the persecutions and scandals that the Catholic Church has withstood over 2000 years. If you are a priest or bishop, just maybe reading these words of men not unlike yourself, will inspire you to stand and be counted and preach God’s word from the pulpit without counting the cost.

136 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2019

Reviews

[George Matysek]

Here's a story on this book I wrote for the Catholic Review, based on my "Catholic Baltimore" radio interview with Father Scalia:

As the Nazi regime systematically killed those it deemed mentally ill or “unproductive,” a fearless bishop of the Diocese of Münster took to the pulpit in 1941 to denounce and challenge.

If the right has been given to kill “poor defenseless mentally ill,” Blessed Clemens Von Galen said in his homily, then it has been given to murder all who are classified as unproductive — the incurably ill, “cripples unable to work,” those incapacitated because of work or war, the infirm elderly and others.

“It is unthinkable what degeneration of morals, what universal mistrust will find its way even into the family,” Blessed Von Galen said, “if this frightening doctrine is tolerated, taken up, and followed.”

Woe to humanity and woe to the German people, he thundered, if the holy commandment of God, “Thou shalt not kill,” is not only broken, but tolerated and taken up as a regular practice without punishment.

Blessed Von Galen’s homily, copies of which spread throughout the Third Reich and around the world, is one of 12 inspiring sermons published in a new book by Father Paul D. Scalia, “Sermons in Times of Crisis: Twelve Homilies to Stir Your Soul.”

Spanning a time frame from the fourth century to the present, the carefully-selected works show how some of the Church’s greatest clergymen applied the word of God and the teachings of the Church to moments of crisis.

If there’s one thread that runs throughout the selected homilies, it’s courage.

The courage needed to speak out against euthanasia in Nazi Germany is obvious. Similar courage was shown by St. John Paul II in a 1979 homily in Poland when the pope encouraged Poles to embrace God in the face of Communist persecution. Likewise, the soon-to-be martyred Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko asked his Polish countrymen in a 1983 homily to claim their right to God, to love, to freedom of conscience, to their culture and their national heritage.

Yet Father Scalia, vicar for clergy in the Diocese of Arlington, Va., also brings to light preaching requiring a more subtle kind of courage.

Read the rest here:

https://www.archbalt.org/new-book-hig...

[Katherine Bogner · Rating 5 out of 5]

After finishing That Nothing May Be Lost, I went on the hunt for any other books Fr. Scalia had written and found that he had recently compiled this edition called Sermons in Times of Crisis. While not his writing, he does provide an introduction for each of the twelve homilies contained in the book. Looking back at dark eras for the Church, each of the sermons addresses the current problem and how to solve it by turning to Christ. A dozen different situations stretching from the 4th Century to the 21st Century, you'll read the writing of great men like St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Charles Borromeo, St. John Paul II, and Pope Benedict XVI. The crises they were facing varied- teaching of heresies, conflict between church and state, trouble in leadership, etc., but there is something to be learned from each situation and each response. While the current sex abuse scandal is not directly addressed, it is clear that this collection is meant to embolden our priests and bishops to preach the truth at all times and to challenge those in the wrong even at risk to one's own life. This collection is beautifully bound in a soft touch hunter green hardback with copper foil stamping and metallic copper endpapers. It may seem silly to comment on the "looks" of the book, but I really think that the high quality makes it a perfect gift book to give to another, hopefully getting them to read the truth inside. It would be ideal to get in the hands of those responsible for teaching the faithful, first and foremost our priests and bishops, but also might be the right thing to pass on to someone really struggling with this dark night that we Catholics are fighting through.