Sermons by the Fathers of the Congregation of St. Paul the Apostle, Volume VI. — Reading Companion

Rhetorical Structure and Biblical Anchoring

Each sermon in the excerpts begins with a specific scriptural verse, which then governs the argument. For example, Sermon V uses Habacuc ii. 15 to condemn the dram-seller, while Sermon VIII draws on Zach. vi. 13 to discuss the Pope's temporal rule. The preacher typically quotes the verse in Latin or English, then glosses it phrase by phrase. This method creates a tight exegetical framework, but the sermons also incorporate extended narrative passages, such as the detailed recounting of St. Paul's journeys in Sermon IX. The structure is not merely expository; it often shifts into direct address, using second-person pronouns to engage the congregation. The language is formal yet vivid, with frequent rhetorical questions and exclamations, as in the line: “O wondrous science of the saints! O divine enigma which no one shall understand who does not write its solution in his own blood!”

The Centrality of Suffering and the Cross

A dominant motif across the excerpts is the redemptive value of suffering. In the sermon on St. Paul, the preacher argues that the apostle’s power came not from worldly success but from his “life of constant suffering.” The text lists Paul’s hardships—stonings, scourgings, imprisonments, perils—and concludes that “when he is weak before men, then is he powerful with God.” This theme is reinforced by the repeated phrase “Regnavit a ligno Deus” (God hath reigned from the wood of the cross), which appears in the excerpt. The preacher insists that even Christ’s triumph was achieved through the cross, and that the preacher must likewise “suffer in His stead.” The language is intense and physical, emphasizing blood, wounds, and the body as a site of spiritual warfare. This focus on suffering aligns with the volume’s Lenten sermon and its call to “pass a good Lent” through penance.

Moral Exhortation and Social Critique

Several sermons move from doctrine to direct moral application. Sermon V, “The Sins And Miseries Of The Dram-seller,” takes a strong stance against the liquor trade, using the prophetic “Woe” from Habakkuk to condemn those who “giveth drink to his friend.” The excerpt does not include the full sermon, but the title and biblical reference indicate a social critique aimed at a specific vice. Similarly, Sermon VIII on the Pope’s temporal sovereignty engages a political issue of the day, arguing from Zachariah that the Pope “shall be a Priest upon his throne.” These sermons show the Paulist Fathers addressing contemporary moral and political questions from the pulpit, blending scriptural authority with practical exhortation. The preface’s mention of “frequent solicitations” from clergy suggests these sermons were valued for their direct applicability to the challenges of 19th-century Catholic life in America.

Readers approaching this volume should note that the sermons are not arranged by liturgical season but by topic, with each standing as an independent discourse. The language is formal and the arguments densely scriptural, often assuming familiarity with Catholic doctrine and biblical references. The excerpts suggest a homiletic style that prizes emotional intensity and concrete imagery over abstract theology. Those interested in 19th-century American Catholic preaching, or in the rhetorical strategies of the Paulist Fathers, will find this volume a valuable primary source.

Reading these sermons, I remembered sitting in my grandfather’s study, the winter light fading as he read aloud about Paul’s hardships. That same quiet ache surfaced later in The Garden of Eden: Stories from the first nine books of the Old Testament — Edition Insights, where exile felt less like punishment and more like a slow, tender leaving. Both books hold sorrow as a kind of threshold, not an ending.