It all began in 1900. Mr. Joseph F. Wagner, founder of J.F. Wagner Publishing Co., decided to start a magazine for the Catholic clergy in the U.S.A. He called it The Homiletic Monthly & Catechist, the name it carried until it was changed to the present name in 1919.
In those days the format was simple: a sample sermon for each Sunday and Feast Day along with some aids for teaching catechism to children. It stayed that way until 1919.
The first editor until 1916 was Msgr. William Brady of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, N.Y., the seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. He was succeeded by two Dominicans, Frs. John A. McHugh and Charles J. Callan. They changed the name to The Homiletic & Pastoral Review because they wanted to do more than just offer sermons. They expanded the scope of HPR, adding articles, Church documents, Questions Answered and book reviews. …show more content…
Father McHugh was co-editor for 34 years when he went to his eternal reward in 1950. Father Callan carried on as sole editor until 1957 when he got some help from a regular contributor, Father Adian M. Carr, O.F.M., Conv., who became associate editor in October 1957. Beginning with that issue Father Carr wrote the first editorial to appear and it was placed where it still resides, on the last page before the cover. The publisher, Mr. Clement J. Wagner, in announcing the new editorial page said that its purpose is “to provide an insight into some salient contemporary problems and to indicate what might well be the priest’s attitude toward it” (Vol. 57, September 1957, p.
In those days the format was simple: a sample sermon for each Sunday and Feast Day along with some aids for teaching catechism to children. It stayed that way until 1919.
The first editor until 1916 was Msgr. William Brady of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, N.Y., the seminary of the Archdiocese of New York. He was succeeded by two Dominicans, Frs. John A. McHugh and Charles J. Callan. They changed the name to The Homiletic & Pastoral Review because they wanted to do more than just offer sermons. They expanded the scope of HPR, adding articles, Church documents, Questions Answered and book reviews. …show more content…
Father McHugh was co-editor for 34 years when he went to his eternal reward in 1950. Father Callan carried on as sole editor until 1957 when he got some help from a regular contributor, Father Adian M. Carr, O.F.M., Conv., who became associate editor in October 1957. Beginning with that issue Father Carr wrote the first editorial to appear and it was placed where it still resides, on the last page before the cover. The publisher, Mr. Clement J. Wagner, in announcing the new editorial page said that its purpose is “to provide an insight into some salient contemporary problems and to indicate what might well be the priest’s attitude toward it” (Vol. 57, September 1957, p.