Week of NoVEMBER 2, 2025

My Sisters and Brothers in Jesus Christ,

This weekend we celebrate the great solemnities of All Saints and All Souls. We remember the countless saints—many of them unknown to us—who have gone before us in faith. We celebrate their victory in Christ, for they stand as signs and witnesses of the age to come. I am always moved by the words of the Roman liturgy:
“Help us to work together for the coming of your Kingdom, until the hour when we stand before you, Saints among the Saints in the halls of heaven.”

My former spiritual director, Fr. Harry Hagan, once wrote a beautiful hymn for All Saints titled “Rejoice for All the Saints This Day.” I find the chant version especially moving, and I’ve included a link to it here: Document1. What I love about this piece is how it reveals the many ways a person can live out a saintly calling, connecting deeply to the Beatitudes. It challenges us to reflect: How are we living out our baptismal commitments and growing in holiness?

This weekend, I also released a new video exploring a unique and often misunderstood expression of sanctity—the holy fool. In Christian tradition, the holy fool is a paradoxical figure who embodies divine wisdom through apparent madness. Rejecting social conventions, wealth, and respectability, these saints often feigned foolishness or acted outrageously to expose hypocrisy, pride, and false piety in the Church and society. Rooted in St. Paul’s reminder that “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:25), the holy fool mirrors Christ’s humility and suffering by embracing ridicule and vulnerability. Through their seeming madness, they became prophetic witnesses—calling others to repentance and love. Their lives reveal the radical wisdom of divine love that overturns worldly logic. The video link is included below.

I am also pleased to share that our new interim liturgies have recently been released by our bishop. I have ordered my copy and hope to begin broadcasting liturgies in the coming weeks. Please join me in praying that more individuals will open their homes to host these sacred gatherings. I also ordered a book titled “Sacred House” by Fr. Alan Andraeas, which explores the house church movement from a Sacramental Christian perspective. I hope this resource will provide inspiration and insight as Saint Oscar Romero Ministries continues to grow.

Finally, I’ve been hard at work on several projects related to the Independent Sacramental Movement. One book is nearing completion, and another is in the early stages. I look forward to sharing more details soon. God willing, I’ll also be recording an interview with a local transitional deacon from another jurisdiction, who will share her testimony and the ways she lives out her vocation. Building bonds with others in the movement is essential as we work together to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Peace,
Rev. Ben