In these 40 previously unpublished entries from his 1854 spiritual journal, Hecker explores his faith, culture, country, and God.
Paulist Fr. Ron Franco highlights several of Hecker's writings on the Holy Spirit.
Published in 1857. The full text is available courtesy of archive.org.
Published in 1865. The full text is available courtesy of archive.org.
Servant of God Isaac Hecker was a brilliant missionary preacher and author. Here are some of his own words:
“No, Mother, I shall not die now. God has work for me in this world and I shall live to do it.”
– Isaac Hecker’s response to his mother in 1822 when he contracted small pox and she explained to him that he was in danger of dying
” … You say you have no time to pray! Have you time to breathe? Prayer is to the life of the soul as breathing is to the life of the body. It is absurd to say you do not have the time to pray, as it would be to say that you have no time to breathe. Pray when you rise and dress, pray when you are on the way to work, or to your place of business, or on your return home or before you go to bed. Lift up your hearts to God at intervals during the day. These short aspirations of the soul are like swift arrows which pierce the clouds and penetrate to the very throne of God. … “
– from Fr. Hecker’s 1865 sermon “The Battle of Life” preached at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City
“Perhaps the time has come when human beings will consider impartially the causes which have brought about the deplorable religious dissensions and divisions existing among Christians, and that a movement is about to set in on all sides towards unity, and the prayer of Christ that ‘all who believe in Him might be made perfect in unity’ will find its fulfillment. This is our hope. To contribute to this result we labor.”
– Fr. Hecker reflecting on divisions between people in the United States caused by the Civil War