Dominican Friars

Mar 22 2026

Ancient Holy Saturday Homily – Christ’s Descent to the Dead | Read by Fr. Michael Donahue, O.P.

On Holy Saturday, the Church contemplates a silence that is not emptiness, but mystery.

This ancient homily, read by Fr. Michael Donahue, O.P., reflects on what Christ is doing in the hidden space between the Cross and the Resurrection. Far from being inactive in the tomb, Christ is portrayed as descending into death itself to seek out and rescue those who have gone before him.

The homily presents Holy Saturday as a moment of hidden victory: Christ breaks the power of death from within, calls Adam and all humanity to rise, and begins the work of restoration even before Easter dawns.

It is a meditation on the “harrowing of hell,” revealing that what appears to be silence is already the unfolding of salvation.

From an ancient homily on Holy Saturday
The Lord descends into hell

Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have slept ever since the world began. God has died in the flesh and hell trembles with fear.

He has gone to search for our first parent, as for a lost sheep. Greatly desiring to visit those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, he has gone to free from sorrow the captives Adam and Eve, he who is both God and the son of Eve. The Lord approached them bearing the cross, the weapon that had won him the victory. At the sight of him Adam, the first man he had created, struck his breast in terror and cried out to everyone: “My Lord be with you all.” Christ answered him: “And with your spirit.” He took him by the hand and raised him up, saying: “Awake, O sleeper, and rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

I am your God, who for your sake have become your son. Out of love for you and for your descendants I now by my own authority command all who are held in bondage to come forth, all who are in darkness to be enlightened, all who are sleeping to arise. I order you, O sleeper, to awake. I did not create you to be held a prisoner in hell. Rise from the dead, for I am the life of the dead. Rise up, work of my hands, you who were created in my image. Rise, let us leave this place, for you are in me and I am in you; together we form only one person and we cannot be separated.

For your sake I, your God, became your son; I, the Lord, took the form of a slave; I, whose home is above the heavens, descended to the earth and beneath the earth. For your sake, for the sake of man, I became like a man without help, free among the dead. For the sake of you, who left a garden, I was betrayed to the Jews in a garden, and I was crucified in a garden.

See on my face the spittle I received in order to restore to you the life I once breathed into you. See there the marks of the blows I received in order to refashion your warped nature in my image. On my back see the marks of the scourging I endured to remove the burden of sin that weighs upon your back. See my hands, nailed firmly to a tree, for you who once wickedly stretched out your hand to a tree.

I slept on the cross and a sword pierced my side for you who slept in paradise and brought forth Eve from your side. My side has healed the pain in yours. My sleep will rouse you from your sleep in hell. The sword that pierced me has sheathed the sword that was turned against you.

Rise, let us leave this place. The enemy led you out of the earthly paradise. I will not restore you to that paradise, but I will enthrone you in heaven. I forbade you the tree that was only a symbol of life, but see, I who am life itself am now one with you. I appointed cherubim to guard you as slaves are guarded, but now I make them worship you as God. The throne formed by cherubim awaits you, its bearers swift and eager. The bridal chamber is adorned, the banquet is ready, the eternal dwelling places are prepared, the treasure houses of all good things lie open. The kingdom of heaven has been prepared for you from all eternity.

This reflection is part of our Holy Week guide, designed to help you walk with Christ in prayer through these sacred days. View the full guide here.

Sep 04 2025

Book Signing at the 2025 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

At this year’s Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage on Saturday, September 27, 2025, four Dominican friars will be signing their latest works—and you’re invited to meet them! The event takes place from 12:00–1:00 p.m. in front of the bookstore at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Books will be available for purchase on-site.

Meet the Authors

Fr. James Brent, O.P.
The Father’s House: Discovering Our Home in the Trinity

Father James Dominic Brent, O.P., is a Dominican friar of the Province of St. Joseph. Born and raised in Michigan, he completed his doctorate in Philosophy from St. Louis University and licentiate in Theology from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC where he now teaches. He frequently lectures for the Thomistic Institute and Aquinas 101. Fr. Brent’s new podcast Contemplata is born from years of traveling the world lecturing, preaching retreats, and meeting increasingly more people who hunger to know God more deeply in contemplative prayer. He is the author of The Father’s House: Discovering Our Home in the Trinity (Pauline Books, 2023). Fr. Brent was the homilist at last year’s Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage.

Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P.
Our Father: Our Prayer of Hope
The Power of Patristic Preaching: The Word in Our Flesh

Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., is Ordinary Professor and Editor-in-Chief of The Thomist at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception, Dominican House of Studies and Master of Students for the deacons of the Province of St. Joseph at St. Dominic Priory in Washington, DC. Previously he served as a parochial vicar in Rhode Island, a missionary in Nairobi, Kenya, a doctoral student at the University of Notre Dame, and formator at the Dominican House of Studies. He is an author of many publications including The Power of Patristic Preaching: The Word in Our Flesh, Magnificat’s Way of the Cross and Rosary for a Eucharistic Revival, and he co-authored A Living Sacrifice: Guidance for Men Discerning Religious Life and Our Father: Our Prayer of Hope. He enjoys preaching on the Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Fr. Philip Nolan, O.P.
Our Father: Our Prayer of Hope

Fr. Philip Nolan, O.P. is a Dominican of the Province of Saint Joseph. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2022 and serves at Holy Innocents Parish in Pleasantville, New York. He is a frequent contributor to Magnificat and co-author of Our Father: Our Prayer of Hope (Magnificat, 2025).

Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P.
Your Eucharistic Identity: A Sacramental Guide to the Fullness of Life
Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly

From Pennsylvania, Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH. He previously served as the Assistant Director of Campus Outreach for the Thomistic Institute in Washington, DC, and associate pastor of St. Louis Bertrand Catholic Church in Louisville, KY where he also taught at Bellarmine University. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of dogmatic theology at the Dominican House of Studies and an Assistant Director of the Thomistic Institute. He is a contributor on the Pints with Aquinas show, a co-host of Godsplaining and the Catholic Classics podcast. Fr. Gregory is the author of Prudence: Choose Confidently, Live Boldly (Our Sunday Visitor, 2022) and co-author with Matt Fradd of Marian Consecration With Aquinas: A Nine Day Path for Growing Closer to the Mother of God (TAN Books, 2020). Fr. Gregory was the principal preacher at last year’s Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage.

Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.
Contemplation and the Cross: A Catholic Introduction to the Spiritual Life
The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism

Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P., is the Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome. He is the author of various books and articles including Wisdom in the Face of Modernity: A Study in Thomistic Natural Theology (Sapientia Press, 2011), The Incarnate Lord, A Thomistic Study in Christology (The Catholic University of America Press, 2015) Exodus (Brazos Press, 2016), The Light of Christ: An Introduction to Catholicism (Catholic University Press, 2017), and The Trinity: On the Nature and Mystery of the One God (Catholic University Press, 2022). He is co-editor of the journal Nova et Vetera, a Distinguished Scholar of the McDonald Agape Foundation, and a member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas.

Don’t miss this opportunity! Whether you’ve been shaped by their writings or are just discovering them, the book signing is a chance to meet the friars, share a moment, and bring home a signed copy of their newest work. Join us 12:00–1:00 p.m. in front of the bookstore.

Jul 04 2025

Introducing the 2025 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage Speakers

Each year, the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage invites the faithful to draw closer to Christ through the preaching, prayer, and liturgy of the Order of Preachers. This year’s pilgrimage features a gifted team of friars who exemplify the Dominican charism. Fr. Austin Dominic Litke, O.P., serves as the principal preacher, bringing the wisdom of the Church Fathers to life through his preaching. Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P., will offer the homily at Mass, drawing from years of pastoral experience and theological depth. And Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P., the Province’s newly appointed Promoter of the Holy Rosary, will serve as the main celebrant, guiding pilgrims in prayer and leading us to a deeper devotion to Mary.

Fr. Austin Dominic Litke, O.P.
Principal Preacher

Fr. Austin Litke, O.P., is a Dominican friar of the Province of St. Joseph. He was ordained a priest in 2011 and has served as chaplain to patients at Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer Hospital in New York city as well as to students at New York University. He earned a doctorate in Patristic Theology from the Pontifical Patristics Institute of the Lateran University in Rome and has taught at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (the Angelicum) in Rome as well as the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC. He is currently a professor in the Department of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. This Fall, he will move to Rome to teach at the Angelicum. Fr. Austin is a member of the Hillbilly Thomists.

Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P.
Promoter of the Holy Rosary & Main Celebrant

Fr. Joseph-Anthony Kress, O.P. entered the Dominican Province of St. Joseph in 2010. He made his solemn profession on August 9, 2014 and was ordained a priest on May 21, 2016. In the spring of 2010 he graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a Bachelor of Arts and subsequently received a Bachelor of Sacred Theology and Masters of Divinity from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception. Fr. Joseph-Anthony served as the chaplain to Catholic Hoos at the University of Virginia from 2017-2024. In 2025 he began to serve as the Promoter of the Rosary for the Province of St. Joseph and Associate Director of the Dominican Friars Foundation. He is a co-host of the Godsplaining podcast alongside three of his Dominican classmates. Over the years he has worked in overseeing large-scale liturgies which include World Youth Day Krakow, USCCB Convocation, Fr. Emil Kapaun Homecoming, Amazing Parish conferences, and the National Eucharistic Congress. A native of St. Clairsville, OH, he is the youngest of three.

Fr. Andrew Hofer, O.P.
Homilist

Fr. Josemaría Guzmán-Domínguez, O.P.
Spanish Language Principal Preacher

Fr. Josemaría Guzmán-Domínguez, O.P., is the Chaplain and Director of the Catholic Community at Johns Hopkins University and a parochial vicar at SS. Philip and James Catholic Church in Baltimore, MD. He was born in Caracas, Venezuela and in 2004 moved to Long Island, New York with his family. As an undergrad at Notre Dame (IN), he studied Italian Literature and from there God brought him to the Dominicans. He loves praying, preaching, and celebrating the Sacraments in his native Spanish, and is very glad to do so at the Rosary Pilgrimage this year!

Jun 23 2025

Fr. Austin Litke, O.P., Announced as 2025 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage Principal Preacher

The Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage is pleased to announce that Fr. Austin Dominic Litke, O.P., will serve as the principal preacher for the 2025 pilgrimage on Saturday, September 27, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Fr. Austin is the Promoter of the Holy Rosary for the Dominican Province of St. Joseph and a Dominican friar with a background in pastoral ministry and theological scholarship.

About Fr. Austin Litke, O.P.

Ordained a priest in 2011, Fr. Austin has served as a chaplain at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Hospital and at New York University. He earned a doctorate in Patristic Theology from the Pontifical Patristics Institute in Rome and has taught at both the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) and the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC.

He currently teaches in the Department of Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. This fall, he will return to Rome to begin a new assignment teaching at the Angelicum. Fr. Austin is also a member of The Hillbilly Thomists.

Join Us for the 2025 Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

Now entering its third year, the Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage draws pilgrims from across the country for a full day of prayer, preaching, Eucharistic adoration, Confession, and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In 2024, over 300 pilgrims were enrolled in the Rosary Confraternity, and the Basilica resounded with thousands praying the Rosary together.

We invite you to mark your calendars for Saturday, September 27, 2025, and join us at the Basilica in Washington, DC.

More details to come—including the official schedule.

Jan 07 2025

A 9-Month Novena for the third annual Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage

The Dominican Friars of the Province St. Joseph are beginning a 9-month novena to pray for the success of the third annual Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage.

The 9-month novena begins on Saturday, January 25, 2025, and will be prayed every last Saturday of the month for nine months. The friars want the faithful to join them again in praying for the success of this year’s Rosary Pilgrimage and encourage people to visit rosarypilgrimage.org to get the novena prayer card sent to them and to view monthly video reflections on the Rosary.

Last year’s Rosary Pilgrimage, held in September at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., “was another great success,” said Fr. John Paul Kern, O.P., Executive Director of the Dominican Friars Foundation, “and we want this pilgrimage to bring more and more people together each year to deepen devotion to Our Lady and her Rosary, to pray with the friars and to lead many souls to Jesus through Mary.”

The second annual pilgrimage brought 3,200 Catholics from across the country together for a day with great preaching by the friars, praying of the Rosary, Adoration, and Holy Mass. At the end of the day-long pilgrimage at the Basilica, pilgrims were treated to an evening concert on the lawn of The Catholic University of America by the Hillbilly Thomists, who were wrapping up their summer tour with their new album, Marigold.

“There have been so many graces received on this day of Pilgrimage two years in a row now and Our Lady wants to continue to give us these graces this next year,” said Fr. John Paul. “So, begin praying with us now, every last Saturday of the month, for the success of the third annual Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage, and then join us for the next Dominican Rosary Pilgrimage on September 27, 2025 in Washington, D.C.”