The Last Homily

Death. It's not a popular topic in our culture. Most of us prefer just to ignore it and act as though we're going to live forever. But as Matthew Kelly writes in his introduction to this final testament of Father Richard J. Hauser, Knowing you are going to die is in many ways a great blessing and a rare grace. It shows us what's truly important and clarifies what we really want to say to the world.

In The Last Homily, Fr. Hauser provides us with the fruits of his own courageous encounter with death. Delivered while he was in hospice care, here is the message this beloved priest shared with his family and friends as he celebrated his final Mass.

In it, he reiterates many of the familiar themes of his life's work recognizing God's Spirit in prayer, following the Spirit's guidance in life, and clinging to him especially in times of suffering. More importantly, Fr. Hauser shows us what that looks like through his own example. Full of the urgency that only imminent death can bring, The Last Homily imparts priceless wisdom about what matters most and what matters least in this world.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Fr. Hauser was the oldest of six children. He entered the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus in 1955 and was ordained a priest in June of 1968. Fr. Hauser had a bachelor of arts in philosophy and a master's degree in American history from St. Louis University, and a doctorate in religion and religious education from The Catholic University of America. Fr. Hauser had a long career at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, as a professor in the Department of Theology. From his earliest days on campus in 1972, Fr. Hauser proved to be a source of spiritual inspiration to Creighton students. His inauguration of the candlelight Mass and his taking on of the directorship of Creighton's programs in theology, ministry, and Christian spirituality were in keeping with what he always felt his fundamental calling was: to help all people recognize God's presence in their lives. He was the author of three books: In His Spirit: A Guide to Today's Spirituality and Moving in the Spirit: Becoming a Contemplative in Action (both available from Wellspring), and Finding God in Troubled Times. In his writings, Fr. Hauser examined the topics that Catholics discern on a daily basis, including spirituality in our world today, the unique role of the Holy Spirit, and understanding the suffering humans experience.