“Pursuing The One Thing Necessary” is a compelling novel that weaves lived experience with spiritual reflection, inviting readers into the interior life of a soul in search of God’s will. “Pursuing The One Thing Necessary” is the creation of published author, Leo Joseph Patrick Hayes, an eighty-nine-year-old retired Catholic priest who shares his life story through a novelized memoir that reflects nearly all of his real experiences. Once a fighter, he was shaped by his father into both a warrior and a scholar, a journey mirrored in his protagonist, Father Patrick, who ultimately strives for sainthood. Through this blend of fiction and truth, Father Leo explores faith, growth, and the pursuit of holiness. His writing has also appeared in The Homiletic and Pastoral Review, where two of his articles have been published. Leo Joseph Patrick Hayes shares, “This is a story about a boy named Patrick, born in the American heartland during the Great Depression. His story covers his formati...
By Mona Austin The Religious Freedom Commission presented an report on Friday that will further push the constitutional envelope on the separation of church and state. Following an appearance at a Faith and Freedom Coalition event held in Washington Friday where Pres. Donald Trump told supporters he remains a champion for religious freedom, members of the Commission, established by the Trump Administration last May, presented a 224-page draft report in the Oval Office. The commission and administration have been criticized for not balancing the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state. Their next move is to "sell" the point in the report to make religion more prevalent in American society. However, the document explains that there is no intention to overlook the separation of church and state. “To be clear, this does not involve or require advocating ‘theocracy’ or even the total elimination of any separation between church and state,” the report says. I...