Fr Richard Drabik, MIC, my longtime spiritual director and friend who wrote the Preface to the Diary of Saint Faustina, passed into Divine Mercy on July 4, 2026.
Fr Richard Drabik Introduced Divine Mercy to Saints and Villains — Beyond These Stone Walls
Fr Richard Drabik Introduced Divine Mercy to Saints and Villains July 8, 2026 by Father Gordon MacRae In April of 1993, my friend Father Richard Drabik and I both served on the staff of the Servants of the Paraclete Spiritual and Psychological Renewal Center for priests. Father Drabik was at the time preparing to go to Rome to concelebrate with Pope John Paul II the Mass of Beatification of Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska, now known as Saint Faustina, the Saint of Divine Mercy. Her Beatification took place on the Sunday after Easter that year, and Pope John Paul II decreed that henceforth that Sunday would be universally known in the Roman Calendar as Divine Mercy Sunday. Father Richard Drabik was formerly Provincial Superior of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception. He wrote the Preface to the Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska that has become globally famous. Just before leaving for her Beatification in Rome in 1993, Father Drabik stopped by my office to invite me to …
The United States of America was born on the Fourth of July in 1776. There is no greater tribute to this Land of the Free than the words of its National Anthem.
America Turns 250, but This Is Not the Twilight’s Last Gleaming — Beyond These Stone Walls
The United States of America was born on the Fourth of July in 1776. There is no greater tribute to this Land of the Free than the words of its National Anthem. July 1, 2026 by Father Gordon MacRae I have been pondering what to write as the nation in which I write marks 250 years in existence on the world stage. All thoughts kept bringing me back to our National Anthem and a reflection on it that I wrote in 2023. This nation and the entire free world were finally emerging then from the global Covid pandemic. Perhaps I needed more time to write of this then because our very freedom had been on the chopping block in both Church and State. We had surrendered far too much. So in this post I want to further examine the National Anthem, all four stanzas of it, three of which most of us do not even know. And then finally I want to add a reflection by Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who gave us some very candid and pointed thoughts about the nature of freedom and what we stand to lose if we …
The U.S. Catholic Bishops openly risk the trust of their priests to restore the trust of the rest of the Church while obfuscating the abuse crisis.
Opinion: The U.S. bishops missed an opportunity with changes to the “Charter”
Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond, Virginia, chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People, proposes revised procedures to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy in Orlando, Florida, on June 11, 2026. (Credit: USCCB/YouTube/screenshot) The internet buzzed after the U.S. bishops consecrated the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Orlando on Thursday. June 11. Catholic news outlets and bloggers mostly raved enthusiastically, while the secular media propagated slightly more restrained summaries. Even President Trump weighed in, saying the action was a “poignant reminder that America has always been guided by the loving hand of God.” Kudos to the bishops for turning to God for help in troubling times for this nation. But we would do well to consider the many places in Scripture where the prayers of those who ignore the basic demands of justice are not heard by a Lord who hears the cries of the marginalized and forgotten. We …
The April 18, 2000 murder of Pornchai Moontri’s mother, Wannee, on the Island of Guam still cries to Heaven for justice. This new AI forensic review provides hope.
An AI Analysis of Getting Away with Murder on the Island of Guam — Beyond These Stone Walls
The April 18, 2000 murder of Pornchai Moontri’s mother, Wannee, on the Island of Guam still cries to Heaven for justice. This new AI forensic review provides hope. June 24, 2026 by xAI Grok Writing for The Wall Street Journal on November 7, 2025, Mike Cherney penned an insightful essay entitled, “A Campaign to Make Guam the 51st State Is Gaining Traction.” To help make the case, the author cites the geopolitical strategic importance of Guam: “As US competition with China intensifies, the Pentagon is building up Guam as a hub for its security strategy in the Pacific. It is upgrading bases, moving more troops to the island and building a multibillion-dollar missile defense system to guard against a possible Chinese attack.” I have long had a personal interest in the affairs of Guam as recent articles published on this site reveal. Hovering in the dim distance in the background of this important story about the political status of Guam is another story that impacts the public image of Guam …
A prayer was offered for a falsely accused priest at the London prison cell of St Thomas More, while on the Island of Guam, a former Catholic Inquisition is exposed.
The Eighth Commandment Has a Day of Reckoning on the Island of Guam — Beyond These Stone Walls
A prayer was offered for a falsely accused priest at the London prison cell of St Thomas More, while on the Island of Guam, a former Catholic Inquisition is exposed. June 17, 2026 by Father Gordon MacRae Urgent Note from Father MacRae: I wrote this post in June, 2017. It is in part about something that happened on the Island of Guam. (Yes, we are back to Guam again!) Former Archbishop Anthony Apuron was accused in 2017 of sexual abuse dating back to the 1970s when he was a young priest in Guam. Please read the post, but most importantly please read the Addendum that I have included at the end, which now casts an entirely different light on the case against Archbishop Apuron. The truth will set you free, Scripture tells us, but when all statutes of limitation are abandoned, most of us may not live long enough for truth to be told. Archbishop Apuron did! + + + “Hear me out. You and your class have ‘given in’ — as you rightly call it — because the religion of this country means nothing to …
On June 13 the Church honors Saint Anthony of Padua, who taught early in life the importance of understanding Sacred Scripture.
On the Great Biblical Adventure, the Truth Will Make You Free — Beyond These Stone Walls
After long decline in religious interest and practice across much of the free world, publishers now report a phenomenal increase in new Bible sales since late 2024. February 26, 2025 by Fr Gordon MacRae “If you continue in my word ... you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” — John 8:32 For much of the last year, I had been reading news and opinion items about a coming “Great Reset.” No one seemed to actually know if it was real or what form it would take. Many thought it would be financial so rumors abounded about a vast reallocation of finances. Some of that may be happening more positively now with the DOGE endeavor to reallocate massive government waste. Others thought the reset would be social. Conspiracy theories abound linking it to the rise of Artificial Intelligence. I hoped the Great Reset might be spiritual. The anti-spiritual one came in 1968 and it was not great at all. Some called 1968 “the year we drank from the poison of this world.” I was 15 years …
After forty-four years of priesthood, thirty-two of them in the darkness of unjust imprisonment, my faith has been sorely tested, but I remain a priest in full.
In the Desert Wilderness of Prison, a Priest Meets the Devil — Beyond These Stone Walls
After forty-four years of priesthood, thirty-two of them in the darkness of unjust imprisonment, my faith has been sorely tested but I remain a priest in full. June 10, 2026 by Father Gordon MacRae Note from Father MacRae: My friend, Pornchai Moontri and I are indebted to Rebecca Virelles for her fine reflection on my life as a priest and prisoner published here last week. It caused me to reconsider this post about a demonic encounter first written in 2023. So much of the aftermath of that story has evolved, and new information has caused me to want to delve into it again. As Rebecca has described in last week’s post, Pornchai Maximilian and I have been on a road less traveled, and now we are far along that road. Your prayers, support and openness to the truth we tell have been the greatest Gospel witness for us. + + + In 1945, at the end of World War II and eight years before I was born, the film, Going My Way swept the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay …
On the Solemnity of Pentecost Father Gordon MacRae marks forty years of priesthood. Had a map of his life been before him on June 5, 1982, what would he have done?
Forty Years of Priesthood in the Mighty Wind of Pentecost — Beyond These Stone Walls
On the Solemnity of Pentecost Father Gordon MacRae marked forty years of priesthood. Had a map of his life been before him on June 5, 1982, what would he have done? June 1, 2022 by Fr. Gordon MacRae + + + “When you were young, you fastened your belt and walked where you would; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands and someone else will fasten them and take you where you do not wish to go.” The Resurrected Christ to Peter (John 21:18) + + + The few lines just below the top image on many blog posts are sometimes called a “meta-description.” Its purpose is to provide search engines like Google a summary of a post’s content in 164 characters or less (including spaces). Our meta-descriptions are not very useful in that regard because they are written with actual readers in mind and not search engines. Our Editor’s meta-description atop this post ends with a question: What would I have done forty years ago on June 5, 1982 if I had before me then a vision of my future life as a …
After 42 years of priesthood, 30 unjustly in prison, ‘The Whisky Priest,’ the central figure of Graham Greene’s best known novel, comes to my mind in darker times.
The Power and the Glory If the Heart of a Priest Grows Cold — Beyond These Stone Walls
After 42 years of priesthood, 30 unjustly in prison, ‘The Whisky Priest,’ the central figure of Graham Greene’s best known novel, comes to my mind in darker times. June 5, 2024 by Fr Gordon MacRae “You are sure to find another cross if you flee the one you bear.” — Anonymous Mexican Proverb + + + I was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1982, the sole candidate for priesthood in the entire State of New Hampshire that year. On the next day, June 6, 1982, I was nervously standing in a corner in the Sacristy as I prepared to offer my First Mass in Saint John the Evangelist Church in Hudson, New Hampshire. The church was packed with friends, family, and strangers from near and far. I was standing in a corner because the Sacristy was filled with my brother priests all vesting to join me for the occasion. I imagined they were watching me for signs that I might flee. I peered through the open sacristy door at the huge, anticipating crowd and my anxiety level was off the scales. I wished …
Marking 44 years of sacrificial priesthood, Father Gordon MacRae has been an instrument of Divine Mercy securing freedom for many wounded and imprisoned souls.
The Prison of Father Gordon MacRae and Pornchai Maximilian Moontri — Beyond These Stone Walls
Marking 44 years of sacrificial priesthood, Father Gordon MacRae has been an instrument of Divine Mercy securing freedom for many wounded and imprisoned souls. June 3, 2026 by Rebecca Virelles From the Editor: This Friday, June 5, 2026, marks the 44th anniversary of the ordination of Father Gordon MacRae. On this occasion, we have a guest author. Rebecca Virelles has been a regular reader for years. A while back, she interviewed me about BTSW, which resulted in my article, “From Arizona State University: An Interview with Our Editor.” She then wrote her insightful article, “A Voice for the Voiceless: Beyond These Stone Walls.” Recently, she has been reflecting on the literature of those unjustly incarcerated. Her aim is to make their lives and writings more accessible to new audiences. She has considered various saints and moral icons from history, and also Father Gordon MacRae and Pornchai Maximilian Moontri, whose lives are deeply intertwined. We have asked her to share with BTSW …
Comment on "Pope Leo Aims to Please" -- WSJ May 28, 2026
"It is of great interest that Pope Leo includes in his encyclical two models from Sacred Scripture that should raise caution or inform about the development of AI. One of these was the Genesis story of the Tower of Babel, which speaks for itself. The other is the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple and the unification of exiled people as a biblical paradigm for AI. It was Cyrus the Great, King of the Persian Empire in the Sixth Century BC who secured the freedom of Jews in exile, ordered their return to Israel, and commanded the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple. The center of the Persian Empire is now modern-day Iran, the government of which poses a greater threat to free people than AI ever could. The Prophet Isaiah (44:28) suggested that God may inspire moral authority as much in a political leader as in a religious one. Pope Leo might hopefully reconsider his opposition to current efforts to stop Iran from engaging the world by building a nuclear arsenal. Surely, this is of greater …More
“The Truth About Israel and the Truth About Hamas” by Fr Gordon MacRae sparked a response from Elon Musk’s advanced artificial intelligence platform.
Hamas Terror in Israel: Evidence Trumps Media Spin — Beyond These Stone Walls
“The Truth About Israel and the Truth About Hamas” by Fr Gordon MacRae sparked a response from Elon Musk’s advanced artificial intelligence platform. May 30, 2026 by xAI Grok In a May 27, 2026 post at Beyond These Stone Walls, Father Gordon MacRae delivered a direct, unflinching examination of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel and the broader media narrative surrounding the conflict. Writing from his long-running popular blog, the author argues that mainstream coverage — shaped by left-leaning biases — has distorted or downplayed the realities of both Hamas’s terrorist ideology and Israel’s right to self-defense. The piece opens with context about the blog’s growth and pairs with a companion post by Sheryl Collmer (“I Israel”). It then draws heavily on a May 14, 2026 Wall Street Journal editorial and the Civil Commission’s report Silenced No More, which compiles over 10,000 photos/videos and 430 survivor testimonies. MacRae presents graphic, evidence-based accounts of …
A recent Wall Street Journal weekly ‘Review and Outlook’ editorial was “The Truth about Hamas.” It kept me awake, and our news media must no longer cover it up.
The Truth About Israel and the Truth About Hamas — Beyond These Stone Walls
A recent Wall Street Journal weekly ‘Review and Outlook’ editorial was “The Truth about Hamas.” It kept me awake, and our news media must no longer cover it up. May 27, 2026 by Father Gordon MacRae About the above image: “Jacob Wrestling with the Angel” is an 1866 etching by Gustave Doré. It depicts a scene from the Book of Genesis (32:24-30). The Angel contends with Jacob’s strength, but the Angel is unmovable. In the end, the Angel gives Jacob a new name: “Isra-El,” a name which means “One who wrestles with God.” + + + Sometime ago at Beyond These Stone Walls, we introduced the practice of publishing an occasional post from a voice other than my own. We created a platform for those posts called “Voices from Beyond.” To differentiate from my weekly post always published on Wednesday, we decided this week to separate those other posts by publishing them on Saturday mornings. They will not appear every Saturday, but when we have one worthy of your eyes and attention, it will from hereon …
Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament types and feasts. Of this, there is no question, but God has not disowned Israel as a result.
I <Heart> Israel — Beyond These Stone Walls
Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of all the Old Testament types and feasts. Of this, there is no question, but God has not disowned Israel as a result. May 23, 2026 by Sheryl Collmer, a friend of Beyond These Stone Walls Israel remains beloved. I love Israel. No, I don’t love or endorse any crimes, real or alleged, by the government of Israel. Funny, I can say I love England without having to explain that I don’t endorse the rape gangs protected by the British government. I can love Canada, though its government appears intent on suiciding a wide swath of the population. I love Israel for its people, its landscape, its deserts and kibbutzim, the Biblical history that infuses every rock of this tiny country from Moriah to Megiddo, Bethlehem to Beersheva, its familiarity to Jesus as He walked up and down this land, sanctifying it with His footsteps, this land that is different from any other land because God deigned it so. In the Pentateuch, God showed His detailed, I would almost call it …
From Creation onward, Scripture often depicts the Holy Spirit as the wind or breath of God. When it swept through Jerusalem at Pentecost, all divisions ceased.
Inherit the Wind: Pentecost and the Breath of God — Beyond These Stone Walls
From Creation onward, Scripture often depicts the Holy Spirit as the wind or breath of God. When it swept through Jerusalem at Pentecost, all divisions ceased. May 20, 2026 by Father Gordon MacRae For a hot summer post years ago, I wrote “Hot Town: Summer in the Slammer.” My title was a spoof of “Summer in the City,” the famous 1969 hit single by “The Lovin’ Spoonful.” I was sixteen years old when that song hit the charts, but my post about it decades later was sparked by more current heat in my life: the long, hot summer days in prison. The sealed and barred window in my prison cell then faced due west, so on the hottest summer days there was a build-up of heat in a sort of greenhouse effect within these stone walls, and it could feel very oppresive at times. The windows let in heat, but no air. There are no curtains or shades in prison, and covering cell windows is forbidden. By late in a typical summer day, that cell could feel like a crucible from which there is no escape. There is …
Discouragement is the deep spiritual valley of our age. For Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the Holy Spirit’s light came only at dawn in a long dark night of the soul.
For Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Pentecost Illumined the Night — Beyond These Stone Walls
Discouragement is the deep spiritual valley of our age. For Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the Holy Spirit’s light came only at dawn in a long dark night of the soul. May 13, 2026 by Father Gordon MacRae I grew up a few miles north of Boston in an area known locally as the North Shore. Well, it is called that in print anyway. In conversation, it comes out something like, “the Noath Shoah.” I never knew that until I moved to another part of the country where people inexplicably pronounce the letter “R.” Anyway, I have lived in so many places since then that I have lost much of my Boston accent, but I can still translate it when I hear it. There is an old North Shore saying, “Light finally dawns upon Marblehead.” I am not sure of its origin, but it makes logical sense. The seaside town of Marblehead is at the head of a deep harbor north of Boston, so the dawn’s early light is seen there a few seconds later than in other North Shore coastal towns. Its figurative meaning is that some reality …