Fr. Joseph Propps, (1936-1988) was a priest of the Diocese of Tulsa. In 1987, he was diagnosed with cancer
and died on Thanksgiving Day at the age of 52. Shortly before he died, he gave a homily with ten points of
Living Our Faith Today. I would like to share them with you this weekend and hope that you will find them as
relevant today as they were twenty three years ago. Fr. Propps is buried in the priest’ section of Calvary
Cemetery, Tulsa. May he rest in peace.
Father Propps’s Ten Points
First, “Commitment to the celebration of the Eucharist each Sunday. Only a serious reason should excuse.
Neglect of Sunday Mass leads to a weakening of Faith.”
Second, “Commitment to a daily time of prayer. Whether that is a period of quiet reflection and meditation,
the praying of the Liturgy of the Hours, the recitation of the Rosary or something else, recognize that these are
channels through which God’s grace is imparted to the individual soul.”
Third, “Commitment to the state of life that I have embraced, viewing it as not just one more vocation that
can at will be abandoned aside from the greatest reason.”
Fourth, “Commitment to chastity according to my state in life.”
Fifth, “Commitment to a steeling of self against the powerful influence of peer pressure in the mindless
pursuit of what is thought to be the ‘in thing’ of the moment.”
Sixth, “Commitment to personal integrity, that is, to the cultivation of the virtues of truthfulness and honesty
that will win the confidence of those with whom I come into contact in my journey through this world.”
Seventh, “Commitment to a simple lifestyle.”
Eighth, “Commitment to enrichment of the mind of reading, not allowing a day to pass that does not add to
my wisdom and knowledge by contact with superior intellects whose thoughts are contained in books and
periodicals.”
Ninth, “Commitment to the Word of the Lord by reading some Scripture each day, or at least frequently; and
by realizing that the homily requires preparation by the priest or deacon, and attention and involvement of the
mind and heart by me.”
Tenth, “Commitment to a daily regime of exercise of some kind that will help to keep my body attuned in a
way to enable it to sustain the stress of life and work. The ancient adage, mens sana in corpore sano, meaning
‘a sound mind resides in a healthy body,’ has lost none of its value with the passage of time.”