From the Deacon's Desk

by Deacon Rick Wagner

Deacon Rick Wagner was ordained on June 23, 2012 and currently serves his home parish of St. Pius X in Indianapolis, IN. He has been married to his wife, Carol, for 43 years and they have 4 children and 10 grandchildren.

Deacon Rick has been involved in Catholic education for 40+ years and currently serves as President of St. Theodore Guerin High School, a workshop instructor for Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology, and a retreat leader.

He has also authored three books: Remember What’s Important (2011), Fifty Homilies from the Deacon’s Desk (2016), and Fifty MORE Homilies from the Deacon’s Desk (2024).

Have a question or comment for Deacon Rick? Feel free to contact him at rwagner@spxparish.org

Category: Uncategorized

  • Whoever Has Ears

    Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his Kingdom all who cause others to sin and all…

  • Kingdom of Heaven

    Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer. “The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is…

  • Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Readings: 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12 / Romans 8:28-30 / Matthew 13:44-46 I am not preaching this weekend, but if interested, the following is a homily I delivered BACK IN 2020 on the same readings we have today: Most of us – at one time or another – have been overwhelmed…

  • Feast of St. James

    Saint James the Apostle’s Story This James is the brother of John the Evangelist. The two were called by Jesus as they worked with their father in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had already called another pair of brothers from a similar occupation: Peter and Andrew. “He walked along a little…

  • The Seed

    Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer. “But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears…

  • Speak to the Crowd

    Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer. The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?” He said to them in reply, “Because knowledge…

  • Stop Holding Onto Me

    Feast of St. Mary Magdalene Each day, I reflect upon a word or phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me…” (John 20:17) STOP HOLDING ON TO ME: Wait…aren’t…

  • Kinship

    Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer. “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50) KINSHIP: Jesus…

  • Consistent and Simple

    Each day, I reflect upon a word or a phrase inspired by the readings of the day. I encourage you to do the same and perhaps incorporate that word or phrase into your daily prayer (July 18). “You have been told, O man, what is good, and what the LORD requires of you: Only to…

  • Homily: Planting Seeds

    If interested, I will be offering the following homily at the closing Mass at the retreat I am leading for the deacons of the Diocese of Ft. Worth, TX this morning: In 2008, nine-year-old Katie brought home a tiny cabbage seedling as part of a third-grade project at her school. She planted it and cared…