Rev. James D. Conley, D.D., S.T.L. | Diocese of Lincoln website

Bishop Louis B. Kucera, who served as the Bishop of the Diocese of Lincoln from 1930 to 1957, delivered numerous sermons, many of which are preserved in diocesan archives. Among these is his Easter homily from April 1, 1934, reflecting on the significance of Christ's resurrection.

Bishop Kucera, a native of Minnesota, was ordained in 1915 and consecrated Bishop of Lincoln in 1930. His sermons were known for addressing the challenges of his time, such as the Great Depression and World War II. Father Kenneth Borowiak noted the preservation of about 2,000 texts, including a number written in Czech, and indicated that some may be published in the future.

The 1934 Easter homily highlighted the fulfillment of Christ’s own prophecy regarding His resurrection. Bishop Kucera drew parallels between Christ and Jonah, emphasizing the importance of eyewitness testimony, including that of the apostles and other disciples who saw the resurrected Christ.

Bishop Kucera cited St. Paul to underline the centrality of the resurrection to Christian faith: "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching in vain, and your faith is also in vain." He also referenced the skepticism of St. Thomas, which, according to St. Gregory the Great, reinforced the authenticity of the resurrection.

In his message, Bishop Kucera addressed common objections to the resurrection, arguing that the evidence of Christ’s death and subsequent resurrection is substantial. He concluded with an invitation to "celebrate this great mystery of His rising from the dead."

Father Kenneth Borowiak contributed to the editing of the homily for punctuation and sentence structure adjustments. The possibility of publishing some of Bishop Kucera’s sermons remains under consideration.