Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC, ordained to the priesthood in 2001, taught theology and Scripture at the then Mater Ecclesiae College in Rhode Island and is now a part-time chaplain at Overbrook Academy in Greenville, R.I.
He holds degrees from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Connecticut, the Regina Apostolorum Athenaeum in Rome, and Northwestern University in Illinois.
He was an assistant publisher of the National Catholic Register and Faith & Family magazine and an editor of the Zenit news agency’s English edition. He has written for SpiritualDirection.com and ePriest. Fr. McIlmail also worked in spiritual retreats in the Northeast, New England, the Midwest, and the South and assisted with mission work in Mexico.
Born in Philadelphia, he worked in journalism and was active in the pro-life movement before entering the novitiate of the Legion of Christ in 1992. His contributions to RCSpirituality include responding to Ask A Priest questions and sharing his insights in our Weekly Newsletter.
Q: Does the soul receive the divine essence, and is it present in that soul when the human dies? And is receiving the essence different from what some call “participating”
Q: Sometimes I feel trapped in the vocation I am in. I am married, and don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and son so much, and I think
Q: What are some concrete ways to get over my fear of confession? I know that priests can’t tell what I’ve confessed to others, and I’ve read about the importance
Q: If you do not know something is a mortal sin, could it possibly have been a mortal sin? Also, if there is any doubt that something is a mortal
Q: I became Catholic when I was in undergrad, but before my conversion I met Joyce, who instantly became like an “adopted” mother to me. She was there for me
Q: This is a question I have as a practicing Catholic. Would the gentiles be required in the first-century Church to learn about the Jewish history in order to participate
Q: I have a friend who’s been trying to get pregnant, but maybe due to her age – she’s 47 years old – it is difficult for her to conceive
Q: So I was just wondering if God the Father created everything from nothing, how it is that he created Adam from dust and Eve from Adam’s rib? I’m sorry,
Q: I attend Mass weekly and on holy days. There are multiple reasons why I do not receive Communion that I have not been able to come to terms with
Alex Kucera has lived in Atlanta, GA, for the last 46 years. He is one of 9 children, married to his wife Karmen, and has 3 girls, one grandson, and a granddaughter on the way. Alex joined Regnum Christi in 2007. Out of the gate, he joined the Helping Hands Medical Missions apostolate and is still participating today with the Ghana Friendship Mission.
In 2009, Alex was asked to be the Atlanta RC Renewal Coordinator for the Atlanta Locality to help the RC members with the RC renewal process. Alex became a Group Leader in 2012 for four of the Atlanta Men’s Section Teams and continues today. Running in parallel, in 2013, Alex became a Team Leader and shepherded a large team of good men.
Alex was honored to be the Atlanta Mission Coordinator between 2010 to 2022 (12 years), coordinating 5-8 Holy Week Mission teams across Georgia. He also created and coordinated missions at a parish in Athens, GA, for 9 years. Alex continues to coordinate Holy Week Missions, Advent Missions, and Monthly missions at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Cumming, GA.
From 2016 to 2022, Alex also served as the Men’s Section Assistant in Atlanta. He loved working with the Men’s Section Director, the Legionaries, Consecrated, and Women’s Section leadership teams.
Alex is exceptionally grateful to the Legionaries, Consecrated, and many RC members who he’s journeyed shoulder to shoulder, growing his relationship with Christ and others along the way. He knows that there is only one way, that’s Christ’s Way, with others!
