John McDonough

John Patrick McDonough holds a Masters of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Theology from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. John taught Religious Studies at De La Salle High School, a Catholic High School in Northern California, until 2021, when he moved to Erie, PA with his family. John now teaches religious studies at Mercyhurst Prep.

Born in Longview Washington, McDonough has visited the Holy Land and walked the Via Dolorosa. He has conducted readings of the Sonnets for Stations of the Cross services and school events.

John has won contests doing stand-up comic (satire and impressions), won debates at the state-wide level while in college, and captivated audiences with his words. He starred in multiple productions of a one-man play about Thomas Merton. John is a playwright-- in the 1980's, John co-authored A Voice Crying in the Desert, with Michael Rolland. This was a three-act-play based on the life of Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, who fought against the enslavement of the native people during the era of Christopher Columbus. The play has been translated into five different languages and performed in various parts of the globe.

Breaking News ! A Heroic Crown of Heroic Crowns

John has just finished a new set of sonnets called a Heroic Crown of Heroic Crowns. We believe that these sonnets, finished in 2020, are the first heroic crown of heroic crowns in the English language.

Please see the blog below for details.

The Incarnation

The Incarnation: Sonnets of the Nativity: A Heroic Crown of Sonnets

is a new set of sonnets, with glorious artwork by Gregory Walsh. Please consider getting a book as a Christmas present for anyone looking for a Christmas devotion. Thank you as always for your reviews.

To see John reading the Incarnation: Sonnets of the Nativity, please look on youtube for Gregory S. Walsh's page (he is the artist as well).

Sonnets of the Cross is now available in a larger collection, Sonnets of the Paschal Mystery. This collection included Stations of Passiontide and Stations of the Resurrection as well as author notes and scripture references. These are also presented in the rarely attempted form of the Heroic Crown of Sonnets.

John has won contests doing stand-up comic (satire and impressions), won debates at the state-wide level while in college, and captivated audiences with his words. He starred in multiple productions of a one-man play about Thomas Merton. John is a playwright-- in the 1980's, John co-authored A Voice Crying in the Desert, with Michael Rolland. This was a three-act-play based on the life of Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, who fought against the enslavement of the native people during the era of Christopher Columbus. The play has been translated into five different languages and performed in various parts of the globe.

Currently working on a textbook for Senior Synthesis, a unique religion class which challenges the students to directly apply Catholic teachings to their own lives in creative and meaningful ways.

The photos show John in his beloved Northwest. John and his brother, David McDonough, the artist of the Sonnets of the Cross, are shown in the second photo. John lives in Northern California, with his wife Carolyn, stepson Kyle, Aquinas the Aussie, and Merton the Contemplative Cat. David is a Vietnam Veteran and an acclaimed artist.

John is available for public readings of the sonnets for meditation. You can contact john at john patrick mcdonough at icloud dot com.