James “Jim” Sabak, O.F.M., is a Franciscan Friar of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Atlanta, Georgia). He is an ordained presbyter in the Roman Catholic tradition. Born in Seattle, Washington, USA, he received his Doctorate from The Catholic University of America (Washington, D.C.) in 2012. His doctoral dissertation is entitled, “The Theological Significance of ‘Keeping Vigil’ in Rome from the Fourth to the Eighth Centuries.”
Jim has taught at Siena College, Albany, New York, USA; Catholic University, Washington, D.C., USA; and at the Franciscan School of Theology at the University of San Diego, San Diego, California, USA. He is a member of the Secretariat of Societas Liturgica, and convener of the “Problems in the Early History of Liturgy” seminar of the North American Academy of Liturgy. He is a past member of the Executive Committee of the Catholic Academy of Liturgy, and current chair of the American Franciscan Liturgical Commission.
In addition to pastoral presentations on liturgical theology and pastoral application of the sacraments, he has written for the journals: Worship, Studia Liturgica, Horizons, and has been a contributor to the “PrayTell Blog.” Jim also hosts the Potential to be Amazing podcast with his friend and education colleague, Mike Watson. Jim’s research interests include study and analysis of the evolution of the liturgical calendar in the patristic and late antique periods and of the celebrations that accompanied this evolution; the meaning and significance of Christian and non-Christian ritual enactment in human life and society both in ancient and in contemporary contexts; how the use of secular space for sacred ritual and activity shapes and impacts the experience of believers who gather and worship in these spaces; and liturgical formation in elementary educational contexts.
Get to know Fr. Jim outside of academia in this informal interview:
And make sure you follow his daily morning reflections: https://www.youtube.com/@jimsabak7214