An Irish Catholic priest has been reprimanded by his bishop for a sermon on sin, homosexuality, promiscuity, abortion and the ‘lunatic approach of transgenderism. “We rarely hear about sin, but it’s rampant, it’s rampant. “We see it in the promotion of abortion. .. in this lunatic approach of transgenderism,… in the promotion of sex between Read more
If we want to grow in holiness we have to pay attention and work on ourselves, Pope Francis says. Catholics often know more about their neighbour’s business than they do about the normal spiritual struggles going on in their own hearts and souls, Francis said during his sermon at early morning Mass last Friday. He Read more
Singing the sermon is one way of making sure people remember the point. Take last Sunday’s 9am Mass for Wellington’s St Mary of the Angels’ parish for example. The celebrant, Father Joe Savesi, is well known for including jokes in his sermons. They catch people’s attention and underline his main points. To recap -the sermon Read more
A cardinal who denounced the threat to the family from a “gay empire” has been deemed by a Spanish judge not to have committed a hate speech crime. Cardinal Antonio Cañizares of Valencia made this denunciation in a homily on May 13. In his preaching, the cardinal also listed gender theory as among the threats Read more
Pope Francis has prayed at the US-Mexico border, blessing people gathered across the Rio Grande River in Texas. On Wednesday, the final day of his visit to Mexico, Francis went up a ramp overlooking the river and the border, to a makeshift memorial representing migrants killed in their attempts to reach the US. Shoes of Read more
Pope Francis has opened the synod on the family by calling for a Church that proclaims the truth, but which must be a bridge and not a roadblock. In his homily at the opening Mass of the three-week synod at the Vatican, the Pope spelled out “God’s dream” for humanity. “[This is] God’s dream for Read more
Pope Francis has warned against listening to the daily messages of seers as a way of renewing one’s Christian identity. Speaking during Mass at the Sancta Martha Guesthouse on June 9, the Pope’s words came only days after he said a ruling on the Medjugorje apparitions will be coming soon. On June 9, Francis preached Read more
The Catholic Church in Melbourne has apologised for comments by a priest about a woman who was raped and killed. The priest made the comments in an end-of-term service for a Catholic primary school. He reportedly said that if Irish woman Jill Meagher had been more “faith-filled” she would have been at home instead of Read more
Senior liturgical officials at the Vatican have emphasised that homilies at Mass must not be boring. The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has issued a new Homiletic Directory, which was launched on February 10. Congregation head Cardinal Robert Sarah said for many Catholics, the homily, experienced as “beautiful or awful, Read more
The practice of lay people giving the homily at Mass is coming to an end in a United States diocese, where it had been happening for 40 years. Bishop Salvatore Matano of Rochester diocese in New York state is drafting guidelines to clarify that homilies at Mass are reserved for the ordained. Bishop Matano said he is trying Read more