During a general audience last Wednesday, Pope Francis advised priests to avoid giving lengthy sermons that could bore worshippers. “The homily should be brief: an image, a thought, a feeling. A homily should not last more than eight minutes,” he said. “Because after that time, attention is lost, and people fall asleep – and they’re Read more
Better homilies. Catholics all over the world are begging for them. A leading Catholic theologian says the need is clear. It’s expressed in a strong “lament” emerging from the “listening phase” of the Church’s global synodal process. Professor Anna Rowlands from Durham University says a strong, universal theme emerging from the listening phase was concern Read more
Your fridge may be full of nourishment for the body, but it’s possible that the outside of the door holds some food for the soul. Does your fridge door, like mine, collect sayings that become little teachings fastened by magnets? And do those teachings increase to find space in other parts of the house? I’d Read more
Top-notch preaching most attracts people looking for a new place to pray. That’s the conclusion of a new Pew Research Center study, released Tuesday (Aug. 23), which asked 5,000 people about their search for a new church or other house of worship. “This is what people value in a congregation — a good message, a good Read more
It is common knowledge that the homilies offered in many Catholic parishes (how can one say this charitably?) often have a lot of room for improvement. The quality of Catholic homilies, of course, varies widely according to the specific parish and priest involved. I have actually heard some of the best sermons of my life Read more
Pope Francis has pleaded with priests to give short, clear homilies. The Pope made this plea at the ordination of a Rome pastor as an auxiliary bishop. Ordaining Bishop Angelo De Donatis in Rome on Tuesday, Pope Francis reminded the new bishop of something he had told him earlier. “Let your words be simple so that Read more
At the synod on the family, a Canadian archbishop has called for the ordination of women deacons and for married people to speak in homilies at Masses. Archbishop Paul-Andre Durocher, a former president of the Canadian bishops’ conference, released the text of his synod speech on his blog. He proposed three courses of action for Read more
An American archbishop has categorised people who come to Mass and has spelled out to clergy how best to speak to them. In a letter to priests and deacons, Archbishop Allen Vigneron of Detroit stated: “Many people have been sacramentalised, but never evangelised.” Such people “knew about God, but they didn’t know him”. Another group Read more
A Bishop in the Philippines told his priest to stop abusing the kindness of people by subjecting them to boring, unorganised, unprepared, mumbled homilies. “We have seen many abuses among the clergy – alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, child abuse, gambling abuse, money abuse, travelling abuse, vacation abuse. Today, I invite you to turn your hearts Read more
Pope Francis has told several newly ordained priests never to refuse Baptism to anyone who asks for it. Speaking after presiding at an ordination Mass at St Peter’s Basilica on April 26, the Pope also warned the newly ordained against being vain priests. “A priest is ugly who lives for his own pleasure,” Pope Francis Read more