Preaching
Preaching Hard Truths
Deacon Matthew Newsome 0
In my homilies, I generally seek to avoid controversial topics. This has been my policy for a few reasons, the foremost of which is my own cowardice (I didn’t say they were all good reasons). I want to be liked by others, so I try to avoid conflict as much as I can. I have Read More
Dumbing Down and Deacons: A Catholic Alternative
Karl A. Schultz 0
One of the key concepts in society and the modern Church is accessibility. Given steadily declining attention spans and a societal compulsion for instant gratification, to be acceptable (and marketable) to the person on the street or in the pew a message must be immediately comprehensible with a minimum of time and effort expended. This Read More
Forgiveness and Remembering
Deacon Tim Healy 0
“What’s he talking about?” “He doesn’t say.” Have you ever overheard this conversation between parishioners after your homily? There hasn’t been a deacon who hasn’t heard something like it, or perhaps similarly heartwarming sentiments expressed about the prevalence of poor homilies. Mindful of that, the authors of the new National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, Read More
The Fundamentals of Better Catholic Preaching
Deacon Peter Lovrick 0
The Homiletic Directory (2017) articulated a clear vision as to what the Church calls the preacher to do in his preaching and, just as important, what not to do. Preachers naturally look for concrete methods for preparing and delivering homilies as envisioned by the directory. That practical advice is valuable, but at the same time Read More
Preaching the Pro-Life Message
Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers 0
Every Sunday, we profess our faith in God by reciting the creed that reminds us of who we are and what we believe. Sometimes, however, when life throws us a curve and we are faced with difficult personal challenges or pressure from society, we become afraid to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. While Read More
Always Leave an Opening for Hope
Stephen Fahrig 0
“I never preach on abortion, because there might be women in the congregation who’ve had an abortion, and I don’t want them to feel bad.” A priest said this in my presence about 10 years ago, and his words have stuck with me for the last decade — not because I agree with them, but Read More
Preaching the Same Homily in Multiple Parishes
Deacon Steve Kramer 0
Ask five deacons what their preaching schedules are like and the answers will fluctuate widely. After my ordination in 1994, I typically preached once a month at one Mass. Occasionally, I preached at two Masses on a specific Sunday. It was rare to be scheduled to deliver the homily on two different weekends in any Read More
Preaching, Digestion and Transformation
Deacon Anthony Gooley 0
The purpose of a homily is to assist the people to receive the word of God. It is, in some sense, analogous to the Rite of Communion, through which the people receive from the table of the Eucharist. The homily helps us receive from the table of the word. Preaching assists us with the process Read More