Pope wages war on dull sermons

Parishioners must play their part

The Pontiff’s top adviser on matters relating to the liturgy, Cardinal Robert Sarah, has warned that the priest’s sermon has become a ‘yardstick’ by which the entire Mass is judged by parishioners.

However, some priests believe, as well as improving deficient homilies, parishioners have to play their part and show more willingness and interest.

Speaking at the Vatican on Tuesday, Cardinal Sarah, prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments pointed out that “often, for many faithful, it is precisely the homily, considered as good or bad, interesting or boring, that is the yardstick by which the entire celebration is judged”.

The plan will see Catholic priests across the world issued with instructions underlining the importance of the homily at Sunday Masses and offering practical suggestions on how it can be made more relevant and interesting.

The new Vatican instruction warns against priests making up homilies as they go along and insists that even if a priest is an entertaining speaker, his sermons will be useless if they do not remind parishioners of the demands of the Christian life.

Quick Mass

Laois-based priest Fr Paddy Byrne, who has developed an online ministry on Twitter with almost 11,000 followers, said a major problem is that many parishioners just want a quick Mass. “People want to get in and get out, but we need to take seriously what we do,” he told The Irish Catholic.

He also said that the Church had to face the reality that Irish priests are saying too many weekend Masses.

“Priests can become tired of homilies in terms of human experience. We are saying too many Masses. If you could celebrate maybe a maximum of two, priests could prepare well but with multiple Masses it becomes purely functionary.

“With too many Masses it becomes a commodity in a consumerist society,” he said.

Fr Paddy Rushe, chaplain to Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) felt that the Vatican’s insistence that homilies should not be off the cuff was key. “I couldn’t understand how a priest could deliver a homily without some preparation. It should be connected to scriptures but also have a meaning to everyday life as well,” he said.

Asked about whether lack of interest from parishioners was a concern he said, “it is all about relationship. Clergy should have a relationship with their congregations, if you are saying things not relevant to them, they won’t be orientated towards you.

“Nobody gets it right the whole time, but most priests put a lot of effort into their homily,” Fr Rushe said.

Homiletics

Fr Ronan Drury, who taught homiletics at Maynooth to generations of priests for over 50 years until his recent retirement, said he felt it would be unfair for him to comment on the quality of preaching.

Athlone-based Canon Liam Devine, described the Sunday sermon as a vital part of ministry. “You have a captive audience on a Sunday morning which a lot of people don’t have.

“My experience is that most priests are conscientious and put a lot of work into it. I still find the method the Lord used works best. It is very effective when you tell stories.

“You have to talk about relevant issues and make it interesting. There will always be people who will misinterpret or won’t be listening to you. But if your sermon is good enough, you will hold their attention,” he said.

Archbishop Arthur Roche, secretary of the Vatican worship department, said that preachers must have “a solid understanding of Catholic doctrine” as well as understanding the “needs of this particular community that is gathered in prayer”.

The new homiletic directory, which will offer advice to all preachers, was first suggested by Cardinal Séan Brady during a Synod of Bishops in Rome in 2005 and was later taken up by Pope Benedict XVI.