Christen Torres / Church / Preaching / Sacraments / Vatican
by Christen Torres · Published December 16, 2018 · Last modified December 12, 2018
The sacraments are not for sale and priests must not demand payment for performing them if the recipient is indigent — but the faithful should pay stole fees if they can afford it, according to Bishop Victor Phalana of Klerksdorp.
Church / Letter of the Week / Preaching / Priests
by Letters Editor · Published May 25, 2018 · Last modified May 24, 2018
On the subject of preaching I have a strong opinion which I have voiced in “private” more than once: Good preaching starts with speech coaching at a very basic level at the beginning of the priest’s formation.
At a time when the quality of homilies is a recurring talking point in the global Church, the example of Pope Francis’ preaching style can offer some direction.
In his homilies and talks at audiences, the Holy Father uses many of the methods which emulate Jesus’ approach to preaching: keeping the message and the way in which it is delivered simple, emphasising it with references to real life — Jesus would use parables to do that — and then driving home the point.
Church / Pastoral Care / Preaching / Priests
by asiel · Published April 28, 2018 · Last modified April 25, 2018
Homilies must be relevant to those who hear them, and there are ways to achieve that, as KELVIN BANDA OP explains. Religious orders or congregations tend not to train their members on how to give a good homily. It is the people whom we serve who aid us in preparing and giving our best homilies.
A priest has used the weeks leading to the eclipse as an opportunity to educate parishioners about the beauty of an eclipse with a bit of biblical catechesis thrown in. The word from some...
Bishop Edward Risi OMI – Lately there have been comments in The Southern Cross and other publications about homilies. Some are fair comment; others unfair and unhelpful, especially when sweeping generalisations are made. Most...
by Chris Townsend · Published July 6, 2016 · Last modified July 5, 2016
In response to Sr Sue Rakoczy’s cri de coeur about preaching in The Southern Cross in April, and the variety of reaction thereafter, I was given a chance to reflect on preaching, and specifically...
