The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, affirms that the homily is an important aspect of the liturgy of the word. The homily has been repeatedly and strongly recommended and sometimes made obligatory.[1] It ought to bring the liturgical assembly to an encounter with Christ. Hence, it should be the fruit of meditation, carefully prepared, neither too long nor too short, adapted to the hearers and reserved to the ordained ministers.[2]
However, it is heartbreaking to note that the content of the homily delivered by some clerics in many places is far from ideal. Some of them lack the theological and liturgical character they ought to have. And thus, they have little or no impact at all on its hearers. And to the disappointment of most Catholics, especially the conservative/traditionalists, on important occasions like festival days or solemnity the homily is not given.
The common denominator for the various reasons many leaves the Church today is ineffective homily. Some have said that “they left the Church because homilies were “boring”, irrelevant, poorly prepared,” or “delivered in an impenetrable accent”.[3] A CNN reporter, Dan Merica, gives us an idea on how people feel about the homily:
“I stopped going regularly [to Sunday masses] because the homilies were empty”, one respondent said. “And whenever the Church wanted to raise money, they dropped the homily and talked money”. “I would advise the Bishop to make training in public speaking mandatory for every priest”, said another. “They should also be trained in how to relate their homilies to the people and inspire them.”[4]
Hence, the Mass for many Catholics is no longer a place to neither expand faith nor encounter Christ but a place to fulfill Sunday obligation: “I have gone for mass but am going to another Church (Pentecostal Church) to listen to the Word of God”, said a Catholic.
What then is responsible for ineffective homily, and what is the way to remedy this? Lets hear your views, comments and suggestions.
[1] Cf. Second Vatican Council, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, nos 35&52.
[2] John Paul II, Catechesis in Our Time, Catechesi tradendi, no. 48.
[3] Robert Barron, http://www.wordonfire.org/Written/articles-commentaries/April-2012/Why-Do-catholics-leave,-and-What-Can-be-Done-About.aspx. 10/07/14.
[4] Dan Merica, http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/03/30/7-reasons-catholics-leave-church-in-trenton-1-is-sex-abuse-crisis/#. 10/07/14.
