Giving the homily

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butasforme

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Sorry if this has already been addressed somewhere else; I searched and didn’t see it covered.

I was speaking with a family friend last night at a Christmas party, and I was describing a particular homily that I had heard that was compelling and dynamic, in part because the priest approached the audience and even moved a few rows down the aisle into the pews while speaking and interacting with them. Since I used to be a nondenominational whatever prior to entering the Church, it seemed OK to me, but she said that technically priests are required to stay at the podium while the deliver their homily (and not move away). I didn’t figure it was bad since this was a bishop in a major, seemingly-orthodox diocese. What’s up with this? Any help would be awesome, thanks!
 
Your friend is right…it is my understanding that a priest should remain in the pulpit to give his Homily.
 
Do you have any resources or background for your understanding? Official documentation? Anything citable would help me out. Thanks!
 
I had a non-Catholic friend who had heard that my pastor would leave the podium and walk down the aisle to preach. He wanted to hear him.
It is during the homily that the priest clarifies the readings of the Mass, especially the Gospel. I do not know that there is any requirement to remain behind the lectern. On the other hand, a person who makes a speech is encouraged to step away from the podium, to not use it as a crutch. If the purpose of the homily is to preach the gospel; and if more souls can be reached by the priest stepping away from the lectern (podium) and stepping into the congregation, why not? Did Jesus not walk among the people?
It is possible that bishops put a limit on how far a priest may stray from the pulpit in which case the priest would be bound by obedience.
 
I don’t think that the homily is required to be given from the ambo, it is just recommended. This is from the GIRM, and it just say “may be used”, not “shall be used”. Hope this helps.

The Ambo
309. The dignity of the word of God requires that the church have a place that is suitable for the proclamation of the word and toward which the attention of the whole congregation of the faithful naturally turns during the Liturgy of the Word.117
It is appropriate that this place be ordinarily a stationary ambo and not simply a movable lectern.
The ambo must be located in keeping with the design of each church in such a way that the ordained ministers and lectors may be clearly seen and heard by the faithful.
From the ambo only the readings, the responsorial Psalm, and the Easter Proclamation (Exsultet) are to be proclaimed; it may be used also for giving the homily and for announcing the intentions of the Prayer of the Faithful. The dignity of the ambo requires that only a minister of the word should go up to it.
It is appropriate that a new ambo be blessed according to the rite described in the Roman Ritual before it is put into liturgical use.

Stillkickin 👍
 
The General Instruction of the Roman Missile (GIRM) states:
“The priest, standing at the chair or at the ambo itself or, when appropriate, in another suitable place, gives the homily.” (#136)
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“[the ambo] may be used also for giving the homily” (#309)
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Unless someone else has another source, I don’t see that there’s any liturgical abuse going on here.

As a matter of preference, I prefer they stay at the ambo so all can see and hear without the distraction of trying to chase him around the sanctuary with your eyes.
 
butasforme said:
I was speaking with a family friend last night at a Christmas party, and I was describing a particular homily that I had heard that was compelling and dynamic, in part because the priest approached the audience and even moved a few rows down the aisle into the pews while speaking and interacting with them.
Click to expand...
“The priest, standing at the chair or at the ambo itself or, when appropriate, in another suitable place, gives the homily. When the homily is completed, a period of silence may be observed.” (GIRM 136) Depending on the appropriateness, the homily may be given from another suitable place. Is being outside the sanctuary appropriate? I don’t think it is; perhaps the bishop thinks otherwise.
 
true, the use of an ambo is optional. however, under normal circumstances a priest is not allowed to leave the sanctuary durring the Mass.
 
I, too, find it very distracting when the celebrant leaves the ambo and walks up and down the aisle. Last Sunday when I went to Mass (had to keep my sunglasses on due to an eye infection), it was hard to keep looking at my pastor as he was in the aisle.

When my bishop celebrates Mass, he preaches from the ambo (as does my PV). The only time I’ve seen someone preach from the chair is the Holy Father during Mass at St. Peter’s (via TV). Of course, when the Holy Father celebrates Mass in a smaller venue (hospital or prison chapel), Pope Benedict will preach from the ambo. Now, as Cardinal Ratzinger, he would deliver his homilies standing (i.e. JPII funeral and Conclave Mass). But, now that he is Pope, the protocol is for the Holy Father to sit.
 
Our pastor usually comes down and stands in the aisle, level with the first occupied pew – at an anticipated Sunday Mass that might be the 5th or 6th pew down. He usually doesn’t move around as he gives the homily.
 
benedictgal said:
The only time I’ve seen someone preach from the chair is the Holy Father during Mass at St. Peter’s (via TV).
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At my wedding Mass, which was concelebrated, my eldest brother was the celebrant, and did not read the Gospel, so he remained at his chair when the Gospel was completed and gave his homily from there. Since myself, my wife(-to-be), the best man, and the maid of honor were seated apart from the congregation, it would have been awkward for him to stand at the ambo, since he would have to keep turning back to face us.
 
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