Homily on sexual morality

  • Thread starter Thread starter CilladeRoma
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
It’s kind of interesting that those who believe that these things should be rather pounded into people never stop to consider that those who are ignoring the church teaching on these issues are seldom in Mass to hear it. They reject almost everything, so these things are mostly “preaching to the choir” type of thing.
Hearing it forcefully proclaimed makes some people feel better I guess, but as an RCIA Director and Catholics Coming Home coordinator, I can tell you that events like this make people run the other direction. We don’t mince words to be sure, but the approach is much more nuanced. Firmly speak the truth, hear their story, set them up with counseling from the pastor and support them in their struggle as they work through their return to grace.
otjm’s post is spot on.
We need to be firm in the truth, but we don’t need to hit people with a bat.
Strong homilists either appeal to people or they drive sinners away further.
I am in the camp of helping people to repent. I recall Jesus words ot the women who would have been stoned.
“neither do I condemn you, but go, and SIN NO MORE.”
 
I disagree. There are actually plenty of people who attend Mass who are ignorant of Catholic morality. The only way they might learn it is from a homily. There are also people at Mass who know Catholic morality but don’t live it. They need their conscience tweaked.

That said. I do recognize different approaches appeal to different people and their circumstances. But for that same reason this approach could be good and necessary too.
 
Really? You know CAtholics who think gay marriage and adultery is fine?
Wow.
 
pianistclare said:
t’s kind of interesting that those who believe that these things should be rather pounded into people never stop to consider that those who are ignoring the church teaching on these issues are seldom in Mass to hear it.
Click to expand...
At the mass I go to, probably 60% are retirement age or close to it. And I don’t go to the 8 AM mass. The number of 18-25 year olds is probably on the order of 5% or less. I don’t know how you reach these people, but you may be right that sermons at Mass might not be the best way to approach the topic.
 
Yes, they even have public groups promoting this. There are clergy who publicly support this too.
 
Support what? What kind of “support groups?” A support group for aldulterers?
 
There are Catholic groups who promote homosexuality. There are Catholic groups who promote remarriage.
 
You support it by instilling in parents that keeping your son and daughter in Faith Formation PAST Confirmation is a good thing, because that’s what we discuss in Youth Group. These are the topics we cover: Morality, SSA, adultery, fornication. Parents and students think they are “done” when a teen gets Confirmed, or they were Confirmed at at much younger age, and they had never had any classes that cover this.
 
Last edited:
Yes but as I said there are people who are Catholic and do attend Mass who either don’t know or reject Catholic morality.
 
SO you’re ok with this heavy-handedness? I only know one priest who does this, and he has been shuffled to dozens of parishes. What I am saying is, that PEOPLE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS in any way but negatively. CAF is a sort of hot-house for practicing Catholics.
One can think it’s swell, high time someone said so publicly, etc, but those who need the message don’t WANT to hear it, and walk out. Often, they are not even THERE to hear it. It’s called guilt.
Maybe you’ve never seen it, but they leave. And they never come back because the underlying message they DO hear is damnation and rejection, a total loss of hope. They figure, oh what’s the use? They hate me.
Of course, you and I know that God is all merciful and welcomes every sinner back into the fold. Yes.
But today’s thought process does not go there.
I can’t tell you how many teens think God and the Church hate people with SSA.
I know of many teens who struggled with this and they would NOT go to Mass with their parents. A kid who deals with this feels like all eyes are on them. Same with people having affairs. They just don’t.show.up.
And if they were there, they don’t come back. It’s YEARS before they admit they need help.
Why not be merciful and approach it another way? What’s so terrible about that? So long as they repent…there are other ways of teaching those things that some people find hard.
And likely it dones’t even register with the people in the pews who are faithful, and heterosexual.
 
pianistclare said:
What I am saying is, that PEOPLE DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS in any way but negatively.
Click to expand...
That isn’t true. It is a generalization. The proof it isn’t true is some people here do respond positively to that. I know of people outside of these forums who do as well. I don’t disagree that some respond negatively. But this can’t be categorically dismissed as being nothing but negative.
pianistclare said:
One can think it’s swell, high time someone said so publicly, etc, but those who need the message don’t WANT to hear it, and walk out. Often, they are not even THERE to hear it. It’s called guilt.
Click to expand...
Jesus came to call sinners to repentance. Just reading the Gospel or Epistles is offensive to some people. But we don’t accommodate that.
pianistclare said:
Maybe you’ve never seen it, but they leave. And they never come back because the underlying message they DO hear is damnation and rejection, a total loss of hope. They figure, oh what’s the use? They hate me.
Click to expand...
I don’t doubt that happens. And often it is a shame. But some people also don’t want to hear the truth and ignore it. I mean there are some people who no matter how gently you approach them they still come to this conclusion. That is because they don’t want to hear the truth. They want the Church to approve their lifestyle. It is for this reason that I think incorporating both approaches is good.
 
pianistclare said:
You support it by instilling in parents that keeping your son and daughter in Faith Formation PAST Confirmation is a good thing, because that’s what we discuss in Youth Group. These are the topics we cover: Morality, SSA, adultery, fornication. Parents and students think they are “done” when a teen gets Confirmed, or they were Confirmed at at much younger age, and they had never had any classes that cover this.
Click to expand...
I agree. I hope you are successful in pulling it off because we have not had much success in our parish. It can be a challenge getting some of the parents of religious ed students to come to Mass even once a month.
 
Combating secularism is great, but it sounds as though it may be too much, too fast for the parish. It’s my personal feeling that most homilies should be expository, that is, they should expound and illuminate the lectionary readings for that week. Nothing wrong per se with “topical” homilies, such as your priest wants to deliver, and I agree with others that sin is sin, and shoudn’t be soft pedaled. However, if tithing and attendance falter, that is problematic.

Would your priest be willing to accept survey results from the parish? These can be a non-confrontational, constructive way to deliver feedback to him on “how he’s doing” with his preaching there. Perhaps the survey could be part of a larger, general survey on parishioner satisfaction?
 
Last edited:
The survey idea is good, but it sounds like he’s not the type to permit it.
🤔 People might take it as trying to dictate what the priest shoudl do, which never works either.
 
Every encounter I have had with such a group, they know well the Church’s teaching. They desire to change the teaching. Big difference between ignorance and rebellion.
 
My point still is, those people are not in Mass for the most part.
No one is against good preaching.
I question whether such shouting is “good”.
But that’s just me.
I much prefer a peaceful focus on truth. When I yelled at my children they turned me off. When we sat and talked, they responded well though. Just an observation,
peace.
 
I heard this was because Europe is practically a mission field now. Hearsay though.
 
I know a “catholic” who denies papal infallibility, thinks the church is wrong on contraception, and thinks gays should be allowed to be married in the church.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top