Homilys

[Deltadeliquent]

Do priest always write their own homilys,(homilies?), or can they get them from books, or publications for such things?

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

Do priest always write their own homilys,(homilies?), or can they get them from books, or publications for such things?

The answer is “yes” to all of the above. There are “homily services” that provide pre-written homilies. There are other services that provide “homily helps:” ideas, story starters, etc., without providing the entire homily. There are numerous books available to priests and deacons that explain and analyze the readings and which act as reference material for writing your own homily. And there are numerous sources of ideas, complete homilies, Scripture studies, etc., available on the Internet. And there are certainly priests and deacons skilled and experienced enough to write their own with minimal to no “outside help.”

 

[HelenRose]

The answer is “yes” to all of the above. There are “homily services” that provide pre-written homilies. There are other services that provide “homily helps:” ideas, story starters, etc., without providing the entire homily. There are numerous books available to priests and deacons that explain and analyze the readings and which act as reference material for writing your own homily. And there are numerous sources of ideas, complete homilies, Scripture studies, etc., available on the Internet. And there are certainly priests and deacons skilled and experienced enough to write their own with minimal to no “outside help.”

In addition to his many other responsibilities a priest has to come up with a homily seven times a week. I think that many priests do rely on other publications from time to time. Strictly speaking he should mention each source during their homily, but I personally don’t expect them to. They have enough to contend with.

 

[Deltadeliquent]

I was wondering because I am visiting somewhere and I can get to church for a while.
The priest in one church gives very good homilies, and I take home a lot from them. The parish is not that well appointed. The priest does not speak English as a first language.

The other church I can get to is brand new and the parishioners seem much better heeled. And the priest is a native English speaker. But his homilies are terrible!

So I’ve been attending the poorer church and have been very moved and taught well.
I thought that he was writing his own homilies but they are so darn good! I began to wonder.
So I asked. Even if he does get them from a service, he still chooses them. Either way, I’m much impressed.
Thanks.

 

[Chatter163]

In addition to his many other responsibilities a priest has to come up with a homily seven times a week. I think that many priests do rely on other publications from time to time. Strictly speaking he should mention each source during their homily, but I personally don’t expect them to. They have enough to contend with.

A priest does not have to come up with a homily seven times a week. There is no requirement to have a homily at a weekday Mass. IME, most priests say only “a few holy words” or nothing at all at a daily Mass.

 

[Elizium23]

A priest does not have to come up with a homily seven times a week. There is no requirement to have a homily at a weekday Mass. IME, most priests say only “a few holy words” or nothing at all at a daily Mass.

That’s interesting. The priests in my area always give a good, meaty homily; while it is not appreciably long it is always well-tied into the readings and/or the saint of the day.

I don’t know what my current pastor does in the way of preparation, but he always speaks completely without notes, and I have heard him deliver the same homily more than once in a weekend; when he does this he always expands and improves on it for the second and later turns.

 

[Chatter163]

Homilies are required only on Sundays and holy days of obligation. Many priests don’t say even “a few holy words” at weekday Mass because they know that their parishioners must get to work. The practice of saying anything at all after the weekday gospel (and even after the Sunday gospel, at very early morning Masses) was almost unknown before the 1970s, anyway, so not saying anything today has much precedent.

 

[msammiem]

My priest writes his own homilies and he’s very good at it. His message is always true to the scriptures for the day. I always look forward to hearing what he has to say and I often laugh as he’s very funny and tells jokes often.

 

[KD8TZC]

So I asked. Even if he does get them from a service, he still chooses them. Either way, I’m much impressed.
Thanks.

Just curious… so does he write them or user some from a service? I’ve heard both, and the ones from a service, you normally can tell they came from there.

Now I do know our pastor has used some from a service, but added to them with his own thoughts. I has asked him once how he came up with his one homily as it really touched me, and he said that he used a service provided one but augmented it with his own thoughts too. Something like 90% service content and 10% his content. He said he had gone over it so many times though, he was really familiar with it that it may have sounded like he was reciting it from the heart and not a piece of paper.