Priest at my Church loves to use props during his homilies

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As an example, during Sunday’s Feast of Christ the King, the priest had a teen volunteer to approach the alter and be dressed in a robe and crown, while he spoke his homily. IMO, it’s a distraction and I got the impression that he’s dumbing down his homily. Got the impression that this priest feels we are not intellectually advanced to understand his homilies, hence the need for props.
 
blaskoman said:
As an example, during Sunday’s Feast of Christ the King, the priest had a teen volunteer to approach the alter and be dressed in a robe and crown, while he spoke his homily. IMO, it’s a distraction and I got the impression that he’s dumbing down his homily. Got the impression that this priest feels we are not intellectually advanced to understand his homilies, hence the need for props.
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Before Vatica II, the masses were identical from Siberia to Argentina, from Japan to Australia. After V II, there is much experiment going around.

Just take it easy…for the good of your mental health…😃
 
Hmmm…your priest seems to be extreme in the props department!

I personally appreciate props that emphasis points as that is just good effective speaking…even PPP of photographs that show contemporary stories of the gospel…many of us are visual and audio learners so it helps…

However, the problem with “improv” is that it is takes up too much time…where as with photographs, other things that can be displayed WHILE giving the sermon are not time consuming and sometimes they can provide a means for the brain to remember the key points of a message…

Thoughts?

Bruce Ferguson
 
As the mother of two teenagers, I can’t imagine a teen WANTING to do this.

Was there money involved??😃
:D:D

JUST KIDDING!!

But seriously, I think that both of my teens would call “LAME!”

:confused:🤷
 
Bring some props of your own to confession and give him a taste of his own medicine.
 
There has been discussion in the past about what can a priest do and not do during his Homily. Pretty much he can do anything if it helps him to convey his teaching. He can bring out a guitar and sing, fire up a PowerPoint presentation, etc. The only rubric really is that an ordained man (deacon, priest, bishop) be the one to give the Homily. Other than that, he can pretty much do everything he feels he needs to do to make his Homily effective.

Maybe try listening to the priest instead of just being perplexed about the situation immediately. Perhaps he did give good point about this.
 
Would people consider 'sign language" during the homily as a prop? If props can assist in the learning and internalizing process then they are good… art and architecture, the form of the lecturn itself are also props…so I think that the common sense rule is that props should be valued in terms of how the improve the learning experience and the interanlization of the lecturers message…would that be fair in peoples minds?

Bruce Ferguson
 
My mom’s former parish priest used his canoe on occasion in his homilies.
 
blaskoman said:
As an example, during Sunday’s Feast of Christ the King, the priest had a teen volunteer to approach the alter and be dressed in a robe and crown, while he spoke his homily. IMO, it’s a distraction and I got the impression that he’s dumbing down his homily. Got the impression that this priest feels we are not intellectually advanced to understand his homilies, hence the need for props.
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Very likely he is simply trying to use multiple methods to help everyone in the congregatin understand. You may be able to follow his thought process just by hearing him, others may not be able to. As the pastor/priest of the congregation he knows more about overall and individual needs than you do.

Either attend a different Mass, or try to disregard his props and simply focus on his words. Perhaps listen to the homily with your eyes closed?
 
Anathama_Sit said:
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
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Yeah, bring a hand puppet into the confessional. Call it “The Old Man” (Ephesians 4). Give it a sinister eastern European accent. Act out a dialog between yourself “The New Man” and the puppet “Ze Olt Man”, about setting aside habits of sin carried over from a former life.

Just make sure your confession is integral. It’s a sacrament, not St Stephen’s Got Talent.

Hey, it worked for our 2nd grade First Confession class.
 
There are many ways to learn - visual, auditory, through music, through art, through the physical, etc. He is probably aware of this and is trying to reach more people.:newidea:

My mind often wanders during homilies, so I know for me if there is something visual, I am more tuned in.👍

Not everyone is “intellectually advanced”. Is that a problem? I don’t remember reading anywhere in the Church documents that an advanced degree is required to be a Catholic…:hmmm:
 
PatriceA said:
My mom’s former parish priest used his canoe on occasion in his homilies.
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The only time I went to America ( and I loved it !!!), the priest in my town brought every Saunday anything material and he made out of it a metaphor.
I do not say I liked it nut I appreciated the priest for his effort to be meaningful and I remeber it.
 
Catholic90 said:
There are many ways to learn - visual, auditory, through music, through art, through the physical, etc. He is probably aware of this and is trying to reach more people.:newidea:

My mind often wanders during homilies, so I know for me if there is something visual, I am more tuned in.👍

Not everyone is “intellectually advanced”. Is that a problem? I don’t remember reading anywhere in the Church documents that an advanced degree is required to be a Catholic…:hmmm:
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I am like you:my mind wanders in mass.
Am do Yoga.
Do you want a hint? Just look straight to the priest’s eyes (to the nose, between the 2 eyes, :)so exact !!! :)) and never let you eyes from him.
Now focys your ears into his speech.
Please: give me the results as I am doing scientific research on the subject.
If I made myself not understood, please ask any question you have.
Thanks.
 
Pfaffenhoffen said:
I am like you:my mind wanders in mass.
Am do Yoga.
Do you want a hint? Just look straight to the priest’s eyes (to the nose, between the 2 eyes, :)so exact !!! :)) and never let you eyes from him.
Now focys your ears into his speech.
Please: give me the results as I am doing scientific research on the subject.
If I made myself not understood, please ask any question you have.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Oh, I watch the priest! But my mind can still wander! I see his glasses, or the balding head of the other one, or see the facial hair, etc…if I am tired, my eyes start to close. Then I try VERY hard to not allow my head to nod! :eek: Mornings often come too early…😉
 
blaskoman said:
As an example, during Sunday’s Feast of Christ the King, the priest had a teen volunteer to approach the alter and be dressed in a robe and crown, while he spoke his homily. IMO, it’s a distraction and I got the impression that he’s dumbing down his homily. Got the impression that this priest feels we are not intellectually advanced to understand his homilies, hence the need for props.
Click to expand...
Scariest homily I’ve ever seen involved the priest throwing an actual basketball to various people in the pews after asking a question. If you caught the ball, you were supposed to publicly answer the priest’s question.

:ballspin:

I paid attention as best I could …
so I wouldn’t get hit by the basketball!

“Heads up!”
:eek:
 
Pfaffenhoffen said:
Before Vatica II, the masses were identical from Siberia to Argentina, from Japan to Australia. After V II, there is much experiment going around.

Just take it easy…for the good of your mental health…
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That’s not at all true. Especially when considering the dialogue Mass in several different vernaculars.
 
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