The Homiliy

[adstrinity]

As I am reading all the Reverant vs Hippie Mass threads and noticing people are complaining about the Sacrifice Offered and the Dancers and the Hymns and the Latin and the Dress Code or Lack there of, I have yet to much in way of the Homily.

I think this is where I choose the EF over the OF. It’s the only part in English, the announcements and the repeat of the readings and then the homily, but, the good parishes have priests who give lessons that are in line with the Church, the not so good ones have priests a little more conservative than the Church.

Case in point: At the one parish I went to before the Election, the priests kept commenting about abortion is murder. The past three weeks at the parish I attend now, the priest was talking about the life of St. Ignatious of Loyola.

At the OF Mass I attended down here the homily (as you all know by now) was about how we a man left the Church because his wife’s Protestant friends came to visit him when he was sick, but, nobody from the Catholic Church.

At least that was given by the priest. What about those “homily times” that are turned over to a priest, sister, lay person, or visiting lector asking for money? Not only do we NOT get any leson, we get to be harrassed and/or guilted into giving to a second collection.

I understand, the world needs money to function and those w/in the Church who have no income but are doing volunteer work are no different, but, these were happening all too frequently at the one church I was attending. The homily given by the head priest typically wasn’t that long anyway when he had to give it, but, I think he was all too willing to sit down and let somebody else lecture.

I was taught that the homily is supposed to be in line or correlate to that Day’s reading. …I don’t think this has ever been the case in any church to which I’ve been.

I’m not against the OF, really I’m not, as long as the priest follows the Church and acknowledges the sacrifice. The homily is the one portion of the Mass that, no matter what, is directed at the congregation and is the time for the priest to get on his pulpit and teach (I know, it’s more of an interruption of the Mass rather than the Mass itself), which is why I’m against the priest using it to lecture us into how we can be more unCatholic or passing it on to a visitor rather than teaching something about the Church or the Bible.

Common experiences? HOMILIES only. This is not about the collection or the presentation, or the formula used to consecrate. JUST the homily.

Also, as a post script, I don’t like it when priests with heavy foreign accents are staffed. Yes, yes, I know, pray for the priesthood because then we wouldn’t have this problem and St. Peter had a hick accent and such, but, I bring this up because if I can’t understand the priest, no matter how good his homily may be, I’m going to zone out.

 

[Shin]

True enough. If we had more priests like those on Audio Sancto, we’d have a good number more saints.

The more traditional the parish, the better the homily, and the less vague yawners.

 

[Bluegoat]

Normally a homily should relate to the readings or to the general day in the Church Year. However, it is also usually considered acceptable for the priest to address specific issues that could be a problem in the parish. I think this is much better done in combination with a reading that supports the issue, but sometimes something may be important enough to address immediately even if it is unrelated.

The homily shouldn’t be the same thing every week, or just harp on the priest’s pet theories or issues.

But many many good priests really struggle with homilies. Thy find writing them hard, and giving them scary. They find they can’t say what they want to clearly or they get misinterpreted. I think it’s a good idea to be very generous about homilies - something good can be extracted from even the worst homily if a person has the right attitude.

I am also suspicious of non-priests giving homilies. On the other hand, a few of the best I have heard have been from non-priests, so I don’t like to be too restrictive.

 

[corsair]

I find that the homilies at FSSP parishes are most often excellent and hard hitting. Although I don’t always agreed with Fr. John Corapi on some issues, I thoroughly enjoy his “in your face” truth. Tells it like it is. If you don’t like it, deal with it.

I admire that quality in most people.

 

[stuart12]

I find that the homilies at FSSP parishes are most often excellent and hard hitting. Although I don’t always agreed with Fr. John Corapi on some issues, I thoroughly enjoy his “in your face” truth. Tells it like it is. If you don’t like it, deal with it.

I admire that quality in most people.

The first time I attended the Old Rite was where it was offered by a FSSP priest, and in the homily he mentioned hell…I nearly fell off the pew. ‘What is this hell you speak of?’. Times after that when I returned, he spoke of penance and liberalism in the Church which has undermined our Holy Father.