The president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines called on his "brother priests" on Maundy Thursday to stop "homily abuse," or delivering "unorganized, unprepared" sermon before their congregation.
In a Facebook post, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas such homilies are among the "many abuses among the clergy."
"Yes, abuse of the kindness of the people who are forced to listen to long, winding, repetitious, boring, unorganized, unprepared, mumbled homilies," he wrote. "In jest but certainly with some truth, the people say our homilies are one of the obligatory scourges that they must go through every Sunday."
In a Facebook post, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas such homilies are among the "many abuses among the clergy."
"Yes, abuse of the kindness of the people who are forced to listen to long, winding, repetitious, boring, unorganized, unprepared, mumbled homilies," he wrote. "In jest but certainly with some truth, the people say our homilies are one of the obligatory scourges that they must go through every Sunday."
He added: "Long, winding, repetitious, irrelevant, unprepared homilies are signs of a sick spiritual life of the priest."
Among the things priests should not bring into the congregation is politics, as part of the priestly vocation is simplicity, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan noted.
"Simplicity means resisting to use the pulpit as a means to get back at those who oppose us – patama sa sermon. Simplicity also demands that we keep divisive election politics away from the lectern. Simplicity in homilies means not desiring to make people laugh or cry – that is for telenovelas and noontime shows," he said.
Among the things priests should not bring into the congregation is politics, as part of the priestly vocation is simplicity, the Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan noted.
"Simplicity means resisting to use the pulpit as a means to get back at those who oppose us – patama sa sermon. Simplicity also demands that we keep divisive election politics away from the lectern. Simplicity in homilies means not desiring to make people laugh or cry – that is for telenovelas and noontime shows," he said.
He added: "The simple lifestyle of priests is the homily easiest to understand."
Improving the roster
Villegas pointed out that based on what people say about their homilies, "they are not complaining about depth of message or scholarly exegesis."
He said the congregation has to endure homilies "that cannot be understood because we take so long with the introduction, we do not know how to go direct to the point, and we do not know how to end."
Since they were "abused by the homilies of our elder priests," the current generation should take a step at improving the roster by not ordaining "a seminarian [that] cannot speak in public with clarity and effectiveness," Villegas pointed out.
"He will be a dangerous homily abuser. Homily abuse can harm souls," he wrote.
Improving the roster
Villegas pointed out that based on what people say about their homilies, "they are not complaining about depth of message or scholarly exegesis."
He said the congregation has to endure homilies "that cannot be understood because we take so long with the introduction, we do not know how to go direct to the point, and we do not know how to end."
Since they were "abused by the homilies of our elder priests," the current generation should take a step at improving the roster by not ordaining "a seminarian [that] cannot speak in public with clarity and effectiveness," Villegas pointed out.
"He will be a dangerous homily abuser. Homily abuse can harm souls," he wrote.
Call of the times
Three things are embodied in the call of the times, the CBCP president said: "priestly sincerity," simplicity – both "of message and even more, greater simplicity of life" – and study.
"Our homilies will improve if we diminish our love for talking and increase our love for listening," he said. "We will be better homilists if we dare to smell again like the sheep."
Villegas eventually called on priests to "be careful" with their lives, as well as with "every homily."
Three things are embodied in the call of the times, the CBCP president said: "priestly sincerity," simplicity – both "of message and even more, greater simplicity of life" – and study.
"Our homilies will improve if we diminish our love for talking and increase our love for listening," he said. "We will be better homilists if we dare to smell again like the sheep."
Villegas eventually called on priests to "be careful" with their lives, as well as with "every homily."
Source: gmanetwork
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