Homily Notes

[LouisvilleFan]

I'm curious if there's a reason why priests don't offer notes on the homily for everyone to have during the homily or at least to take home for further reflection? This is one of my favorite practices of Baptist/non-denom churches, and it seems relatively easy and practical, that I'm surprised that no Catholic pastors (at least that I've seen) have copied the idea.

Although, I do have one idea... let's say Pope Benedict XVI comes out with a ruling that no priest anywhere is allowed to publish homily notes for the faithful. By next Sunday, the surge of Catholic parishes ordering hundreds of pages of paper for homily notes will cause a global paper shortage

[phatcatholic]

well, i've known priests who provide their homily, or a summary of their homily, in the bulletin. i also know that alot of priests put their homilies online, either on the parish website or their own personal website.

[Theologian in Training]

[quote name='phatcatholic' post='1139748' date='Dec 11 2006, 12:36 PM']
well, i've known priests who provide their homily, or a summary of their homily, in the bulletin. i also know that alot of priests put their homilies online, either on the parish website or their own personal website.
[/quote]

Or in Open Mic

[shortnun]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1138817' date='Dec 9 2006, 02:43 PM']
I'm curious if there's a reason why priests don't offer notes on the homily for everyone to have during the homily or at least to take home for further reflection? This is one of my favorite practices of Baptist/non-denom churches, and it seems relatively easy and practical, that I'm surprised that no Catholic pastors (at least that I've seen) have copied the idea.
[/quote]
I would say it mostly comes from how priests are trained in homiletics during seminary. Baptist/non-denom (if we can generalize) churches have a much greater emphasis on the preaching of the Word. Also, this is the focus of their services--a topic communicated through a preaching with perhaps visual aids. Our Church acknowledges that the scriptures ought to be proclaimed through a homily (or in certain settings through a lay reflection), in additional to the celebrations of a sacramental way of living.

Does that make sense?

[Norseman82]

The other danger is that if we start putting homilies online, people will start thinking "Hey, why do I need to go to Mass for?"

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='Norseman82' post='1139807' date='Dec 11 2006, 01:58 PM']
The other danger is that if we start putting homilies online, people will start thinking "Hey, why do I need to go to Mass for?"
[/quote]

Owners of professional sports teams used to worry that people wouldn't come out for games if they could just watch them on TV.

Besides, if you want to reach Catholics, Mass isn't the place to do it because most them aren't there.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

[quote name='Theologian in Training' post='1139753' date='Dec 11 2006, 12:40 PM']
Or in Open Mic
[/quote]

[LouisvilleFan]

[quote name='shortnun' post='1139758' date='Dec 11 2006, 12:42 PM']
I would say it mostly comes from how priests are trained in homiletics during seminary. Baptist/non-denom (if we can generalize) churches have a much greater emphasis on the preaching of the Word. Also, this is the focus of their services--a topic communicated through a preaching with perhaps visual aids. Our Church acknowledges that the scriptures ought to be proclaimed through a homily (or in certain settings through a lay reflection), in additional to the celebrations of a sacramental way of living.

Does that make sense?
[/quote]

Yeah, that does make sense. Maybe Catholicism needs a renewed emphasis on preaching the Word. I feel like most Catholics never experience a personal encounter with God... they never really fall in love with Him. Good preaching helps bring people to that point and from there the sacraments take them further along the path of holiness.

There's also a strong entrepreneurial outlook, especially in the Emerging Church movement. Evangelical seminarians are graduating and pounding the pavement to plant new churches and think up creative ways to draw people in and lead them closer to God. Catholic churches seem to be more on the defensive... worried about whether the bishop is going to close their parish, if the school can afford to stay open, or if the picnic is going to make enough money. Except for the token Latin Mass parish... they don't worry about those things, but they worry about everything else. Aren't we supposed to be joyful???

Not that I expect things to change overnight... but then again, I do. I didn't become Catholic to worship a weak God, after all.

[shortnun]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1139934' date='Dec 11 2006, 05:34 PM']
Yeah, that does make sense. Maybe Catholicism needs a renewed emphasis on preaching the Word. I feel like most Catholics never experience a personal encounter with God... they never really fall in love with Him. Good preaching helps bring people to that point and from there the sacraments take them further along the path of holiness.
[/quote]
My school offers the country's only Doctor of Ministry program with [b][url="http://www.ai.edu/programs/academic/dmin/index.php"]an emphasis in preaching.[/url][/b] We have the Dominicans to thank for that.

Also, I am personally involved in a [b][url="http://www.cgsusa.org/"]catechetical approach[/url][/b] that works specifically with children who do not yet have a capacity for moral reasoning. As a result, we nuture their already exisitant relationship with God, helping them to fall even more in love with Him. As a result, morality becomes a way of life for them, not a list of "dos" and "don'ts".

[Aloysius]

[quote name='LouisvilleFan' post='1138817' date='Dec 9 2006, 03:43 PM']
Although, I do have one idea... let's say Pope Benedict XVI comes out with a ruling that no priest anywhere is allowed to publish homily notes for the faithful. By next Sunday, the surge of Catholic parishes ordering hundreds of pages of paper for homily notes will cause a global paper shortage
[/quote]
haha so sad but so true