When reflecting on the life, death and resurrection of the Lord while living in a state of military invasion and active war, “everything becomes more authentic,” and “God ceases to be just a concept,” says Andriy Zelinskyy, S.J. “He really becomes a source of life and all hope for you and for those who are around you.”
Preach
“Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast,” hosted by Ricardo da Silva, S.J., helps Christian preachers develop their craft and captivate their congregations in more effective ways.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
A Preacher’s Guide to Holy Week: These are long liturgies. Be brief!
The “Preach” team sought the expertise of two esteemed liturgical scholars and practitioners, Kim Harris and John Baldovin, S.J., to give preachers a whistle-stop tour of the readings and liturgies for this sacred week.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
Father Rob Galea’s preaching strategies for reaching disengaged youth
“Explain the resurrection to me in two minutes without using any church language.” This is the challenge that Father Rob Galea tells “Preach,” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., he sets for his staff to ensure they can easily relate to the young people they serve.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
How a deacon’s past as a taxi driver fuels his preaching
Deacon Steve Kramer preaches on the First Scrutiny for the Third Sunday in Lent, Year A, and reflects on how four summers shuttling people around gave him a crash-course in listening skills key to his development as a preacher.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
Meet a woman who teaches priests to preach
Karla Bellinger teaches and coaches preachers—mostly ordained Catholic men—to give effective homilies. “Effective preaching is like good butter sinking into warm toast,” she says. “You’ve gotta give the Holy Spirit a little bit of time to do some work.”
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
Try something new this Lent: Map out your homilies like an org chart
Russell Pollitt S.J., shares with “Preach” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., how he uses org charts for homily planning, and how his brother’s suicide and presiding over the funeral of a drowned toddler led him to rethink his preaching style and theological framework.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
The Vatican’s chief liturgist on why preachers need to take their homilies more seriously
When asked by host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., why he chose the message of “Welcome Home” and not to preach “in a heavier way,” to emphasize the penitential nature of the season, Cardinal Arthur Roche replies: “Well, because I think, really, that’s what Lent is all about.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
The star first leads the wise men to Jerusalem—where Old and New Testament meet—not Bethlehem
The star led the Magi to Jerusalem, “as we are always taken to Jerusalem—because we must encounter the Scriptures of Israel,” says David Neuhaus, S.J. “It is from the Scriptures of Israel that they will receive the precise destination to which they are going—Bethlehem.”
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
A Syriac Catholic priest and father in Bethlehem preaches on the Feast of the Holy Family
On this week’s “Preach,” Yunan Frédéric shares with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., his approach to preaching. “It’s like walking with a friend and talking together;” he says, “I am very much listening as well.
Posted inFaith, Podcasts
Keeping Christmas joy alive in our preaching—even amid war, violence and poverty
On the Christmas episode of “Preach,” Barbara Reid, O.P, joins host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to reflect on how she maintains Christmas joy in her preaching without shying away from the grim realities of the world.