In this episode of Preach, Christina Mines joins host Ricardo da Silva, S.J. to explore how preaching can make baptism a moment of grace not just for parents and godparents, but for the whole community gathered to witness and welcome a new member into the Body of Christ.
Sacraments
‘Sacraments aren’t vending machines’: Preaching God’s grace as encounter, not transaction
Ricardo da Silva, S.J., speaks with Anthony Ruff, Benedictine monk and professor of liturgy to unpack what sacraments truly are—and how to preach them with both depth and imagination.
What is revealed in the cross of Christ?
The cross of Christ does not take away suffering. No, it makes it meaningful because it announces what had never really been revealed before: the senseless enigma of human sin.
Preaching that cuts deep: the sharper edges of God’s Word
What is preaching and what is it for? The Rev. Lynn Barger Elliott, a fourth-generation Presbyterian pastor, brings the wisdom of that legacy to remind us that preaching takes root in lived experience and recalls how witnessing her mom undergo back surgery gave new insight into a passage from Hebrews.
When it comes to the Mass, too many of us act like bored teens at the dinner table
Are adults at Mass not something like teenagers at the dinner table? Putting in our time, not able to see what it means to be gathered into the family we call the church.
How often should a Catholic receive Communion?
It depends what century it is.
Is there salvation outside baptism? A better way of looking at a difficult question
Nothing in revelation requires us to believe that salvation must be easy, likely or equally accessible to all, but it cannot be categorically impossible.
Making Communion a true meal: bring back wine, sing easy songs and no hosts from the tabernacle
For a true Eucharistic revival in our nation, we need to take seriously the command of Christ and the “General Instruction” of the Roman Missal to increase our efforts to give everyone a complete sign of reception of holy Communion.
Confirmation age lowered to 9 years old in Archdiocese of Baltimore
In lowering the standard age for confirmation, the Archbishop of Baltimore hopes to provide children with the opportunity to deepen their faith at a formative stage in their spiritual journey.
Sunday Mass attendance is back to pre-pandemic levels
Sunday Mass attendance in person at Catholic churches in the U.S. is back to pre-pandemic levels, although just under one quarter of the nation’s Catholics are in the pews on a regular weekly basis.
