When Priests really preach it!

Back in 2003, I had a confrontation with my parish priest about contraception. Ever since then, I have been more keenly aware about what works in a homily and what REALLY WORKS in a homily. I think the priest in this article is really on to something. People WANT to hear what the church really teaches. They are tired of learning their Catholic faith from CNN and Time magazine!

As a side note, my pastor is retiring in June. As predicted, he never brought up the topic of family planning, birth control, or even sex in any of his homilies again.

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• Humanae Vitae Priests – Welcome! – Annotated
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  • Over the years I had evolved in my preaching style. Perhaps it was because I was tired of hearing the same old sermons that I decided to place an emphasis on the basics, the fundamentals that we rarely talked about anymore.
    I began to talk about sin, grace, salvation, hell, Satan, angels. Some said it was the first time they had ever heard a sermon on hell or on angels. They loved it!

  • I also noticed this in another area of my pastoral ministry. As I instructed couples for marriage and took time to share the Church’s teaching on contraception and natural family planning, I was astounded. I thought they would be resistant. What surprised me was not only that people received this information with much interest, but that they had never heard the material before.
    As I reflected on my nearly 34 years as a priest, I realized I have never heard one of my bishops speak or write on contraception nor natural family planning. But then few ever hear priests preach on this vital area of Catholic life either. We have been strangely silent. Why?
    People are instinctively attracted to beauty, be that beauty a stunning vista, a moving poem, a great musical work, a powerful painting or an attractive person. Such beauty turns our head. It captures us—and it captures us because it is a reflection of the Truth and Light which is God.