How to read a homily

Great stuff - a theology professor at my school has been telling his students to read this series.

Theology professor!? Geez. Now I gotta start worrying about spelling... ;-)

Who, by the way, is this prof?

Fr. Philip

Loved it!

My reaction is mixed. I appreciate the idea, the effort, and some of the content. But the content is just one friar's opinion, and I find myself leaving about as much as I take.

But I'm *very* glad to see Fr. Powell taking serious discussion of preaching into the public sphere!

Jeff, I have to respectfully disagree with Father on missalettes. Without it who would know what the readings were. My apologies in advance to the good Readers out there, but, most readers at Mass don't enunciate or speak into the microphone or they mispronounce or flat out change words or leave some out. Some priess have been known to change the Gospel. So I will keep my missal or missalette open.

Also without the missalette you might not know what the opening and closing prayers are supposed to be, or the collects, or the Eucharistic prayer. Father seems to need to improve these prayers or flat make them more accomodating to the sensibilities of the feminists.

Finally, the missalette clearly requires striking the breast during the Confiteor and bowing during the Nicene Creed. 95% plus of the congregation and folks on the altar and sadly frequently Father don't. So who exactly is reading these missalettes? Also I notice that well over 50% of the congregation has numerous protestant hand and arm signals down and use them while praying.

Jim, I'm with you on missalettes. But mainly because I think people are more in touch with the Scriptures when they read and hear them at the same time.

I posted my initial reflections over at the other site in favor of the missalettes too, being a mom w/two children. It has helped them follow the Mass and learn the different parts, prayers etc.

I will add, after reading the above comments, I am reminded of my visit to a church in my new town where they DIDN'T have missalettes and the pastor got away with some awful stuff at the altar ... to the point my daughter asked me if I had "read the Church sign outside correctly, because we might not be in a Catholic church." Let that sink in ... and all I could think of is that the church was missing their missalettes ... and if they had it, may be, just may be someone in the pew would have scratched their tiny heads and say "hmmm, that prayer isn't in here ... or where is that prayer .... or why are we responding ... "

sigh.

sorry .... one more thought ... and on the "ecumenical" line ... Given our church's mission to reach out to other "faith communities" & evangelize, and for all those people married in interfaith marriages, missalettes help the non-catholic who is not familiar with our Mass to follow along when they attend. For one, my husband is Jewish and it helps him when he joins us at church ..... sigh

BIG money in missalettes. Ever wonder why the music keeps changing all the time? BIG money in music copyrights too. The profits are driving the dissent too. Gotta keep that novelty flowing.