January 19, 2017

What Louis CK knows about the art of speaking (that many homilists don't)


“Some people think they can be good preachers because they know what ought to be said, but they pay no attention to how it should be said, that is, the concrete way of constructing a sermon. They complain when people do not listen to or appreciate them, but perhaps they have never taken the trouble to find the proper way of presenting their message.” —Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (156)

4 comments:

  1. Thanks for posting. But why do we have to keep on shooting down priests with titles that remind them (and us) of their inadequacies? Come on, New Advent, Pope Francis already "piles on" the priests. Do you have to as well?

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  2. A priest here... Jesus never said anything negative about Peter did he?

    If you want someone to always say nice things about you, you are in the wrong religion. Catholicism is not a touchy feely religion, it is a religion where everyone, particularly us priests, are to be constantly challenged. If you are the type of person who only wants to say nice things, you are Satan. "Get behind me, Satan." Repent immediately before it is too late.

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    Replies
    1. If we're going to prooftext, it's worth noting that Jesus also tells Peter to "strengthen the brethren." Perhaps the comment you are replying to came from a priest. Perhaps he's fully invested in the Catholic faith and dying for it every day. Perhaps he's not looking for nice things to be said about him, but just a little help carrying his cross. It's quite a judgment to call (or even imply) someone we have never met as Satan. - From a Brother Priest.

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  3. If priests really knew what ought to be said, they would know why it ought to be said, and they would know how to say it. They would also understand that the medium is the message - the how is inseparable from the what. But perhaps when people do not listen or appreciate, perhaps they have never taken the trouble to find the proper way of receiving the message.

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