Making the most of the time devoted to homilies at weekend Masses has been identified by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. as an important initiative during the Year of Faith for the diocese and its clergy. Homilies that are inspiring, engaging and, most especially, effective in developing the faith knowledge of parishioners are needed at every Mass in every parish across the diocese.

This initiative began to take form in the spring, when, during Bishop O’Connell’s discussions with the presbyterate of the diocese, the idea of “adult faith formation” arose as a need and priority so that the diocese might respond to the Holy Father’s call for a “new evangelization.”  Absent more formal structures as a means to fulfill this need and heed this call, the possibility of preaching “catechetical homilies” periodically in all parishes by all of those entrusted with and ordained for the ministry of preaching — incardinated priests and deacons, adjunct and visiting priests and deacons — was presented by the bishop as one way, among others, to reach the largest numbers of the Catholic faithful.

The Year of Faith announced by Pope Benedict XVI for the coming year (Oct. 11, 2012 – Nov. 24, 2013) was viewed as a most opportune time to initiate such occasional preaching.  To assist in this task, a group of priests offered their services to prepare “homiletic guides” and to share them with all those who have the responsibility of preaching in our parishes.  The priests include: Msgrs. John Dermond, Sam Sirianni and Thomas Mullelly; Fathers Alberto Tamayo, John C. Garrett, Kevin Keelen, Douglas Freer, Pablo Gadenz, Ian Trammell, David Swantek, John Bambrick, Jeffrey Lee and Deacon Garry Koch.  It was determined that the second Saturday-Sunday celebration of the Eucharist each month throughout the Year of Faith would be designated as the occasion for a “catechetical homily.”

All those preaching in the diocese — in whatever homilies they prepare — have been asked by the bishop to abide by the topic presented for each second weekend of the month so that there might be a common, unified diocesan-wide effort in all parishes to engage in some catechetical instruction of the faithful in various selected aspects of Church teaching.

Since the Year of Faith was proposed to celebrate the 50h anniversary of the convening of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the publication of The Catechism of the Catholic Church in accord with conciliar teachings, this special diocesan-wide initiative was developed to help our Catholic faithful grow in their knowledge, appreciation and practice of the Catholic faith.  Brief selections from the catechism have been identified for possible printing in parish bulletins for each of the weekends to provide further explanation of the Church teachings highlighted in the topics chosen.

In announcing the upcoming catechetical homilies, Bishop O’Connell stated, “The Second Vatican Council ‘re-introduced’ biblical preaching in a marvelous way as fundamentally important in our efforts as Church to present Divine Revelation to the faithful.  The Church has also always taught that the handing on of Church tradition and teaching is another ‘font of Revelation’ to be shared with the People of God in their pilgrim journey of faith.

“It is my hope and prayer,” observed Bishop O’Connell, “that God will bless our efforts in the cause of the ‘new evangelization’ in our Church.”