Quite often when the decadence of our society and the breakdown of marriage is discussed good Catholic folks will ask, “Father, why don’t we hear more preaching against this from the pulpit?”
Hmmm.
From the reports I hear the preaching in Catholic churches is often pretty awful. Either it is unprepared, unlearned, inarticulate, unorthodox or all four rolled up together. However, because I am myself in the pulpit every week I rarely have the chance to hear others preach.
The complaints I hear most are the ones where the people want “more preaching against sin.”
Hellfire and brimstone sermons all the time don’t do much good, but the other extreme of puppy dogs, kittens and “I was walking on the beach when Jesus carried me” are pretty lame. There needs to be careful, intelligent and compassionate preaching against sin and preaching for goodness.
The problem I have with “preaching against sin” all the time is that the sinners they want me to preach against aren’t in church to hear the sermon. So I’m supposed to weigh in against the evil abortionists, gay activists, communists, atheists, whatever….but they’re not in church to hear me. Continue Reading
UPDATE: Holy Deacon Kandra weighs in on the topic on his blog here with some good thoughts. Jennifer Fitz also speaks her mind on the subject here.
