Lay-preaching proponent to help introduce new missal to US priests
February 19, 2010
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) announced on February 18 that it will hold a series of 22 workshops across the nation to help introduce priests and diocesan leaders to the new Roman Missal. At its November meeting, the bishops’ conference completed its approval of the new translation, whose language is more faithful to the content and eloquence of the original Latin text than the current translation is.
“Seminar attendees will study the historical and theological context of the new Missal and will look at some of the new translations to deepen understanding of their depth and richness,” according to the USCCB. The seminars will be cosponsored by the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions.
Two speakers will address each workshop. Among the pool of five speakers from whom the two will be drawn is Dr. Dolly Sokol, director of development of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, who serves on the board of directors of Partners In Preaching, an organization devoted to training the laity to preach during the sacred liturgy.
Citing the Code of Canon Law and other Vatican documents, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal notes that “the Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person.”
Partners In Preaching, on the other hand, believes that lay preaching should become part of the life of every parish. “The vision of Partners In Preaching is that every local faith community would have competent, diverse and empowered lay and ordained voices for ritual preaching,” according to its web site. To further this end, the organization offers “a Training and Formation Program for the ministry of lectionary-based, liturgical preaching, offered to beginning preaching candidates.”
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Further information:
- Series of Seminars Slated to Introduce Revised Roman Missal (USCCB)
- The People of Partners (Partners In Preaching)
- General Instruction of the Roman Missal
- How did the abuses get started? (Adoreumus Bulletin)
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Posted by: -
Feb. 21, 2010 8:58 PM ET USA
If lay persons began preaching at my parish my family and I would find a new parish.
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Posted by: mjmallinger3379 -
Feb. 20, 2010 1:33 AM ET USA
Given the current direction of the Church, Partners in Preaching is simply absurd! Mike Mallinger
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Feb. 19, 2010 7:31 PM ET USA
If you want to preach and are laity, start a prayer group and read Scripture and then stand up and preach to whomever might come. That's how I got my start nearly forty years ago. But I then applied for admission to the diaconate formation, got my training (such as it was) and was ordained. Then I could preach during the Liturgy. (I do suspect this is an attempted end-run around the fact that the Church has no power to ordain women.)
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Posted by: benkulp5284 -
Feb. 19, 2010 12:56 PM ET USA
Partners in preaching will empty the pews instantly, right in front of your eyes; disappearing, never to be seen again....Puff the magic bishops sing a long.
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Feb. 19, 2010 12:36 PM ET USA
This latter group is symptomatic of the malaise. The Church gives her teaching on the priesthood/preaching and you have groups within (the anti-church) which ignore it and are sponsored by the church-bureacracy!
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Posted by: Hal -
Feb. 19, 2010 10:37 AM ET USA
USCCB just can't help themselves, can they? There always has to be some immature, adolescent "poke in the eye" to go with anything good they might do. Feh.
