Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast

America Media
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Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast

What makes a great Catholic homily, and what goes into the art of delivering it well?  “Preach” is a new weekly podcast from America Media that features a diverse cast of the finest Catholic preachers. Each week, preachers open up their hearts and minds, sharing their spiritual lives, approaches to interpreting scripture and techniques for preparing the best homilies.  On each episode, listeners will meet Catholic preachers, learn about their communities and hear their Sunday homilies, delivered with a podcast audience in mind. In the second part of the show, preachers will unpack the making of their homily with the show’s host, Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to offer a privileged peek into their lives as ministers of God’s Word, to enable all preachers to keep preaching the Good News. Read the homilies featured on the podcast and get daily Scripture reflections from America Media by becoming a subscriber: www.americamagazine.org/subscribe “Preach” is made possible through a generous grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc, as a contribution to its Compelling Preaching Initiative, funding the development of preachers across the United States.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    God lifts up the underdogs

    When Thomas Massaro, S.J., hears underdog stories, he recognizes the various ways they parallel biblical narratives. “I’m a moral theologian, so I pretty much have to do this,” he says. “It’s part of my task to reach for some moral implications.” Those implications? If you’re a preacher, don’t moralize at the pulpit—especially when you are preaching on the first Sunday after the 46th United States presidential election. Instead, adopt the perspective of the underdog, and humbly strive to build bridges between people who come to Church with opposing viewpoints.  In this episode of “Preach” for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B, Tom joins Ricardo da Silva, S.J. to discuss how preachers can avoid polarizing issues while keeping an eye toward social justice. Tom is a scholar of Catholic social thought. He holds the Laurence J. McGinley Endowed Chair in Religion and Society at Fordham University in New York. His most recent books include Pope Francis as Moral Leader (Paulist Press, 2023), and Mercy in Action: The Social Teachings of Pope Francis (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018). Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    32 min

  2. OCT 28

    After the election, people may know your political party—but will they know you’re a Christian?

    “If scripture is the living word of God, then it has something to say about anything,” the Rev. John Kartje reflects on this episode of “Preach” just ahead of the United States presidential election. His advice to his congregation: live out your Christian faith every day, regardless of the election outcome. “When you wake up next Wednesday, the political world will have changed,” he says, “But the world transformed by the life, death, resurrection, and sending of the Holy Spirit changed 2000 years ago. And your world changed on the day of your baptism.” John joins Ricardo da Silva, S.J. on “Preach” to explore how to preach about civic responsibility before the election. John cautions against the tendency to “live like the ancient Israelites” who trusted in temporary, precarious human leaders rather than the eternal high priest, Jesus Christ. A native of northwest Indiana and now a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, John currently serves as the rector and president of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He holds a Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Chicago, which has enabled him to embrace mystery in both his scientific research and his religious vocation. He has also served as campus chaplain at Northwestern University and as a parish priest. Readings and transcript of John's homily Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    44 min

  3. OCT 21

    Blindness is not a curse to be broken

    Dr. Moira Egan does not relate to Bartimaeus, a blind man who encounters Jesus in Mk 10:46-52 and begs for sight. Moira was born blind, but she has never begged for sight. Why should blindness exempt her from the Kingdom of God? “There’s an assumption that, if any blind person were asked the open-ended question, ‘What do you want?’, ... they would say they want to see,” Moira says. “I think it’s hard for people to believe that isn’t true.” In a conversation inspired by Pope Francis and his invitation to building a “culture of encounter,” Ricardo da Silva, S.J., welcomes Moira to “Preach” to reflect upon the difficulty of certain scripture passages, how to avoid ableist language, and consider the experiences of people with disabilities. Moira serves as the director of prestigious awards and graduate fellowships at Pace University in New York City. She also is an active parishioner at The Church of St. Francis Xavier, where she is involved with Ability Xavier. This program not only advocates for justice and understanding for persons with disabilities, but bridges the accessibility gap by providing tangible worship accommodations such as Braille worship aids, auditory assistive headsets for persons with hearing loss, and American Sign Language interpreters. [Learn more about disability theology—email Gregory Woods to join a private Facebook discussion group.] Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min

  4. OCT 15

    LGBTQ Catholics deserve preaching that builds bridges—not barriers

    This special episode of “Preach” features a live recording at the Outreach 2024 conference at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C, where Ricardo da Silva, S.J., is joined by panelists Carly Reidy, Jim Scholl, and Ish Ruiz to discuss how preaching can be a source of spiritual nourishment for LGBTQ+ Catholics and allies.  A music minister of 20 years and the proud parent of a bisexual daughter, Carly works in administration at a diocesan parish in Burlington, Mass. Jim is a proud gay Catholic who works in non-profit Catholic fundraising and attends mass at St. Ignatius Parish in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Ish, a queer person from Puerto Rico with 11 years of teaching experience in Catholic education, often hears stories of exclusion from his queer students who reference preaching that draws exclusively on “conventional” relationships. Guests shared times they heard a homily that was affirming, along with experiences that hurt more than they helped. For Carly, a shining moment occurred in her diocesan parish when a priest reflected on the words of John 13:34-35—“As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” Extending the homily to include every race, class, and sexual orientation represented among the congregation, the preacher distinguished tolerance from acceptance, and acceptance from love. “It was the first time in a diocesan parish that I had experienced someone speaking about the LGBTQ community in a positive light,” Carly says.  On the Outreach website, You can find news, essays, resources and community for LGBTQ Catholics and those who minister for them in the church worldwide today. Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    46 min

  5. OCT 7

    How to preach about poverty to wealthy parishioners—without guilt and shame

    “What keeps you and me knowingly, unknowingly, consciously, or unconsciously sad, because we’re possessed by what we possess—our possessions?” Father John Unni posed this question in a homily three years ago standing before his congregation at St. Cecilia Parish in Boston’s affluent Back Bay. “There’s no U-Haul after a hearse.”  It is this introspection serves as a catalyst for this week’s conversation on “Preach” with Ricardo da Silva, S.J., where John reflects on his 2021 homily for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B. “I like what that guy is saying, but I find it even more challenging three years later,” he admits. “I’m wrestling with these readings in a different way, a deeper way.” After 21 years at St. Cecilia, John—once a high school English teacher and a part-time landscaper—is known for his thought-provoking preaching but also for being something of a “long-form” preacher. Although this approach defies prevailing wisdom, people flock to hear him in the parish and online. The secret to capturing his congregation’s attention? “This message isn’t coming from Johnny—it’s coming from Jesus.”  Get this week's Scripture readings and a transcript of John’s homily Receive daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    48 min

  6. SEP 23

    Lean into love, not fear, this World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Beirut Jesuit pastor tells preachers

    St. Joseph Church in Beirut offers a sanctuary for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers fleeing South Sudan, Syria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and many other conflict-torn nations. Daniel Corrou, S.J., pastor of the community, vividly recalls entering the 19th-century church immediately after the devastating 2020 blast in Lebanon’s capital. “It was still filled with dust, broken wood everywhere; the pews were all shattered, and all the glass was torn down. It was in the middle of the night; so, it was pitch dark,” Dan tells “Preach” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J. Still, there was one light that shone on and cut through the darkness, Dan says. “The little red candle next to the tabernacle. The whole damn city had been devastated, thousands of people in the hospital and hundreds had died, but Jesus was still there, right in the middle of it,” he recalls. “If Jesus isn’t running away from this, I don’t know what the incarnation is other than that.” In his homily for the 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, Dan, who also oversees the Jesuit Refugee Service in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, calls us to see the humanity in seemingly intimidating strangers. We must embrace a “story of love” rather than a “story of fear,” he says. “A story of love is always a better story—lean into the story of love!” Get this week's Scripture readings and a transcript of Dan’s homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    34 min

  7. SEP 17

    How St. Phoebe is helping us hear more women’s voices in homilies

    When Ellie Hidalgo served as a pastoral associate at Dolores Mission Church in East Los Angeles, the priest asked her to lead Liturgy of the Word and Communion services on Thursdays to give him a day off. “I would often use stories of people acting with courage, loving their neighbor, serving as good Samaritans and living out Gospel values,” she says, reflecting on the homiletic approach she developed over 12 years. “Storytelling builds community. It builds identity.” Inspired by St. Phoebe—a pioneering woman deacon esteemed and commended by St. Paul to serve the early Christian community in Greece and Rome, and whose feast day is Sept. 3—Ellie joins “Preach” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to discuss St. Phoebe’s ministry and its impact on contemporary debates within the Catholic Church regarding women’s ordination to the diaconate, a live topic in the ongoing Synod on Synodality. As co-director of Discerning Deacons, Ellie offers practical strategies for expanding lay preaching opportunities. She encourages clergy to invite women to preside at Liturgy of the Word and Communion services, share testimonies during homilies and participate in parish faith-sharing groups to bring diverse perspectives from the pews—especially those of women—into their homilies. Get this week's Scripture readings and a transcript of Ellie’s homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    41 min

  8. SEP 9

    Why Did Jesus Call Peter ‘Satan’?: Questioning the Mysteries of Mark’s Gospel

    Why does Jesus rebuke Peter, admonishing him to “Get behind me, Satan”? What is behind Jesus’ stern warning to his disciples to “tell no one” about his miraculous deeds, the so-called “messianic secret”? As the church's Sunday lectionary cycle takes us deeper into the Gospel of Mark, this week on “Preach” we confront some of this Gospel's most perplexing questions. Joining us to explore these and other perplexing aspects of Mark, including its literary genius, and how it was crafted to help the early Church understand the life and ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the Rev. Charles Bobertz. Charles enjoyed a distinguished 35-year teaching career in New Testament and Patristics at St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary this spring. Although he retired this spring, he continues to preach and teach seminars on Scripture and homiletics in parish and clergy continuing education programs throughout Minnesota and the United States. He is also the author of The Gospel of Mark: A Liturgical Reading. Get this week's Scripture readings and a transcript of Charles’ homily Get daily Scripture reflections and support “Preach” by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    38 min
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About

What makes a great Catholic homily, and what goes into the art of delivering it well?  “Preach” is a new weekly podcast from America Media that features a diverse cast of the finest Catholic preachers. Each week, preachers open up their hearts and minds, sharing their spiritual lives, approaches to interpreting scripture and techniques for preparing the best homilies.  On each episode, listeners will meet Catholic preachers, learn about their communities and hear their Sunday homilies, delivered with a podcast audience in mind. In the second part of the show, preachers will unpack the making of their homily with the show’s host, Ricardo da Silva, S.J., to offer a privileged peek into their lives as ministers of God’s Word, to enable all preachers to keep preaching the Good News. Read the homilies featured on the podcast and get daily Scripture reflections from America Media by becoming a subscriber: www.americamagazine.org/subscribe “Preach” is made possible through a generous grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc, as a contribution to its Compelling Preaching Initiative, funding the development of preachers across the United States.

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