How to Make Homilies Better, Briefer, and Bolder

by Alfred Mcbride, Alfred McBride

Overview

Sincere, encouraging, and downright practical, Father McBride's How to Make Homilies Better, Briefer, and Bolder makes it easy to connect with your parishioners every Sunday and help them apply their faith to real life. Blending simple-to-follow instructions, proven strategies, and the occasional rule, this guidebook encapsulates 50 years of sermon mastery from one of the most notable preachers of our time. Develop the skills to: Create compelling twelve-minute Sunday homilies, Deliver memorable speeches that resonate in parishioners' hearts and minds, Transform lifeless homilies into irresistible calls to action.

Comprehensive yet compact, How to Make Homilies Better, Briefer, and Bolder includes practical steps for overcoming public-speaking fears and time-saving tips for finding relevant stories that warrant sharing. Includes special tips for weddings, funerals, and Masses for children. Great homilies are a key to thriving parishes. Whether you're a veteran pastor, new priest, or permanent deacon, this invaluable resource will make the most of your weekly preparation!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781592761982
Publisher:	Our Sunday Visitor, Publishing Division
Publication date:	04/04/2007
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	160
Product dimensions:	6.13(w) x 8.99(h) x 0.38(d)

Table of Contents

Preface   Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan     7
Introduction   Rev. Alfred McBride, O.Praem.     9
Let God's Word Own You: The secret of St. Augustine's preaching     13
Call People to Faith: The preacher: St. John Chrysostom     19
Begin with a Story: St. Ambrose dramatizes Scripture     25
Study the Bible: Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ: St. Jerome     31
Preach Christ: St. Leo the Great: defender of the Incarnation     37
Welcome the New Evangelization: St. Gregory the Great: creating Christian Europe     43
Say the Idea - Speak a Picture: St. Thomas Aquinas: the marriage of reason and faith     49
Preaching about the Saints: St. Catherine of Siena...she changed the mind of a pope     55
Marian Homilies: St. Bernard of Clairvaux     61
Preaching Should Be a Prayer, Not a Performance: St. Teresa of Avila - a Doctor of Prayer     67
Humor in Homilies?: St. Philip Neri: God's clown became the Apostle of Rome     73
Wedding Homilies: St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton     79
Funeral Homilies: St. Paul the Apostle     85
Some Preaching Lessons from Cardinal Newman     91
Children's Homilies: St. Therese of Lisieux: her "little way" of spiritual childhood     97
Baptism Homilies: St.John the Baptist     103
Advent Homilies: Isaiah: prophet of the Advent     109
Christmas Homilies: St. Norbert: began his Order on Christmas Day     115
How to Deliver a Homily: St. Francis de Sales: under the radar     121
Lenten Homilies: Sr. Thea Bowman, F.S.P.A.: she lived the mystery of the Cross     127
Preaching Easter: Cardinal Joseph Bernardin: he witnessed the Risen Lord     133
Pentecost: Preaching the Holy Spirit: Pope John Paul II: Be not afraid - overcoming fear of preaching     139
Remote Preparation for Homilies: How God prepared St. Paul to preach     145
How to Talk: Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen     151
Homily Resources     157