Preacher Man | Ordinariate Gift

preach (v.) - from www.etymonline.com

Middle English prechen, "deliver a sermon, proclaim the Gospel," from late Old English predician, a loan word from Church Latin; reborrowed 12c. as preachen, from Old French preechier "to preach, give a sermon" (11c., Modern French précher), from Late Latin praedicare "to proclaim publicly, announce" (in Medieval Latin "to preach," source also of Spanish predicar), from Latin prae "before" (from PIE root *per- "forward," hence "in front of, before") + dicare "to proclaim, to say" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly").

Meaning "give earnest advice, especially on moral subjects" is by 1520s. To preach to the converted is recorded from 1867 (the form preach to the choir attested from 1979).

The Role of Preaching in the Church

The Catechism explains that preaching is central to the Church’s mission of sharing the Gospel. It teaches that every Christian is called to spread the Faith in different ways, including through preaching. This stems from the Great Commission, where Jesus instructs His apostles to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).

1. Canon Law #766 Lay persons can be permitted to preach in a church or oratory, if necessity requires it in certain circumstances or it seems advantageous in particular cases, according to the prescripts of the conference of bishops and without prejudice to Can. 767, §1.
2. Canon law #767 §1. Among the forms of preaching, the homily, which is part of the liturgy itself and is reserved to a priest or deacon, is preeminent; in the homily the mysteries of faith and the norms of Christian life are to be explained from the sacred text during the course of the liturgical year. §2. A homily must be given at all Masses on Sundays and holy days of obligation which are celebrated with a congregation, and it cannot be omitted except for a grave cause.

The Voice of Newman

(Newman) rejected cheap appeals to passing emotions, rhetorical brilliance, the use of wit and humor. He had a deep sense of awe and reverence before the vocation of preaching. His sermons have a clear intellectual formation and a dogmatic and biblical framework. They evoke deep emotion and carry a depth of feeling which is alive and vibrant.

Note 5 | The great merit of his sermons is their internal unity — the presence of a dominant note which gives unity and grace to each sermon. All his sermons bear the mark of an apologist. The doctrinal and the practical were in his view identical.

John Bishop, John Henry Newman: Pursuit of truth in preaching

Theological Framework for Preaching

Preaching is closely tied to the Eucharist, the source and summit of Christian life. The Eucharist makes present the paschal mystery of Christ, while preaching shares the Gospel and helps prepare people to receive the Eucharist. This connection highlights the sacramental nature of preaching, where God’s Word is proclaimed within the Church’s liturgical life.

The only way to win audiences is to tell people about the life and death of Christ. Every other approach is a waste. Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Breathing forth the word of God

The priest or deacon homilist, by preaching the word of God, by praying the Gospel with and for the congregation, is a conduit through which the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, breathes forth the truth, goodness and beauty found only through him, with him and in him. And we, the gathered assembly - altar servers, sacred ministers, and congregation - breathe in the life of Christ.

The Ordinariate Gift to the Wider Church | Gospel Preaching

Ordinariate priests have gained a reputation in the Catholic Church as excellent preachers. In the Ordinariate, the belief is held that the homily should draw the congregation into the Scripture readings of the day, show them an aspect of what God is saying through those readings, and challenge and empower them to apply that in their own lives. You won't find patronising or “warm and fuzzy” five minute homilies.

Priests have a divine calling to feed the flock of Christ, and this means in preaching as well as in the sacraments. For most Catholics today, the only time they will hear anything of the teaching of the Church is in the homily. This is a grave responsibility placed on the clergy of the Church.