US Bishops Promote Biblical Preaching and Living

When the US Catholic Bishops meet in November, they will be voting on a document that emphasizes the importance of Biblical preaching in the Sunday homily and connecting it to our twenty-first century lifestyle.

“Preaching the Mystery of Faith: The Sunday Homily” will be presented by the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), chaired by Archbishop Robert Carlson of St. Louis.

“The ultimate goal of proclaiming the Gospel is to lead people into a loving and intimate relationship with the Lord, a relationship that forms the character of their persons and guides them in living out their faith,” the document says. It continues: “The homily is intended to establish a ‘dialogue’ between the sacred biblical text and the Christian life of the hearer."

On their website, the USCCB summarizes the initiative with the following three points:

• Homilies should connect Scripture to daily life
• Preacher should be in touch with contemporary culture
• Sermons should enhance hearer’s relationship with Jesus

The Catholic Biblical School and St. Thomas Seminary Certificate in Biblical Studies program contributes significantly to this ministry not only by providing biblical educational opportunities to deacons and priests. It also prepares all Christians for biblical ministries that encourage communities to "see the world with biblical eyes" (to borrow a phrase from the document) in ways that complement the Sunday homily.