I may be the one giving the homily each week, but this wasn’t always the case. As someone who studied for many years in religious life, I have heard my fair share of homilies… including quite a few terrible ones. In this video, I’d like to offer my take on why that is, and suggest three things that preachers can do to improve their preaching.
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Breaking In The Habit 
Hi Casey!
I usually love all your messages, but this one seems a bit senseless to me. I received an email that you had a new video out; so, I watched it. The difference this time is that to me, it appeared to be for priests who deliver sermons, and not for the “rest of us”. I just didn’t find it relevant for the “rest of us” at all. Not to say that you had nothing to say to priests and the way they deliver their Sunday message, it’s just not something that’s relevant to everyone for whom this video is sent out and available to watch. On another note (and I know I’m not qualified in this opinion by any measure….. but), you’ve been a priest for relatively just a little while, and you’re giving advice to priests who may have been doing this for so much longer. While the advice you are giving may well be what they really need to hear, do you think, given your position as a relatively new and young priest, that it is your place to give unsolicited advice to them, regardless of whether it’s true or not? What I’m saying is that it’s not necessarily the subject matter that’s important in this case, but rather who is delivering this message and to whom. Thanks Casey! Take care.
Casey… Farther Casey… you hit the verbal “Nail on the Head”. I realize a priest’s message will not be FOR ME every week, But there is a bit of the homily that should be pertinent to the Gospel or to a current issue.
I remember as an Altar Boy Fr. Vogel to me was a great orator. He made a point of communicating with parishioners durning the week… he put himself out to know what were issues or concerns with his Flock.
Thank you and hopefully other priests will take this to heart.
Why do you have advertisements on your website. Why do you need to make money? It’s funny how Catholics who believe in a god to provide for their needs has to beg for money or resort to business.
Sermons or “homilies” are boring because they are not interesting. It’s funny in a way Casey is very transparent and without intention exposes his religion. You notice the endless repetitions of the same points, ideas, theology, bible passages, etc. It’s deliberate redundancy to indoctrinate the person who receives it, church and religion is so boring because of it’s great sameness. Do you know who invented propaganda? The Catholic Church. You can look it up if you don’t believe me and for example even Hitler recognized the brilliance of the church and copied some of their methods
Mase has some good points although he sounds a bit caustic. Why do you have advertisements Casey? Also the catholic church did invent propaganda, but it was for good purposes right? To spread the word of god..
Where are these priests that are giving overly technical explanations of exegesis? I wish I could find a homilist like that! Such a sermon would be far more engaging to me. A pep talk is not necessary; I would rather learn something!