Review article
Difficulties and Possibilities of the Proclamation of the Word of God in Special Sermons
Stanislav Šota
orcid.org/0000-0002-6979-4406
Abstract
The article is based on the survey which covered 10% of parish priests of the Archdiocese of Đakovo and Osijek. It analyses the difficulties and possibilities of the sermons preached at christenings, marriages, last rites administered independently of the holy mass and funerals. The results point to the ‘current inability of the proclamation among the presbyters of the Archdiocese of Đakovo and Osijek. This inability is obvious in recurrent sermons which are not properly prepared by a presbyter-parish priest, due to the fact that he does not have enough time or is exhausted and burned out. The research shows the lack of pastoral sensibility for sermons made on special occasions, which are an excellent opportunity to spread the Word of God amongst the aloof, marginal believers, agnostics and atheists. The sermons for special occasions are not prepared at all by 78% of the parish priests, whereas 49% of them use some earlier prepared sermons, and 13% give impersonal and general sermons. Here arises the question of the evangelization of evangelisators as a vital priority of the local Church, then of the permanent education in spirituality, theology and communicology. The existing incapability of the announcement is mostly the reflection of the identity of a modern priest, of his person of faith, rarely provided feedback, insufficient preparation, and engagement in other pastoral requirements and duties, of the notion that ‘homily needs to be given’, since the identity of a priest comes from the Word of God and from the announcement of the Word of God. The research confirms the existence of four typologies of sermons on special occasions: 1. The proclamation of God’s Word imbued with the personal experience of the Word of God, successfully conveyed and then experienced and accepted by listeners or recipients. 2. The proclamation of the Word of God where the preacher deeply experiences the Word of God and conveys it adequately, but a listener does not get or doesn’t want to hear the Word of God because he expected something different, e.g. at funeral he expects eulogy and not the proclamation of the Word of God. 3. Occasional ceremonial speech without the proclamation of the Word of God, empty words wrapped in the ritual that has become a ceremony. 4. Occasional speech, without the proclamation of the Word of God, which has turned into a hardship. The speech by which the preacher settles his affairs with the ‘enemy’ for different reasons: non-attendance at holy mass, failing to levy a tithe etc.
Keywords
announcement of the Word of God; presbyter; occasional sermons; aloof; marginal; funeral; marriage; christening; last rites; fatigue; (non)preparation
Hrčak ID:
62310
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2010.
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