Fr. Daniel Cardo
Pope Benedict XVI Chair for Liturgical Studies at St. John Vianney Seminary
The growing awareness of the importance of preaching is a sign of our times. At the same time, discontent with the state of preaching is a frequent situation at all levels. How shall we preach? Should we prepare or let the Holy Spirit inspire us? Is it realistic to expect that priests will find time to work on their homilies? Preaching is an essential part of the priestly vocation. In fact, it can become a key for finding unity and balance between prayer, study, and work. And this balance will in turn lead to a renewed experience of preaching.
In the past decades, conscious that a renewal of preaching is essential for a renewed evangelization, many seminaries have implemented homiletic courses. However, there is still a real limitation of good and systematic resources in order to learn the theological depth and practical elements of the art of preaching. The Art of Preaching: A Theological and Practical Primer aims to contribute to fill that gap.
