Nuns doing a Homily?

[Chrystal-J]

Are nuns supposed to do a homily? I visit a church sometimes on the weekend, and the priest does a homily, then hands it off to a nun who continues the homily. Has anyone heard of this before? Even the very liberal Catholic church I grew up in didn't do that.

 

[Fantine]

I've heard they aren't supposed to allow women to preach homilies--that does not mean they may not be excellent Bible study leaders, retreat presenters, etc.

It's just one of those rules that we're kind of stuck with whether we think it makes sense or not.

But since we are stuck with it, it might be fun, as you are listening to a homily, to ask yourself how you, as a woman, see this, and how you think other women would see it.

Since I am a musician, I am occasionally at more than one weekend Mass. This week I was at two. The first was by Fr. Traditional, and the second homily was by Fr. Monastic.

Well, of course you know which one resonated with me more.

Fr. Traditional had once been an engineer, and my friend, an engineer, says he likes Fr. Traditional's homilies because he has "the mind of an engineer."

I was, of course, horrified, because when I even think about engineering I get a headache...but to be fair, there is another side to Fr. Traditional Engineer, too.

Now Fr. Monastic is a Lectio sort of person, and his homilies always center around a tender, gentle theme--like healing, or reconciliation. I think that he is able to reach women more effectively with his homilies (although there are women engineers, God bless them, it gives me a headache to think about it.)

 

[FullyMT]

It happens at the Masses I've been to when the sister (or really any non-ordained person) is asking for money on behalf of an organization.

 

[Chrystal-J]

This nun works at the church in some other capacity. I liked her homilies. They're more concise than Father's. But, I didn't think that was normal church procedure.

 

[Chrystal-J]

I've heard they aren't supposed to allow women to preach homilies--that does not mean they may not be excellent Bible study leaders, retreat presenters, etc.

It's just one of those rules that we're kind of stuck with whether we think it makes sense or not.

But since we are stuck with it, it might be fun, as you are listening to a homily, to ask yourself how you, as a woman, see this, and how you think other women would see it.

Since I am a musician, I am occasionally at more than one weekend Mass. This week I was at two. The first was by Fr. Traditional, and the second homily was by Fr. Monastic.

Well, of course you know which one resonated with me more.

Fr. Traditional had once been an engineer, and my friend, an engineer, says he likes Fr. Traditional's homilies because he has "the mind of an engineer."

I was, of course, horrified, because when I even think about engineering I get a headache...but to be fair, there is another side to Fr. Traditional Engineer, too.

Now Fr. Monastic is a Lectio sort of person, and his homilies always center around a tender, gentle theme--like healing, or reconciliation. I think that he is able to reach women more effectively with his homilies (although there are women engineers, God bless them, it gives me a headache to think about it.)

I liked her homily. One week she talked at the end of Mass. But, the next week she talked immediately after Father got done during homily time. Although I liked her speech, I was a bit confused by the whole thing.

 

[Dylan Michael]

No.
It has nothing to do with her being a woman either.

The person giving the homily has to have the Faculties to give one.
Those faculties usually come with ordination, they are a safeguard to make sure that the homilist has had the proper formation and education to relay the teachings of the Church.
However, not all priests have the faculties.
Priests Simplex for example. They were (are?) priests who are ordained and can say mass, but not preach or hear confessions (Save for life-death emergencies). The only homily that they can give are ones that have been pre-written by somebody with faculties.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Nuns cannot give homilies. Only a priest (or deacon) can give a homily and he must give one for a Sunday Mass.

After a priest has given their homily, some will allow a lay person or religious to offer a reflection. However, that is not part of any liturgical norm. It certainly should not be called a homily and the fact that it seems to people to be one speaks to how wrong it is to do.

There is no reason to do that, it is not appropriate and it is just confusing to people.

 

[Chrystal-J]

After a priest has given their homily, some will allow a lay person or religious to offer a reflection.

Maybe Father's using the "reflection" as a loophole to get her up there speaking. I don't know. But, people in the church are complaining about it.

 

[Fantine]

Maybe they had been discussing the passages earlier in the week and she had some valuable insights and perspectives that he believed the congregation would benefit from.

I once attended a parish where they had the children's liturgy of the word, and I was on a team of two doing one Mass a month. We would read from the children's lectionary and do a children's homily and I think (I'm going back some years) a children's prayer of the faithful.

In a way that is the same as women giving a homily--I think most of the team members were women--I was paired with a senior in high school.

And if I do say so myself, I gave a really good children's homily.

It really is a shame that the homilies I profit from the most could probably be given by the church custodian. They incorporate no special training or dogmatic lessons. They are simple, focused, and heartfelt. They relate faith to life.

A custodian could do it if a custodian read the passages and reflected on their heart meanings. Or the Rosary Altar Society lady.

And so I appreciate that the Church wants us to hear homilies from people with years of training, but the more they try to impress me with it, chances are the less I'll get out of it.

 

[holyorders]

Hi fantine.

Your signature intrigues me. Do you happen to know what the three corporations are?

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Maybe Father's using the "reflection" as a loophole to get her up there speaking. I don't know. But, people in the church are complaining about it.

That is probably how he is seeing it. I don't see anything malicious about it, but it is inappropriate. He needs to give his homily and allow other speakers to comment after the Mass had ended.

 

[SpiritualAntiseptic]

Maybe they had been discussing the passages earlier in the week and she had some valuable insights and perspectives that he believed the congregation would benefit from.

Which she can do in a variety of ways without offering a reflection after the homily.

I once attended a parish where they had the children's liturgy of the word, and I was on a team of two doing one Mass a month. We would read from the children's lectionary and do a children's homily and I think (I'm going back some years) a children's prayer of the faithful.

I support the CLoW and the people offering it - however, lay people can never offer a homily. They are offering a reflection to the children.

In a way that is the same as women giving a homily--I think most of the team members were women--I was paired with a senior in high school.

Only people with Holy Orders can give a homily.

And if I do say so myself, I gave a really good children's homily.

You gave a reflection and I am sure you did great - but it isn't and can never be a homily.

It really is a shame that the homilies I profit from the most could probably be given by the church custodian. They incorporate no special training or dogmatic lessons. They are simple, focused, and heartfelt. They relate faith to life.

A custodian could do it if a custodian read the passages and reflected on their heart meanings. Or the Rosary Altar Society lady.

And so I appreciate that the Church wants us to hear homilies from people with years of training, but the more they try to impress me with it, chances are the less I'll get out of it.

I'll give you the inside scoop and say that homilies are garbage because:
1) the person hasn't prepared for it
2) the person hasn't researched it
3) the person is talking beyond their skill level

I think lay people can do a better job because they understand the importance of it. Most ordained men see the homily as a burden, not an opportunity. It would help if people would stop brainlessly telling the priest that his homily was good.

 

[Fantine]

As of 2010, The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the US, with News Corporation, Time Warner and Viacom ranking second, third and fourth respectively.[7]

Concentration of media ownership - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Of course Rupert Murdoch owns Fox News, the NY Post, and many other US media companies.

In radio, I have been concerned about Clear Channel (owner of 1200 stations). When I lived in NY it didn't affect me that much because there was more variety but here you're stuck with Limbaugh and Hannity and on Sundays, "Gun Talk," where the host fields questions about what guns to get 8 year-olds for Christmas and doesn't have the presence of mind to tell the callers to go get their heads examined.

But I have been saved by satellite, in my car at least.

 

[Chrystal-J]

That is probably how he is seeing it. I don't see anything malicious about it, but it is inappropriate. He needs to give his homily and allow other speakers to comment after the Mass had ended.

I agree. This priest is very liberal. So, he's always speaking from that point of view. But, this was awkward because people seemed uncomfortable with it and it felt out of place. I wasn't too bothered when Sister spoke at the end of Mass. But, I felt (as did others) that this was going too far. But, I don't know much about church doctrine, so I thought I'd ask here.

 

[Fantine]

I support the CLoW and the people offering it - however, lay people can never offer a homily. They are offering a reflection to the children.



Only people with Holy Orders can give a homily.

So as long as you label it as something other than a homily it's OK.

Semantics

 

[StThomasMore]

Are nuns supposed to do a homily? I visit a church sometimes on the weekend, and the priest does a homily, then hands it off to a nun who continues the homily. Has anyone heard of this before? Even the very liberal Catholic church I grew up in didn't do that.

No, she shouldn't be doing that. Best to let them know that and then the bishop.

Also, is it the same nun everytime? If it is, then the nun might be doing these things under an agenda. Let me guess, she doesn't wear a habit either, does she? And I bet if you asked her, she would agree with women's ordination.

If the priest is liberal, then he might have an agenda too with women's ordination, and this is his way of pushing it onto the Church. In this case let the bishop know whats going on.

Compared to the "Gay Masses" and pro-abortion people taking communion though, this might seem smaller. Just shows how far down the hole we have gone.

Many "liberal parishes" are just parishes that have been overtaken by closet liberals in the seminary, and once they get ordained they use their authority to advance their own agenda. Basically, just infiltrating the Church. Many times it goes on for years, even decades, before word gets to the bishop something is wrong.

 

[BBCath]

As a potential convert, this whole conversation is very off-putting to me.

Is the Catholic Church so focused on this kind of thing...like who talks after the priest gives his homily? And what this person's gender is?

I hate to break it to some, but women can teach a lot about life and faith as well. And I can't believe that the perception that what the nun gave MAY have been a "homily" or a "reflection" is a source of contention.

Is this what I have to look forward to after possible joining the Church?

 

[Chrystal-J]

Also, is it the same nun everytime? If it is, then the nun might be doing these things under an agenda. Let me guess, she doesn't wear a habit either, does she? And I bet if you asked her, she would agree with women's ordination.

Yes, it is the same nun every time. Also, you're right about the habit. She wears something I've seen male (monks) wear. I've never seen a nun wear something like that before--it looked weird to me.

 

[Dylan Michael]

As a potential convert, this whole conversation is very off-putting to me.

Is the Catholic Church so focused on this kind of thing...like who talks after the priest gives his homily? And what this person's gender is?

I hate to break it to some, but women can teach a lot about life and faith as well. And I can't believe that the perception that what the nun gave MAY have been a "homily" or a "reflection" is a source of contention.

Is this what I have to look forward to after possible joining the Church?

This has absolutely nothing to do with her gender. (Although, some people try to force the issue on this)

It has to do if whether the person giving the homily is ordained or not.

 

[Chrystal-J]

Plus it's a matter of obedience and being a servant of Christ as opposed to wanting to gain power in the church by obtaining what is seen as a "higher position". Some of the greatest and most admired servants of Christ had the lowest jobs in the church or monastery.
One priest that comes to mind in this regard is Solanus Casey.
Solanus Casey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia