Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast

Every Sunday, millions hear homilies. But what separates the forgettable from the inspiring? Preach, from America Media, goes behind the pulpit to reveal the art and craft of great Catholic preaching. Host Ricardo da Silva, S.J.—Jesuit priest and associate editor at America Media in NYC—features weekly homilies from outstanding preachers, followed by intimate conversations. From Scripture interpretation to delivery, discover what makes today’s most compelling Catholic voices so transformative. Read featured homilies and daily Scripture reflections at americamagazine.org/subscribe⁠ Preach is supported by a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., as part of its Compelling Preaching Initiative.

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Episodes

Preaching the kingdom of God when justice is delayed on earth

”We will never solve the crisis of preaching in the Catholic Church, unless we emphasize that the preacher needs to be someone who is constantly learning about the Scriptures and what they mean in their context, but also that the preacher needs to be a person of prayer.” says Bryan Massingale. “Someone who stands in the pulpit as an authentic faith witness who wrestles with who God is.” Bryan is a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, and presently lives and works in New York City as a profess...

Jul 10, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 7

How to preach to a congregation when you don’t share the same culture

When Isaac-el Fernandes, S.J., delivers a homily he “won’t necessarily remember to say everything that I've written,” he says. “But what I will remember is the stuff that is closest to my heart. It is much more about the conviction that I say a homily with than about the clever ideas that one might have.” Isaac is a Jesuit of the Southern Africa Province. He was born and raised in Zimbabwe but currently lives and works in Lusaka, Zambia. Listen to Isaac’s homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary T...

Jul 03, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Preaching tips from a Catholic priest, husband and father of five

“I like what Pope Francis said in ‘ Evangelii Gaudium ’ when he talked about preaching and likened it to family conversation; I try and imagine that I’m at a coffee shop talking to someone and I just have a conversation with them,” Josh Whitfield says. “If I were to sit down with you and just talk about important stuff—share the Gospel with you—I would not lecture you. The homily is family talk.” Father Whitfield serves as the pastor of St. Rita Catholic Community in Dallas. A former Episcopal p...

Jun 26, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Preaching is ‘believing out loud’

“I’m not trying to convey concepts. What I’m trying to convey is my own reliance on God and my own hope in God,” Sam Sawyer, S.J., says when asked to describe his approach to delivering a homily. “The best thing I have to offer someone else is the invitation to deeper love and trust in God.” Sam is a Jesuit of the U.S.A. East province of the Jesuits and the 15th editor in chief of America Media. In his conversation with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., after the homily, Sam shares how ancient monast...

Jun 19, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Preachers have one minute to captivate the congregation

“I have discovered over the years that if you save your big point for the end, people have often tuned you out,” Deacon Fritz Bauerschmidt says, “You really have to give them something in that first minute.” Fritz is a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Baltimore assigned to the Cathedral of Mary, Our Queen. He is also a professor of theology at Loyola Maryland University, the Jesuit university in Baltimore, an author, a husband and a father of three. After the homily, Fritz explains to host...

Jun 12, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 3

The key to a good homily is an authentic preacher

“The most important thing for me when I enter into preparing a homily is just being able to authentically give witness to who I am and where I am in my relationship with Christ,” says John Gribowich. “If I can’t do that, then not only is it inauthentic, but it also just doesn’t really grab anyone.” John Gribowich is a priest of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Today, he lives in San Francisco, Calif., where he serves as the religious studies teacher at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory High School. Alo...

Jun 05, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 2

A woman’s preaching advice for a young priest

The best advice Greg Chisholm, S.J., received about preaching a homily was not taught in the seminary. “I was helped as a young priest by a woman in a church that I served in Detroit, Michigan,” he said. “She came to me and she said, ‘When I go to church, I want to hear about Jesus, and you didn’t have a lot about Jesus in that sermon.’ I have never forgotten that.” Greg Chisholm, S.J., the superior of the Jesuit community in Maryland and a former pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in Harlem, is the...

May 28, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Coming this Pentecost: Preach

What makes a great Catholic homily? And what goes into the art of delivering it well? “Preach” is a new weekly podcast from America Media that features a diverse cast of the finest Catholic preachers. Each week, preachers open up their hearts and minds, sharing their spiritual lives, approaches to interpreting scripture and techniques for preparing the best homilies. Launching on the Solemnity of Pentecost May 28, 2023, “Preach” follows the liturgical calendar. On each episode, listeners will fi...

May 18, 2023•3 min

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