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A great preacher understands the power of God’s Word and knows how to communicate that power in the most effective way possible. With The Sacred Conversation: The Art of Catholic Preaching and the New Evangelization priests will be renewed in their mission to preach the Gospel and equipped to do so with practical advice from Fr. Joseph Mele.
Fr. Mele surveys the current norms in Catholic preaching and supplies helpful background on the Church’ s most recent teaching on the subject. Paying special attention to the needs of the lay faithful, Fr. Mele then provides priests with the nuts and bolts of homiletics to ensure their preaching penetrates the hearts of those in the pews.
An essential text for priests and seminarians.
About the Author
Fr. Joseph Mele is Vicar General in the Diocese of Pittsburgh, director of formation at St. Paul Seminary, and director of post-ordination formation. He graduated from St. Francis College and St. Francis Seminary, Loretto, Pennsylvania and was ordained on May 5, 1973. He received a master’ s degree from Duquesne University and his doctorate in philosophy in 2008. Fr. Mele is the author of The Sacred Conversation: The Art of Catholic Preaching and the New Evangelization.
Endorsements
As one responsible for forming our future priest-evangelizers for the Church in the United States, I would highly encourage seminarians to read Fr. Mele’ s excellent work. How often we preachers get frustrated because of our human limitations inpreaching. Fr. Mele gives us excellent direction on how to keep our preaching fresh, lively, and meaningful. As a seminary rector, I will encourage my seminarians to read this excellent reflection on preaching.
–Fr. James Wehner, Author, Rector-President of Notre Dame Seminar
The very core of the vocation of the priest is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This has been done well and not-so-well throughout the years. Fr. Mele lays out the history and the problems of Catholic preaching and then offers some very practical ways for the preacher to be God’ s Instrument of the Good News. Read this book and become the Instrument God is calling you to be!
–Fr. Larry Richards, Author, radio host, and founder of The Reason for Our Hope Foundation
Preaching for the new evangelization! From his experience aspastor and seminary rector, and drawing upon many years of responsibility for the pre-ordination and post-ordination formation of priests, Fr. Mele truly understands the challenges and the urgency of effectively preaching the Word of God in the twenty-first century.
–Fr. Thomas Acklin, Author, Rector and Professor of Theology, St. Vincent Seminar
This is more than a manual for good techniques. It’ s a recovery of the very purpose of liturgical preaching: to guide us into the divine mysteries. Fr. Mele has produced a manifesto for a Church alive with grace.
–Mike Aquilina, Author of numerous bestselling books, including The Fathers of the Church
It is not often that a book on homiletics can be recommended for a general audience as well as the priest and deacons meant to learn from it. But I am giving Fr. Joseph Mele’ s The Sacred Conversation to friends that will never provide a homily in their lives. His steps for a ‘ reform of the reform’ of Catholic liturgical practices are inspiring to those of us who are in the pews, not just the pulpits.
–Robert P. Lockwood, Author, national columnist for Our Sunday Visitor
