Pope Francis urged priests not to preach long sermons, limiting them to 10-15 minutes. Francis made this statement, addressing the clergy of Slovakia during a visit to the country, reports the Slovak edition of SME.
According to the pontiff, priests should also avoid words in their speeches that will leave the flock indifferent. Those present greeted his statements with applause.
“I see the nuns start clapping. They suffer the most from our preaching, ”added Francis with a laugh, SME points out.
At the same time, the Pope called on the clergy to be creative, recalling Saints Cyril and Methodius. “[Cyril and Methodius] teach us that evangelism is never a simple repetition of the past,” he noted. “The Church is a community that wants to attract to Christ with the joy of the Gospel,” the pontiff emphasized.
The Pope had previously urged the clergy to avoid lengthy sermons. In 2018, he noted that many believers complain about protracted and ill-prepared speeches by priests, which cause boredom. At the same time, according to the pontiff, listeners are also obliged to “invest” in what is happening and listen with due attention to the addresses of the clergy.
“Please be brief. No more than ten minutes, please, ”Francis said to the clergy.
