Annual Fund Program

 

I know you appreciate hearing a good rousing homily. One that stokes the spirit, enlightens the mind and even rattles the conscience a bit.

 

Almost always, a homily such as this will be centered less on personal experience or the news of the day and more on the power of Sacred Scripture—the written Word of God.

 

This is the Word of God that is "living and active," the Word of God that is "sharper than any two-edged sword." This Word of God, writes the author of Hebrews, bores deep to separate the "soul and the spirit" and "joints and marrow" of our being, to reveal and redeem the very "thoughts and intentions of the heart."

 

This is the Word of God that, in the mystery of the Incarnation, became flesh and who we worship with special delight during this Christmas season.

 

The living Word of God—now that's the foundation of a great Sunday homily, don't you think?

 

Because of the importance of this element of priestly ministry, the faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary decided to put added emphasis on improving preaching skills, emphasis beyond the excellent training in homiletics that our graduate-level seminarians receive.

 

How so? We started a "boot camp" for undergraduate seminarians!

 

May I tell you a little about this new course? You'll be glad to know of this one way that your gift to Sacred Heart is being used to improve the preparation of our seminarians and the vibrancy of your parish life.

 

No, this was not a military-style boot camp. There were no pre-dawn hikes, no gut churning obstacle courses to run, no spiritual formation directors screaming "do you hear me, mister?" to a lineup of shivering seminarians in their skivvies.

 

This was instead a "preaching" boot camp, and in its own way it was just as strenuous and challenging. And just as valuable in forming confident and competent future priests.

 

The boot camp is formally known as the Preaching Practicum. The first practicum was attended by ten second-year philosophy students. The seminarians met for three daily sessions, for a total of five and a half hours per day throughout May.

 

In the first session, outside experts in theatre and drama, drilled (and drilled) the students on proper presentation techniques, for instance how to better articulate consonant sounds. In the second session, the seminarians had to memorize and perform dramatic monologs, during which our experts carefully inspected the presentations for the correct use of gesture and vocalization. In one memorable exercise, one of the seminarians drew raves from the class for his enthusiastic portrayal—of a fiery evangelist!

 

"My spirit desires to stand up and 'holler' for the Lord sometimes," said this seminarian who spent some time in Nashville as a musician before entering the seminary. "All kidding aside, though, the instructors were very serious in pointing out our weaknesses. But that was OK. It is serious business preaching the Word of God."

 

Fr. Eric Weber, assistant professor of theology, expertly directed the final daily sessions. The students learned—through painstaking practice—that each and every homily they will deliver from the pulpit should be focused on the living Word of God. Father Weber describes the goal of the sessions simply: "Homilists should preach the message that Jesus preached. That is what will transform the hearts and minds of the congregation."

 

It is your generosity that supports innovative programs such as the preaching boot camp and other initiatives. The result—priests who graduate from Sacred Heart and minister in your parish are strong in character, passionate in their commitment to the Catholic faith, and single-minded in their intention to direct "hearts and minds" to the source of all virtue, Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh.

 

One way to be part of this mission is to send a generous gift of support today.

 

Along with the entire Sacred Heart community, I thank you in advance and wish you a Christmas season filled with hope, grace and especially love. I remain

 

Sincerely yours in Christ,

 

Very Rev. Msgr. Jeffrey M. Monforton
Rector/President

 

Questions? email annualfund@shms.edu or call (313) 883-8567.