Stop Being Boring! Modern Lesson For Old Seminaries – Teach Seminarians Old & New American & British Literature And They Will Learn To Teach The Word To The World, Beautifully!

Yes, as a Roman Catholic I can tell you: “Almost all Roman Catholic priests are boring, boring, boring! when it comes to preaching the Word of God.” Why because they were not taught in seminary how to make their lectures and/or conjectures interesting at least, if not brilliant! 
(image from istockphoto.com)

Jonathan Liedl writes, “A Novel Idea: Seminarians Read Literature As Prep For Priesthood” (15 Aug 2024, National Catholic Register, ncregister.com): “Pope Francis lamented that ‘a sufficient grounding in literature’ is not a standard part of priestly formation.” What I understand Pope Francis is not saying is that if the priest knew much about published literature, he would be an interesting person to listen to by the parishioners every single Sunday!

I creative writer say, “To be good, better, best, the priest should learn how to think good, better, best!” And old and new widely regarded American and British literature would be big helps in understanding human nature – which the would-be priest should know in order to teach good, better, best!

1980s. I remember Fr Monching Carillo of the San Antonio church at Crossing, Los Baños, Laguna: delightful, entertaining, educational; that is, he was not preaching – he was telling stories!

And that’s how homilies should be done – telling stories parishioners are familiar with, relating to them because, after all, it’s their lives the priest wants to touch and change for the good, better, best as the case may be.

I am a creative writer. How did I learn to be interesting? In high school, I read, and read, and read! I devoured the American and British classics (books); the American journals life, look, National Geographic; I read the Reader’s Digest, Life, Look, Post – in high school, that early, I sensed that I was enriching my mind for later use. Seminarians similarly reading will enrich their minds.

Again, from Mr Liedl:

When Carter Anderson started seminary formation two years ago, he likely knew that hitting the books would be on the agenda.

But what the Diocese of Helena, Montana seminarian might not have known at the time was that, in addition to sacred Scripture and theological texts, works of fiction would also play an important part in his preparation for the priesthood. 

Of course, the thoughts of others that you are reading make/help you think more – and better (“bitter” avoid that!). Those words open the world wider than you know, bring you thoughts you never had before, even challenge your old ideas – and that’s how you learn to be more interesting (and more intelligent) when talking to/with others.

Mr Liedl further says:

More broadly, it illustrates the important role reading fiction can play in the formation of future priests, with seminary faculty, seminarians and even Pope Francis noting the ability of quality literature to bolster empathy, increase a desire for goodness, and offer a refreshing alternative to screen time.

Seminarians, to be interesting to your parishioners – read, read now!@517