Vatican City: Pope Francis said at his weekly general audience in St Peter’s Wednesday that priests should avoid over-long homilies, which should be 10 minutes maximum. “Many times there are long sermons, 20, 30 minutes,” the Pope observed off the cuff. “The sermon must contain an idea and an invitation to do things, maximum eight to ten minutes, please, beyond that we don’t follow any further.”
According to Ansa News Agency, Pope Francis highlighted the importance of keeping sermons concise, sharing an anecdote about men leaving church during lengthy sermons to smoke cigarettes before returning. He emphasized that sermons should focus on delivering a clear idea and a proposal for action, strictly within the 10-minute timeframe. The Pope reiterated, “The sermon must be an idea and a proposal to do,” and insisted on the necessity of adhering to this time limit.
Furthermore, Pope Francis reminded priests to center their preaching on the Gospel rather than on personal anecdotes or experiences. This directive a
ims to ensure that the message of the Gospel remains the focal point of homilies, maintaining their relevance and impact within the given timeframe.
