Best Native Preacher Podcasts (2024)

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Meet a ‘perpetual pilgrim’ on her way to the National Eucharistic Congress 22:45

5d ago22:45

22:45

“We’re like the apostles,” says Shayla Elm. “We’re getting to walk with Jesus, like the apostles did; getting to learn from him, getting to see the ways that He brings people to Him that maybe you didn't think twice about, the people on the fringes.” On this episode of “Preach,” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., talks with Shayla Elm, one of 24 young ad…

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Watch the Gap – Restoring Emotional and Spiritual Margin | Part One 35:09

5d ago35:09

35:09

Read Luke 10:38-42 Part One | Managing Life's Sacred Spaces Sometimes, the only way to keep up with all the demands on our lives is to run at maximum capacity and then some. But there is another way...one where we have room to breathe and space to respond to what life brings our way. Join us as we explore what it means to WATCH THE GAP and live wit…

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How the Eucharistic Revival can help us love God more deeply 25:37

12d ago25:37

25:37

“The Eucharist is the food that makes us hungry,” says Joe Laramie, S.J., so when he preaches, he hopes to stir his congregation “to deeper hunger for the Lord, to grow in deeper devotion to him.” Joe, the National Director of the Pope’s Prayer Network and a preacher for the National Eucharistic Revival, preaches for the Fourteenth Sunday of Ordina…

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Reach Out and Touch Someone 34:41

12d ago34:41

34:41

Read Matthew 9:9-13 "When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" Here is the Pharisees' question asked differently: "What is your teacher's philosophy of ministry?" "What is He all about?" Jesus heard them and said in verse 12, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but th…

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Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul | Homily 10:48

14d ago10:48

10:48

Read John 21:15-19 The two leading Apostles of the early Church are celebrated together in the Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, which is observed on June 29th. This liturgical feast honors Peter and Paul's martyrdom in Rome.By neilwtaylor

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Nativity of St. John the Baptist | Homily 11:21

19d ago11:21

11:21

Read Luke 1:57-80 When an angel told Zechariah that his aged wife, Elizabeth, was pregnant, Zechariah began asking questions that betrayed his disbelief. It was then that Zechariah's voice failed him. Because of his lack of faith… his powers of speech were temporarily taken away. In the gospel reading, Zechariah's voice is restored when he signals …

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What Good is a Clean Barn? 33:55

26d ago33:55

33:55

Proverbs 14:4 "Without oxen, a barn stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest." (NLT) Knowing that a barn's purpose is to store the biggest harvest possible, the question needs to be asked: Would you rather have your barn clean or filled?By neilwtaylor

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Generosity and Encouragement | The Feast of St Barnabas 8:40

1M ago8:40

8:40

Read Acts 11.19-30, 13.1-3 We know more about Barnabas than most of the Saints of the apostolic age. What we know is found throughout the Acts of the Apostles, which are commented on in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Galatians, and Colossians. We can determine that he is a native Cypriot, a Levite, and a leader in the church in Jerusalem; …

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Your Rejection is Your Direction | Part Two 31:59

1M ago31:59

31:59

Read Genesis 45:1-8 As we consider Joseph's life, ask yourself where you would be without the rejections that have pushed you towards the better life you have now or the life you have yet to go on to live. Most people see rejection as an ending. Can I tell you it is the beginning? Rejection and loss are the beginning. Joseph came to realize that, a…

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Your Rejection is Your Direction | Part One 27:49

1M ago27:49

27:49

Read Genesis 45:1-8 As we consider Joseph's life, ask yourself where you would be without the rejections that have pushed you towards the better life you have now or the life you have yet to go on to live. Most people see rejection as an ending. Can I tell you it is the beginning? Rejection and loss are the beginning. Joseph came to realize that, a…

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Trusting In God’s Plan Within the Midst of Our Messy Lives | The Feast of the Visitation 10:51

1M ago10:51

10:51

Read Zephaniah 3:14-18; Luke 1:39-56 The Feast of the Visitation In our lectionary lessons, we are reminded that, whatever happens to us on our journey, God is in charge And He will and can use whatever it is you’re going through for good and to bring us joy and to help us get home.By neilwtaylor

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Try writing your next homily in a coffee shop 37:56

2M ago37:56

37:56

A homily is a public speech, so it only makes sense to write it in public, says Scott VanDerveer, who mostly writes his homilies sitting at a long shared table in a coffee shop. “I love looking up at whoever’s in line at the cash register at that moment and thinking, ‘Would this guy, or would this woman care about what I’m saying at all; would this…

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The Free Will of the Wind | Trinity Sunday 29:22

2M ago29:22

29:22

Read John 3:1-16 The work of the Spirit in the new birth is to make us alive so that we see the glory of Christ crucified and risen. So look to him; look to the Son of Man.By neilwtaylor

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SPIRIT | Pentecost Sunday 41:05

2M ago41:05

41:05

Read John 14:8-17, Acts 2:1-21, 1 Corinthians 12:4-13 SPIRIT In the Bible's very beginning, the Spirit is involved in the birth of Creation, and in the New Testament, the Spirit is involved in the birth of the believer. The Spirit is the giver of new life, and it is this "new life" that we want to explore. If you want to take things further, there …

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Never start a homily with these 4 words 37:32

2M ago37:32

37:32

A surefire way to lose your congregation’s attention is to start a homily with “In today’s Gospel reading,” says Thomas Groome. “The purpose of good preaching,” he says, “is to bring our lives to God and God to our lives.” A preacher’s job, then, is to facilitate a meaningful conversation between the two. This week on “Preach,” Tom, a professor of …

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Preachers: Tell a story that will stay with your listeners long after the homily is over. 34:55

2M ago34:55

34:55

Though Jesus preached in parables that still captivate us, not every story told in a homily has a similarly lasting impact. The Rev. Christopher Clohessy shares how preachers can craft stories that linger long after Mass is over. This week on “Preach,” host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., is joined by another South African priest. Chris is a priest of the …

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Becoming an Overcomer | Seventh Sunday of Easter 37:27

2M ago37:27

37:27

Read 1 John 5:1-11, John 17:6-19 Seventh Sunday of Easter (Year B) Our reading from 1 John 5 shows us and helps us keep our eyes and will on the finish line.By neilwtaylor

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Ron Hansen on bringing fiction-writing techniques to homily writing 23:42

2M ago23:42

23:42

Ron Hansen has written award-winning novels that have been turned into Hollywood hits. As an ordained deacon, he crafts equally compelling homilies. This week on “Preach,” Deacon Ron Hansen, a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Washington and a prolific author, preaches for the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, Year B. His homily reflects…

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What young adults most need to hear in a homily 32:43

3M ago32:43

32:43

While most parishes struggle to attract young members, Saint Clement Parish in Chicago stands out with a mostly young adult congregation. This week on “Preach,” the Rev. Peter Wojcik, the pastor of Saint Clement Parish in Chicago, Ill., preaches for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B. In his homily, he reflects on the depth of Jesus’ committed love…

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We Are Witnesses | Third Sunday of Easter 23:03

3M ago23:03

23:03

Read Luke 24:36-49; Acts 3:12-20 Third Sunday of Easter (Year B) Witnessing is not optional. It is not a sporadic or patchy activity of faith. It is not something you can decide to do one day and then resolve to take the next day off. It is constant. It is a way of life. It is who you are. WE ARE WITNESSES.…

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A preacher should offer the congregation a challenge—not cheap grace 36:13

3M ago36:13

36:13

Gemma Simmonds, C.J., a theologian and sister at the Cambridge Theological Federation in Cambridge, England, preaches for the Fifth Sunday in Easter, Year B: In her homily, she reflects on her experience of poverty in Brazil, giving significance to Christ’s words: “Make your home in me as I make mine in you.” Then, in the conversation with host Ric…

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Bishop Stowe preaches on the climate crisis for Good Shepherd Sunday 27:08

3M ago27:08

27:08

“I think there's a major concern for living more in harmony with creation, which is a result of conversion,” says Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv., “But I think Pope Francis is also, as our good shepherd, calling us to greater urgency to act because time is slipping away and we haven't done much.” Bishop John Stowe is a Conventual Franciscan, the third…

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To be a good preacher, pray more and read widely 24:51

3M ago24:51

24:51

Good preaching requires mastery of rhetoric, in particular the tools of repetition and organization. “Otherwise, they’re not gonna remember,” says John Baldovin, S.J. “This is a no-brainer, but beginning, middle and end, and not trying to make too many points” are key to a compelling homily. He also adds with hyperbolic emphasis, “If you want to be…

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Doubters Welcome | Second Sunday of Easter 27:08

3M ago27:08

27:08

Read John 20:19-31 Second Sunday of Easter (Year B) Unfortunately, Thomas is remembered solely in a negative light; there is more to this man than doubt.By neilwtaylor

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Easter Sunday — "The Resurrection: How Will You Respond?" | Including a word from Bishop Mark Engel 21:46

3M ago21:46

21:46

Read Mark 16:1-8 The resurrection of Jesus Christ requires a response. It is impossible to confront this historical reality and walk away unchanged. As we will see, people did not anticipate Jesus’ resurrection because they weren’t expecting Him to rise from the dead.By neilwtaylor

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Striking a chord: The debate on singing in the homily 34:15

3M ago34:15

34:15

“Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!” This is how Kim Harris starts her homily for the Second Sunday of Easter—in joyous song. “When Thomas first the tidings heard / How they had seen the risen Lord / He doubted the disciples’ word. Alleluia!...” Such daring from the ambo has long struck a controversial chord with preachers and liturgists alike, promptin…

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Good Friday Homily | Why We Call the Worst Friday ‘Good’. 19:08

4M ago19:08

19:08

Read John 19:1-37 It was the single most horrible day in the history of the world. No incident has ever been more tragic, and no future event will ever match it. No surprise attack, no political assassination, no financial collapse, no military invasion, no atomic detonation or nuclear warfare, no cataclysmic act of terrorism, no large-scale famine…

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Maundy Thursday Homily 16:41

4M ago16:41

16:41

Read Exodus 12:1-14 and John 13:1-15By neilwtaylor

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When preparing to preach, treat your homily like music 35:54

4M ago35:54

35:54

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, God often makes Godself known through sound: be it a voice from a burning bush, a resounding clap of thunder or the blast of a trumpet. “God is revealed through sound,” affirms Ed Foley, O.F.M. Cap. “I think of a homily as sound theology,” he adds, “it’s acoustic engagement.” When preparing to preach, Ed, the Duns …

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The Quiet Sign of Calvary’s Love | Palm Sunday 2024 34:15

4M ago34:15

34:15

Read Mark 15:29-32By neilwtaylor

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Feast of Saint Joseph Homily 10:47

4M ago10:47

10:47

Read Luke 2:41-5 Of all the direct descendants of King David, Joseph was beyond all comparison the most faithful, the most just most obedient, the most holy.By neilwtaylor

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WE ARE JONAH | Lenten Pulpit Series | Week Four 37:39

4M ago37:39

37:39

Read Jonah 4:1-11 The Book of Jonah is more than a colorful story about a man being swallowed by a fish; it is a tale of God’s redemption in a lost world. If that is true, here's a great question: What is God willing to do to bring us back to Himself? Maybe you left God because you carelessly drifted from Him or consciously disobeyed Him. Regardles…

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Ukraine military chaplain: Preaching hope to a world at war on Good Friday 32:12

4M ago32:12

32:12

When reflecting on the life, death and resurrection of the Lord while living in a state of military invasion and active war, Andriy Zelinskyy, S.J., says that “everything becomes more authentic.” For this Jesuit priest, who serves as the chief military chaplain of the Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church, the task of preaching to those suffering in Ukra…

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A Preacher’s Guide to Holy Week: These are long liturgies. Be brief! 42:53

4M ago42:53

42:53

The liturgies of Holy Week need to be seen as a unity. With two weeks remaining before the start of this summit of the Christian year, the “Preach” team sought the expertise of two esteemed liturgical scholars and practitioners to give preachers a whistle-stop tour of the readings and liturgies for this sacred week. In conversation with “Preach” ho…

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WE ARE JONAH | Lenten Pulpit Series | Week Three 37:15

4M ago37:15

37:15

Read Jonah 3:1-10 The Book of Jonah is more than a colorful story about a man being swallowed by a fish; it is a tale of God’s redemption in a lost world. If that is true, here's a great question: What is God willing to do to bring us back to Himself? Maybe you left God because you carelessly drifted from Him or consciously disobeyed Him. Regardles…

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WE ARE JONAH | Lenten Pulpit Series | Week Two 36:16

4M ago36:16

36:16

Read Jonah 2:1-10 The Book of Jonah is more than a colorful story about a man being swallowed by a fish; it is a tale of God’s redemption in a lost world. If that is true, here's a great question: What is God willing to do to bring us back to Himself? Maybe you left God because you carelessly drifted from Him or consciously disobeyed Him. Regardles…

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Father Rob Galea’s preaching strategies for reaching disengaged youth 33:23

4M ago33:23

33:23

“Explain the resurrection to me in two minutes without using any church language.” This is the challenge that Father Rob Galea sets for his staff to ensure they can easily relate to the young people they serve. “That takes practice, and that takes hanging out with the kids and understanding the way they speak, the way they reason.” Rob, originally …

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WE ARE JONAH | Lenten Pulpit Series | Week One 46:52

5M ago46:52

46:52

Read Jonah 1:1-17 The Book of Jonah is more than a colorful story about a man being swallowed by a fish; it is a tale of God’s redemption in a lost world. If that is true, here's a great question: What is God willing to do to bring us back to Himself? Maybe you left God because you carelessly drifted from Him or consciously disobeyed Him. Regardles…

1
How a deacon’s past as a taxi driver fuels his preaching 43:43

5M ago43:43

43:43

The best formation Deacon Steve Kramer has ever received were the four summers he spent as a taxi and limo driver. “It really prepared me for pastoral counseling,” he says of his year’s shuttling people back and forth. “They sit, they open their heart, and pretty much they figure out that they’ll never see you again. So they open up in a different …

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Meet a woman who teaches priests to preach 35:14

5M ago35:14

35:14

“Effective preaching is like good butter sinking into warm toast,” says Karla Bellinger. “You’ve gotta give the Holy Spirit a little bit of time to do some work.” As the founding executive director of the Institute for Homiletics at the University of Dallas and president of the Catholic Association of Teachers of Homiletics, Karla is filled with bi…

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The Joy Of Being Hired 38:26

5M ago38:26

38:26

Third Culture | Love God, Love People Read Matthew 20:1-16 Did Jesus really call his followers to change the world? Over the next 3 weeks we're asking the painful question of why the church haven't changed the world more profoundly. The church is surely big enough, but it would seem that bigness is not the answer. Jesus often thought small. So let …

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Try something new this Lent: Map out your homilies like an org chart 42:55

5M ago42:55

42:55

Russell Pollitt, S.J., approaches his homilies in a manner unlike any other preacher the “Preach” team has yet seen. While some rely on verbatim manuscripts, detailed linear plans, or simply loose notes, when this South African Jesuit priest sits down to write his homily after praying on the Scriptures, the first thing he does is produce an org cha…

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Living A Life Worthy Of The Gospel 40:14

5M ago40:14

40:14

Living A Life Worthy Of The Gospel | Week Two Third Culture | Love God, Love People Read Romans 12:9-21 Did Jesus really call his followers to change the world? Over the next 3 weeks we're asking the painful question of why the church haven't changed the world more profoundly. The church is surely big enough, but it would seem that bigness is not t…

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The Vatican’s chief liturgist on why preachers need to take their homilies more seriously 46:09

5M ago46:09

46:09

Cardinal Roche opens the Lenten season on “Preach: The Catholic Homilies Podcast” with a heartfelt message taken from the Scripture readings for Ash Wednesday: “Come back to me with all your heart.” When asked by host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., why he chose the theme of “Welcome Home” and not to preach “in a heavier way,” to emphasize the penitential …

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Understanding The World We Live In 51:38

5M ago51:38

51:38

Understanding The World We Live In | Week One Third Culture | Love God, Love People Read Leviticus 19:9-18; Psalm 96; Acts 17:16-23; Matthew 22:36-40 Did Jesus really call his followers to change the world? Over the next 3 weeks we're asking the painful question of why the church haven't changed the world more profoundly. The church is surely big e…

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I Quit! Comparing! (Week Four) 26:56

6M ago26:56

26:56

Week Four — I Quit! Comparing. Fed up with the status quo? The way things are isn’t the way things have to be. Are you willing to see what happens when you’re ready to say, "I Quit!".By neilwtaylor

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Feast Day | Conversion of St Paul | Homily 12:51

6M ago12:51

12:51

Read Acts 26:9-21 St. Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He instantly saw that all the zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years older. But he had acquired a zeal…

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I Quit! Living in Fear (Week Three) 30:50

6M ago30:50

30:50

Week Three — I Quit! Living in Fear. Fed up with the status quo? The way things are isn’t the way things have to be. Are you willing to see what happens when you’re ready to say, "I Quit!".By neilwtaylor

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An update from the Preach team 38:35

6M ago38:35

38:35

You may have seen that we haven’t had any episodes for the last two weeks. We are taking a break after the bumper set of episodes we put together for you during the Advent and Christmas seasons. We are reviewing the results of our survey—which you can still respond to here— and planning our offering for Lent. In the meantime, in this great week whe…

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I Quit! Complaining (Week Two) 34:51

6M ago34:51

34:51

Week Two — I Quit! Complaining. Fed up with the status quo? The way things are isn’t the way things have to be. Are you willing to see what happens when you’re ready to say, "I Quit!".By neilwtaylor

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