Preaching Better: Practical Suggestions for Homilists Paperback – March 1, 1999

A friend of mine recently shared a quote with me which I believe was said by Jimmy Breslin. According to Breslin, the reason Catholic priests cannot preach is because they have never rebelled. Priests are trained to respect authority, not rebel. Breslin, on the other hand has been somewhat of a rebel, as his writings sometimes show, so he may have a point, but it is also a gross overstatement since there are many wonderful Catholic homilists. That being said, there are also many people who are dissatisfied with the preaching in Catholic churches and it is not due to disagreeing with Catholic teaching. It is due to poor preparation. It would be wonderful if all Catholic homilists read at least some of Kenneth Untener's PREACHING BETTER, a solid book about preaching by a beloved and experienced Catholic leader. If rebelliousness makes for a good writer and preacher, then the person of Kenneth Untener would also prove his point.The late Bishop Kenneth Untener was loved by many because of his less than predictable approach to ministry. While he was criticized by some as being too liberal, his life was that of an effective follower of Christ. Everything he did was geared toward the people he served. He did not live in a bishop's house, preferring instead to live in rectories throughout his diocese. This enabled him to be part of the communities he shepherded and listen to the priests of his diocese. From what we know about Jesus Christ, he also traveled from place to place to be part of the community and always knew the needs of his leaders. Not a bad example to follow.If there is one work that could become part of Bishop Untener's legacy, it is PREACHING BETTER. The book is geared toward the Catholic homilist, whether the homilist is a priest, deacon, catechist, or lay preacher, but I am certain that people of other denominations can appreciate his tips and wisdom. The reason I say it is geared toward Catholic preaching is due to the fact that Untener stresses the importance of the homily to the entire liturgy, and acknowledges that some of the sloppy practices that have developed in some Catholic churches stem from a belief that a good homily is nice, but not essential since many Catholics would attend Mass for the Eucharist anyway. He sees a clear connection between Eucharist and preaching the Word. He also believes that preaching is a means by which the scriptures can still be living and vital today. He gives suggestions for self review but also encourages preachers to have people who will critique homilies. He acknowledges that many people in Catholic ministry can have hectic preaching schedules between Sunday Masses, daily Mass, weddings, funeral, and other occasions that require a homily, but does not believe that so many demands are an excuse for poor preaching.There are a number of wonderful homiletic books available, and many have been penned by experts in preaching and public speaking. For me, Untener's book does not have the expertise of some of the books that are available, but this is not a criticism since this volume has what many of these books lack. Untener's observations and hints seem to be based on his own ministry, his successes and his failures, and his desire to be an effective preacher.

Bishop Ken Untener’s “Preaching Better” is such a gem that I’ve read it twice and will likely read it again. I’ve been preaching homilies for two years now, and although I have improved, I have a long way to go to become a good homilist. Every page of this book is full of pertinent and useful suggestions—if only I would heed them!Over the course of several chapters Untener walks the reader through the preparation of a homily. He then dives into several specific topics, such as connecting with real life, using stories, and avoiding sidebars and jargon. As with books on writing, many suggestions will seem obvious at first, and then one realizes how often the identified “sins” of preaching creep into one’s own homilies. The overarching general rule, and one that I often forget, is that one ought not prepare to preach with the aim of drawing complimentary feedback, but do it as a ministry that draws out the word of God.This excellent little book is aimed at Catholic homilists, but its suggestions and guidance would be useful to preachers of all denominations.

The author writes based on his experience working with other preachers and from his own preaching experience. It's an easy read full of practical ideas on what to do and what to avoid when preaching, as well as opinions from the people in the pews.Highly recommended book.

The classic guide to building a better preaching program from the man who believed that Catholics needed to hear good preaching too! After an ecclesial career of listening to bad preaching and complaints about preaching, Bishop Ken Untener decided to do something about it. He provided training, and set up review committees to review everyone's homilies, starting with his own. No other U.S. bishops have shown this level of commitment to improving preaching in their diocese. But you can use this at the parish level, even if your diocese is apathetic about the poor formation of preachers. Some of his ideas won't work everywhere, but he usually hits the ball out of the partk!

If you need to write homilies or sermons and are looking for good "do's" and "don'ts" and a methodology to follow this is one of the best books I've read. It's written from a Catholic perspective (I'm Catholic ... in formation for the diaconate) so it's perfect for a homilist in training but I think the tips and methodologies will work well for anyone who's called to preach.

I found this to be a wonderful resource for developing my preaching. Of all the required texts in our preaching and presiding course, this was by far the most resonant for me. I have been applying Untener's approach for several months now and can happily report that my preaching has improved dramatically.

Liked because it is a good reference to communicate effectively.

I recommend this for everyone who wants to improve their preaching. I am a seminarian and many of the points here (if not all) are valid in today's world of preaching. Prophetic in many ways and insightful in every page, so far. Easy read and flows smoothly through its argument.

Chock full of helpful tips for preachers.I refer to it often and have bought an additional copy for another preacher.Michael Stogre

Small Pearl with great richness and wealth!