Preaching the Mystery of Faith

moments of silent meditation after they have been proclaimed, and also the proper use of Scripture in sacred song. 73

Life-Long Growth in Preaching

Given the importance of the preaching ministry for the life and mission of the Church, it is not a surprise that becoming an effective homilist capa ble of bringing the message of the Scriptures into the life of the Christian community is a life-long and demanding process. Accordingly, the Program for Priestly Formation (PPF) as well as the National Directory for the Formation, Ministry, and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States emphasize the importance of courses in Scripture along with other intellectual and spiritual formation in the Church’s liturgy and dogma. Preparation for preaching also needs to include opportunities for supervised practice to develop the skills of the future preacher. Seminaries, schools of theology, permanent diaconate formation programs, and diocesan offices of continuing education for clergy are urged to offer in-service courses and workshops for priests and deacons in order to review the quality and manner of their preaching and to find ways to continue to develop their ministry of the word. 74

73 See Verbum Domini , no. 66; Sacrosanctum Concilium , no. 30; GIRM, no. 56. 74 See Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests (USCCB, 2001).

46