Catholics top polls for shortest sermons

Catholic homilies are the shortest sermons in the US, according to a computerised survey.

The average homily in a Catholic Church lasts only 14 minutes on average, compared to 39 minutes for a sermon in an Evangelical Church and 54 minutes for those in traditionally Black Protestant Churches.

Nearly 50,000 online sermons were analysed by the Pew Research Center. All were delivered in a total of 6,431 churches between between April 7 and June 1, 2019.

The Center also found that the words 'homily', 'Eucharist' and 'Diocese' occurred most frequently in Catholic sermons, while 'Alleluia!' is most often heard in Black Protestant Churches.

Another finding was that Catholic and mainstream Protestant Churches tend to focus on the New Testament in sermons rather than the Old.

Even though Catholic homilies last only 14 minutes, this is longer than the 10 minute sermon-length recommended by Pope Francis. He said during a Wednesday General Audience last February: "The one who gives the homily has to remember he isn't doing something of his own. He's preaching, he's giving a voice to Jesus, he's preaching the Word of Jesus. It has to be well-prepared and brief."

LINK

https://pewrsr.ch/2RvSHSP