Joseph Mele - The Sacred Conversation: The Art of Catholic Preaching and the New Evangelization

Endorsements for The Sacred Conversation

As one responsible for forming our future priest evangelizers for the Church in the United States, I would highly encourage seminarians to read Fr. Meles excellent work.

How often we preachers get frustrated because of our human limitations in preaching. Fr. Mele gives us excellent direction on how to keep our preaching fresh, lively and meaningful.

As a seminary rector, I am always concerned that what the seminarians learn in the classroom can be preached effectively, convincingly, and joyfully. This is a core element of evangelization. Fr. Mele provides us a practical reflection on how to keep our preaching evangelical.

With human lips and a human heart, Jesus revealed to us the mystery of himself, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. The preacher is called to make Christ and his Gospel accessible in the same manner. Fr. Mele helps preachers understand how to integrate the human, spiritual and theological dimensions of good preaching. As a seminary rector, I will encourage my seminarians to read this excellent reflection on preaching.

Fr. James Wehner
Author, Rector-President of Notre Dame Seminary

The very core of the vocation of the priest is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This has been done well and not so well throughout the years. Fr. Mele lays out the history and the problems of Catholic preaching and then offers some very practical ways for the preacher to be Gods Instrument of the Good News. Read this book and become the Instrument God is calling you to be!

Fr. Larry Richards
Author, radio host, and Founder of
The Reason for Our Hope Foundation

Preaching for the new evangelization! From his experience as pastor and seminary rector, and drawing upon many years of responsibility for the pre-ordination and post-ordination formation of priests, Fr. Mele truly understands the challenges and the urgency of effectively preaching the Word of God in the twenty-first century. Seeing where weve come and where we are in todays world, he boldly points the direction for a reform of the reform of preaching, based on the pillars of Vatican II and the liturgical renewal. Fr. Mele gives the priest and deacon practical guidance on how to preach, and a deeper understanding of the task and opportunity the preacher faces in our times.

Fr. Thomas Acklin
Author, Rector and Professor of Theology,
Saint Vincent Seminary

Fr. Mele, with the confident boldness that reminds one of the Spirit-filled preaching of the Acts of the Apostles, speaks to the fact that many homilies we hear at Sunday Mass do not lead us to a deeper encounter with Christ. His book, The Sacred Conversation: The Art of Catholic Preaching and The New Evangelization, holds our attention throughout by taking into account the hopes and objectives of the Second Vatican Council, the struggles and needs of Catholics today, and the liturgical context in which homilies are preached. Not only seminary professors, priests, and deacons, but anyone who desires to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Eucharist will find Fr. Mele to be a trustworthy guide.

Rt. Rev. Douglas R. Nowicki
Archabbot and Chancellor of Saint Vincent Archabbey,
College and Seminary

This book greatly broadens and deepens our understanding of the role of the homily in offering the Holy Sacrifice. In the Mass our Risen Lord makes himself available to us. Fr. Mele makes it clear that the basic function of the homily is to prepare us appropriately to respond to the divine initiative. Its task, in other words, is to call us to continuing conversion. The skill of any homilist who reads this bookand God grant it wide readershipis bound greatly to be enriched. And so will those to whom he proclaims the Gospel. As a homilist, I devoutly wish this book had fallen into my hands many years ago.

Fr. Ray Ryland
Author, Chaplain of Catholics United for the Faith and
The Coming Home Network International

It is not often that a book on homiletics can be recommended for a general audience as well as the priest and deacons meant to learn from it. But I am giving Fr. Joseph Meles The Sacred Conversation to friends that will never provide a homily in their lives. His steps for a reform of the reform of Catholic liturgical practices are inspiring to those of us who are in the pews, not just the pulpits.

Fr. Mele provides a sensible understanding of the liturgyand the proper role of homiletics to the liturgythat gives far more than a how to for a weekly sermon. A priest or deacon reading The Sacred Conversation will discover how he must live the Gospel he preaches. The lay reader will find what all good homilies should accomplisha book to shake us out of our complacency.

Robert P. Lockwood
Author and national columnist for Our Sunday Visitor

Fr. Mele offers a reminder of the importance of sacred conversation as the heart of the Sunday homily. It is an invitation to the faith, to renewal, and to a grounded life situated within the Trinity, the institution of the Church, and the practices of the faith.

Dr. Ronald C. Arnett
Chair and professor of the Department of
Communication & Rhetorical Studies and the Henry Koren,
C.S.Sp., Endowed Chair for
Scholarly Excellence at Duquesne University

This is more than a manual for good techniques. Its a recovery of the very purpose of liturgical preaching: to guide us into the divine mysteries. Fr. Mele has produced a manifesto for a Church alive with grace.

Mike Aquilina
Author and Executive Vice President and Trustee of
St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

How can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? (Romans 10:14).

As Saint Paul points out, preaching and the preacher are central to evangelization. In The Sacred Conversation Fr. Joseph Mele has provided sound teaching on the art of Catholic preaching. This fine book explains not only how to prepare the preaching but also how to form the preacher. It is both practical and inspirational.

If you are a priest, buy this book, read it, and keep it as a ready reference. If you are someone who knows a priest, buy it for him. Surely, it will bear fruit in the New Evangelization for those who apply its teaching.

Regis J. Flaherty
Author and Director of the Gilmary retreat center

In his masterpiece, The Ascent of Mount Carmel, St. John of the Cross (15421591) said, Although the preacher may speak remarkable truths, these will soon be forgotten since they do not enkindle the will. In the spirit of the Apostle Paul (1Corinthians 2:14), the saint agrees that the rhetoric of human wisdom must be subordinated to the manifestation of spirit and truth just as the love of learning must bow before the desire for God. This book fulfills the intentionality of scripture and the masters: it presents the art and discipline of preaching not only as a declaration of solid Church teaching but also as a way of reaching the hearts of every hearer. It is a timely book whose time has come.

Dr. Susan Muto
Dean of Epiphany Academy of Formative Spirituality,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Emmaus Road Publishing
827 North Fourth Street
Steubenville, Ohio 43952

2013 Fr. Joseph Mele
All rights reserved. Published 2013
Printed in the United States of America
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2013936193