A new Catholic app has been designed to help priests craft the perfect homily, following the advice of Pope Francis that sermons be short, simple and 'not boring'.
The Clerus-App ('Clergy-app') is engineered to equip Catholic priests with all the tools they need to construct the perfect homily, according to Crux. Sponsored by the Vatican's communication department and its Congregation for the Clergy, the app has already received more than 1,000 downloads.
Clerus-App offers homily ideas, Gospel studies and meditations in order to help priests in an accessible way. Since it's available on mobile devices via the Apple Store and the Google Play Store, prelates can sharpen their sermons from wherever they are. The platform also allows them to make notes, download other homilies and share their own homilies on social media.
Clerus-App presently exists only in Italian, but there are plans for an English version.
Italian Father Andrea Ripa, undersecretary of the Congregation for the Clergy, told Italian media that the app wouldn't tell priests how or what to preach but 'more humbly we want to offer homily ideas by referring to priests who are experts in preaching'.
The initiative is said to follow the spirit of Pope Francis, whose own pithy homilies regularly make headlines for their provocative but also pastoral style. The pontiff told priests in 2015: 'Let your words be simple so that everyone can understand. Don't give long homilies.' On another occasion he implored that sermons be 'not boring'.
In May this year he advised new priests to study and meditate well, but preach a 'simple' message that will bring 'joy and support' to their congregations.
'Don't give homilies that are too intellectual, elaborate. Speak simply, speak to the heart. And this preaching will be a nourishment,' he said.
'One cannot ignore the Pope's remarks regarding homilies,' said Father Ripa, adding that the app was made 'in such a way to create something new that is closer to the people.'
