Lay Eucharistic Preaching in a Synodal Catholic Church - by Gregory Heille (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Explore the theological case for qualified laity to preach the Word of God at the Eucharist.

Twenty-seven preachers and theologians from around the world met in St. Louis in March 2024 to ask if a synodal church in mission could make a theological case to commission a more extensive and diverse pool of qualified lay preachers and evangelists to preach the Word of God at the Eucharist. Lay Eucharistic Preaching in a Synodal Catholic Church exemplifies the recommendations proposed at the gathering to lend support and breathe life into the assembly's experience of the homily at Mass.

In this collection, theologians and practitioners provide a synodal roadmap for eucharistic preaching that responds to the signs of the times. This symposium's papers and conversations include the theological and ministerial possibilities for lay eucharistic preaching by amending canon 767 and extending installed ministries, such as lector, catechist, or a newly instituted ministry of lay preacher. Lay Eucharistic Preaching in a Synodal Catholic Church presents the St. Louis symposium's talks and responses and includes papers by several participants to set the question in context.

Contributors include:

Maxime Allard
Kerstin-Marie Berretz
Mary Erika N. Bolaños
Wayne Cavalier
Nathan P. Chase
Elizabeth Anne Donnelly
Sara Fairbanks
Ann Garrido
Edward P. Hahnenberg
Gregory Heille
Ruth Anne Henderson
Layla A. Karst
Martin Madar
Maurice J. Nutt
Barbara E. Reid
Theresa Rickard
Elissa Rinere
Carolyn A. Wright
Deborah Wilhelm

Review Quotes

"As a whole, this volume will be invaluable for future scholars of ecclesiology as a witness of a synodal method in the faithful theological consideration of a contemporary pastoral question. Scholars and students of ecclesiology, liturgical studies, pastoral ministry, and preaching will find this collection of key scholarly voices fruitful, especially for reflection on the role of the lay faithful in fulfilling ministerial roles in the Church."
Theological Studies

-- (12/10/2025 12:00:00 AM)

"Guided by Pope Francis's vision of the future synodal Church, Dominican Gregory Heille has gathered a veritable symphony of expert voices on lay preaching. In this important and timely topic, these preachers and teachers leave no stone unturned for an interrogation of the present state of Christian proclamation, while constructing an artful path forward: from a theology of ministry for lay Eucharistic preaching, to a New Testament basis for such homiletics, towards an exploration of genuine, charismatic witness of the prophetic for the twenty-first century. Be ready to take a long awaited, deep breath into the labor of the Spirit! This text will set the gold standard on a long-awaited exploration of lay preaching for years to come."
Guerric DeBona, OSB, Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology
-- (2/17/2025 12:00:00 AM)

"While qualified lay people can currently preach in the Church, they are prohibited from offering the homily at Mass. Heille and his colleagues, in the spirit of the Synod on Synodality, authored this proposal on lay Eucharistic preaching. Informative and grounded in Church teaching, this treatise is an indispensable resource to those committed to understanding the canonical, theological, and pastoral considerations. In response to this proposal, the Vatican has acknowledged the issue and the need for deliberations. As the authors urge, the current gap should not be pitched as competition between laity and clergy. The treatises invite us, more importantly, to reflect on who we are as Church, how our baptism imparts responsibilities and charisms to all the faithful to proclaim the kingdom of God, and how we serve and help each other on this journey. Such reflections foster our imagination of the synodal Eucharistic pulpit as a community in a context of adaptation of the liturgy over time."
Carolyn Woo, former president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services-- (1/6/2025 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Gregory Heille, OP, the convener of the lay eucharistic preaching symposium, directs the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching at Aquinas Institute of Theology, where he serves as professor of preaching and evangelization. Other books include The Preaching of Pope Francis: Missionary Discipleship and the Ministry of the Word (Liturgical Press) and Preaching Racial Justice (Orbis Books).