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September Newsletter
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We celebrated our fifth birthday!
August 30, 2026
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Prayer Intentions
- For the gift from the living God for the first five years of our institute. Thank you for our preachers, lay supporters, bishops and abbot, directors of ongoing formation, donors, and staff members who have become part of our mission. God has been good to us!
- For our new 2026 cohort of priests, that they will learn and grow and flourish in their preaching ministry.
- For our new St. Joseph’s Preachers lay coordinators, that they recruit and form their lay people to pray for and offer insight for their priests.
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Celebrating Five Years & More Growth!
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The University of Dallas Chief of Staff, Ryan Reedy, and the Executive Director of the Institute for Homiletics, Dr. Karla Bellinger, are amazed at how God continues to work in this mission to renew preaching as the Institute for Homiletics enters its sixth year. We started with nothing but a dream and a vision and we are now making an impact on Catholic preaching.
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Welcome to the New
2026 Cohort of Saint Joseph Preachers!
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Listening is at the heart of the homiletic process. It begins with people in the pew, attentive to the Word of God being proclaimed, and with the preacher, listening to the spiritual needs and experiences of his people. Good preaching grows where this listening becomes a two-way conversation.
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One pillar of the Preaching for Encounter program is the formation of parish-based lay support groups called St. Joseph Preachers. These prayerful listening partners accompany their preacher with meaningful feedback, encouragement, and support throughout his journey. As St. Joseph Preachers grow in their ability to listen to the Word of God, they may experience Mass more deeply, strengthen relationships with their clergy, and discover joy in faith-sharing with fellow parishioners.
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Using the Institute’s curriculum and suggested meeting agendas, Saint Joseph Preachers become homiletically trained conversation partners, helping to open a meaningful dialogue between the pulpit and the pew. Through this ministry of listening, encouragement, and prayer, they help create a parish culture where both preachers and parishioners can grow together in their encounter with Christ.
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Emily Lugo is Coordinator for Lay Programming & Resource Development for the Institute for Homiletics. As she onboards the 2026 Cohort, Emily will have helped more than 1,000 Saint Joseph Preachers to increase their faith and support their clergy in a very important way.
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Meet the Santa Maria del Popolo Saint Joseph Preachers who have been a wonderful example of support for Fr. Miguel Martinez of our Preaching for Encounter 2024 Cohort.
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Coaches Corner
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Preaching in Ordinary Time
Doesn't Have to be "Ordinary"
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What makes this Ordinary season of our liturgical calendar rather special? While the readings are quite familiar, they are beautifully interconnected. Let's learn how to leverage those connections with some fresh approaches to preaching. View here.
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Research
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2024 Preachers' Progress Report Just Published!
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Dr. William E. Baker and Dr. Karla J. Bellinger
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Catholic preaching can improve. At the Institute for Homiletics, we have witnessed homiletic growth anecdotally and measured it statistically. The 2024 Preachers' Progress Report measures the homiletic growth of 43 priests and deacons over 20 months of the Preaching for Encounter program. We have good news to share! Read the full article here.
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Resources
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We are growing the homiletic resources section of our website. This month, we have restructured our website to make resources easier to find.
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Please 'click around' and check it out. There is much to be found!
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In The News
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The Deacon article: The Homily – Preaching for Encounter
by Deacon Matt Napoli of the Diocese of Joliet
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One of our recent Preaching for Encounter participants shared his perspective on the responsibility that comes with being a homilist. He also shares the opportunities he found in adding the tools necessary to grow as a preacher. Read the article The Homily – Preaching for Encounter here.
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Would you like to
strengthen your skill in homiletics coaching?
One of the challenges in Catholic preaching is the formation of personal coaches. The Institute of Homiletics is gathering educators to address this need. There are only a few spots left, so we invite you to get in touch with us soon.
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The training course consists of one in-person workshop on Oct. 15-17 at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois, plus five online sessions. This course is open to anyone who wants to strengthen his or her coaching and/or mentoring outreach: seminary professors, deacon mentors, teachers of preaching, and more.
Entire six-session course - $1,750.
Learn more and apply here by Sept. 30, 2026.
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Our First!
Preaching for Encounter 2027 Cohort
Dedicated to Permanent Deacons
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We are in the midst of recruiting the 2027 cohort of deacons. Participation is limited to 6-8 dioceses of 8-10 deacons per peer group. Some dioceses have already committed.
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If you are a deacon who would like to be part of this, please send your ongoing formation leader this newsletter. If you are the director of deacons in your diocese, please get directly in touch with us.
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"And he said to them, 'go into all the world…'" – Mark 16:15
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