Connecting Pulpit and Pew | Breaking Open the Conversation About Catholic Preaching

Whether you preach from a pulpit or sit in a pew, you hope (and pray) for a homily that connects the Good News with life. But what does it mean to connect? In a world that buzzes with the synapses of technological “connection,” can the human touch of preaching make a difference anymore?Connecting Pulpit and Pew is a fresh look at the conundrum of Catholic preaching, asking six key questions: Why does Sunday preaching matter and to whom? Why is Catholic preaching such an uphill climb? How can we connect the Gospel message with our young people? What are the struggles of clergy-on-the-ground in preaching? What is going on in the listener’s head during the homily? And finally, what can each of us do to help “connection” in preaching become more common?New research speaks to those questions from the voices of youth, the experiences of lay leaders, and the words of priests and deacons. Karla Bellinger offers concrete ways to connect the pulpit and the pew so that preaching becomes an act of love within a community of caring. This practical book breaks open an important and necessary conversation.Karla J. Bellinger, MA, DMin, is a certified lay ecclesial minister in the Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio. She is the director of the Center for Preaching, Evangelization, and Prayer at www.thecenterforpep.com.