8-Minute Homilies Feasible, CBCP Executive Says

Manila – The executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Commission on Public Affairs (CBCP-CPA) said Thursday that Pope Francis’s suggestion to shorten the homily during a Mass is possible.

According to Philippines News Agency, priests could prepare a short homily by doing away with anecdotes. “It can be done but perhaps without the long and winding narratives or anecdotes that we Filipinos are used to hearing during homilies,” he said in a text message. On Wednesday, the Holy Father asked Catholic priests to keep their homilies short, “no longer than 8 minutes,” so as not to bore the faithful or make them fall asleep. A homily is a commentary given by an officiating priest that follows the reading of scripture from the Bible.

Secillano added that there is “no formal policy” regarding the duration of a homily during Masses. A Mass lasts about an hour.