Pope Francis Urges Priests to Keep Homilies Brief and Holy Spirit-Focused

During his General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on December 4, Pope Francis emphasized the importance of brevity in homilies, urging priests to limit them to ten minutes or less.

Speaking off-the-cuff, the Pope said, “After eight minutes, preaching gets dispersive and no one understands. Never go over 10 minutes, ever! This is very important.”

The Pope’s remarks were part of his catechesis series on the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelization and preaching.

Highlighting the core elements of effective preaching, he noted that it must center on the Gospel’s message and rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. “Preaching with the anointing of the Holy Spirit means transmitting, together with the ideas and the doctrine, the life and profound conviction of our faith,” he said.

Pope Francis called on preachers to prioritize prayer as the foundation of their homilies. “Woe to those who preach without praying,” he warned, adding that the Holy Spirit comes to those who ask for it in prayer, particularly in preparation to proclaim the Gospel.

The Pope stressed that homilies must be Christ-centered and avoid self-promotion. He advised that homilies should include “one idea, one sentiment, and one invitation to action,” to ensure clarity and resonance with the faithful.

“Many times there are long sermons, 20, 30 minutes. Sometimes we see men who during the sermon leave the church to smoke a cigarette, then go back in,” he said.

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