Vatican says ‘nein’ to lay homilies in Germany

Key Points:

• The Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship rejected the German bishops’ request to allow lay members to preach homilies at Mass, reaffirming that the homily is reserved exclusively for priests or deacons as part of the liturgy’s sacramental nature.
• The decision was based on canon law and previous Vatican instructions, including Redemptionis Sacramentum (2004), which prohibits laypersons, seminarians, or pastoral assistants from preaching during the Eucharist to maintain liturgical integrity.
• The German bishops’ request stemmed from a 2023 resolution by Germany’s “synodal way,” which sought permission for theologically qualified laypeople to preach at Mass, reflecting existing but unofficial practices in some dioceses.
• The Vatican emphasized that while laypeople can preach in other contexts outside the Mass, the homily during the Eucharist is intrinsically linked to ordained ministry and cannot be delegated or redefined by linguistic distinctions.
• The Dicastery encouraged ongoing formation for ordained ministers to enhance the homily’s pastoral effectiveness and stated that situations lacking a priest should use celebrations of the Word without Eucharist, where lay preaching is permitted.