Connection is the word of the day.
We live in a fast moving world. Words and images come at us at lightning speed. We are bombarded by chatter. Where is there room for silence? For prayer? For hearing the voice of God? How can the message of the gospel be effectively heard in the midst of all the noise?
Connection is our mission – through preaching, through evangelization, and through prayer.
What would your preaching look like, if it connected with the deepest longings of your listeners? Are you looking for more fire, more energy in your ministry? Do you sense that your people are hungering for more than you are giving them? We can help you with that.
Connection in ministry is our focus – on a national level, in a diocese, in a parish or congregation, and in personal ministry.
From the words of young people and the voices of clergy, from research and surveys of catechetical leaders, we have found that there are answers to those questions of effectiveness that seem so insurmountable. Each of us can make a stronger impact than we are now doing. Each of us can get better. Together, we can work to make that happen.
Reviews of the 2014 book, Connecting Pulpit and Pew, that describes the background that underlies our mission:
The core of the new evangelization – what is heard and not simply what is proclaimed-informs the central thesis of Connecting Pulpit and Pew. Written in an accessible and practical style, this book invites the homilist to enter the world of the listener and explore ways to be heard better through constructive dialogue…. This study will assist all in the Church as we answer the call of Pope Francis to make good preaching a true encounter with Jesus Christ and a vital part of the new evangelization.
Most Reverend Joseph Kurtz, Archbishop of Louisville, President, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
*****
Connecting Pulpit and Pew is a new departure in Catholic homiletics: it invites the people in our pews to help us understand what `connects’ with them and what does not. The results are unsettling, surprising, illuminating and hopeful. Bellinger affirms that people are listening and preaching matters, because the encounter with God matters. Those of us who preach or care about preaching would do well to listen and learn from this book. A lively read, too!
Fr. Michael Connors, CSC, Director, John S. Marten Program in Homiletics and Liturgics, University of Notre Dame
*****
This book effectively engages one of the most frequently discussed topics pertaining to Catholic liturgies-the quality of preaching. Appreciating the significance of the homily, Karla Bellinger offers both critique where improvement is needed and praise for preaching that truly connects with the faithful. Her compelling narrative includes positive examples of outstanding preaching as well as symptoms of disconnection that illustrate her central argument: the necessity of the preacher understanding the world of the hearer. Karla Bellinger’s byword is `connection’ and her book definitely connects with the serious reader, both preacher and listener.
Sister Katarina Schuth, OSF, Professor of Pastoral Ministry, St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN