German bishops, led by new chairman Bishop Heiner Wilmer, will formally request Vatican permission to allow lay preaching (homilies) during Masses. The request stems from a resolution passed by Germany's 'synodal way' in March 2023, which sought norms for theologically qualified laypersons commissioned by the bishop to preach on Sundays and feast days. Current Church law reserves homilies for priests or deacons, though lay preaching is permitted in specific circumstances with authorization. The German bishops adopted a regulation governing this practice and Wilmer plans to present it during his next visit to Rome for approval. The Vatican previously responded negatively to the synodal way resolution, suggesting the current request for lay homilies may be rejected.
6 days ago
Bishop Heiner Wilmer, newly elected chairman of the German bishops' conference, announced on February 26, 2026, that the bishops will formally request Vatican approval for lay people to deliver homilies at Masses.1
This follows a resolution from Germany's Synodal Way in March 2023, which called for a particular norm allowing theologically qualified lay faithful, commissioned by bishops, to preach on Sundays and feast days.1 2
The bishops approved a regulation during their February 23-26 plenary in Würzburg to govern lay preaching, targeting scenarios like priest shortages or specialized needs.1
Wilmer plans to personally present the request and explanations during his next Rome visit.1 2
Eligible lay people include religious educators, liturgy leaders, and association spiritual directors with theological training.1
Lay preaching has occurred in limited German contexts since 1988, under bishops' conference norms for cases like priest unavailability due to illness or language issues.1
The Diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart formalized this in 1999, allowing "statio" addresses or homilies in exceptional circumstances.1
In March 2023, Cardinal Arthur Roche rejected a similar Synodal Way request, citing Canon 767 §1 reserving homilies to priests or deacons.1 2
Roche emphasized the homily's inseparability from the Eucharist, linked to ordained ministry, and warned against eroding priestly identity.1 2
The instruction Ecclesiae de Mysterio reinforces that no bishop can dispense from this norm.2
The bishops also narrowly approved statutes for a permanent Synodal Conference of bishops and laity, with Wilmer seeking Vatican recognitio.1 2
Wilmer frames this as aligning with global synodality, promoting shared responsibility and Gospel proclamation.1
Canon law permits lay preaching only in churches or oratories under necessity, not routinely at Mass.1
No widespread lay homilies occur elsewhere, including Australia, where a 2022 proposal failed.1
Critics note limited uptake of Pope Francis' 2021 lay ministries like lector and acolyte in Germany.1
Assess the canonical legitimacy of lay homilies in Catholic Mass
The homily, as an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word within Mass, is canonically reserved to ordained ministers—specifically priests and deacons—and may not be given by laypersons. This reservation underscores the homily's unique liturgical role in explaining the mysteries of faith and Christian norms from the sacred text.
Canon 767 §1 explicitly states: "Among the forms of preaching, the homily, which is part of the liturgy itself and is reserved to a priest or deacon," emphasizing its preeminence and inseparability from the Mass. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) reinforces this: "The homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally... to the deacon, but never to a lay person." It must be given at Sunday and holy day Masses with a congregation, and omission requires a grave cause.
The Homiletic Directory clarifies the theological basis: "It is because the homily is an integral part of the Church’s worship that it is to be delivered only by bishops, priests, or deacons." This stems from the intimate bond between the table of the Word and the altar, requiring an ordained minister to preside. Similarly, Redemptionis Sacramentum affirms: "The homily... is reserved to the Priest or Deacon during Mass." Lay preaching is permitted outside Mass only in cases of necessity, by permission of the local Ordinary, and not as an ordinary practice.
Laypersons may preach in churches or oratories outside Mass under strict conditions, such as scarcity of ministers, but this does not extend to the homily. The USCCB's Preaching the Mystery of Faith notes that while qualified laypersons enrich the Church through authorized preaching, the Sunday homily is reserved to the ordained minister, particularly in the Eucharistic context. Priests reduced to the lay state are explicitly prohibited from giving the homily or assuming liturgical roles where their status is known.
Some liturgical scholars question whether lay contributions (e.g., discussions, witness, or shared preparation) could complement the homily, invoking the lay royal priesthood, especially in priestless celebrations. However, these remain speculative and non-normative; the Handbook for Liturgical Studies acknowledges exceptional past practices but does not endorse lay homilies during Mass. Recent documents, like Pope Francis's 2021 letter on non-ordained ministries, allow loosening reservations for lay roles but explicitly distinguish them from ordained ministries, including preaching in liturgy. No source indicates a change permitting lay homilies in Mass.
Older sources on reserved cases (sins or jurisdiction) are tangential, addressing confessional limits rather than preaching.
Lay homilies during Catholic Mass have no canonical legitimacy; they violate the Church's law and liturgical norms reserving this function to priests and deacons. Lay preaching is valorized elsewhere but cannot substitute the homily's ordained character. Pastors must ensure compliance. This fidelity preserves the liturgy's integrity and the ordained priesthood's role in proclaiming divine wisdom.