Here’s a piece of good news to Catholics feeling dozy and bored during homilies:

Pope Francis has reiterated his advice to priests to limit their homilies under ten minutes to keep churchgoers from dozing off and remain alert for the rest of the Mass.

The Pope aired the advice in an ad lib statement that made many among the general audience at St. Peter’s Square smiling,

“After eight minutes, preaching gets dispersive and no one understands,’ the Catholic leader said on Wednesday (December 4).

The smiles transformed into a loud applause as he stated: “Never go over ten minutes, ever! This is very important. Priests must not preach about themselves but about the Gospel.”

“The sermon must contain an idea and an invitation to do things, maximum eight to ten minutes , please, beyond that we don’t follow any further. Sometimes wee see men who during the sermon leave the church to smoke a cigarette, then go back in,” he said.

“The sermon must be an idea and a proposal to do,” Pope Francis stressed.

Apparently, Pope Francis commensurates with how Mass attendees feel whenever the officiating priest delivers long yet monotonous sermons.

The Pope is aware that some priests deliver homilies that could go as long as 20 to 30 minutes.

He said preaching should be effective and be completed within ten minutes while discussing “one idea, one sentiment and one invitation to action.”

Pope Francis’ discussion about long homilies was a repeat of previous counsels he had given priests.

Just last June, he warned that long homilies might make people fall asleep.

On the other hand, in 2018, he urged the faithful to observe patience to the limitation of priests.

While urging the Mass presider to cut minutes from long sermons, he also called on attendees to “give the appropriate attention” to what the priest has to say.”

“Those listening have to their part, too. They must give the appropriate attention, thus assuming the proper interior dispositions, without subjective demands, knowing that every preacher has both his merits and his limits.”