Bishop Serratelli Urges Preachers to Follow St. Paul's Example

On September 17, 2025, Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology (ICSST) hosted Bishop Arthur J. Serratelli, S.T.D., S.S.L., D.D., Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Paterson, NJ, as part of its "Many Faces of Hospitality" series. From 1977 to 2002, Bishop Serratelli taught Scripture at ICSST and currently teaches in the Catholic Evangelization Program, a joint program between ICSST and St. Paul Inside the Walls Evangelization Center, Diocese of Paterson.

Bishop Serratelli’s talk, “The Life and Preaching of St. Paul,” was preceded by Evening Prayer in the Seminary’s Chapel of Christ the Good Shepherd and dinner in the Seminary refectory. The event was attended by 76 people, including faculty, students, seminarians, alumni and local parishioners.

Bishop Serratelli discussed how the letters of St. Paul are essential for improving preaching in today’s world. This issue is not new; Bishop Serratelli cited poor preaching and catechesis as significant factors that contributed to the Protestant Reformation, and these same problems leave people today without a basic knowledge of the Catholic faith. “We are no longer preaching to the choir,” he stated.

In response, Bishop Serratelli emphasized preaching the Gospel in a way that helps people become faithful and knowledgeable. He turns to St. Paul’s writings as our best guide to achieve this. St. Paul’s letters provide an abundance of homiletic material for preaching and can lead to revitalized preaching in the Church. “We are bringing the welcome that releases our people from the bondage of sin,” Bishop Serratelli said. “What they contain, we need to hear again and again.”

An effective way to do this is to make these writings applicable today. The key, Bishop Serratelli explained, is first to identify the problem St. Paul addressed and then to simplify theological language so that people can understand it. Preaching should not be a dissertation; rather, it should be a relatable topic that people can easily grasp. “Preaching is a liturgical act, and this makes it quite different from any kind of academic discourse,” Bishop Serratelli noted.

Bishop Serratelli also outlined three features of St. Paul’s preaching style that made him an effective communicator and aligned with hospitable preaching. The first is fidelity; St. Paul was faithful to the Gospel message and handed on what he received from Christ, stressing that we must do the same: “We, all of us, should consider ourselves servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God,” (1 Cor 4:1). This also involves understanding the teachings of the Church; Bishop Serratelli cautioned against preaching without preparation, as he advocated for well-prepared and concise homilies.

The second trait is passion; Paul was passionate and genuine about his preaching, and his words leaped off the pages of his letters. Bishop Serratelli stressed the importance of imitating this passion and God’s enthusiastic sharing of His love. The third is practical preaching; Paul addressed the issues people faced in their daily lives and was unafraid to tell Christians how to live. Bishop Serratelli highlighted St. Paul’s use of words like “ought,” “should,” and “must,” emphasizing the need to preach the Gospel clearly in ways that can direct our lives. These elements outline how St. Paul’s welcoming preaching can serve as a model for us to follow.

Bishop Serratelli concluded by emphasizing St. Paul’s focus on our union with Christ and the importance of following his example by being faithful, passionate, and helpful in guiding others to the Church.

“It was a perfect evening of hospitality, fellowship, prayer, and a newfound appreciation for St. Paul,” one attendee said happily.

“It was helpful for me for incorporating Paul and the Second Reading into the homily,” noted Reverend James Prumos, an ICSST seminarian.

"The Many Faces of Hospitality Evenings of Reflection" series is sponsored by the Preaching as Hospitality Formation Program at ICSST, directed by Father Dominic Ciriaco, D.Min. The program seeks to form seminarians, diaconal students, and religious and lay ICSST graduate students to be compelling preachers and to offer hospitality of the heart. “We strive to help our participants be attentive to ministering from the heart and to grow in their self-confidence as preachers.”

To learn more about "Many Faces of Hospitality" or ICSST’s Preaching as Hospitality Formation Program, please contact Alyssa Carolan.

Categories: Faith and Service