- Only ordained priests or deacons can deliver sermons during Mass
The Vatican has firmly rejected a proposal by German bishops to allow laypeople to deliver homiliy during Mass, reaffirming that only ordained priests or deacons may do so.
The decision, issued on Tuesday by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, underscores longstanding liturgical rules governing the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.
“The current discipline cannot be dispensed from,” the Vatican said in a statement.
It added that “the reservation of the homily to a priest or deacons is not a merely disciplinary norm but derives from the very nature of the liturgy.”
The German bishops’ conference had sought permission earlier this year for laypeople to preach at Mass, reflecting broader calls from bishops in the United States and parts of Europe. Many argue that qualified laypeople, particularly women—who cannot be ordained in the Catholic Church—are equally capable of delivering effective sermons.
The Vatican did not release its full response to the German request, only a summary press release.
Catholic teaching holds that during Mass, the priest acts “in persona Christi” (in the person of Christ), with God acting through him in the liturgy. Laypeople remain permitted to give sermons or reflections at prayer services outside of Mass.
The ruling comes amid ongoing debates within the Church about greater roles for women and laity, even as core liturgical practices remain unchanged.
