Detroit — For the first time, Theology III seminarians in the Homiletics II class at Sacred Heart Major Seminary were able to see what it would be like to have a public audience for their homilies.

“It’s nice to have a fresh pair of eyes, nice to have someone who doesn’t know us,” said Bradley Sjoquist, who along with his classmates had the opportunity this fall to give practice homilies to more than just his classmates and professors.

The four different sessions were held on Oct. 15 and 17, and Nov. 12 and 14, as each seminarian in the course gave a practice homily on two separate occasions to fellow seminarians, faculty members and local parishioners.

The visiting audience was given evaluation sheets to help critique the homilies, and was welcome to share constructive thoughts afterward on what worked or didn’t work.

Those evaluations included whether the students related well to their listeners, understood the texts referenced and had a clear, central point to their presentations.

The homilies varied in type, but were all based on specific Mass readings throughout the Years A, B and C cycles. Some students preached on Pentecost; others, on Christ’s temptation in the desert. Still others used readings from an Advent Sunday, and at least one preached an Easter Vigil homily.

“There was some pressure with having other people there,” said Kenneth Lao, “but it’s something to get used to for the future.”

His classmate, Robert Bacik, agreed: “People tend to not be that critical, but one of the great motivations is exciting — that they’re getting something out of it. It reminds us of what we’re going out to do.”

Francisco (Paco) Gavrilides, instructor of homiletics at the seminary, helped facilitate the sessions. During the weekly classes, he said, seminarians are required to offer each other constructive criticism on their preaching, but this “open to the public” setting has never been done before.

“Preaching is one of the primary ministries of the Church,” he reminded students at the end of the Nov. 12 session. “The people must find the homilies clear and coherent, and go away somewhat spiritually nourished. They need to hear the homily as if it was written for them.”

And those laypeople who attended said the seminarians’ homilies did just that.

Mary Lou Orsini, a parishioner of St. Paul on the Lake in Grosse Pointe Farms, was happy to sit in on the session.

“I think the instructor is so good and has presented a method that has ignited these young seminarians,” she said. “These holy young men have presented such powerful insights of aliveness and authority. That’s what we need at every Sunday and at every Mass.”