The Sermon

Many Catholics don't really care much about the sermon or homily.  They put up with pretty much anything, be it the message or the delivery.  Many simply say, "This is my parish," and so this is where they worship.  Some go because they want a community of people they recognize and give them some support.  They may be involved in the parish in some way, maybe through school connections.  For a Protestant, the sermon is crucial.  If there is a lack of message or the delivery is unnerving, thy will go elsewhere.  Or they will get the speaker fired.  For a Catholic, the onus of attendance is all on the Catholic in the pew.  The teaching is that you have to go to mass each Sunday.  There is no canon law or church law that says the preacher has to be competent.  In the Protestant culture, the onus on attendance is all on the preacher.  If he, or she is dreadful, people will go elsewhere, and there will be no money and the church folds.  In other words, incompetence has a price in the Protestant tradition.  Historically, I guess the Catholic church figured out how not to deal with incompetence.  Make a rule that says you have to go to church and then push the guilt.  I think I would be more of a Protestant.  I would go where I would be fed.  As a preacher though, I have said some rather silly things, been incompetent and dreadful, yet been spared by those Catholics who keep coming anyway.  If they went where they would be fed, I might be looking for work.  Yikes!!!