New Mexico archdiocesan preachers on notice: no more than five minutes. From the church memo:
(The chancery had) received reports of some homilies going on for well over the 5-minute limit set by the Archbishop.
This not only increases exposure time [of the coronavirus] to others, but increases the discomfiture of many congregants, to the point of some not attending Mass because of it.
If such homilies continue, [Archbishop John Wester] will consider severer [sic] actions for subject clergy, up to and including possible suspension of the faculty to preach.
Having been a parent, I don’t find this method of persuasion is always effective. Maybe something more positive and proactive: add up all the preaching minutes, divide by number of Masses. Give some award or reward to the average of 5:00 or below. I also wonder if this warning isn’t addressing the more serious problem of fifteen-minute homilies. Maybe Archbishop Wester would settle for seven or eight if his clergy could avoid the creep to twenty.
Seriously on this topic, I think it takes discipline to master a homily topic and hold to five minutes. One of the first things I wouldn’t do is waste fifteen seconds informing or reminding people that the bishop said I have to keep it under a time limit. (Cue another fifteen seconds wasted for applause.)
It takes much more effort to speak concisely, an effort many preachers are not willing to make. (Note to preachers: joking about the inordinate length of your homilies makes continuing to do so *worse*. That kind of joke effectively says: “I know I have this habit you hate. Screw you, I am not going to change. Because I have the power and you don’t.”)