No! This title has nothing to do with the restoration of a piece of liturgical art! The word “pulpit,” in its figurative sense, refers to sacred preaching aimed at moving hearts, changing attitudes, transforming life plans, and, through personal change, bringing about social transformation. From a Christian perspective, its purpose is to lead people to Jesus Christ. It is the sermon!

In 17th-century France, the sermon had become a social event, a spectacle where vanity, burlesque, comedy, wit, and clerical jabs were on full display. There were also sermons in which the preacher crafted highly ornate phrases to please the purist and refined tastes of the time, making it so that the simple people could not understand anything being preached from the pulpit with such brilliance—leaving them merely astonished and impressed, but unmoved (1).

Let us look at how Father Vincent described the situation—he who was not prone to exaggerated language: “Go find my something similar in that affected delivery, in that great pomp and amid that vain display of eloquence … Very rarely do we see a single person convered by such preaching in the course of Advent and Lent year after year. We observe this in Paris. What restitution de we see from all those eloquent sermons? Do we see a large number of conversions? Alas, It would be hard tio find one, a single one!” (2).

“Pride of life: to want to succeed everywhere, to choose newly-invented words, to seem brilliant in the pulpit, or in talks to the ordinands, and in catechetical instructions. And why? What are we looking for in all that? Do you want to know, brothers? It’s ourselves. We want people to talk about us, we’re looking for praise; we want it said that we’re a great success, are working wonders, we want to be exalted. That’s the point. Look at that monster, look at that ugly person! O human wretchedness! O cursed pride! How much trouble you cause! In short, that’s preaching ourselves and not Jesus Christ or souls.” (3).

Several Church figures tried to change this style of preaching, trying to give it more dignity—among them Saint Philip Neri with the Oratorians, Saint Francis de Sales, Father Bérulle, and others—but with little effect. The sermon was still seen as a “literary event,” and as such, it needed to be cultivated.

Vincent de Paul’s merit lies in learning from all of them, remembering their examples, but above all, changing the perspective, the approach, or the “track” on which the sermon was built. Vincent put the sermon back where it belonged and where it never should have left. The sermon is not a social event; it is pastoral action, catechesis, Christian instruction meant to move the heart and bring about life change. For it to regain its purpose, it had to be “re-situated” in its form, its content, and in the preacher’s mindset.

This was the work Vincent de Paul carried out during the weekly meetings on Tuesdays at Saint-Lazare in Paris. There, everything related to pastoral life was studied and reflected upon, and the topic of preaching often came up for discussion, through the so-called “Little Method” or “Simple Method of Preaching” (4). Quite often, clergymen influenced by their academic backgrounds or by prevailing intellectual trends gave in to the temptation to sacrifice the message for erudition and eloquence. Father Vincent wouldn’t let these missteps slide; after apologizing for the boldness, on his knees, he would ask the person to be a bit simpler and to use more heart-driven eloquence, and less of the academic kind. He would then invite those present to share their testimony on the positive results of this preaching method, already used in other places, directly asking some of the more experienced priests:  “¿Isn’t it true, M. Martin, that the bandits in Italy were convered during our missions. Isn’t it ture that you were there? We’re here in an informal discussion: please tell us how that came about” (5) … telling stories of social and family reconciliation, restitution for harm done, duels that never happened, truths that were restored, lies that were exposed, thefts that were repaid… were heard.

Vicente didn’t like booming voices, nor melodious, nor theatrical ones. He wanted a conversational, simple style that everyone could understand—respectful language without vulgarity, and acceptable to all. To a member of the Congregation who struggled to adopt this preaching style, he wrote: “I have been informed that you are straining yourself when you talk to the people and that this is making you very weak. In the name of God, Father, take care of your health and moderate your speech and sentiments. I told you before that Our Lord blesses sermons delivered in a normal, familiar tone of voice because that is how He Himself taught and preached. I also said that, since this manner of speaking is natural, it is also more relaxed than the other, which is forced, so the people enjoy it better and benefit more from it … A person who used to be in that profession told me this recently. Now if the desire to please the world more could have such an influence on the mids of those actors in the tyheater,m what cause for shame would ti be for the preachers of Jesus Christ if ardor and zeal for procuring the salvation of souls did not have the same power over them”(6).

To further persuade his listeners, Vincent would bring up the example of Calvin, who, in order to make his message effective, organized quarterly gatherings where various ministers addressed this very topic and learned how to preach convincingly. While one minister preached, the others would correct him on the strength (or weakness) of his delivery. This exercise was so important that anyone who didn’t participate couldn’t hold a position. And if heresy goes to such lengths to survive and expand, shouldn’t we also make every effort to uphold this holy method? (7)

For Father Vincent, a sermon will only be fruitful if the preacher centers it on the person of our Lord Jesus Christ; if he commits to a process of ongoing personal conversion; if he is totally detached from any desire for applause; if he develops a deep capacity for empathy, avoiding a harsh tone and scolding the audience directly.

The Gospel phrase, “Physician, heal yourself” (8), and Paul’s exhortation, “Watch your life closely” (9), which Vincent de Paul often quoted in this context to urge preachers to maintain constant vigilance over themselves, their language, and their intentions, still serve as solid advice for anyone called to proclaim Jesus Christ—about what they proclaim, and how they proclaim it.

Fr. José Alves, CM

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(1) Cf. CCD:XI:237-260.

(2) Ibid., page246-247.

(3) CCD:XII:20-21.

(4) The Little Method or Simple Method of preaching involves using language that is understandable to the most humble listener, language adapted to their way of life, with examples taken from their profession and daily work, as Jesus Christ did. It involves dividing the sermon into three well-defined points: in the first, the reasons for practicing such a virtue or avoiding such an evil are shown; in the second, what that virtue or evil consists of is explained; and in the third, the means of acquiring the virtue or avoiding the evil are pointed out.

(5) CCD:XI:245-246.

(6) CCD:VI:399-400.

(7) Cfr. CCD:XI:265-269.

(8) Lc 4:23.

(9) 1 Tim 4:16.