(Above) Fr. John Melloh, SM, from Notre Dame University was the keynote speaker at Pastoral Ministry Days. (Below) Fr. George Winzenburg chairs the To Preach the Good Word Well committee. (Below Right) One of the PowerPoint slides from Father John Melloh’s presentation. (Photos by Deacon George Gladfelter)

By Laurie Hallstrom

   Pastoral Ministry Days were held March 10-11 in Spearfish. The time was used as a continuation of the “To Preach the Good Word Well” series for which the Diocese of Rapid City received a grant to conduct a three year program.

   The featured speaker was Father John A. Melloh, SM. He is currently the coordinator of the John S. Marten Program in Homiletics and Liturgies at Notre Dame University in Indiana. His Pastoral Ministry Days lectures included information that could be used in homilies and in other ministries.

   He employed Scripture, poetry, artwork, humor, PowerPoint images, group discussions and other tools to engage the audience. Registration figures showed 250 people attended the educational workshop. It brought together priests, deacons, lay ministers, chancery staff, as well as parish workers, council members and volunteers.

   Father Melloh’s presentation was an intricate series of talks on the Word of God, liturgical celebrations and spirituality. “I always begin my liturgy, preaching and theology classes by reading some poetry or prose. I do it to sensitize the students to language, because language is very important to how we communicate with one another in church, how we communicate with God and how God communicates with us,” he said.

   Father Melloh said that human communication is a bit more complicated than we might think it is. In his definition he included revelation as God communicating with us, storytelling, and the characteristics of Jesus’ preaching.

   He continued by saying, “The word of God is an incomplete message until it is heard, internalized and lived out. As we read the Scriptures we do so with the grace of the spirit — the outpoured spirit of Jesus helps us to hear that word, internalize the word and live out the word.”

   Father Melloh explained the significant connection between the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Table. “What I want to suggest to you is that the Liturgy of the Word fundamentally gives us a warrant to then go to the table. Because we have listened to God’s word, we respond to that word in coming to the table.

   “The eucharistic prayer is the church’s_ chief sacramental proclamation. W_hen we pray the eucharistic prayer we are proclaiming salvation history in the here and now.”