For the third cohort in a row, Cistercian monks are among the priests who know the Word and hunger to give it away.
By Anna Liza Denny
IRVING, Texas (June 12, 2026) — During a recent homily on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, Fr. Jerónimo Espinosa, M.P.M. ’23, chaplain at the University of Dallas, asked us if we have ever experienced hunger. He then pointed to the void inside us and announced that Jesus is our food. He said that when we say "Amen" every time a priest says "Body of Christ" during Holy Communion, we are affirming our belief: “so be it,” “truly,” “it is true.” His homily stirred the pews. It made clear what so many of us feel but rarely name: we have a God-given hunger. And we cannot wait to be filled by Jesus.
Have you heard a homily lately that fed you?
The Institute for Homiletics’ (IFH) mission is just that: to form priests and deacons who can recognize that hunger, name it and point them straight to the One who satisfies it.
On June 23, the Institute will welcome 26 priests from across the country for its next 20-month Preaching for Encounter Program (PEP) and among them, two Cistercian monks.
Fr. Thomas Esposito, O. Cist., BA ’05, and Fr. Joseph Van House, O. Cist., BA ’03, MTh ’07, are Cistercian monks who teach at the University of Dallas and bring to their classrooms a centuries-old tradition of contemplative prayer and deep immersion in Sacred Scripture.
They are following the footsteps of other Cistercian monks who graduated from PEP cohorts: Fr. Abbot Peter Verhalen, O. Cist., and Fr. Christopher Kalan, O. Cist., in 2022; and Fr. Matthew Hegemann, O. Cist., B.A. ’15, M.A. ’20, and Fr. Francis Gruber, O. Cist., in 2024.
So why would Cistercian monks and other priests who have extensive knowledge of Scripture sign up for programs organized by the Institute for Homiletics? Could it be they, too, have a God-given hunger? Perhaps a powerful homily feeds both the parishioners’ desire to encounter the Lord and the priest’s desire to care for their flock. Jesus described that flock as troubled and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9:36).
And Jesus entrusted that flock to Peter. Before His ascension, Jesus looked at Peter and asked him three times if he loved Him. After Peter said “yes” three times, Jesus said: "Feed My sheep." (John 21:17). It was more than a command. It was the love of a Shepherd who knew His sheep by name, placing them in the hands of Peter who denied Him three times. Peter knew that to love Jesus is to love His flock. To love His flock is to feed them.
"God calls shepherds to feed their sheep,” said Executive Director Dr. Karla J. Bellinger, a nationally recognized expert in Catholic homiletics and author of Connecting Pulpit and Pew. “A priest does this in two profound ways: through the Word of God proclaimed in the homily and through the Holy Eucharist. Both are acts of love. Both answer the same call."
Earlier this year, 43 priests and deacons graduated after spending 20 months studying, receiving coaching and spiritual formation and learning to preach in a way that feeds their flock. Among them were Fr. Miguel Angel Martinez-Figueroa of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Deacon Norman Smith of the Diocese of Dallas.
"This program gave me much more than I expected. I now have a lot of tools to continue to improve my preparation of homilies," said Fr. Miguel.
"I am more aware of what works and how I can still improve," said Deacon Norm. "I'm eager to continue helping us all have better connections with God."
After a recent IFH board of trustees meeting, UDallas President Jonathan J. Sanford, Ph.D., who is among the Institute’s board members, said: "The Institute for Homiletics at the University of Dallas is doing critical work advancing the new evangelization by honing the desires of priests, bishops and deacons to bring parishioners in contact with the living Word. I am grateful for their continued growth.”
This June, priests in the cohort will gather for a retreat for the first time, receive an introduction to the Preaching for Encounter Program and explore the foundational concepts of the science of homiletics. Priests will also connect with other priests, growing in brotherhood and camaraderie. The retreat will give them a sense that preaching is not just a skill, it is a spiritual practice.
As the program continues, they will work closely with homiletics coaches and draw from online resources and workshops.
"The Institute for Homiletics is a bright and shining light within the Church,” said Fr. Abbot Peter. “Dr. Bellinger challenges us to renew our own encounter with God so that we can then help our congregations encounter our merciful and saving God themselves. My prayer is that the Institute for Homiletics will renew the Church, one preacher and congregation at a time."
About the Institute for Homiletics
The Institute for Homiletics is a collaboration between The Catholic Foundation and the University of Dallas, the only organization dedicated solely to advancing the quality of Catholic liturgical preaching. It is where priests and deacons come to build relationships with their listeners and invite more people to encounter God through preaching. For more information, visit udallas.edu/institute-for-homiletics and instituteforhomiletics.org. Email us at office@instituteforhomiletics.org or call (972) 721-4134.
