Fr. Jerry Pokorsky: Preach Like Elmer Gantry

By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky, Catholic Culture, July 07, 2025

Fr. Jerry Pokorsky is a priest of the Diocese of Arlington who has also served as a financial administrator in the Diocese of Lincoln. Trained in business and accounting, he also holds a Master of Divinity and a Master’s in moral theology. Father Pokorsky co-founded both CREDO and Adoremus, two organizations deeply engaged in authentic liturgical renewal. He writes regularly for a number of Catholic websites and magazines.  See full bio.

Jesus sends out His 72 advance men to prepare the way for His coming. It’s a good guess that the disciples are in training for the priesthood. They travel light, eat the food placed before them, proclaim the Kingdom, and if the people do not receive them with respect, they knock the dust off their feet in testimony against them and move on to the next city. Their work prefigures the Liturgy of the Word and anticipates the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

The Mass has two main components: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Liturgy of the Word begins with the opening hymn, Sign of the Cross, the Penitential Rite, the Gloria, and the Readings. It continues with the (usually) brief homily and concludes with the Creed. The Prayers of the Faithful transition to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. ….

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