Archbishop Arthur Roche, the former Bishop of Leeds has used previous comments by Pope Francis as the basis of his advice.
In his encyclical Evangelii Gaudium, the pontiff said that "the homily cannot be a form of entertainment like those presented by the media, yet it does need to give life and meaning to the celebration."
Archbishop Arthur is encouraging priests to take time to prepare their talks. He said: "As a general rule, the homily should not be improvised.
"The Church expects the preacher to continually rekindle in his mind and heart those things that are necessary for this task.
"He must have a solid understanding of Catholic doctrine; he must be familiar with the liturgical books and the context of the liturgical season; he must cultivate the skills necessary for good communication; he must strive to understand the needs of this particular community that is gathered in prayer."
Although not discouraging creative ways of delivering homilies, the Archbishop said those who consider themselves to be entertainers should always focus on the message.
He said: "The homily leads his brothers and sisters to savour and understand Sacred Scripture, opens their minds to thanksgiving for the wonders wrought by God, strengthens the faith of all present in that word which in the course of the celebration will become a sacrament by the power of the Holy Spirit, and, finally, prepares them for a fruitful reception of Communion and calls upon them to accept the demands of the Christian life."