Snapd
ragon
THE P RTAL
May 2014
Page 5
Called to be One
I
’m really encouraged that raising the profile of the Ordinariate and inviting others
to come and have a look at what we are about is something we are all being called to make
a priority this year. The Called to be One exploration day on September 6th is a great idea and
needs the backing of every member of the Ordinariate.
If
we
are
serious
about
being Catholics,
then we have to
be serious about
reaching outside
of ourselves and
not settle for
membership of an exclusive club,
and if we’re serious about belonging
to the Personal Ordinariate of Our
Lady of Walsingham, a big part of
our reaching out has to be to the
calling-to-be-one that defines us.
not aimed at m aking
disciples
Let’s be clear, this is not primary
evangelism - the exploration day
is not aimed at making disciples
(though we can’t neglect that
either). Nevertheless, a principle
of primary evangelism applies
to what we are trying to achieve,
and it is a principle which every
Christian community since the
very first bears out: people come
to the Church through their
relationships with Christians.
It is important that we have
attractive and appealing posters
and fliers to advertise our local
September 6th events, and
that we display and post them
intelligently in our churches,
on our websites and so on; it is
imperative that we circulate and
use the prayer card that has been
produced for the months leading
up to Called to be One.
reasons given will be that someone
invited them.
church friends
The members of our groups
are the best connection we have
to the people we want to reach,
many of whom have been church
friends for years. Where it may
be awkward or inappropriate
for a group pastor to put out the
word to individuals, particularly
if they belong to his former
congregation, the lay members of
our groups are much better placed
to put out a gentle invitation in the
course of the relationships they
have continued with old church
friends.
So each member of our groups
could be encouraged to make a
short list of friends and relatives
who they could specifically pray
for over the next few months and
invite to their local exploration
day. They may need some
encouragement to bite the bullet
and risk being told ‘No thanks’,
but I think most of us have
developed a thick enough skin
since we joined the Ordinariate
to face a polite refusal.
the task of the next
few months
All of this assumes, of course,
that our members believe in
what they are inviting others
to experience. No amount of
encouragement, cajoling and
reminding will make them go out and invite others, if
An obvious and highly effective way of making the in their own hearts they don’t think it is worth sharing
day a success will be to talk to the people we know with others. Perhaps the task of the next few months
about it and invite them personally. Ask people why is twofold then: to remind ourselves what the point
they started going to a particular church, or any other and benefit of the Ordinariate is, and to excite others
organisation for that matter, and among the various about it.
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