RBWords

     From 1994 to 1998, I was pastor of St. Ann Parish in San Antonio, TX.  At one point, the parish council decided that we needed to know how many Catholics were actually living in the parish since we felt we had more coming to Mass on the weekends than were actually registered.  We didn't want to do a full scale census, just a kind of informal inquiry.  So, we asked for volunteers and got enough to cover the various neighborhoods in pairs - "two by two."  We had a professional neighborhood organizer train them on how to approach the front door of a home they had never been to (rather intimidating to lots of folks), and, on a beautiful Saturday morning we commissioned them and sent them out.  They came back later that day with stories both glad and sad but they also said: "We don't ever want to do this again!"  My response to that was, "I'm only one priest.  You complain that small non-denominational churches are starting in your neighborhoods and going door to door to invite people.  Why don't you do that for St. Ann?  Their response, "Oh no, Father, that's what the Protestants do!"  

     Jesus summoned the Twelve and sent them out two-by-two.  He later on appointed a further seventy-two [Luke 10:1-11] and sent them out also in pairs.to heal and say: "The Kingdom of God is at hand for you."  There were no cell phones, no internet, no mass communication networks.  It was by word of mouth from dedicated faithful that Christianity became a world religion in a very short period of time relatively speaking.  

     The last three popes have been summoning all of us baptized to a "new evangelism."  This is not aimed at non-Christians but at members of the Catholic church who have stopped practicing their faith.  Current public surveys point to the growing category of "nones" who say they are "spiritual" but not "religious!"  The second largest denomination of Christians in this country, if organized, would be former Catholics!  Pope Francis has called us all to be "missionaries of mercy."  If we can't knock on physical doors, perhaps we can look for other opportunities to invite our brothers and sisters to come back.  Our baptism is our summons and our mission is clear.  The Kingdom of God needs us.  AMEN