My Experience Street Preaching in Southend with the Baptists
Real Life Catholics on BBC TV defend Church Teaching on Contraception.
This morning on BBC TV Sunday Morning Live there was a good debate inspired by Melinda Gates (who identifies as Catholic) comments about the pope potentially changing doctrine on contraception. The Catholic contributors were Fr Paddy McCafferty, Clare Short and Obianuju Ekeocha. I think they did really well. Uju's direction is very interesting and easily wrong foots those who want to impose western ideas of morality on Africans in an imperialistic way. Interesting that the presenter agrees with her on this. Fr Paddy gave a great account of his experience as a priest. He was compassionate, realistic and honest, while upholding the value and importance of the doctrine. Clare said she had experience of both ways and the Catholic way is better by far. I thought that was awesome! I especially liked her focus on equality and bringing the responsibility of both husband & wife into the discussion. Watch out for the bit where the other lady says "Pope Francis has ind...
Thank you for that, Mark. Doing such work, while initially uncomfortable, will strengthen your own faith and thirst for further opportunities to share the treasures of the Christian life. It is a joyful and life-giving task so to do.
ReplyDeleteYears ago I remember a Baptist minister describing the thrill of doing such a witness in the street. "It's like one starving man telling another starving man where to find free food of the best kind."
Back up the work with prayer; next time you do this ask a parishioner or two to pray specifically at the time you're out; that the Lord's Word may touch the hearts of those you meet.
We do need more Catholics on the streets preaching the gospel, people desperately need to experience the love of Christ in a world that is starved of beauty. Well done Mark.
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