Millwall and the New Evangelisation
As I left for lunch today, my parish club was just settling in to watch Millwall v Leeds. It was good to hear that the game went well in the end with an 85th minute winner by Chris Wood, bringing Millwall's unbeaten run into double figures. The one sending-off was on the Leeds side - an elbow in the face, but probably not malicious. (Press Association match report at Millwall Mad.)
The question which is raised for us in the Year of Faith is: How do we bring the truth of the Catholic faith to these men? (A similar concern has been raised from time to time by James Preece.)
A useful point to make is that if people think that religion is not for men, why not take a walk in the vicinity of your local mosque after Friday prayers. A parishioner who did this by accident said that she thought that there must have been a football match nearby, and then realised that the young men were on their way home from the mosque.
If we don't think in terms of these men, then the New Evangelisation will be nothing much more than a superficial makeover - the spiritual equivalent of a new kitchen and some expensive paint in tuscan truffle ochre or whatever from one of those posh shops. Christ did not hide from the hoi polloi, after all.
Perhaps "No one likes us - we don't care" would be a starting-point on the virtue of fortitude and dying to self in witness to the truth. (I also use this as an example when trying to convince boys that they are quite capable of chanting responses.)
The question which is raised for us in the Year of Faith is: How do we bring the truth of the Catholic faith to these men? (A similar concern has been raised from time to time by James Preece.)
Some gentlemen supporters of Milwall Football Club
A useful point to make is that if people think that religion is not for men, why not take a walk in the vicinity of your local mosque after Friday prayers. A parishioner who did this by accident said that she thought that there must have been a football match nearby, and then realised that the young men were on their way home from the mosque.
If we don't think in terms of these men, then the New Evangelisation will be nothing much more than a superficial makeover - the spiritual equivalent of a new kitchen and some expensive paint in tuscan truffle ochre or whatever from one of those posh shops. Christ did not hide from the hoi polloi, after all.
Perhaps "No one likes us - we don't care" would be a starting-point on the virtue of fortitude and dying to self in witness to the truth. (I also use this as an example when trying to convince boys that they are quite capable of chanting responses.)
