What Are Those Crazy Catholics Up To Now?

Years ago when I was in seminary, I celebrated the Easter Vigil with the American parish is Rome. At the time they were meeting at the church of Sant’Agnese in the Piazza Navona. Even if you’ve never been to Rome, you might be able to imagine the immense plaza with it’s three fountains on a warm Spring Saturday evening, magicians and musicians and stilt walkers and gelaterias. Full of people. And there we were, out in front of the church lighting a big fire. All of a sudden it seemed all eyes were on us. A similar thing happened on Frankfort Avenue this past Saturday as we lit the Easter Fire in our new cauldron. People came drifting by to see. Parishioners from our parishes were explaining a bit of what was going on. Some of the passersby stayed for the Service of Fire. Some even came inside for a bit as we began the Vigil.

I always joke when we do something like this or the Palm Sunday procession that it makes the neighbors wonder what we crazy Catholics are up to now. But it’s not entirely a joke. I truly think that part of the purpose is to attract attention to our communities and our mission. In fact I think an important part of our mission is to attract the community around us. Some things like the Easter Fire are already built in. But all of us need to be thinking year round about how we become visible and noticeable to the neighborhoods we are sent to serve. How do we attract attention so that people want to find out what’s going on? And even come inside for a while. Or for life.

-Fr Lou