Begin with Prayer

"You are not a chicken!" Fr. Mark Goring C.C.

A few thoughts from me

Witnessing is very important but I believe prayer is the foundation of it all. Start with prayer ( ask your guardian angel to guide you )

I am a wimp, but I have found that if I get into the habit of doing simple things like saying grace in a public setting, it becomes part of who you are. If you make the sign of the Cross when passing a church It becomes a habit too

You could wear a cross or crucifix ( Christian t-shirts and baseball-type caps are good too )

Sometimes in the summer, I pray the rosary down by the Ottawa River: very peaceful and private

Pray the Rosary with a group of parishioners occasionally ( Canada Needs Our Lady ) perhaps in front of your church. I know that the Legion of Mary in Ireland prays the rosary on street corners ( I think once a month )

Eucharistic Procession on the Feast of Corpus Christi ( you could suggest it nicely to your parish priest )

If you are downtown, for instance, make eye contact with someone who you think is in need of a kind word and say hello

Or if you plan to walk through an area where there you know people are suffering ( the homeless etc... ) perhaps carry a few snacks just in case: in cold weather hats and gloves. Ask if it is okay to call them by their name and introduce yourself. You could keep prayer cards and rosaries etc. in case ( the opportunity usually presents itself to hand some of these out ).

Needless to say, don't be pushy. Be a good listener but leave if you sense hostility ( which is seldom but because of Ottawa's drug problem we have to be aware ) What I have noticed is that there seems to be a deeper knowledge of God and spirituality among those who are living in these conditions and they usually welcome prayer and even ask for prayer. Why not ask for a prayer in return?

Our son John has a heart for the homeless especially downtown near the market and I accompany him. He keeps it simple, he carries snacks and small drinks and a small quotation from the gospel ( the beatitudes are good ) They love the snacks and usually John runs out. At Easter last year we passed out Easter Creme Eggs which were a hit

Be a part of 40 Days for Life and March for Life. Catholics need to witness the call to defend life at all its stages. The culture of death is all around us and is promoted by our secular world as a good thing. And it is not just bodily death but spiritual death. which is the deadliest

Keep informed of the latest harmful secular Bills in Parliament, Federal and Provincial There are some sinister anti - Christian bills out there

Write letters to your politicians ( in my parish when Father Yves was a pastor we had letter-writing campaigns together after Sunday mass )

And last but definitely not least PRAY PRAY and PRAY some more and always be Grateful!

God is good all the time