As a priest who served 26 years of which 21 have been in mission areas, I cannot but disagree with the view expressed by one Fonseca berating the Gospel out reach programs by the Crusaders association. Catholic lay people have been mandated by the church to go out and spread the good news of Jesus especially in areas where we priests cannot do what lay people can possibly do. On factory floors, in city squares, in the street thoroughfares, in the villages and jungles is where the lay person is called upon by Vatican II to bear witness to Jesus Christ in word and deed, in other words to evangelise.
The archaic mind set that only priests and nuns have this role of preaching Jesus is damaging the spirit of Vatican II and making us live as if Vatican II never took place. I would commend these young catholic lay persons who defying shame and fame are preaching Christ on the streets. May many more copy their model. Has the good gentleman never heard that the great Pope John Paul II asked the catholic laity to go out into the roads to proclaim Christ? Kudos to these Crusaders….we need associations and groupings like this. They enrichen the Church. Lay people by virtue of their baptism have the right and duty to proclaim the message of salvation.
Fr Ronald R. Pereira, Sanguem
