|
|
|
|
Cathedral presence from Ash Wednesday to Easter Saturday - Suggested Guidelines Send a letter to the bishop asking him to be part of our prayer/fast presence. Ask the bishop to encourage pastors to support our effort of prayer and fasting. (see sample letter to your bishop on our home page) request a meeting with the bishop before the end of January, 2008. Each community of Franz Jagerstatter people to break the silence should design their own plan for prayer and fasting. Below are suggestions based on the Syracuse, NY model. The presence is to begin with first mass on Ash Wednesday. This should be a media event. Try to bring as many people as possible to the steps of the cathedral on Ash Wednesday, February 6th, 10am or later. Contact TV, press, radio stations with the specific time you feel media in your community can make. Read the statement from Franz Jagerstatter people to break the silence and then respond to questions from the media. Have several spokes people prepared but obviously anyone can speak to the issue. Carry well designed banner (in)to the cathedral and have it so that all can view it. (statement?—each group decide, e.g., breaking the silence—Franz Jagerstatter people to stop war) Have flyers to give to folks after mass. The flyer could be the press release (click on sample on home page of franzprayforus.org) with an invitation to join with us for prayer and fasting throughout lent 2008. Ask cathedral priests to note your presence and to consider joining with us for limited periods during lent. Have a sign up sheet for name, email, telephone # and time for presence in cathedral. Select prayers for silent reading and distribute to all who come to the masses on Ash Wednesday. Have the same suggested prayers in print for daily use. Depending on the weather, try to maintain a presence outside of the cathedral—steps and/or sidewalk. Have well designed signs and banners explaining our mission. Read names of Iraqi people killed by US and UK forces. Read names of American and British troops killed since beginning of war. Have photos available etc. Anticipate problems: know where the toilet facilities are located. Keep people well. Stay out of extreme cold and wetness. If need be, have press conference inside of cathedral. If fasting, go to our home page to copy the health rules of fasting. Ignore rude and angry comments made by difficult people. Do not argue. Answer with smiles and peace sign. Etc. If bishop does not want you to be in the cathedral, then you simply do what your conscience tells you to do and most likely you will pray in the cathedral.
For More Information Contact: |
Send mail to
webservant@franzprayforus.org with
questions or comments about this web site.
|