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It pays to advertise
Evangelization in the 20th century
An Editorial by Pat McArron
If you have attended a Dignity Mass lately you will have noticed that our worship community is growing. People are continuing to discover Dignity for the first time and returning for the fellowship that we offer.Thanks to our continuing efforts to get the word out about Dignity, people are still being reconnected with their Catholic faith. As many of us know, the return home can be a long and difficult journey. Fortunately there is a rainbow at the end of that journey and it is called Dignity.In the case of our local chapter we have seen a phenomenal upswing in attendance and the diversity of our community is an integral part of the picture. It is important for us to keep in mind that we must never "keep our light under a bushel basket", for that would serve no good purpose. As members of Dignity we are continually called to be witnesses to God's love for all of us. And it is incumbent upon us to keep the light burning bright and let it shine wherever we can.In a recent conversation with some of our newest Mass attendees my strong belief for the need for our participation in the greater glbt community was reinforced. When asked how they learned about Dignity they said "we saw your ad in the GSDBA Directory." To those of you unfamiliar with what that is, it is the Greater San Diego Business Association Directory of gay/lesbian owned or friendly businesses and organizations.It is because of ads like the one we have in that directory that people will be able to locate us and know that there is a place for them. It is important to remind ourselves that Dignity is open to all who embrace love of neighbor and who disdain hatred and bigotry.This month in San Diego we are celebrating our diversity in Gay Pride celebrations. It is appropriate then to recall how enriched our lives have become because of the variety of people we come in contact with on a daily basis. And it is equally important to recognize the opportunities presented to us every day to help make life's journey more fulfilling for someone else. Dignity is about people and about healing and caring. Dignity is about diversity and justice. As a community we do not presume to replace the parish structure in our church. What we do is provide people with an alternative worship setting in the form of a faith community. And because we are not part of the "mainstream" in our Catholic Church it is all the more important for us to do what we can to let people know that we are here whenever they want or need us. We sadly do not have the support of our bishops to advertise in parish bulletins or the diocesan newspaper. Because this is the case we must double our efforts to reach all who would benefit from what Dignity has to offer within our Church."Go forth and spread the good news." |