(Vatican Radio) Who would have thought that the London Olympics could offer the perfect
opportunity to put New Evangelisation into practise? The Catholic Church of England
and Wales- that’s who, and in particular the network of Christian Churches and communities
in the host city: “I am delighted to be able to report that aside from there being
three masses celebrated everyday within the athlete’s village itself, specifically
for the athletes and officials, the highest attendance at any of the religious services
is at daily Mass. There are a number of athletes and officials from various nations
who are coming there every day and they are placing Christ at the beginning and the
centre of all they do”, says James Parker, Catholic Executive Coordinator for the
2012 London Games. Listen to James Parker’s full interview with Emer McCarthy:
As the world
watches Baltimore native Michael Phelps swim his last lap into Olympic history and
holds its breath to see if the fastest man on earth Jamaican Usain Bolt can hold his
record, Parker reveals that this ‘Super Saturday’ – when more than 48 gold medals
are up for grabs – the temperature is really beginning to change in London.
“People
are beginning to come out of their homes they want to meet, to be together for festivities.
The Churches have been preparing for this. The Catholic church and other Christian
communities have organised festivals to harness this community spirit. So that people
have the opportunity to speak about what brings joy to their lives and an opportunity
to speak about Christ”.
On Pope’s orders BXVI generation invades London
One
year ago this month Pope Benedict XVI told the future of the global Church that their
task was to bring Christ to ends of the earth and among contemporary society. Again
this month he repeated this mandate in his missionary prayer intentions for August:
“that young people, called to follow Christ, may be willing to proclaim and bear
witness to the Gospel to the end of the earth”
Proving that they earnestly
take him at his word, young Catholics from 21 nations have invaded London’s Olympic
borough, pitching their tents on the green lawns of Bonaventure’s Catholic high school,
creating their own Joshua Camp.
Over the next three days as Olympic
fever reaches high pitch, these young men and women, boys and girls will be attending
daily catechesis, prayer vigils, Eucharistic Adoration and Mass in the shadow of the
Olympic stadium.
Parker says these days of reflection, prayer and meditation
are a vital part of mission: “It’s not just about street evangelisation, its about
being open to the message of Christ in our own hearts first and foremost. It’s not
just a message that we share, We are sharing Christ with the people around us”.
On
Tuesday, Josuha Camp will then up sticks and the young Catholics will be out and about
mingling with sports fans from across the globe and local East London residents.
“What’s
important about this is that the camp is that for many of the locals – its quite a
poor area- they have no way fo getting any tickets to see the events themselves.
The Joshua Camp is about going to the poor and needy on the periphery of the Games
and saying ‘come and see what its all about’ and not only but also ‘come and take
part of this great banquet that God’s got prepared for us’”.