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The Catholic Herald reports:
A card communicating that its carrier is a baptised Catholic will be distributed nationally on behalf of the bishops of England and Wales.The front of the card is above, the reverse side below.
The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales is distributing one million cards to 24 dioceses including the Bishopric of the Forces and the ordinariate in order to cultivate evangelisation among Catholics.
The credit-card-size resource features on one side a clear statement that the carrier is a Catholic and a list of six things that Catholics are called to do.
There is also a sentence that reads: “In the event of an emergency, please contact a Catholic priest.”
The other side of the card has a quote from Blessed John Henry Newman, focusing on the call to serve and affirming that everyone has a mission.
Bishop Kieran Conry of Arundel and Brighton, chairman of the bishops’ Department for Evangelisation and Catechesis, said: “We all carry a variety of cards in our purses and wallets which reflect something of our identity and the things that are important to us. The faith card for Catholics aims to offer a daily reminder of what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. We can’t summarise the whole of our faith in bullet points, but we hope that the card simply inspires people to do, read and learn more.”
The bishop added: “The card is also designed to give Catholics confidence to share their faith – often people need help knowing what to say. Faith is a not a private matter... We hope that Catholics will use it to witness to their faith. If someone asks a question about Catholicism, a starting point could be to show the card and to take it from there.”
What do you think?
I know that every Lent my parish offers all its members a small token (a button, Cross, key chain) with a similar purpose: that bearers remember their faith and that others who see the token might be reminded as well. The card to be distributed in the UK is a perennial, not a seasonal effort.
Would you carry such a card?
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The prayer is OK. As far as the rest goes are these indictable if you don't do them?
ReplyDeleteWhat's with the arrows ?
The part at the bottom in the event of an emergency call a Catholic priest is OK but even that last part is ambiguous.
What is classed as an emergency ??
There have been some weird ambulance 999 calls in the UK from people: e.g. from a man whose washing machine had broken down. I kid you not !! :-))
See link here for more examples
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15741161
I can see these cards being lost or picked up by people who would ring up priests at all hours as a hoax and to aggravate, just for a laugh.
I think this might easily backfire and it will be priests who suffer.
I found a card in my great uncle's pocket after he died, identifying him as Catholic (perhaps somewhat redundantly tucked in with his rosary).
ReplyDeleteThe check list? I'm hoping I don't need a card to remind me of what, a prayer for the doing is more of a treasure....
I like it-
ReplyDeleteand, yes- I would carry this card- definitely-
is it possible to get this here, in the US?
as the bishop said, I need "confidence to share my faith"- and I often "need help knowing what to say" (in many situations)-
From what you preach ... God knows all that I feel, love, and believe.
ReplyDeleteI feel no need to carry a card to tell someone else this. God knows me, loves me, and will meet me in the end. Catholic or not catholic.
I'm not sure I personally feel the need to carry such a card, but it is a neat evangelization tool for non-catholics who might see it, and a call to accountability for the disengaged who think of themselves as Catholic. I would make something like these (perhaps with a few changes) and hand them to parents who bring a child for sacrament preparation at their first meeting. I would also give them to teens finishing up preparation for Confirmation.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely I would carry this card. Just as I have my rosary in my purse and medals in my wallet. I love these indicators of my faith. I am not narrowly defined or limited by what the card has printed on it.
ReplyDeleteI have carried a card in my wallet for several years. I do not remember where I got it. It is put out by the Monastery of the Precious Blood, 400 Pratt St., Watertown, N.Y. 13601 (The N.Y. instead of NY is a clue to the age of the card!)
ReplyDeleteIt is a business size card, but folds over so you have four sides. Front: Name
Address
I am a Catholic
In the event of an accident please call a priest
Address of Monastery of the Precious Blood and a "Heart Logo"
The other three sides are devoted to Confession with another "Heart Logo."
I wouldn't think to pull it out to discuss Catholicism with someone, but I guess I have always felt that if I were in an accident, I would want people to know that I am a Catholic and that, if possible, they would call a priest.
Rosemary
I would carry this card and think it would be well received as your Lenten reminder. Our mother taught us to write the message to call a priest in the case of emergency on the identification card that came with a new wallet. Now that I carry a license I no longer keep that ID card and would welcome a card like this, for the reminder, the quote, and the request. I'm going to England in the spring and will look for one!
ReplyDelete