One of my commenters reported on a counter-demonstration to Call To Action.
For those who haven’t heard, when Call to Action learned we were organizing a show of support for our Bishop, they tried to preserve a monopoly on their sought after media attention by changing their protest to 11:00am. We learned about it just before 9:00am.
The signs were not yet printed! I was out collecting completed Petition pages! I couldn’t get to a computer! I was disheartened to say the least.
Well, the Holy Spirit took charge of the situation in no short order. A flurry of phone calls ensued. The signs would be ready for pick up at 10am in South Lincoln. The homeschoolers were called into action by Cheryl Winter. I made one call to her and with her directory in hand she made numerous calls. Liz Feuerborn phoned me on my cell and she sent out an urgent email to our homeschool group that reached many others as well.
I was hoping that we might have double their numbers at the 11:00am gathering. I was also concerned that our time would be drawn from petition gathering. I should not have worried! Here’s what happened:
About 116 red-shirted people showed up on a moment’s notice at the steps of the Chancery! Amazing! Call to Action again tried to lure the media away by changing their staging area (all 9 members of them!) to occur in front of the Cathedral parking lot instead of the Chancery. That meant it was time for a good old fashioned Catholic procession!
We were required by Lincoln Police (as they politely told us) to stay off of the public sidewalk. Off we went, filling the lawn in front of the Chancery, then in front of the Cathedral. We sang hymns, recited the Apostle’s Creed, we prayed the Chaplet of Divine Mercy for the return to the Church of Call to Action members. It was such a blessed sight. One family drove all the way from Palmyra, another from Wahoo!
After numerous interviews, we finally dispersed and returned to the business of finishing the Petition gathering. At 2:00pm we met at Doug’s home. He and his wife, daughter and grandchildren worked very hard on the Petition drive and we are very thankful- they provided the backbone and inspiration for all of their efforts!
We went forward with our support gathering at 2:45pm. More praying, including the Chaplet at 3pm- again for the return of those who have left the Church and also for our Bishop. At about 3:20 the petitions were totaled.
Call to Action collected signatures since December, 2006 and had approximately 1000.
Our faithful lay Catholics collected 1452 in just over 31 hours!
Bishop Bruskewitz addressed our happy celebration, received our Petitions of support, thanked us and granted our request for a blessing.
It surely shows just how far CTA is on the decline when they hold a demonstration and ten times more people show up for the counter-demonstration.
14 comments
And notice the avereage ages of the two groups.
CTA will not last.
Faithful Catholics are multiplying (as per God’s request in Genesis), and will continue to do so. 🙂
What good news! Good for those people and their mission!
Fantastic work by the faithful in action!
CTA members are seen just moments before submitting their petition to Bishop Bruskewitz. He was then seen storing the petition in his special CTA file cabinet. It can be viewed here:
http://www.destroyit-shredders.com/#High%20Volume
An encouraging story! Thank you.
What an inspiring read! Thanks much for sharing the uplifting news. 🙂
I pray that one day that bishop will be installed here in the L.A. archdiocese.
I pray that one day that bishop will be installed here in the L.A. archdiocese.
Sorry, I’ve already called dibs on him for my diocese!
The Holy Spirit was with you! What an inspiring story.
Sometimes I wish for a return of what H.W. Crocker called the “wild-eyed, rock throwing fanatics” of the Eastern Mediterranean. It might be more constructive to pray for the conversion of the CTA types, but surely would be more fun to thunk them on the noggin with a medium-sized rock. Not enough to injure them, just enough to get their attention!
What a great job the faithful Catholics in Lincoln did!
I received an email from a fellow in Nebraska about this as well.
I can’t help wondering if St. Francis, holy friend of foes, would’ve instead busied up innocent children by having them help host a BBQ — with the CTA folks as impromptu guests of honor. That’s similar to what Francis did with a Creche of welcome extended to folks who might be even more heinous than CTA.
But I fear that a number of children had to ask, instead, “Who won?”
I see competition and/or animosity escalating in every sphere.. why isn’t it ever love that escalates? That’s our first mission, isn’t it?
It’s funny what makes me see my own error in something.. I’ve seen it today. Thank you.
May God bless.
Hmmm…my children pray with me for people all the time. They’ve never asked me who won. But if they did, I’d tell them God did, a long time ago on the cross. And we’ll keep praying that all people will come to love the Bride he died for, His church, as much as He does, and that they will come to understand the fullness of her beauty. Love demands this kind of hope and prayer.
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