Evangelising

Well, there's only seven weeks left in the School and the schedule promises it will go out with a bang! We're doing several missions in this space of time, one in Leeds with Fr. Richard Aladics (who helped start the Community of Grace) and the Franciscan Friars, as well as some local missions in Soho. That means we need to begin to think of ways to evangelise, prayers and leaflets we can prepare, etc. Scripture readings tend to do well, as people are curious a) as to what they've just been handed, and b) as to what Scripture might say in their own lives. On Friday we were out in Leicester Square, along with the Pentecostal choir (who unfortunately had no mikes). Some of the students found the talks they had hard going, because of the scepticism and misinformed resentment of those they talked to. One lady declared she had been brought up Catholic but had left because of her disilusionment with the Church - she said her marriage was invalid, because Canon Law said that any marriage which bore no children after two years was annulled. Completely ridiculous of course, but the student, having no knowledge of Canon Law, found it hard to prove it to this lady who was sure of her own information. What do you find the most helpful way of responding to allegations against the Church that you know are unfounded but cannot satisfactorily disprove - especially in as brief an encounter as talking to someone on the streets?