Friar who evangelizes in the mall: 'We are an absolutely passive church'

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Wow, he’s 86 years old and is out evangelizing.
the article:
Mall officials were receptive. There were limitations, however. Father Wall had to stay put in one place. Amplification and big signage was out.

That all suited the priest just fine. On weekdays, he chose a bench and sat, smiling. On weekends, he donned the habit and rented a kiosk near Macy’s and filled it with free crucifixes, rosaries, holy cards and sacred medals.

Many shoppers asked who he was and that led to encounters, some brief, some lengthy. Everyone seemed impressed that a man representing deep matters had set up in a place devoted to fashion, skin products and fast food. He heard several confessions.
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Fr. Wall thinks every large shopping mall should have a Catholic presence.
 
God Bless him in his evangelization! He is right on that we have become a “timid” Church in every way I can imagine. We need zeal both in evangelizing and in implementing Catholic truth within our own Churches. It takes courage, something that I believe we need to pray for. No one wants to step on toes, no one wants confrontation. The result is the decline of what we see today. We need clergy and lay people alike with a backbone.
 
A beautiful testimony and inspiration.
Let us pray for an increase in vocations so that there might be more religious who can and will choose to do things like this.

Not that I’m saying the laity should not do it, certainly we should…
I was merely thinking of the his sign, “Got a question? Ask a priest”. Plus his wearing of his habit makes an automatic statement and draw…

Peace
James
 
Why don’t priests wear cassocks anymore? Ours are in chinos and shirts as soon as they leave Church. Back in the early 60s, cities were full of habits. Actually, made people feel safer to see them out there.
 
I think this is a very good idea. Especially considering how some Protestant groups go into Latin America and Europe with an express mission to convert Catholics.
 
All I can say is—WOW! About time somebody thought about something like this!

I, too, would love to see priests in cassocks out on the streets, as well as sisters in habits (even the more modern habits.)

My older sister is a newly retired registered nurse. Her career started way back in the day when nurses actually wore white uniforms and caps on duty. But you could always tell a nurse who stopped on her way home to pick up a couple of things at the supermarket by the way she was dressed. She tells me she would get questions about health issues right there in line in the supermarket, and at the hospital she was afforded dignity and respect. Sounds like the same kind of thing is going on here, in part.

Makes me wish I lived in Portland and could go to that mall! I hope someone in the Buffalo area picks up on this!
 
God bless this good priest! Way to go! 👍

I know of a ‘mall chapel’ in the Albany area that was run by Franciscan priests. I went to Mass there a few times in the 1980s.

There was another one run by Franciscans-a priest and a Sister-in a mall in Syracuse.

I don’t know if these two chapels are still around-it’s been awhile since I’ve been to either of the malls.

‘We are an absolutely passive Church’-you said it, Father!

St. Dominic is probably smiling down on you and cheering you on!
 
barb_finnegan said:
I know of a ‘mall chapel’ in the Albany area that was run by Franciscan priests. I went to Mass there a few times in the 1980s.
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Thank you, I wasn’t aware of that. Apparently (based on a quickie Google search) there are a few full-fledged chapels in malls throughout the US. And at least one in Poland.

I like what Fr. Hall is doing because it may actually do better at evangelizing. In the case of a Catholic chapel, you pretty much have to be already Catholic before you will enter. However, Fr. Hall’s low key presentation might be less intimidating to outsiders or those who had left the Church. And, of course, it costs less so that is one less barrier to doing it.
 
We are called to avoid the “near occasion of sin.” Modern TV, movies, and music are peddling the “near occasion of sin” in their daily messages, repeated over and over, until it becomes indoctrinated in people, yet few say much about it. Playing with our kids (as if we are younger again) is so much cleaner, healthier, and entertaining for the whole family. We are NOT active enough in getting this message to the public!
 
What a truly marvelous idea! And how unthreatening to those whose hearts are being enticed by the Spirit to return to the Church. Meet 'em where they are…in the material world, of course. I love it!
 
Good for him!

Too often the Catholic response to problems is, “Let’s have a bake sale.”
 
Dale_M said:
Thank you, I wasn’t aware of that. Apparently (based on a quickie Google search) there are a few full-fledged chapels in malls throughout the US. And at least one in Poland.
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Cool. That’s exactly like the roadside ‘Chapels of ease’ and chapels on bridges in mediaeval Europe!
 
Teelynn said:
God Bless him in his evangelization! He is right on that we have become a “timid” Church in every way I can imagine. We need zeal both in evangelizing and in implementing Catholic truth within our own Churches. It takes courage, something that I believe we need to pray for. No one wants to step on toes, no one wants confrontation. The result is the decline of what we see today. We need clergy and lay people alike with a backbone.
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Political correctness = fear. Priest scandals = fear. “Tolerance” = intimidation into political correctness. I think it’s the reason we don’t hear about abortion from the pulpit too. Priests have been told, “don’t talk about that, women will be hurt!” or, “male priests can’t talk about abortion, because you don’t even have sex!” So we don’t hear about it, and we don’t do anything about it.

God bless Father Hall.

Wait, I thought a Friar wasn’t a Father but a Brother? Probably my confusion,
 
This kind of action does my heart good! with all of the bad press the priests are bombarded with it is nice to have some positive stories to focus on too! I say give us some more and Go Father Wall !!!
👍 😃
 
kmuestwin said:
I am pretty sure a Friar is a brother that has been ordained.
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This topic has come up a few times in the Vocations forum. According to a couple of our resident religious, all Dominicans are friars. However, some Dominican friars are also ordained as priests.

This is from a thread asking about the difference between Dominicans and Jesuits
Br. David:
The biggest difference is that the Dominican are mendicant friars living the Rule of St Augustine and have a communial life and community prayer.
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forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=7190155&postcount=4

And this is from a thread asking about the difference between Dominicans and Franciscans
Br. JR aka JReducation:
Those brothers who are priests often perform priestly work, some do not. We have brother-priests who run soup kitchens, serve as maintenance men, are teachers, serve as spiritual directors, or are administrators. In other words, all of our brothers go where ever there is a need. Our ordained brothers (priests) have no special place in the community nor do they have special rights, because they are ordained.

In this, the Dominicans are similar. Their ordained brothers do not have a special place or special rights in their order either, except for one. The Prior must be ordained. They have friars who are not ordained who are very involved in the ministry. However, they do consider the vocation to be a Dominican brother and the vocation to be a Dominican priest to be two different, but complimentary vocations.
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forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=7514107&postcount=6
 
Dale_M said:
This topic has come up a few times in the Vocations forum. According to a couple of our resident religious, all Dominicans are friars. However, some Dominican friars are also ordained as priests.
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Men who belong to the mendicant orders such as the Augustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans (who actually belong to the Augustinian family) and Carmelites are referred to as friars, derived from the Latin frater meaning brother.

They are friars whether or not they are ordained, and in some instances - such as the Order of Friars Minor or Franciscans - will often be referred to as ‘brother’ even when they are ordained.

Mendicant life is structured around the religious individual going where the work is, and supporting themselves through that work or through begging. Inasmuch as there are very few actual religious *orders *- most religious institutes are actually congregations or societies, even though we tend to (mistakenly) use the term ‘order’ generically - it is notable that most of the orders are mendicant in nature.

Interesting thread - I think this is a good example of the modern friar living the mendicant ideal and going to meet the people where they are.
 
👍 Well, I think that’s great! That’s always been my contention.If we want to go and attract people to the faith, have seminary studetns go out and visit people in their homes like the Mormons do it,Or go to the mall or stand on the street coner,etc.
Maybe even young sisters too could do the same.Or partner a young priest or sister with an older one, someone who has a friendly personality,someone like Father here that by their personality,etc. can get people to open up and talk.

Train lay people too to do the same like the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Whatever you may think of their beliefs, please give them some credit for wanting to evangelize.We Catholics sit back and do nothing.We have got to get with the program here.
 
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