The Aggie Catholics are promoting a new grassroots pro-life initiative they’re calling Five Alive. It’s a five-step plan for getting five of your friends in Catholic activism. I’m thinking it works best for those who work with teens, college kids, and young adults, although there are plenty of middle-aged folks who should get involved too.
FIVE ALIVE
Grassroots effort to increase pro-life activism among Catholics
Goal: Every person involved in pro-life tries to get five more people involved in pro-life activities.
STEPS:
- Pray – First and Foremost. Pray that God bring these people into your life and once they are pray for them. Ask everyone to pray for a pro-life culture.
- Identify: Look for 5 easy targets. Someone who is pro-life, someone who used to be involved, an open teenager, etc. This person should be considered a friend.
- Listen: Listen to the reasons they have not yet been involved. Is it time? Resistance by their parish priest? Lack of clarity of where to begin? Fatigue of previous involvement? Figure out how to overcome these resistances and suggest a good activity for them. Activities can include dedicated prayer, volunteer work, anything!
- Educate: Give them a pro-life book and bumper sticker, forward them pro-life emails and articles. But don’t overdo it!
- Support: Get them started on their first activity. Pick them up with a cup of coffee and donut as you go to pray outside an abortion clinic. Carpool to the pro-life march. Overcome resistance with love and a spirit of joy.
Of course, these steps are only a suggestion. It is a unique activity with each person that we embark on this quest. It would be great to see the pro-life marches magnified by a factor of five – at some point that will get someone’s attention! And surely, prayer is the most important and primary activity of changing hearts and minds.
