Friday Observances
Bishop Kieran of Arundel and Brighton suggested that Catholics may wish to pause at about 3pm on a Friday afternoon to recall our Lord's saving passion and death on the cross. Other things from our tradition which one might do on a Friday to witness quietly to the Faith include observing the Church's discipline of Friday abstinence, that is refraining from meat flesh for the entire day. One might alos recite the Litany of the Sacred Heart and /or attend Mass on the first Friday of the month in honour of the Sacred Heart.
Visual Signs and Symbols
The Catholic tradition values external symbols of our Faith and endows them with blessings and the use of them with indulgences. The newly consecrated Bishop of Portsmouth, Bishop Peter Egan has suggested, for those of us who drive, that we display a rosary or other devotional item in our cars. This is a simple and effective witness to our Faith and one that is visible not only when we are present but also wherever the car is parked. Another way is to wear a cross or crucifix or perhaps a holy medal or scapular (such as the Carmelite Brown Scapular) - dare I say it, even the SSIM lapel badge!
Our outward behaviour
Bishop Egan has also suggested we make the sign of the cross and say grace when out for a meal and when eating at home as well as saying 'please God' when someone tells you there hopes and aspirations and 'thank God' when they give you some good news.
All of these are small simple things we can do to show our Catholic culture, which is rooted in Faith, in un-obtrusive and un-pretentious ways.
Lastly, one of our members, Dom Anselm Carpenter, OSB sent this link to a video of Bishop Malcolm McMahon of Nottingham delivering the first in a series of talks about the Faith.
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