Theology on Tap

Annunciations had a post yesterday on the Bishop of Birmingham (formerly Bishop of Charleston, SC) give a talk in a bar. This reminded me of the first time I heard Bishop Baker-also in a bar in Columbia, SC at a "Theology on Tap" event.

Bishop Baker had not been long Bishop of our diocese. It was 8:00 at night, he was on his way back to Charleston from the upstate. His mother was in town from Ohio to help him celebrate his ? anniversary of being a priest. Yet he stopped in Columbia to address a gathering of young people in a bar.

He read the Gospel story of "the rich young man who went away sad" when Christ called him; and then Bishop Baker challenged the young people there (the unmarried ones) to consider a call-especially to religious life. He said that the health of the Church is measured by the numbers of young people who are willing to give up all to spend their lives praying for the Church.

I remember at the time thinking that if I had still been single, Bishop Baker's plea would have been motivation enough for me to call the Carthusians in Vermont the next day.

Every time I heard Bishop Baker speak to young people, he spoke about vocations.

We pray, through the intercession of Our Lady of Joyful Hope, for another good and holy bishop for our diocese.

Oremus pro invicem!