Pleading for priests on a beer mat

Last Updated: Sunday, 29 May, 2005, 12:45 GMT 13:45 UK
Pleading for priests on a beer mat

By Jacqueline Head
BBC News


Beer mats and posters on the London Underground are being used by the Catholic Church in a more unusual attempt to try to slow the declining numbers of priests.

BBC News asked members of a London congregation for their views tackling the problem.

One might believe the Holy Trinity in Brook Green, a stone church in quiet residential surrounds, would be a popular place on a Sunday morning. Yet there was plenty of pew space in the 8.30am service.

The Catholic church is trying to address a growing problem over a lack of priests in the UK, and from the beer mats and posters, it appears a younger audience is being targeted.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4591103.stm

Father Jack Hackett - Frank Kelly

If anything's toxic and in liquid form, he'll drink it. Jack is a bit of an alcoholic, although it's very subtly presented in the program, almost hidden*. He's also very dangerous in a violent way if disturbed by anyone at any time.

* lie

http://www.fathertedonline.ukf.net/characters.htm

and got the biggest laugh I've had in ages. Some nun was talking about increasing funding for Catholic education by going after the survivors, er, former students, who "got a very good grounding from a Catholic education, and I'm sure they've got a lot of fond memories of it."

Right, Sister, and scars on both hands and atheism since I was 10.

condom packets, liquor bottles?

Those ubiquitous cardboard coasters are a fascination of almost every American tourist - the most common souvenirs.

Joan McQuillian, 49, from Hammersmith, said the advertising is a good idea that "plants a seed" in people's minds.
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AND>>>>>


Carol Kasigezi believes women should be allowed to be priests

"It's hard to say you can't go out late on Saturday night because you have to play the organ on Sunday morning."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4591103.stm

A few years ago, worried about plunging attendance, the Church Of England put on a massive campaign aimed at The Youth Market.

It featured posters in the Underground depicting a modernized, muscular Jesus as a sort of holy action figure. The slogan was something like: "Meek and mild? As if!"

After that, attendance dropped even more.