Remember The Red Shirt?

Do you remember the red t-shirt my husband ordered for me from KU Catholic Center? Well, he also ordered one for our daughter. Because the shirts don't come in children's sizes, he ordered a size he knew would be too large - but one she could wear as a night shirt.

The other night, when I tucked our daughter into bed, I realized that's how most Catholics wear their faith.

The faith is dear to them, but they only "wear" it in private. They don't put it out there for others to see.

While it is appropriate for children to "wear their faith" in more private ways (because they are growing into the faith, only beginning to fit into the faith and discover ways to share the faith), it is not appropriate for the adults to wear the faith only in private.

The laity must share the faith. We cannot expect our religious to do it alone. First, non-Catholics are likely to dismiss religious, thinking of course they like their Church and want to defend her teachings - one would expect that.

What they do not expect, however, is that the regular guy or gal in the pew can share the faith or defend her teachings. That is not expected.

And that's why it carries far more weight in the eyes of non-Catholics.

That's why it grabs their attention.

So, whether or not you have the red shirt, be a Catholic willing to share the faith. Don't merely "wear it as a night shirt".

Remember The Red Shirt?

The T-Shirt That Kick-starts Evangelization - Go KU!

The Red T-Shirt.

My sister-in-law in South County saw one the other day. She asked about it today at our Father's Day celebration.

So, Lawrence, Kansas - your efforts are getting around. The t-shirts are popping up in St. Louis. And they're generating questions.

Here's a link to buy your own "Ask me why I'm Catholic" t-shirt. http://st-lawrence-org.ecatholicchurches.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=36&view=details&product=5

And here's just a portion of the original article:

Jayhawker Evangelization

Red Tuesday changes the way KU students think about their faith

By Jill Ragar Esfeld

LAWRENCE — On a recent Tuesday, University of Kansas freshman Leann Tracy was racing across campus so as not to be late for her art class. As she blazed down the sidewalk in a flash of red, no one could miss the large block letters on the back of her shirt that spelled out “Ask me why I’m Catholic.”Tracy wears the shirt every Tuesday. When asked why, her answer is unequivocal: “Because it’s starting a revolution!”And she’s right. KU is indeed undergoing a revolution of sorts – Catholic students are taking their message to the streets.In this, a formidably secular environment, Catholic students find their faith challenged on all sorts of fronts. But now there is a sanctuary, a home base, where they can turn for answers to the many questions college classes — and even college life — give rise to.It’s the Red Tuesday table hosted by the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center, and it’s changing the way KU students think about faith, God, salvation, their world, their future and Catholicism.An open invitationWhen outreach and evangelization coordinator Jennifer Meitl joined the St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center last July, she was charged with getting the center out onto the campus and increasing awareness of the Catholic presence at the university.Center director Father Steve Beseau had heard of a program at Texas A&M University where students wore T-shirts that invited others to “Ask a Catholic a Question.” “I brought the idea to [the staff for discussion],” he said. “I thought it was a very non-threatening way of evangelization, and I liked that.”The center staff liked it, too, but decided to tweak the question in order to provide more opportunity for personal witness. They then had bright red T-shirts printed up, with the center’s logo on the front and “Ask me why I’m Catholic” on the back.Meitl then arranged for the campus center to host a table each Tuesday at Wesco Beach, a centrally located area on campus, and word soon spread that Catholic students should wear red on Tuesdays. The second day of the school week quickly became known on campus as “Red Tuesday.”“We asked all the students to wear red and keep us in their prayers,” said Meitl, “so they would be in solidarity with us, even if they were unable to stop by the table.”

The T-Shirt That Kick-starts Evangelization - Go KU!