The venerable evangelist, Billy Graham, will be gracing Cincinnati with an historic visit June 27-30. His concern is that the Mission bring people together in prayer and racial reconciliation, especially in the city of Cincinnati.  Dr. Graham was here before in 1977.  This time around Catholic participation in the Mission is much greater. Nearly 70 parishes have been involved in preparation for the mission. Three hundred Roman Catholics from Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky participated in the five-week Christian Life and Witness course, which trains counselors and Bible study leaders. 

   A Catholic committee of 10 people has met regularly with local and national Billy Graham Mission leadership. Their verdict has been a positive one on the experience.  Says Curtis Kneblik, head of Evangelization for the Archdiocese, "This has been a rich experience.  It's the most powerful ecumenical thing I've ever done.  I am really sold on the understanding that we can do more together than we can apart.“ Indeed, Catholic-Evangelical connections have grown over the planning period. Rev. Art Bailey, director of Follow-Up for Billy Graham Missions, was a guest presenter at the May 16th Evangelization staff in-service training day at Bergamo. Some two hundred and fifty thousand people are expected to attend the Mission.  Of that number Catholics are expected to be around twenty-seven percent of attendees.

Local Catholic parish ministers after a Catholic Follow-Up Training Session for the Billy Graham Mission on May 16(from left to right): Mary Kay Murisson,  Administrative Assistant St. Bernard, Winton Place; Scott Mussari, Director of Educational Ministries, Good Shepherd; Curtis Kneblik, Evangelization; Rev. Art Bailey of Dallas, Texas, Director of Follow-Up, Billy Graham Mission; Sr. Elaine Becker, associate director, Religious Education.        Photo: Louise Vera

Estimates vary as to how many of that number, two to four thousand will come forward as inquirers in either a  renewal or a return to their Christian commitment or a request for prayer.     With the support of the Billy Graham Mission, the Catholic Billy Graham committee has worked out thelogistics of responding to this group in detail . Catholic Follow-Up leaders were trained in three sessions in Dayton and Cincinnati. Both Hispanic and African-American ministries are involved in the Catholic participation in the mission. Pat Lesher, from the Archdiocesan Youth Office and coordinator of Catholic BGM computer data, said recently, “It is amazing how much good can be done when all the church, regardless of denomination, unites to proclaim the Gospel.”  For more information on the Mission, especially parking, please see the insert with this mailing.

Eighteen young people committed to peacemaking, 10 Arabs and 8 Jews affiliated with Open House in Ramle, Israel will be doing peace camp August 1st to 10th in Cincinnati, Boston and New York this summer rather than in Israel, where many summer programs have been cancelled. Open House, Cincinnati is hosting these young people, who will be involved in two public appearances. As preparation for the visit, Open House Cincinnati and the Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations are co-sponsoring a showing of the Academy Award nominated documentary "Promises" on Sunday, June 23. Open House, Israel is a grassroots, co-existence organization involving Christians, Jews and Muslims.

Continued on page 2.