Proclaiming Jesus Christ at Speakers’ Corner

Proclaiming Jesus Christ
at Speakers’ Corner

Shaun Growney reports how members of the Catholic evidence Guild preach in the open air at Speakers' Corner in London's Hyde Park on Sunday Afternoons.

During World War I, a New Zealander, Vernon Redwood, came to London to “do his bit”. One day he was passing the famous Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park and noticed the absence of the Catholic Church among the many religious speakers there. So, he gathered a group of like minded people, got in touch with the Archbishop of Westminster and sought permission to start open air evangelism in the diocese. After some discussion this was granted and the first Catholic Evidence Guild was formed. The idea spread both in England and abroad. Each Guild came under the authority of the diocese in which it operated and provided training for speakers. The Guilds thrived at first and continued to do so well into the 60s with more than 600 trained speakers active at one point. However, today there are only two remaining Guilds in the world, in New York and in London (Westminster diocese).

One of the regular speakers, Leonard Sullivan, has been a member for over 50 years and it was he who told me much of the history of the Guild. Another regular speaker is Fr Jeremy Davies, a former medical doctor who worked in mission hospitals in Guyana and West Africa before being ordained as a priest of Westminster diocese in 1974. He tries to go to Speakers’ Corner twice a month with 2 or 3 other speakers from the Guild on Sunday afternoons between 2.30 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. The other Sundays are usually covered by other Guild members, mostly laymen or laywomen of all ages.

The set up is to have a two foot high stand from which the speaker talks without microphone or notes for about 20 minutes, followed by 20 minutes for questions. The topics Fr. Jeremy has chosen have been quite varied including, revealed and natural religion, the creation and fall, Abraham, Moses, King David, Our Lady, the great schism of the Catholic and Orthodox, St Paul, and Shakespeare.

Asked about the effectiveness of this courageous ministry, Leonard Sullivan remarked that the speakers do not expect any instant results. “As speakers we recognise that we are preparing the ground for the Sower” he told me. However, once or twice, years after speaking, he had heard that, through him, the Spirit had reached a listener and changed his or her life. Fr Jeremy estimates that nothing much happens at all in about half of his talks (save the penance of doing the work), but a handful of people seem to receive something on perhaps 1 in 4 occasions and on the remaining 1 in 4, there appears to be a stronger effect when numbers rise to double figures. “At these times”, he says, “non Catholics are attracted, lapsed Catholics hear the call to return and practicing Catholics are much encouraged. Also, there are always 1 or 2 who want to have a one-to-one conversation after the talks. People are somehow warmed and excited to see the Catholic Church standing up in the midst of the modern jungle evangelising and answering its accusers with friendliness.”

He went on to point out that, “It is the Holy Spirit who bears the words of life from one heart to another. He does this directly of course, through the written words of the Bible; but also through the spoken word – “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3).”

Finally he made this appeal, “The Catholic Evidence Guild needs more speakers but it also urgently needs more listeners. If no-one is interested in what he is saying, a speaker is like a frozen fountain. If he has 2 or 3 who are really listening, life begins; and if there are 10 such, a crowd forms and the revival of the Catholic Evidence Guild has begun! So, if you can come to Speakers’ Corner sometime between 2.30 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon, please do so. At first it may seem a waste of time; but be patient and pray – and come again – and one day you may find yourself a part of something for lack of which our land is dying.”

<< Top Home >>

cartoon

During World War I, a New Zealander, Vernon Redwood, came to London to “do his bit”. One day he was passing the famous Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park and noticed the absence of the Catholic Church among the many religious speakers there. So, he gathered a group of like minded people, got in touch with the Archbishop of Westminster and sought permission to start open air evangelism in the diocese. After some discussion this was granted and the first Catholic Evidence Guild was formed. The idea spread both in England and abroad. Each Guild came under the authority of the diocese in which it operated and provided training for speakers. The Guilds thrived at first and continued to do so well into the 60s with more than 600 trained speakers active at one point. However, today there are only two remaining Guilds in the world, in New York and in London (Westminster diocese). One of the regular speakers, Leonard Sullivan, has been a member for over 50 years and it was he who told me much of the history of the Guild. Another regular speaker is Fr Jeremy Davies, a former medical doctor who worked in mission hospitals in Guyana and West Africa before being ordained as a priest of Westminster diocese in 1974. He tries to go to Speakers’ Corner twice a month with 2 or 3 other speakers from the Guild on Sunday afternoons between 2.30 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. The other Sundays are usually covered by other Guild members, mostly laymen or laywomen of all ages. The set up is to have a two foot high stand from which the speaker talks without microphone or notes for about 20 minutes, followed by 20 minutes for questions. The topics Fr. Jeremy has chosen have been quite varied including, revealed and natural religion, the creation and fall, Abraham, Moses, King David, Our Lady, the great schism of the Catholic and Orthodox, St Paul, and Shakespeare. Asked about the effectiveness of this courageous ministry, Leonard Sullivan remarked that the speakers do not expect any instant results. “As speakers we recognise that we are preparing the ground for the Sower” he told me. However, once or twice, years after speaking, he had heard that, through him, the Spirit had reached a listener and changed his or her life. Fr Jeremy estimates that nothing much happens at all in about half of his talks (save the penance of doing the work), but a handful of people seem to receive something on perhaps 1 in 4 occasions and on the remaining 1 in 4, there appears to be a stronger effect when numbers rise to double figures. “At these times”, he says, “non Catholics are attracted, lapsed Catholics hear the call to return and practicing Catholics are much encouraged. Also, there are always 1 or 2 who want to have a one-to-one conversation after the talks. People are somehow warmed and excited to see the Catholic Church standing up in the midst of the modern jungle evangelising and answering its accusers with friendliness.” He went on to point out that, “It is the Holy Spirit who bears the words of life from one heart to another. He does this directly of course, through the written words of the Bible; but also through the spoken word – “written not with ink but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:3).” Finally he made this appeal, “The Catholic Evidence Guild needs more speakers but it also urgently needs more listeners. If no-one is interested in what he is saying, a speaker is like a frozen fountain. If he has 2 or 3 who are really listening, life begins; and if there are 10 such, a crowd forms and the revival of the Catholic Evidence Guild has begun! So, if you can come to Speakers’ Corner sometime between 2.30 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon, please do so. At first it may seem a waste of time; but be patient and pray – and come again – and one day you may find yourself a part of something for lack of which our land is dying.” << Top Home >>