By Monsignor Noel Burtenshaw

The only request he made during the entire day was a piece of chocolate cake. His broad frame can stand the calorie content. Rugged, handsome and prematurely gray, Bishop Bernard F. Law led the Atlanta clergy in a day of Evangelization Preparation last week.

The young bishop hails from the heart of the farmlands of Missouri. His far-flung diocese called Springfield-Cape Girardeau stretches mightily across the state, 26,000 square miles long and broad. After serving his 40,000 Catholic parishioners for five years, Bishop Law knows the square miles well.

“I leave almost all administration to my staff,” says the Harvard educated bishop, “and travel as much as possible.” Obviously enjoying this kind of modern Pauline apostolate, Bishop Law looks fit and ready to clock the miles any time the call comes.

Asked to speak with Atlanta’s parish clergy on the planned year of outreach beginning on June 3, the feast of Pentecost, Bishop Law came, not only willingly, but well able. He made his presentation last week at a clergy conference in St. Thomas Aquinas parish in Alpharetta.

“Wherever I go, the message I have is ‘evangelize.’ It is the very nature along with the mission of the Church. Priests and people must simply tell the Gospel by what they say - but even more importantly - by what they are.”

Atlanta’s plan is a year of evangelization from Pentecost 1979 to Pentecost 1980 in every parish. An archdiocesan committee has been formed and their constructive thoughts were presented to the priests, anxiously awaiting the go ahead.

“I am most impressed with the committee’s efforts,” said Bishop Law, “and it is certainly a marvelous idea to set up this year of evangelization. However, let us not forget that spreading the Gospel is and must be an ongoing apostolate. Let’s get everyone into it - but let us make the process a habit.”

The Bishop lauds loudly the new ministries in the Church. “Prayer groups, Marriage Encounter and the Cursillo are wonderful paths to evangelization. We should get into them.” Bishop Law, himself a prayer group member, finds amazing consolation that he serves groups who are already “trained ministers” of the Gospel.

“Some of these lay apostles study scripture an hour and a half each day. They are ready to be loosened for Christ. Give them the leadership and let them go. They are your best arms of thorough evangelization.”

Media is also a means of the message for Bishop Law. Every morning of his life, he appears on a five-minute segment of ABC’s “Good Morning America.” The daily chat is called DAYBREAK.

“It’s expensive and time consuming,” says the eager-beaver bishop, “but the audience is there. We must reach out.”

The value of media, radio, television and newspapers has been a part of his life since ordination. Serving as a priest in the Mississippi Diocese of Natchez-Jackson for over ten years, his assignments included editor of the newspaper and director of Media Apostolate.

“I am delighted that communications will soon be highlighted nationally,” said Bishop Law, “the collection taken up in May will give us ammunition and new hope to make the good fight for evangelization.”

And that was the core of his talk to the Atlanta priests. “You have a year set aside. You begin on the feast of the Holy Spirit. Prepare now and be ready leaders of Atlanta’s movement to Evangelize.”

Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan encouraged the priests to put their best efforts behind the words of Bishop Law and the program outlined by the committee.

For parishes in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the next 12 months will be a time to think and act evangelization.