Full disclosure – I’m a coffee snob.
This past summer I went to a coffee shop whose name started with each letter in the alphabet. I also created a rating system. While drinking my lattes, espressos, café Americanos and dripped, pressed and poured-over coffees I wondered, “Why do people come here and what are they looking for?” Sure, they come (and return) for the coffee and the ambiance but I believe they are searching for something and someone more – a person(s) to interact with.
Originally, coffeehouses were places of conversation and debate where the salutation upon entering was, “What news have you?” Today the salutation could be, “What’s the Wi-Fi password?” Coffee lovers spend hours in their favourite coffee shop reading, working on school/work projects or surfing the internet. With so many opportunities to be independent and autonomous, we actually prefer to be with others and have a genuine need to know that we’re not alone. So why do people patronize coffee shops and what are they searching for? Caffeine for starters, but also meaningful interaction with another person(s) through conversation and debate. Here’s where the Church has “new grounds for evangelization” (Stephen, Beale, www. aletia.com “These Catholic Coffee Shops take Evangelization to new Grounds”) one person or small group at a time.
Many of us working in renewal and evangelization can testify to the value of the three ‘H’s’: Homilies, Hymns and Hospitality. Homilies that teach, (in) form and encourage a response (what Father Bob Bedard, CC, called an opportunity to give a “yes” to Jesus). Hymns that are prayed and lift the heart to worship God. And (to my point) hospitality centred around well made, well served and enjoyable coffee. Lots of parishes have coffee Sundays, coffee at meetings, coffee for sale as a fundraiser, but why not have an actual coffee shop (with a professional Barista in employ and a welcoming and cozy environment) in a Catholic church or Parish Centre? Usually parish event ‘coffee’ is more like brown water, served in Styrofoam cups, the cookies are store purchased and the environment consists of metal stacking chairs in a sterile hall. I told you I’m a coffee snob!
Millennials may be perceived as non-committal, but they have a loyalty to their favourite coffee shop, particularly if it’s in their neighbourhood. Also, for many people it’s a decision maker when searching and deciding on a rental location for a vacation. How many of us when moving to a new area will be sure to check out the local coffee shop scene, maybe even before other stores or restaurants?
I’m actually sitting in my favourite coffee shop in Ottawa as I’m writing this article, seeking caffeine-fueled inspiration, but also casually engaging with the people around me. Apart from inquiring about what these people do professionally, where they’re from or how much coffee they drink in a day (lots I’m sure) I wonder about their relationship with God. Recent statistics tell us that 23.9 per cent of Canadians and 18.2 per cent of Americans identify as ‘None’ when it comes to religion. Where are they? Many of them are beside us at coffee shops, spending hours reading, writing and conversing. Could Catholic coffee shops in our parishes or neighbourhoods that serve good coffee with great treats in a warm and inviting ambiance (or at the least a good coffee social experience after Sunday Mass) be a tool of the New Evangelization? Yes, these shops do exist and provide new grounds for evangelizing those who identify religiously as “None.”
A priest friend of mine in Vancouver offers opportunities for parishioners and others to meet with him at his favourite coffee shop across the street from the parish. It’s called, “Coffee with a Priest” at St. Patrick’s and has been successful as a shallow entry point to evangelization and welcoming people back to the faith. Some of my lay friends have also held Bible studies in coffee shops. All you need is a table for 3-4 people a good study guide (Resources at www.cco.ca) and voila, you’re in business. The news we have to share is the Good News of Jesus! Some coffee shops have rooms for rent, so why not host an Alpha course at one of them (www.alphacanada.org)? Later we could invite people to the local parish coffee shop for ongoing formation.
More than ever coffee shops are becoming places where friends meet and make new ones. Pope Francis has reminded priests to ‘smell like the sheep’ and to get out of our sacristies and safe places. This applies to all of you reading this article, too. The Holy Spirit is an extrovert and so to be moved by the Spirit is to go out to others. There are so many people just waiting to be introduced to the person of Jesus, to discuss the Word of God, and to know that they’re not alone. Coffee (or tea if you prefer) is a beverage universally enjoyed and serving it well and often can be new ground for reaching others around us.
(St. Patrick’s Church in Maple Ridge recently opened its own coffee shop, Holy Grounds. Read the B.C. Catholic for future coverage.—Editor)
Fr. Allan MacDonald, CC, is a priest of the Companions of the Cross.
Reprinted with permission of Gaudium, a magazine for the New Evangelization published by the Companions of the Cross. Visit companionscross.org/gaudium for a free subscription.
