Every week for nearly 30 years John Deacon has walked the Sydney streets of Kingsgrove, parts of Beverly Hills and much of Bexley North.
The 72-year-old prays quietly for each home within his Our Lady of Fatima Kingsgrove parish perimeters as he passes them and places a prayer notice in their mailboxes.
Inside the leaflet reads, “Dear Lord, please bless this household with your love,” along with the parish Mass times.
He walks an average of two streets a week and covers the entire parish in 14-16 months.
“On Sundays those streets go into the parish bulletin and we pray for everyone as part of our prayers of the faithful,” John told The Catholic Weekly.
“A couple of weeks ago we prayed for Stoney Creek Road that runs from Illawarra Street all the way up to Preddys Road in Bexley North.
“Longer streets like that can be over an hour of walking, other streets as small as a dozen houses might be a five-minute stroll.
“I don’t really look at the time in the grand scheme of things, every street deserves our prayers.”
Once his route is complete, John’s back to square, or house, one.
“In the last week of the rounds we pray for the people from outside the parish that choose to make this church their own. Then we go again.”
John began his ministry at Kingsgrove in September 1997 after friend Brian Milgate had an idea to pray for the streets surrounding his own parish.
He spoke to then-parish priest Fr Terry Brady, who was very enthusiastic about the ministry.
Over the years John has met the occasional homeowner who refuses to accept his prayers.
He’s also come across various people, often of different or no faith, who are happy to learn someone is thinking of them.
Some people have even received the leaflet and enquired about baptism for their children.
“It shows small things like this can prompt people in a way you never really know.
“The whole idea is it’s form of passive evangelisation. It’s not just going to Catholic letterboxes.”
At times the lifelong OLF parishioner has also led a small team of prayer walkers and has found the initiative a comforting “ecumenical outreach” for himself and the recipients.
“A lady who lives two blocks away and isn’t Christian recently attended our parish’s feast day festival thanks to John’s letterbox leaflets,” said OLF sacramental coordinator Bernadette Bassil.
“She bought a raffle ticket, ended up winning something and was really happy and thankful to the church for thinking of her and for the prayers. She was even then open to the invitation to Mass next Sunday.
“John’s ministry made her feel welcome, and that’s what we want everybody who steps within the boundaries of our parish to feel—like they’re a part of something.”
John hopes to keep up the initiative as long as it continues to touch hearts around the suburbs.
“If people don’t want the message they just chuck it in the bin. But the beauty of it is that it’s a tangible, non-confrontational way to try and make a difference.
“I find it’s a fulfilling thing to reach out to people and let them know we’re here for them.”