(Roman Catholic ) Bishop David Zubik said the festival dovetails with calls by recent popes to a ”new evangelization,“ bringing back cradle Catholics who drifted or became estranged from the faith.
”We felt as long as there was a Catholic component to this particular crusade, we wanted to be a part of it,“ Bishop Zubik said.
Those who respond to Rev. Graham’s invitation to make a decision for Christ, and who identify as Catholic, will be given the opportunity to go to Epiphany Roman Catholic "church," . . ., — adjacent to the Consol Energy Center — for the sacrament of reconciliation, or confession.
”We’re right next door,“ Bishop Zubik said.
Bishop Zubik said Catholics don’t share all of Rev. Graham’s controversial political statements but added: “That’s not what this is all about. The whole point is to bring people back to Jesus.”
Nancy Lee Cochran, an advisory team leader for the Franklin Graham festival, noted that churches have been cooperating across denominational lines for months on human-service projects and festival planning. The revival’s legacy, she said, will be a network of local Christians who are “more sustained and better equipped to serve.”
“Three Rivers Festival of Hope” in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, August 15-17, 2014,Franklin Graham (who led and organized the event) brought in Roman Catholic Bishop David Zubik to give the opening prayer on stage with the large audience. The Roman Catholic Bishop acknowledged his belief that Protestants, Roman Catholics, and others, are all part of the same "church".
Opening Prayer of Franklin Graham's 'Three Rivers Festival Of Hope,' Pittsburg, PA, 15AUG14, given by by Roman Catholic Bishop David Zubik . . .