Prayer needed to avoid ham-handed evangelization

Most times, an opportunity for evangelism to non-Catholics surprises you. But I just got handed one that won't happen until Saturday. Suggestions and prayer needed to keep me on the right track....

A cousin is being married on Saturday. She and her fiance are Catholic, but when the Catholic Church they approached for the marriage asked them to participate in a Catholic life and to join the parish, they took that as an insult and flounced off to be married in a Baptist church instead. They are lovely young people and I am sad that they won't at this time be a part of the parish in question, a dynamic, growing, devout one.

They decided, because it's someone's favorite piece, to have Ave Maria played during their lighting of the "Unity Candle." Today, three days before the wedding, the organist refused to play it out of religious discomfort, although the pastor had (oddly, I think) consented. The couple has turned to my brother and me, who will play and sing it during the service.

I looked around the Internet and found a relatively succinct defense specifically aimed at Baptists about Catholic teaching on Mary and printed it out. Made two copies, in case the organist AND the pastor want one. I'm going to pray and be as charming as I can possibly be without ticking off the musician who will be playing my cousin's wedding music, and offer to clear up any misconceptions he has about Catholic belief. Yeesh.

If you told me three years ago that I'd prepare for a musical performance by handing out tracts to defend my faith, I'd have offered to be your designated driver.

Mary, Mother of Sorrows, pray for me!