Bearing Christ and Lighting Candles

Coolness abounding.  Excerpts:

...The name The Christophers, he admits, is sometimes confusing to people, "I've encountered those who think The Christophers are a religious order like the Franciscans or a family like the Flintstones. We're neither. Everybody has the potential to be a Christopher because the word in Greek means 'Christ-bearer.' A ['Christopher' is] anyone who takes the principles and truths that Jesus shared in the gospels, and lives them in their home, workplace, church, the community and so forth.

Founded in 1945 by Maryknoll priest, Father James Keller, The Christophers was meant to "call people to a greater awareness of their power and responsibility to be Christ-bearers in our society," says Rossi. "Father Keller had read a study that said most of the world's problems were caused by 1 percent of the people. He theorized that if you could get another 1 percent to be a force for good and who would let the light of Christ shine through them, it would produce a dramatic change in the world. Father Keller also believed that message crossed denominational boundaries and might even appeal to non-Christians who shared similar values. Based on response to his work, he was right on both counts."

Aware that many people complain about the state of society, but relatively few actually trying to do something about it, Keller chose as the organization's motto the old Chinese proverb, It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness. "Keller knew that complaining alone doesn't change anything. We needed to be more like modern day apostles who put our faith into action. The best way of spreading that message was through media..."