An experimental mass advertising program is being launched by the archdiocese this weekend.

The 30-day test, utilizing advertisements in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, is funded by an anonymous donor who saw similar, successful media programs in other Catholic dioceses, Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan announced.

The ads invite the unchurched, alienated Catholics, and the curious to call a special number where a Catholic layperson is available to discuss whatever the caller wants to talk about.

To manage this pilot program effectively, all of the laypersons handling the calls are from one parish, St. Thomas Aquinas, which itself conducted a similar, although smaller, advertising program during its successful Operation Homecomings in 1977 and 1979.

One of the unusual features of the new archdiocesan program is that the ads will run in many sections of the Journal/Constitution, in an attempt to attract all types of readers.

On Saturdays, the ad will appear in the church section with all the other religious groups. On Sundays, it will appear in two of the feature sections. On other days, the ad will appear in sports, business, lifestyle, entertainment and classified.

The Archdiocesan Committee on Evangelization, chaired by George Clements, is responsible for the experimental program, which runs from Nov. 14-Dec. 13. Clements said there are seven objectives for the program:

1. Test whether a news media promotion works effectively.

2. “Wave the Catholic flag” in an area dominated by non-Catholic faiths.

3. Instill in practicing Catholics a sense of pride, and a sense of duty as evangelists.

4. Open the doors to the Church to people who have never been invited before, and to inactive Catholics who have never been invited to come back before.

5. Offer an “icebreaker” alternative to calling a rectory and talking to a priest.

6. Dispel some of the myths and aloofness of the Catholic religion.

7. Involve the laity even more in spreading the Good News.

Some of the phone calls, Clements said, will probably be only of an “information” nature, where the caller wants a question answered or simply wants to talk about a problem.

In some cases, the St. Thomas Aquinas layperson will try to get the caller’s name and phone number, so that the caller can be referred to a layperson in the nearest parish.

Archbishop Donnellan has asked all of the metropolitan area pastors to submit names of parishioners who would be willing to have callers referred to them for follow-up contact and possible home visits.

Carol Bradach and Fran Keeling of St. Thomas Aquinas have put together the team of laypersons who will be handling the special phone on a 24-hour-a-day basis. A phone was installed in the rectory, but all calls are forwarded to the layperson’s home. The “duty” changes each day at noon. Fifteen couples have each volunteered to take two 24-your “duty” periods during the test.

The copy for the ads changes each week, although the essential points are the same, namely that Catholics want to share with others the peace of mind and joy that comes with celebrating Christ’s Resurrection at Sunday Mass.

Each ad will have “The Peace of Christ Be With You” alongside a visual which shows the Cross, the Eucharist and the Chalice.

Clements said he expects the calls to increase as the test period moves along, with potential callers waiting until they see the ad several times before dialing.

The Evangelization Committee will track all of the calls, especially in those cases where callers were referred to parishes for follow-up contact, to measure the impact of the advertising program 45-60 days after it is over.

Archbishop Donnellan has asked all Catholics to pray for the success of this advertising program, and to ask for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as the St. Thomas Aquinas parishioners answer the phone.

“This is truly evangelization in the modern world, utilizing technology and communications to reach out to people who are looking for something more meaningful in their lives. Let us pray that our program successfully reaches them,” the archbishop said.