Sardinian priest roams bars preaching God's Word

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 12 - A Sardinian priest has been roaming the bars of his native Barbagia area preaching God's Word for the last three years.
    Father Antonio Maria Cossu, known to all as Don Totoni, is a 68-year-old cleric who has been parish priest of the small town of Bitti for the last seven years.
    Faced with a steep fall in Mass attendances, he started setting up meetings in bars, publishing leaflets saying "Meeting In Bars, 'Evengelical' Half Pint, Talking Jesus'.
    The theme of this year's sermons is "Jesus's Message: Love'.
    "My vision of a religious has never been that of operating behind the closed doors of a sacristy or to wait for people to start coming back to Mass," he told ANSA.
    "I really like going where the people are and it was also my youthful dream.
    "I thank the baristi of Bitti and all the people present who welcome me, for their hospitality and the chance they give me to bring them the Word of Jesus". (ANSA).